To investigate the effect and mechanism of tetrahydrocurcumin on hepatocellular carcinoma based on phosphoinositide 3-kinases/AKT signaling pathway

Figure 12  Signaling pathway agonist treatment to validate the effects of curcumin on phosphoinositide 3-kinases/AKT core protein levels. A: Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) inhibits the phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K)/AKT pathway in HepG2 and Huh7 liver cancer cells. HepG2 and Huh7 cells were treated with 0 μM THC, PI3K activator 740 Y-P, THC (50 μM), or a combination of THC (50 μM) and 740 Y-P for 48 hours. The protein expression of PI3K, p-PI3K, AKT, and p-AKT was analyzed using western blot analysis. Representative bands of PI3K, p-PI3K, AKT, and p-AKT protein expression in HepG2 and Huh7 cells after different treatments are shown in graph; B: The protein expression levels of PI3K, p-PI3K, AKT, and p-AKT in HepG2 and Huh7 cells after different treatments are illustrated in the bar graph. All data are presented as mean ± SD, n = 3. ^aP < 0.05 vs the control group, ^bP < 0.01 vs the control group, ^cP < 0.01 vs THC (50 μM). PI3K: Phosphoinositide 3-kinases; THC: Tetrahydrocurcumin.