Morin, a flavonoid from moraceae, induces apoptosis by induction of BAD protein in human leukemic cells

Int J Mol Sci. 2014 Dec 30;16(1):645-59. doi: 10.3390/ijms16010645.

Abstract

Evidence suggests that phytochemicals can safely modulate cancer cell biology and induce apoptosis. Here, we investigated the anti-cancer activity of morin, a flavone originally isolated from members of the Moraceae family in human leukemic cells, focusing on apoptosis. An anti-cancer effect of morin was screened with several human leukemic cell lines. U937 cells were most sensitive to morin, where it induced caspase-dependent apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. It also induced loss of MMP (ΔΨm) along with cytochrome c release, down-regulated Bcl-2 protein, and up-regulated BAX proteins. The apoptotic activity of morin was significantly attenuated by Bcl-2 augmentation. In conclusion, morin induced caspase-dependent apoptosis through an intrinsic pathway by upregulating BAD proteins. In addition, Bcl-2 protein expression is also important in morin-induced apoptosis of U937 cells. This study provides evidence that morin might have anticancer properties in human leukemic cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Caspases / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Flavonoids / chemistry
  • Flavonoids / toxicity*
  • HL-60 Cells
  • Humans
  • K562 Cells
  • Leukemia / metabolism
  • Leukemia / pathology
  • Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / drug effects
  • Moraceae / chemistry*
  • Moraceae / metabolism
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / metabolism
  • U937 Cells
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein / metabolism
  • bcl-Associated Death Protein / metabolism*

Substances

  • Flavonoids
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein
  • bcl-Associated Death Protein
  • morin
  • Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases
  • Caspases