Arsenic trioxide induction autophagy in human acute promyelocytic leukemia

Autophagy is a survival pathway required for cellular viability during starvation through catabolic self digestion of damaged proteins and organelles; however, autophagy may result in cell death if it proceeds to completion. Although the exact mechanism of this process is not clear, it seems that proper regulation of autophagy can potentially contribute to the therapeutics of cancers. The aim of this study was to determine the role of Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) in the induction of autophagy in human acute promyelocytic leukemia.

In this study, the role of autophagy in the As2O3-induced death of NB4 cells was assessed using electron microscopy. Also, quantitative real-time PCR method was used for expression of autophagy related genes in dose and Time dependent manner.

Our results showed that autophagy induces death in NB4 cells treated with arsenic trioxide. It was also found that the Atg7, Bclin1 and LC3 genes, which are essential genes for induction of autophagy, are the target of arsenic trioxide invasion.

This study showed As2O3-induced autophagy plays an important role in eliminating leukemia cells and treatment of cancer.