title: Atromentin-induced apoptosis in human leukemia U937 cells.
abstract: In the course of screening for apoptotic substances that induce apoptosis in human leukemia U937 cells, a fungal strain, F000487, which exhibits potent inducible activity, was selected. The active compound was purified from an ethyl acetate extract of the microorganism by Sep-pak C18 column chromatography and HPLC, and was identified as atromentin by spectroscopic methods. This compound induced caspase-3 processing in human leukemia U937 cells. The caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) were induced by atromentin in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, DNA fragmentation was also induced by this compound in a dose-dependent manner. These results show that atromentin potently induces apoptosis in U937 cells and that atromentin-induced apoptosis is related to the selective activation of caspases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-70l, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Choong Hwan
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D010636:Phenols / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D020298:U937 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D016227:Benzoquinones; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D010636:Phenols; D012987:Soil; C518213:atromentin; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9