Kauren-19-oic acid induces DNA damage followed by apoptosis in human leukemia cells.

Abstract

This study evaluated the potential cytotoxicity of the natural diterpenoids kauren-19-oic acid (KA), 14-hydroxy-kaurane (1) and xylopic acid (2), and semi-synthetic derivatives of KA (3-5) towards human cancer cell lines (K562, HL60, MDA-MB435 and SF295) and lymphocytes. Mouse erythrocytes were used to verify a possible hemolytic activity Cytotoxicity mechanisms were investigated in HL60 cells. KA showed a moderate antiproliferative effect in MTT assay towards all cancer cells (IC(50), 9.1-14.3 microg ml(-1)). However, KA appeared not selective to cancer cells, since it also inhibited the lymphocytes proliferation (IC(50), 12.6 microg ml(-1)). Unlike KA, compounds 1-5 displayed no cytotoxicity and were also free from antiproliferative and hemolytic effects, suggesting that the exocyclic double bond (C16) unit may be the active pharmacophore of KA cytotoxicity. KA-treated HL60 cells displayed decreased proliferation (5-bromo-2';-deoxyuridine incorporation assay) and topoisomerase I activity (DNA relaxation assay). These assays revealed that KA primarily intercalates with DNA and not with topoisomerase I. Fluorescence microscopy using AO/EB (acridine orange/ethidium bromide) staining indicated that KA can induce both apoptosis and necrosis in HL-60 cell cultures, which corroborate the findings with MTT. From these findings, we conclude that KA, although demonstrating cytotoxic potential, may have a limited or poor therapeutic potential due to lack of selectivity to tumor cells. Further studies on the structure modification of KA and the mechanism of the new derivatives are currently in progress.

• Authors: Bruno C Cavalcanti, Daniel P Bezerra, Hemerson I F Magalhães, Manoel O Moraes, Mary Anne S Lima, Edilberto R Silveira, Cláudio A G Câmara, Vietla S Rao, Cláudia Pessoa, Letícia V Costa-Lotufo
• Journal: Journal of applied toxicology : JAT (J Appl Toxicol) Vol. 29 Issue 7 Pg. 560-8 (Oct 2009) ISSN: 1099-1263 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19391104 (Publication Type: Evaluation Study, Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Diterpenes
• Fluorescent Dyes
• Intercalating Agents
• kaurenoic acid
• DNA Topoisomerases, Type I
• Ethidium
• Acridine Orange
• Bromodeoxyuridine

Topics

• Acridine Orange (metabolism)
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Bromodeoxyuridine (metabolism)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Comet Assay
• DNA Damage
• DNA Topoisomerases, Type I (metabolism)
• Diterpenes (chemistry, pharmacology, toxicity)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
• Ethidium (metabolism)
• Fluorescent Dyes (metabolism)
• Glioblastoma (pathology)
• HL-60 Cells
• Humans
• Inhibitory Concentration 50
• Intercalating Agents (toxicity)
• K562 Cells
• Leukemia (metabolism)
• Melanoma (pathology)
• Molecular Structure
• Necrosis (chemically induced)