Enin Isolated from Skin of Red Grape (Vitris vinifera) Induces Apoptosis in Human Lymphoid Leukemia Molt 4B Cells

We have investigated the effect of extract prepared from skin of red grape (Vitris vinifera) on the growth of human lymphoid leukemia Molt 4B cells. It was found that the extract obtained by extraction with butanol suppressed the growth of Molt 4B cells. Fraction IV obtained by separation with HPLC inhibited the growth of the Molt 4B cells by 86% at the concentration of 600 μM. We determined the structure of compound contained in Fraction IV and identified it as enin, a kind of anthocyanin, by 1H- and 13C-NMR. The enin-treated cells clearly exhibited morphological changes, indicating the blebbing and chromatin condensation which are characteristic of apoptosis. Characteristic oligonucleosomal-sized DNA fragments were observed in the enin-treated cells. These findings suggest that the suppression by enin of growth of Molt 4B cells results from the induction of apoptosis by this compound.