title: Induction of HL-60 cell differentiation by carotenoids.
abstract: Recent observations indicated that carotenoids affected the proliferation and differentiation of certain cell lines. In the current experiments, beta-carotene and lutein were tested for the induction of differentiation with HL-60 cells, a bipotent promyelocytic leukemia cell line. Cultures were incubated with lutein (0.0-10.0 mumol/l), beta-carotene (0.0-10.0 mumol/l), and retinoic acid (0.0-1.0 mumol/l); retinoic acid incubations were positive controls for the differentiation of HL-60 cells into granulocytes. The carotenoid-incubated cultures developed significantly more (p < or = 0.05) differentiated cells than control cultures (vehicle alone). Morphology of the carotenoid-incubated cells indicated differentiation along the granulocytic pathway. The percentage of differentiated cells increased significantly throughout a seven-day incubation period to 25% (lutein), 35% (beta-carotene), and 75% (retinoic acid). A dose response was found for lutein (0.0-10.0 mumol/l), but not for beta-carotene. Throughout the incubation period, the percentage of differentiated cells in negative control cultures did not change, remaining at the initial background level (approximately 5%). These results provide evidence for carotenoid-induced differentiation of cells. Induction of cell differentiation by a carotenoid without (lutein) and with (beta-carotene) vitamin A activity suggested a vitamin A-independent mode of action for carotenoids in cell differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55454-1015, USA. Gross@Epivax.Epi.umn.edu
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Bishop
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Belcher
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000473:pathology; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D014975:Lutein / Q000494:pharmacology; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; D014212:Tretinoin; D014975:Lutein