Evaluating the effects of curcumin nanochitosan on miR-221 and miR-222 expression and Wnt/β-catenin pathways in MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and SKBR3 cell lines

Sep 21, 2026

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Breast cancer remains a leading malignancy affecting women of reproductive age, and miR-221 and miR-222 are closely linked microRNAs that regulate Wnt/β-catenin signaling. This study compares curcumin and a chitosan–curcumin nanoparticle formulation (CC-CUR) for their ability to modulate miR-221, miR-222, and Wnt/β-catenin pathway activity in MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and SKBR3 cells. CC-CUR and CUR differ in gene-response patterns, suggesting pathway-mediated effects across cell models.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

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Pages9

Reading Time23 min

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Abstract

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Eslaminejad etal. Diagnostic Pathology (2024) 19:35 [https://doi.org/10.1186/s13000-024-01468-3](https://doi.org/10.1186/s13000-024-01468-3) Diagnostic Pathology RESEARCH Open Access Evaluating the effects of curcumin nanochitosan on miR-221 and miR-222 expression and Wnt/β-catenin pathways in MCF-7, MDAMB-231 and SKBR3 cell lines Touba Eslaminejad 1, Seyed Noureddin Nematollahi-Mahani 1, Marzieh Lotfian Sargazi2, Mehdi Ansari3 and Vida Mirzaie 1* Abstract Background Breast cancer is one of the most common diseases worldwide that affects women of reproductive age. miR-221 and miR-222 are two highly homogeneous microRNAs that play pivotal roles in many cellular processes and regulate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Curcumin (CUR), a yellow polyphenolic compound, targets numerous signaling pathways relevant to cancer therapy. The main aim of this study was to compare the ability of chitosancurcumin nanoparticle (CC-CUR) formulation with the curcumin in modulating miR-221 and miR-222 expression through Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3 breast cancer cell lines. Method Chitosan-cyclodextrin-tripolyphosphate containing curcumin nanoparticles (CC-CUR) were prepared. Cytotoxicity of the CUR and CC-CUR was evaluated. Experimental groups including CC-CUR, CUR and negative control were designed. The expression of miR-221 and miR-222 and Wnt/β-catenin pathway genes was measured. Results The level of miR-221 and miR-222 and β-catenin genes decreased in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells and WIF1 gene increased in all cells in CC-CUR group. However, the results in SK-BR-3 cell line were unexpected; since miRs and WIF1 gene expressions were increased following CC-CUR administration and β-catenin decreased by administration of CUR. Conclusion Although the composite form of curcumin decreased the expression of miR-221 and miR-222 in MCF-7 and MDA cells, with significant decreasing of β-catenin and increasing of WIF1 gene in almost all three cell lines, we can conclude than this formulation exerts its effect mainly through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. These preliminary findings may pave the way for the use of curcumin nanoparticles in the treatment of some known cancers. Keywords Breast cancer, micro RNAs, miR-221, miR-222, Wnt/β-catenin *Correspondence: Vida Mirzaie [Vh.mirzaie68@yahoo.com](Vh.mirzaie68@yahoo.com); [v.mirzaie@kmu.ac.ir](v.mirzaie@kmu.ac.ir) 1Department of Anatomy, Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran 2Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran 3Departments of Drug and Food Control, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran © The Author(s) 2024. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit [http://creativecommons.org/l](http://creativecommons.org/l)icenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ([http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/](http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data. Eslaminejad et al. Diagnostic Pathology (2024) 19:35

FAQs

What is the main objective of the study?

To compare curcumin nanoparticles (CC-CUR) with curcumin in modulating miR-221 and miR-222 expression through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in three breast cancer cell lines.

How were CC-CUR and curcumin prepared or evaluated?

Chitosan–cyclodextrin–tripolyphosphate containing curcumin nanoparticles (CC-CUR) were prepared, and cytotoxicity of CUR and CC-CUR was evaluated. Expression of miR-221, miR-222, and Wnt/β-catenin pathway genes was then measured.

What were the key findings regarding miR-221/miR-222 and β-catenin?

In MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, miR-221 and miR-222 levels and β-catenin decreased in the CC-CUR group, while WIF1 increased in all cells. In SKBR3 cells, miRs and WIF1 increased after CC-CUR, while β-catenin decreased after CUR.

Sep 21, 2026

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