Background:
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive type of leukemia adversely affecting the normal differentiation and proliferation process of human hematopoietic myeloid lineage. During the last decades, Kaempferol (Kae) (3,4′,5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone) is considered a flavonoid with useful medical significance, capable of inhibiting various types of leukemia (e.g., AML).
Objective:
To evaluate the Kae effect on the proliferation and apoptosis of a human AML cell line, HL60.
Methods:
The proliferation capability of the HL60 cells was estimated by MTT assay after 12, 24, and 48 hours after the exposure to Kae at a series of concentrations, including 10, 25, 50, and 75 µM. Also, the apoptosis level of HL60 cells was measured 48 hours after the exposure to various concentrations of Kae (10, 25, and 50 µM) using Annexin-V/PI staining and FACS analysis. Besides, the gene expression of CDK1/2, Bcl-2, survivin, c-FLIP, Mcl-1, XIAP, Bax, and caspase 3 and 8 was assessed following the treatment of HL60 cells with Kae (25 and 50 µM) by Real-Time PCR.
Results:
The anti-proliferation activity of Kae showed an ascending pattern over time and reached the maximum level after 48 hours of HL60 cells exposure with Kae. Also, it was able to trigger apoptosis of HL60 cells, in particular, at 50 µM concentration. On the other hand, Kae could modify the expression levels of the candidate’s genes in treated cells.
Conclusion:
The promising results of using Kae against the HL60 cells have made it a good drug candidate to treat AML through the up-regulation of caspases expression and down-regulation of anti-apoptotic proteins.