Effects of Turmeric Compounds on Tumor Suppressors and Pro-Apoptosis Factors

Tumor Suppressors and Pro-Apoptotic Factors Help Limit Abnormal Cells

Proteins that help get rid of cells too damaged or diseased to repair are called tumor suppressors. They generally trigger apoptosis, a type of cell suicide that prevents them from replicating and making more abnormal cells. ^{(vi.36, 39, 85)}

Another way tumor suppressors work is by cell cycle arrest. For example, p53 tumor suppressors can stimulate proteins that inhibit the kinase enzymes used by cancer cells to progress through the cell cycle and replicate. Other proteins and enzymes help tumor suppressors get rid of defective and cancerous cells. ^{(vi.36, 39, 85)}

Cancer Tries to Limit Tumor Suppression

In cancer, tumor suppressors and apoptotic enzymes are often inactivated or mutated. They fail to regulate and eliminate cells with irreparable DNA damage, which allows cancer cells to replicate. Mutated forms can even promote cancer cell growth. ^{(vi.13, 16, 38-39, 85, 133)}

Turmeric Supports Tumor Suppression

The curcumin compounds in turmeric potently: ^{(vi.2, 13, 16, 38-39, 98-99, 133-137)}

• Stimulate (↑) expression of tumor suppressors and their genes.
• Inhibit (↓) inactivation, suppression, and mutation of tumor suppressors and their genes.
• Trigger (↑) caspase (protease enzymes) and death receptor proteins involved in apoptotic or other types of cell death.
• Activate (↑) transcription factors that assist caspases (e.g., PPAR-γ).
• Regulate and promote cancer cell death using mechanisms that are dependent upon the type of cancer.

Besides curcumin, other turmeric compounds also help promote tumor suppressors. These include:

• BETA-SITOSTEROL (↑ caspases in leukemia) ^{(vi.71, 78, 138)}
• EUGENOL (↑ caspases, ↑ Bax, ↑ p53) ^(vi.74, 77)
• FARNESOL (↑ p21 in pancreatic cancer; ↑ caspases in lung adenocarcinoma) ^(vi.110-111)
• GERANIOL (↑ p21 in pancreatic cancer and non-small cell lung carcinoma) ^{(vi.78, 111-112)}
• LIMONENE (↑ Bax and ↑ p53 in leukemia and lymphoma) ^{(vi.74, 77, 82, 139, 141)}
• MYRICETIN (↑ caspases, ↑ Bax) ^(vi.77, 79)
• QUERCETIN (↑ caspases, ↑ Bax, ↑ p53 in breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, leukemia, lung cancer, oral cancer, and skin tumors) ^{(vi.78-79, 131, 140)}
• RESVERATROL (↑ p53) ^(vi.56, 83)