Unlike solid
tumors, the primary strategy for
leukemia treatment is
chemotherapy. However,
leukemia chemotherapy is associated with adverse drug effects and drug resistance. Therefore, it is imperative to identify novel agents that effectively treat
leukemia while minimizing adverse effects. The Raf/
MEK/extracellular regulated
kinase (ERK) and
signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathways have been implicated in
leukemia carcinogenesis, and provide novel molecular targets for therapeutic intervention in
cancer.
Mogrol, a biometabolite of mogrosides found in Siraitia grosvenorii, has exhibited anti-
cancer activities; however, the underlying mechanism of this effect remains unclear. To clarify its anti-
cancer activity and mechanism of action, we treated K562
leukemia cells with
mogrol.
Mogrol suppressed
leukemia cell growth via inhibition of the ERK1/2 and STAT3 pathways, in particular, through the suppression of p-ERK1/2 and p-STAT3. Inhibition of these pathways suppressed Bcl-2 expression, thereby inducing K562 cell apoptosis. Furthermore,
mogrol enhanced p21 expression, resulting in G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. The findings provide new perspectives regarding the role of
mogrol in
leukemia treatment.