Evaluation of curcumin, a natural product in turmeric, on Burkitt lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia cancer stem cell markers

AIM: Curcumin, a bioactive compound from turmeric, eliminates cancer stem cells (CSCs) in some cancers. This study evaluates the effects of curcumin on CSC markers in Burkitt lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia cells. METHODS: Cells were treated with increasing concentrations of curcumin, followed by an ALDEFLUOR assay, colony formation assay and western blot analysis for the CSC-associated proteins, Gli-1, Notch-1 and Cyclin D1. RESULTS: Markers associated with CSCs were decreased in cells treated with curcumin. This included a decrease in the percentage of ALDH-positive cells, a decrease in colony formation and the downregulation of Gli-1, Notch-1 and Cyclin D1. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that curcumin decreased CSC markers in lymphoma/leukemia cells, potentially through inhibiting self-renewal.