Curing APL: differentiation or destruction?

Cancer Cell. 2009 Jan 6;15(1):7-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ccr.2008.12.012.

Abstract

In a recent issue of Nature Medicine, Nasr et al. show that the effectiveness of all-trans retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide in acute promyelocytic leukemia is independent of their ability to cause differentiation. Targeted destruction of the PML-RARalpha oncoprotein appears key to eliminating the cells from which relapse can arise.

Publication types

  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Arsenic Trioxide
  • Arsenicals / pharmacology
  • Arsenicals / therapeutic use
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / pathology*
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / metabolism*
  • Oxides / pharmacology
  • Oxides / therapeutic use
  • Tretinoin / pharmacology
  • Tretinoin / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Arsenicals
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
  • Oxides
  • promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor alpha fusion oncoprotein
  • Tretinoin
  • Arsenic Trioxide