Antitumoral potential ability of ATP and antimicrobial peptides against leukemic stem cells

Abstract

Leukemia is a disease that affects the proliferation and differentiation of bone marrow cells. News therapies against leukemia stem cells (LSC) are under investigation. We have previously shown the ability of ATP (which activates P2 receptors) and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs: magainin, protegrin, polyphemusin and gomesin) to affect hematopoietic stem cells. Thus, herein explore the antitumor capability of ATP and AMPs against LSC using concentrations that do not induce cell death. Human Leukemia lineages K562 and KG1 cells were used. Immunophenotyping and cell viability were performed by flow cytometry and clonogenic assay was performed in methylcellulose. ATP promotes an increase in the percentage of LSC (CD34+CD38− Linlow/−) after three days of treatment in a concentration‐dependent manner. However, ATP leads to a decrease in the clonogenic capacity and also in the total number of K562 and KG1 cells. Similar results were obtained with the AMPs. Viability assay showed that ATP and the AMPs did not induce cell death in LSC but they were able to induce an increase of LSC population, although the clonogenic capability of this population decreased.