А. А. Philchenkov, М. P. Zavelevych

R. E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology,
National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
e-mail: apoclub@i.ua

Antiproliferative and apoptogenic effects of rhamnazin, a dimethoxylated derivative of quercetin, were studied in human acute lymphoblastic leukemia Jurkat cells. The cytotoxicity and apoptogenic activity of rhamnazin in vitro are inferior to that of quercetin. The apoptogenic activity of rhamnazin is realized via mitochondrial pathway and associated with activation of caspase-9 and -3. The additive apoptogenic effect of rhamnazin and suboptimal doses of etoposide, a DNA topoisomerase II inhibitor, is demonstrated. Therefore, methylation of quercetin modifies its biological effects considerably.