Induction of cell death and modulation of Annexin A1 by phytoestrogens in human leukemic cell lines

Affidah Sabran; Endang Kumolosasi; Ibrahim Jantan; Jamia Azdina Jamal; Norazrina Azmi; Malina Jasamai

doi:10.1016/j.jsps.2020.12.011

Induction of cell death and modulation of Annexin A1 by phytoestrogens in human leukemic cell lines

Saudi Pharm J. 2021 Jan;29(1):73-84. doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2020.12.011. Epub 2020 Dec 22.

Authors

Affidah Sabran¹, Endang Kumolosasi¹, Ibrahim Jantan², Jamia Azdina Jamal¹, Norazrina Azmi¹, Malina Jasamai¹

Affiliations

¹ Drug and Herbal Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
² Institute of Systems Biology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.

Abstract

Background: Phytoestrogens are polyphenolic plant compounds which are structurally similar to the endogenous mammalian estrogen, 17β-estradiol. Annexin A1 (ANXA1) is an endogenous protein which inhibits cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2) and phospholipase A2, signal transduction, DNA replication, cell transformation, and mediation of apoptosis.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effects of selected phytoestrogens on annexin A1 (ANXA1) expression, mode of cell death and cell cycle arrest in different human leukemic cell lines.

Methods: Cells viability were examined by MTT assay and ANXA1 quantification via Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were examined by flow cytometer and phagocytosis effect was evaluated using haematoxylin-eosin staining.

Results: Coumestrol significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the total level of ANXA1 in both K562 and U937 cells and genistein significantly (p < 0.05) reduced it in K562, Jurkat and U937 cells, meanwhile estradiol and daidzein induced similar reduction in U937 and Jurkat cells. Coumestrol and daidzein induced apoptosis in K562 and Jurkat cells, while genistein and estradiol induced apoptosis in all tested cells. Coumestrol and estradiol induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase in K562 and Jurkat cells with an addition of U937 cells for estradiol. Genistein induced cell cycle arrest at S phase for both K562 and Jurkat cells. However, daidzein induced cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase in K562, and G2/M phase of Jurkat cells. Coumestrol, genistein and estradiol induced phagocytosis in all tested cells but daidzein induced significant (p < 0.05) phagocytosis in K562 and Jurkat cells only.

Conclusion: The selected phytoestrogens induced cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and phagocytosis and at the same time they reduced ANXA1 level in the tested cells. The IC50 value of phytoestrogens was undetectable at the concentrations tested, their ability to induce leukemic cells death may be related with their ability to reduce the levels of ANXA1. These findings can be used as a new approach in cancer treatment particularly in leukemia.

Keywords: ANXA1, Annexin A1; Annexin A1; Annexin V-FITC, Annexin V-fluorescein; Apoptosis; Cell cycle arrest; FBS, Fetal bovine serum; IMDM, Iscove’s modified Dulbecco’s medium; Leukemia; PI, Propidium iodide; Phagocytosis; Phytoestrogens; RPMI-1640, Roswell Park Memorial Institute medium 1640.