Growth inhibitory and apoptotic effects of carbenoxolone on human leukemia NB4 cell Line

To date, several drugs have been proposed for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL); however, none of them has resulted in complete remission. Therefore, many efforts are in progress to find new drugs with the capability of inducing apoptosis. Recently, anti-carcinogenic effects have been reported for a drug named carbenoxolone (CBX) on several cell lines. In the present study, the effects of CBX on NB4 cell line, as an experimental model of APL, were examined.

In this trial, NB4 cell line was cultured and treated with different concentrations of CBX (50-250µM) in various time intervals (12-48 hours). Trypan blue exclusion test was used to evaluate growth inhibitory and viability effects of the drug on NB4 cell line. Fluorescent microscopy (acridine orange/ethidium bromide double-staining) and agarose gel electrophoresis DNA were used to study apoptosis.

CBX induced growth inhibition of NB4 cells so that growth inhibition rates of NB4 cells, after the 48 hour of treatment with 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 µM CBX were 32.65, 47.52, 60.73, 68.91, and 74.33%, respectively. Furthermore, the results of DNA fragmentation and fluorescent microscopy assays indicated that apoptosis is a major mode of cell death after treatment of NB4 cells with above concentrations of CBX.

Noticing the growth inhibitory and apoptotic effects of CBX on human promyelocytic leukemia NB4 cells, it can be considered as a potential candidate for further studies on APL treatment.