All-trans retinoic reduces the levels of cardiolipins in the NB4 acute promyelocytic leukemia cell-line affecting the autophagy and differentiation responses. All-trans retinoic reduces the levels of cardiolipins in the NB4 acute promyelocytic leukemia cell-line affecting the autophagy and differentiation responses

All-trans retinoic (ATRA) is used in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia a rare form of AML characterized by the presence of a specific translocation involving chrosomes 15;17 and causing the production of the PML-RARα fusion protein in 95% of the cases. ATRA differentiates the APL blasts into neutrophilic granulocytes which are short lived cells. This effect is at the basis of the therapeutic effect of ATRA.