A novel anti-leukemic mechanism of phytochemical luteolin rich in vegetables and fruits
At present, many chemotherapeutic drugs for treating leukemia may induce cytotoxicity in the normal function of blood cells, in addition to killing cancer cells, causing serious side effects. Compounds that are selective only for cancer cells will reduce side effects in leukemia treatment.
The vegetables and fruits provide nutrients for daily life, are also rich in many phytochemicals with potential for prevention and treatment of diseases. The team, led by Professor Jui-Hung Yen of the Department of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Tzu Chi University, and Dr. Pei-Yi Chen of Center of Medical Genetics, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, has carried out a study, and found that the luteolin, which is rich in celery, green pepper, broccoli, perilla, orange, and other fruits and vegetables, can selectively kill malignant leukemic cells, without harming the blood cells with normal function. The characteristics and mechanisms of anti-leukemic effect by luteolin, provides a new perspective on the prevention and treatment of hematological malignancies. This research finding was published in April 2018, on the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, an important international journal in biochemistry and molecular biology.
Professor Yen and Dr. Chen’s research team discovered that luteolin selectively targets human myeloid leukemia cell lines, thus effectively kill cancer cells and inhibit the cell proliferations. However, it is less toxic to cells that have differentiated to mature blood cells or normal peripheral blood cells. Further studies found that pituitary tumor-transforming gene 1 (PTTG1) is abundant in malignant myeloid leukemia cells, but has a very small amount in differentiated blood cells. The team uncovered that the more the expression of PTTG1 protein in cancer cells, the more the sensitivity of the toxicity of luteolin, suggesting that PTTG1 protein is a key molecule for the selective anti-leukemic effect of luteolin. The team further identified molecules involved in the anti-cancer effect of luteolin in PTTG1 abundant cancer cells. PTTG1 oncogenic protein is abundantly expressed in many different cancer cells. Many studies found that PTTG1 protein was an important molecule involved in cancer cell proliferation. These current findings support that the phytochemicals luteolin can serve as the agent for prevention and treatment of leukemia. These findings also provide a novel strategy for the application of luteolin in the treatment of other cancers in the future.
Thesis link: http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/19/4/1173