L-ETHIONINE AS AN INDUCER OF DIFFERENTIATION IN HUMAN PROMYELOCYTIC LEUKEMIA-CELLS (HL-60)

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 40  (9) , 3206-3210
Abstract
The methionine analog, L-ethionine, induces morphological and biochemical changes in cultured [human promyelocytic leukemia] HL-60 cells which are indicative of myeloid maturation. After 3-5 days of growth in the presence of L-ethionine, the majority of cells have enhanced phagocytic ability. The percentage of cells in the culture which bear complement receptors and which can respond to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate with respiratory burst activity increases > 3-fold. Since the cells fail to become adherent and lose nonspecific esterase activity, it appears that L-ethionine, like dimethyl sulfoxide, induces granulocytic differentiation of HL-60 cells.