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Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Using Mouse Mammary Tumor Cells to Teach Core Biology Concepts: A Simple Lab Module
Published on: June 18, 2015
Curcumin induces down-regulation of EZH2 expression through the MAPK pathway in MDA-MB-435 human breast cancer cells
Wen-Feng Hua1, Yong-Shui Fu, Yi-Ji Liao
1State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Abstract:
Curcumin, a natural compound isolated from turmeric, may inhibit cell proliferation in various tumor cells through a mechanism that is not fully understood. The enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) gene is overexpressed in human breast cancers with poor prognosis. In this study, we observed a dose- and time-dependent down-regulation of expression of EZH2 by curcumin that correlates with decreased proliferation in the MDA-MB-435 breast cancer cell line. The curcumin treatment resulted in an accumulation of cells in the G(1) phase of the cell cycle. Further investigation revealed that curcumin-induced down-regulation of EZH2 through stimulation of three major members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway: c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 kinase. These data suggest that an underlying mechanism of the MAPK pathway mediates the down-regulation of EZH2, thus contributing to the anti-proliferative effects of curcumin against breast cancer.
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