3′-Geranyl-mono-substituted chalcone Xanthoangelovl induces apoptosis in human leukemia K562 cells via activation of mitochondrial pathway

•3′-Geranyl-mono-substituted chalcone Xanthoangelol (1b) had potent cytotoxicity.•Compound 1b affects the mitochondrial functions.•Compound 1b inhibits K562 cell proliferation via mitochondria-mediated apoptosis.

3′-Geranyl-mono-substituted chalcone Xanthoangelol (1b), a chalcone derivative, was previously reported to show selective cytotoxicity against human chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cells with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 3.98 μM. In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying the cytotoxicity of 1b in K562 cells.Treatment with compound 1b caused K562 cells to adopt a typical apoptotic morphology. Flow cytometric analysis also confirmed the presence of an apoptotic cell population following treatment of Annexin-V-FITC and propidium iodide (PI) double-labeled K562 cells with 1b. Furthermore, we observed dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential, caspase-3 activation, and a reduction of the Bcl-2/Bax ratio in these cells, which suggest that the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway is induced by 1b in K562 cells. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that compound 1b notably induces mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis in K562 cells, which might have a potential anticancer activity.