Molecular targets and therapeutic implications of curcumin in hepatocellular carcinoma: a comprehensive literature review.

IF 6 2区医学 Q1 ONCOLOGY

Cancer Cell International Pub Date : 2025-10-03 DOI:10.1186/s12935-025-03988-4

Mojtaba Esmaeli, Maryam Dehghanpour Dehabadi, Ali Ghanbari

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Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with Limited treatment options and poor outcomes in advanced stages. Curcumin, a bioactive compound derived from Curcuma longa, has drawn significant attention for its anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. This systematic review evaluated 26 studies published between 2020 and 2025-including in vitro, in vivo, and one clinical investigation-to examine the molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential of curcumin and its nanoformulations in HCC. Curcumin was found to modulate multiple signaling pathways such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR, JAK2/STAT3, MAPK, and Wnt/β-catenin, leading to enhanced apoptosis, reduced cell proliferation, suppression of angiogenesis, and immune system modulation. Additional findings highlighted its role in reversing drug resistance and promoting ferroptosis through ACSL4 upregulation. Nanoformulated curcumin-delivered via liposomes, micelles, bilosomes, and other carriers-demonstrated improved bioavailability, stability, and tumor-targeting capacity, enhancing therapeutic efficacy in preclinical models. However, the translation of these promising preclinical effects into clinical practice remains limited, with only a single human study available. While curcumin shows potential as a supportive or adjunctive agent in HCC therapy, further well-designed clinical trials are essential to validate its efficacy and optimize formulation strategies for patient use.

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姜黄素在肝细胞癌中的分子靶点和治疗意义：综合文献综述。

肝细胞癌（HCC）仍然是全球癌症相关死亡的主要原因，治疗选择有限，晚期预后不佳。姜黄素是一种从姜黄中提取的生物活性化合物，因其抗癌、抗炎、抗氧化和免疫调节等特性而受到广泛关注。本系统综述评估了2020年至2025年间发表的26项研究，包括体外、体内和一项临床研究，以研究姜黄素及其纳米制剂在HCC中的分子机制和治疗潜力。姜黄素可调节多种信号通路，如PI3K/AKT/mTOR、JAK2/STAT3、MAPK和Wnt/β-catenin，导致细胞凋亡增强、细胞增殖减少、血管生成抑制和免疫系统调节。其他研究结果强调了其通过ACSL4上调逆转耐药和促进铁下垂的作用。纳米配方姜黄素通过脂质体、胶束、胆囊体和其他载体传递，在临床前模型中显示出更好的生物利用度、稳定性和肿瘤靶向能力，增强了治疗效果。然而，将这些有希望的临床前效果转化为临床实践仍然有限，只有一项人类研究可用。虽然姜黄素在HCC治疗中显示出作为辅助或辅助药物的潜力，但需要进一步精心设计的临床试验来验证其疗效并优化患者使用的配方策略。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Cancer Cell International ONCOLOGY-

CiteScore

10.90

自引率

1.70%

发文量

360

审稿时长

1 months

期刊介绍： Cancer Cell International publishes articles on all aspects of cancer cell biology, originating largely from, but not limited to, work using cell culture techniques. The journal focuses on novel cancer studies reporting data from biological experiments performed on cells grown in vitro, in two- or three-dimensional systems, and/or in vivo (animal experiments). These types of experiments have provided crucial data in many fields, from cell proliferation and transformation, to epithelial-mesenchymal interaction, to apoptosis, and host immune response to tumors. Cancer Cell International also considers articles that focus on novel technologies or novel pathways in molecular analysis and on epidemiological studies that may affect patient care, as well as articles reporting translational cancer research studies where in vitro discoveries are bridged to the clinic. As such, the journal is interested in laboratory and animal studies reporting on novel biomarkers of tumor progression and response to therapy and on their applicability to human cancers.