Polyploidy and Endoreduplication in Human Leukocyte Cultures Treated with beta-Mercaptopyruvate.

Treatment of cultured human peripheral blood leukocytes with beta-mercaptopyruvate resulted in marked increases in polyploidy and endoreduplication in squash preparations of mitoses in the metaphase stage. Since beta-mercaptopyruvate occurs in man as an intermediary metabolite in cysteine degradation, it might contribute to the development of polyploidy in vivo, especially in tumors lacking desulfurase enzymes.