Effects of curcumin-induced apoptosis in human colon carinoma cells

Objective To observe the effects of curcumin on proliferation and apoptosis of the human colon carcinoma cell line HT-29 in vitro.Methods Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay was used to detect the cell proliferation of HT-29 cells.The cell apoptosis and changes of cell cycle of HT-29 cells were analyzed by using flow cytometry,fluorescence microscopy and/or electron microscopy.Results Curcumin significantly inhibited the cell proliferation of HT-29 cells in dose-dependent manner,and the 50% inhibitory concentraiton was (15.9±1.96)μmol/L.The results of flow cytometry showed that an apoptotic peak was found after HT-29 cells treated with curcumin for 24h.Condensed and highly fluorescent granular cell nuclei under fluorescence microscopy and chromatin condenstation and aggregation on the nuclear margin under electron microscopy were observed in HT-29 cells treated with curcumin.Conclusion Curcumin would inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells and the mechanism responsible for the effect might be involved in the induction of apoptosis.