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Leukemic cell maturation: phenotypic variability and oncogene expression in HL60 cells: a review
M C Leglise1, G A Dent, L H Ayscue
1Department of Pathology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27514.
Blood Cells
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Leukemic HL60 cells exhibit unstable phenotypes in culture, leading to drug resistance and altered cell characteristics. This phenotypic drift, driven by changes in gene expression, impacts cell growth and differentiation.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Cancer Research
- Genetics
Background:
- Leukemic cells, specifically HL60 cells, are known to display phenotypic instability.
- Long-term culture of HL60 cells can lead to significant alterations in their characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phenotypic drift of HL60 cells in continuous culture.
- To characterize the changes in drug sensitivity, gene amplification, and lineage markers associated with this drift.
Main Methods:
- Culturing HL60 cells over extended periods.
- Monitoring phenotypic changes, including morphology, drug resistance (ARA-c), and gene amplification (c-myc).
- Analyzing cell lineage markers and growth parameters.
Main Results:
- HL60 cells transitioned from promyelocytic to undifferentiated blast forms within 3-18 months.
- Phenotypic drift correlated with decreased sensitivity to ARA-c and variable c-myc gene amplification.
- c-myc expression changes reflected cell cycle kinetics, not maturation.
Conclusions:
- Phenotypic drift in HL60 cells is a dynamic process involving loss of lineage markers and altered drug responses.
- The instability may result from a diminished response to regulatory signals affecting gene expression.
- Understanding this drift is crucial for interpreting experimental results with HL60 cell lines.