Characterization, growth, and differentiation of a human myeloid leukemia cell line, TI-1 cell

A cell line (TI-1) has been established from the peripheral blood of a patient with acute myeloid leukemia (M2). A typical TI-1 cell displayed many abnormalities of its chromosomes, but not the Philadelphia (Ph1) chromosome. Light and electron microscopic examination and histochemical analysis indicated that the TI-1 cells were undifferentiated blast cells, but immunologic marker studies suggested that these cells had myeloid characteristics. The proliferation of TI-1 cells was dependent on the concentration of fetal bovine serum (FBS). Their doubling time was 13.8 hours when they were cultured in a medium containing 10% FBS. Phorbol-12 myristate 13-acetate (PMA) induced the TI-1 cells to differentiate into monocyte-like cells, as judged by their morphologic similarity to monocytes, their adhesion to the culture dish, and their increase of both nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT)-reducing ability and nonspecific esterase (NSE)-activity. PMA significantly inhibited the proliferation and DNA synthesis of TI-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The PMA-induced differentiation was significantly inhibited by the protein kinase C inhibitors (H-7, staurosporine). Hemin induced the TI-1 cells to differentiate into erythroid cells. The number of hemoglobin-producing cells and hemoglobin production was increased by hemin treatment. Hemin also inhibited the proliferation of the TI-1 cells. Thus, the TI-1 cell represents a bipotent, granulo-monocytoid, and erythroid cell line. The TI-1 cell line will be a useful model for monocytoid and erythroid differentiation.