Pharmaceuticals (Oct 2021)

New Insights into Curcumin- and Resveratrol-Mediated Anti-Cancer Effects

  • Andrea Arena,
  • Maria Anele Romeo,
  • Rossella Benedetti,
  • Laura Masuelli,
  • Roberto Bei,
  • Maria Saveria Gilardini Montani,
  • Mara Cirone

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ph14111068
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 11
p. 1068

Abstract

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Curcumin and resveratrol are bioactive natural compounds displaying anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties. In this study, we compared the cytotoxic effects of these molecules and the molecular mechanisms involved against Her-2/neu-positive breast and salivary cancer cell lines. We found that both curcumin and resveratrol were efficient in reducing cancer cell survival and that they differently affected autophagy, ROS and activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Moreover, we found that resveratrol and curcumin in combination exerted a stronger cytotoxic effect in correlation with the induction of a stronger ER stress and the upregulation of pro-death UPR molecule CHOP. This effect also correlated with the induction of pro-survival autophagy by curcumin and its inhibition by resveratrol. In conclusion, this study unveils new molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer effects of resveratrol, curcumin and their combination, which can help to design new therapeutic strategies based on the use of these polyphenols.

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