Curcumin / Slug 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


Slug, transcription factor Slug: Click to Expand ⟱
Source:
Type:
Slug is well known to promote tumor progression and metastasis through the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), causing loss of cell adhesion and polarity while conferring migratory and invasive properties.
Slug/SNAI2: A transcription factor that belongs to the Snail family. It is best known for its role in regulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT).
Expression: Upregulation of Slug in cancers is often associated with the induction of EMT. This causes cells to lose epithelial markers (like E-cadherin) and gain mesenchymal markers, leading to increased invasiveness.
Metastatic Spread: By promoting EMT, high levels of Slug facilitate tumor cell dissemination and metastasis.
Cancer Stem Cells: There is evidence suggesting that EMT, spurred by factors like Slug, can increase the proportion of cancer stem cells (CSCs). These CSCs are thought to be key players in tumor recurrence and maintenance.

General Trend: High Slug expression in various cancers (including breast, colorectal, head and neck, and others) is frequently correlated with a more aggressive phenotype and poorer clinical outcomes.
Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
433- CUR,    Curcumin Inhibits the Migration and Invasion of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells Through Radiation-Induced Suppression of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Soluble E-Cadherin Expression
- in-vitro, Lung, A549
E-cadherin↓, Vim↓, Slug↓, N-cadherin↓, Snail↓, MMP9↓, EMT↓,
478- CUR,    Curcumin decreases epithelial‑mesenchymal transition by a Pirin‑dependent mechanism in cervical cancer cells
- in-vitro, Cerv, SiHa
EMT↓, N-cadherin↓, Vim↓, Slug↓, Zeb1↓, PIR↓, Pirin↓, E-cadherin↑,
685- EGCG,  CUR,  SFN,  RES,  GEN  The “Big Five” Phytochemicals Targeting Cancer Stem Cells: Curcumin, EGCG, Sulforaphane, Resveratrol and Genistein
- Analysis, NA, NA
Bcl-2↓, survivin↓, XIAP↓, EMT↓, Apoptosis↑, Nanog↓, cMyc↓, OCT4↓, Snail↓, Slug↓, Zeb1↓, TCF↓,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 3 of 3

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 3

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Mitochondria & Bioenergetics ⓘ

XIAP↓, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis ⓘ

cMyc↓, 1,  

Cell Death ⓘ

Apoptosis↑, 1,   Bcl-2↓, 1,   survivin↓, 1,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State ⓘ

EMT↓, 3,   Nanog↓, 1,   OCT4↓, 1,   Pirin↓, 1,   TCF↓, 1,  

Migration ⓘ

E-cadherin↓, 1,   E-cadherin↑, 1,   MMP9↓, 1,   N-cadherin↓, 2,   PIR↓, 1,   Slug↓, 3,   Snail↓, 2,   Vim↓, 2,   Zeb1↓, 2,  
Total Targets: 19

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Total Targets: 0

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: Slug, transcription factor Slug
3 Curcumin
1 EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate)
1 Sulforaphane (mainly Broccoli)
1 Resveratrol
1 Genistein (soy isoflavone)
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#:413  State#:%  Dir#:%
  wNotes=0  sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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