天南星果实对4株人白血病细胞株的体外抑瘤作用研究

目的观察天南星果实提取物对体外培养4株人白血病细胞生长的抑制作用,探讨天南星果实提取物对人白血病细胞的体外抗肿瘤活性。方法采用Alamar Blue法观察天南星果实提取物对4株人白血病细胞的生长抑制作用。结果果实总醇提取物对K562、HL-60、Raji、Jurkat细胞增殖均具有抑制作用,果实石油醚部分对K562、Raji、Jurkat细胞增殖具有抑制作用,果实乙酸乙酯、水部分对K562、HL-60、Jurkat细胞增殖具有抑制作用。结论天南星果实的提取物中具有抑制肿瘤生长的活性物质,值得进一步研究。     

4-Nerolidylcatechol: apoptosis by mitochondrial mechanisms with reduction in cyclin D1 at G0/G1 stage of the chronic myelogenous K562 cell line

Context: 4-Nerolidylcatechol (4-NRC) has showed antitumor potential through apoptosis. However, its apoptotic mechanisms are still unclear, especially in leukemic cells.

Objectives: To evaluate the cytotoxic potential of 4-NRC and its cell death pathways in p53-null K562 leukemic cells.

Materials and methods: Cytotoxicity of 4-NRC (4.17–534.5?μM) over 24?h of exposure was evaluated by MTT assay. 4-NRC-induced apoptosis in K562 cells was investigated by phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization, cell cycle, sub-G1, mitochondrial evaluation, cytochrome c, cyclin D1 and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and caspase activity analysis.

Results: IC₅₀ values obtained were 11.40, 27.31, 15.93 and 15.70?μM for lymphocytes, K562, HL-60 and Jurkat cells, respectively. In K562 cells, 4-NRC (27?μM) promoted apoptosis as verified by cellular morphological changes, a significant increase in PS externalization and sub-G1 cells. Moreover, it significantly arrested the cells at the G0/G1 phase due to a reduction in cyclin D1 expression. These effects of 4-NRC also significantly promoted a reduction in mitochondrial activity and membrane depolarization, accumulation of cytosolic cytochrome c and ROS overproduction. Additionally, it triggered an increase in caspases -3/7, -8 and -9 activities. When the cells were pretreated with N-acetyl-l-cysteine ROS scavenger, 4-NRC-induced apoptosis was partially blocked, which suggests that it exerts cytotoxicity though not exclusively through ROS-mediated mechanisms.

Discussion and conclusion: 4-NRC has antileukemic properties, inducing apoptosis mediated by mitochondrial-dependent mechanisms with cyclin D1 inhibition. Given that emerging treatment concepts include novel combinations of well-known agents, 4-NRC could offer a promising alternative for chemotherapeutic combinations to maximize tumour suppression.     

Styryl-lactone goniothalamin inhibits TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation

(R)-(+)-Goniothalamin (GTN), a styryl-lactone isolated from the medicinal plant Goniothalamus macrophyllus, exhibits pharmacological activities including cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, GTN modulated TNF-α induced NF-κB activation. GTN concentrations up to 20 μM showed low cytotoxic effects in K562 chronic myelogenous leukemia and in Jurkat T cells. Importantly, at these concentrations, no cytotoxicity was observed in healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Our results confirmed that GTN inhibited tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced NF-κB activation in Jurkat and K562 leukemia cells at concentrations as low as 5 μM as shown by reporter gene assays and western blots. Moreover, GTN down-regulated translocation of the p50/p65 heterodimer to the nucleus, prevented binding of NF-κB to its DNA response element and reduced TNF-α-activated interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression. In conclusion, GTN inhibits TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation at non-apoptogenic concentrations in different leukemia cell models without presenting toxicity towards healthy blood cells underlining the anti-leukemic potential of this natural compound.     

Action of resveratrol alone or in combination with roscovitine, a CDK inhibitor, on cell cycle progression in human HL-60 leukemia cells

Results of a number of epidemiological and experimental studies indicate that polyphenols (e.g. resveratrol (RES), epicatechins etc.), antioxidant agents and abundant micronutrients in our food could have strong anti-mitotic as well as pro-apoptotic effects. In this study we raised the question whether roscovitine (ROSC), an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) with increased selectivity towards CDK2, could be able to affect human leukemia HL-60 cells in which the p53 gene is inactivated and whether ROSC-induced effects could be additionally modulated by compounds of natural origin, especially by polyphenols e.g. RES. Exposure of HL-60 cells to ROSC for 24 h inhibited their proliferation. Flow cytometric analyses revealed that unlike MCF-7 cells, HL-60 cells were arrested in G₁ upon ROSC treatment. Furthermore, ROSC also induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells. After treatment with 40 μM ROSC for 24 h the frequency of hypoploid cells representing cells undergoing apoptosis reached approximately 50%. In the next step the action of RES alone or in combination with ROSC was examined. Interestingly, synergistic effects were observed after combined treatment for 24 h and sequential post-incubation for 48 h in the presence of RES. Such combined treatment resulted in a marked reduction of the frequency of the S- and G₂/M-phase cells and simultaneously increased the G₁ cell population up to 80% at a fourfold lower ROSC dose. Further analyses revealed that the combined treatment strongly activated caspase-3. These results clearly evidence that RES strongly potentiates ROSC-induced apoptosis.     

Diethyldithiocarbamate-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in leukemia cell lines

Diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) has been shown to induce cytotoxicity in several different systems. We examined whether the DDTC-induced cytotoxicity was via apoptosis, or in relation to intracellular glutathione (GSH) in various murine and human leukemia cell lines. The cells most sensitive to DDTC-induced cytotoxicity were P388 lymphoid neoplasma cells and NALM-6, a B cell line of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). The next level of susceptible cells included J774.1, having a macrophage function, HL-60 premyelocytic leukemia cells, MOLT-4, an acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell, and Jurkat, a T-cell leukemia. U937 (expressing many monocyte-like characteristics), K562 erythroleukemia and K562/DXR (a multidrug-resistant clone derived from K562) were almost unaffected by DDTC. P388 was also highly susceptible to H(2)O(2), a most useful exogenous reactive oxygen species generator, and was lower in intracellular total GSH content than other leukemia cells. DDTC-induced cytotoxicity was closely related to intracellular GSH, but the level of cellular GSH did not always correlate with H(2)O(2)-induced cytotoxicity in this experiment. K562 had a higher intracellular total GSH content and showed lower susceptibility to DDTC and H(2)O(2), but with the combination of DDTC and DL-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO), cytotoxicity increased significantly. The ratio of GSH/GSSG in P388 was reduced by DDTC or H(2)O(2). H(2)O(2)-induced cytotoxicity was completely blocked by catalase (CAT), while it was enhanced by superoxide dismutase (SOD). CAT or SOD did not affect DDTC-induced cytotoxicity. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC: 1 mM), a vanguard substance of GSH, and aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA: 100 microM), an endonuclease inhibitor, ameliorated DDTC-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis. In conclusion, we suggest that DDTC-induced cytotoxicity was via an oxidative shift in the intracellular redox state, and accompanied the activation of endonuclease through apoptosis in leukemia cell lines.     

Effects of dexamethasone and aminophylline on survival of Jurkat and HL-60 cells

The effects of dexamethasone and aminophylline on survival of Jurkat T-lymphocytic leukemia cells and HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells were investigated. Dexamethasone (10, 1000 nM) and aminophylline (1, 100 microM) induced apoptosis in Jurkat and HL-60 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Treatment with a combination of dexamethasone (10 nM) and aminophylline (1 microM) significantly increased the number of apoptotic HL-60 cells, but not that of Jurkat cells, compared with dexamethasone (10 nM) or aminophylline (1 microM) treatment alone. Dexamethasone and aminophylline also increased the number of phospho-histone H2B (Ser(14))-positive Jurkat and HL-60 cells. Phospho-histone H2B (pH2B)-positive HL-60 cells were significantly increased by treatment with a combination of dexamethasone (10 nM) and aminophylline (1 microM), although no such effect was observed in Jurkat cells. On the other hand, simultaneous treatment with 10 nM dexamethasone and 1 muM aminophylline activated the 36-kDa MBP kinase, pro-apoptotic protein kinase in HL-60 cells. The activation of 36-kDa MBP kinase by dexamethasone and aminophylline was supported by studies showing an increase in the number of pH2B-positive and apoptotic Jurkat and HL-60 cells upon exposure to these drugs. Thus treatment with a combination of dexamethasone and aminophylline accelerates apoptosis of HL-60 cells via activation of 36-kDa MBP kinase and H2B phosphorylation.     

多胺缀合物WJH-6诱导白血病细胞凋亡机制研究

探讨新型多胺缀合物WJH-6对多胺转运体的识别及其诱导K562、HL-60白血病细胞凋亡的机制。采用MTT法检测细胞毒性; 应用流式细胞仪检测细胞周期及凋亡率的变化; 应用高内涵活细胞成像系统检测WJH-6对多胺转运体的识别, 细胞内含量的变化及对线粒体膜电位、Bid、Caspase-3、-8、-9的影响; 采用Western blotting方法检测线粒体及胞浆中细胞色素c含量的变化。实验结果显示, WJH-6具有良好的多胺转运体识别能力, 并可诱导白血病K562、HL-60细胞线粒体膜电位降低、细胞色素c释放以及Bid、Caspase-3、-8、-9等活化。本研究结果提示, WJH-6诱导的白血病K562、HL-60细胞凋亡与线粒体损伤有关。     

Antiproliferative effect of alkaloids via cell cycle arrest from Pseuduvaria rugosa

Context: Pseuduvaria rugosa (Blume) Merr. (Annonacaea) grows widely in the south and southeast regions of Thailand. Preliminary screening for biological activities revealed that crude hexane, ethyl acetate, and acetone extracts from mixtures of leaves and twigs of P. rugosa showed cytotoxicity.

Objective: Chemical constituents and their antiproliferative activity in K562, U937, and HL-60 human leukemic cell lines from P. rugosa were performed for the first time.

Materials and methods: The isolated compounds were obtained from chromatographic separation. The structures were established by spectroscopic techniques including IR, UV, NMR together with 2D NMR (HMBC, COSY, and NOE) and MS. The K562, U937, and HL-60 cell lines were treated with isolated aporphine alkaloids (0–100 µg/mL) and cell viability was measured with the MTT assay. Cell cycle analysis was performed using propidium iodide (PI) based staining methods.

Results: Two known aporphine alkaloids, 1,2,3-trimethoxy-5-oxonoraporphine (1) and ouregidione (2) were isolated. Treatment of the cells with compounds 1 and 2 at a concentration of 100 µg/mL for 72?h reduced the viability of K562, U937, and HL-60 cell lines to 63 and 64, 38 and 66, and 49 and 64%, respectively. In addition, compounds 1 and 2, at a concentration of 100 µg/mL, exposed to U937 and HL-60 cell lines showed cell cycle arrest. The U937 cell line treated with compounds 1 and 2 increased significantly the proportion of the cell in S phase, whereas the HL-60 cell line-induced G2/M and G1 phase, respectively.

Discussion and conclusion: The results showed that 1,2,3-trimethoxy-5-oxonoraporphine and ouregidione-induced cytotoxicity with HL-60, U937, and K562 cells where 1,2,3-trimethoxy-5-oxonoraporphine was more active than ouregidione.     

Comparative cytotoxicity of 2,3,9-trimethoxypterocarpan in leukemia cell lines (HL-60, Jurkat,Molt-4, and K562) and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

The purpose of this study was to investigate the antiproliferative activity of 2,3,9-trimethoxypterocarpan, a known pterocarpan with cytotoxic activity against many tumor cell lines, in a panel of four leukemia cell lines (HL-60, Molt-4, Jurkat, and K562) and on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The pterocarpan showed IC₅₀ ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 μg/ml at leukemic cells after 72 h of incubation, with K562 being the most resistant cell line. This compound seemed to be selective to tumor cell lines, since at a concentration of 10 μg/ml after 72 h, it only reduced 19% of viable peripheral mononuclear cells.     

Genotoxicity and morphological changes induced by the alkaloid monocrotaline, extracted from Crotalaria retusa, in a model of glial cells

Plants of Crotalaria genus (Leguminosae) present large amounts of the pyrrolizidine alkaloid monocrotaline (MCT) and cause intoxication to animals and humans. Therefore, we investigated the MCT-induced cytotoxicity, morphological changes, and oxidative and genotoxic damages to glial cells, using the human glioblastoma cell line GL-15 as a model. The comet test showed that 24 h exposure to 1-500 μM MCT and 500 μM dehydromonocrotaline (DHMC) caused significant increases in cell DNA damage index, which reached 42-64% and 53%, respectively. Cells exposed to 100-500 μM MCT also featured a contracted cytoplasm presenting thin cellular processes and vimentin destabilisation. Conversely, exposure of GL-15 cells to low concentrations of MCT (1-10 μM) clearly induced megalocytosis. Moreover, MCT also induced down regulation of MAPs, especially at the lower concentrations adopted (1-10 μM). Apoptosis was also evidenced in cells treated with 100-500 μM MCT, and a later cytotoxicity was only observed after 6 days of exposure to 500 μM MCT. The data obtained provide support for heterogenic and multipotential effects of MCT on GL-15 cells, either interfering on cell growth and cytoskeletal protein expression, or inducing DNA damage and apoptosis and suggest that the response of glial cells to this alkaloid might be related to the neurological signs observed after Crotalaria intoxication.     

Induction of cell death and modulation of Annexin A1 by phytoestrogens in human leukemic cell lines

BackgroundPhytoestrogens are polyphenolic plant compounds which are structurally similar to the endogenous mammalian estrogen, 17β-estradiol. Annexin A1 (ANXA1) is an endogenous protein which inhibits cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2) and phospholipase A2, signal transduction, DNA replication, cell transformation, and mediation of apoptosis.ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the effects of selected phytoestrogens on annexin A1 (ANXA1) expression, mode of cell death and cell cycle arrest in different human leukemic cell lines.MethodsCells viability were examined by MTT assay and ANXA1 quantification via Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were examined by flow cytometer and phagocytosis effect was evaluated using haematoxylin-eosin staining.ResultsCoumestrol significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the total level of ANXA1 in both K562 and U937 cells and genistein significantly (p < 0.05) reduced it in K562, Jurkat and U937 cells, meanwhile estradiol and daidzein induced similar reduction in U937 and Jurkat cells. Coumestrol and daidzein induced apoptosis in K562 and Jurkat cells, while genistein and estradiol induced apoptosis in all tested cells. Coumestrol and estradiol induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase in K562 and Jurkat cells with an addition of U937 cells for estradiol. Genistein induced cell cycle arrest at S phase for both K562 and Jurkat cells. However, daidzein induced cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase in K562, and G2/M phase of Jurkat cells. Coumestrol, genistein and estradiol induced phagocytosis in all tested cells but daidzein induced significant (p < 0.05) phagocytosis in K562 and Jurkat cells only.ConclusionThe selected phytoestrogens induced cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and phagocytosis and at the same time they reduced ANXA1 level in the tested cells. The IC50 value of phytoestrogens was undetectable at the concentrations tested, their ability to induce leukemic cells death may be related with their ability to reduce the levels of ANXA1. These findings can be used as a new approach in cancer treatment particularly in leukemia.     

Bcl-xL is a dominant antiapoptotic protein that inhibits homoharringtonine-induced apoptosis in leukemia cells

Homoharringtonine (HHT) has been reported to be effective in a portion of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). To investigate its mechanism of action, cell growth inhibition and cytotoxicity of HHT were investigated in three AML cell lines, HL-60, NB4, and U937, and in three CML cell lines, K562, KU812, and KCL22. AML cells were more sensitive than CML cells to HHT-induced cytotoxicity. Using HL-60 cells, it was revealed that HHT decreased the levels of myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl-1), X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), survivin, and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-homology domain 3 (BH3)-only proteins as well as the mitochondrial membrane potential. The levels of Bcl-2, Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), and Bcl-2 homologous antagonist/killer (Bak) proteins in HL-60 cells were not changed after HHT treatment. U937, K562, KU812, and KCL22 cells expressed B-cell lymphoma-extra large (Bcl-xL) and were less responsive to HHT-induced apoptosis than HL-60 cells. Silencing Mcl-1 or Bcl-xL, but not XIAP or survivin, enhanced HHT-induced apoptosis in U937 cells. The levels of HHT-induced apoptosis in K562, KCL22, and KU812 cells were inversely correlated with the levels of Bcl-xL but not those of Bcl-2 or Mcl-1. K562 cells expressing high levels of Bcl-xL but no Bcl-2 were less responsive to HHT-induced apoptosis than KCL22 cells that expressed lower levels of Bcl-xL and higher levels of Bcl-2 protein. In K562 cells, knockdown of Bcl-xL, but not of Mcl-1, enhanced HHT-induced apoptosis. Transfection of Bcl-xL into KCL22 cells attenuated HHT-induced apoptosis. These data suggest that Bcl-xL plays a more important role than Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 in protecting against HHT-induced apoptosis.     

Evidence for aconitine-induced inhibition of delayed rectifier K(+) current in Jurkat T-lymphocytes

Aconitine (ACO) is a highly toxic diterpenoid alkaloid and known to exert the immunomodulatory action. However, whether it has any effects on ion currents in immune cells remains unknown. The effects of ACO and other related compounds on ion currents in Jurkat T-lymphocytes were investigated in this study. ACO suppressed the amplitude of delayed-rectifier K⁺ current (I_K(DR)) in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Margatoxin (100 nM), a specific blocker of K_V1.3-encoded current, decreased the I_K(DR) amplitude in these cells and the ACO-induced inhibition of I_K(DR) was not reversed by 1-ethyl-2-benzimidazolinone (30 μM) or nicotine (10 μM). The IC₅₀ value for ACO-mediated inhibition of I_K(DR) was 5.6 μM. ACO accelerated the inactivation of I_K(DR) with no change in the activation rate of this current. Increasing the ACO concentration not only reduced the I_K(DR) amplitude, but also accelerated the inactivation time course of the current. With the aid of minimal binding scheme, the inhibitory action of ACO on I_K(DR) was estimated with a dissociation constant of 6.8 μM. ACO also shifted the inactivation curve of I_K(DR) to a hyperpolarized potential with no change in the slope factor. Cumulative inactivation for I_K(DR) was enhanced in the presence of ACO. In Jurkat cells incubated with amiloride (30 μM), the ACO-induced inhibition of I_K(DR) remained unaltered. In RAW 264.7 murine macrophages, ACO did not modify the kinetics of I_K(DR), although it suppressed I_K(DR) amplitude. Taken together, these effects can significantly contribute to its action on functional activity of immune cells if similar results are found in vivo.     

Toxic-dose warfarin-induced apoptosis and its enhancement by gamma ionizing radiation in leukemia K562 and HL-60 cells is not mediated by induction of oxidative stress

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that warfarin may enhance free radical production and oxidative damage on cancer cells. We examined the possible concentration-dependent effect of warfarin on cytotoxicity with respect to oxidative stress on leukemia cell lines (K562 and HL-60) and normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Gamma radiation was used as a positive control agent for oxidative stress. At all concentrations of warfarin (5–200 μM), 5-amino-2,3-dihydro-1,4-phthalazinedione (luminol)- and bis-N-methylacridinium nitrate (lucigenin)-amplified chemiluminescence responses and lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation were stable after 72 h incubation at 37°C. However, The 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) oxidation was increased when cells were incubated with high concentrations (50–200 μM) of warfarin. In these concentration ranges, warfarin reduced cell growth in a dose-dependent manner, producing apoptosis. Our results also revealed that at concentrations above 5 μM, warfarin had a potentiating effect on radiation-mediated growth inhibition and apoptosis. Furthermore, marked effects were observed on leukemic cells compared with PBMC. We report here that the increase of DCFH oxidation might be due to the increase in the release of cytochrome C caused by warfarin, as cytosolic cytochrome C content was significantly elevated in the warfarin-treated cells compared with control cells, and because cotreatment with antioxidants N- acetylcysteine or 4,5-dihydroxy-1,3-benzene-disulfonic acid (Tiron) was unable to prevent cytochrome C release and DCFH oxidation induced by the drug. Taken together, these results suggest that high warfarin concentrations may be toxic to leukemic cells in vitro through apoptosis, although at the pharmacological concentrations (<50 μM), warfarin has no prooxidant or cytotoxic effect on PBMC, K562, and HL-60 cells. In addition, when the treatment of leukemic cells with warfarin at concentrations above 5 μM is combined with radiation, we observed an increase in radiation-induced cytotoxicity. The mechanism by which warfarin potentiates this cytotoxicity is unclear, but it may not be directly due to toxic damage induced by warfarin-generated free radicals.     

MEK抑制剂联合三氧化二砷对髓系白血病细胞凋亡的研究

目的:研究MEK抑制剂PD98059联合三氧化二砷(As2O3)对髓系白血病细胞凋亡的影响及其作用机制。方法:将PD98059、As2O3单独或联合作用于髓系白血病细胞系HL-60、K562细胞,用AnnexinV-FITC法检测细胞凋亡,用流式细胞术检测Bcl-2、Caspapse-3表达。结果:联合组与单用组相比,细胞凋亡率明显增高。Bcl-2在HL-60、K562细胞均高水平表达。As2O3明显抑制HL-60细胞Bcl-2表达,对K562细胞Bcl-2无明显抑制作用。单用PD98059、As2O3及两药合用在诱导HL-60、K562细胞凋亡过程中,活化caspapse-3均明显上升,两药合用较单用PD98059或As2O3活化caspapse-3明显升高。结论:PD98059联合As2O3同时抑制ERK/MAPK和Bcl-2,激活Caspase酶,对HL-60细胞有协同促凋亡效应。两药联合同时靶向作用ERK/MAPK和BCR/ABL,活化Caspase酶,协同诱导K562细胞凋亡。PD98059可增强As2O3对髓系白血病细胞的凋亡诱导作用。     

The in-vitro antiproliferative effect of PRI-2191 and imatinib applied in combined treatment with cisplatin, idarubicin, or docetaxel on human leukemia cells

Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec, STI571) is a specific inhibitor of the Bcr/Abl fusion tyrosine kinase that exhibits potent antileukemic effects in chronic myelogenous leukemia. Bcr/Abl-positive K562 and Bcr/Abl-negative HL-60 human leukemia cells were used to investigate the effect of PRI-2191, a calcitriol analog, on the biological effects of imatinib combined with other anticancer drugs. The results show that PRI-2191 enhances the antiproliferative effect of imatinib on HL-60 cells. When these two agents together are applied with either docetaxel or cisplatin, but not with idarubicin, the antiproliferative effect could still be enhanced. Moreover, when the interaction between the chemotherapy agents was antagonistic or additive, PRI-2191 could even shift it to synergism. This effect correlated with an accumulation of HL-60 cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle and a decrease in the percentage of cells in the G2/M and S stage in the ternary combinations used. PRI-2191 did not influence apoptosis induced by imatinib alone or in ternary combinations with all the chemotherapy agents used. These results may suggest that the stronger antiproliferative effect of the combined treatment with PRI-2191 on HL-60 cells is related to cell cycle arrest rather than to the induction of apoptosis.     

Cytotoxic effects induced by patulin,sterigmatocystin and beauvericin on CHO–K1 cells

Mycotoxins are produced by different genera of fungi; mainly Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium. The natural co-occurrence of beauvericin (BEA), patulin (PAT) and sterigmatocystin (STE) has been proved in feed and food commodities. This study investigates the cytotoxicity of individual and combined mycotoxins BEA, PAT and STE. The cytotoxicity on immortalized ovarian cells (CHO–K1) was evaluated using the MTT assay. After 24, 48 and 72 h, the IC₅₀ values were 2.9 μM for PAT and ranged from 10.7 to 2.2 μM and from 25.0 to 12.5 μM for BEA and STE, respectively. Cytotoxic interactions were assayed by the isobologram method, which provides a combination index (CI) value as a quantitative measure of the three mycotoxin interaction's degree. Binary and tertiary combinations showed a dose dependent effect. At low fraction affected, mycotoxin combinations were synergetic; whereas, at higher fraction affected, the combinations showed additive effect. Our results indicate that the co-occurrence of low concentrations of mycotoxin in food may increase their toxic effects.     

Assessment of the usefulness of the murine cytotoxic T cell line CTLL-2 for immunotoxicity screening by transcriptomics

A toxicogenomics approach was applied to assess the usefulness of the mouse cytotoxic T cell line CTLL-2 for in vitro immunotoxicity testing. CTLL-2 cells were exposed for 6 h to two model immunotoxic compounds: (1) the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON, 1 and 2 μM), a ribotoxic stress inducer, and (2) the organotin compound tributyltin oxide (TBTO, 100 and 200 nM), an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inducer. Effects on whole-genome mRNA expression were assessed by microarray analysis. The biological interpretation of the microarray data indicated that TBTO (200 nM) induced genes involved in T cell activation, ER stress, NFκB activation and apoptosis, which agreed very well with results obtained before on TBTO exposed Jurkat cells and mouse primary thymocytes. Remarkably, DON (2 μM) downregulated genes involved in T cell activation, ER stress and apoptosis, which is opposite to results obtained before for DON-exposed Jurkat cells and mouse primary thymocytes. Furthermore, the results for DON in CTLL-2 cells are also opposite to the results obtained for TBTO in CTLL-2 cells. In agreement with the lack of induction of ER stress and apoptosis, viability assays showed that CTLL-2 cells are much more resistant to the toxicity of DON than Jurkat cells and primary thymocytes. We propose that CTLL-2 cells lack the signal transduction that induces ER stress and apoptosis in response to ribotoxic stress. Based on the results for TBTO and DON, the CTLL-2 cell line does not yield an added value for immunotoxicity compared to the human Jurkat T cell line.     

Cytotoxicity of arsenic trioxide is enhanced by (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate via suppression of ferritin in cancer cells

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) treatment is a useful therapy against human acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), however, it concomitantly brings potential adverse consequences including serious side effect, human carcinogenicity and possible development of resistance. This investigation revealed that those problems might be relaxed by simultaneous application with (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), one of the major components from green tea. EGCG significantly lowered down the ATO concentration required for an effective control of APL cells, HL-60. The simultaneous treatment of ATO with EGCG induced a mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in HL-60 cells significantly, which accounted for more than 70% of the cell death in the treatment. The mechanism of apoptosis induction was elucidated. EGCG in HL-60 cells acted as a pro-oxidant enhancing intracellular hydrogen peroxide significantly. ATO, on the other hand, induced heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) to catalyze heme degradation, thereby provided ferrous iron for EGCG-induced hydrogen peroxide to precede Fenton reaction, which in turn generated deleterious reactive oxygen species to damage cell. In addition, EGCG inhibited expression of ferritin, which supposedly to sequester harmful ferrous iron, thereby augmented the occurrence of Fenton reaction. This investigation also provided evidence that ATO, since mainly acted to induce HO-1 in simultaneous treatment with EGCG, could be replaced by other HO-1 inducer with much less human toxicity. Furthermore, several of our preliminary investigations revealed that the enhanced cytotoxicity induced by combining heme degradation and Fenton reaction is selectively toxic to malignant but not non-malignant cells.