Genistein enhances the effects of L-asparaginase on inducing cell apoptosis in human leukemia cancer HL-60 cells.

Abstract

Genistein (GEN) has been shown to induce apoptotic cell death in various human cancer cells. L-asparaginase (Asp), a clinical drug for leukemia, has been shown to induce cell apoptosis in leukemia cells. No available information concerning GEN combined with Asp increased the cell apoptosis compared to GEN or Asp treatment alone. The objective of this study is to evaluate the anti-leukemia activity of GEN combined with Asp on human leukemia HL-60 cells in vitro. The cell viability, the distribution of cell cycle, apoptotic cell death, and the level of ΔΨm were examined by flow cytometric assay. The expressions of apoptosis-associated proteins were measured by western blotting. GEN combined with Asp revealed a more significant decrease in total viable cells and induced a higher percentage of G2/M phase arrest, DNA damage, and cell apoptosis than that of GEN or Asp treatment only in HL-60 cells. Furthermore, the combined treatments (GEN and Asp) showed a higher decrease in the level of ΔΨm than that of GEN or Asp treatment only. These results indicated that GEN combined with Asp induced mitochondria dysfunction by disrupting the mitochondrial membrane potential. The results from western blotting demonstrated that the treatment of GEN combined with Asp showed a higher increase in the levels of Bax and Bak (pro-apoptotic proteins) and an active form of caspase-3 and a higher decrease in Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic protein) than that of GEN or Asp treatment alone. GEN significantly enhances the efficiency of Asp on cytotoxic effects (the induction of apoptosis) in HL-60 cells.

• Authors: Yin-Chen Hsiao, Fu-Shin Chueh, Yi-Shih Ma, Jin-Cherng Lien, Te-Chun Hsia, Wen-Wen Huang, Yu-Cheng Chou, Po-Yuan Chen, Jing-Gung Chung, Hung-Yi Chen, Kuo-Ching Liu
• Journal: Environmental toxicology (Environ Toxicol) Vol. 36 Issue 5 Pg. 764-772 (May 2021) ISSN: 1522-7278 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 33347704 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Chemical References

• Genistein
• Asparaginase

Topics

• Apoptosis
• Asparaginase
• Genistein (pharmacology)
• HL-60 Cells
• Humans
• Leukemia