Naringenin suppresses K562 human leukemia cell proliferation and ameliorates Adriamycin-induced oxidative damage in polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Treatments for leukemia remain unsatisfactory. Conventional chemotherapy agents that aim to kill tumor cells may also damage normal cells and thus result in severe side-effects. Naringenin, a natural polyphenolic compound with antioxidant effects, has been revealed to have significant antitumor effects with low toxicity in preliminary studies.

[Protection against doxorubicin-induced oxidative damage in normal blood cells by naringenin].

The objective of this study was to investigate the protection by naringenin against doxorubicin-induced oxidative damage in normal blood cells. Inhibiting effects of naringenin, doxorubicin and naringenin combined with doxorubicind on K562 cells and polymorphonuclear leukocytes were detected with MTT method, the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation (MDA), the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were examined with spectrophotometric method in the K562 cells and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The results indicated that the proliferation of K562 cells was not inhibited by the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin in combination of naringenin with doxorubicin.

[Relation of apoptosis of K562 cells induced by naringenin in vitro to enzyme activity changes of caspase-3 and caspase-8 and expression of FAS/FASL proteins].

The objective of this study was to investigate the apoptosis-inducing effect and underlying mechanism of naringenin (NGEN) on K562 cells in vitro. The inhibition of NGEN on K562 cells was evaluated by means of MTT assay so as to observe the cytotoxicity of NGEN; The morphological changes of the cells treated by NGEN were observed by transmission electron microscope; cell apoptosis rate influenced by NGEN was assessed by flow cytometry; the enzyme activity changes of caspase-3 and caspase-8 in the process of NGEN-induced K562 apoptosis were detected by Caspase Colorimetric Assay Kit; immunohistochemistry technique was used to detect FAS, FASL protein expression in K562 cells. The results showed that the growth of cells was inhibited by NGEN in dose-and time-dependent manners (p<0.