Distinct differentiation-inducing activities of gamma-interferon and cytokine factors acting on the human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60.

The human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60 and monoblastic leukemia cell line U937 undergo differentiation when induced by lymphokine and cytokine preparations. Growth inhibition, acquisition of immunoglobulin Fc receptors, increased expression of monocyte-related surface antigens, and an increase in lysosomal enzyme contents accompany maturation induced by gamma-interferon and other cytokine factors tested. Additionally, increased receptors for chemotactic peptide (fMLPR), increased hydrogen peroxide release in response to phorbol myristic acetate stimulation, and the release of prostaglandins (PGE2 and 6-keto-PGF1a) follow exposure to lymphokine and cell line sources of myeloid colony-stimulating activity (CSA). Gamma-Interferon (gamma-IFN) induced fMLPR in HL-60 (only at 1000 units/ml) but not in U937. Additionally, gamma-IFN did not induce prostaglandin release in either cell line. These myeloid colony-stimulating activity-associated differentiation-inducing factors were obtained from the human hepatoma++ cell line SK-Hep and bladder carcinoma cell line 5637, which were free of interferon activity. The 2-day phytohemagglutinin-induced lymphokine contained no detectable CSA and was a good source of differentiation activity. A simple, rapid assay for a new human CSA with pluripotent hematopoietic stimulating activity (pluripoietin) is described based on stimulation of [3H]glucosamine incorporation. Cell line conditioned media containing pluripoietin, purified pluripoietin, and gamma-IFN are active in this assay. These myeloid leukemia cell line differentiation factors are thus different from interferon and conventional CSA. These results suggest that endogenous human cytokines may have a role in the differentiation of leukemic as well as normal myeloid cells.