Luciano - a second-half replacement for Angel Romero - came off the bench and scored three goals in the final 12 minutes to help Corinthians complete a sensational fightback at the Arena Corinthians.
Corinthians, who extended their unbeaten streak in the league to 11 games, are now level on 31 points with second-placed International.
Defending champions Cruzeiro pounced on Internacional's slip up, edging Gremio 1-0 on Thursday to move five points cleat at the summit.
Thiago Mendes sprung the offside trap and fired the fired the ball beyond goalkeeper Cassio for an 11th-minute lead, though Corinthians hit back 11 minutes later through Paolo Guerrero's headed effort from a corner.
Fourth-placed Sao Paulo have won three matches on the bounce and sit seven points off the pace following their 1-0 success over Internacional, with Ganso's 36th-minute strike seeing the hosts' walk away empty-handed for the first time in five games.
At the Estadio Governador Magalhaes Pinto, second-half substitute Dagoberto scored four minutes from time to help Cruzeiro to a late 1-0 win over Luiz Felipe Scolari's Gremio.
In Wednesday's results, Flamengo continued their resurgence after downing Atletico Mineiro 2-1.
Cellar-dwellers Palmeiras crashed to a 2-1 defeat to sixth-placed Sport Recife and Figueirense accounted for Botafogo 1-0 thanks to Cleitinho's second-minute strike.
