title: Friend erythroleukemia cell differentiation: induction by retinoids.
abstract: Growth in the presence of retinoids was found to induce erythroid differentiation in Friend murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells in culture. The program of differentiated functions expressed by retinoid-treated cells was quite similar to that promoted by other inducers of MEL cell differentiation. For example, 70% or more of induced cells synthesized hemoglobin which accumulated to a level of 8 micrograms-10 micrograms per 10(6) cells. The level of acetylcholinesterase activity increased two to five-fold in induced cells, and induction by retinoids, like induction by dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), promoted the appearance of cell surface lumps or 'blebs'. All-trans retinaldehyde, which promoted maximum hemoglobin and acetylcholinesterase synthesis at a concentration of 5 X 10(-7) M, was found to be a more potent inducer than all-trans retinoic acid or retinol, which both showed maximum induction at 1 X 10(-5) M. Like differentiation promoted by DMSO, retinoid-induced differentiation was inhibited by 10(-7) M dexamethasone.
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D005622:Friend murine leukemia virus; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D012172:Retinaldehyde / Q000494:pharmacology; D012176:Retinoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D012176:Retinoids; D014801:Vitamin A; D014212:Tretinoin; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D012172:Retinaldehyde; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide