Background: During research on lymphoma and its malignancies, scientists have traced the role of the angiogenesis index in patient survival. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a human tumor-causing virus that targets B lymphocytes and causes persistent infection. This virus is also associated with malignancies, such as Burkitt's lymphoma. Using herbal medicines to treat cancer and angiogenesis has been considered, due to the side effects of chemical drugs. This experimentation aimed to research the antiviral impact of nano-curcumin on the Daudi cell line (which belongs to Burkitt's lymphoma) and to evaluate the expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene.
Materials and Methods: The cytotoxicity of nano curcumin, curcumin, and dendrosome on Daudi cells and normal human lymphocytes was evaluated using an MTT assay. Cellular apoptosis was assessed by Annexin / PI flow cytometry. The VEGF angiogenesis gene expression was performed by real-time PCR.
Results: The 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) was determined 30 μg/ml for dendrosomal nano-curcumin, 50 μg/ml for curcumin, and 987 μg/ml for dendrosome in the Daudi cell line.
Dendrosomal nano curcumin (DNC) caused time and dose-dependent death in Daudi cancer cells compared to curcumin. Dendrosome did not show toxicity on control cells. The results of Flow cytometry are constant with the results of the MTT test. The data obtained from the real-time PCR showed a significant decrease in the expression of the VEGF gene (P <0.01).
Conclusion: The dendrosomal nano curcumin is involved in angiogenesis by reducing the expression of the VEGF gene, and can be a good candidate as a supplement drug in the chemotherapy treatment of Burkitt's lymphoma.