Curcumin inhibits cell viability, migration, and invasion of thymic carcinoma cells via downregulation of microRNA-27a.

Curcumin (CUR) is a kind of polyphenolic compound and widely used in the treatment of diseases. However, the involvement of CUR in thymic carcinoma remains unknown. The object of our research is to clarify the role of CUR and related regulatory mechanism in thymic carcinoma cells. After treatment with CUR for 24 hr, cell viability, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of TC1889 cells were measured. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was executed to examine the expression of microRNA-27a (miR-27a) in thymic carcinoma tissues and TC1889 cells. After miR-27a mimic transfection, whether miR-27a is involved in CUR-modulated cell behaviors was measured. Finally, western blot was utilized to detect mTOR and Notch 1 pathways-linked proteins. CUR restrained cell viability and increased cell apoptosis of TC1889 cells. In addition, cell migration and invasion were restrained by CUR. Meanwhile, miR-27a expression was positively regulated in thymic carcinoma tissues and downregulated by CUR in TC1889 cells. Overexpressed miR-27a reversed the CUR-induced reduction of growth, migration, and invasion in TC1889 cells. Furthermore, CUR blocked mTOR and Notch 1 pathways via downregulating miR-27a. We demonstrated that CUR blocked mTOR and Notch 1 pathways via downregulating miR-27a, thereby suppressing cell growth, migration, and invasion of thymic carcinoma cells.