[Effect of dihydroartemisinin on the expression of BCR/ABL fusion gene in leukemia K562 cells].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) on the BCR/ABL fusion gene in leukemia K562 cell.


METHODS
K562 cells were cultured in vitro. The rate of proliferation inhibition of cells treated with various concentrations of DHA were determined by using [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] (MTT) method. Expression of BCR/ABL fusion gene was analyzed by reverse transcription(RT-PCR) before and after DHA treatment. Apoptosis of K562 cells was detected by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
The growth of K562 cells was inhibited when the concentrations of DHA were 10-160 umol/L. With the added dose of DHA, the growth inhibition was remarkable, with the rate of inhibition risen from 52.76% to 94.65%. The expression of BCR/ABL fusion gene, as detected by RT-PCR after incubating the K562 cells with 20 umol/L DHA, measured as ΔCt = 4.45 ± 0.25 after 12 h and ΔCt = 5.23 ± 0.21 after 24 h, which was significantly lower compared with that of the control ( ΔCt = 4.23 ± 0.21, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
DHA can inhibit the proliferation of leukemia K562 cells and facilitate the induction of apoptosis by downregulating the expression of BCR/ABL fusion gene.
Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment, Ministry of Education Institute of Medical Genetics, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, P. R. China.
Jia-liang
JL
Gao
Xian-ping
XP
Ding
Qi-jie
QJ
Li
Zeng-liang
ZL
Xia
Qing-jie
QJ
Xia
D037621:Artemisinins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D016313:Genes, abl / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D020014:K562 Cells; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D037621:Artemisinins; C039060:artenimol; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl