Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn.) extracts on the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) gene expression in human cancer cells (HeLa and SW480). The cells were incubated with turmeric extract at various concentrations (0-80 ug/ml) for 48 and 72 hours. Percentage of cell viability was determined by MTS assay. The results showed that turmeric extract inhibited cell proliferation at 48 and 72 hours of incubation with IC50 of 19.29 and 16.93 ug/ml against HeLa, and 15.60 and 15.62 ug/ml against SW480, respectively. To investigate the anti-invasion effect of turmeric extract, cells were treated with 0-20 ug/ml of turmeric extract and evaluated by matrigel invasion assay. At the concentration of 20 ug/ml, turmeric extract inhibited invasion ability of HeLa and SW480 by 48.72±3.7.76% (p=0.000) and 47.02±10.37% (p=0.000) respectively. Moreover, the expression of RAGE gene was determined by RT-PCR. In HeLa cells, the level of RAGE gene expression was significantly decreased with 20 ug/ml of turmeric extract, at 24 hours incubation period (p=0.002). However, RAGE gene expression in SW480 cells did not show significant difference as compared to the control group (p>0.05). We conclude that turmeric extract has anti-proliferation and anti-invasion activity. In addition, it also reduced RAGE gene expression in HeLa cells that may be involved with these effects.
