The investigation of a supplement melatonins' effect with goji berry fruit

ABSTRACT Objectives: Melatonin (MLT), a pineal hormone, possesses potent antioxidant and antiapoptotic actions in healthy cells. In contrast to this, M shows pro-oxidant effect as well as antiproliferative, antiangiogenic, and immunomodulatory effect in many cancer types. A traditional Chinese dietary supplement as Goji berry (GB) with an anti-proliferative and an anti-apoptotic effects is a therapeutic or an adjuvan agent for cancer including leukemia. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of MLT in combination with GB and the underlying mechanism of their effect at chronic myeloid leukemia cells in vitro. Materials and methods: The extracts of GB in single and in combination with MLT were applied to K562 leukemia cells for 72 h. Their effects were evaluated by cell number and viability, apoptotic index and cell cycle analysis (flow cytometry), the levels of apoptotic (Caspases-3,8,9; bax) and antiapoptotik (bcl-2) proteins (ELISA). Anova test was used and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: All groups decreased cell number and cell viability (p<0.05), however the combination group led to the highest decrease (p<0.05). The combination group induced the highest increase in apoptotic and dead cell rates, the levels of caspase-3, caspase-9 and bax (p<0.05). The highest decrease in Bcl-2 levels were also detected in the combination group (p<0.05). The combination group showed the highest G0/G1 arrest and the decrease in other phases (p<0.05). Conclusion: In current study, it's detected for the first time that the combination of GB with MLT shows synergistic effect via intrinsic (mitochondria induced) apoptotic pathway. Keywords: Goji berry, Melatonin, Chronic myeloid leukemia, Intrinsic apoptotic pathway, Synergistic effect