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Updated: Sep 18, 2025

Protection of H9c2 Myocardial Cells from Oxidative Stress by Crocetin via PINK1/Parkin Pathway-Mediated Mitophagy
Published on: May 26, 2023
ERO1α regulates curcumin-induced autophagy via PI3K/AKT pathway
Dandan Huang1, Bolorchimeg Baldandorj2, Erdenezaya Odkhuu3
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Science, Mongolia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inner Mongolia Baogang Hospital, Baotou, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.
Objective:
Through comprehensive analysis of cisplatin-resistant HeLa cervical cancer cells, we reveal that curcumin exerts potent anti-cancer effects by modulating autophagic processes, and further identify Endoplasmic reticulum oxidoreductase 1-alpha (ERO1α) as a key regulator mediating this biological response.
Methods:
Cell proliferation was assessed using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). The immunoblotting analysis measured the Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase/ Protein Kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway-related proteins, Microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3II/I) ratio, and Beclin-1 expression. The cell migration ability was evaluated through a scratch assay.
Results:
Curcumin significantly inhibits the proliferation and migration of cisplatin-resistant HeLa cells. It promotes autophagy in these cells, as shown by the upregulation of autophagy-related proteins Beclin-1 and LC3II/I. Curcumin also downregulates ERO1α expression, subsequently modulating the PI3K/AKT pathway. Interestingly, the overexpression of ERO1α or activation of PI3K negated the autophagy-promoting effects of curcumin, indicated by the absence of changes in autophagy-related proteins and phosphorylation levels of PI3K/AKT.
Conclusions:
Our study provides compelling evidence that curcumin inhibits the proliferation and migration of cisplatin-resistant HeLa cells by promoting autophagy through the downregulation of ERO1α and inhibition of the PI3K/AKT pathway.
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