Human Myeloid Leukemia K562 Cells Research Articles

Luteoloside Inhibits Proliferation of Human Chronic Myeloid Leukemia K562 Cells by Inducing G2/M Phase Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis

Purpose: To investigate the effects of luteoloside on the proliferation of human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells and whether luteoloside induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in K562 cells. Methods: Luteoloside’s cytotoxicity was assessed using a cell counting kit. Cell cycle distribution was analysed by flow cytometry after propidium iodide (PI) staining. Cell apoptosis was assayed with apoptosis detection kit and Hoechst staining followed by observation under a fluorescence microscope. The expression of cell cycle- and apoptosis-related proteins was examined by Western blot analysis. Results: Luteoloside inhibited the proliferation of K562 cells in a dose- and time- dependent manner (IC 50 = 30.7 μM) with less toxicity in a normal human cell line (IC 50 = 91.8 μM). Moreover, antiproliferative effect of luteoloside was accompanied with G2/M phase arrest（p ＜ 0.05 or p＜0.01） and apoptosis（p ＜ 0.01 or p ＜ 0.001）. Further studies revealed that the expression level of cyclinB1 was down-regulated by luteoloside treatment. Furthermore, luteoloside treatment also increased proapoptotic protein Bax expression and decreased anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 expression. Conclusion: These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of luteoloside on K562 cell proliferation is associated with inducing G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis, and that luteoloside is worth further studying for anticancer potential. Keywords: Luteoloside, Myeloid leukemia, Proliferation, Cell cycle arrest, Apoptosis, Anticancer

EM23, A Natural Sesquiterpene Lactone from Elephantopus mollis, Induces Apoptosis in Human Myeloid Leukemia Cells through Thioredoxin- and Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated Signaling Pathways.

Elephantopus mollis (EM) is a traditional herbal medicine with multiple pharmacological activities. However, the efficacy of EM in treating human leukemia is currently unknown. In the current study, we report that EM23, a natural sesquiterpene lactone isolated from EM, inhibits the proliferation of human chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) K562 cells and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) HL-60 cells by inducing apoptosis. Translocation of membrane-associated phospholipid phosphatidylserines, changes in cell morphology, activation of caspases, and cleavage of PARP were concomitant with this inhibition. The involvement of the mitochondrial pathway in EM23-mediated apoptosis was suggested by observed disruptions in mitochondrial membrane potential. Mechanistic studies indicated that EM23 caused a marked increase in the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Pretreatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine, a ROS scavenger, almost fully reversed EM23-mediated apoptosis. In EM23-treated cells, the expression levels of thioredoxin (Trx) and thioredoxinreductase (TrxR), two components of the Trx system involved in maintaining cellular redox homeostasis, were significantly down-regulated. Concomitantly, Trx regulated the activation of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) and its downstream regulatory targets, the p38, JNK, and ERK MAPKs. EM23-mediated activation of ASK1/MAPKs was significantly inhibited in the presence of NAC. Furthermore, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-mediated activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) was suppressed by EM23, as suggested by the observed blockage of p65 nuclear translocation, phosphorylation, and reversion of IκBα degradation following EM23 treatment. Taken together, these results provide important insights into the anticancer activities of the EM component EM23 against human CML K562 cells and AML HL-60 cells.

Abstract A04: LINC00467 regulates the autophagy signaling pathway STK11/AMPK

Abstract Mounting evidence has established a fundamental role of autophagy (a self-digestion process) in tumor initiation and progression. Hence, targeting autophagy is a promising strategy for developing effective therapies to treat cancer. In our previous genome-wide RNA interference screen, we identified a set of genes that regulate autophagy in human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells. One of the candidates is LINC00467 (long intergenic noncoding RNA 00467), a long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) known for apoptosis regulation in neuroblastoma. LncRNA is a new RNA species with important role in gene expression regulation. Although the role of LncRNAs in apoptosis has been extensively studied. Whether or how LncRNA regulate autophagy has not yet been explored. Our previous work has established that LINC00467 regulates autophagy in different types of cancers. However, how LINC00467 regulates autophagy is largely unknown. To address this question, we first determined the stage of autophagy LINC00467 targets using a combination treatment of LINC00467 depletion and chloroquine and measuring the protein level of p62. We then monitored the activity of STK11/AMPK and MTOR, two autophagy signaling pathways, in K562 cells upon inhibition of LINC00467. We found that shRNA knockdown of LINC00467 in conjunction with chloroquine treatment significantly induced the formation of autophagic compartments manifested by the increase of Cyto-ID fluorescence. Moreover, LINC00467 knockdown substantially decreased the protein level of P62. These results indicate that Linc00467 suppresses the initiation of autophagy. To further probe the mechanism, we measured the activity of autophagy-promoting kinases STK11/AMPK, and autophagy-inhibiting kinase MTOR. Our results showed that Linc00467 knockdown substantially enhanced the activity/expression of STK11/AMPK while inhibiting that of MTOR, consistent with the inhibition of BCR-ABL using imatinib. Furthermore, We showed that LINC00467 inhibition led to a delayed degradation of STK11 mRNA. Taken together, our data demonstrates that LINC00467 suppresses autophagy through blocking STK11/AMPK. These results not only reveal a new LINC00467/STK11/AMPK pathway in autophagy regulation but also provide a basis for future therapeutic development. Citation Format: Sujuan Guo, Kevin Pridham, Zhi Sheng. LINC00467 regulates the autophagy signaling pathway STK11/AMPK. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Noncoding RNAs and Cancer: Mechanisms to Medicines ; 2015 Dec 4-7; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(6 Suppl):Abstract nr A04.

The formation of conjugates with PEG–chitosan improves the biocatalytic efficiency and antitumor activity of L-asparaginase from Erwinia carotovora

The ChitoPEGylation method, which is a novel approach to regulating the catalytic properties of enzymes that is based on the formation of a covalent conjugate of an enzyme with branched copolymers of chitosan, has been developed. The efficiency of this method has been demonstrated using a new recombinant preparation of L-asparaginase from Erwinia carotovora (EwA) as a model. The molecular architecture and composition of EwA conjugates with PEG–chitosans have been optimized. It has been shown that the decisive factors that affect the activity of the EwA conjugates are the molecular weight of and PEGylation degree of chitosan. It has been found that the EwA conjugation with PEG–chitosan increases, its cytostatic activity against human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells, Burkitt’s lymphoma Raji cells, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia Jurkat cells. These data provide new approaches to the synthesis of L-asparaginase preparations with improved biocatalytic properties.

PAEDERUS ALFIERI EXTRACT INDUCES APOPTOSIS IN HUMAN MYELOID LEUKEMIA K562 CELLS

ABSTRACTObjective: The rove beetle Paederus alfieri Koch. (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) is well-known among natural enemies in Egypt as an important predatorof agricultural insect pests, it used as an essential agent in the integrated pest management programs. Recent studies have revealed that Paederus mayhave anti-proliferative effect; however, its mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of the present study is to investigate the anticancer effect of P. alfieriextract (PAE) on K562 human myeloid leukemia cancer cells and elucidation of its mechanism.Methods: Human myeloid leukemia K562 cells were treated with PAE at different concentrations. Cell proliferation was measured using the3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Apoptosis was evaluated using flow cytometry analysis. The expressions ofBcl-2, Bax, active caspase-3, t-Akt, and p-Akt were evaluated by western blotting.Results: PAE has a dose-dependent antiproliferative effect against K562 cells. The half maximal inhibitory concentration was estimated as212±2.3 ng/ml. Flow cytometric analysis showed that PAE induces apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in K562 cells. We also investigated themolecular mechanism of PAE-induced apoptosis. PAE downregulated Bcl-2 and upregulated Bax and cleaved caspase-3 proteins. Furthermore, thelevels of p-Akt are dose-dependently decreased in response to PAE, whereas the total Akt protein levels remained constant during PAE treatment.Conclusion: Taken together PAE-induced apoptosis in human myeloid leukemia K562 cells by modulating PI3K/Akt pathway. Our findings suggestthat may be PAE is a good extract for developing anticancer drugs for human myeloid leukemia cancer treatment.Keywords: Paederus alfieri, Pederin, K562, Apoptosis, PI3K/Akt pathway.

Molecular Cytotoxic Mechanisms of 1-(3,4,5-Trihydroxyphenyl)-dodecylbenzoate in Human Leukemia Cell Lines.

Recent studies have shown that gallic acid and its alkylesters induce apoptosis in different cell lines. Since new compounds with biological activity and less cytotoxicity to normal cells are necessary for cancer therapy, the aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of 1-(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)-dodecylbenzoate on human acute myeloid leukemia K562 cells and on human acute lymphoblastic leukemia Jurkat cells. The cell viability was determined by MTT method. The apoptosis induction was assessed by bromide and acridine orange staining and by Annexin V-FITC Apoptosis Detection kit. The cell cycle analysis was carried out by flow cytometry using propidium iodide. Cytometric analysis was also performed to evaluate the expression of the following proteins: AIF, p53, Bcl-2 and Bax. The mitochondrial potential was also assessed by flow cytometry using MitoView633 kit. The results showed that the compound significantly reduced the cell viability of K562 and Jurkat cells in a concentration and time dependent manner (IC50 of 30 μM). The compound induced cell cycle arrest in G0/G1phase and significantly increased the proportion of cells in the sub-G0/G1phase. Apoptosis was confirmed by the sight of morphological characteristics of apoptosis and by phosphatidylserine externalization (73.47±5.71% of cells expressing annexin). The results also showed that the compound promotes a modification in Bax:Bcl-2 ratio and increases p53 expression. Thus, it is possible to conclude that 1-(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)-dodecylbenzoate induces apoptosis by inhibiting the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and by increasing the release of AIF, Bax and p53. In addition, it blocks the cell cycle at G0/G1, stopping cell proliferation. So far, the results suggest that this compound may have a potential therapeutic effect against leukemia cells.

The role of the CCDC26 long noncoding RNA as a tumor suppressor

CCDC26 on chromosome 8q24 is considered to encode a long intergenic noncoding RNA because the short open reading frame within the mRNA transcribed from this gene is not conserved in any other species. Genome-wide analysis has revealed association of CCDC26 with certain tumors, for instance low-level glioma. Moreover, 1.5- to 2-fold amplifications of the whole or part of the CCDC26 genetic locus have been observed in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia patients. The CCDC26 gene is amplified in the HL-60 acute myeloid leukemia cell line, in which double minute chromosomes—abnormal tiny chromosomes—harbor the CCDC26 gene. We examined the function of CCDC26 by gene knock-down (KD) using short hairpin RNAs in K562 human myeloid leukemia cells. In four stable KD clones, CCDC26 expression was suppressed to 1% of its normal level by transcriptional gene suppression, not post-transcriptional suppression. The growth rates of these KD clones were reduced compared with those of control cells in media containing high serum concentrations. In contrast, in media containing much lower serum concentrations, the KD clones exhibited significantly higher growth rates than controls, and increased survival after serum withdrawal. Enhanced expression of a receptor tyrosine kinase, KIT , was detected in the KD clones, and treatment with ISCK03, a KIT inhibitor, eliminated their increased survival in the absence of serum. Therefore, CCDC26 seems to control myeloid leukemia cell growth through regulation of KIT expression. These observations suggest that CCDC26 is a tumor-suppressive long noncoding RNA because it suppresses the KIT oncogene that supports survival of cancer cells in the stem cell state.

Matrine suppresses the growth of human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells via inhibiting bcr-abl-mediated MEK-ERK pathway

Objective To investigate the mechanism of matrine in inhibition of proliferation the proliferation of human chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) K562 cells via MEK-ERK signaling pathway. Methods Western blot was used to detect the expression of MEK1, ERK1/2, Shc and SHP2 (the signal effect molecules of MEK-ERK pathway) in K562 cells. The transcription and translation of bcr-abl and target protein (bcl-xL, Cyclin D1, c-myc and p27) were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. Results Matrine was able to significantly inhibit the phosphorylation of MEK1, ERK1/2, Shc and SHP2 in K562 cells and suppress the protein and mRNA expression of bcr-abl. Moreover, the expressions of bcl-xL, Cyclin D1 and c-myc were down-regulated significantly, while the expression level of p27 (a negative regulator of cell cycle progression) was increased markedly after matrine treatment. Conclusions Suppression of the growth of human CML K562 cells is related to the inhibition of bcr-abl-mediated MEK-ERK pathway activity. The down-regulation of phosphorylated proteins or protein kinases activity in signaling pathways might be an important molecular mechanism in control the activity of MEK-ERK pathway. Key words: Matrine; Leukemia, myeloid, chronic; MEK-ERK signaling pathway; bcr-abl

Role of 5-aminolevulinic acid-conjugated gold nanoparticles for photodynamic therapy of cancer.

There are three possible mechanisms for 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) conjugated gold nanoparticles (GNPs) through electrostatic bonding for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer: GNPs delivery function,singlet oxygen generation (SOG) by GNPs irradiated by light, and surface resonance enhancement (SRE) of SOG. Figuring out the exact mechanism is important for further clinical treatment. 5-ALA-GNPs and human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells were used to study delivery function and SOG by GNPs. The SRE of SOG enabled by GNPs was explored by protoporphyrin IX (PpIX)-GNPs conjugate through electrostatic bonding.Cell experiments show that the GNPs can improve the efficiency of PDT, which is due to the vehicle effect of GNPs. PpIX–GNPs conjugate experiments demonstrated that SOG can be improved about 2.5 times over PpIX alone. The experiments and theoretical results show that the local field enhancement (LFE) via localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of GNPs is the major role; the LFE was dependent on the irradiation wavelength and the GNP's size. The LFE increased with an increase of the GNP size (2R ≤ 50 nm). However, the LSPR function of the GNPs was not found in cell experiments. Our study shows that in 5-ALA-conjugated GNPs PDT, the delivery function of GNPs is the major role.

Long noncoding RNA, CCDC26, controls myeloid leukemia cell growth through regulation of KIT expression.

BackgroundAccumulating evidence suggests that some long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in certain diseases, such as cancer. The lncRNA, CCDC26, is related to childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML) because its copy number is altered in AML patients.ResultsWe found that CCDC26 transcripts were abundant in the nuclear fraction of K562 human myeloid leukemia cells. To examine the function of CCDC26, gene knockdown (KD) was performed using short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs), and four KD clones, in which CCDC26 expression was suppressed to 1% of its normal level, were isolated. This down-regulation included suppression of CCDC26 intron-containing transcripts (the CCDC26 precursor mRNA), indicating that transcriptional gene suppression (TGS), not post-transcriptional suppression, was occurring. The shRNA targeting one of the two CCDC26 splice variants also suppressed the other splice variant, which is further evidence for TGS. Growth rates of KD clones were reduced compared with non-KD control cells in media containing normal or high serum concentrations. In contrast, enhanced growth rates in media containing much lower serum concentrations and increased survival periods after serum withdrawal were observed for KD clones. DNA microarray and quantitative polymerase chain reaction screening for differentially expressed genes between KD clones and non-KD control cells revealed significant up-regulation of the tyrosine kinase receptor, KIT, hyperactive mutations of which are often found in AML. Treatment of KD clones with ISCK03, a KIT-specific inhibitor, eliminated the increased survival of KD clones in the absence of serum.ConclusionsWe suggest that CCDC26 controls growth of myeloid leukemia cells through regulation of KIT expression. A KIT inhibitor might be an effective treatment against the forms of AML in which CCDC26 is altered.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12943-015-0364-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A microfluidic chip with hydrodynamic traps for in vitro microscopic investigations of single cells

The results on making a microfluidic chip for in vitro microscopic investigations of single cells are presented. Numerical simulation of the motion trajectories of microparticles makes it possible to determine the geometry of hydrodynamic traps, their number, and the trap arrangement in a reaction chamber. According to the developed design, microfluidic chips were fabricated from a SU-8 photoresist by photolithography. The microfluidic chips have been tested to prove their operating capacity for isolating and holding K562 human myeloid leukemia cells from a sample flow and their subsequent investigation by confocal laser scanning microscopy.

Synthesis of 2-aminoxazole-5-carbamides and 2-aminothiazole-5-carbamides as potent inhibitors of CML

2-Aminoxazole-5-carbamide was discovered as novel potent inhibitor against human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells; several new corresponding 2-aminothiazole-5-carbamides were also prepared and evaluated the biological activity. The results demonstrated that all of the new compounds exhibited antiproliferative potency on human K562 leukemia cells.

Spiroquinazolinone-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in K562 human leukemia cells: alteration in expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bax.

Spiroquinazolinone compounds have been considered as a new series of potent apoptosis-inducing agents. In this study, anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects of the derivatives from the spiroquinazolinone family were investigated in the human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells. The K562 cells were treated with various concentrations of the spiroquinazolinone (10-300 µM) for 3 days and cell viability was determined by MTT growth inhibition assay. 4t-QTC was more active among these compounds with IC50 of 50 ± 3.6 µM and was selected for further studies. Apoptosis, as the mechanism of cell death was investigated morphologically by acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EtBr) double staining, cell surface expression assay of phosphatidyl serine by Annexin V/PI technique, as well as the formation of DNA ladder. The K562 cells underwent apoptosis upon a single dose (at IC50 value) of the 4t-QTC compound, and over-expressed caspase-3 expression by more than 1.7-fold, following a 72 hr treatment. Furthermore, RT-PCR and Western blot analysis revealed that treatment of the K562 cells with 4t-QTC down-regulates and up-regulates the expression of Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic) and Bax (pro-apoptotic), respectively. Based on the present data, it seems that these compounds from the spiroquinazolinone family are good candidates for further evaluation as an effective chemotherapeutic family acting through induction of apoptosis in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Sensitization of chemo-resistant human chronic myeloid leukemia stem-like cells to Hsp90 inhibitor by SIRT1 inhibition.

Development of effective therapeutic strategies to eliminate cancer stem-like cells (CSCs), which play a major role in drug resistance and disease recurrence, is critical to improve cancer treatment outcomes. The current investigation was undertaken to examine the effectiveness of the combination treatment of Hsp90 inhibitor and SIRT1 inhibitor in inhibiting the growth of chemo-resistant stem-like cells isolated from human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells. Inhibition of SIRT1 by use of SIRT1 siRNA or SIRT1 inhibitors (amurensin G and EX527) effectively potentiated sensitivity of Hsp90 inhibitors (17-AAG and AUY922) in CD44high K562 stem-like cells expressing high levels of CSC-related molecules including Oct4, CD34, β-catenin, c-Myc, mutant p53 (mut p53), BCRP and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) as well as CD44. SIRT1 depletion caused significant down-regulation of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1)/heat shock proteins (Hsps) as well as these CSC-related molecules, which led to the sensitization of CD44high K562 cells to Hsp90 inhibitor by SIRT1 inhibitor. Moreover, 17-AAG-mediated activation of HSF1/Hsps and P-gp-mediated efflux, major causes of Hsp90 inhibitor resistance, was suppressed by SIRT1 inhibitor in K562-CD44high cells. Our data suggest that combined treatment with Hsp90 inhibitor and SIRT1 inhibitor could be an effective therapeutic approach to target CSCs that are resistant to current therapies.

Induction of human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cell apoptosis by virosecurinine and its molecular mechanism.

Virosecurinine is a major alkaloid of the plant Securinega suffruticosa and has been found to be a potent agent in inducing the differentiation of cancer cells. The present study aimed to investigate the antitumor effects of virosecurinine by inducing the apoptosis of leukemic K562 cells and to examine the underlying mechanisms. K562 cells were treated with different concentrations of virosecurinine (6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100 and 200 μmol/l) for 24, 48 and 72 h. The cell counting kit (CCK)-8 method was used to detect the antitumor effect of K562 cells in vitro. Flow cytometry was used to observe the apoptotic ratio and analyze the cell cycle following treatment with virosecurinine in K562 cells. Light and electron microscopy was used to identify morphological alterations in the virosecurinine-treated K562 cells. The mRNA levels of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), SH2 domain-containing inositol-5′-phosphatase 2 (SHIP2), phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) and breakpoint cluster region (BCR)/Abelson (ABL) were detected pre and post-virosecurinine treatment using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The generation depression effects of K562 cells cultured in vitro were detected using CCK-8 technology, which revealed a dose and time-dependent association. The IC50 was 32.984 μmol/l at 48 h. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that treatment with virosecurinine at concentrations of 6.25, 25 and 50 μmol/l increased the apoptotic rate of the K562 cells and caused G1/S phase arrest. RT-qPCR indicated that virosecurinine upregulated the gene expression of PTEN and downregulated the expression of mTOR, SHIP-2 and BCR/ABL in K562 cells. Virosecurinine inhibited the growth and proliferation of the K562 cell lines and induced apoptosis in K562 cells by affecting the expression of mTOR, SHIP2, BCR/ABL and PTEN.

Phenethyl isothiocyanate inhibits growth of human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells via reactive oxygen species generation and caspases.

Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), a potential cancer chemopreventive constituent of cruciferous vegetables, including watercress, has been reported to inhibit cancer cell growth by arresting the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis in various human cancer cell models. However, the role of PEITC in the inhibition of human chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) K562cell growth and its underlying mechanisms have yet to be elucidated. In the present study, PEITC was found to induce cell death through the induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) stress and oxidative damage. Heme oxygenase‑1 (HO‑1), which participates in the development of numerous tumors and the sensitivity of these tumors to chemotherapeutic drugs, plays a protective role by modulating oxidative injury. Therefore, the present study assessed the inhibitory effect of PEITC on K562 cells and whether HO‑1 facilitated cell apoptosis and ROS generation. PEITC was found to suppress cell growth and cause apoptosis by promoting Fas and Fas ligand expression, increasing ROS generation and by the successive release of cytochromec as well as the activation of caspase‑9 and caspase‑3. PEITC was also combined with the HO‑1 inhibitor zinc protoporphyrinIX and the inducer hemin to assess whether HO‑1 determines cell survival and ROS generation. The results of the present study suggest that PEITC may be a potential anti‑tumor compound for CML therapy, and that HO‑1 has a critical function in PEITC‑induced apoptosis and ROS generation.

Resveratrol inhibits the phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway in the human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cell line.

Resveratrol inhibits the initiation, promotion and progression of tumors, however, the mechanism by which resveratrol inhibits the proliferation of the human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cell line remains unclear. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of resveratrol on the activation of the phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling cascade in K562 cells. Resveratrol showed significant cytotoxic effects and induced apoptosis in K562 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In addition, resveratrol attenuated the phosphorylation of PI3K, Akt and mTOR in the K562 cells. Furthermore, the selected inhibitors of PI3K (LY294002), Akt (SH-6) and mTOR (rapamycin) enhanced the effects of resveratrol in K562 cells. In addition, cyclin D1 levels were found to decrease and the activation of caspase-3 was observed. Resveratrol was also found to significantly attenuate the phosphorylation of the downstream molecules, p70S6K and 4EBP1. These results suggested that the downregulation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling cascades may be a crucial mediator in the inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis by resveratrol in K562 cells.

Pegylated gold nanoparticles induce apoptosis in human chronic myeloid leukemia cells.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have several potential biological applications as well as excellent biocompatibility. AuNPs with surface modification using polyethylene glycol (PEG-AuNPs) can facilitate easy conjugation with various biological molecules of interest. To examine the anticancer bioactivity of PEG-AuNPs, we investigated their effect on human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells. The results indicated that PEG-AuNPs markedly inhibited the viability and impaired the cell membrane integrity of K562 cells. The particles caused morphological changes typical of cell death, and a marked increase in the sub-G1 population in DNA histogram, indicating apoptosis. In addition, PEG-AuNPs reduced the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, a hallmark of the involvement of intrinsic apoptotic pathway in K562 cells. Observation of ultrastructure under a transmission electron microscope revealed that the internalized PEG-AuNPs were distributed into cytoplasmic vacuoles and damaged mitochondria, and subsequently accumulated in areas surrounding the nuclear membrane. In conclusion, PEG-AuNPs may have the potential to inhibit growth and induce apoptosis in human chronic myeloid leukemia cells.

Induction of apoptosis by Cordyceps militaris fraction in human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells involved with mitochondrial dysfunction.

Background:Cordyceps militaris is widely used for various ethno medical conditions including cancer and inflammation complications in traditional Chinese medicine.Objective:To investigate the in vitro antitumor activity of Cordyceps militaris fraction (CMF) and the molecular mechanism underlying the apoptosis it induces in human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells.Materials and Methods:CMF was prepared according to our previous report. Cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. The rate of apoptosis, distribution of cell cycle and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential were measured by flow cytometry. Caspase activities were analyzed by Western blot and oxygen consumption rate was recorded using the Oxytherm system.Results:The results demonstrated that CMF triggered growth inhibition in K562 cells with only minor toxicity on a normal human cell line and inhibited the proliferation of K562 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner with IC50 value of 34.1 ± 2.0 μg/ml after 48 h incubation. This most likely resulted from cell cycle arrest at the S phase and the induction of apoptosis. In addition, CMF induced activation of caspase-3 and subsequent cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP). The caspase signals may originate from mitochondrial dysfunction, which was supported by the finding of decreased mitochondria transmembrance potential and the lower oxygen consumption rate.Conclusion:CMF possessed the in vitro antitumor effect on K562 cells and CMF-induced apoptosis might be involved by the mitochondrial dysfunction and valuable to research and develop as a potential antitumor agency.

HO-1 Regulated Autophagy and Apoptosis In CML Cells Through Mitochondrial-beclin1 Pathway

AimTo explore the mechanisms underlying the HO-1-regulated apoptosis and autophagy in human chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) K562 cell line in vitro. MethodsK562 cells were devided into three groupsFK562(untreated),K562-H(infected by lenti-GFP-HO-1) and K562-siHO-1(infected by lenti-GFP-siHO-1). The protein expression of HO-1 were determined by Western blot, and its mRNA levels were obtained by real-time PCR. Cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. Morphological changes of apoptosis and autophagy were observed by the application of transmission electron microscope. Annexin V-FITC/PI dual staining assays were used to measure apoptosis. Autophagy was analyzed by Western blot and immunofluorescence staining with an anti-LC3 antibody. DCFH-DA was used as the cell-permeate indicator for intracellular ROS measurement. Protein levels of active caspase 3, Beclin1,cyto-C and Bcl2 were determined by Western blot. ResultsThe Expression of HO-1 on mRNA and protein level increased in K562-H group while reduced in K562-siHO-1, the differences showed statistically significance compared to K562-untreated group(p<0.05). Imatinib (0.20-1.60μmol/L) exerted inhibitory effects on cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner with IC(50) value of 1.0μmol/L, 0.7μmol/L and 0.4μmol/L, while viability of 63.41±1.46%, 41.24±2.01%, 29.49±1.87% in K562-H, K562 and K562-siHO-1(p<0.05), respectively. Exposure to imatinib (0.40 μmol/L) simultaneously induced mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis and Beclin1-dependent autophagy in all groups. Autophagy flux was found in K562-siHO-1 group while autophagosome formation decreased in K562-H group, which was significantly different from K562 group. The expressions of LC3 II and cyto-C were higher in K562-siHO-1 group than other two groups (p<0.05). Both apoptosis and autophagy caused cell death in a time-dependent manner. However, apoptosis played a more effective role in cell death. After exposure to imatinib (0.40 μmol/L), both intracellular ROS generation and the protein expression of Beclin1 and caspase9 were increased, while Bcl2 protein level were reduced in a time-dependent manner. The combination of NAC (2.50 mmol/L) with imatinib (0.40 μmol/L) contributed to the blockade of ROS generation which abrogated apoptosis, autophagy and Beclin1 expression. 3-MA (3.0mmol/L) and HO-1 silencing resulting in the inhibition of autophagy enhanced the effect of apoptosis which was induced by imatinib (respectively 70.65±2.71% and 69.27±3.13%), while this phenomenon was accompanied by increased ROS generation (1.3 and 1.6 folds higher than K562 group). ConclusionsImatinib and HO-1 siRNA simultaneously induced apoptosis and autophagy in K562 cells, which was associated with the increasing of intracellular ROS generation, cyto-C and Beclin1 protein expression. Beclin1, an autophagy related protein induced by HO-1 silencing, could further induce apoptosis in K562 cells through the inhibition of Bcl2. The responsive cytoprotection to chemotherapeutics caused by autophagy decreased while sustaining up-regulation of HO-1 in K562 cells. However, the underlying mechanisms remained to be well elucidated. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.