ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the efficacy of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) combining chemotherapy and As4S4 with ATRA combining chemotherapy for the maintenance treatment of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty patients with APL induced to complete remission by ATRA and consolidated by chemotherapy were randomly divided into two groups. Thirty patients as As4S4 group received ATRA + As4S4 + chemotherapy, and another thirty patients as non-As4S4 group were treated only with ATRA + chemotherapy as maintenance therapy. The therapeutic effects, side effects and PML-RARalpha gene expression were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The three-year continuous complete remission (CCR) rate was 90.0% for As4S4 group and 61.1% for non-As4S4 group, the difference being statistically significant. Significant difference was also found in the positive rate of PML-RARalpha fusion gene between the two groups. The side effects were mild.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>APL patients in maintenance therapy with ATRA + 6-MP + MTX + As4S4 can obtain a higher CCR.</p>
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols , Arsenicals , Therapeutic Uses , Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute , Drug Therapy , Remission Induction , Sulfides , Therapeutic Uses , Treatment Outcome , Tretinoin , Therapeutic UsesABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the role of MEKK2 on the production of IL-2 in Jurkat cells stimulated by PHA/anti-CD28 antibody.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The MEKK2 and JNK kinase activities were measured in both dominant negative MEKK2 Jurkat (dnMEKK2 Jurkat) cells and parental Jurkat cells. The AP(1) and IL-2 promotor activities were measured by luciferase activity assay. The IL-2 mRNA and protein were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After stimulation by PHA/anti-CD28, JNK was activated in parental Jurkat cells but not in dnMEKK2 Jurkat cells. The luciferase report gene activities of AP1 and IL-2 promotors were increased by 4- and 5-folds in parental cells whereas only by 1 fold in dnMEKK2 Jurkat cells. The level of IL-2 mRNA and IL-2 protein were increased in parental Jurkat cells but not in dnMEKK2 Jurkat cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MEKK2 plays an important role on the production of IL-2 in Jurkat cell stimulated with PHA/anti-CD28 antibody. It is a potential drug target for the treatment of GVHD and autoimmune disease.</p>