Vitamin D analogs inhibit erythroid differentiation and induce monocytic differentiation of leukemic cells with the...

Myeloid leukemia cells of human and murine origin can be induced to differentiate into more mature forms which lose their neoplastic properties. The hormonal form of vitamin D is a powerful inducer of monocytic differentiation, but its therapeutic use is limited by hypercalcemia. It was recently reported that a novel derivative of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxy-16-ene-23-yne-vitamin D3, is an exceptionally potent inducer of monocytic differentiation, and prolongs survival of mice bearing leukemia cells. We now show that this compound is also a most potent inhibitor of erythrodifferentiation. This finding has important implications for the control of hematopoiesis.