Ajulemic acid (AJA) and other cannabinoids are a current topic of interest for the treatment of Ewing’s sarcoma, a pediatric bone cancer with poor prognoses. AJA is structurally similar to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active compound in the marijuana plant, but AJA has no psychotropic effects, making it a viable option for the pediatric population. This compound has been shown to induce apoptosis in Ewing’s sarcoma cells, but the mechanism of action is not yet understood. Previous work in the lab has identified the retinoic acid receptor (RAR-alpha) as a strong candidate receptor mediating the induction of apoptosis. Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), a subtype of acute myelocytic leukemia, is treated with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). ATRA binds to the retinoic acid receptor, inducing differentiation of the promyelocytes. The goal of this study is to investigate the effect of AJA on APL cells. It was hypothesized that AJA, like ATRA, will force differentiation of this cell population. If true, this will confirm the ability of AJA to bind to the retinoic acid receptor and may elucidate the mechanism this compound uses to induce apoptosis in Ewing’s sarcoma cells.

Using acute promyelocytic leukemic cells to test for receptor binding of ajulemic acid

249th National Meeting (2015)

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