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Green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin inhibits DNA replication and consequently induces leukemia cell apoptosis

D M Smith1, Q P Dou

  • 1Drug Discovery Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Interdisciplinary Oncology Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.

International Journal of Molecular Medicine
|May 15, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Green tea polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC) halts leukemia cell DNA replication and progression through the S phase. This S phase inhibition triggers apoptosis, offering a mechanism for green tea

Area of Science:

  • * Molecular Biology
  • * Cancer Research
  • * Pharmacology

Background:

  • * Green tea polyphenols are investigated for cancer prevention.
  • * Polyphenols can inhibit tumor cell proliferation and induce apoptosis.
  • * The relationship between cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction by polyphenols is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To investigate the effect of (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC) on leukemia cell DNA replication and cell cycle progression.
  • * To determine if EGC-induced cell cycle effects are linked to apoptosis induction.
  • * To elucidate the molecular mechanism of EGC's action on leukemia cells.

Main Methods:

  • * Treatment of Jurkat T, HL-60, and K562 leukemia cell lines with EGC.
  • * Flow cytometry analysis to assess DNA replication, cell cycle phase distribution (S, G1, G2/M), and apoptosis (sub-G1 population).
  • * Assays for DNA fragmentation, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, and cell viability.

Main Results:

  • * EGC potently inhibited DNA replication and S-G2 phase progression in leukemia cells.
  • * EGC-induced S phase inhibition led to apoptosis, evidenced by increased sub-G1 population, DNA breakage, PARP cleavage, and reduced cell viability.
  • * EGC did not induce apoptosis in cells with low S and high G1/G2/M populations, nor did it inhibit M-G1 transition.

Conclusions:

  • * EGC inhibits S phase progression, leading to apoptosis in leukemia cells.
  • * This S phase inhibition provides a novel molecular mechanism for green tea's potential anti-cancer effects against rapidly proliferating neoplastic cells.
  • * The cell cycle effects of EGC are directly linked to its ability to induce apoptosis in specific cellular contexts.

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