Alteration of polypeptide synthesis and composition during differentiation of human leukemia cell line HL60

Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, we have analyzed the polypeptide alteration of the human myeloid leukemia cell line HL60 during differentiation induced by dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Three polypeptides increased in synthesis after DMSO treatment, while 5 polypeptides increased after TPA treatment. Most other polypeptides were synthesized at a reduced rate though their net amounts remained unchanged, indicating that myeloid differentiation was associated not only with an increased synthesis of a few specific polypeptides but also with overall depression of most other polypeptides. One of the early differentiation marker proteins (mol. wt. approx. 20,000, pI approx. 6.0) of granulopoietic cells was increased specifically after DMSO treatment, while one of the monocyte specific marker proteins (mol. wt approx. 46,000, pI approx. 4.8) was detected after TPA treatment. But, the pattern of HL60 cells did not necessarily become similar to that of normal mature granulocytes after DMSO treatment, indicating that HL60 cell differentiation might be partial or incomplete.