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Background. Curcumin is a polyphenol that has pharmacological activity that can inhibit tumor cell growth and induce apoptosis through various mechanisms. However, the specifc mechanism of curcumin cytotoxicity remains controversial because of many anti- and pro-apoptotic signaling pathways in various cell types.This study aims to examine the relationship among curcumin on RASSF1A, Bax protein levels, and caspase-3 activity in supporting the apoptotic mechanism in CSA03 breast cancer cells.Material and Methods. Curcumin administration to cancer cells is based on differences in dosage with 24-hour incubation. Cytotoxicity after curcumin administration was determined using MTS. RASSF1A and Bax protein levels were tested through ELISA. Caspase-3 activity was used to determine apoptosis and was tested using fow cytometry.Results. The results indicated that curcumin had a cytotoxicity effect of 40.85 µg/mL. At concentrations of 40 µg/mL and 50 µg/mL, curcumin increases levels of protein RASSF1A (∆ = 26.53% and 47.35%, respectively), Bax (∆ = 48.79% and 386.15%), and caspase-3 (∆ = 1,678.51% and 1,871.889%) signifcantly.Conclusions. Curcumin exhibits anti-proliferative activity and apoptotic (Caspase-3) effects through activation of RASSF1A and Bax.

The methylation status of the tumor suppressor genes RASSF1A, RARβ2, and SEMA3B was studied in the samples of cancer and its histologically normal tissue of the breast and ovaries. The high rate of abnormal methylation of the CpG islet in the RASSF1A, RARβ2, and SEMA3B genes was found in the tumors of the breast (78% (32/41), 46% (26/56), and 35% (22/65), respectively) and ovaries 73% (33/45), 30% (15/50), and 50% (25/51). Hypermethylation in the CpG islets belonging to the RASSF1A and RARβ2 genes was first ascertained in 90% of the patients with polyneoplasms involving the breast and ovaries. Abnormal methylation of the promotor region of the RASSF1A gene was shown to be detectable in preclinical-stage and anaplasia-degree breast and ovarian cancer. There was a correlation of the rate of methylation in the promoter regions of the RARβ2 and SEMA3B genes with clinical-stage and anaplasia-degree breast and ovarian cancer. Analysis of gene methylation in biological fluids provides considerable opportunity to use methylation of DNA as a marker in clinical practice.