The effect of Thymoquinone on Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) viability of patients with B-Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) as a lymphoproliferative disorder that is characterized by the expansion of monoclonal, mature CD5+CD23+ B cells in the peripheral blood, secondary lymphoid tissues, and bone marrow is facing with advent of new therapies targeting crucial biological pathways. Thymoquinone (TQ) is the major bioactive constituent in black seed oil (Nigella sativa) and has been found to exert anti-tumor impacts mainly through the induction of apoptosis. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro anti-leukemia effects of TQ on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of CLL patients.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 6 patients and 6 healthy donors were treated with 15 μg/ml of TQ for 24 h. The cytotoxic effect of TQ was assessed using the MTT assay. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the apoptosis of PBMCs.

Treatment with TQ increased the cytotoxicity of PBMCs of CLL patients more significantly than in Untreated cells (P=0.021). Flow cytometry results indicated that TQ exhibited a significant apoptotic impact on PBMCs of CLL patients compared to the healthy subjects (P=0.001). TQ also induced marked apoptosis in CLL cells compared to the Untreated cells (P=0.006).

Our findings reveal that TQ possesses promising therapeutic potential as an anti-tumor agent for treating CLL mainly through the induction of cell apoptosis and cytotoxicity.