Progress of autophagy in acute promyelocytic leukemia / 白血病·淋巴瘤

ABSTRACT

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a special subtype of acute myeloid leukemia, characterized by the reciprocal chromosomal translocation of t (15;17)(q22;q21), which generates PML-RARαfusion protein. All-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and As2O3 could induce APL cells to differentiation and apoptosis, respectively, making APL become the first curable leukemia. Autophagy is one of metabolic mechanisms to maintain cell homeostasis. Recent studies have showed that autophagy plays an important role in the differentiation of APL cells induced by ATRA/As2O3. Meanwhile, autophagy may affect the sensitivity of APL cells to the pro-apoptotic effect of drugs. Therefore, targeting and regulating autophagy might be a new therapeutic approach of APL and even other leukemia in the future. This article will briefly review the advance of autophagy in APL in recent years.