EFFECTS OF O-GLYCOSYLATION INHIBITORS ON THE DIFFERENTIATION OF HL-60CELLS

The effects of O-glycosylation inhibitors on the growth and differenti ation of the human acute promyeloblastic leukemia cell line HL-60 were studied to examine whether the O-glycosylation is needed for HL-60 ce lls tea differentiate into granulocyte-like cells or monocyte-macropha ge-like cells. N-Acetyl-alpha-D-galactosaminides, inhibitors of mucin- type oligosaccharide synthesis, and N-acetyl-beta-D-galactosaminides d id not affect either growth or differentiation. beta-D-Xylosides, the artificial initiators of glycosaminoglycan synthesis, also were tested , Only 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-xyloside induced HL-60 cells, to di fferentiate, and they differentiated into granulocyte-like cells, asse ssed by reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium, Giemsa staining, and ester ase double-staining. The aglycon portion of 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta- D-xyloside, 4-methylumbelliferone, caused the differentiation. Thus we could find a new drug that induces the differentiation of HL-60 cells .