Effects of phenolics from multiflora honey on the NB4-R2 leukaemia cell line

Abstract

Acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) is one of the most aggressive subtypes of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). The use of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on t(15;17) translocation APL has significantly improved the prognosis. However, the development of drug resistance is one of the most significant challenges targeted therapy has to face nowadays. ATRA resistance is mostly associated with relapsed patients who have been previously treated with ATRA, as a single agent and even when used in combination with other therapeutic agents. The toxicity associated with the current chemotherapies available have given rise to the demand for the development of new therapeutic agents that are highly effective, have low toxicity and leave a minor environmental impact. Recent studies have shown that the use of phenolic extracts from several natural sources, including honey, can potentially be used as a treatment for haematological malignancies. The aim of this investigation was to determine whether phenolic compounds extracted from multiflora honey have an antileukaemic effect on the ATRA resistant NB4-R2 leukaemia cell line. This was established by analysing the differentiation potential of the extracts by means of spectrophotometric assays, morphological analysis and an analysis of their effect on the cell cycle. The results obtained have demonstrated that treatment of cells with polyphenols extracted from multiflora honey induced differntiation of NB4-R2 cells and resulted in a slight decline in the proliferative capacity of the cell, which was followed by cell death. The positive results obtained encourage the use of multiflora honey phenolics for further research.