A Novel Combination of Pterostilbene and Dexamethasone Enhances Anti-proliferation and Apoptosis Induction Properties in Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cell Line

Sourani, Zahra; Rezaei Dezaki, Zahra; Rahimnejad, Tahereh; Pourgheysari, Batoul

doi:10.30476/mejc.2020.82206.1067

A Novel Combination of Pterostilbene and Dexamethasone Enhances Anti-proliferation and Apoptosis Induction Properties in Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cell Line

Document Type : Original Article(s)

Authors

Zahra Sourani ¹

Zahra Rezaei Dezaki ²

Tahereh Rahimnejad ³

Batoul Pourgheysari ⁴

¹ Medical Plant Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran

² Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran

³ Clinical Biochemistry Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran

⁴ Pathology and Hematology Department, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran

https://doi.org/10.30476/mejc.2020.82206.1067

Abstract

Background: T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is an aggressive hematologic malignancy that results from the transformation of T-cell progenitors. Despite the significant advances in the current treatments, the side-effects of conventional chemotherapy regimens are still a major concern. Pterostilbene (PT) is a natural compound reported to have antitumor effects. This study aimed to investigate the effect of PT combined with dexamethasone on the proliferation inhibition and apoptosis stimulation in a lymphoblastic leukemia cell line.
Methods: In this experimental study, we cultured Jurkat cell line in RPMI1640 culture medium under standard conditions. We incubated the cells with different concentrations of PT and dexamethasone, separately or in combination for 48 h. MTS assay investigated the cell viability. We assessed apoptosis induction by annexin V-FITC/PI and flow cytometry analysis.
Results: PT and dexamethasone reduced the viability of the cells with inhibition concentrations of 60.97±3.36 and 451.1±10.1 μM, respectively, in 48 h. None of the concentrations of dexamethasone, employed alone, significantly reduced the cell viability. The combination of 450 μM dexamethasone with 60 μM PT induced apoptosis in more than 70% of the cells with a significant difference compared to control.
Conclusion: PT increased the antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing activity of dexamethasone in Jurkat cell line. This combination drug strategy can be a novel approach for a more powerful anticancer therapy.

Keywords

Apoptosis

Jurkat cell line

T-ALL

Dexamethasone

Pterostilbene

How to cite this article:

Sourani Z, Rezaei Dezaki Z, Rahimnejad T, Pourgheysari B. A novel combination of pterostilbene and dexamethasone enhances anti-proliferation and apoptosis induction properties in lymphoblastic leukemia cell line. Middle East J Cancer. 2020; 11(4):469-75. doi: 10.30476/ mejc.2020.82206.1067.

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