Targeting the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway by a newly synthesized COX-2 inhibitor in pediatric ALL lymphocytes

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is known as a barely curable malignancy. Particular mutations involved in apoptosis may have a main role in the onset of ALL in the pediatric patients. It has been proven that cycloxygenase-2 is capable of impairing the apoptosis pathway through mitochondria in tumor cells.

In this study, we investigated selective toxicity of a newly synthesized chalconeferrocenyl derivative as a selective cycloxygenase-2 inhibitor in ALL and healthy B-lymphocytes, and also isolated mitochondria obtained from them. For this purpose, we evaluated the cellar parameters like viability, apoptosis/necrosis, caspase-3 activation and ATP content, and also mitochondrial parameters like mitochondrial membrane potential decline, reactive oxygen species formation, cytochrome C release and mitochondrial swelling.

Our results implied that this compound can selectively induce cellular and mitochondrial toxicity in cancerous ALL B-lymphocytes and obtained mitochondria from them without any detrimental effects on healthy subjects.