title: Effects of 13-cis retinoic acid and Ara-C on differentiation and proliferation of non-promyelocytic acute myelogenous leukemia.
abstract: An alternative to a cell-kill strategy for eradication of acute myelogenous leukemia, is to restore normal differentiation. Vitamin A derivatives demonstrate differentiation-inducing activity both in vitro and in vivo on promyelocytic leukemic cells. We tested the ability of 13-cis retinoic acid to reduce proliferation and induce differentiation in 10 samples from patients with acute non-promyelocytic leukemia. DNA synthesis and leukemia colony formation were affected to varying degrees by a prolonged exposure to the vitamin A compound. Morphologically and cytochemically no differentiation was determined either after 48 h in suspension cultures or 7 additional days in semi-solid cultures. Alkaline leukocyte phosphatase, a biochemical marker of differentiation, was significantly increased in five samples. DNA synthesis in these samples was significantly reduced as compared to samples failing to express alkaline leukocyte phosphatase following 13-cis retinoic acid treatment. DNA synthesis of these same 5 samples was also strongly inhibited by Ara-C. Expression of alkaline leukocyte phosphatase following 13-cis retinoic acid exposure may be a useful indicator for cells amenable to 13-cis retinoic acid or Ara-C treatment.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015474:Isotretinoin; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000473:pathology*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D014316:Tritium; D014212:Tretinoin; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D015474:Isotretinoin; D013936:Thymidine