Cell culture and curcumin treatment. The MCF-7 cells (ATCC) were grown in RPMI 1640 containing GlutaMAX medium
supplemented with 10% (V/V) heat inactivated fetal bovine serum without antibiotics in an incubator containing a humidified atmo-sphere of 95% air and 5% CO2 at 37 C. Curcumin was dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) at a concentration of 20 mM and was stored in a dark colored bottle at 20 C. The stock was diluted to the required concentration with DMSO when needed. Prior to curcumin treatment cells were grown to about 80% confluence, and then exposed to curcumin at different concentrations (0–100 lM) and for a different period of time (0–24 h). Cells grown in a medium containing an equivalent amount of DMSO without curcumin served as control.