Drug-resistant reversing effect of curcumin on COC1/DDP and its mechanism

Objective: To investigate the effect and its mechanism of curcumin on the proliferation,apoptosis and DDP sensitivity of COC1/DDP.Methods: The growth inhibiting rates of COC1/ DDP cells with DDP,curcumin,DDP combined with curcumin were studied by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT) method;the apoptic ratios of COC1/ DDP cells with DDP(2.5μg/ml),curcumin(20μmol/L) and DDP(2.5μg/ml) combined with curcumin(20μmol/L) were measured by flow cytometry;the expressions of apoptosisassociated genes Bcl-2,Capase-3,Survivin were studied by RT-PCR in COC1/DDP cells.Results: 15~30μmol/L curcumin could evidently inhibit the growth of COC1/DDP cells,the effect depending on concentration of curcumin;1.25~5μg/ml DDP combined with 20μmol/L curcumin could decrease surviving rates of COC1/DDP cells(P0.05),especially 2.5 μg/ml DDP combined with 20μmol/L curcumin;The apoptic ratios of COC1/ DDP cells with DDP combined with curcumin were significantly higher than that of only DDP and curcumin(P0.05).The expressions of Caspase-3 were distinctly higher in DDP combined with curcumin group than only DDP at mRNA level,but Bcl-2 and Survivin significantly lower(P0.05).Conclusion: Curcumin can inhibit the growth of COC1/DDP and enhance its DDP sensitivity.Its mechanism may be associated with over expression of Bcl-2 and Survivin and the downregulation of Caspase-3.