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Expression of glutathione S-transferase P1-1 (GSTP1-1) is correlated to carcinogenesis and resistance of cancer cells against chemotherapeutic agents. Curcumin, a natural compound extracted from Curcuma longa, has shown strong antioxidant and anticancer properties and also the ability to regulate a wide variety of genes that require activating protein 1 and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activation. In the present study, we examined the inhibitory effect of curcumin on the expression of GSTP1-1 mRNA as well as protein, and we correlated this inhibition with the apoptotic effect of curcumin on K562 leukemia cells. Curcumin efficiently inhibited the tumour necrosis factor α- and phorbol ester-induced binding of AP-1 and NF-κB transcription factors to sites located on the GSTP1-1 gene promoter. TNFα-induced GSTP1-1 promoter activity was also inhibited by curcumin as shown by reporter gene assay. In parallel …