Induction of apoptosis by dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids in human leukemic cells is not associated with DNA fragmentation.

Abstract

Apoptosis is important in anticancer strategy. In this study, bivariate annexin V/PI flow cytometry showed that dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids, arachidonic acid (AA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), induced apoptosis in human leukemic HL-60 but not K-562 cells. Results from DNA-PI flow cytometry and TUNEL flow cytometry illustrated that neither AA nor EPA induced DNA fragmentation in the leukemic cells. These findings suggested that the AA- and EPA-induced apoptosis might not associate with endonucleases activation, and DNA fragmentation could not be used as a sole criterion to identify apoptotic cells.