Antiproliferative and proapoptotic activities of hydroxytyrosol derivatives on human promyelocytic leukemia cell lines

Purpose Hydroxytyrosol (3,4-DHPEA) derivatives (disulfide, thioacetate and thiohydroxytyrosol) were synthesized in order to test in vitro if the combination of catechol moiety of 3,4-DHPEA and sulfur containing functions results in an improvement of the pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative activities shown by 3,4-DHPEA. The involvement of H2O2 production in the cell culture medium has been studied. Methods The effects of thiohydroxytyrosol derivatives and 3,4-DHPEA on cell proliferation, apotosis and cell cycle of HL60 and its MDR variant HL60R were assessed by the Trypan Blue exclusion test, by fluorescence microscopy or by flow cytometry respectively. H2O2 concentrations in the culture me…