Essential oil from Ocimum carnosum induces ROS mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and intrinsic apoptosis in HL-60...

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Leukemia remains a significant health challenge, necessitating novel therapeutic agents.
• Natural compounds are increasingly explored for their anti-cancer properties.
• Ocimum species are known for their diverse medicinal applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the cytotoxic effects of essential oil from Ocimum carnosum (EOC) on human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells.
• To elucidate the mechanism of EOC-induced cell death.
• To assess the potential of EOC as an anti-cancer agent.

Main Methods:

• Cell viability assays to determine IC50 values.
• Morphological analysis to identify apoptotic features.
• Flow cytometry to assess cell cycle distribution and DNA fragmentation.
• Mitochondrial membrane potential assessment and cytochrome c release analysis.
• Western blotting to evaluate Bcl-2 and caspase expression.

Main Results:

• EOC exhibited potent, dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity against HL-60 cells with an IC50 of 0.029 μl/ml at 24 hours.
• EOC induced apoptosis characterized by cell shrinkage, membrane blebbing, and nuclear condensation.
• Flow cytometry revealed an increased sub-G0 cell population, indicating DNA fragmentation.
• Mitochondrial pathway involvement was confirmed by loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c release.
• EOC treatment led to Bcl-2 depletion and activation of caspases.

Conclusions:

• EOC possesses significant cytotoxic activity against HL-60 leukemia cells.
• EOC induces apoptosis via the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway, involving cytochrome c release and caspase activation.
• EOC demonstrates promising anti-cancer properties, warranting further investigation for therapeutic development.