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Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Pre-clinical Evaluation of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for Treatment of Acute Leukemia
Published on: September 18, 2013
Growth-inhibiting effects of arsenic trioxide plus epigenetic therapeutic agents on leukemia cell lines
Chun-Yan Peng1, Jikai Jiang, Hai-Tao Zheng
1Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China.
Abstract:
Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is an effective therapeutic agent for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and other hematopoietic malignancies. We found that ATO down-regulated the global DNA methylation level in HL-60 cells with high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) assay. Using combination index method of Chou and Talalay, interactions between ATO and epigenetic therapeutic agents were analyzed in three human leukemia cell lines (HL-60, U937, and K562). A synergistic interaction was observed in HL-60 cells between ATO and 5-Aza-2'-Deoxycytidine (DAC), while an antagonistic interaction was found in U937 cells between ATO and valproic acid (VPA). The combination of ATO with trichostatin A (TSA) caused an antagonistic interaction in U937 and K562 cells. These results not only highlight possible diversity of the anti-leukemia mechanisms of ATO, but also provide initial guide for further investigation of leukemia therapies based on the combination of ATO with epigenetic agents.
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