Luteolin induced DNA damage leading to human lung squamous carcinoma CH27 cell apoptosis

Luteolin is an active compound from the Lonicera japonica (Caprifoliaceae). Luteolin (50 muM)-induced human lung carcinoma CH27 cell apoptosis is a typical apoptosis that was accompanied by a significant DNA condensation and apoptotic body formation. Luteolin-induced apoptosis is related to its ability to change the expression of apoptotic markers, such as caspase-3 (caspase-dependent) and apoptosis-inducing factor (caspase-independent) protein expression. The alkaline microgel electrophoresis technique (comet assay), which is the most sensitive, was used for estimation of the luteolin-induced DNA single strand breaks in this study. DNA-damaging effects of luteolin oil DNA single strand breaks have been demonstrated in our study. In this study, luteolin induced S-phase cell cycle arrest and increased the mRNA of DNA repair enzymes such as human MutT homologue, 8-oxoguanine-glycosylase and apurinic endonuclease. Our data suggested that luteolin induces CH27 cell apoptosis by caspase-dependent and -independent pathway and the effect of luteolin on apoptosis of CH27 cells is associated with DNA damage and the expression of DNA repair enzymes. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.