Purpose: To study the effect of curcumin on proliferation and invasion of the human retinoblastoma cells and its potential mechanism.
Methods: A cell line of retinoblastoma (WERI-Rb-1) was treated with various concentrations of curcumin (0-40 µM). Cell number was counted with CCK8 kit, and cell migration was assessed using the Transwell assay. Immunoblotting was performed to detect the proteins of metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as well as nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB, p65).
Results: Proliferation and migration of WERI-Rb-1 cells were significantly inhibited by curcumin in a concentration-dependent manner (0-40 µM). Protein expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF in the WERI-Rb-1 cells were also significantly inhibited by curcumin in a concentration-dependent manner (0-40 µM). Furthermore, nuclear translocation of NF-κB (p65) was significantly inhibited by curcumin in time-dependent manner (6-24 h).
Conclusion: Curcumin inhibited proliferation and migration of WERI-Rb-1 cells, a cell line of human retinoblastoma, which might be through modulating NF-κB and its downstream proteins including VEGF, MMP-2, and MMP-9.
Keywords: Curcumin; Human retinoblastoma; Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP); NF-κB; Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).