Effects of curcumin combined with cisplatin on growth and lymphatic metastasis of cervical cancer xeno-grafts in nude mice

Objective To analyze the effects of curcumin combined with cisplatin on the growth and lymphatic metastasis of cervical cancer xenografts in nude mice. Methods The human cervical carcinoma Caski cells xenotransplanted tumor models were established. Inoculated mice were randomly divided into 4 groups according to random number table: control (normal saline 10 ml/kg), Cur (curcumin 100 mg/kg), Cis (cisplatin 3 mg/kg) and Cur+ Cis group (100 mg/kg curcumin+ 3 mg/kg cisplatin). The tumor volume and anti-tumor rate were calculated. The mRNA levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) were analyzed by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results The inhibitory rates of Cur group, Cis group and Cur+ Cis group were 40.8%, 53.3% and 60.0%. After 15 days treatment, the tumor volumes of the control group, Cur group, Cis group and Cur+ Cis group were (123.44±35.62), (71.72±28.36), (65.47±18.32), (53.44±10.79)mm3. The growth rates of tumor volume in Cur group, Cis group and Cur+ Cis group were slower, Cur+ Cis group could more effectively inhibit tumor volume growth. The difference among the four groups had statistically signi-ficance (F=16.890, P=0.000). Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR detection showed that compared with the control group (1.000), the MIF mRNA expressions in Cur group, Cis group and Cur+ Cis group were 0.322±0.094, 0.154±0.006 and 0.136±0.007, VEGF-C mRNA expressions in the three groups were 0.312±0.068, 0.263±0.072 and 0.221±0.041. The differences among groups had statistically significance (F=220.279, P=0.000; F=143.250, P=0.000). MIF mRNA was positively related with VEGF-C mRNA (r=0.815, P=0.001). Conclusion Curcumin combined with cisplatin can inhibit the growth of Carski cell xenografts in nude mice. Through the down-regulating expression of MIF mRNA and VEGF-C mRNA, cisplatin and curcumin can inhibit the lymphatic metastasis of cervical cancer, and it may be one of the important mechanisms of its anti-tumor effects. Key words: Curcumin; Uterine cervical neoplasms; Cisplatin; Vascular endothelial growth factor C; Macrophage migration inhibitory factor