[Effect of Curcumin on the Proliferation, Apoptosis, and Cell Cycle of Human Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cell Line K562]

To investigate the effects of curcumin on the proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle of human acute myeloid leukemia cell line K562.

MTT method was used to detect the proliferation inhibition of logarithmic growth phase human acute myeloid leukemia K562 cells, flow cytometry was used to detect the cell cycle, Annexin V-FITC was used to detect the apoptosis rate, and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of Bax, BCL-2 and caspase-3 mRNA and protein, respectively.

The inhibition rate of cell proliferation in curcumin 10, 20, and 40 μmol/L group for 24 h and 48 h were higher than that in the control group (curcumin 0 μmol/L), and the cell proliferation inhibition rate was concentration-time dependent (r=0.879, r=0.914). The proportion of G₀/G₁ cells and apoptosis rate of K562 cells in the curcumin 10, 20, and 40 μmol/L group were higher than those in the control group, and showed drug concentration dependent (r=0.856, r=0.782). The expression of Bax and Caspase-3 mRNA in the curcumin 10, 20, and 40 μmol/L group was higher, while BCL-2 mRNA was lower than those in the control group, and showed drug concentration dependent (r=0.861, r=0.748, r=-0.817). The gray value of Bax protein expression in the curcumin 10, 20, and 40 μmol/L group was higher than that in the control group, while the gray value of BCL-2 and Caspase-3 protein expression was lower than that in the control group, and showed drug concentration dependent (r=0.764, r=-0.723, r=-0.831).

Curcumin can inhibit the proliferation of human acute myeloid leukemia cell line K562 cells, block the cell cycle at G₀/G₁ phase, promote cell apoptosis, and induce apoptosis by regulating Bax, BCL-2, and Caspase-3.