title: Berberine-induced apoptosis of human leukemia HL-60 cells is associated with down-regulation of nucleophosmin/B23 and telomerase activity.
abstract: The steady-state level of nucleophosmin/B23 mRNA decreased during berberine-induced (25 microg/ml, 24 to 96 hr) apoptosis of human leukemia HL-60 cells. A decline in telomerase activity was also observed in HL-60 cells treated with berberine. A stable clone of nucleophosmin/B23 overexpressed in HL-60 cells was selected and found to be less responsive to berberine-induced apoptosis. About 35% to 63% of control vector-transfected cells (pCR3) exhibited morphological characteristics of apoptosis, while about 8% to 45% of nucleophosmin/B23-over-expressed cells (pCR3-B23) became apoptotic after incubation with 15 microg/ml berberine for 48 to 96 hr. DNA extracted from pCR3 cells contained more fragmented DNA than pCR3-B23 cells during treatment with 15 microg/ml berberine for 24 to 48 hr. Our results indicate that berberine-induced apoptosis is associated with down-regulation of nucleophosmin/B23 and telomerase activity. We also suggest that nucleophosmin/B23 may play an important role in the control of the cellular response to apoptosis induction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: B Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Yung
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001599:Berberine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D018922:HL-60 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D000090243:Nucleophosmin; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: C000716967:NPM1 protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D001599:Berberine; D000090243:Nucleophosmin; D019098:Telomerase