curcumin induces mcf-7 breast cancer cell apoptosis through mir-15a alteration

Background: in recent years, the application of herbal compounds in cancer treatment has shown significant progress. curcumin (cur), a natural polyphenol, demonstrates potent anti-cancer effects against various cancers, including breast cancer (bc). curcumin targets a range of molecular pathways, contributing to the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenesis, and promoting apoptosis. objectives: this study aimed to assess the effect of cur on bc cells, focusing on alterations in the expression levels of mir-15a and bcl-2 through the apoptotic pathway. methods: the cytotoxicity of cur was evaluated using an mtt assay. changes in the expression of mir-15a and bcl-2 genes were analyzed by real-time pcr, and cell apoptosis was measured using flow cytometry. data analysis was conducted using spss. results: the mtt assay results indicated that cell viability decreased as cur concentration increased (5 – 25 µm). real-time pcr results showed a significant decrease in the expression of mir-15a and bcl-2 (p < 0.05). flow cytometry findings demonstrated that cur treatment at the ic50 concentration for 48 hours induced apoptosis in 75.9% of mcf-7 cells. conclusions: our study provides a crucial foundation indicating that cur induces apoptosis in mcf-7 cells by modulating the expression of mir-15a.