Curcumin induces the apoptosis of A549 cells via oxidative stress and MAPK signaling pathways

Curcumin has been found to exhibit anticancer activity and certain studies have shown that curcumin triggers the apoptosis of human A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. However, the mechanism underlying curcuminmediated apoptosis is not completely understood. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of curcumin on the induction of apoptosis and apoptosisrelated factors in human A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. Treatment of A549 cells with curcumin caused a concentrationdependent inhibition of cell growth and an increase in apoptosis, as confirmed by THE MTT assay, flow cytometry and morphology analysis. Curcumintreatment of A549 cells induced a loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential and increased cytosolic cytochrome c. Furthermore, curcumininduced apoptosis was accompanied by changes in intracellular oxidative stressrelated enzymes, including decreased intracellular reactive oxygen species levels, increased superoxide dismutase and decreased malondialdehyde and 4hydroxynonenal. In addition, induction of apoptosis was also accompanied by phosphorylation and activation of mitogenactivated protein kinase signaling pathway factors cJun Nterminal kinase, p38 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase.