Induction of differentiation of human acute non-lymphocytic leukemia cells in primary culture by inducers of differentiation of human myeloid leukemia cell line HL-60.

Leukemia cells from patients with acute non-lymphocytic leukemia were treated with various inducers of differentiation of the human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60. All cells in 14 specimens tested underwent morphological, functional and histochemical changes after treatment with some inducers of differentiation of HL-60 cells, but the most effective inducer varied for different specimens. These results suggest that treatment with some inducers should be effective for inducing most acute myeloid leukemia cells to differentiate into morphologically and functionally mature granulocytes and macrophages.