Terminal Differentiation Of HL-60 Cells Research Articles

Genes encoded within 8q24 on the amplicon of a large extrachromosomal element are selectively repressed during the terminal differentiation of HL-60 cells

Human acute myeloblastic leukemia HL-60 cells become resistant to differentiation during long-term cultivation. After 150 passages, double minute chromosomes (dmins) found in early-passaged cells are replaced by large extrachromosomal elements (LEEs). In a DNA library derived from a purified fraction of LEEs, 12.6% (23/183) of clones were assigned to 8q24 and 9.2% (17/183) were assigned to 14q11 in the human genome. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) revealed a small aberrant chromosome, which had not been found in early-passaged cells, in addition to the purified LEEs. We determined that each LEE consisted of six discontinuous segments in a region that extended for 4.4Mb over the 8q24 locus. Five genes, namely, Myc (a proto-oncogene), NSMCE2 (for a SUMO ligase), CCDC26 (for a retinoic acid-dependent modulator of myeloid differentiation), TRIB1 (for a regulator of MAPK kinase) and LOC389637 (for a protein of unknown function), were encoded by the amplicon. Breaks in the chromosomal DNA within the amplicon were found in the NSMCE2 and CCDC26 genes. The discontinuous structure of the amplicon unit of the LEEs was identical with that of dmins in HL-60 early-passaged cells. The difference between them seemed, predominantly, to be the number (10–15 copies per LEE versus 2 or 3 copies per dmin) of constituent units. Expression of the Myc, NSMCE2, CCDC26 and LOC389637 and TRIB1 genes was constitutive in all lines of HL-60 cells and that of the first four genes was repressed during the terminal differentiation of early-passaged HL-60 cells. We also detected abnormal transcripts of CCDC26. Our results suggest that these genes were selected during the development of amplicons. They might be amplified and, sometimes, truncated to contribute to the maintenance of HL-60 cells in an undifferentiated state.

Synthesis of furopyrazole analogs of 1-benzyl-3-(5-hydroxymethyl-2-furyl)indazole (YC-1) as novel anti-leukemia agents

As part of our continuing search for potential anticancer drug candidates in YC- 1 analogs, several 1-benzyl-3-(substituted aryl)-5-methylfuro[3,2- c]pyrazoles were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxicity against HL-60 cell line. Among these compounds, 1-benzyl-3-(5-hydroxymethyl-2-furyl)-5-methylfuro[3,2- c]pyrazole ( 1) showed more potency than YC- 1. Through investigation of action mechanism, it was found that compound 1 induced terminal differentiation of HL-60 cells toward granulocyte lineage and promoted HL-60 cell differentiation by regulation of Bcl-2 and c-Myc proteins. Meanwhile, compound 1 also demonstrated apoptosis inducing effect. Such anti-leukemia mechanism of action is apparently different from that of YC- 1 which mainly works by inducing apoptosis, but not cell differentiation. Therefore, compound 1 is identified here as a new lead compound of cell differentiating agent and apoptosis inducer for further development of new anti-leukemia agents.

Mechanism Study of HL-60 Leukemic Cells Proliferative Inhibition Induced by Chinese Medicinal Herbs Mixture Jieduweikang Pill.

Background. It's not surprising that the traditional Chinese herbal remedy is yielding useful drug leads. The mixture composed of thirteen Chinese medicinal plants---jieduweikang(JDWK) pill including Qingdai, Qinghao, Huangchi, Baihuasheshecao, Banzhilian and so on has been shown the clinical antitumor effects in China. We here report the mechanism investigation of JDWK pill cytotoxicity to leukemia cell line HL-60.Methods By using the method of serum pharmacology, the serum containing the JDWK pill was collected from rats. The MTT and tumor colony formation were used to determine the effects of JDWK pill on proliferation of HL-60 cells. NBT reduction, DNA electrophoresis, flow cytometry and RT-PCR were used to analyze the differentiation and apoptosis of HL-60 cells after treating with JDWK pill. Elisa was used to assay the secretion of VEGF from HL-60 cells.Results The liquid growth and colony formation of HL-60 cells were evidently inhibited by the serum containing JDWK pill and the cells were shown characteristic DNA “ladder” on agarose gel electrophoresis and more than 20% apoptotic cells in DNA histogram as well as the downregulation of bcl-2 gene related to apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner, compared with the control. NBT reduction assay indicated that JDWK pill with low concentration may induce myeloid terminal differentiation of HL-60 cells and the level of VEGF was obviously decresed.Conclusion The JDWK pill can exerts the its anti-proliferative effect on the leukemic HL-60 cells through inducing apoptosis relating to the downregulation of Bcl-2 gene and anti-angiogenic effects with higher concentration and inducing myeloid differentiation with lower concentration.

Down-regulation of TRRAP-dependent hTERT and TRRAP-independent CAD activation by Myc/Max contributes to the differentiation of HL60 cells after exposure to DMSO

Myc/Max/Mad often play pivotal roles in the proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation and cell cycle progress of leukemia cells. Myc and Mad are known to be unstable proteins and their expression is tightly regulated throughout cell cycle progression and differentiation. Usually, c-Myc expression is implicated in cell growth and proliferation, and the deregulated expression of c-Myc in both myeloid leukemia cells and normal myeloid cells not only blocks terminal differentiation but also its associated growth arrest. HL60 cells could be induced to differentiate into mature granulocytes by DMSO in vitro, but the mechanism of this effect has not been elucidated clearly. We proposed the hypothesis that down-regulation of c-Myc expression by DMSO contributed to the differentiation of HL60 cells by way of activating target genes hTert and CAD. The results showed that c-Myc expression was down-regulated in differentiated HL60 cells but not in exponentially-growing HL60 cells, without or with the target gene activation of hTert and CAD, respectively. Further study indicated that hTert activation is TRRAP-dependent while CAD activation is TRRAP-independent. On the other hand, up-regulation of P 21 and P 27 and down-regulation of cyclinA and cyclinE also play important roles in induction of the terminal differentiation of HL60 cells. Our results support the hypothesis that c-Myc expression and activation of target genes for hTert and CAD play critical roles in the proliferation of HL60 cells, while down-regulation of c-Myc expression and activation of target genes for hTert and CAD contributed to the terminal differentiation of HL60 cells after exposure to DMSO in vitro.

Down-regulation of the Mitochondrial Translation System during Terminal Differentiation of HL-60 cells by 12-O-Tetradecanoyl-1-phorbol-13-acetate: COMPARISON WITH THE CYTOPLASMIC TRANSLATION SYSTEM

Mitochondrial (mt) biogenesis depends on both the nuclear and mt genomes, and a coordination of these two genetic systems is necessary for proper cell functioning. Little is known about the regulatory mechanisms of mt translation or about the expression of mt translation factors. Here, we studied the expression of mt translation factors during 12-O-tetradecanoyl-1-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced terminal differentiation of HL-60 cells. For all mt translation factors investigated, mRNA expression was markedly down-regulated in a coordinate and specific manner, whereas mRNA levels for the cytoplasmic translation factors showed only a slight reduction. An actinomycin D chase study and nuclear run-on assay revealed that the TPA-induced decrease in mt elongation factor Tu (EF-Tumt) mRNA mainly results from decreased mRNA stability. Polysome analysis showed that there was no significant translational control of mt translation factor (EF-Tumt, ribosomal proteins L7/L12mt and S12mt) mRNA expression during differentiation. Thus, the decreased protein level of one of these mt translation factors (EF-Tumt) simply reflects its decreased mRNA level. It was also demonstrated by pulse labeling of mt translation products that the down-regulation of mt translational activity is actually associated with down-regulated mt translation factor expression during cellular differentiation. Our results illustrate that the regulatory mechanisms of mt translational activity upon terminal differentiation (in response to the growth arrest) is different to that of the cytoplasmic system, where the control of mRNA translational efficiency of major translation factors is the central mechanism for their down-regulation.

Suppression of Bcl-2 gene expression by sphingosine in the apoptosis of human leukemic HL-60 cells during phorbol ester-induced terminal differentiation

Our recent studies have shown that intracellular levels of sphingosine, an endogenous PKC inhibitor, increase during apoptosis resulting from phorbol ester (PMA)-induced terminal differentiation of human myeloid leukemic HL-60 cells, and have suggested that sphingosine may function as an endogenous mediator of apoptosis in these cells [Ohta, et al. (1995) Cancer Res. 55, 691–697]. We report here that apoptosis induced by PMA, sphingosine, and N,N-dimethylsphingosine (DMS) was accompanied by a concomitant decrease of bcl-2 expression in both RNA and protein levels in HL-60 cells, while expression of bcl-X L and bax mRNA did not change, and neither sphingosine nor DMS induced differentiation of HL-60 cells. In contrast, in apoptotic cells induced by pharmaceutical PKC inhibitors H7 or staurosporine, expression of bcl-2 did not change nor did the intracellular sphingosine concentration. These results suggest that sphingosine may function as an endogenous mediator of apoptotic signaling in PMA-induced terminal differentiation of HL-60 cells through bcl-2 down-regulation, probably independent from PKC inhibition.

Identification of a Novel Mitogen-Inducible Gene ( mig-6): Regulation during G 1 Progression and Differentiation

We have identified a novel human gene ( mig-6) that is rapidly induced upon mitogenic stimulation of quiescent fibroblasts. Serum induction is partially inhibited by protein synthesis inhibitors, indicating that mig-6 shares characteristics of both primary and secondary response genes. In contrast to most other mitogen-responsive genes, mig-6 mRNA expression is also regulated during normal cell cycle progression, showing a clear peak around mid-G 1. Consistent with the regulation of mig-6 expression during the cell cycle, terminal differentiation of HL-60 cells to either granulocytic or macrophage-like cells also leads to clear changes in the levels of mig-6 mRNA. These observations suggest that the mig-6 gene represents a useful tool for the analysis of cell cycle progression and perhaps terminal differentiation. As a first step toward a functional characterization we show that the Mig-6 polypeptide is located in the cytoplasm.

Iron and copper requirements for proliferation and differentiation of a human promyelocytic leukemia cell line (HL‐60)

Trace mineral deficiencies tend to have profound effects on the integrity of formed blood elements. Anemia and neutropenia are commonly seen in copper (Cu) deficiency. We therefore developed a serum-free medium to examine the trace mineral requirements, in particular iron and Cu, for proliferation and retinoic acid (RA)-induced differentiation of HL-60 cells. This defined medium (DFM) was composed of Iscove's Modified Dulbecco's Medium (IMDM) supplemented with insulin and human apo-transferrin (each at 5 micrograms/ml) and 1.4 microM FeSO4. The iron concentration range for optimal cellular proliferation was narrow (2-3 microM). HL-60 cells could be maintained in DFM for 15 passages with a doubling time of 38-40 hr. The Cu content of IMDM was very low. Thus, by the fourth passage in DFM, the activity of cuproenzymes (cytochrome c oxidase, CCO; and copper-zinc superoxide dismutase, CuZnSOD) began to decline. Supplementation of DFM with CuSO4 (50 nM) restored enzyme activities. Treatment of cells with a Cu chelator (tetrathiomolybdate, 1 microM) rapidly reduced the activities of both CCO and CuZnSOD. Over the Cu concentration range examined (5-350 nM), Cu supplementation had little effect on HL-60 proliferation. Cell retained the ability to differentiate along the granulocytic pathway when treated with RA, but seemed to be less sensitive to the inducing agent except at the highest concentration tested (1 microM). This decreased sensitivity to RA did not seem to be related to the Cu status of the cells but rather to the absence of a component of serum. Indeed, cells grown in DFM regained their sensitivity to RA when allowed to differentiate in IMDM with 5% serum. These data indicate that the processes of growth and terminal differentiation in HL-60 cells are not greatly influenced by Cu. Thus, it seems likely that the insult resulting in neutropenia which is associated with Cu deficiency may occur earlier than the promyelocytic stage. However, the possibility that the mechanisms contributing to neutropenia may be unrelated to primary defects in the biochemistry of neutrophil maturation cannot be ruled out.

Screening method for colony-stimulating factor inducers using a human bone marrow stromal cell line, KM-102.

A new screening method for inducers of colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) was established using KM-102, a human bone marrow stromal cell line as the producer. In this method, the assay system which uses CSF dependent cell lines is combined with the CSF production system. Interleukin-1 (IL-1), which is known to upregulate CSF production in many cell populations, was used as a positive control for production of granulocyte CSF (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF). Induction in the positive controls was clearly detected within 24 hours. Activators of protein kinase C (PKC), protein phosphatase inhibitors and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were positive in this assay system, but muramyl dipeptide (MDP) and Bestatin which are known macrophage activators, were negative. Inducers of CSFs were successfully detected using this assay method. Among 1,600 microbial strains tested, 2 actinomycete strains were found to produce active substances. One strain produces teleocidin-A, a strong activator of PKC, and the other strain produces a mixture of active compounds including three novel compounds. These three compounds do not induce terminal differentiation of HL-60 cells, suggesting that they are not teleocidin-like substances and form a new class of CSF inducers.

Arachidonic acid as a mediator of some of the actions of phorbolmyristate acetate, a tumor promoter and inducer of differentiation

Phorbolmyristate acetate or 12-0-tetradecanyl phorbol 13-acetate (PMA or TPA) stimulates membrane phospholipases (phospholipase C or A2) resulting in the formation of diacylglyceride, free arachidonic acid, and increased amounts of arachidonic acid metabolites. Both PMA and AA are stimulators of the respiratory burst in phagocytic cells, induce inflammation, cause chromosomal aberrations, have antiviral activity and activate protein kinase C. The initial action of PMA is on the cell membrane and is concentrated largely in the lipid phase of cell membranes. This evidence suggests that the actions of PMA are in large part mediated by AA, released from the cell membrane lipid pool. Thus, it is likely that the ability of PMA to induce terminal differentiation in HL-60 cells and to suppress C-myc mRNA levels are also mediated by AA and/or its products. This may have relevance to the possible role of AA in the regulation of oncogenes and cancer.

Expression of retinoic acid receptor mRNA in hematopoietic cells

Retinoic acid (RA) has profound effects upon the proliferation and differentiation of many hematopoietic cells. The mechanism by which RA acts is unclear. Recently, several retinoic acid receptors (RAR) have been cloned. We studied expression of RAR-α mRNA by RNA blots in hematopoietic cells blocked at different stages of differentiation. All hematopoietic cells expressed RAR-α mRNA (3.4, 4.5 kb) including KG-1 (myeloblasts); HL-60 (promyelocytes); ML3, THP-1, U937 (myelomonoblasts and monoblasts); K562 (erythroblasts); and S-LB1 (T-lymphocytes). In addition, transformed cells from four non-hematopoietic tissues also expressed RAR-α mRNA. Steady-state levels of RAR-α mRNA were not affected by induction of terminal differentiation of HL-60 cells to either granulocytes or macrophages. Furthermore, both actively proliferating and resting lymphocytes from the same individuals expressed equal concentrations of RAR-α mRNA. Taken together, data suggest that level of expression of RAR-α mRNA is not related to cellular proliferation. We also showed that exposure to ligand (all- trans retinoic acid) did not change levels of RAR-α mRNA in three different cell types. Half-life of RAR-α mRNA was short (0.7 h) as determined by measuring decay of message after addition of actinomycin D. Consistent with this finding, accumulation of RAR-α mRNA increased in cells of three lines as their protein synthesis was inhibited. In summary, hematopoietic cells of different lineages and stages of differentiation constitutively express RAR-α mRNA. This expression is unaffected either by terminal differentiation or cell cycle. The RAR-α mRNA is short-lived and super-inducible by a protein synthesis inhibitor.

The human H1 histone gene FNC16 is functionally expressed in proliferating HeLa S3 cells and is down-regulated during terminal differentiation in HL60 cells.

The human H1 histone gene FNC16 resides in a 2.7-kb EcoRI fragment present in a histone gene cluster that also contains one copy of each of the core (H2A, H2B, H3, and H4) histone genes. The cap site for FNC16 H1 mRNA is located 58 nucleotides upstream of the ATG translational start codon, and S1 nuclease protection analysis clearly distinguishes between correctly initiated FNC16 transcripts and transcripts from other nonidentical H1 histone genes. We have observed, using S1 analysis, that the FNC16 H1 histone gene is expressed in a replication-dependent manner in HeLa cells and is expressed in proliferating, but down-regulated in differentiated, HL60 cells. Similar results were found in HeLa S3 and HL60 cells for the cell cycle-dependent human H4 histone gene FO108. Nuclear extracts derived from HeLa S3 cells are capable of directing FNC16 H1 histone gene transcription in vitro. This finding is consistent with previous work that established at least two sites for protein-DNA interaction in vitro in the proximal promoter region of this gene. We have observed a difference in the extent to which the FNC16 H1 histone gene is expressed in HeLa S3 and proliferating HL60 cells, which suggests that this H1 gene is differentially regulated in various cell types. Although results reported for a potentially identical human H1 histone gene designated Hh8C (LaBella, F., Zhong, R., and Heintz, N. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 2115-2118) support differential regulation of human H1 genes in various cell types, their observations that the Hh8C gene is not expressed in HeLa cells and that the restriction patterns differ indicate that FNC16 and Hh8C are different H1 genes.

Immunocytochemical evidence for phorbol ester-induced protein kinase C translocation in HL60 cells

The ability of tumor promoting 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) to redistribute protein kinase C in human promyelocytic leukemic HL60 cells was investigated. It was found that TPA caused a rapid translocation (within 10 min) of protein kinase C from the cytosolic (soluble) fraction to the particulate (membrane) fraction, as determined indirectly by assaying for the enzyme activity or by immunoblotting of the enzyme protein in the isolated subcellular fractions. Immunocytochemical localization of the enzyme demonstrated directly that the TPA caused an enzyme translocation to the plasma membrane. These findings suggest that translocation to the plasma membrane of the enzyme may represent initial events related to the TPA effect on terminal differentiation of HL60 cells to monocytes/macrophages.

Teleocidin, lyngbyatoxin A and their hydrogenated derivatives, possible tumor promoters, induce terminal differentiation in HL-60 cells

Teleocidin isolated from Streptomyces mediocidicus, its catalytically hydrogenated compound dihydroteleocidin B, and lyngbyatoxin A isolated from marine blue-green alga Lyngbya majuscula as well as its hydrogenated product, tetrahydrolyngbyatoxin A were tested for their ability to induce differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60 cells) in culture. All of these indole alkaloids induced differentiation of HL-60 cells, characterized by increased phagocytosis, increased release of lysozyme, and morphological changes resembling macrophages. The concentrations required for the induction were 1–5 ng/ml, showing similarity to those of 12- O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Teleocidin, lyngbyatoxin A, and tetrahydrolyngbyatoxin a are suggested to be tumor promoters, like TPA and dihydroteleocidin B. The HL-60 cell system might be useful for screening for environmental tumor promoters.

Down regulation of specific binding of [20-3H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate and phorbol ester-induced differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cells.

Binding of [20-3H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate ([3H]PDB) to intact human promyelocytic leukemia cells susceptible (HL-60) or resistant (R-35) to phorbol ester-induced differentiation was characterized. Specific binding of [3H]PDB to both HL-60 and R-35 cells at 37 degrees C reached a maximum within 15-20 min. Maximal specific [3H]PDB binding to HL-60 cells was followed by a decline (down regulation) of radioactivity. This down regulation was temperature dependent, because no loss of radiolabel occurred by 1 hr at 4 degrees C. The down regulation of bound [3H]PDB seen in HL-60 cells at 37 degrees C was not observed with R-35 cells. Prior exposure of the HL-60 cells but not of R-35 cells to 1 microM phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate for 90 min at 37 degrees C caused a marked reduction in the specific binding of [3H]PDB. When [3H]PDB binding was carried out at 4 degrees C, [3H]PDB bound to both cell types in a rapid, specific, and reversible manner. At equilibrium, HL-60 and R-35 cells were found to contain almost the same number of binding sites, which had dissociation constants of about 50 nM, indicating that the failure of R-35 cells to undergo PDB-induced differentiation was not associated with any change in the affinity or in the number of [3H]PDB binding sites. These results indicate that the down regulation of specific [3H]PDB binding may be a crucial early event in the control of phorbol ester-induced terminal differentiation in HL-60 cells. Furthermore, we suggest that such down regulation may be involved in other cellular and biochemical effects of phorbol diester tumor promoters.