scholarly journals All-trans retinoic acid as a differentiation therapy for acute promyelocytic leukemia. I. Clinical results [see comments]

Blood ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 76 (9) ◽  
pp. 1704-1709 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Castaigne ◽  
C Chomienne ◽  
MT Daniel ◽  
P Ballerini ◽  
R Berger ◽  
...  

Abstract Twenty-two patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia were treated with all-trans retinoic acid (RA, 45 mg/m2 per day) for 90 days. Of the 22, four patients were previously untreated, two were resistant after conventional chemotherapy, and 16 were in first (n = 11), second (n = 4), or third (n = 1) relapse. We observed 14 complete response, four transient responses, one failure, and three early deaths. Length of hospitalization and number of transfusions were notably reduced in complete responders. Correction of coagulation disorders and an increase of WBCs were the first signs of all-trans RA efficacy. Morphologic analysis performed at days 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 90 showed that complete remissions were obtained without bone marrow (BM) hypoplasia. Presence of Auer rods in the maturing cells confirmed the differentiation effect of the treatment. At remission, the t(15;17) initially present in 20 patients was not found. The in vitro studies showed a differentiation in the presence of all-trans RA in 16 of the 18 tested cases. The single nonresponder to all trans RA in vitro did not respond in vivo. Adverse effects of RA therapy--skin and mucosa dryness, hypertriglyceridemia, and increase of hepatic transaminases-- were frequently noted. We also observed bone pain in 11 patients and hyperleukocytosis in four patients. Whether maintenance treatment consisted of low-dose chemotherapy or all-trans RA, early relapses were observed. Five patients are still in complete remission (CR) at 4 to 13 months. Our study confirms the major efficacy of all-trans RA in M3, even in relapsing patients. Remissions are obtained by a differentiation process.

Blood ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 76 (9) ◽  
pp. 1704-1709 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Castaigne ◽  
C Chomienne ◽  
MT Daniel ◽  
P Ballerini ◽  
R Berger ◽  
...  

Twenty-two patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia were treated with all-trans retinoic acid (RA, 45 mg/m2 per day) for 90 days. Of the 22, four patients were previously untreated, two were resistant after conventional chemotherapy, and 16 were in first (n = 11), second (n = 4), or third (n = 1) relapse. We observed 14 complete response, four transient responses, one failure, and three early deaths. Length of hospitalization and number of transfusions were notably reduced in complete responders. Correction of coagulation disorders and an increase of WBCs were the first signs of all-trans RA efficacy. Morphologic analysis performed at days 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 90 showed that complete remissions were obtained without bone marrow (BM) hypoplasia. Presence of Auer rods in the maturing cells confirmed the differentiation effect of the treatment. At remission, the t(15;17) initially present in 20 patients was not found. The in vitro studies showed a differentiation in the presence of all-trans RA in 16 of the 18 tested cases. The single nonresponder to all trans RA in vitro did not respond in vivo. Adverse effects of RA therapy--skin and mucosa dryness, hypertriglyceridemia, and increase of hepatic transaminases-- were frequently noted. We also observed bone pain in 11 patients and hyperleukocytosis in four patients. Whether maintenance treatment consisted of low-dose chemotherapy or all-trans RA, early relapses were observed. Five patients are still in complete remission (CR) at 4 to 13 months. Our study confirms the major efficacy of all-trans RA in M3, even in relapsing patients. Remissions are obtained by a differentiation process.


Oncotarget ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (29) ◽  
pp. 46028-46041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farzaneh Atashrazm ◽  
Ray M. Lowenthal ◽  
Joanne L. Dickinson ◽  
Adele F. Holloway ◽  
Gregory M. Woods

Blood ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
pp. 264-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongkui Jing ◽  
Long Wang ◽  
Lijuan Xia ◽  
Guo-qiang Chen ◽  
Zhu Chen ◽  
...  

Abstract All-trans retinoic acid (tRA) and arsenic trioxide (As2O3) induce non–cross-resistant complete clinical remission in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia with t(15;17) translocation and target PML-RARα, the leukemogenic protein, by different pathways suggesting a possible therapeutic synergism. To evaluate this possibility, this study examined the effect of As2O3 on tRA-induced differentiation and, conversely, the effect of tRA on As2O3-induced apoptosis. As2O3 at subapoptotic concentrations (0.5 μM) decreased tRA-induced differentiation in NB4 cells but synergized with atRA to induce differentiation in tRA-resistant NB4 subclones MR-2 and R4 cells as measured by nitroblue tetrazolium reduction and tRA-inducible genes (TTGII, RARβ, RIG-E). tRA cleaved PML-RARα into distinct fragments in NB4 but not in tRA-resistant MR-2 or R4 cells, whereas As2O3 completely degraded PML-RARα in all 3 cell lines. As2O3-induced apoptosis was decreased by tRA pretreatment of NB4 cells but not of R4 cells and was associated with a strong induction of Bfl-1/A1 expression, a Bcl-2 protein family member. Severe combined immunodeficient mice bearing NB4 cells showed an additive survival effect after sequential treatment, but a toxic effect was observed after simultaneous treatment with tRA and As2O3. These data suggest that combined As2O3 and tRA treatment may be more effective than single agents in tRA-resistant patients. Although in vitro data do not always translate to in vivo response, toxicity and potential drug antagonism may be diminished by decreasing the concentration of As2O3 when given at the same time with therapeutic levels of tRA.


1995 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 2517-2523 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Agadir ◽  
M Cornic ◽  
P Lefebvre ◽  
B Gourmel ◽  
M Jérôme ◽  
...  

PURPOSE This study investigated the in vitro pharmacologic behavior and disposition kinetics of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in acute myeloid leukemic (AML) cells, their sensitivity to its differentiating effect, and the in vivo response of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patients after therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Fresh leukemic cells from 14 AML patients (nine APL and five non-APL), were incubated in suspension culture in the absence or presence of 10(-6) mol/L ATRA. Intracellular ATRA concentration and ATRA metabolism was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS Immediate uptake is observed with maximal intracellular levels (Cmax) achieved after 24 hours of incubation. At this time, ATRA levels were variable, ranging from 20 to 230 pmol/10(6) cells (median, 100 pmol/10(6) cells). Comparison of ATRA intracellular levels with the in vitro response of patients' cell samples as measured by the percentage of nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT)-positive cells after a 3-day incubation period allowed us to discriminate a group of APL patients (n = 6) with high Cmax (group A; median, 200 pmol/10(6) cells) and maximal differentiation at day 3 (median, 80%), and a group of patients (n = 8, three APL and five non-APL) with low Cmax (group B; median, 35 pmol/10(6) cells) and poor in vitro response (median, 40%; APL cases only). Interestingly, all APL patients, except one included in group A (rapid in vitro ATRA uptakers), achieved a complete remission. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that intracellular ATRA concentrations are determinant for ATRA response and should be taken into account when monitoring the efficacy of ATRA differentiation therapeutic trials in malignant disorders.


Blood ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 98 (9) ◽  
pp. 2862-2864 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Cassinat ◽  
Sylvie Chevret ◽  
Fabien Zassadowski ◽  
Nicole Balitrand ◽  
Isabelle Guillemot ◽  
...  

Abstract Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) blasts possess a unique sensitivity to the differentiating effects of all-transretinoic acid (ATRA). Multicenter trials confirm that the combination of differentiation and cytotoxic therapy prolongs survival in APL patients. However relapses still occur, and exquisite adaptation of therapy to prognostic factors is essential to aim at a possible cure of the disease. A heterogeneity was previously reported in the differentiation rate of patients' APL blasts, and it was postulated that this may reflect the in vivo heterogeneous outcome. In this study, it is demonstrated that patients of the APL93 trial whose leukemic cells achieved optimal differentiation with ATRA in vitro at diagnosis had a significantly improved event-free survival (P = .01) and lower relapse rate (P = .04). This analysis highlights the importance of the differentiation step in APL therapy and justifies ongoing studies aimed at identifying novel RA-differentiation enhancers.


Blood ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
pp. 1540-1547 ◽  
Author(s):  
RE Gallagher ◽  
YP Li ◽  
S Rao ◽  
E Paietta ◽  
J Andersen ◽  
...  

Of 113 acute promyelocytic leukemia cases documented to have diagnostic PML-RAR alpha hybrid mRNA, 10 cases (8.8%) had fusion sites in PML gene exon 6 (V-forms) rather than in the two common hybrid mRNA configurations resulting from breaksites in either PML gene intron 6 (L- forms) or intron 3 (S-forms). In 4 V-form cases, a common break/fusion site was discovered at PML gene nucleotide (nt) 1685, abutting a 3′ cryptic splice donor sequence. The fusion site was proximal to the common site in 1 case and more distal in 5 cases. The open reading frame encoding a PML-RAR alpha gene was consistently preserved, either by an in-frame fusion site or by the insertion of 3 to 127 unidentified nts. In 2 V-form cases, hybridization analysis of the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction products with a PML-RAR alpha juction probe was required for discrimination from L-form cases. Two V- form subgroups were defined by in vitro sensitivity to all-trans retinoic acid (tRA)-induced differentiation: 4 of 4 cases tested with fusion sites at or 5′ to nt 1685 (subgroup E6S) had reduced sensitivity (EC50 > or = 10(-7) mol/L), whereas 4 of 4 cases with fusion sites at or 3′ to nt 1709 (subgroup E6L) had high sensitivity (EC50 < 10(-8) mol/L) indistinguishable from that of L-form and S-form cases. These results provide the first link between PML-RAR alpha configuration and tRA sensitivity in vitro and support the importance of subclassifying APL cases according to PML-RAR alpha transcript type.


Blood ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 82 (7) ◽  
pp. 2175-2181 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Delva ◽  
M Cornic ◽  
N Balitrand ◽  
F Guidez ◽  
JM Miclea ◽  
...  

Abstract All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) induces leukemic cell differentiation and complete remission (CR) in a high proportion of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (AML3 subtype). However, relapses occur when ATRA is prescribed as maintenance therapy, and resistance to a second ATRA-induction therapy is frequently observed. An induced hypercatabolism of ATRA has been suggested as a possible mechanism leading to reduced ATRA sensitivity and resistance. CRABPII, an RA cytoplasmic binding protein linked to RA's metabolization pathway, is induced by ATRA in different cell systems. To investigate whether specific features of the AML3 cells at relapse could explain the in vivo resistance observed, we studied the CRABP levels and in vitro sensitivity to ATRA of AML3 cells before and at relapse from ATRA. Relapse-AML3 cells (n = 12) showed reduced differentiation induction when compared with “virgin”-AML3 cells (n = 31; P < .05). Dose-response studies were performed in 2 cases at relapse and showed decreased sensitivity to low ATRA concentrations. CRABPII levels and in vitro differentiation characteristics of AML3 cells before and at relapse from ATRA therapy were studied concomittantly in 4 patients. High levels of CRABPII (median, 20 fmol/mg of protein) were detected in the cells of the 4 patients at relapse but were not detected before ATRA therapy. Three of these patients showed a decrease in differentiation induction of their leukemic cells, and a failure to achieve CR with a second induction therapy of ATRA 45 mg/m2/day was noted in all patients treated (n = 3). Results from this study provide evidence to support the hypothesis of induced-ATRA metabolism as one of the major mechanisms responsible for ATRA resistance. Monitoring CRABPII levels after ATRA withdrawal may help to determine when to administer ATRA in the maintenance or relapse therapy of AML3 patients.


Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 2980-2980
Author(s):  
Maaike Luesink ◽  
Jeroen Pennings ◽  
Willemijn Wissink ◽  
Peter Linssen ◽  
Petra Muus ◽  
...  

Abstract The most important complication of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) treatment in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is the retinoic acid syndrome (RAS), a life-threatening hyper-inflammatory reaction with a distinct capillary leak syndrome and multi-organ failure. Once established, the syndrome has proven very difficult to manage. Early recognition in combination with prompt corticosteroid treatment significantly reduces the mortality rate of patients with this syndrome. Nonetheless, still 15% of the induction deaths in APL is caused by RAS. The pathogenic mechanism of the hyper-inflammatory cascade in RAS is not fully understood yet. Infiltration of differentiating APL cells in the lung is important in the development of RAS. In addition, differentiation of APL cells by ATRA is associated with increased expression and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and adhesion molecules in vitro and it has been hypothesized that this is important for the triggering of the hyper-inflammatory cascade in RAS. We investigated the effect of ATRA on the expression and secretion of chemokines in APL cells in vitro and in vivo. Using microarray, quantitative PCR and ELISA we demonstrated significant induction (up to 16000-fold) of 8 CC-chemokines (CCLs) in the NB4 APL cell line after differentiation induction with ATRA in vitro. To demonstrate the significance of chemokine induction by ATRA in vivo, we measured plasma levels of CCLs in 3 APL patients, treated with a combination of ATRA, idarubicine and prednisone according to the AIDA-2000/P protocol. One of these patients developed an obvious retinoic acid syndrome. During therapy we observed increased plasma levels of 3 CCLs in all three patients. Induction of 5 other CCLs (CCL3, CCL4, CCL7, CCL8, CL11) was only observed during RAS, suggesting that upregulation of these 5 CC-chemokines is specific for RAS. To investigate whether the plasma levels of CC-chemokines are functionally relevant, we measured chemo-attraction of peripheral blood leukocytes towards plasma of an APL patient who developed RAS using a transwell system. Plasma from this patient during RAS showed significant more chemo-attraction than plasma from the same patient before treatment with ATRA, idarubicine and prednisone. Subsequently we investigated whether the therapeutic effect of dexamethasone in RAS can be ascribed to downregulation of chemokine expression in APL cells. Despite dexamethasone, the induction of chemokine expression in NB4 cells by ATRA sustained. We conclude that ATRA causes massive secretion of chemokines by APL cells, which might trigger the hyper-inflammatory cascade in RAS by continuous attraction of APL cells and other inflammatory cells towards tissues like the lung. Dexamethasone does not abrogate the production of CC-chemokines by APL cells, but rather seems to inhibit the hyper-inflammatory cascade at the level of the effector cells and target tissues like the lung. This might explain why dexamethasone is not able to sufficiently reverse a retinoic acid syndrome once it has been established. The application of neutralizing CC-chemokine receptor antibodies or other antagonists might be an alternative route to treat an established retinoic acid syndrome.


Blood ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 967-973 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tadasu Tobita ◽  
Akihiro Takeshita ◽  
Kunio Kitamura ◽  
Kazunori Ohnishi ◽  
Mitsuaki Yanagi ◽  
...  

Differentiation therapy with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has marked a major advance and become the first choice drug in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). However, patients who relapse from ATRA-induced complete remission (CR) have difficulty in obtaining a second CR with a second course of ATRA therapy alone. We tested the efficacy of a new synthetic retinoid, Am80, in APL that had relapsed from CR induced by ATRA in a prospective multicenter study. Am80 is approximately 10 times more potent than ATRA as an in vitro differentiation inducer, is more stable to light, heat, and oxidation than ATRA, has a low affinity for cellular retinoic acid binding protein, and does not bind to retinoic acid receptor-γ. Patients received Am80, 6 mg/m2, orally alone daily until CR. Of 24 evaluable patients, 14 (58%) achieved CR. The interval from the last ATRA therapy was not different between CR and failure cases. The clinical response was well correlated with the in vitro response to Am80 in patients examined. Adverse events included 1 retinoic acid syndrome, 1 hyperleukocytosis, 9 xerosis, 8 cheilitis, 16 hypertriglyceridemia, and 15 hypercholesterolemia, but generally milder than those of ATRA, which all patients had received previously. Am80 is effective in APL relapsed from ATRA-induced CR and deserves further trials, especially in combination with chemotherapy.


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