Guided myeloid leukemia cell differentiation by blocking a specific cell cycle stage

Since malignant cell proliferation occurs at the expense of cell differentiation, we examined the possibility of differentiating malignant cells from mature cells by altering the regulation of the cell cycle. Using the human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60, which expresses p34cdc2, the product of the cdc2 gene that controls the cell cycle, we showed that guided internalization of an anti-cdc2 monoclonal antibody could initiate differentiation not yet described for other cells of myeloid malignant origin. Experimental cellular manipulation may be employed as a method of inducing in vitro differentiation for transplantation purposes.