Effect of hesperidin on cell survival and apoptosis of Nalm-6 cell line

Hesperidin is the most common flavonoid in citrus fruit and possesses anticancer proapoptotic and antiproliferative properties for some tumor cells. The present study assayed the effects of hesperidin in the presence and absence of insulin on the survival and apoptosis of Nalm-6 cells، an acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line that is resistant to chemotherapy. Nalm-6 cells were cultured in RPMI 1640 supplemented with 10% FBS and 1% penicillin and streptomycin. The cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of two concentrations of hesperidin (25 and 50 µM) in the presence or absence of insulin (100 nM) and the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of wortmannin (10 nM) were assayed using MTT assay and the cell death detection ELISA kit، respectively. Hesperidin decreased the survival rate of Nalm-6 cells in a time dependent manner. After 48 h، cell survival for the 25 and 50 µM concentrations of hesperidin decreased 16. 57± 7. 75% and 29. 33 ± 3. 6%، respectively، in the absence of insulin، and 16. 5 ± 6. 81% and 28. 27 ± 8. 52%، respectively، in the presence of insulin in comparison with the control group (p < 0. 05). Hesperidin also increased apoptotic death in Nalm-6 cells at 25 and 50 µM concentrations 6 and 2. 84 fold in the absence of insulin and 5. 98 and 2. 17 fold in the presence of insulin in comparison to the control group (p < 0. 05). These results indicate the anti-cancer effects of hesperidin by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting cell proliferation in Nalm-6 cells in the presence and absence of insulin. Hesperidin can be suggested as a natural chemo-preventative agent in conjunction with other chemotherapy agents in the treatment of cancer.