Curcumin Inhibits Histone Deacetylase Leading to Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis via Upregulation of p21 in Breast Cancer Cell Lines

Abstract

ABSTRACT Curcumin was reported to modulate the expression of HDACs 1 and 2. The effect of curcumin on the expression levels of acetylated histones (H3 and H4), acetylated p53, p21, cyclinB1, and Cdk-1 were investigated in breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, expressing wild-type and mutated p53, respectively. Curcumin increased histone acetylation in both cell lines. Increased p53 acetylation was observed in MCF-7 but not in MDA-MB-231. Upregulation of p21 by curcumin was observed in both cell lines, leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by caspase-9 induction. Curcumin therefore may be regarded as a potent epigenetic regulator in breast cancer.