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© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Much progress has been made to improve treatment options for patients suffering from the disease, including a novel therapy—Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi) that specifically targets tumors with deficiencies in the Homologous Recombination (HR) DNA repair pathway. To benefit better from conventional therapy, many patients seek alternative supplementation, with 20–30% of cancer patients using herbal medication on top of their regular treatment. An example of such easily available over-the-counter supplements is curcumin, a natural compound derived from turmeric (Curcuma longa). Various studies reported the potential HR deficiency (HRD) inducing effect of curcumin in cancer cells. Methods: Eight BrC and three normal cell lines and a BrC PDX model were used to evaluate the effect of curcumin on RAD51 ionizing radiation-induced focus (IRIF) formation. Three breast BrC cell lines underwent further analysis using the BRCA2 Western blot technique. To assess cell survival after treatment with curcumin and/or PARPi, a clonogenic survival assay was performed on both normal and cancerous cell lines. Results: Curcumin treatment led to a reduction in RAD51 IRIF formation capacity across all tested models. A decrease in BRCA2 levels was observed in the tested cell lines. Our findings demonstrate that HRD can be induced in both cancerous and normal cells, suggesting that curcumin treatment may increase the risk of toxicity when combined with PARPi therapy. Conclusions: The use of curcumin in combination with certain anti-cancer treatments should not be implemented without extensive monitoring for deleterious side effects.

Details

Title
Curcumin Induces Homologous Recombination Deficiency by BRCA2 Degradation in Breast Cancer and Normal Cells
Author
Komar, Zofia M 1 ; Ladan, Marjolijn M 2 ; Verkaik, Nicole S 2 ; Dahmani, Ahmed 3 ; Montaudon Elodie 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Marangoni Elisabetta 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Kanaar Roland 2 ; Nonnekens Julie 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Houtsmuller, Adriaan B 5 ; Jager, Agnes 6 ; Gent, Dik C, van 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus Medical Center Cancer Institute, University Medical Center, 3015CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands 
 Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus Medical Center Cancer Institute, University Medical Center, 3015CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Oncode Institute, 3521 Utrecht, The Netherlands 
 Translational Research Department, Institut Curie, Paris Sciences et Lettres University, 75005 Paris, France 
 Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus Medical Center Cancer Institute, University Medical Center, 3015CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Oncode Institute, 3521 Utrecht, The Netherlands, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center Cancer Institute, University Medical Center, 3015CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands 
 Erasmus Optical Imaging Center and Department of Pathology, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands 
 Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus Medical Center Cancer Institute, University Medical Center, 3015CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands 
First page
2109
Publication year
2025
Publication date
2025
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
20726694
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3229141133
Copyright
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.