Effects of Curcumin and Lactoferrin to Inhibit the Growth and Migration of Prostatic Cancer Cells

Erica Costantini, Marta Di Nicola, Michele Marchioni, Lisa Aielli, Marcella Reale and Luigi Schips
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Erica Costantini: Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio”, Via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Marta Di Nicola: Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio”, Via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Michele Marchioni: Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio”, Via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Lisa Aielli: Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University “G. d’Annunzio”, Via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Marcella Reale: Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University “G. d’Annunzio”, Via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Luigi Schips: Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio”, Via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-17

Abstract: Prostate cancer remains one of the main causes of death for men worldwide. Despite recent advances in cancer treatment, patients develop resistance after an initial period of optimal efficacy. Nowadays, it is accepted that natural compounds can result in health benefits with a preventive or adjuvant effect. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of curcumin (CU), a bioactive compound in the spice turmeric, and lactoferrin (LF), a natural glycoprotein with immunomodulatory properties, on DU145 and PC3. Prostate cancer cells were cultured with and without LF (175 ?M) and CU (2.5 ?g/mL and 5 ?g/mL), alone and in combination. Cell viability, migration ability, death receptors (DRs), and integrins (?3, ?1) gene expression were evaluated, as well as human annexin V quantification and Akt phosphorylation. Differences among cells group, defined according to the treatment used, were assessed with ANOVA. The results showed that the effects of CU and LF are different between the two prostatic cell lines analyzed. In DU145, a reduction in cell proliferation and migration is reported both in the presence of single and combined treatments. In PC3 cells, there is a significant reduction in proliferation in the presence of CU alone, while the inhibition of migration is mainly related to the LF treatment and its combination with CU, compared to untreated cells. Moreover, the reduction in gene expression of integrins and Akt pathway activation were observed mostly in the presence of the CU and LF combination, including the upregulation of DR and annexin V levels, with greater significance for the DU145 cells. In conclusion, our results suggest that CU and LF may have a potentially beneficial effect, mainly when administered in combination, leading to a reduction in cancer cells’ aggressiveness.

Keywords: prostate cancer; inflammation; curcumin; lactoferrin (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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