title: Augmentation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced monocytic differentiation of a myelomonocytic leukemia (WEHI-3B JCS) by pertussis toxin.
abstract: We have shown that pertussis toxin (PTx) modulates the effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in inducing monocytic differentiation of WEHI-3B (JCS) myeloid leukemic cells in vitro. PTx (0.1-2 ng/ml) alone was not cytotoxic and did not induce morphological changes in JCS cells. In the presence of a suboptimal concentration of TNF-alpha (25 U/ml), however, PTx (1 ng/ml) acted synergistically in inhibiting proliferation and in inducing monocytic differentiation of the JCS cells. Expression of the macrophage differentiation marker (Mac-1) on JCS cells was increased by the combination of PTx and TNF-alpha, and phagocytic activity of the cells was also enhanced. Moreover, JCS cells treated with PTx and TNF-alpha had reduced tumorigenic capacity in vivo. The data suggest that a PTx-sensitive G protein may be involved in regulating the TNF-alpha-induced monocytic differentiation of the myeloid leukemic JCS cells and that combination of PTx and TNF-alpha may be useful in the treatment of some forms of myelomonocytic leukemia.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Haematology Group, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra.
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hapel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; D037342:Pertussis Toxin