NITRIC-OXIDE MODULATION OF THE GROWTH AND DIFFERENTIATION OF FRESHLY ISOLATED ACUTE NONLYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA-CELLS

Freshly isolated acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) cells were trea ted with the nitric oxide (NO)-liberating compounds sodium nitroprussi de or S-nitrosoacetyl penicillamine and analyzed for viability, growth , and differentiation at 3-5 days. NO decreased the viability and the growth of freshly isolated ANLL cells in vitro. NO treatment significa ntly increased expression of CD14 in blast cells from patients with M5 ANLL, and increased at least one differentiation parameter in M4 or M 5 cells. It had little or no effect on parameters of differentiation i n other ANLL cells. We conclude that in vitro culture with NO decrease s the growth and viability of most freshly isolated ANLL cells. NO als o induces the differentiation of ANLL cells with a monocytic phenotype .