Curcumol inhibits colorectal cancer proliferation by targeting miR‐21 and modulated PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathways

Abstract

Aims: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how curcumol affected the expression of miR‐21 and whether its effects on miR‐21 was associated with the activation of PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathways in CRC cells. Main methods: MTT and xenograft assay were used to examine how curcumol inhibits colorectal cancer (CRC) cells growth. Q‐PCR and western blot analysis were employed to test the role of miR‐21 in the inhibition of curcumol on proliferation and PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathways of CRC cells. Key findings: We found that curcumol effectively inhibited CRC cells from proliferating via the PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathways and reduced expression of miR‐21 both in vitro and in vivo. miR‐21 mimics were found to decrease the protein level of PTEN and increase the expression of PI3K, phospho‐Akt (p‐Akt) and NF‐&kgr;B, while miR‐21 sponge (miR‐21‐SP) enhanced the expression of PTEN and reduced the activity of PI3K, Akt and NF‐&kgr;B. Furthermore, miR‐21‐SP strengthened the role of curcumol in up‐regulating PTEN and inhibiting PI3K/Akt pathways, but miR‐21 reversed the effect of curcumol on the PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathways. Significance: Our research demonstrated that curcumol reduced the proliferation of CRC cells through PTEN/PI3K/Akt by targeting miR‐21 and miR‐21 could be a target molecule of curcumol for CRC treatment. Graphical abstract Figure. No caption available.