3-Hydrogenkwadaphnin from Dendrostellera lessertii induces differentiation and apoptosis in HL-60 cells.

3-Hydrogenkwadaphnin (3-HK) is a new diterpene ester, recently isolated from the leaves of Dendrostellera lessertii with potent anti-tumoral and anti-metastatic activities. Herein, we report that 3-HK induces differentiation and apoptosis in HL-60 cells. The drug at 2.5 - 40 nM inhibited proliferation of HL-60 cells after 24 - 96 h of treatment. Cell viability was also decreased by 57 % after 96 h treatment with the drug. NBT reducing assay and phagocytic activity revealed that the inhibition of proliferation is associated with differentiation especially toward macrophages-like morphology. Indeed, the drug at 2.5 - 10 nM induced differentiation by 5 - 49 % in HL-60 cells. Acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EtBr) double staining and DNA fragmentation assays revealed that apoptosis occurred after differentiation of HL-60 cells. Guanosine at 50 microM decreased the apoptotic cell death and the differentiation caused by the drug. Therefore, GTP depletion, as a result of inhibition of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), is considered as one of the main reasons for differentiation and apoptotic cell death by this new drug.