Reverse effects of saikoside on multidrug resistance of human leukemic cell line K562/ADM in vitro

AIM: To study the reverse effects of saikoside (SS) on the multidrug resistance (MDR) of human leukemic cell line K562/ADM and to investigate the related mechanism. METHODS: K562 cells and K562/ADM cells in the culture were treated with SS at the concentrations of 1~100 mg/L. The inhibitory rate of the cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay. Non-cytotoxic dose of SS was determined. K562/ADM cells were treated with SS at non-cytotoxic doses of 1.25, 2.5 and 5.0 mg/L with different concentrations of adriamycin (ADM,0.05~100 mg/L). The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) and the reversal index in all groups were determined. The cell morphology was observed after treated with SS+ADM. The effects of SS on ADM accumulation in K562/ADM cells, the cell cycle profile and apoptosis were examined by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The inhibitory rates were significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner when the cells were treated with different doses of SS (1~100 mg/L). The available reversal concentration of SS was 5.0 mg/L and the reversal index was 21.5 folds for K562/ADM cells. After treated with SS+ADM, the number of tumor cells was decreased and apoptotic cells were increased in a dose-response relationship. ADM accumulation in K562/ADM cells treated with SS was significantly higher than that in control cells (P<0.05). SS may significantly enhanced the apoptosis of K562/ADM cells treated with ADM (P<0.05). K562/ADM cells treated with SS were blocked in the stage of G₀/G₁. CONCLUSION: SS has effect on proliferation inhibition and MDR reversal in K562/ADM cell line. The reversal mechanisms of SS may be due to increasing the accumulation of chemo therapeutics in the cell, inducing the cell apoptosis and arresting the cells in G₀/G₁ phase.