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Prabhu KS, Siveen KS, Kuttikrishnan S, Iskandarani A, Tsakou M, Achkar IW, Therachiyil L, Krishnankutty R, Parray A, Kulinski M, Merhi M, Dermime S, Mohammad RM, Uddin S. Targeting of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein and PI3-kinase/AKT signaling by embelin suppresses growth of leukemic cells. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180895. [PMID: 28704451 PMCID: PMC5509148 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) is a viable molecular target for anticancer drugs that overcome apoptosis-resistance of malignant cells. XIAP is an inhibitor of apoptosis, mediating through its association with BIR3 domain of caspase 9. Embelin, a quinone derivative isolated from the Embelia ribes plant, has been shown to exhibit chemopreventive, anti-inflammatory, and apoptotic activities via inhibiting XIAP activity. In this study, we found that embelin causes a dose-dependent suppression of proliferation in leukemic cell lines K562 and U937. Embelin mediated inhibition of proliferation correlates with induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, embelin treatment causes loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and release of cytochrome c, resulting in subsequent activation of caspase-3 followed by polyadenosin-5’-diphosphate-ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage. In addition, embelin treatment of leukemic cells results in a decrease of constitutive phosphorylations/activation level of AKT and downregulation of XIAP. Gene silencing of XIAP and AKT expression showed a link between XIAP expression and activated AKT in leukemic cells. Interestingly, targeting of XIAP and PI3-kinase/AKT signaling augmented inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis in leukemic cells. Altogether these findings raise the possibility that embelin alone or in combination with inhibitors of PI3-kinase/AKT pathway may have therapeutic usage in leukemia and possibly other malignancies with up-regulated XIAP pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirti S. Prabhu
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, State of Qatar
| | - Kodappully S. Siveen
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, State of Qatar
| | - Shilpa Kuttikrishnan
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, State of Qatar
| | - Ahmad Iskandarani
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, State of Qatar
| | - Magdalini Tsakou
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, State of Qatar
| | - Iman W. Achkar
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, State of Qatar
| | - Lubna Therachiyil
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, State of Qatar
| | - Roopesh Krishnankutty
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, State of Qatar
| | - Aijaz Parray
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, State of Qatar
| | - Michal Kulinski
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, State of Qatar
| | - Maysaloun Merhi
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR), Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, State of Qatar
| | - Said Dermime
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR), Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, State of Qatar
| | - Ramzi M. Mohammad
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, State of Qatar
| | - Shahab Uddin
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, State of Qatar
- * E-mail:
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