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Low, plasma level‑informed native curcumin concentrations fail to induce cell death in human lung and colorectal cancer cells
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Low, plasma level‑informed native curcumin concentrations fail to induce cell death in human lung and colorectal cancer cells

Ilma Imtiaz, Janet Schloss and Andrea Bugarcic
Pharmaceutical biology, Vol.64(1), pp.471-486
12/2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13880209.2026.2640678
PMID: 41858052
Appears in  Recent Faculty of Health Publications
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Abstract

Curcumin caspase 3 apoptosis Cyclin D1 lung cancer colorectal cancer
Background/objectives Curcumin, a dietary polyphenol derived from turmeric, has been widely studied for its anti-cancer properties, yet its effects at clinically relevant concentrations remain unclear. This study investigates the anti-cancer effects of curcumin at low <em>in vitro</em> concentrations selected based on reported plasma ranges using <em>in vitro</em> lung and CRC models, with a focus on underlying cellular mechanisms. Methods Curcumin was tested at 4, 10, 20, and 50 µg/mL in two CRC cell lines (Caco-2 and HT29) and two lung cancer cell lines (A549 and H460). Results MTS assays showed that at a low concentration of Curcumin 4 µg/mL, cell viability remained above 100% across all cell lines (A549: 102.1%, H460: 101.1%, Caco-2: 103.6%, HT29: 104.9%, n = 3, p > 0.05) and had no significant effect on cell death. Immunofluorescence analysis showed increased nuclear Cyclin D1 levels at 4 µg/mL curcumin in H460 and HT29 cells (p < 0.001), and no change in Caco-2 cells (p = 0.17), and a significant reduction in A549 cells (p < 0.001), suggesting promotion of cell cycle progression in H460 and HT29 cells only. Western blotting analysis showed higher levels of procaspase-3 without evidence of cleavage at 4 µg/mL, indicating the absence of apoptosis. A reduction in procaspase 3 levels were observed at 20 µg/mL (Caco-2, p < 0.05) and 50 µg/mL (H460, p < 0.05; A549, and HT29, p > 0.05). Conclusions These findings suggest that at low. plasma level-informed concentrations, curcumin may support cancer cell survival rather than induce cytotoxicity. This study highlights the need for further pre-clinical evaluation of polyphenols at clinically relevant concentrations.

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