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Curcumin Is an In Vivo Inhibitor of Angiogenesis

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Abstract

Background

Curcumin is a small-molecular-weight compound that is isolated from the commonly used spice turmeric. In animal models, curcumin and its derivatives have been shown to inhibit the progression of chemically induced colon and skin cancers. The genetic changes in carcinogenesis in these organs involve different genes, but curcumin is effective in preventing carcinogenesis in both organs. A possible explanation for this finding is that curcumin may inhibit angiogenesis.

Materials and Methods

Curcumin was tested for its ability to inhibit the proliferation of primary endothelial cells in the presence and absence of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), as well as its ability to inhibit proliferation of an immortalized endothelial cell line. Curcumin and its derivatives were subsequently tested for their ability to inhibit bFGF-induced corneal neovascularization in the mouse cornea. Finally, curcumin was tested for its ability to inhibit phorbol ester-stimulated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA production.

Results

Curcumin effectively inhibited endothelial cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Curcumin and its derivatives demonstrated significant inhibition of bFGF-mediated corneal neovascularization in the mouse. Curcumin had no effect on phorbol ester-stimulated VEGF production.

Conclusions

These results indicate that curcumin has direct antiangiogenic activity in vitro and in vivo. The activity of curcumin in inhibiting carcinogenesis in diverse organs such as the skin and colon may be mediated in part through angiogenesis inhibition.

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Acknowledgments

J. L. A. was supported by NIH grant RO3AR44947 and grants from the Society for Pediatric Dermatology, the Dermatology Foundation, and the Thomas B. Fitzpatrick Research Award from the KAO Corporation. We acknowledge Albena Dinkova-Kostova for her assistance with the quinone reductase assays.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Jack L. Arbiser & Robert van Leeuwen

  2. Department of Surgical Research, Childrens Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Jack L. Arbiser, Nancy Klauber, Richard Rohan & Evelyn Flynn

  3. Department of Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA

    Mou-Tuan Huang & Carolyn Fisher

  4. Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    H. Randolph Byers

  5. Department of Dermatology, Emory University School of Medicine, WMB 5001, Atlanta, GA, 30022, USA

    Jack L. Arbiser

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  1. Jack L. Arbiser
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  2. Nancy Klauber
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Correspondence to Jack L. Arbiser.

Additional information

Communicated by P. Talalay.

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Arbiser, J.L., Klauber, N., Rohan, R. et al. Curcumin Is an In Vivo Inhibitor of Angiogenesis. Mol Med 4, 376–383 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03401744

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