Curcumin attenuates resistance to irinotecan via induction of apoptosis of cancer stem cells in chemoresistant colon cancer cells

• DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2018.4461
• Publication Date: 2018-06-29T04:48:47Z
• Authors: Pengfei Su; Yong Yang; Guoxin Wang; Xiaowu Chen; Yongle Ju
• Keywords: Stem cell marker

Resistance to conventional chemotherapeutic agents, including irinotecan (CPT‑11), 5-fluorouracil and capecitabine is a major cause for therapeutic failure in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Increasing evidence has demonstrated that cells exhibiting stem cell-like characteristics are associated the development of resistance agents. As plant polyphenol, curcumin been have ability ameliorate CRC but associations among curcumin, (CSCs) chemoresistance remain unclear. The present study established CPT‑11-resistant colon cell line, LoVo/CPT‑11 cells, detected expression levels CSC identification markers [cluster differentiation (CD)44, CD133, epithelial adhesion molecule (EpCAM) CD24] parental cells. It was revealed were significantly higher compared those at mRNA protein level. effect on CPT‑11 separately treated further investigated. results attenuated CPT‑11, treatment resulted significant reduction markers. Furthermore, tumor sphere formation assay used enrich CSCs from efficiently diminished traits CSCs, as evidenced by inability form spheres, markers, apoptosis-induced effects sphere-forming alone or combination CPT‑11. Altogether, data drugs through induction apoptosis These findings may provide novel application intervention.