Betulinic acid exerts antitumor effects on acute promyelocytic leukemia cells possibly via hTERT downregulation

Abstract Background In recent decades, arsenic trioxide (ATO) has become a highly promising chemotherapeutic medication for treating APL patients. Owing to its complications, researchers are enthusiastic about applying compounds with fewer side effects. Betulinic acid is a pentacyclic triterpene that is found throughout various plants. Objective Due to the betulinic acid's anti-cancer capabilities, the present investigation aims to look into the betulinic acid's effects on the NB4 cell line. Methods The APL cell line (NB4) was cultured with various betulinic acid concentrations. Afterward, the cell viability was appraised via MTT and trypan blue assays. In addition, the apoptosis and Gene expression were assessed using Annexin/7-AAD assay and qRT-PCR, respectively. Results According to our findings, betulinic acid decreased NB4 cells' viability and metabolic activity in a dose-dependent manner. In comparison to the control group, betulinic acid triggered regulated cell death in NB4 cells. Furthermore, following treatment with 80 g/ml betulinic acid, the hTERT gene's expression decreased by >90%. Conclusion Given betulinic acid's anti-cancer properties, our findings suggest a viable therapeutic method for treating acute promyelocytic leukemia.