Gambogic acid induces growth inhibition and differentiation via upregulation of p21waf1/cip1 expression in acute myeloid leukemia cells.

Abstract

Gambogic acid (GA) is the major active ingredient of gamboges, a brownish to orange resin product from Garcinia hanburyi tree in Southeast Asia. This compound exhibits anti-cancer effect on solid tumors. In this study, we investigated the effects of GA on the growth and differentiation of acute myeloid leukemia cells by growth-inhibition detection, morphological changes observation, nitroblue tetrazolium reduction, and the expression of the relative cell-surface differentiation markers. The results showed that GA could inhibit cell growth and promote differentiation in U937 and HL-60 cells. In addition, GA upregulated the expression of p21waf1/cip1 in the two cell lines. Finally, downregulating the p21waf1/cip1 expression with small interfering RNA partially blocked GA-induced cell growth inhibition and differentiation. These results of this study revealed that GA may be used as one of the investigational drugs for acute myeloid leukemia.

• Authors: Yan Chen, Hui Hui, Zheng Li, Hong-Mei Wang, Qi-Dong You, Na Lu
• Journal: Journal of Asian natural products research (J Asian Nat Prod Res) Vol. 16 Issue 10 Pg. 1000-8 (Oct 2014) ISSN: 1477-2213 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 24835506 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
• Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21
• Xanthones
• gambogic acid

Topics

• Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic (chemistry, isolation & purification, pharmacology)
• Asia, Southeastern
• Cell Cycle (drug effects)
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 (metabolism)
• Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
• Garcinia (chemistry)
• HL-60 Cells
• Humans
• Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute (drug therapy)
• Molecular Structure
• Up-Regulation
• Xanthones (chemistry, pharmacology)