Effect of Mongolian Medicinal Plant Stellera Chamaejasme on Chronic Leukemia Cells K562

Abstract

Programmed cell death comprises apoptosis which is manifested by caspases activations and subsequent nuclear fragmentation. Recently the cell’s suicide program has been found to involve autophagic compartment. In this study we report that ethanol extract of Mongolian medicinal plant Stellera chamaejasme induced autophagy in chronic leukemia cell line K562. The cells were treated with 0.002–0.5% of the extract for 24, 48 and 72 h. The results of MTT assay have shown that cell growth was inhibited dose dependently from 20 to 70% compared to control after 72 h of treatment. Morphological observations revealed membrane blebbing with subsequent multiple vacuole formation in cytoplasm in majority of cells treated with 0.008–0.5% extract. Staining with acridine orange and its further quantification with flow cytometry confirmed autophagic inhibition of cell growth. Autophagosome formation at 24 h treatment was detected in 70% of 0.2% extract treated cells, while at 0.02% and 0.002% the rate were 35% and 18% respectively. Our results suggest that anticancer effect of traditional medicinal plant St.Chamaejasme could be due to induction of autophagy in malignant cells.