Pro-apoptotic effect of Persea americana var. Hass (avocado) on Jurkat lymphoblastic leukemia cells. (April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bonilla-Porras, Angelica R.; Salazar-Ospina, Andrea; Jimenez-Del-Rio, Marlene; Pereañez-Jimenez, Andres; Velez-Pardo, Carlos
• Is Part Of: Pharmaceutical biology. Volume 52:Number 4(2014:Apr.)
• Page Start: 458
• Page End: 465
• Publication Date: 2014-04
• Subjects: Pharmacognosy -- Periodicals; Materia medica, Vegetable -- Periodicals; 615.321
• DOI: 10.3109/13880209.2013.842599
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1388-0209

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Context</italic>: Therapy for leukemia has a limited efficacy. There is a need to search for alternative anti-leukemia therapies. <italic>Persea americana</italic> Mill var. <italic>Hass</italic> (Lauraceae) is a tropical fruit (avocado) that might be used against cancer.</p> <p> <italic>Objective</italic>: To investigate whether <italic>P. americana</italic> induces death in Jurkat lymphoblastic leukemia cells.</p> <p> <italic>Materials and methods</italic>: Four ethanol extracts (0.1, 0.5, 1, 2 and 5 mg/mL) from avocado fruit (endocarp, whole seed, seed and leaves) were analyzed against Jurkat cells. Hydrogen peroxide generation by oxidation of 2′, 7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate to the fluorescent compound 2′, 7′-dichlorfluorescein assay, acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining, flow cytometry analysis of annexin-V/7-amino-actinomycin, mitochondrial membrane potential and immunocytochemistry detection of transcription factor p53, caspase-3 and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) were evaluated.</p> <p> <italic>Results</italic>: Endocarp, seed, whole seed, and leaf (0.1 mg/mL) extracts induced significant apoptosis in Jurkat cells (<italic>p</italic> < 0.001) in an oxidative stress-dependent fashion via mitochondrial membrane depolarization (52–87%), activation of transcription factor p53 (6.3–25.4%), protease caspase-3 (8.3–20%) and predominance of AIF reactivity (20.6–36%) in all extracts. Similar results were obtained with 0.5 mg/mL extracts. However, extract ≥1 mg/mL concentration induced necrosis (100%).</p> <p> <italic>Conclusions</italic>: <italic>P. americana</italic> extracts function as a pro-apoptotic compound. Leukemic cells are eliminated through an oxidative stress mechanism. This study contributes to the understanding of the molecular mechanism of the avocado and its therapeutic action on leukemia.</p> </abstract>