Effect of YC-1, a HIF Inhibitor,On Apoptosis of Leukemia Cell.

This study was purposed to investigate the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF in leukemia cell lines and the effect of YC-1 on the regulation of HIF-1α and VEGF and the induction of apoptosis in U937 cell, exploring the mechanism of apoptosis after treatment of YC-1.

RT-PCR was used to determine the levels of HIF-1α mRNA and VEGF mRNA in K562,U937 and Jurkat cells. After treatment of U937 cell with 4μmol/L YC-1 for 0 hour, 8 hours,16 hours and 24 hours respectively, the changes of morphologic features were observed by DAPI staining under fluorescent microscope and the apoptotic rates were assayed by flow cytometry with Annexin V-FITC/PI staining; the levels of HIF-1α mRNA and VEGF mRNA were measured with RT-PCR ; the protein expression of HIF-1α, VEGF, Bax,Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 were measured by Western blot.

HIF-1α mRNA and VEGF mRNA were expressed in all three leukemia cell lines. After treatment of U937 cell with 4μmol/L YC-1 for 0 hour,8 hours,16hours and 24hours respectively, the typical apoptotic morphologic features of U937 cells were observed under fluorescent microscope and the apoptotic rates were significantly increased in a time-dependent manner, they were (4.87±0.70)%, (27.27±2.00)%, (51.53±2.81) and (60.5±3.20)% respectively, the level of VEGF mRNA reduced, while the level of HIF-1α mRNA had no obviously changes. Furthermore, the expression of HIF-1α, VEGF and Bcl-2 decreased, while the expression of Bax and Caspase-3 increased in a time-dependent manner.

HIF-1α mRNA and VEGF mRNA are expressed in leukemia, YC-1 has significant effect of down-regulation the protein expression of HIF-1α and VEGF and induction of apoptosis in U937, its mechanisms may involve in up-regulating Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and expression of Caspase-3.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.