Gambogic acid induces growth inhibition and differentiation via upregulation of p21waf1/cip1 expression in acute myeloid leukemia cells.
Gambogic acid (GA) is the major active ingredient of gamboges, a brownish to orange resin product from Garcinia hanburyi tree in Southeast Asia. This compound exhibits anti-cancer effect on solid tumors. In this study, we investigated the effects of GA on the growth and differentiation of acute myeloid leukemia cells by growth-inhibition detection, morphological changes observation, nitroblue tetrazolium reduction, and the expression of the relative cell-surface differentiation markers. The results showed that GA could inhibit cell growth and promote differentiation in U937 and HL-60 cells. In addition, GA upregulated the expression of p21waf1/cip1 in the two cell lines. Finally, downregulating the p21waf1/cip1 expression with small interfering RNA partially blocked GA-induced cell growth inhibition and differentiation. These results of this study revealed that GA may be used as one of the investigational drugs for acute myeloid leukemia.
a Department of Physiology , Guiyang Medical University , Guiyang 550004 , China.
Yan
Y
Chen
Hui
H
Hui
Zheng
Z
Li
Hong-Mei
HM
Wang
Qi-Dong
QD
You
Na
N
Lu
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001210:Asia, Southeastern; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / Q000378:metabolism; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D029760:Garcinia / Q000737:chemistry*; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy; D015394:Molecular Structure; D015854:Up-Regulation; D044004:Xanthones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D044004:Xanthones; C052659:gambogic acid
acute myeloid leukemia; differentiation; gambogic acid; growth inhibition; p21waf1/cip1