title: A comparison of differences in the gene expression profiles of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate differentiated THP-1 cells and human monocyte-derived macrophage.
abstract: In order to characterize the monocytic cell line THP-1 and its mature, macrophage-like form treated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), we have conducted an oligonucleotide microarray assay and compared the results with those from an assay of human monocytes and macrophages. We found that early THP-1 cells have a pattern of gene expression distinct from monocytes, and when treated with PMA, certain genes which are induced in macrophages, such as apolipoprotein-E, matrix metalloproteinase 9 and alpha2 macroglobulin are also induced in the PMA-treated THP-1 cells (THP1PMA cells). However, these were some genes which are conversely regulated among macrophages and THP1PMA cells such as interleukin-1-beta and the overall correlation coefficient was not very high. It is shown that, although certain morphological and other characteristics of PMA-differentiated THP-1 cells are similar to macrophages, from a transcriptomic view, the two are different. This suggests a need for careful recognition of and allowance for this difference when interpreting the results of experiments done with THP-1 cells in which it is otherwise assumed they are representative of the macrophage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Medicine, Research Center for Advanced Technology and Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komada, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kohro
authors.forename: Toshiya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Yoichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aburatani
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamakubo
authors.forename: Tatsuhiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kodama
mesh_terms: D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate