Benzyl isothiocyanate inhibits murine WEHI-3 leukemia cells in vitro and promotes phagocytosis in BALB/c mice in vivo.
Many evidences have shown that dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables could protect against the risk of various types of malignancies. Benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), one of the compounds from cruciferous vegetables, had shown induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in cancer cells. However, there is no available information to address that BITC affects murine leukemia cells in vitro and in vivo. Here, we investigated in vitro effects of BITC on murine leukemia WEHI-3 cells. BITC decreased the percentage of viable cells via G0/G1 arrest and apoptosis in WEHI-3 cells. BITC induced apoptosis through the dysfunction of mitochondria (decreased the levels of mitochondria membrane potential) and activation of caspase-3. Then we investigated in vivo effects of BITC on murine leukemia WEHI-3 cells and the results indicated that BITC decreased the weights of liver and spleen and it also decreased the percentage of CD11b and Mac-3 markers, indicating that the differentiation of the precursor of macrophage and B cells was inhibited. BITC promoted the activity of macrophage phagocytosis in cells which are isolated from PBMC and peritoneal (i.p.). Taken together, BITC can affect WEHI-3 cells in vitro and in vivo.
Tsou
Mei-Fen
MF
Department of Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan.
Peng
Ching-Tien
CT
Shih
Mu-Chin
MC
Yang
Jai-Sing
JS
Lu
Chi-Cheng
CC
Chiang
Jo-Hua
JH
Wu
Chang-Lin
CL
Lin
Jing-Pin
JP
Lo
Chyi
C
Fan
Ming-Jen
MJ
Chung
Jing-Gung
JG
D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D017879:Isothiocyanates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects*
D017879:Isothiocyanates; C031403:benzyl isothiocyanate