Oxymatrine Induces Apoptosis in Human Myeloma Cells By Cell Cycle Arrest and Activation of Caspase-Dependent Apoptosis

Background : Multiple myeloma (MM) is a B cell malignant hematologic cancer. Despite the introduction of new drugs and improvement of chemotherapy, MM is still an incurable disease. Oxymatrine (OMT), the active ingredients of traditional Chinese herbal medicine sophora, has been reported to have antitumor activity. This study was to estimate the therapeutic efficacy of OMT in MM.

Methods: The growth inhibition of myeloma cell lines (RPMI8226, U266, ARP-1) or primary cells by OMT was assessed by MTT assay. Apoptosis of MM cells was examined by annexin V-FITC using flow cytometry analysis. DNA content was analyzed by flow cytometry. RT-PCR and western-blot analysis were used to assess the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins and the IAP family proteins. Western blotting was also used to elucidate the signaling pathway that may mediate OMT-induced apoptosis of MM cells.

Results: OMT treatment resulted in cell growth inhibition and apoptosis in primary MM cells and all tested MM cell lines in a dose-dependent manner (P <0.05). To elucidate OMT -induced MM cell apoptosis, MM cell lines were treated with or without OMT for 24h and assessed for caspase activation and signaling pathway by Western blotting. The results showed the cleavage of PARP, caspase-3, and caspase-9, and p-AKT were down-regulated after OMT treatment. The mRNA expression of survivin and HIAP by RT-PCR was down-regulated. OMT treatment at 5mM for 48h resulted in increased G-phase cells and decreased S-phase cells in MM cell lines (P <0.05). Cell cycle repressor P21 protein was up-regulated while CDK4, CDK6 and CyclinD1 expression was down-regulated. Our finding also showed a synergistic anti-MM activity of OMT and dexamethasone or adriamycin at a low does (CI<1). In addition, LC3-II expression was significantly increased both in RPMI8226 and U266 cells after treatment with OMT. However, treatment with different doses of OMT and 5 mM autophagy inhibitor 3-MA, significant increased cell apoptosis (P <0.05).

Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate the anti-MM activity of OMT and indicate that OMT alone or together with other MM chemotherapeutics may be a prospective treatment for MM.