Resveratrol Potentiates the in Vitro and in Vivo Anti-tumoral Effects of Curcumin in Head and Neck Carcinomas

Overview

Journal Oncotarget

Specialty Oncology

Date 2014 Oct 10

PMID 25296980

Citations 49

Authors

Laura Masuelli

Enrica Di Stefano

Massimo Fantini

Rosanna Mattera

Monica Benvenuto

Laura Marzocchella

Pamela Sacchetti

Chiara Focaccetti

Roberta Bernardini

Ilaria Tresoldi

Valerio Izzi

Maurizio Mattei

Giovanni Vanni Frajese

Florigio Lista

Andrea Modesti

Roberto Bei

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The survival rate of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) patients has not considerably changed over the last two decades. Polyphenols inhibit the growth of cancer cells. We determined whether the combination of Resveratrol (RES) and Curcumin (CUR) enhanced their in vitro and in vivo antitumor activities on HNSCC cell lines compared to the single compounds. We provide evidence that RES potentiated the apoptotic effect and reduced the IC50 of CUR on HNSCC cell lines. The model of compounds interaction indicated the onset of an additive effect of the two compounds compared to the single treatment after decrease of their concentrations. RES+CUR compared to CUR increased the PARP-1 cleavage, the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, the inhibition of ERK1 and ERK2 phosphorylation, and the expression of LC3 II simultaneously with the formation of autophagic vacuoles. RES and CUR induced cytoplasmic NF-κB accumulation. RES+CUR administrations were safe in BALB/c mice and reduced the growth of transplanted salivary gland cancer cells (SALTO) more efficiently than CUR. Overall, combinations of CUR and RES was more effective in inhibiting in vivo and in vitro cancer growth than the treatment with CUR. Additional studies will be needed to define the therapeutic potential of these compounds in combination.

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