Induction of apoptosis in chronic myelogenous leukemia lymphocytes by hydroxyurea and adriamycin

The nature of the cytotoxic effects of the anticancer drugs hydroxyurea, adriamycin, cisplatin and interferon, was studied on lymphocytes obtained from chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) subjects prior to the commencement of chemotherapy. These drugs appeared to mediate their cytotoxic effects by the process of apoptosis as observed from the morphological changes, i.e., cell shrinkage, chromatin condensation, cell membrane blebbing, and also from the cellular damage and DNA fragmentation into oligonucleosomal ladder of 180-bp multiples, which are all characteristics of apoptotic cell death. The effect was much more marked by hydroxyurea and adriamycin. Maximum sensitivity was seen at 24 h post treatment. Untreated CML lymphocytes cultured for 24 h also showed some apoptosis.