Behnaz Askarikhah - Departmentof Biology, Islamic Azad University, Ashkezar Branch, Iran
Mahmood Dehghani Ashkezari - Departmentof Biology, Islamic Azad University, Ashkezar Branch, Iran
Hamideh Emtiazi - Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
Seyed Hossein Hekmatimoghaddam - Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Paramedicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.

Background and Aims: Benzopyrones are a group of compounds including coumarins and chromenes. Chromenes have a heterocyclic structure with gamma benzopyran which has anticancer activities. In this investigation we studied the effect of ۴ new derivatives of chromene compounds on the human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line MOLT۴. Materials and Methods: The structure of the new compound was established using spectroscopic method (۱H NMR, ۱۳C NMR). MOLT۴ cells were cultured in Roswell Park Memorial Institute ۱۶۴۰ medium with ۱۰% fetal bovine serum. The cytotoxic effect of different concentrations (۰, ۵۰, ۲۵۰, ۵۰۰ and ۱۰۰۰ nM) of novel synthetic compounds were evaluated by MTT assay and cell counting after different incubation times (۲۴, ۴۸, ۷۲ h). Expression levels of ۳ genes related to apoptosis (p۵۳, Bax, Fas) were measured using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: These compounds all decreased viability of the MOLT۴ cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Also meaningful difference was found between all concentrations and control groups (p<۰.۰۵). The compound C۲ had lower IC۵۰ in comparison to other ones. Interestingly, these derivatives showed significantly cell toxicity at nano-molar concentrations, while previously-reported ones had activity at micro-molar concentrations. All three apoptotic genes revealed increased expression. Conclusions: ۱۰,۱۱-dihydrochromeno [۴,۳-b]chromene-۶, ۸(۷H,۹H)-dione derivatives have anti-neoplastic effects on MOLT۴ leukemic cell line by induction of apoptosis. These comounds could then be a potential candidate for further investigations.

Cancer, Chromene, Coumarin, Cytotoxicity, MOLT۴, Chromene, Cytotoxicity, MOLT۴, apoptosis.