Selective Anticancer Activity of Acacetin Against Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Using Both In Vivo and In Vitro Methods: Key Role of Oxidative Stress and Cancerous Mitochondria

Nutr Cancer. 2016 Nov-Dec;68(8):1404-1416. doi: 10.1080/01635581.2016.1235717. Epub 2016 Oct 25.

Abstract

The present study investigates the in vitro and in vivo effect of acacetin (4'-methoxy-5,7-dihydroxyflavone) on chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) B-lymphocytes and mitochondria. CLL B-lymphocytes and healthy B-lymphocytes were obtained from CLL patients and healthy donors, respectively. Mitochondria were isolated from B-lymphocytes of both groups. Xenografts in severe combined immune deficient mice were used to examine the toxicity and anti CLL activity of acacetin. We evaluated and compared the mechanism of action of acacetin on CLL and healthy B-lymphocytes and their mitochondria. We have found that acacetin (10 μM) can selectively induce apoptosis on CLL B-lymphocyte (25% at 24 h) by directly targeting mitochondria, through increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, MMP collapse, MPT, release of cytochrome c, caspase 3 activation, and finally apoptosis, while sparing normal healthy B-lymphocytes unaffected at similar concentrations. Besides, oral administration of acacetin showed a potent in vivo anticancer activity in CLL xenograft mouse models. Our in vivo findings indicate that acacetin accumulates and kills CLL B-lymphocyte in a rather selective way through targeting cancerous mitochondria and ROS formation, which ends in CLL therapy. Finally, we can recommend acacetin as a promising compound for further drug development assays for the CLL treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • B-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • B-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Cytochromes c / metabolism
  • Flavones / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / pathology
  • Matrix Metalloproteinases / metabolism
  • Mice, SCID
  • Middle Aged
  • Mitochondria / drug effects*
  • Mitochondria / pathology*
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Flavones
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Cytochromes c
  • Matrix Metalloproteinases
  • acacetin