title: Indian black scorpion (Heterometrus bengalensis Koch) venom induced antiproliferative and apoptogenic activity against human leukemic cell lines U937 and K562.
abstract: Venoms are rich source of several bioactive compounds that possess therapeutic potentials. The different constituents of scorpion venom can modulate cell proliferation, cell growth and cell cycle. In the present communication, the cytotoxic activity of Indian black scorpion (Heterometrus bengalensis) venom was explored on human leukemic U937 and K562 cells. Scorpion venom induced U937 and K562 cell growth inhibition and the IC(50) value calculated to be 41.5 microg/ml (U937) and 88.3 microg/ml (K562). The scorpion venom showed characteristic features of apoptosis such as membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation and DNA degradation in both the cells as evidenced by confocal, fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy. Scorpion venom (IC(50) dose, 48 h) induced DNA fragmentation as evidenced by comet formation. Flow-cytometric assay revealed a significant amount of apoptotic cells (early and late) due to scorpion venom treatment. The venom induced cell cycle arrest was observed with maximum cell accumulation at sub-G(1) phase. Thus, the Indian scorpion (H. bengalensis) venom possessed antiproliferative, cytotoxic and apoptogenic activity against human leukemic cells.
authors.affiliation: Drug Development Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, India.
authors.forename: Shubho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das Gupta
authors.forename: Anindita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Debnath
authors.forename: Archita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: Biplab
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giri
authors.forename: Gayatri
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.forename: Joseph Rajan
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Vedasiromoni
authors.forename: Antony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Aparna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gomes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects*; D016193:G1 Phase / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D020014:K562 Cells; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020298:U937 Cells
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D012604:Scorpion Venoms