Norcantharidin increases leukemic cells K562 sensitivity to paclitaxel-induced apoptosis
PAN Min1,ZHAO Yi1,PU Dan1,GAO Yuwei1,ZHANG Dandan1,ZHANG Duo2,and LI Yan2.1. Jilin Provincial Corps Hospital of Chinese People’s Armed Police Forces,Changchun 130052,China. 2. Department of Medical Laboratory,Jilin Medical College,Jilin 132013,China
Abstract：Objective To study the apoptosis promoting effect of norcantharidin (NCTD) combined with paclitaxel on leukemic cells K562 and its mechanism. Methods Cell apoptosis and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were measured by flow cytometry. The expression of apoptosis-related molecules Bim, Bax and Bcl-2 was detected by Western blot assay. Results 7.5 μmol/L NCTD caused apoptosis in (2.6±0.7)% of K562 cells. The apoptosis rate induced by different concentrations of paclitaxel (2.5, 5 and 10 nmol/L) was （0.8±0.3）%，（4.7±1.9）%，（7.2±2.6）%, and （9.4±2.9）%, respectively. The apoptosis rate was increased to （8.5±2.2）%，（19.3±3.1）% and （23.4±4.1）% by the same concentrations of paclitaxel combined with 7.5 μmol/L NCTD. NCTD promoted paclitaxel-induced mitochondrial damage. Compared with those treated by paclitaxel or NCTD alone, the expression of Bim and Bax increased in cells treated by paclitaxel combined with NCTD while the level of Bcl-2 decreased. Conclusions NCTD promotes apoptosis signaling in K562 cells treated by paclitaxel. Thus, cell apoptosis is increased by paclitaxel combined with NCTD.
2012, Vol. 23 
