Anticancer Potential of Damnacanthal and Nordamnacanthal from Roots on T-lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells.

BACKGROUND

This study reports on the cytotoxic properties of nordamnacanthal and damnacanthal, isolated from roots of on T-lymphoblastic leukaemia (CEM-SS) cell lines.

METHODS

MTT assay, DNA fragmentation, ELISA and cell cycle analysis were carried out.

RESULTS

Nordamnacanthal and damnacanthal at IC values of 1.7 μg/mL and10 μg/mL, respectively. At the molecular level, these compounds caused internucleosomal DNA cleavage producing multiple 180-200 bp fragments that are visible as a "ladder" on the agarose gel. This was due to the activation of the Mg/Ca-dependent endonuclease. The induction of apoptosis by nordamnacanthal was different from the one induced by damnacanthal, in a way that it occurs independently of ongoing transcription process. Nevertheless, in both cases, the process of dephosphorylation of protein phosphates 1 and 2A, the ongoing protein synthesis and the elevations of the cytosolic Ca concentration were not needed for apoptosis to take place. Nordamnacanthal was found to have a cytotoxic effect by inducing apoptosis, while damnacanthal caused arrest at the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle.

CONCLUSION

Damnacanthal and nordamnacanthal have anticancer properties, and could act as potential treatment for T-lymphoblastic leukemia.