en Molecular Genetics & Genomics Molecular Genetics & Genomics مقاله کامل Full Length/Original Article <strong>Background:</strong> Curcumin, extracted from turmeric, represents enormous potential to serve as an anticancer agent. Telomerase is viewed as a prominent molecular target of curcumin, and transforming growth factor-&beta;1 (TGF&beta;1) has proven to be a major inhibitory signaling pathway for telomerase activity. In the current study, we aimed to explore suppressive effects of nanocurcumin on telomerase expression through TGF&beta;1 pathway in a hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (Huh7). <strong>Methods:</strong> MTT assay was used to determine the effect of nonocurcumin on viability of Huh7 cells. RT-PCR was used to analyze the gene expression patterns. <strong>Results: </strong>MTT assay revealed that nanocurcumin acts in a dose- and time-dependent manner to diminish the cell viability.<br> RT-PCR analysis indicated that nanocurcumin results in augmentation of TGF&beta;1 72 hours post treatment and leads to the reduction of telomerase expression 48 and 72 hours post exposure. Also, up-regulation of Smad3 and E2F1 and down-regulation of Smad7 confirmed the effect of nanocurcumin on intermediate components of TGF&beta;1 pathway. Furthermore, transfection of the proximal promoter of telomerase triggered a significant<br> reduction in luciferase activity. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> The data from the present study lead us to develop a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying nanocurcumin-mediated regulation of telomerase expression, thereby presenting a new perspective to the landscape of using nanocurcumin as a cancer-oriented therapeutic agent. Hepatocellular carcinoma, Telomerase, Gene expression 171 179 http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-696&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Molood Shariati No Department of Molecular Genetics, School of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115-154, Tehran, Iran Samira Hajigholami No Department of Molecular Genetics, School of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115-154, Tehran, Iran Ziba Veisi Malekshahi No Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Maliheh Entezari No Department of Biology, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Sciences Branch, Tehran, Iran Narges Bodaghabadi No Department of Molecular Genetics, School of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115-154, Tehran, Iran Majid Sadeghizadeh Yes Department of Molecular Genetics, School of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115-154, Tehran, Iran