Synthesis and biological activities of higher homologues of retinoic acid

RA induces the differentiation of myeloid leukemic cells both from patients and cell lines . The fact that differentiated cells loose their pro-liferative capacity provides an efficient approach for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia by RA. Moreover a therapeutic effect extended to other fonns of leukemia is expected by using an appropriate synergistic combination between RA and other cell differentiating agents such as the biologically active form of vitamin D, la,25-dihy-droxyvitamin D