Induction of apoptosis by apicidin, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, via the activation of mitochondria-dependent caspase cascades in human Bcr-Abl-positive leukemia cells.

Abstract

These results indicate that apicidin effectively induces the apoptosis of Bcr-Abl-positive leukemia cells through the activation of the mitochondrial pathway-dependent caspase cascades. The down-regulation of Bcr-Abl mRNA might also be one of the mechanisms implicated in the apicidin-mediated apoptosis in the K562 cells. This study provides the rationale to additionally investigate apicidin as a potential therapeutic agent for the drug-resistant Bcr-Abl-positive leukemia cells.