Cytotoxic sesquiterpene lactones mediate their death-inducing effect in leukemia T cells by triggering apoptosis.

Cytotoxicity is a well characterized property of sesquiterpene lactones. In the present study, the question was addressed whether sesquiterpene lactones mediate their cytotoxic effect by triggering apoptosis. Four compounds, ambrosin, alantolactone, hymenin and helenalin were shown to induce apoptosis in Jurkat leukemia T cells as judged by cell morphology, the appearance of apoptotic nuclei as well as the translocation of phosphatidylserine to the outer surface of the cell membrane.