In Vitro Anticancer Effects of Two New Potent Hydrazide Compounds on Leukemic Cells.

BACKGROUND

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), also recognized as chronic myelogenous leukemia, is initiated in some types of blood-forming cells of the bone marrow. The therapeutic approach to CML is usually chemotherapy; however, severe side effects and complications are major problems in the clinical research. Thus, recent efforts have focused on the search for compounds affecting apoptosis in this type of cancer.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, in vitro anticancer activity of two compounds (A and B) consisting of a hydrazide backbone with nitro-thiophen and furan substituents was assessed against K562 cell line displaying certain levels of sensitivity to pro-apoptotic compounds.

METHODS

The anticancer activity was assessed using MTT assay, flowcytometry, annexin-V and Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

Compounds A and B were both active and revealed a remarkable in vitro cytotoxic effect showing IC50 values of 0.09 and 0.07 μM, respectively, after 72 h of treatment. A significant increase in annexin-V/PI staining, sub-G1 population and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio revealed the apoptotic cell death of compounds A- and B-treated K562 cells.

CONCLUSION

The results presented here could be used as a first step for the development of powerful chemotherapeutic agents to treat leukemia.