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BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2020

Open Access 01-12-2020 | Leukemia | Research article

Distinct anti-proliferative effects of herbal melanin on human acute monocytic leukemia THP-1 cells and embryonic kidney HEK293 cells

Authors: Adila El-Obeid, Hala Alajmi, Mashael Harbi, Wesam Bin Yahya, Hamad Al-Eidi, Monira Alaujan, Adil Haseeb, Thadeo Trivilegio, Alshaimaa Alhallaj, Saleh Alghamdi, Abdul-Wali Ajlouni, Sabine Matou-Nasri

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Background

Herbal melanin (HM) is a dark pigment extracted from the seed coat of Nigella sativa L. and known to exert biological effects via toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Recently, TLR4 was described as involved in natural programmed cell death (apoptosis). Tumor and embryonic cells are used as in vitro cellular models for drug and anti-cancer agent screening. To date, no cytotoxic studies have been reported of HM in TLR4-positive acute monocytic leukemia THP-1 cells compared to TLR4-negative human embryonic kidney HEK293 cells.

Methods

We studied the anti-proliferative effects of several HM concentrations on THP-1 and HEK293 cells by evaluating cell viability using the CellTiter-Glo® luminescent assay, assessing the TLR4 expression level, determining the apoptotic status, and analyzing the cell cycle distribution using flow cytometry. Apoptotic pathways were investigated using mitochondrial transition pore opening, caspase activity assays and immunoblot technology.

Results

Low HM concentrations did not affect THP-1 cell viability, but high HM concentrations (62.5–500 μg/mL) did decrease THP-1 cell viability and induced G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest. Only at the highest concentration (500 μg/mL), HM slightly increased the TLR4 expression on the THP-1 cell surface, concomitantly upregulated TLR4 whole protein and gene expression, and induced apoptosis in THP-1 cells via activation of the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways. No change of apoptotic status was noticed in TLR4-negative HEK293 cells, although HM decreased HEK293 cell viability and induced cell growth arrest in the G2 phase.

Conclusion

HM exerts distinct anti-proliferative effects on human acute monocytic leukemia and embryonic kidney cells mainly through cell cycle interference in a TLR4-independent manner and through apoptosis induction in a TLR4-dependent manner, as observed in only the THP-1 cells.
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Metadata
Title
Distinct anti-proliferative effects of herbal melanin on human acute monocytic leukemia THP-1 cells and embryonic kidney HEK293 cells
Authors
Adila El-Obeid
Hala Alajmi
Mashael Harbi
Wesam Bin Yahya
Hamad Al-Eidi
Monira Alaujan
Adil Haseeb
Thadeo Trivilegio
Alshaimaa Alhallaj
Saleh Alghamdi
Abdul-Wali Ajlouni
Sabine Matou-Nasri
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keyword
Leukemia
Published in
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-020-02944-1

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