Comparison between Effects of Free Curcumin and Curcumin Loaded NIPAAm-MAA Nanoparticles on Telomerase and PinX1 Gene Expression in Lung Cancer Cells

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Herbal compounds such as curcumin which decrease telomerase and gene expression havebeen considered as beneficial tools for lung cancer treatment. In this article, we compared the effects of purecurcumin and curcumin-loaded NIPAAm-MAA nanoparticles on telomerase and PinX1 gene expression in alung cancer cell line. Materials and <br/><b>Methods</b>: A tetrazolium-based assay was used for determination of cytotoxiceffects of curcumin on the Calu-6 lung cancer cell line and telomerase and pinX1 gene expression was measuredwith real-time PCR. <br/><b>Results</b>: MTT assay showed that Curcumin-loaded NIPAAm-MAA inhibited the growthof the Calu-6 lung cancer cell line in a time and dose-dependent manner. Our q-PCR results showed that theexpression of telomerase gene was effectively reduced as the concentration of curcumin-loaded NIPAAm-MAAincreased while expression of the PinX1 gene became elevated. <br/><b>Conclusions</b>: The results showed that curcuminloaded-NIPAAm-MAA exerted cytotoxic effects on the Calu-6 cell line through down-regulation of telomeraseand stimulation of pinX1 gene expression. NIPPAm-MAA could be good carrier for such kinds of hydrophobicagent.