We showed previously that WEB-2086 – an antagonist of platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR) with known anti-inflammatory properties (Ishii and Shimizu, 2000) – could also induce erythroleukaemia cell maturation (Cellai et al, 2002), enhance ATRA differentiation potential, trigger apoptosis in ATRA-sensitive and -resistant APL cell lines, and in blasts from patients with APL (Laurenzana et al, 2005). This evidence concerns the gene PTAFR and acute promyelocytic leukemia.