ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the characteristics and mechanism of spironolactone ent-kaurane diterpene type diterpene rabdosin B (RB) induced HL-60 differentiation into mature granulocytes. Methods The effects of RB on proliferation, cell cycle, NBT reducing power, phagocytosis, and cell surface antigen CD11b expression of HL-60 were detected by trypan blue staining, Giemsa staining, NBT reducing power assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. Results RB inhibited the proliferation of HL-60 cells at the concentration of 1.0, 3.0, and 5.0 μmol/L, which resulted in the arrest of G0/G1 phase, increased the ratio of renal nucleated and lobate nucleus, and markedly enhanced the NBT reducing power and phagocytic capacity and the significant increase of CD11b positive cell rate. Further tests showed that the active oxygen scavenger NAC (300 μmol/L), NADPH oxidase inhibitor APO (100 μmol/L), and DPI (0.1 μmol/L) not only significantly inhibited the intracellular ROS upregulation induced by RB, but also inhibited various features of RB induced HL-60 cell differentiation. Conclusion RB can increase the activity of NADPH oxidase in HL-60 cells, increase the intracellular ROS concentration, and induce the differentiation of HL-60 cells to mature granulocytes.