title: Induction of differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60 by retinoyl glucuronide, a biologically active metabolite of vitamin A.
abstract: We examined the differentiation activity of retinoyl beta-D-glucuronide, a biologically active physiological metabolite of vitamin A, using the human promyelocytic leukemic cell line HL-60, which can be induced to differentiate with retinoic acid. Retinoyl beta-D-glucuronide (1 microM) inhibited HL-60 cell proliferation by 55-75%, inhibited tritiated thymidine incorporation into DNA by 63-80%, and induced 38-50% of the cells to differentiate into mature granulocytes. The potency of growth inhibition and induction of differentiation by retinoyl beta-D-glucuronide was similar to that of all-trans-retinoic acid. The continuous presence of either retinoyl beta-D-glucuronide or all-trans-retinoic acid was not required to obtain maximum growth arrest and differentiation: a 1-hr exposure of HL-60 cells to the retinoids gave the same response (measured after a total incubation time of 48 hr) as a 24-hr or 48-hr continuous treatment. Retinoyl beta-D-glucuronide (0.1-0.2 mM) was 50% less cytotoxic to HL-60 cells than all-trans-retinoic acid at an equimolar concentration. Retinoyl beta-D-glucuronide was not significantly metabolized to other retinoids; retinoic acid was not formed during incubation. We conclude that retinoyl beta-D-glucuronide can arrest HL-60 cell proliferation and induce their differentiation into mature granulocytes; it may act by itself or by being hydrolyzed to retinoic acid, which could be immediately utilized and metabolized. The therapeutic use of this retinoid as an antineoplastic agent is suggested.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zile
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Cullum
authors.forename: R U
authors.initials: RU
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Barua
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Swartz
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C026787:retinoyl glucuronide; D014212:Tretinoin