Recombinant human interleukin-6 enhances the antiproliferation and differentiation inducing effects of retinoic acid in HL-60 human myeloid leukaemic cells.

1. The effect of recombinant human interleukin-6 on the antiproliferation and differentiation inducing actions of all-trans retinoic acid in HL-60 human myeloid leukaemia cells was studied in short-term liquid suspension culture. 2. Interleukin-6 alone showed no significant effect on HL-60 human myeloid leukaemia cells. 3. The addition of interleukin-6 to all-trans retinoic acid-treated cultures of HL-60 human myeloid leukaemia cells significantly enhanced the desired antiproliferation effect of all-trans retinoic acid. 4. The combination of interleukin-6 with all-trans retinoic acid reduced the doses of all-trans retinoic acid required to induce the same differentiation of HL-60 cells as single agent by between 1.7- and 4.8-fold; that is, the efficacy of all-trans retinoic acid in inducing the differentiation of human myeloid leukaemia HL-60 cells was increased up to 4.8 times by its combination with interleukin-6. 5. The combination of all-trans retinoic acid and interleukin-6 could provide an effective alternative therapy for elderly myeloid leukaemia patients.