TITLE:
Molecular Targets of Curcumin and Future Therapeutic Role in Leukemia
AUTHORS:
Sabika Rafiq, Muhammad Hassan Raza, Mehwish Younas, Fariha Naeem, Romisha Adeeb, Javed Iqbal, Pervez Anwar, Umara Sajid, Hafiza Muniba Manzoor
KEYWORDS:
Curcumin, Antioxidant, Signaling Pathways, Apoptosis, Therapeutic Potential, Leukemic Load
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.6 No.4,
April
23,
2018
ABSTRACT: Leukemia is a most prevalent type of cancer around
the globe. Due to major side effects of Chemotherapy and radiotherapy,
scientists worked to explore the alternative source to treat leukemia. An
alternative source for the treatment of leukemia existed in the form of
curcumin, a natural phenolic compound extracted from curcuma longa plant. It
exhibited anticancer properties reducing the tumor load via apoptosis and cell
cycle arrested in various cancer cell lines and controlled tumor proliferation
by blocking tumor inducing gene such as FLT3, Akt gene, ROS and NF-κB inhibition. At molecular level,
curcumin plays a key therapeutic role in protection of normal cells by up
regulation of NRF-2 that induces production of cellular antioxidants. It
regulates various signaling pathways including NF-KB, JAK/STAT, PI3K/AKT and
JNK pathways, thereby affecting cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis.
This review described the potential of curcumin for treatment of leukemia; it
affects different signaling cascades and their regulation. This study provides
a preclinical foundation for future usage of curcumin in the treatment of cancer.