Two regulation points for differentiation in the cell cycle of human megakaryocytes

To examine the relationship between cell cycle progression and differentiation in megakaryocytes, variances in the cell cycle during PMA (phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate)-induced differentiation were analysed in synchronized growing CMK cells. The cells stimulated with PMA in early S phase showed cell cycle arrest in G2 phase. In addition, the cells stimulated with PMA in early G1 phase showed cell cycle arrest in late G1. The expression of gpIIb/IIIa, megakaryocytic differentiation marker, was markedly induced in G2 phase when the cells were stimulated in early S phase, and was also induced in late G1 phase when cells were stimulated in early G1 phase. Therefore, the induction of gpIIb/IIIa expression seems to be associated with cell cycle blockage in both G2 and late G1. Expression of the transcription factor GATA-1 in cells stimulated in early S phase was much higher than that in controls at G2 phase. Furthermore, GATA-1 expression in cells stimulated in early G1 tended to be higher than that in controls at late G1. These periods corresponded to the time that the cell cycle arrest and gpIIb/IIIa expression were induced by PMA. These results suggest that the cell cycle in human megakaryocytic lineage cells may have two regulation points for differentiation.