Effects of artemisinin on apoptosis and differentiation of human leukemia U937 cells

AIM: To investigate the effects of artemisinin on apoptosis and differentiation of classic human acute monoblastic leukemia cell line U937 and to study the possibility of treatment of leukemia with artemisinin.METHODS: The cytotoxic activity of artemisinin on U937 cells was detected by means of MTT assay.Apoptosis was identified and analyzed with transmission electron microscopy,cell cycle,and DNA gel electrophoresis.The differentiation of U937 cells into more mature granulocytes was detected by nitro blue tetrazolium(NBT) reduction test.RESULTS: Different concentrations of artemisinin could suppress the proliferation and induced the apoptosis of U937 cells in a dose dependent(6 μmol/L) and time dependent(1-6 d,P0.01) manner.The data from NBT reduction test demonstrated that U937 cells were induced to differentiate into more mature granulocytes by low dose gossypol(2-5 μmol/L,P0.01).CONCLUSION: Artemisinin selectively induces apoptosis of leukemia U937 cells in a smaller dose than that for human peripheral blood mononuclear cells(the control group).It suggests that artemisinin may be an ideal drug for leukemia therapy after a series of preclinlic and clinlic researches.