Original Article
Copyright ©2010 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 28, 2010; 16(32): 4039-4046
Published online Aug 28, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i32.4039
Curcumin suppresses gastric NF-κB activation and macromolecular leakage in Helicobacter pylori-infected rats
Kawiya Sintara, Duangporn Thong-Ngam, Suthiluk Patumraj, Naruemon Klaikeaw, Tanittha Chatsuwan
Kawiya Sintara, Duangporn Thong-Ngam, Suthiluk Patumraj, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Naruemon Klaikeaw, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Tanittha Chatsuwan, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Author contributions: Sintara K performed the majority of experiments and wrote the manuscript; Thong-Ngam D designed the study, analyzed the data and was involved in editing the manuscript; Patumraj S provided analytical tools and was involved in editing the manuscript; Klaikeaw N co-ordinated the pathological examination; Chatsuwan T provided the material for the Helicobacter pylori infection.
Supported by Thailand Research fund (code RMU 4980032) and Graduate Thesis Grant, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
Correspondence to: Duangporn Thong-Ngam, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand. thongngam007@yahoo.com
Telephone: +66-2-2527854 Fax: +66-2-2564267
Received: January 7, 2010
Revised: February 10, 2010
Accepted: February 17, 2010
Published online: August 28, 2010
Abstract

AIM: To investigate whether curcumin could attenuate nuclear factor (NF)-κB p65 expression and macromolecular leakage in the gastric mucosa of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-infected rats.

METHODS: Twenty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats were equally divided into five groups: control rats (Control), control rats supplemented with 600 mg/kg curcumin, H. pylori-infected rats (Hp), H. pylori-infected rats supplemented with 200 mg/kg curcumin (Hp + curI), and H. pylori-infected rats supplemented with 600 mg/kg curcumin (Hp + curII). In H. pylori-infected groups, rats were inoculated with H. pylori suspension twice a day at an interval of 4 h for 3 d. Two weeks later, 200 or 600 mg/kg curcumin was given once daily to curcumin-supplemented groups for 7 d. On the day of the experiment, macromolecular leakage in gastric mucosa was examined by intravital fluorescence microscopy. The stomach tissue was removed to examine NF-κB p65 expression in gastric epithelial cells by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS: The expression of NF-κB p65 in gastric epithelial cells and the macromolecular leakage from gastric mucosal microcirculation significantly increased in the Hp group compared with the Control group. The percentages of NF-κB p65 immunoreactive cells in Control and Hp groups were 10.72% ± 2.10% vs 16.02% ± 2.98%, P = 0.004, respectively. The percentages of macromolecular leakage in Control and Hp groups were 10.69% ± 1.43% vs 15.41% ± 2.83%, P = 0.001, respectively. Curcumin supplementation in Hp + curI and Hp + curII groups significantly decreased NF-κB p65 immunoreactive cells and macromolecular leakage compared with results in the Hp group. The percentages of NF-κB p65 immunoreactive cells in Hp + curI and Hp + curII groups were 11.79% ± 2.13% (P = 0.017) and 11.42% ± 1.68% (P = 0.010), respectively. The percentages of macromolecular leakage in Hp + curI and Hp + curII groups were 12.32% ± 2.13% (P = 0.025) and 12.14% ± 1.86% (P = 0.018), respectively.

CONCLUSION: H. pylori-induced gastric inflammation in rats is associated with increased NF-κB activation and macromolecular leakage which can be reduced by curcumin supplementation.

Keywords: Curcumin, Helicobacter pylori, Nuclear factor-κB p65, Macromolecular leakage