title: Alkaloids induce programmed cell death in bloodstream forms of trypanosomes (Trypanosoma b. brucei).
abstract: The potential induction of a programmed cell death (PCD) in Trypanosoma b. brucei by 55 alkaloids of the quinoline, quinolizidine, isoquinoline, indole, terpene, tropane, steroid, and piperidine type was studied by measuring DNA fragmentation and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential. For comparison, the induction of apoptosis by the same alkaloids in human leukemia cells (Jurkat APO-S) was tested. Several alkaloids of the isoquinoline, quinoline, indole and steroidal type (berberine, chelerythrine, emetine, sanguinarine, quinine, ajmalicine, ergotamine, harmine, vinblastine, vincristine, colchicine, chaconine, demissidine and veratridine) induced programmed cell death, whereas quinolizidine, tropane, terpene and piperidine alkaloids were mostly inactive. Effective PCD induction (EC(50) below 10 microM) was caused in T. brucei by chelerythrine, emetine, sanguinarine, and chaconine. The active alkaloids can be characterized by their general property to inhibit protein biosynthesis, to intercalate DNA, to disturb membrane fluidity or to inhibit microtubule formation.
authors.affiliation: Heidelberg University, Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, INF 364, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rosenkranz
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wink
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D006801:Humans; D007364:Intercalating Agents; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008560:Membrane Fluidity; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial; D008870:Microtubules; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D007364:Intercalating Agents; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents