alpha-Phellandrene Alters Expression of Genes Associated with DNA Damage, Cell Cycle, and Apoptosis in Murine Leukemia WEHI-3 Cells

摘要

alpha-phellandrene (a-PA) is a cyclic monoterpene, present in natural plants such as Schinus molle L. a-PA promotes immune responses in mice in vivo. However, there is no available information on whether a-PA affects gene expression in leukemia cells. The present study determined effects of a-PA on expression levels of genes associated with DNA damage, cell cycle and apoptotic cell death in mouse leukemia WEHI-3 cells. WEHI-3 cells were treated with 10 pcM a-PA for 24 h, cells were harvested and total RNA was extracted, and gene expression was analyzed by cDNA microarray. Results indicated that a-PA up-regulated 10 genes 4-fold, 13 by over 3-fold and 175 by over 2-fold; 21 genes were down-regulated by over 4-fold, 26 genes by over 3-fold and expression of 204 genes was altered by at leas 2-fold compared with the untreated control cells.