Inhibition of proliferation and induction of differentiation of human myeloid leukemia cells by novel nucleoside analogs.

Purines such as hypoxanthine and 6-thioguanine have the capacity to induce the differentiation of human myeloid leukemia HL-60 cells in culture. Several nucleoside analogs were synthesized and their effects on cell proliferation and differentiation of HL-60 cells were examined. On incubation with these compounds, proliferation of HL-60 cells was inhibited and the cells were induced to differentiate into morphologically and functionally mature granulocytes. Among the compounds we tested, 2,4-diethyl-7,7,8,8-tetramethyl-cis-2,4-diazabicyclol [4.2.0] octane-3,5-dione was the most effective in inducing differentiation of HL-60 cells. This compound was approximately 100 times more potent on a molar basis than hypoxanthine. The compounds reacted synergistically or additively with a typical antileukemic drug (daunomycin) or another potent differentiation inducer (retinoic acid).