Abstract
Treatment of U-937 cells with the cyclic nucleotide analog, dibutyryl cyclic adenosine-3′, 5′-monophosphate (dBcAMP) induced these cells to differentiate towards granulocytes. dBcAMP produced a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of U-937 cell growth reaching a maximum after 48-h treatment with 500 μm. At this concentration, dBcAMP had no effect on cell viability. Treatment with dBcAMP caused a rapid (within 24 h) decrease in the number of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle, with a concomitant increase in cells in the G0/G1 phase. dBcAMP also induced the appearance of f-met-leu-phe receptors on U-937 cells as well as the ability to produce hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion. These data suggest that dBcAMP-treated U-937 cells were functionally mature. Using specific monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry, we found that differentiated U-937 cells expressed the monocytic/granulocytic surface markers MY8 and MAC-1, but not the monocyte specific markers M02 or MY4. In addition, dBcAMP-treated U-937 cells did not stain for nonspecific esterase, displayed less HLA-DR antibody binding than undifferentiated cells and appeared smaller and more granular. These are all characteristics of mature granulocytes. Taken together our studies indicate that differentiation of U-937 cells is not necessarily limited to the monocytic pathway of development.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 20-25 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Cancer Research |
| Volume | 50 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| State | Published - Jan 1 1990 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oncology
- Cancer Research