EFFECT OF DEXAMETHASONE ON HEXAMETHYLENE BISACETAMIDE-INDUCED FRIEND-CELL ERYTHRODIFFERENTIATION

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  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 42  (2) , 513-518
Abstract
Friend erythroleukemic cells can be induced to differentiate by chemicals such as dimethyl sulfoxide and hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA) in a dose-dependent manner. Dexamethasone and other steroid hormones can inhibit the differentiation induced by dimethyl sulfoxide. Dexamethasone has a dual mode of action on the HMBA-induced differentiation of a Friend cell line, DS19. At concentrations above 10-10 M dexamethasone inhibits the HMBA-induced differentiation in DS19 cells. As the concentration of HMBA is reduced, the amount of dexamethasone required to inhibit differentiation increases. Such inhibition seems to act primarily by decreasing the probability that a cell will become committed to differentiate. Besides, dexamethasone does not inhibit Hb synthesis of cells which are committed in its absence. Sensitivity to the inhibition by dexamethasone is inversely related to the inducibility of cell populations. The 2nd action of dexamethasone, observed at concentrations between 10-10-10-13 M, is to increase the proportion of Hb-containing cells relative to that for cells cultured in its absence. The degree of this synergistic effect for induced differentiation is inversely related to the level of induction in the absence of dexamethasone and is best observed in the cells cultured at low levels of HMBA. This synergistic effect may be due to an increased viability of the induced cells and possibly an increase in the proliferative capacity of these cells.