title: ATRA promotes alpha tocopherol succinate-induced apoptosis in freshly isolated leukemic cells from chronic myeloid leukemic patients.
abstract: We investigated the in vitro efficacy of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and alpha-tocopherol succinate (alpha-TS) alone and in combination on the induction of cell death in freshly isolated leukemic cells obtained from chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients. In vitro cytotoxicity and induction of lipid peroxidation by ATRA (10 microM) and alpha-TS (25 or 50 microM) were evaluated in primary leukemic cells by MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay and malondialdehyde formation respectively. Treatment of leukemic cells with alpha-TS alone or in combination with ATRA significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the cell viability in a concentration and time dependent manner as compared to peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from normal healthy controls. Lipid peroxidation was enhanced by 98% (P < 0.05) on combined treatment of cells with ATRA (10 microM) and alpha-TS (50 microM). ATRA alone did not enhance the externalization of phosphatidyl serine as studied by annexin-V binding using fluorescence activated cell sorter analysis, whereas in combination with alpha-TS it increased to 400% at 12 h. The treatment of leukemic cells to combination of ATRA with alpha-TS significantly decreased (P < 0.05) mitochondrial membrane potential and enhanced lysosomal destabilization. The combination of these drugs also increased mitochondrial and cytosolic reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, nitric oxide levels, and caspase-3 activity significantly and caused DNA fragmentation at 24 h in a concentration dependent manner in the leukemic cells. Our data suggest that ATRA in combination with alpha-TS efficiently induces apoptosis in leukemic cells, which may be a useful therapeutic modality in CML patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Surender
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Krishan Lal
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Khanduja
authors.forename: Neelam
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Subhash C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Pramod Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Avti
authors.forename: Chander Mohan
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Pathak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002469:Cell Separation; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D024505:Tocopherols; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014810:Vitamin E; D014212:Tretinoin; D053148:Caspase 3; D024505:Tocopherols