Changes in levels of serum lipids in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia with all-trans retinoic acid.

Objective:To investigate the changes of serum lipids in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and its possible mechanism. Methods:Retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of serum lipids from 76 hospitalized APL patients during ATRA-induced differentiation. Furthermore the level of serum lipids was detected in the supernatants of cultured NB4 cells treated with ATRA 0.5 μmol/L. HepG2 cells and pure culture fluids were regarded as controls.Results:The serum triglycerides (TG) level were significantly increased in 76 APL specimens after 2-week treatment with ATRA (P0.01) but the serum level of cholesterol (TC) had no significant changes. The level of TG in supernatant of NB4 cells were significantly elevated after 72 h culture (P0.05). The levels of TG in supernatants of cultured NB4 cells were gradually increased at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h after ATRA 0.5 μmol/L treatment ( P0.01). But the levels of TC in supernatants of cultured NB4 cells with or without ATRA treatment had no apparent changes. The levels of TG and TC in supernatants of HepG2 cells treated with or without ATRA did not change at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h. Conclusion:Hypertriglyceridemia often occurs during ATRA induces differentiation of the APL. It may be related with metabolism of acute promyelocytic leukemia cells.