These four antioxidants could all scavenge AF-induced ROS generation, but based on our results, only thiol-containing antioxidants but not non-thiol-containing antioxidants could prevent AF-induced proteasome inhibition, Bcr-Abl downregulation and apoptosis, demonstrating that DUB inhibition, rather than ROS elevation, is the main mechanism by which AF overcomes IM-resistance in CML cells as we previously reported in other cancer cells [26]. Here, ZUP1 is linked to chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive.