Cellular retinoid-binding proteins in cultured human and mouse myeloid leukemia cells.

Retinoic acid and retinol induced functional and morphological differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60) into mature granulocytes, but did not induce functional or morphological differentiation of mouse myeloid leukemia cells (M1). Cellular retinoic acid-binding protein, but not retinol-binding protein, was detected on HL-60 cells. Neither binding protein could be detected on M1 cells. These results suggest that retinoic acid-binding protein may be necessary for induction by retinoids of functional and morphological differentiation of myeloid leukemia cells.