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Updated: Jul 26, 2025

Spectrophotometric Screening for Potential Inhibitors of Cytosolic Glutathione S-Transferases
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Curcumin inhibits proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by blocking PTPN1 and PTPN11 expression

Jingru Zhang1, Yang Liu1, Xiaojie Wang2

  • 1Department of Histology and Embryology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264003, P.R. China.

Oncology Letters
|June 19, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Curcumin inhibits liver cancer (HCC) cell growth by targeting protein tyrosine phosphatases PTPN1 and PTPN11. This study clarifies curcumin's antitumor mechanism in HCC, identifying key molecular targets for potential therapeutic strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • The precise antitumor mechanism of curcumin remains unclear, particularly in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  • Understanding curcumin's molecular targets is crucial for its effective application in HCC treatment.
  • Identifying specific genes and proteins affected by curcumin can elucidate its therapeutic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To screen and validate the molecular targets of curcumin in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  • To investigate the mechanism by which curcumin inhibits HCC cell proliferation.
  • To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of curcumin in an in vivo HCC model.

Main Methods:

  • Candidate genes were identified using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database.
  • Gene validation and expression analysis were performed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database (LIHC dataset).
  • In vivo studies utilized a subcutaneous xenograft model of human HCC in nude mice, with immunohistochemistry to assess protein expression.

Main Results:

  • The protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 1 (PTPN1) was identified as a key target gene.
  • Curcumin significantly inhibited the growth of HCC xenograft tumors in mice.
  • Immunohistochemistry revealed significantly lower protein expression levels of PTPN1 and PTPN11 in curcumin-treated mice compared to controls.

Conclusions:

  • Curcumin inhibits HCC cell proliferation by downregulating the expression of PTPN1 and PTPN11.
  • These findings clarify curcumin's antitumor mechanism in HCC.
  • PTPN1 and PTPN11 represent potential therapeutic targets for curcumin-based HCC treatment.
Keywords:
cell proliferationcurcuminhepatocellular carcinomaprotein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 11

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