INHIBITION OF DIFFERENTIATION OF MOUSE MYELOID-LEUKEMIA CELLS BY PHENOLIC ANTIOXIDANTS AND ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 72  (1) , 104-112
Abstract
Mouse myeloid leukemia cells (Ml) could be induced to differentiate into mature macrophages and granulocytes by treatment with dexamethasone or a protein inducer in ascitic fluid from tumor-bearing rats. The effects of antioxidants (butylated hydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene, .alpha.-tocopherol, propyl gallate, disulfiram, cysteamine, ascorbate, selenite and glutathione) on differentiation of the cells were examined. Butylated hydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene and .alpha.-tocopherol significantly inhibited the differentiation of the cells induced by dexamethasone or a protein inducer. Other antioxidants had little or no inhibitory activity. Among the antioxidants tested, butylated hydroxyanisole was the most potent inhibitor. The inhibition by butylated hydroxyanisole was not due to cytotoxicity and was reversible. The butylated hydroxanisole-mediated inhibition was counteracted by prostaglandin[PG]E1 or E2 but not PGF1.alpha.. Butylated hydroxyanisole inhibited the production of PGE2 by Ml cells treated with dexamethasone. The inhibition by butylated hydroxyanisole of differentiation of Ml cells may be due to the inhibition of synthesis of PGE2.