Effects of curcumin on proliferation and apoptosis of CD34~+CD38~-KG1a cells and its synergetic effect with busulfan

Objective To investigate the effects of curcumin on proliferation and apoptosis of CD34+CD38-KG1a cells and its synergetic effect with busulfan on CD34+CD38-KG1a cells.Methods The expressions of CD34 and CD38 on the surface of KG1a cells and the effect of curcumin on the cell cycle and apoptosis in CD34+CD38-KG1a cells were detected by flow cytometry.MTT assay was used to analyze curcumin's inhibitory effects on proliferation and synergistic effect with busulfan on CD34+CD38-KG1a.Clone formation rate was measured by methylcellulose colony-formation assay.Morphological changes of apoptotic cells were observed with the inverted optical microscope.The expression of Bcl-2 at the protein level was detected by Western blot.Results The percentage of CD34+CD38-KG1a was(98.2±3.2)%in KG1a cells.Curcumin could inhibit the proliferation in time-and dose-dependent manners and reduce the colony-formation ability of CD34+CD38-KG1a.The coefficient of drug interaction between curcumin and busulfan was less than 1.CD34+CD38-KG1a cells were arrested in the G0/G1 phase by decreasing S phase cells.Meanwhile,curcumin induced the apoptosis of CD34+CD38-KG1a cells. Apoptotic cells became bigger than normal ones,with unclear cell structure and rough edge of cell membrane.The expression of Bcl-2 at the protein level was down-regulated by curcumin.Conclusion Curcumin inhibited the proliferation of CD34+CD38-KG1a cells by reducing colony-formation ability,arresting cells in the G0/G1 phase and inducing apoptosis.Besides,there was a synergistic effect between curcumin and busulfan in CD34+CD38-KG1a cells.The down-regulated expression of Bcl-2 at the protein level may be associated with curcumin-induced apoptosis of CD34+CD38-KG1a cells.