Apoptosis inducing activity of 4-substituted coumarins from Calophyllum brasiliense in human leukaemia HL-60 cells.

With the objective of identifying anti-tumour-promoting agents, we carried out a primary screening of ten 4-substituted coumarins isolated from Calophyllum brasiliense Camb. (Guttiferae), to determine the ability of these compounds to inhibit proliferation of the human leukaemia cell line HL-60. Among the 4-substituted coumarins isolated, calophyllolide (2) and mammea B/BB (3) showed significant cytotoxicity against HL-60 cells. Fluorescence microscopy with Hoechst 33342 staining revealed that the percentage of apoptotic cells with fragmented nuclei and condensed chromatin increased in a time-dependent manner after treatment with calophyllolide (2) or mammea B/BB (3). In addition, the activity of caspase-9 and caspase-3 was also enhanced in a time-dependent manner upon treatment with the 4-substituted coumarins 2 and 3. Caspase-9 and caspase-3 inhibitors suppressed apoptosis induced by 4-substituted coumarins 2 and 3. These results suggest that calophyllolide (2) and mammea B/ BB (3) induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells through activation of the caspase-9/caspase-3 pathway, which is triggered by mitochondrial dysfunction.