Effect of curcumin on Bcl-2 and Bax expression in nude mice prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is a common malignant tumor in urinary system. Curcumin has curative effect on many kinds of cancers and can inhibit prostate cancer (PC)-3 cells proliferation. This study aimed to explore the curcumin induced prostate cancer cell apoptosis and apoptosis related proteins Bcl-2 and Bax expression. PC-3 cells were injected subcutaneously to the nude mice to establish the tumor model. The nude mice were randomly divided into group C (normal saline), group B (6% polyethylene glycol and 6% anhydrous ethanol), group H, M, L (100 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg, and 25 mg/kg curcumin). The tumor volume was measured every 6 days to draw the tumor growth curve. The mice were killed at the 30th day after injection to weight the tumor. TUNEL assay was applied to determine cell apoptosis. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect Bcl-2 and Bax expression. The tumor volume and weight in group H, M, L were significantly lower than the control group (C, B) (P<0.05), and the inhibitory rate increased following the curcumin dose increase. Compared with the control group, Bcl-2 expression in group H, M, L gradually decreased, while Bax protein expression increased (P<0.05). The cell apoptosis rate showed no statistical difference between group B and C, while it increased in curcumin group H, M, and L (P<0.05). Curcumin could inhibit PC-3 growth, decrease tumor volume, reduce tumor weight, and induce cell apoptosis under the skin of nude mice by up-regulating Bax and down-regulating Bcl-2.