Naringenin induces apoptosis through downregulation of Akt and caspase-3 activation in human leukemia THP-1 cells

Naringenin (NGEN), one of the most abundant flavonoids in citrus fruits, has been shown to inhibit in vitro growth of in human cancer cells, although the mechanism of action is poorly understood. Herein, we investigated NEGN’s pro-apoptotic effect on human leukemia THP-1 cells. NGEN treatment inhibited THP-1 cells’ growth a concentration-dependent manner by inducing apoptosis, as evidenced by the formation of apoptotic bodies and the accumulation of cells in the sub-G1 phase. NGEN-induced apoptosis was accompanied by increased hyperpolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential, downregulation of Bcl-2, upregulation of Bax, activation of caspases and subsequent poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) cleavages. z-DEVD-fmk, a caspase-3 inhibitor, significantly inhibited both the cytotoxic effect and apoptotic characteristics induced by NGEN treatment demonstrating caspase-3’s important role in the observed cytotoxic effect. The induction of apoptosis was also associated with the inactivation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, and PI3K inhibitor LY29004 significantly increases NGEN-induced cell death. These findings provide evidence that NEGN’s pro-apoptotic effect is mediated by the activation of caspases and mitochondria dysfunctions that correlate with the inactivation of the PI3K/Akt pathway in THP-1 cells. Therefore, NGEN has a strong potential as a therapeutic agent for preventing cancers such as leukemia.