ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To study the effects of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) on the proliferation and apoptosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells.@*METHODS@#The effects of DHA on the proliferation of acute myeloid leukemia cells and the inhibitory effect of Z-VAD-FMK on the DHA-induced cell apoptosis were detected by CCK-8 assay. The expression level of cleaved-caspased 3 was detected by indirect immunofluorescence. Western blot was used to quantify the protein expression of PTEN, p-Akt, AKT, β-actin, and the apoptosis-associated proteins, such as C-PARP, Cleaved-caspase3 and Caspase3 respectively.@*RESULTS@#DHA induced the AML cell apoptosis with concentration-dependent manner (r=-0.959, r=-0.956). The DHA could induce the accumulation of cleaved-caspase 3 and C-PARP in AML cells, activate PTEN gene and inhibited Akt phosphorylation. Apoptosis inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK could partially restored the activity of DHA-inhibited cell proliferation.@*CONCLUSION@#Dihydroartemisinin induces AML cell apoptosis by inhibition of PTEN/AKT pathway. Dihydroartemisinin is expected to be a safe and effective drug for treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effects of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) on the proliferation and apoptosis of human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) Jurkat cell.@*METHODS@#The effects of DHA on the proliferation of Jurkat cells and the recovery of DHA-inhibited cell viability by N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) were examined by CCK-8 assay. Flow cytometry was performed to analyze the cell apoptosis and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Western-blot was used to detected protein expression of DNA damage-related genes, as well as apoptosis-associated genes, respectively.@*RESULTS@#DHA inhibited the proliferation of Jurkat cells, and shows a concentration-dependent manner(r =0.936), and NAC could partially restore the activity of DHA on cell proliferation inhibition. With the increase of drug concentration, the apoptosis rate (r =0.946) and ROS accumulation was increased (r =0.965). Western blot showed that the protein expressions of DNA damage-related gene γ-H2AX and apoptosis-related genes p53, c-Caspase3, BAX and cPARP were significantly increased, and BCL-2 protein expression was decreased.@*CONCLUSION@#DHA can induce ROS production in Jurkat cells, which can cause DNA damage, activate the P53 apoptotic pathway, and promote apoptosis of cells.