METHODS: To reach this goal, total phenolic content (TPC) of ethanolic (Eth) and aqueous (Aq) extracts were determined and radical scavenging activity was assayed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. Chemical compositions of each extract were also determined via GC-Mass. Behavioral changes were studied via passive avoidance and Morris water maze in Aβ-induced model of Alzheimer's disease. Catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) determination were also done on rats' hippocampus.
RESULTS: The results showed that seed Eth extract has a high level of TPC and radical scavenging activity. However, this extract had surprisingly no effect on memory and CAT and SOD activities. In contrast, fruit Aq and Eth extracts (containing furfurals as major compounds) inhibited memory impairment (P
METHODS: We used a combination of proliferation and apoptosis assays to assess the effect of JB on AML cell lines and patient samples, with BH3 profiling being performed to identify early effects of the drug (4 h). Phosphokinase arrays were adopted to identify potential driver proteins in the cellular response to JB, the results of which were confirmed and extended using western blotting and inhibitor assays and measuring levels of reactive oxygen species.
RESULTS: AML cell growth was significantly impaired following JB exposure in a dose-dependent manner; potent colony inhibition of primary patient cells was also observed. An apoptotic mode of death was demonstrated using Annexin V and upregulation of apoptotic biomarkers (active caspase 3 and cleaved PARP). Using BH3 profiling, JB was shown to prime cells to apoptosis at an early time point (4 h) and phospho-kinase arrays demonstrated this to be associated with a strong upregulation and activation of both total and phosphorylated c-Jun (S63). The mechanism of c-Jun activation was probed and significant induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was demonstrated which resulted in an increase in the DNA damage response marker γH2AX. This was further verified by the loss of JB-induced C-Jun activation and maintenance of cell viability when using the ROS scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC).
CONCLUSIONS: This work provides the first evidence of cytotoxicity of JB against AML cells and identifies ROS-induced c-Jun activation as the major mechanism of action.