Laccase Purified from Cerrena unicolor Exerts Antitumor Activity Against Leukemic Cells

Summary

This research investigated an enzyme called laccase from the fungus Cerrena unicolor and found it could effectively kill various types of leukemia cells. This is significant because it represents a potential new natural treatment option for blood cancers. The enzyme worked at very low concentrations and caused cancer cells to self-destruct through a process called apoptosis. Impacts on everyday life: – Provides a new potential treatment option for leukemia patients – Demonstrates how natural compounds from fungi can be used to fight cancer – Shows promise for developing more targeted cancer therapies with fewer side effects – Highlights the importance of studying enzymes from natural sources for medical applications – Could lead to more affordable cancer treatments if the enzyme can be produced efficiently

Background

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common adult hematological malignancy in Western countries, representing 0.8% of all neoplasms and 30% of leukemia cases worldwide. While recent treatment improvements have increased complete remission rates, CLL remains incurable. Cerrena unicolor produces highly active extracellular laccase (ex-LAC) used in industry, but its anti-leukemic potential had not been previously studied.

Objective

To investigate whether C. unicolor ex-LAC possesses cytotoxic activity against leukemic cell lines and CLL primary cells.

Results

The XTT assay revealed high cytotoxic rates with various concentrations of ex-LAC on all cell lines and CLL primary cells analyzed, with IC50 values ranging from 0.4 to 1.1 µg/ml. Fluorescence microscopy and SEM observations revealed apoptotic changes in treated cells compared to controls. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed significant apoptosis induction in Jurkat cells treated with ex-LAC.

Conclusion

C. unicolor ex-LAC demonstrated significant ability to induce cell apoptosis at low concentrations across multiple leukemic cell lines and primary CLL cells. The results suggest C. unicolor ex-LAC should be considered as a novel therapeutic agent for treating various hematological neoplasms.
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