title: All-transretinoic acid enhances the effect of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine on p16INK4a demethylation, and the two drugs synergistically activate retinoic acid receptor β gene expression in the human erythroleukemia K562 cell line.
abstract: The aim of the current study was to investigate the antineoplastic activities of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (also known as decitabine; DAC) and all-transretinoic acid (ATRA), administered alone or in combination, in K562 cellsin vitro, as well as the effects on the expression of the tumor suppressor genes, p16INK4a (p16) and retinoic acid receptor β (RAR-β). Cell growth inhibition, differentiation and apoptosis in K562 cells treated with DAC and/or ATRA were detected. The methylation of the p16 and RAR-β genes in the K562 cells was detected using the methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Quantitative PCR was used for the detection of the mRNA expression of the p16 and RAR-β genes, and western blot analysis was used to detect protein expression. DAC and ATRA, alone or in combination, had no effect on the growth inhibition, differentiation and apoptosis of the K562 cells. DAC alone induced the demethylation of the p16 gene, and combination of DAC and ATRA demonstrated more evident demethylation of the p16 gene, however, ATRA alone had no effect on methylation. The RAR-β promoter region was not methylated in the K562 cells. DAC in combination with ATRA appeared to produce a greater activation of the RAR-β gene, which led to the upregulation of the RAR-β expression level. ATRA enhanced the effect of DAC on p16 demethylation, and the combination of the two drugs was found to activate RAR-β expression, which indicated that DAC used in combination with ATRA has clinical potential in the treatment of human erythroleukemia.
authors: Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Third Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Changzhou, P.R. China.
authors: Lili
authors: L
authors: Xiang
authors: Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Third Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Changzhou, P.R. China.
authors: Weimin
authors: W
authors: Dong
authors: Laboratory of China and United States Cooperation, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Third Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Changzhou, P.R. China.
authors: Rong
authors: R
authors: Wang
authors: Comprehensive Laboratory, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Third Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Changzhou, P.R. China.
authors: Jiang
authors: J
authors: Wei
authors: Hematology Laboratory, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Third Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Changzhou, P.R. China.
authors: Guoqiang
authors: G
authors: Qiu
authors: Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Suzhou, P.R. China.
authors: Jiannong
authors: J
authors: Cen
authors: Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Suzhou, P.R. China.
authors: Zixing
authors: Z
authors: Chen
authors: Laboratory of Tumor, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Third Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Changzhou, P.R. China.
authors: Xiao
authors: X
authors: Zheng
authors: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Children's Hospital of Suzhou University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China.
authors: Shaoyan
authors: S
authors: Hu
authors: Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Third Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Changzhou, P.R. China.
authors: Xiaobao
authors: X
authors: Xie
authors: Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Third Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Changzhou, P.R. China.
authors: Xiangshan
authors: X
authors: Cao
authors: Department of Hematology, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Third Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Changzhou, P.R. China.
authors: Weiying
authors: W
authors: Gu
keywords: 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine; DNA methylation; K562 cells; all-trans retinoic acid; p16INK4a; retinoic acid receptor β