Curcumin / TGF-β Cancer Research Results

CUR, Curcumin: Click to Expand ⟱
Features:
Curcumin is the main active ingredient in Tumeric. Member of the ginger family.Curcumin is a polyphenol extracted from turmeric with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
- Has iron-chelating, iron-chelating properties. Ferritin. But still known to increase Iron in Cancer cells.
- GSH depletion in cancer cells, exhaustion of the antioxidant defense system. But still raises GSH↑ in normal cells.
- Higher concentrations (5-10 μM) of curcumin induce autophagy and ROS production
- Inhibition of TrxR, shifting the enzyme from an antioxidant to a prooxidant
- Strong inhibitor of Glo-I, , causes depletion of cellular ATP and GSH
- Curcumin has been found to act as an activator of Nrf2, (maybe bad in cancer cells?), hence could be combined with Nrf2 knockdown
-may suppress CSC: suppresses self-renewal and pathways (Wnt/Notch/Hedgehog).
Clinical studies testing curcumin in cancer patients have used a range of dosages, often between 500 mg and 8 g per day; however, many studies note that doses on the lower end may not achieve sufficient plasma concentrations for a therapeutic anticancer effect in humans.
• Formulations designed to improve curcumin absorption (like curcumin combined with piperine, nanoparticle formulations, or liposomal curcumin) are often employed in clinical trials to enhance its bioavailability.

-Note half-life 6 hrs.
BioAv is poor, use piperine or other enhancers
Pathways:
- induce ROS production at high concentration. Lowers ROS at lower concentrations
curcumin can act as a pro-oxidant when blue light is applied
- ROS↑ related: MMP↓(ΔΨm), ER Stress↑, UPR↑, GRP78↑, Cyt‑c↑, Caspases↑, DNA damage↑, cl-PARP↑, HSP↓
- Lowers AntiOxidant defense in Cancer Cells: GSH↓ Catalase↓ HO1↓ GPx↓
but conversely is known as a NRF2↑ activator in cancer
- Raises AntiOxidant defense in Normal Cells: ROS↓, NRF2↑, SOD↑, GSH↑, Catalase↑,
- lowers Inflammation : NF-kB↓, COX2↓, p38↓, Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines : TNF-α↓, IL-6↓, IL-8↓
- inhibit Growth/Metastases : TumMeta↓, TumCG↓, EMT↓, MMPs↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, uPA↓, VEGF↓, NF-κB↓, CXCR4↓, SDF1↓, TGF-β↓, α-SMA↓, ERK↓
- reactivate genes thereby inhibiting cancer cell growth : HDAC↓, DNMT1↓, DNMT3A↓, EZH2↓, P53↑, HSP↓, Sp proteins↓,
- cause Cell cycle arrest : TumCCA↑, cyclin D1↓, CDK2↓, CDK4↓, CDK6↓,
- inhibits Migration/Invasion : TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, ERK↓, EMT↓, TOP1↓, TET1↓,
- inhibits glycolysis /Warburg Effect and ATP depletion : HIF-1α↓, PKM2↓, cMyc↓, GLUT1↓, LDHA↓, HK2↓, PFKs↓, PDKs↓, HK2↓, ECAR↓, OXPHOS↓, GRP78↑, GlucoseCon↓
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, Notch↓, FGF↓, PDGF↓, EGFR↓, Integrins↓,
- inhibits Cancer Stem Cells : CSC↓, CK2↓, Hh↓, GLi1↓, CD133↓, CD24↓, β-catenin↓, n-myc↓, sox2↓, OCT4↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, JAK↓, STAT↓, Wnt↓, β-catenin↓, AMPK↓, ERK↓, JNK, TrxR**,
- Synergies: chemo-sensitization, chemoProtective, RadioSensitizer, RadioProtective, Others(review target notes), Neuroprotective, Cognitive, Renoprotection, Hepatoprotective, CardioProtective,

- Selectivity: Cancer Cells vs Normal Cells

Rank Pathway / Axis Cancer Cells Normal Cells Label Primary Interpretation Notes
1 NF-κB signaling ↓ NF-κB activation ↓ inflammatory NF-κB tone Driver Suppression of survival and inflammatory transcription NF-κB is a primary, repeatedly validated curcumin target explaining pleiotropic downstream effects
2 STAT3 signaling ↓ STAT3 phosphorylation / activity ↔ or mild suppression Driver Loss of pro-survival and proliferative signaling STAT3 inhibition contributes to growth arrest, apoptosis sensitization, and reduced cytokine signaling in tumors
3 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) ↑ ROS (dose- & context-dependent) ↓ ROS / buffered Conditional Driver Biphasic redox modulation Curcumin can act as a pro-oxidant in cancer cells with high basal stress while acting antioxidant in normal cells
4 Mitochondrial integrity / intrinsic apoptosis ↓ ΔΨm; ↑ caspase activation ↔ preserved Driver Execution of intrinsic apoptosis Mitochondrial dysfunction and caspase activation occur downstream of NF-κB/STAT3 and ROS effects
5 PI3K → AKT → mTOR axis ↓ AKT / ↓ mTOR ↔ or adaptive suppression Secondary Reduced growth and anabolic signaling AKT/mTOR inhibition contributes to growth suppression and autophagy induction in cancer cells
6 Autophagy ↑ autophagy (protective or pro-death) ↑ adaptive autophagy Secondary Stress adaptation vs cell death Autophagy may be cytoprotective or cooperate with apoptosis depending on context and dose
7 HIF-1α / VEGF hypoxia–angiogenesis axis ↓ HIF-1α; ↓ VEGF ↔ minimal effect Secondary Anti-angiogenic pressure Suppression of hypoxia-driven transcription limits angiogenesis and tumor adaptation
8 Cell cycle regulation ↑ G2/M or G1 arrest ↔ largely spared Phenotypic Cytostatic growth control Cell-cycle arrest reflects upstream signaling and epigenetic effects rather than direct CDK inhibition
9 Migration / invasion (EMT, MMP axis) ↓ migration & invasion ↔ Phenotypic Anti-metastatic phenotype Reduced EMT markers and protease activity limit invasive behavior
10 Epigenetic regulation (p300/CBP HAT activity) ↓ histone acetylation ↔ modest Secondary Transcriptional reprogramming Curcumin modulates chromatin via HAT inhibition rather than classic HDAC inhibition


TGF-β, transforming growth factor-beta: Click to Expand ⟱
Source: HalifaxProj(inhibit) CGL-CS TCGA
Type:
Human malignancies frequently exhibit mutations in the TGF-β pathway, and overactivation of this system is linked to tumor growth by promoting angiogenesis and inhibiting the innate and adaptive antitumor immune responses.
Anti-inflammatory cytokine.
In normal tissues, TGF-β plays an essential role in cell cycle regulation, immune function, and tissue remodeling.
- In early carcinogenesis, TGF-β typically acts as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis.

In advanced cancers, cells frequently become resistant to the growth-inhibitory effects of TGF-β.
- TGF-β then switches roles and promotes tumor progression by stimulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell invasion, metastasis, and immune evasion.

Non-canonical (Smad-independent) pathways, such as MAPK, PI3K/Akt, and Rho signaling, also contribute to TGF-β-mediated responses.

Elevated levels of TGF-β have been detected in many advanced-stage cancers, including breast, lung, colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancers.
 - The switch from a tumor-suppressive to a tumor-promoting role is often associated with increased TGF-β production and activation in the tumor microenvironment.

High TGF-β expression or signaling activity is frequently correlated with aggressive disease features, resistance to therapy, increased metastasis, and poorer overall survival in many cancer types.
Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
2688- CUR,    Effects of resveratrol, curcumin, berberine and other nutraceuticals on aging, cancer development, cancer stem cells and microRNAs
- Review, Var, NA - Review, AD, NA
*ROS↓, *SOD↑, p16↑, JAK2↓, STAT3↓, CXCL12↓, IL6↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, TGF-β↓, α-SMA↓, LAMs↓, DNAdam↑, *memory↑, *cognitive↑, *Inflam↓, *antiOx↑, *NO↑, *MDA↓, *ROS↓, DNMT1↓, ROS↑, Casp3↑, Apoptosis↑, miR-21↓, LC3II↓, ChemoSen↑, NF-kB↓, CSCs↓, Nanog↓, OCT4↓, SOX2↓, eff↑, Sp1/3/4↓, miR-27a-3p↓, ZBTB10↑, SOX9?, ChemoSen↑, VEGF↓, XIAP↓, Bcl-2↓, cycD1/CCND1↓, BioAv↑, Hif1a↓, EMT↓, BioAv↓, PTEN↑, VEGF↓, Akt↑, EZH2↓, NOTCH1↓, TP53↑, NQO1↑, HO-1↑,
3582- CUR,  PI,    Therapeutic and Preventive Effects of Piperine and its Combination with Curcumin as a Bioenhancer Against Aluminum-Induced Damage in the Astrocyte Cells
*eff↑, *IL6↓, *TGF-β↓, *BioAv↑,
447- CUR,  OXA,    Curcumin reverses oxaliplatin resistance in human colorectal cancer via regulation of TGF-β/Smad2/3 signaling pathway
- vitro+vivo, CRC, HCT116
p‑p65↓, Bcl-2↓, Casp3↑, EMT↓, p‑SMAD2↓, p‑SMAD3↓, N-cadherin↓, TGF-β↓, E-cadherin↑, TumVol↓, TumCMig↓,
153- CUR,    Curcumin Inhibits Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis by Up-Regulating Bone Morphogenic Protein-7 in Vivo
- in-vivo, Pca, C4-2B
PSA↓, TGF-β↓, BMPs↑, TumMeta↓,
13- CUR,    Role of curcumin in regulating p53 in breast cancer: an overview of the mechanism of action
- Review, BC, NA
P53↑, DR5↑, JNK↑, NRF2↑, PPARγ↑, HER2/EBBR2↓, IR↓, ER(estro)↓, Fas↑, PDGF↓, TGF-β↓, FGF↓, EGFR↓, JAK↓, PAK↓, MAPK↓, ATPase↓, COX2↓, MMPs↓, IL1↓, IL2↓, IL5↓, IL6↓, IL8↓, IL12↓, IL18↓, NF-kB↓, NOTCH1↓, STAT1↓, STAT4↓, STAT5↓, STAT3↓,
123- CUR,    Synthesis of novel 4-Boc-piperidone chalcones and evaluation of their cytotoxic activity against highly-metastatic cancer cells
- in-vitro, Colon, LoVo - in-vitro, Colon, COLO205 - in-vitro, Pca, PC3 - in-vitro, Pca, 22Rv1
NF-kB↓, ATF3↑, HO-1↑, Wnt↓, Akt↓, mTOR↓, PTEN↑, Apoptosis↑, TGF-β↓, PPARγ↑,
124- CUR,    Curcumin-Gene Expression Response in Hormone Dependent and Independent Metastatic Prostate Cancer Cells
- in-vitro, Pca, LNCaP - in-vitro, Pca, C4-2B
TGF-β↓, Wnt↓, PI3k/Akt/mTOR↓, NF-kB↓, PTEN↑, Apoptosis↑, TumCCA↑,
103- RES,  CUR,  QC,    The effect of resveratrol, curcumin and quercetin combination on immuno-suppression of tumor microenvironment for breast tumor-bearing mice
- vitro+vivo, BC, 4T1
ROS↑, MMP↓, Bcl-2↓, BAX↑, Casp9↑, T-Cell↑, TGF-β↓,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 8 of 8

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 8

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

ATF3↑, 1,   HO-1↑, 2,   NQO1↑, 1,   NRF2↑, 1,   ROS↑, 2,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics ⓘ

MMP↓, 1,   XIAP↓, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

IR↓, 1,   PI3k/Akt/mTOR↓, 1,   PPARγ↑, 2,  

Cell Death ⓘ

Akt↓, 1,   Akt↑, 1,   Apoptosis↑, 3,   BAX↑, 1,   Bcl-2↓, 3,   Casp3↑, 2,   Casp9↑, 1,   DR5↑, 1,   Fas↑, 1,   JNK↑, 1,   MAPK↓, 1,  

Kinase & Signal Transduction ⓘ

HER2/EBBR2↓, 1,   PAK↓, 1,   SOX9?, 1,   Sp1/3/4↓, 1,  

Transcription & Epigenetics ⓘ

EZH2↓, 1,   miR-21↓, 1,   miR-27a-3p↓, 1,  

Autophagy & Lysosomes ⓘ

LC3II↓, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair ⓘ

DNAdam↑, 1,   DNMT1↓, 1,   p16↑, 1,   P53↑, 1,   TP53↑, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence ⓘ

cycD1/CCND1↓, 1,   TumCCA↑, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State ⓘ

CSCs↓, 1,   EMT↓, 2,   FGF↓, 1,   mTOR↓, 1,   Nanog↓, 1,   NOTCH1↓, 2,   OCT4↓, 1,   PTEN↑, 3,   SOX2↓, 1,   STAT1↓, 1,   STAT3↓, 2,   STAT4↓, 1,   STAT5↓, 1,   Wnt↓, 2,  

Migration ⓘ

ATPase↓, 1,   CXCL12↓, 1,   E-cadherin↑, 1,   LAMs↓, 1,   MMP2↓, 1,   MMP9↓, 1,   MMPs↓, 1,   N-cadherin↓, 1,   PDGF↓, 1,   p‑SMAD2↓, 1,   p‑SMAD3↓, 1,   TGF-β↓, 7,   TumCMig↓, 1,   TumMeta↓, 1,   α-SMA↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature ⓘ

EGFR↓, 1,   Hif1a↓, 1,   VEGF↓, 2,   ZBTB10↑, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

COX2↓, 1,   IL1↓, 1,   IL12↓, 1,   IL18↓, 1,   IL2↓, 1,   IL5↓, 1,   IL6↓, 2,   IL8↓, 1,   JAK↓, 1,   JAK2↓, 1,   NF-kB↓, 4,   p‑p65↓, 1,   PSA↓, 1,   T-Cell↑, 1,  

Hormonal & Nuclear Receptors ⓘ

ER(estro)↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

BioAv↓, 1,   BioAv↑, 1,   ChemoSen↑, 2,   eff↑, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

BMPs↑, 1,   EGFR↓, 1,   EZH2↓, 1,   HER2/EBBR2↓, 1,   IL6↓, 2,   PSA↓, 1,   TP53↑, 1,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

TumVol↓, 1,  
Total Targets: 96

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress ⓘ

antiOx↑, 1,   MDA↓, 1,   ROS↓, 2,   SOD↑, 1,  

Migration ⓘ

TGF-β↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature ⓘ

NO↑, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling ⓘ

IL6↓, 1,   Inflam↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance ⓘ

BioAv↑, 1,   eff↑, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers ⓘ

IL6↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes ⓘ

cognitive↑, 1,   memory↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 13

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: TGF-β, transforming growth factor-beta
8 Curcumin
1 Piperine
1 Oxaliplatin
1 Resveratrol
1 Quercetin
Query results interpretion may depend on "conditions" listed in the research papers.
Such Conditions may include : 
  -low or high Dose
  -format for product, such as nano of lipid formations
  -different cell line effects
  -synergies with other products 
  -if effect was for normal or cancerous cells

Filter Conditions: Pro/AntiFlg:%  IllCat:%  CanType:%  Cells:%  prod#:65  Target#:304  State#:%  Dir#:1
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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