Indirect induction of differentiation in myeloid leukemic cells by lipid A

Normal myeloid and MGI(+)D(+) clones of myeloid leukemic cells can be induced for Fc and complement component 3 rosettes, lysozme, and mature macrophages and granulocytes by a protein with macrophage- and granulocyte-inducing (MGI) activity, whereas MGI(+)D(-) clones can be induced by this protein for rosettes and lysozme but not mature cells. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from different bacteria induced the appearance of rosettes, lysozyme, and macrophages in some MGI(+)D(+) clones but did not induce any of these changes in MGI(+)D(-) clones. Lipid A gave the same results as LPS. Incubation of MGI(+)D(+) cells with LPS also induced an MGI activity detectable in the culture medium. This activity behaved like MGI in inducing (i) rosettes, lysozyme, and mature cells in MGI(+)D(+) leukemic cells including a clone resistant to LPS, (ii) rosettes and lysozyme in MGI(+)D(-) leukemic cells, and (iii) differentiation of normal myeloid cells to mature macrophages and granulocytes. This activity was induced in MGI(+)D(+) cells by LPS before the induction of rosettes or lysozyme. The results indicate that the lipid A portion of LPS indirectly induces differentiation of MGI(+)D(+) myeloid leukemic cells by inducing MGI protein. It is suggested that induction of specific regulatory proteins may be a more general mechanism for the induction of differentiation by surface-acting compounds.     

Genetic dissection of the control of normal differentiation in myeloid leukemic cells

Normal myeloid precursors and MGI(+)D(+) myeloid leukemic cells can be induced to differentiate to mature cells by the normal protein inducer MGI. The sequence of differentiation is the induction of C3 and Fc rosettes, C3 and Fc immune phagocytosis (IP), synthesis and secretion of lysozyme, and formation of mature macrophages and granulocytes. Mutant clones of myeloid leukemic cells have been isolated with differences in the time of induction of C3 and Fc rosettes and C3 and Fc IP, in which lysozyme was induced without going through the stage of Fc or C3 IP, and with differences in inducibility by MGI to mature macrophages or granulocytes. Only one out of five MGI(-)D(-) clones gave rise to MGI(+)D(+) mutants. The ability to obtain mutants from this clone was associated with its special chromosome constitution, and these mutants showed a change in their ability for cap formation by concanavalin A. The steroid inducer dexamethasone can induce in MGI(+)D(+) clones differentiation to macrophages but not to granulocytes. Differentiation by steroid inducer in different clones occurred either with or without induction of Fc rosettes and Fc IP, and induction of C3 rosettes was not always associated with induction of C3 IP. The use of mutants that differ in their competence to be induced by MGI or steroid inducer has shown that there are separate controls for the induction of C3 and Fc rosettes, C3 and Fc IP, lysozyme, macrophages, and granulocytes.     

Different Blocks in the Differentiation of Myeloid Leukemic Cells

Some clones of mouse myeloid leukemic cells (D(+)) can be induced to undergo cell differentiation to mature macrophages and granulocytes, and other clones (D(-)) could not be induced to differentiate to mature cells. Normal mature macrophages and granulocytes have surface receptors that form rosettes with erythrocytes coated with specific immunoglobulin or immunoglobulin-complement. The D(+) clones were induced to form receptors by prednisolone, cytosine-arabinoside, 5-iododeoxyuridine, actinomycin D, or serum from mice injected with endotoxin. All these compounds thus induced a common change in the cell surface membrane. The induction of receptors required protein synthesis, and receptors were formed before the appearance of mature cells. There were two types of D(-) clones. One type was induced by these compounds to form receptors, although with a lower inducibility than D(+) clones; in the other type there was no induction of receptors. The results indicate that there are different blocks in the differentiation of myeloid leukemic cells. Some leukemic cells (IR(+)D(+)) can be induced to form receptors and to differentiate to mature cells; others (IR(+)D(-)) can form receptors but not mature cells; and a third type (IR(-)D(-)) could not be induced to form receptors or mature cells.     

Chromosome mapping of the genes that control differentiation and malignancy in myeloid leukemic cells.

The chromosome banding pattern has been analyzed in clones of mouse myeloid leukemic cells that differ in their ability to be induced to differentiate by the protein inducer MGI (macrophage and granulocyte inducer). None of the clones had a completely normal diploid banding pattern. The clones studied were either MGI+ (that can be induced to form Fc and C3 rosettes), a stage in the differentiation of myeloid cells, or MGI- (that cannot be induced to form these rosettes). All six cultured clones of MGI- cells from myeloid leukemias independently produced in six separate animals showed a loss of a piece of one chromosome 2 and this abnormal chromosome was maintained in leukemias derived from the cultured cells. This loss was not found in MGI+ clones or lymphoid leukemias. Five MGI+ mutants, derived from an MGI- clone with a loss of a piece of one chromosome 2, one normal chromosome 12, and two translocated chromosomes 12, maintained the abnormal chromosome 2 but lost either the one normal or one of these translocated chromosome 12. These results indicate that chromosomes 2 and 12 carry genes that control the differentiation of myeloid leukemic cells and that inducibility by MGI is controlled by the balance between these genes. We suggest that these chromosomes also carry genes that control the malignancy of these cells.     

Differential desensitization of functional adrenergic receptors in normal and malignant myeloid cells: Relationship to receptor-mediated hormone cytotoxicity

Malignant myeloid leukemic cells and normal macrophages and granulocytes have functional beta-adrenergic receptors, which have been quantitated by radioreceptor binding with the beta-adrenergic antagonist [(3)H]dihydroalprenolol and by induction of cyclic AMP by adrenergic hormones. Both the normal and leukemic cells have beta(2)-adrenergic receptors, and the [(3)H]dihydroalprenolol binding was saturable, reversible, and stereospecific. The leukemic cells consisted of clones that could be induced to differentiate (MGI(+)D(+)) and clones that could not be induced to differentiate to mature macrophages and granulocytes by the protein inducer MGI. The different types of leukemic clones all had 1100-2300 receptor sites per cell, whereas normal macrophages had 7000 receptors per cell. The differentiation of MGI(+)D(+) leukemic cells was associated with an increase in receptors to a number similar to that found with normal macrophages. MGI(+)D(+) leukemic cells and normal macrophages were able to densensitize to the beta-adrenergic agonist (-)isoproterenol, shown by termination of cyclic AMP induction within 10-15 min and the lack of a second induction. The leukemic cells that could not be induced to differentiate lacked this capacity for desensitization, possibly due to an alteration in the uncoupling system between the receptor and adenylate cyclase. The lack of desensitization in these leukemic cells was associated with a higher sensitivity to the receptor-mediated cytotoxic effects of adrenergic hormones. It is suggested that cells, like some leukemic cells, that are unable to desensitize to adrenergic and possibly other hormones may be appropriate targets for differential destruction by hormones under conditions that do not affect normally desensitizing cells.     

In vivo control of differentiation of myeloid leukemic cells by recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin 3

The normal myeloid hematopoietic regulatory proteins include one class of proteins that induces viability and multiplication of normal myeloid precursor cells to form colonies (colony-stimulating factors [CSF] and interleukin 3 [IL-3], macrophage and granulocyte inducing proteins, type 7 [MGI-1]) and another class (called MGI-2) that induces differentiation of normal myeloid precursors without inducing cell multiplication. Different clones of myeloid leukemic cells can differ in their response to these regulatory proteins. One type of leukemic clone can be differentiated in vitro to mature cells by incubating with the growth-inducing proteins granulocyte-macrophage (GM) CSF or IL-3, and another type of clone can be differentiated in vitro to mature cells by the differentiation-inducing protein MGI-2. We have now studied the ability of different myeloid regulatory proteins to induce the in vivo differentiation of these different types of mouse myeloid leukemic clones in normal and cyclophosphamide-treated mice. The results show that in both types of mice (a) the in vitro GM-CSF- and IL-3-sensitive leukemic cells were induced to differentiate to mature cells in vivo in mice injected with pure recombinant GM-CSF and IL-3 but not with G-CSF, M-CSF, or MGI-2; (b) the in vitro MGI-2-sensitive leukemic cells differentiated in vivo by injection of MGI-2 and also, presumably indirectly, by GM-CSF and IL-3 but not by M-CSF or G-CSF; (c) in vivo induced differentiation of the leukemic cells was associated with a 20- to 60-fold decrease in the number of blast cells; and (d) all the injected myeloid regulatory proteins stimulated the normal myelopoietic system. Different normal myeloid regulatory proteins can thus induce in vivo terminal differentiation of leukemic cells, and it is suggested that these proteins can have a therapeutic potential for myeloid leukemia in addition to their therapeutic potential in stimulating normal hematopoiesis.     

Increase of normal myeloblast viability and multiplication without blocking differentiation by type C RNA virus from myeloid leukemic cells.

Clones of mouse myeloid leukemic cells that differ in their competence to be induced for normal cell differentiation by the protein inducer MGI produce type C virus. These viruses have been studied for their effect on the viability, multiplication, and differentiation of normal bone marrow cells either with or without the addition of MGI. Virus from leukemic clones that can differentiate normally to mature macrophages and granulocytes (MGI+D+ clones) induced some multiplication of myeloblasts in the bone marrow, but the cells did not differentiate without adding MGI. In the presence of MGI, this virus then induced an increased number of colonies whose cells differentiated to mature macrophages or granulocytes as in colonies of uninfected cells. Virus infection also resulted in a decrease in the amount of MGI and fetal calf serum that was required for colony formation. Virus from MGI+D+ clones, in the presence of MGI, was 500-fold more effective in increasing colony formation than virus from the differentiation-defective MGI-D- clones, although both types of virus replicated with equal efficiency in the normal bone marrow cells. No such increase was obtained after infection with the Friend leukemic virus complex or the Moloney murine leukemia virus. Infection with virus from a MGI+D+ clone that was differentiated by MGI mainly to macrophages induced a higher percentage of macrophage colonies than virus from MGI+D+ clones that were differentiated by MGI to granulocytes and macrophages. Studies with isolated myeloblast colony-forming cells from the bone marrow have indicated that these are the target cells for the virus. Infections of these isolated myeloblasts with virus from MGI+D+ clones induced some multiplication without differentiation in the absence of MGI, and increased the viability and multiplication of the myeloblasts without inhibiting their ability to differentiate in the presence of MGI. The results, therefore, indicate that virus from MGI+D+ cells can increase the viability and multiplication of normal myeloblasts in the bone marrow without blocking the ability of these cells to be induced to differentiate by MGI, and that this effect was directly related to the competence of the leukemic host cells to be induced for normal differentiation. It is suggested that the difference between the effect of virus from MGI+D+ and MGI-D- cells may be due to a difference in their integration sites in relation to the genes that control cell viability, multiplication, and differentiation.     

Control of Normal Differentiation of Myeloid Leukemic Cells to Macrophages and Granulocytes

Cells from a myeloid leukemic line in culture can be induced by the differentiation-inducing protein MGI to form colonies with normal differentiation to mature macrophages and granulocytes. This line consisted of clones that can be induced to undergo normal cell differentiation (D(+) clones) and clones (D(-) clones) that were not inducible. D(+) clones were able to undergo differentiation to both macrophages and granulocytes. Normal differentiation was induced even in clones that were no longer diploid. D(+) clones can segregate some D(-) progeny, and D(-) clones can segregate some D(+) progeny. This, therefore, provides a system for studies on the genetic and chemical control of cell differentiation in leukemic cells.     

Regulation of normal differentiation in mouse and human myeloid leukemic cells by phorbol esters and the mechanism of tumor promotion

The control of cell multiplication and differentiation by tumor-promoting phorbol esters including 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) has been studied with different clones of mouse myeloid leukemic cells, a line of human myeloid leukemic cells, and normal mouse bone marrow myeloblasts. TPA induced normal cell differentiation in one of the mouse leukemic clones and this was mediated by induction of the protein inducer of differentiation to macrophages or granulocytes (MGI) in the cells that then differentiated. Other mouse clones were not induced to differentiate by TPA. In one of these clones, TPA induced cell susceptibility to externally added MGI. This effect was not due to a general induction of susceptibility to all compounds because TPA did not induce susceptibility to lypopolysaccharide or dexamethasone in this clone. In the human leukemic cell line, TPA also induced differentiation with the induction of MGI activity and enhanced susceptibility to added MGI. It is suggested that the clonal differences in induction of MGI activity and increased susceptibility to MGI may be associated with differences in receptors for TPA and the ability of TPA to modify receptors for MGI. Studies with normal bone marrow cells have indicated that TPA stimulated MGI activity and also increased susceptibility of normal myeloblasts to induction of multiplication by MGI. The ability of different phorbol esters to produce these effects on normal myeloblasts and myeloid leukemic cells paralleled their ability to act as tumor promoters. The results indicate that a tumor promoter such as TPA can induce the production of and increase cell susceptibility to a normal regulator of cell multiplication and differentiation. TPA has pleiotropic effects. It is suggested that, by these mechanisms, TPA may thus act as a tumor promoter by increasing cell multiplication in initiated cells, induce differentiation in some cells, or inhibit differentiation in other cells, depending on which molecules are being regulated in the TPA-treated cells.     

Desensitization of enucleated cells to hormones and role of cytoskeleton in control of normal hormonal response.

Prostaglandin E1 and the beta-adrenergic hormone l-isoproterenol stimulated cyclic AMP formation in both nucleated and enucleated myeloid leukemic cells that could be induced to differentiate normally to mature cells by the macrophage- and granulocyte-inducing protein MGI (MGI+D+ cells). Enucleated as well as nucleated MGI+D+ cells also desensitized to these hormones, indicating that this desensitization is an extranuclear process. Nucleated or enucleated mutant myeloid leukemic cells that are not induced to differentiate (MGI-D- cells) were not desensitized to these hormones. The antitubulin alkaloids colchicine and vinblastine, but not the antimicrofilament compound cytochalasin B, increased the maximal hormone-induced formation of cyclic AMP in nucleated MGI+D+ cells but not in the MGI-D- cells. These alkaloids also inhibited the development of desensitization to l-isoproterenol and prostaglandin E1 in enucleated MGI+D+ cells. The results indicate that in MGI+D+ cells the cytoskeletal system puts constraints on the cells' ability to respond to these hormones and that these constraints are absent in the mutant MGI-D- cells. Because MGI+D+ but not MGI-D- cells can be induced to differentiate by the macrophage- and granulocyte-inducing protein, cytoskeletal constraints, which are also found in normal myeloid cells, may be necessary for cell competence to differentiate. The results support the suggestion that membrane cytoskeletal constraints generate may control the normal response and desensitization to membrane-mediated cell inducers.     

In vivo control of differentiation of myeloid leukemic cells by cyclosporine A and recombinant interleukin-1 alpha

There are different types of hematopoietic regulatory proteins that regulate the multiplication and differentiation of normal myeloid cells. These different types include four growth-inducing proteins called colony-stimulating factors (CSF), including interleukin-3 (IL- 3), or macrophage and granulocyte inducers, type 1 (MGI-1); another type (called MGI-2) that induces myeloid differentiation of normal myeloid cells without inducing myeloid cell multiplication; and interleukin-1 (IL-1), which can act on myeloid precursor cells. Different clones of myeloid leukemic cells can differ in their ability to be induced to undergo terminal cell differentiation by different hematopoietic regulatory proteins. We have now studied the ability of cyclosporine A and recombinant IL-1 alpha to regulate in vivo differentiation of different clones of myeloid leukemic cells that are either susceptible or resistant to induction of differentiation by IL-1 in vitro. The results show that (a) cyclosporine A, like other immune- suppressing compounds such as cyclophosphamide, inhibited in vivo differentiation of myeloid leukemic cells and differentiation was restored by injecting recombinant GM-CSF; (b) recombinant IL-1 alpha induced in vivo terminal differentiation of IL-1-sensitive but not IL-1- resistant clones of myeloid leukemic cells; (c) IL-1 alpha and GM-CSF synergistically induced differentiation in vivo in a GM-CSF-responsive and IL-1-nonresponsive clone of leukemic cells; and (d) IL-1 alpha induced in vivo the rapid production and release into serum of the differentiation-inducing protein MGI-2 as well as the growth-inducing proteins M-CSF and G-CSF.     

Mobility of Carbohydrate-Containing Structures on the Surfaces Membrane and the Normal Differentiation of Myeloid Leukemic Cells to Macrophages and Granulocytes

Clones (D(+)) of a cultured line of myeloid leukemic cells can be induced to undergo normal differentiation to mature macrophages and granulocytes. There are also clones derived from the same cell line (D(-)) that could not be induced to differentiate. The carbohydrate-binding protein concanavalin A was used as a probe to study the mobility of carbohydrate-containing sites on the surface membrane of these cells. Changes in the distribution of concanavalin A binding sites on the surface membrane can be induced by concanavalin A. With the appropriate site mobility, this induction of a new distribution resulted in a concentration of concanavalin A-membrane site complexes on one pole of the cell to form a cap. D(+) and D(-) clones showed 50 and 5% of cells with caps, respectively, although both types of cells bound a similar number of concanavalin A molecules. Treatment of cells with trypsin increased cap formation from 5 to 40% in D(-) cells, but did not change the percentage of cells with caps in D(+) cells. The results show a difference in the mobility of concanavalin A binding sites in these two types of cells and suggest a difference in the fluid state of these carbohydrate-containing structures on the surface membrane. It is suggested that a gain of the ability of myeloid leukemic cells to undergo normal differentiation is associated with an increase in the fluidity of structures on the surface membrane where the concanavalin A sites are located. Differences in fluidity of specific membrane sites may also explain differences in the response of cells to other differentiation-inducing stimuli.     

Constitutive gene expression in myeloid leukemia and cell competence for induction of differentiation by the steroid dexamethasone.

Regulation of the cytoplasmic protein changes during myeloid cell differentiation has been analyzed with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and differentiation-defective cell mutants. The cells studied include a clone of myeloid leukemia cells (clone 11) that can be induced to differentiate to macrophages by the protein inducer MGI and the steroid dexamethasone (Dex) and mutant clones that were inducible for differentiation to macrophages by MGI but not by Dex. The mutants were not defective in the specific binding of [3H]Dex to cytoplasmic receptors or in the transport and nuclear binding of the receptor--steroid complex. The protein patterns in the mutants showed both specific constitutive protein changes and nonresponding proteins. Twenty-one percent of the Dex-induced protein changes and 2% of the MGI-induced protein changes in clone 11 were constitutively expressed in the mutants. In addition, 28% of the proteins that responded to Dex in clone 11 did not respond to Dex in the mutants, whereas only 4% of the proteins that responded to MGI in clone 11 did not respond to MGI. The higher percentage of constitutive changes was thus associated with a larger defect in induction. The proteins with an abnormal response to Dex still showed a normal response to MGI, and the constitutive changes and nonresponding proteins were different for the two inducers. It is suggested that specific constitutive protein changes expressed by the mutants produced an asynchrony in the developmental program, resulting in a defective response to Dex and to MGI, and that this may apply to other inducers and developmental programs.     

Induction of dependence on hematopoietic proteins for viability and receptor upregulation in differentiating myeloid leukemic cells

There are different types of myeloid leukemic cells that can be induced to differentiate to mature granulocytes or macrophages by different hematopoietic regulatory proteins. One type of leukemic clone can be induced to differentiate by recombinant macrophage and granulocyte differentiation-inducing protein-type 2 (MGI-2), which we have shown is Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and another type of leukemic clone can be differentiated by recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or IL-3. There was no subpopulation of growth factor- responsive or differentiation-defective cells before induction of differentiation in either type of clone. In both clones, induction of differentiation-induced requirement for a hematopoietic protein for cell viability. Viability of the cells was maintained by IL-6, IL-3, or macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) but not by GM-CSF in the cells differentiated by IL-6, and by GM-CSF or IL-3 but not by IL-6 or M-CSF in the cells differentiated by GM-CSF or IL-3. The viable cells with a differentiated phenotype continued to multiply. In undifferentiated leukemic cells with no or few surface receptors for some of these proteins, there was an upregulation of the number of receptors during differentiation for the proteins to which the cells responded. But there were also differentiating leukemic cells with an upregulation of GM-CSF receptors although GM-CSF could not maintain the viability of the differentiating cells. The results indicate that induction of hormone responsiveness and upregulation of the hormone receptors can both occur in differentiating leukemic cells, and that the regulation of these two events can be separated.     

Cell competence for industion of differentiation by insulin and other compounds in myeloid leukemic clones continuously cultured in serum- free medium

Clones of myeloid leukemic cells varying in their competence for induction of differentiation have been continuously grown in serum-free medium. In the medium used, which contained transferrin, the growth rates of these cells were nearly similar to those found in serum- containing medium. The clones also maintained in this medium their competence for induction of differentiation by the normal macrophage and granulocyte differentiation-induction protein MGI-2, the steroid dexamethasone, and lipopolysaccharide. In contrast to the results with these inducters, some clones continuously cultured in a serum-free medium showed a gain of inducibility by insulin and another clone a gain of inducibility by the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13- acetate in low serum and serum-free medium. Induction of differentiation by these two compounds was therefore inhibited in these clones by the presence of serum. It is suggested that serum-free medium may also show the existence of other inducers of differentiation not detected in serum-containing medium and that these results are relevant to the possible therapeutic use of compounds such as insulin for the induction of normal differentiation in leukemic cells in vivo.     

Mechanisms that uncouple growth and differentiation in myeloid leukemia cells: restoration of requirement for normal growth-inducing protein without restoring induction of differentiation-inducing protein.

There are different macrophage- and granulocyte-inducing (MGI) proteins. Normal myeloid precursors are induced to multiply by one form (MGI-1) and to differentiate by another form (MGI-2). There are clones of myeloid leukemia cells that no longer require MGI-1 for growth but can still be induced to differentiate by MGI-2. After induction of differentiation in these leukemia cells by adding MCI-2 or inducing endogenous production of MGI-2 by lipopolysaccharide, the differentiating leukemia cells, like normal cells, again required MGI-1 for growth. This growth requirement for MGI-1 could not be substituted for by adding other protein growth factors such as epidermal, fibroblast, or nerve growth factor or insulin. Induction of differentiation in these leukemia cells by dexamethasone, arabinonucleoside (cytosine arabinoside), or methotrexate instead of by MGI-2, did not restore the requirement of MGI-1 for growth. Mutant myeloid leukemia cells that could not be induced to differentiate by MGI-2 also did not show this restoration of the requirement of MGI-1 for growth. MGI-1 in normal cells induced cell growth and also induced MGI-2, so that the cells could then differentiate by the endogenously produced MGI-2. However, MGI-1 did not induce production of MGI-2 in the leukemia cells, even though they again required MGI-1 for growth, so that there was no induction of differentiation after adding MGI-1. This lack of induction of differentiation-inducing protein by growth-inducing protein has thus identified an effective mechanism for uncoupling of growth and differentiation in malignant cells.     

In Vitro Induction of Granulocyte Differentiation in Hematopoietic Cells from Leukemic and Non-Leukemic Patients

Human spleen-conditioned medium can induce the formation in vitro of large granulocyte colonies from normal human bone marrow cells. The granulocyte colonies contained cells in various stages of differentiation, from myeloblasts to mature neutrophile granulocytes. Human spleen-conditioned medium also induced colony formation with rodent bone-marrow cells, whereas rodent spleen-conditioned medium induced colony formation with rodent bone marrow but not with human cells.This in vitro system has been used to determine the potentialities for cell differentiation in bone-marrow and peripheral blood cells from patients with a block in granulocyte differentiation in vivo. The cloning efficiency, colony size, and number of mature granulocytes in bone-marrow colonies from patients with congential neutropenia, whose bone marrow contained only 1% mature granulocytes, were not less than in people whose bone marrow had the normal level of about 40% mature granulocytes. The cloning efficiency of peripheral blood cells from patients with acute myeloid leukemia was 350 times higher, with 10 times larger colonies, than the cloning efficiency of peripheral blood cells from normal people. The cytochemical properties and number of mature granulocytes in colonies from the leukemic patients were the same as in colonies from non-leukemic people.The results indicate that a block in cell differentiation in vivo, in these cases with neutropenia and acute myeloid leukemia, was overcome in vitro, in the presence of an inducer in the conditioned medium. In patients with chronic myeloid leukemia, colony formation was induced only in some of the cases. This indicates that there are blast cells with different potentialities for the development of colonies in different patients.     

Autocrine production and action of IL-3 and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Primitive subsets of leukemic cells isolated by using fluorescence-activated cell sorting from patients with newly diagnosed Ph(+)/BCR-ABL(+) chronic myeloid leukemia display an abnormal ability to proliferate in vitro in the absence of added growth factors. We now show from analyses of growth-factor gene expression, protein production, and antibody inhibition studies that this deregulated growth can be explained, at least in part, by a novel differentiation-controlled autocrine mechanism. This mechanism involves the consistent and selective activation of IL-3 and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) production and a stimulation of STAT5 phosphorylation in CD34(+) leukemic cells. When these cells differentiate into CD34(-) cells in vivo, IL-3 and G-CSF production declines, and the cells concomitantly lose their capacity for autonomous growth in vitro despite their continued expression of BCR-ABL. Based on previous studies of normal cells, excessive exposure of the most primitive chronic myeloid leukemia cells to IL-3 and G-CSF through an autocrine mechanism could explain their paradoxically decreased self-renewal in vitro and slow accumulation in vivo, in spite of an increased cycling activity and selective expansion of later compartments.     

Flk1(+) cardiac stem/progenitor cells derived from embryonic stem cells improve cardiac function in a dilated cardiomyopathy mouse model

OBJECTIVES: Flk1(+) cells derived from embryonic stem (ES) cells are known to differentiate into mesodermal lineages such as hematopoietic and endothelial cells. Here we demonstrate that they can develop into cardiomyocytes that support functional recovery in a dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) C57/BL6 mouse model. METHODS: Flk1(+) and Flk1(-) cells were sorted at day 4 of differentiation, and cardiomyogenesis was assessed in vitro. Next, we transplanted these cells into the hearts of cardiomyopathy mice to assess improvement in cardiac function. RESULTS: Flk1(+) cells, but not Flk1(-) cells, isolated on day 4 after differentiation were efficiently converted into contractile cardiomyocytes. RT-PCR analysis and immunohistological assays demonstrated that contractile cells derived from Flk1(+) cells in vitro expressed mature cardiac markers on day 10 after differentiation. Transplantation of sorted Flk1(+) cells into DCM model mouse hearts improved cardiac function, as determined by echocardiography and cardiac catheterization. The in vivo differentiated Flk1(+) cells expressed cardiac markers and had gap junctions, as demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, these cells generated ventricular type action potentials similar to those of adult ventricle. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that Flk1 is a good marker for sorting cardiac stem/progenitor cells which can differentiate into mature cardiomyocytes both in vitro and in vivo.     

Terminal differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cells induced by dimethyl sulfoxide and other polar compounds.

A human leukemic cell line (designated HL-60) has recently been established from the peripheral blood leukocytes of a patient with acute promyelocytic leukemia. This cell line displays distinct morphological and histochemical commitment towards myeloid differentiation. The cultured cells are predominantly promyelocytes, but the addition of dimethyl sulfoxide to the culture induces them to differentiate into myelocytes, metamyelocytes, and banded and segmented neutrophils. All 150 clones developed from the HL-60 culture show similar morphological differentiation in the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide. Unlike the morphologically immature promyelocytes, the dimethyl sulfoxide-induced mature cells exhibit functional maturity as exemplified by phagocytic activity. A number of other compounds previously shown to induce erythroid differentiation of mouse erythroleukemia (Friend) cells can induce analogous maturation of the myeloid HL-60 cells. The marked similarity in behavior of HL-60 cells and Friend cells in the presence of these inducing agents suggests that similar molecular mechanisms are involved in the induction of differentiation of these human myeloid and murine erythroid leukemic cells.