scholarly journals Punicalagin, a pomegranate compound, induces apoptosis and autophagy in acute leukemia

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e12303
Author(s):  
Paweena Subkorn ◽  
Chosita Norkaew ◽  
Kamolchanok Deesrisak ◽  
Dalina Tanyong

Background Punicalagin is the major phenolic compound found in pomegranate peels. It has several reported medical benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. The present study investigated the anti-leukemic effects and the molecular mechanism of punicalagin on NB4 and MOLT-4 leukemic cell lines. Methods Leukemic cells were treated with punicalagin and cell viability was determined using MTS assay. Apoptosis and autophagy were analyzed by flow cytometry using Annexin V-FITC/PI and anti-LC3/FITC antibodies staining, respectively. Apoptotic and autophagic mRNA expression were determined using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. STITCH bioinformatics tools were used to predict the interaction between punicalagin and its proposed target proteins. Results Results indicated that punicalagin decreased NB4 and MOLT-4 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Punicalagin, in combination with daunorubicin, exhibited synergistic cytotoxic effects. Punicalagin induced apoptosis through the upregulation of caspase-3/-8/-9, Bax and the downregulation of Bcl-2 expression. Punicalagin also promoted autophagy via the downregulation of mTOR and the upregulation of ULK1 expression. Cyclooxygenase-2 and toll-like receptor 4 were found to be involved in punicalagin-induced cell death in punicalagin-targeted protein interactions. Conclusions These results suggest that punicalagin exerts cytotoxic activities by suppressing proliferation and promoting apoptosis and autophagy by activating the caspase cascade, altering Bax and Bcl-2, and regulating autophagy via mTOR/ULK1 signaling.

Blood ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 1427-1434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan N. Rich ◽  
Diana Worthington-White ◽  
Oliver A. Garden ◽  
Philip Musk

The Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1) is primarily responsible for the regulation of intracellular pH (pHi). It is a ubiquitous, amiloride-sensitive, growth factor–activatable exchanger whose role has been implicated in cell-cycle regulation, apoptosis, and neoplasia. Here we demonstrate that leukemic cell lines and peripheral blood from primary patient leukemic samples exhibit a constitutively and statistically higher pHi than normal hematopoietic tissue. We then show that a direct correlation exists between pHi and cell-cycle status of normal hematopoietic and leukemic cells. Advantage was taken of this relationship by treating leukemic cells with the Na+/H+ exchanger inhibitor, 5-(N, N-hexamethylene)-amiloride (HMA), which decreases the pHiand induces apoptosis. By incubating patient leukemic cells in vitro with pharmacologic doses of HMA for up to 5 hours, we show, using flow cytometry and fluorescent ratio imaging microscopy, that when the pHi decreases, apoptosis—measured by annexin-V and TUNEL methodologies—rapidly increases so that more than 90% of the leukemic cells are killed. The differential sensitivity exhibited between normal and leukemic cells allows consideration of NHE1 inhibitors as potential antileukemic agents.


Pharmacology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 103 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 263-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheng Li ◽  
Yuhua Qu ◽  
Xiu-Yin Shen ◽  
Ting Ouyang ◽  
Wen-Bin Fu ◽  
...  

Background: Crocetin is a carotenoid extracted from the traditional Chinese medical herb saffron. Previous studies have demonstrated that crocetin possesses anticancer properties that are effective against various cancers. As an extension of our earlier study, the present study explored the underlying mechanisms in crocetin’s anticancer effect on KYSE-150 cells. The phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT), Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), and p53/p21 signal pathways play an important role in carcinogenesis, progression, and metastasis of carcinoma cells. Thus, we investigated crocetin’s effects on the PI3K/AKT, MAPK, and p53/p21 pathways in esophageal squamous carcinoma cell line KYSE-150 cells. Methods: KYSE-150 cells were treated with various concentrations of crocetin. 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltertrazolium bromide assay, Annexin V/PI stain as well as Rh123 stain were used to evaluate the cell viability, apoptosis, and MMP. Western blot was used to detect the expression of PI3K, AKT, ERK1/2, p38, c-Jun NH-terminal kinase (JNK), P53, P21, Bcl-2, Bax, and cleaved caspase-3, which were associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis. Results: Our results showed that crocetin significantly inhibited the proliferation of KYSE-150 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Crocetin also markedly induced cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we have found that crocetin not only inhibited the activation of PI3K/AKT, extracellular signal–regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK1/2), and p38 but also upregulated the p53/p21 level. These regulations ultimately triggered the mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis pathway with an eventual disruption of MMP, increased levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-3, and decreased levels of Bcl-2. Conclusions: These findings suggested that crocetin interfered with multiple signal pathways in KYSE-150 cells. Therefore, this study suggested that crocetin could potentially be used as a therapeutic candidate for the treatment of esophageal cancer.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 1664-1676
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Opydo-Chanek ◽  
Iwona Cichoń ◽  
Agnieszka Rak ◽  
Elżbieta Kołaczkowska ◽  
Lidia Mazur

Summary One of the key features of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the arrest of differentiation at the early progenitor stage of myelopoiesis. Therefore, the identification of new agents that could overcome this differentiation block and force leukemic cells to enter the apoptotic pathway is essential for the development of new treatment strategies in AML. Regarding this, herein we report the pro-differentiation activity of the pan-Bcl-2 inhibitor, obatoclax. Obatoclax promoted differentiation of human AML HL-60 cells and triggered their apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Importantly, obatoclax-induced apoptosis was associated with leukemic cell differentiation. Moreover, decreased expression of Bcl-2 protein was observed in obatoclax-treated HL-60 cells. Furthermore, differentiation of these cells was accompanied by the loss of their proliferative capacity, as shown by G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. Taken together, these findings indicate that the anti-AML effects of obatoclax involve not only the induction of apoptosis but also differentiation of leukemic cells. Therefore, obatoclax represents a promising treatment for AML that warrants further exploration.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (19) ◽  
pp. 5785
Author(s):  
Fah Chueahongthong ◽  
Singkome Tima ◽  
Sawitree Chiampanichayakul ◽  
Cory Berkland ◽  
Songyot Anuchapreeda

This study aims to enhance efficacy and reduce toxicity of the combination treatment of a drug and curcumin (Cur) on leukemic stem cell and leukemic cell lines, including KG-1a and KG-1 (FLT3+ LSCs), EoL-1 (FLT3+ LCs), and U937 (FLT3− LCs). The cytotoxicity of co-treatments of doxorubicin (Dox) or idarubicin (Ida) at concentrations of the IC10–IC80 values and each concentration of Cur at the IC20, IC30, IC40, and IC50 values (conditions 1, 2, 3, and 4) was determined by MTT assays. Dox–Cur increased cytotoxicity in leukemic cells. Dox–Cur co-treatment showed additive and synergistic effects in several conditions. The effect of this co-treatment on FLT3 expression in KG-1a, KG-1, and EoL-1 cells was examined by Western blotting. Dox–Cur decreased FLT3 protein levels and total cell numbers in all the cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. In summary, this study exhibits a novel report of Dox–Cur co-treatment in both enhancing cytotoxicity of Dox and inhibiting cell proliferation via FLT3 protein expression in leukemia stem cells and leukemic cells. This is the option of leukemia treatment with reducing side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs to leukemia patients.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wararat Chiangjong ◽  
Jirawan Panachan ◽  
Thitinee Vanichapol ◽  
Nutkridta Pongsakul ◽  
Tassanee Lerksuthirat ◽  
...  

AbstractChemotherapy in childhood leukemia is associated with late morbidity in leukemic survivors, while certain patient subsets relatively resistant to standard chemotherapy. Identifying new agents with the sensitivity and selectivity toward leukemic cells with less systemic toxicity is a warrant. Peptide-based therapeutics is gaining attention during the last few years. Here, we used an integrative workflow combining mass spectrometric peptide library construction, in silico anticancer peptide screening, and in vitro leukemic cell studies to discover a novel anti-leukemic peptide owning 3+charges and alpha-helical structure, namely HMP-S7, from human breast milk. HMP-S7 showed cytotoxic activity against four distinct leukemic cell lines in a dose-dependent manner but had no affected on solid malignancies or representative normal cells. HMP-S7 induced leukemic cell death by penetrating the plasma membrane into the cytoplasm, causing lactate dehydrogenase leakage, thereby defining membranolytic action. In conclusion, HMP-S7 is the selective anti-leukemic peptide promising for further validation in preclinical and clinical studies.


Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 2601-2601
Author(s):  
Sarah Scotland ◽  
Estelle Saland ◽  
Lindsay Peyriga ◽  
Rémi Peyraud ◽  
Elizabeth Micklow ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 2601 An emerging hallmark of cancer cells is the reprogramming of intermediary and energy metabolism these cells undergo. Several epidemiological studies have shown that metformin, widely used to treat patients with type 2 diabetes, may reduce their risk of cancer. Despite several reports of anti-neoplastic activity of metformin, the mechanisms responsible for this activity have not been fully elucidated in cancer or leukemic cells. We hypothesized that metformin elicits a metabolic reprogramming driven by alterations in mitochondrial function and signaling, which induces apoptosis in leukemic cells, and that metabolic flexibility determines the variation(s) of the cytotoxic response to metformin among different leukemic cell lines. We first demonstrated that metformin markedly decreased oxygen consumption of six leukemic cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner. We also observed that the cytotoxic effect of metformin varies between cell lines reflecting their energetic capacity to compensate for the mitochondrial inhibition induced by metformin (eg. to induce the Pasteur effect). Importantly, metformin-insensitive leukemic cells did not exhibit a Pasteur effect in response to metformin. All leukemic cells exhibited high basal conversion of glucose to lactate (eg. aerobic glycolysis) and specific expression of key metabolic genes as compared to normal mononuclear cells. Despite dependence on glucose catabolism, metformin sensitivity was associated with relative resistance to glucose starvation. Metformin effects in drug-resistant cells were potentiated by the addition of a glycolytic inhibitor, but not by inhibitors of the pentose phosphate pathway or glutaminolysis. Leukemic cells with broad metabolic capacities to utilize other energetic substrates in response to diverse nutrient starvation showed insensitivity to metformin. Metformin induced a significant decrease in metabolites of the upper segment of glycolysis and the oxidative branch of the pentose phosphate pathway as well as a clear increase of PRPP and IMP biosynthesis. Energy charge, the nucleotide phosphate pool and lactate/glucose ratio remained stable after metformin treatment. Furthermore, our results showed that basal glucose uptake/consumption and the activity of the lower segment of the glycolytic pathway are key determinants of a cytotoxic response to metformin. In addition, high glutathione, malate, IMP and orotate content were observed in metformin-insensitive leukemic cells. Moreover, the cytotoxic effect of metformin was independent of AMPK/LKB1 status of the leukemic cells while p53 expression abrogated this effect. The presence of wild-type p53 appears to partially protect tumor cells from glucose starvation and metformin cytotoxicity and prevents the induction of the Pasteur effect. Finally, we demonstrated that metformin increased the cytotoxicity of chemotherapy agent, cytarabine, on all leukemic cell lines in vitro and significantly reduced leukemic colony-forming units (CFU-L) from six primary AML patient samples in a concentration-dependent manner. Additional experiments on metabolic and signaling pathways as well as in vivo studies are in progress to better understand the cytotoxic response of metformin in both AML cell lines and primary AML patient specimens that impact the therapeutic potential of metformin in vivo. Disclosures: Carroll: Agios Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; TetraLogic Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Sanofi Aventis Corporation: Research Funding; Glaxo Smith Kline, Inc.: Research Funding.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 113 (10) ◽  
pp. 2302-2311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Nordigården ◽  
Maria Kraft ◽  
Pernilla Eliasson ◽  
Verena Labi ◽  
Eric W.-F. Lam ◽  
...  

Abstract Constitutively activating internal tandem duplications (ITD) of FLT3 (FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3) are the most common mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and correlate with poor prognosis. Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting FLT3 have developed as attractive treatment options. Because relapses occur after initial responses, identification of FLT3-ITD–mediated signaling events are important to facilitate novel therapeutic interventions. Here, we have determined the growth-inhibitory and proapototic mechanisms of 2 small molecule inhibitors of FLT3, AG1295 or PKC412, in hematopoietic progenitor cells, human leukemic cell lines, and primary AML cells expressing FLT3-ITD. Inactivation of the PI3-kinase pathway, but not of Ras–mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling, was essential to elicit cytotoxic responses. Both compounds induced up-regulation of proapoptotic BH3-only proteins Bim and Puma, and subsequent cell death. However, only silencing of Bim, or its direct transcriptional activator FOXO3a, abrogated apoptosis efficiently. Similar findings were made in bone marrow cells from gene-targeted mice lacking Bim and/or Puma infected with FLT3-ITD and treated with inhibitor, where loss of Puma only provided transient protection from apoptosis, but loss of Bim preserved clonal survival upon FLT3-ITD inhibition.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaqueline Ferreira Campos ◽  
David Tsuyoshi Hiramatsu de Castro ◽  
Marcio José Damião ◽  
Heron F. Vieira Torquato ◽  
Edgar J. Paredes-Gamero ◽  
...  

Natural products can be a source of biomolecules with antioxidant activity which are able to prevent oxidative stress-induced diseases and show antitumor activity, making them important sources of new anticancer drug prototypes. In this context, this study aimed to analyze the chemical composition of an ethanol extract ofSenna velutinaleaves and to assess its antioxidant and cytotoxic activities in leukemic cells. The antioxidant properties were evaluated using a DPPH free radical scavenging assay and by examining the extract’s inhibition of AAPH-induced lipid peroxidation in human erythrocytes. Its cytotoxicity and possible mechanisms of action were assessed in Jurkat and K562 leukemic cell lines. The ethanol extract contained flavonoids, such as epigallocatechin, epicatechin, kaempferol heteroside, rutin, and dimeric and trimeric proanthocyanidin derivatives. The extract exhibited antioxidant activity by scavenging free radicals and antihemolytic action, and it decreased malondialdehyde content in human erythrocytes. Furthermore, the extract also induced leukemic cell death by activating intracellular calcium and caspase-3, decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential, and arresting the cell cycle in S and G2 phases. Hence,S. velutinaleaf extract contains antioxidant and antileukemic biomolecules with potential applications in diseases associated with oxidative stress and in the inhibition of tumor cell proliferation.


2010 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Pires de Lima ◽  
Luciana Farhat Hilst ◽  
Fernanda Vanessa Rechinbach Mattana ◽  
Cid Aimbiré de Moraes Santos ◽  
Almeriane Maria Weffort-Santos

The effects of the alkaloid-rich fraction of Himatanthus lancifolius (Müll. Arg) Woodson on normal marrow cells and leukemic cell lines were investigated. After 48 h exposure, the proliferation assay showed significant cell growth inhibition for Daudi (0.1-10 µg/mL), K-562 (1-10 µg/mL), and REH cells (10-100 µg/mL), yet was inert for normal marrow cells. A similar inhibition profile was observed in clonogenic assays. This alkaloid-rich fraction, in which uleine is the main compound, showed no signs of toxicity to any cells up to 10 µg/mL. Cell feature analyses after induction of differentiation showed maintenance of the initial phenotype. Flow cytometric expression of Annexin-V and 7-AAD in K-562 and Daudi cells has indicated that the cells were not undergoing apoptosis or necrosis, suggesting cytostatic activity for tumor cells


Blood ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 99 (7) ◽  
pp. 2532-2540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Dias ◽  
Sergey V. Shmelkov ◽  
George Lam ◽  
Shahin Rafii

Similar to endothelial cells (ECs), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) induces Bcl-2 expression on VEGF receptor-positive (VEGFR+) primary leukemias and cell lines, promoting survival. We investigated the molecular pathways activated by VEGF on such leukemias, by performing a gene expression analysis of VEGF-treated and untreated HL-60 leukemic cells. One gene to increase after VEGF stimulation was heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90). This was subsequently confirmed at the protein level, on primary leukemias and leukemic cell lines. VEGF increased the expression of Hsp90 by interacting with KDR and activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade. In turn, Hsp90 modulated Bcl-2 expression, as shown by a complete blockage of VEGF-induced Bcl-2 expression and binding to Hsp90 by the Hsp90-specific inhibitor geldanamycin (GA). GA also blocked the VEGF-induced Hsp90 binding to APAF-1 on leukemic cells, a mechanism shown to inhibit apoptosis. Notably, VEGF blocked the proapoptotic effects of GA, correlating with its effects at the molecular level. Earlier, we showed that in some leukemias, a VEGF/KDR autocrine loop is essential for cell survival, whereas here we identified the molecular correlates for such an effect. We also demonstrate that the generation of a VEGF/VEGFR autocrine loop on VEGFR+ cells such as ECs, also protected them from apoptosis. Infection of ECs with adenovirus-expressing VEGF resulted in elevated Hsp90 levels, increased Bcl-2 expression, and resistance to serum-free or GA-induced apoptosis. In summary, we demonstrate that Hsp90 mediates antiapoptotic and survival-promoting effects of VEGF, which may contribute to the survival advantage of VEGFR+cells such as subsets of leukemias.


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