title: Induction of apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia cells by a natural trachylobane diterpene.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Trachylobane diterpenes are secondary metabolites, quite rare in nature, and their bioactivities are poorly understood. Recently, we have described the cytotoxic activity of ent-trachyloban-3beta-ol isolated from the leaves of Croton zambesicus, a plant used in African folk medicine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cell viability on several cell lines, cell morphology, DNA laddering, annexin Vand caspase-3 activation experiments were undertaken in order to analyse the cytotoxicty of trachylobane diterpene and to determine if this compound is able to induce apoptosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ent-Trachyloban-3beta-ol exerts a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect, which varies between cell lines. Induction of apoptosis in HL-60 cells could be detected at a concentration of 50 microM after 24-h treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We show here, for the first time, that a trachylobane diterpene is able to induce apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia cells via caspase-3 activation in a concentration-dependent manner.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie, Université Catholique de Louvain, UCL 72.30-CHAM, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Block
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gerkens
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Peulen
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Jolois
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Mingeot-Leclercq
authors.forename: M Cl
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: De Pauw-Gillet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Quetin-Leclercq
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D029802:Croton / Q000737:chemistry; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D010718:Phosphatidylserines; C464952:trachyloban-3-ol; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases