Growth inhibition and apoptosis of human leukemia K562 cells induced by seleno-short-chain chitosan.
In this article, the in vitro effects of seleno-short-chain chitosan (SSCC, molecular weight between 5,000 and 10,000 Da) on the proliferation of human leukemia K562 cells were investigated to illustrate the possible mechanisms involved. 3-[4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays showed that short-chain chitosan significantly suppressed the growth of K562 cells in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner, although normal mouse embryonic fibroblasts NIH3T3 were viable after the same treatment. Cell growth inhibitory rate could reach 95% after exposure with more than 100 microg/ml SSCC for 72 h. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that treatment of K562 cells with SSCC resulted in the accumulation of cells in the G(2)/M phase. The growth inhibition of K562 cells after treatment with SSCC was subsequently associated with the induction of apoptosis, as evidenced by (1) the typical apoptotic morphologic changes measured by a fluorescence microscope, (2) the internucleosomal DNA fragmentation into a ladder determined by agarose gel electrophoresis and (3) the occurrence of sub-G(0)/G(1) phase cells analyzed by flow cytometry. All these results indicated that SSCC may have therapeutic potential in human leukemia treatment.
Liu
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College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, People's Republic of China. liuanjun666@yahoo.com.cn
Song
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Cao
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Liu
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Jia
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Y
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D048271:Chitosan / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D020014:K562 Cells; D007938:Leukemia / Q000473:pathology*; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D064586:Selenic Acid; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds; D018036:Selenium Compounds; C532643:seleno-short-chain chitosan; D048271:Chitosan; D064586:Selenic Acid