Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Studies have indicated that curcumin can inhibit keloid fibroblasts. It can suppress keloid fibroblasts (KFB) proliferation and induce cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase. However, whether curcumin can inhibit KFB proliferation remains poorly understood.                                            
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of curcumin on cultured human KFB proliferation and its signal transduction pathway.
METHODS: Keloid fibroblasts were primary cultured in vitro, passaged after cell fusion, and 6-8 passages of cells with logarithmic growth were used. Different concentrations of curcumin (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 μmol/L) were used to intervene keloid fibroblasts. Cell cycle was determined by flow cytometry, and expression of nuclear factor-κB was detected by immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Curcumin inhibited KFB hyperplasia in a dose- and time-dependent manner (P < 0.05), and arrested cell cycle at G1 phase, nuclear factor-κB expression increased with the dose of curcumin decreased (P < 0.05). Curcumin can inhibit KFB proliferation and arrest cell cycle in G1 phase. Curcumin might inhibit nuclear factor-κB signal transduction pathway activation, and thus play its anti-fiber role.