Cimigenol depresses acute myeloid leukemia cells protected by breaking bone marrow stromal cells via CXCR4/SDF-1a

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate cimigenol (Cim) treatment effects to cell proliferation by breaking bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) through C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4)/stromal cell-derived factor-1 alpha (SDF-1 alpha) pathway. MV-4-11 and U937 cell lines were used. The present study was divided into two parts. First, the cell lines were divided into normal control (NC), BMSC (cells co-cultured with BMSCs), BMSC + DMSO, BMSC + Low (treated with 5 mg/ml Cim), BMSC + Middle (treated with 10 mg/ml Cim), BMSC + High (treated with 20 mg/ml Cim). In the second step, the cell lines were divided into NC, BMSC, BMSC + BL8040 (treated with BL8040 which inhibits CXCR4), BMSC + Cim and BMSC + Cim + BL8040. EdU positive cell numbers were measured by EdU assay and apoptosis rate by flow cytometry and TUNEL assay. Relative gene and protein expression was measured by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting assay. BMSCs were able to protect proliferation of cancer cells and decreased cell apoptosis compared with the NC group (P < 0.001, respectively). With Cim supplement, the cell proliferation was decreased with cell apoptosis increasing compared with NC group (P < 0.001 respectively). However, the anti-tumor effects of Cim were not significantly different from the BL8040 treated groups (P < 0.001, respectively). In conclusion Cim decreased acute myeloid leukemia cells protected by BMSCs through the CXCR4/SDF-1 alpha pathway.