Combining nanodiamond and all trans retinoic acid to increase the apoptosis of HL-60 cell

•The surface functionalized detonation nanodiamond (DND) is combined with all trans retinoic acid (ATRA) for enhancing the efficacy of ATRA drug.•Treated by the DND–ATRA complex, the inhibition and apoptosis rates of HL-60 cells are significantly increased higher than that treated by sole ATRA.•It is demonstrated that biocompatible DND presents a new way for improving the pharmacodynamics of ATAR for the treatment of leukemia cell.

The surface functionalized non-biotoxicity detonation nanodiamond (DND) has been proposed to combine with all trans retinoic acid (ATRA) for enhancing the efficacy of ATRA drug on the typical target cancer cell of HL-60 of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Treated by the DND–ATRA complex, the inhibition and apoptosis rates of HL-60 cells are significantly increased higher than that treated by sole ATRA. A large amount of ATRA can be absorbed on the surface-functionalized DNDs, and release in the cancer cells with a high local concentration. The drug delivery of DND might present an important way for improving the pharmacodynamics of ATAR for the treatment of leukemia cell.