ABSTRACT
Dially disulfide (DADS), a component of garlic (Allium sativum), has been known to exert potent chemopreventive activity against various cancers. In this study, the synergistic effect of DADS and daunorubicin on the cytotoxicity of HL-60 cells, a human leukemia cell line, was investigated. DADS at 25 M greatly potentiated daunorubicin-induced cell death, decreasing cell viabilityto50%ofthe control. Daunorubicin-induced apoptosis was accompanied by the activation of caspase-3, the degradation of poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and D4-GDI, and DNA fragmentation, which were blocked by pre-treatment with acetyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp- dialdehyde (Ac-DEVD-CHO). Treatment that combined 25 M DADS and 100 nM daunorubicin caused a similar degree of caspase-3 activation, PARP and D4-GDI degradation, and DNA fragmentation to that caused by treatment with 250 nM daunorubicin alone. These results indicate that combined therapy using daunorubicin with DADS, a component of food, and garlic can effectively decrease the therapeutic dose of daunorubicin, preventing the severe side effects of daunorubicin.