Desferrioxamine inhibits induced erythroid differentiation of human leukemic K-562 cells.
The iron chelator desferrioxamine reversibly inhibits heme accumulation and globin synthesis in human leukemic K-562 cells induced to express erythroid genes by butyric acid. These results suggest that iron metabolism can modulate globin gene expression. In addition we describe experimental conditions (6.25 micrograms/ml desferrioxamine) which do not suppress transcription of globin genes and translation of globin mRNA but prevent heme synthesis. Therefore expression of globin genes in butyric acid induced K-562 cells does not require accumulation of heme molecules. Human leukemic K-562 cells cultured with different inducers and treated with desferrioxamine should be used as a useful model system to further analyse the relationship between expression of erythroid genes, iron metabolism and heme accumulation.
D002087:Butyrates / Q000494:pharmacology; D020148:Butyric Acid; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004900:Erythroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics; D006418:Heme / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D007938:Leukemia / Q000473:pathology*
D002087:Butyrates; D020148:Butyric Acid; D006418:Heme; D005914:Globins; D007501:Iron; D003676:Deferoxamine