Azelaic Acid Exerts Antileukemic Activity in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

• Main Authors: Yunbao Pan (Author), Dong Liu (Author), Yongchang Wei (Author), Dan Su (Author), Chenyang Lu (Author), Yanchao Hu (Author), Fuling Zhou (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A., 2017-06-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 1663-9812; 10.3389/fphar.2017.00359
• Keywords: Azelaic acid; acute myeloid leukemia; Jab1; AKT; targeted therapy; Therapeutics. Pharmacology; RM1-950
• Source: Frontiers in Pharmacology, Vol 8 (2017)

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an acute leukemia common in most adults; its prevalence intensifies with age. The overall survival of AML is very poor because of therapeutic resistance. Azelaic acid (AZA) is non-toxic, non-teratogenic, and non-mutagenic and its antitumor effect on various tumor cells is well established; Nonetheless, its therapeutic effects in AML cells are largely unknown. In this study, it was shown that AZA significantly inhibits the cell viability and induces apoptosis in AML cells in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, AZA suppressed the expression of phosphorylated Akt, Jab1 and Trx, and this suppression was enhanced by treatment with Jab1 siRNA. Furthermore, AZA sensitized AML cells to Ara-c chemotherapy. The suppressive effect of AZA on tumor growth was examined in vivo by subcutaneously inoculated AML cells in a tumor model using nude mice. These findings indicate that AZA is useful as an effective ingredient in antineoplastic activity.