FTIs could induce caspase-3 activation by flow cytometric measurement of MFI after cleavage of the specific fluorogenic substrate DEVD-AFC (mean percentage of positive cells after 6 and 24h culture, 25±4% and 38±4% vs 9±1% and 18±5%, FTI-treated and control AML cells, respectively; mean of 5 experiments). This evidence concerns the gene CASP3 and acute myeloid leukemia.