EFFECT OF NON-DIALYZABLE EXTRACTS OF VEGETABLES ON THE DIFFERENTIATION OF U-937 HUMAN MYELOID-LEUKEMIA CELL-LINE

The effects of non-dialyzable extracts of several Vegetables such as e ggplant, green pepper, cabbage, Garland chrysanthemum, kidney beans, c ucumber and Welsh onion on the differentiation of U-937 human myeloid leukemia cells were examined. Among the vegetables, the extract of egg plant induced the adhesion of U-937 cells on the culture plate and the morphological change of U-937 cells. A few adhesive and elongated cel ls was detected in the presence of Garland chrysanthemum. The extracts of cucumber and kidney bean induced only the morphological change of U-937 cells. The evident expression of cell surface antigens of CD11b and CD36 of U-937 cells, which is a marker of differentiation of U-937 cells into monocytes/macrophages, was induced by the extracts of eggp lant, kidney bean, cucumber and Welsh onion. These results suggested t hat the factors which induce the differentiation of U-937 cells into m onocytes/macrophages may exist in the non-dialyzable extracts of these vegetables.