Curcumin: a therapeutic strategy in cancers by inhibiting the canonical WNT/β-catenin pathway

Numerous studies have presented that curcumin could have a positive effect in the prevention of cancer and then in tumor therapy. Several hypotheses have highlighted that curcumin could decreases tumor growth and invasion by acting on both chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. This review focuses on the interest of use curcumin in cancer therapy by acting on the WNT/β-catenin pathway to repress chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. In the cancer process, one of the major signaling pathways involved is the WNT/β-catenin pathway, which appears to be upregulated. Curcumin administration participates to the downregulation of the WNT/β-catenin pathway and thus, through this action, in tumor growth control. Curcumin act as PPARγ agonists. The WNT/β-catenin pathway and PPARγ act in an opposed manner. Chronic inflammation, oxidative stress and circadian clock disruption are common and co-substantial pathological processes accompanying and promoting cancers. Circadian clock disruption related to the upregulation of the WNT/β-catenin pathway is involved in cancers. By stimulating PPARγ expression, curcumin can control circadian clocks through the regulation of many key circadian genes. The administration of curcumin in cancer treatment would thus appear to be an interesting therapeutic strategy, which acts through their role in regulating WNT/β-catenin pathway and PPARγ activity levels.