Baicalein promotes Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cell Autophagy via miR-424 and the PTEN/PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway

Abstract

Objective: To explore the autophagic effect of baicalein on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines, HL-60 and THP-1, and miR-424, which regulates the baicalein effect on HL-60 and THP-1 in which autophagy was observed. background: In 1997, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) as an onco-supperssor gene, was discovered. PTEN downregulation can promote the PI3K/AKT pathway and the proliferation of cancer cells. miRNAs was a main regulators in the inflammation, tumorigenesis, and cancer development. miR-424 plays a regulatory role in a variety of tumors or diseases. It can inhibit the invasion and migration, increases the sensitivity of cancer cells to cisplatin Methods: The cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to detect the optimal concentration of baicalein in the HL-60 and THP-1 cell lines. miR-424 was detected by qPCR. The influence of baicalein on the autophagy of the HL-60 and THP-1 cells was demonstrated by detecting the expression of Beclin-1, LC3-I, and LC3-II using western blot. The phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)/PI3K/AKt/mTOR pathways were determined by western blot. Results: The optimum concentration of baicalein used and the time of treatment in the HL-60 and THP-1 cell lines were 40 μM and 48 hours, respectively. The expression of miR-424 in the baicalein-treated cells was lower than that in the blank group both in the HL-60 cells and THP-1 cells. The expression of PTEN was promoted by baicalein. However, baicalein inhibited PI3K expression, mTOR phosphorylation, and AKT phosphorylation in the two cell lines. LC3-Ⅰ/Ⅱ, which is the biomarker for autophagy, increased after the cells were treated with baicalein. The baseline expression also increased after the cells were treated with baicalein. Conclusion: Baicalein could promote the autophagy of the HL-60 and THP-1 cells via miR-424 and the PTEN/ PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. conclusion: Baicalein could promote the HL-60 cells and THP-1 cells autophagy via miR-424 and PTEN/ PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. other: none