Mohammad Kordkatouli
1,2 
, William C. Cho
3 , Mehr Ali Mahmood Janlou
2,4* , Aryan Sateei
2,5* , Mahmoud Heidari
2,5 , Chittabrata Mal
6 , Audrius Dulskas
7,8 , Vincas Unbonas
9 1 Department Cell and Molecular Biology, GO.C, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran
2 Institute of Medicinal Plants, GO.C, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran
3 Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong, China
4 Department of Biophysics, GO.C, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran
5 Department Biology, GO.C, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran
6 Department of Bioinformatics, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, Nadia, West Bengal, India
7 Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
8 Department of Abdominal and General Surgery and Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Vilnius, Lithuania
9 Laboratory of Clinical Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Vilnius, Lithuania
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which are small non-coding RNA molecules, play a crucial role in regulating gene expression following transcription. They are essential for cellular functions like proliferation, metastasis, apoptosis, and differentiation. miR-340 suppresses tumor development in colorectal cancer (CRC) by targeting key genes involved in apoptosis (e.g., Bcl-2, Bax) and metastasis (e.g., RhoA). The primary cause of the downregulation of miR-340 in CRC is epigenetic alterations, such as promoter hypermethylation, histone modifications, and transcriptional repression by ZEB1 and other proteins that contribute to the tumor’s growth and silence. By preventing DNA methylation and histone deacetylation, curcumin, a bioactive substance found in turmeric, has demonstrated promise in correcting these epigenetic changes and restoring miR-340 expression and its tumor-suppressive effects. Increased apoptosis, decreased cell migration and invasion, or reduction in CRC metastasis have all been linked to curcumin’s regulation of miR-340. Curcumin also works in concert with miR-340 to target oncogenic pathways that are essential to the development of CRC, such as PI3K/AKT, EZH2, and Wnt/β-catenin. With the potential to improve apoptosis, decrease tumor development and metastasis, and improve treatment responses, the combination of curcumin and miR-340 reactivation presents a promising therapeutic approach for CRC. Therefore, the miR-340-curcumin strategy offers a fresh way to enhance the therapeutic management of CRC and perhaps other malignancies that exhibit miR-340 downregulation. This review highlights the therapeutic synergy between miR-340 and curcumin in CRC. It aims to support miRNA-based therapies using natural agents like curcumin.
Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education:
This review highlights the potential of integrating natural compounds such as curcumin into miRNA-based therapeutic strategies for colorectal cancer (CRC). By illustrating the epigenetic modulation and tumor-suppressive effects of miR-340 restoration through curcumin, it encourages further translational research and the development of novel, less toxic treatment options. Additionally, it supports incorporating such findings into medical education to improve understanding of miRNA-targeted therapies and the role of natural agents in oncology.
Please cite this paper as: Kordkatouli M, Cho WC, Mahmood Janlou MA, Sateei A, Heidari M, Mal C, et al. A review on the role of microRNA-340 and curcumin in apoptosis and metastasis in colorectal cancer. J Herbmed Pharmacol. 2025;14(3):277-291. doi: 10.34172/jhp.2025.53007.