title: Differentiating effect of thalidomide and FGM-CS combination on HL-60 acute promyelocytic leukemia cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) with or without thalidomide can induce apoptosis and differentiation of HL-60 acute promyelocytic leukemia cell line in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Effect of GM-CSF and thalidomide on proliferation of HL-60 cells was evaluated by MTT assay, cell cycle analysis was performed by propidium iodide staining approach and flow cytometry, and apoptosis rate was analyzed using FITC-conjugated annexin-V and FACScan flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study revealed that thalidomide alone at high concentrations inhibited HL-60 cell growth and induced apoptosis. Three days treatment of low-dose thalidomide in combination with GM-CSF induced marked terminal differentiation of HL-60 cells, as it was assessed by increased expression of differentiation antigens on cell surface.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment of HL-60 cells by low concentration of thalidomide combined with GM-CSF induced terminal differentiation of HL60 cells in vitro, which may be advantageous for the elaboration of novel therapeutic regimens in patients with differentiation-inducible leukemias.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey. aural@gata.edu.tr
authors.forename: A U
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Ural
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Avcu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zerman
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pekel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beyzadeoglu
mesh_terms: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D013792:Thalidomide; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor