CLEFMA induces intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways through ERK1/2 and p38 signalling in uterine cervical cancer cells

Although concurrent chemoradiotherapy is the cornerstone of treatment for locally advanced or recurrent uterine cervical cancer, treatment fails at a high rate. Therefore, the development of novel targeting agents is critical. This study investigated the action of CLEFMA, a potent, synthetic curcumin derivative, on cervical cancer cells and its mechanism of action. We found that CLEFMA negatively regulated the viability of cervical cancer cells, involving induction of cell apoptosis. Cleaved caspase-3, cleaved poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase, cleaved caspase-8, and cleaved caspase-9 expression were increased by treatment with CLEFMA. After U0126 (ERK1/2 inhibitor) and SB203580 (p38 inhibitor) were applied as cotreatment with CLEFMA, the expression of cleaved caspase-8, -9, and -3 was reduced significantly. In conclusion, CLEFMA activates both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways through ERK1/2 and p38 signal transduction in cervical cancer cells.