The effect of curcumin on the necroptosis signaling pathway in colon cancer cells

Abstract

Colon cancer is the one of the most common types of cancer in humans. A sedentary lifestyle, increasing obesity and the consumption of food additives favor the development and occurrence of colon cancer. It is emphasized that curcumin, a yellow compound isolated from the turmeric plant, is important in preventing cancer. Studies have shown that curcumin has an anticancer effect by driving cancer cells into apoptosis, but studies showing its effect on necroptosis are inconclusive. Necroptosis is a form of programmed cell death mediated by RIP proteins and has been shown to play an important role in cancer. This study aims to determine the effect of curcumin on the necroptosis signaling pathway. For this purpose, HT-29 and HCT-116 colon cancer cells were cultured and exposed to different concentrations of curcumin and MTT experiments were performed to determine the effect on cell viability. The expression levels of RIPK1, RIPK3, and MLKL genes, which are markers of necroptosis, were analyzed by real-time PCR. It was found that the expression level of RIPK1, RIPK3, and MLKL genes significantly increased after exposure of HT -29 cells to 50 µM curcumin. Moreover, the expression of RIPK1 and MLKL genes increased in HCT-116 cells after curcumin administration. Consequently, the current data clearly suggest that curcumin is a prominent driver of necroptotic signaling-mediated colon cancer cell death.