ABSTRACT
The main active compound of Garcinia hanburyi (referred to as gamboge) is gambogic acid (GA), which has long been a Chinese herbal medicine for treating several types of cancer. However, the potential therapeutic role and mechanisms of GA in Tcell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (TALL) remain unclear. In the present study, the effects of GA on proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, and autophagy in TALL cell lines were investigated. The possible mechanisms underlying GA activity were also examined. The results showed that GA inhibited proliferation, induced apoptosis, and activated autophagy in TALL cell lines (Jurkat and Molt4 cells). Findings confirmed that GA has an antileukemia effect against peripheral blood lymphocyte cells in patients with ALL. GA inhibited phosphoGSK3ß S9 (pGSK3ß S9) protein levels to inactivate Wnt signaling and suppress ßcatenin protein levels. In addition, the inhibitory effect of GA on TALL was reversed by overexpression of ßcatenin. Thus, GA can inhibit the growth and survival of TALL cells. GA also had antileukemic activity, at least in part, through the downregulation of the Wnt/ßcatenin signaling pathway.