Ascorbic acid enhances the apoptosis of U937 cells induced by arsenic trioxide in combination with DMNQ and its mechanism / 中华血液学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate whether ascorbic acid could enhance the efficacy of arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)) combined with 2, 3-dimethoxy-1, 4-naphthoquinone (DMNQ) in inducing the apoptosis of leukemia cell line U937 and its possible mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Flow cytometry and electron microscopy were applied to detect apoptosis of U937 cells after treatment with various combinations of As(2)O(3), DMNQ and ascorbic acid for 24 hours.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>As(2)O(3) and DMNQ induced-apoptosis of U937 cells was enhanced (35.24%-->61.20%) upon cotreatment with ascorbic acid. Catalase could reverse this effect of DMNQ. Ascorbic acid had no effect on DMNQ-induced apoptosis of U937 cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ascorbic acid enhanced the apoptosis of U937 cells via reactive oxygen species-dependent pathway in the presence of As(2)O(3).</p>