Metabolism of 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 and its 20-epi analog integrates clonal expansion, maturation and apoptosis during HL-60 cell differentiation.

Induction of growth arrest and monocyte differentiation of HL-60 leukemia cells by 1alpha,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1alpha,25(OH)2D3) is well established. By contrast, we have observed, that 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 and its metabolites play separate roles in clonal expansion and survival of differentiating HL-60 cells. Cells that had differentiated by 48 h (CD14 positive) grew slower than control cells, whereas CD14 negative cells were growing faster at this time point. Inhibiting 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 or 1alpha,25(OH)2-20-epi-D3 metabolism, by the 25(OH)D3-24-hydroxylase inhibitor ketoconazole, abolished hyperproliferation of CD14 negative cells. Instead, both the onset of differentiation and subsequent apoptosis were enhanced. These events were associated with immediate up-regulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(waf1) and a lack of sustained expression, respectively. Stimulation and inhibition of growth by vitamin D3-related compounds was observed to be concentration and metabolite specific. Low amounts of 1alpha,25(OH)2-20-epi-D3 and 1alpha,24,25(OH)3-20-epi-D3 stimulated HL-60 cell growth. At higher concentrations, 1alpha,25(OH)2-20-epi-D3 was a more potent inducer than 1alpha,24,25(OH)3-20-epi-D3 of HL-60 differentiation; 1alpha,25(OH)2-20-epi-24-oxo-D3 was exclusively pro-differentiative at all concentrations. 1alpha,25(OH)2-20-epi-D3 and 1alpha,24,25(OH)3-20-epi-D3 stimulated proliferation of KG-1a leukemia cells, but neither of these compounds nor 1alpha,25(OH)3-20-epi-24-oxo-D3 exerted pro-differentiative effects on these cells. These findings shed new light on the pro- and anti-proliferative effects of 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 and lead to the postulate that metabolism of 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 and its 20-epi analog regulates different subsets of genes so as to co-ordinate population expansion and the differentiation process. Furthermore, 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 metabolism and/or sensitivity to the effects of metabolites may be altered in transformed cells to derive a clonal advantage.

Triiodothyronine blocks potentiation of HL60 monocyte differentiation by anti-inflammatory agents and by steroids and induces apoptosis of all-trans retinoic acid "primed" cells.

Sensitivity of the human promyeloid cell line HL60 to physiological differentiating agents [e.g. all-trans retinoic acid (all-trans RA) and 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin (D3)] is increased by exposure of cells to "anti-inflammatory agents" (e.g. indomethacin) and to steroids [e.g. medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA)] and post "priming" with a low dose (10(-8) M) of all-trans RA. Co-treatment of serum free-grown HL60 cells (HL60-ITS) with indomethacin and D3 reduces the dose of D3 required for monocyte differentiation from 10(-7) to 6.25 x 10(-9) M. This potentiating effect was observed to be almost absent when experiments where undertaken using serum-grown HL60 cells (HL60-FCS). The agent present in serum that interferes with indomethacin- and MPA-potentiation of the sensitivity of HL60 cells to D3 has been identified as the thyroid hormone 3,5,3'-L-triiodothyronine (T3). "Priming" of HL60-ITS cells with a low dose of all-trans RA reduces the amount of D3 required for the induction of monocyte differentiation to the same degree as co-treatment with either indomethacin or MPA (to 5 x 10(-9) M). However, the combined effect of all-trans RA "priming" and T3 treatment of HL60-ITS cells was induction of apoptosis. Treatment with either agent alone did not result in increased levels of apoptotic cells. These data reveal that T3 has an important influence on the capacity of HL60 cells to undergo differentiation and can promote apoptosis of these cells. Drug combinations, such as a differentiation potentiating agent, for example, indomethacin or MPA, and a differentiation inducer, for example, all-trans RA or D3, may have important therapeutic significance. Serum levels of T3 would be anticipated to influence the outcome.

Growth of single HL60 cells in liquid culture: analysis of the influences of differentiative agents.

Treatment of serum-free grown HL60 cells with certain combined amounts of retinoic acid (9-cis or all-trans RA) and 1 alpha 25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (D3) results in differentiation of 71-77% of cells towards either neutrophils or monocytes. Studies of the differentiation of HL60 cells in flask cultures does not reveal: (i) the extent to which selective growth of cells might have occurred; and (ii) the overall level of cell survival. This information can be obtained by monitoring the effects of differentiative agents on individual cells. Serum-free grown HL60 cells were cultured as single cells in microtitre wells in conditioned medium obtained from exponentially growing and serum-free cultures of HL60. This resulted in a cloning efficiency of 85% and HL60 cells doubled every 24 h. During a period of exponential growth < 0.5 to 2% of the cells generated died. Single HL60 cells were treated with 9-cis and all-trans RA (5 x 10(-7) M) together with a small amount of D3 (3.9 x 10(-14) M) to promote neutrophil differentiation. D3 alone (10(-7) M) and D3 (5 x 10(-9) M) in combination with 9-cis RA (10(-8) M) were used to promote monocyte differentiation. The growth kinetics of HL60 cell cultures that were differentiating to neutrophils and to monocytes were similar. Single-cell experiments have revealed that: (i) differentiating HL60 cells undergo a variable number of divisions (two to five) prior to arresting their growth; and (ii) up to 33% of the cells that are generated (by day 5) die. Seventy to eighty per cent of the cells in each of the wells had matured. These findings have important implications in regard to whether retinoids and D3 provide signals that determine the choice of maturation pathway or that merely facilitate selective survival and/or expansion of cells that have independently determined their differentiation fates.

Particular combinations of signals, by retinoic acid and 1 alpha, 25 dihydroxyvitamin D3, promote apoptosis of HL60 cells.

The promyeloid cell line HL60, when grown in serum-free medium, is induced to differentiate towards either neutrophils or monocytes by treatment with particular concentrations of 9-cis retinoic acid (9-cis RA) and 1 alpha, 25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (D3). We have investigated whether treatment of HL60 cells with 9-cis RA and D3 can lead to growth arrest and a failure to undergo cell differentiation. This occurred in two circumstances and HL60 cells died rapidly by apoptosis. First, treatment with 5 x 10(-7) M 9-cis RA and 1.25 x 10(-9)-3.1 x 10(-10) M D3 promoted growth arrest and apoptosis of HL60 cells. The amount of 9-cis RA alone promoted significant neutrophil differentiation of HL60 cells. The amounts of D3 alone promoted a very low level of monocyte differentiation. Treatment with each agent alone did not result in increased levels of apoptosis. Second, HL60 cells were treated with concentrations of 9-cis RA (5 x 10(-7) M) and D3 (3.9 x 10(-14) M) that were appropriate for induction of neutrophil differentiation. At the time when they were undergoing commitment to the neutrophil pathway of differentiation (days 1-2), an amount of D3 (1 x 10(-7) M) that promotes monocyte differentiation was added to the cultures. HL60 cells failed to differentiate and died by apoptosis. Hence, certain combinations of signals, elicited by 9-cis RA and D3, promote apoptosis of HL60 cells. This finding has important implications for the use of retinoids and D3 in differentiation therapy.

Treatment of HL60 cells with various combinations of retinoids and 1 alpha,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 results in differentiation towards neutrophils or monocytes or a failure to differentiate and apoptosis.

It is well documented that treatment of serum-grown HL60 cells with 10(-7) M all-trans retinoic acid (all-trans RA) induces neutrophil differentiation, whereas treatment with 10(-7) M 1 alpha,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3(D3) induces differentiation towards monocytes. In recent investigations, using serum-free grown HL60 cells, we observed that all-trans RA, at 10(-7) M, did not induce neutrophil differentiation and that all-trans RA, at 10(-8) M, reduced the D3 concentration required for monocyte differentiation to 5 x 10(-9) M. In this study, co-operative interactions between all-trans and 9-cis RA and D3 which promote neutrophil and monocyte differentiation of HL60 cells have been analysed in detail. Treatment of serum-free grown HL60 cells with 5 x 10(-7) M all-trans RA or 9-cis RA resulted in sub-optimal neutrophil differentiation (up to 25% mature cells). As shown for all-trans RA, 9-cis RA cooperated with D3 to promote monocyte differentiation. Culture of HL60 cells in 5 x 10(-7) M 9-cis RA together with a wide range of concentrations of D3 resulted in promotion of neutrophil differentiation at 10(-15)-10(-12) D3, a failure to differentiate and apoptosis at 10(-11)-10(-10) M D3, followed by co-operativity between 9-cis RA and 5 x 10(-9) M D3 in inducing monocyte differentiation in the absence of neutrophil differentiation. Similar results were obtained when HL60 cells were treated with 5 x 10(-7) all-trans RA together with a wide range of concentrations of D3. Cross titration analyses of the effects of 9-cis RA and D3 on HL60 cell differentiation were undertaken to determine the boundaries of the concentrations of each agent, alone and in combination, that give rise to optimal neutrophil and monocyte differentiation of HL60 cells. The observed cooperativities between either 9-cis RA or all-trans RA and D3 have important implications for the use of combinations of these agents in differentiation therapy.