title: Pro-apoptotic effect of Persea americana var. Hass (avocado) on Jurkat lymphoblastic leukemia cells.
abstract: Abstract Context: Therapy for leukemia has a limited efficacy. There is a need to search for alternative anti-leukemia therapies. Persea americana Mill var. Hass (Lauraceae) is a tropical fruit (avocado) that might be used against cancer. Objective: To investigate whether P. americana induces death in Jurkat lymphoblastic leukemia cells. Materials and methods: Four ethanol extracts (0.1, 0.5, 1, 2 and 5 mg/mL) from avocado fruit (endocarp, whole seed, seed and leaves) were analyzed against Jurkat cells. Hydrogen peroxide generation by oxidation of 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate to the fluorescent compound 2',7'-dichlorfluorescein assay, acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining, flow cytometry analysis of annexin-V/7-amino-actinomycin, mitochondrial membrane potential and immunocytochemistry detection of transcription factor p53, caspase-3 and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) were evaluated. Results: Endocarp, seed, whole seed, and leaf (0.1 mg/mL) extracts induced significant apoptosis in Jurkat cells (p < 0.001) in an oxidative stress-dependent fashion via mitochondrial membrane depolarization (52-87%), activation of transcription factor p53 (6.3-25.4%), protease caspase-3 (8.3-20%) and predominance of AIF reactivity (20.6-36%) in all extracts. Similar results were obtained with 0.5 mg/mL extracts. However, extract ≥1 mg/mL concentration induced necrosis (100%). Conclusions: P. americana extracts function as a pro-apoptotic compound. Leukemic cells are eliminated through an oxidative stress mechanism. This study contributes to the understanding of the molecular mechanism of the avocado and its therapeutic action on leukemia.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Group, Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antioquia , Medellín , Colombia .
authors.forename: Angelica R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bonilla-Porras
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salazar-Ospina
authors.forename: Marlene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jimenez-Del-Rio
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pereañez-Jimenez
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Velez-Pardo