Antifibrotic Effect of Curcumin in TGF-β1-Induced Myofibroblasts from Human Oral Mucosa

Background: Myofibroblasts play an important role in the development of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). Inthe current study, we investigate the effect of curcumin on growth and apoptosis of myofibroblasts derived fromhuman oral mucosa.
Methods: Myofibroblasts were generated by incubating fibroblasts, obtained from humanoral mucosa, with transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). MTT, PI staining, and FACS assays were used toinvestigate curcumin’s effect on proliferation and cell cycle of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. Annexin V/PIbinding and FACS assays were used to examine apoptosis of myofibroblasts, Western blotting to determine thelevels of Bcl-2 and Bax, and enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay was employed to examine the levels of collagentype I and III in the supernatants of myofibroblasts.
Results: Curcumin inhibits proliferation of fibroblasts andmyofibroblasts; it also disturbs the cell cycle, induces apoptosis and decreases the generation of collagen type Iand III in myofibroblasts, which are more sensitive to its effects than fibroblasts. Curcumin induces apoptosisin myofibroblasts by down-regulating the Bcl-2/ Bax ratio.
Conclusion: Our results demonstrate the antifibroticeffect of curcumin in vitro. It may therefore be a candidate for the treatment of OSF.