ELF-MF attenuates quercetin-induced apoptosis in K562 cells through modulating the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins

Mol Cell Biochem. 2014 Dec;397(1-2):33-43. doi: 10.1007/s11010-014-2169-1. Epub 2014 Aug 2.

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of sinusoidal ELF-MF (1 mT; 50 Hz) on the apoptosis induced by four different compounds, namely vinblastine, etoposide, quercetin, and resveratrol, in human K562 chronic myeloid leukemia cells. The exposure to ELF-MF did not affect growth and viability of untreated K562 cells and did not influence the anti-proliferative effects of resveratrol, vinblastine, and etoposide. On the contrary, in quercetin-treated cells, exposure to ELF-MF significantly reduced the percentage of apoptotic cells and the caspase-3 activity and modified the cell cycle profile especially after 48 h of exposure. In addition, the simultaneous treatments for 24 h with quercetin plus ELF-MF increased Bcl-2 protein expression and prevented quercetin-induced downregulation of Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL. Finally, an increase of HSP70 expression was also observed after prolonged ELF-MF treatment. The ELF-MF-dependent modulation of the expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family and Hsp70 proteins could act as a pro-survival mechanism in K562 cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Caspase 3 / metabolism
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • K562 Cells
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive* / metabolism
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive* / pathology
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive* / therapy
  • Magnetic Fields*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / biosynthesis*
  • Quercetin / pharmacology*
  • bcl-X Protein / biosynthesis*

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • BCL2 protein, human
  • BCL2L1 protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • bcl-X Protein
  • Quercetin
  • CASP3 protein, human
  • Caspase 3