Double minute chromatin bodies and other chromosome alterations in human myeloid HL-60 leukemia cells susceptible or resistant to induction of differentiation by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate.

An analysis of the chromosomal karyotype of the human promyelocytic HL-60 leukemia cell line and of a number of its sublines that exhibit varying degrees of resistance to induction of differentiation by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate was conducted. The HL-60 cell line and the derived sublines contained two consistent marker chromosomes [9p- and t(10;13)], which suggested that they have a common and possibly clonal origin. HL-60 cells that are susceptible to phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced cell differentiation contained double minute chromatin bodies. The sublines with different degrees of resistance showed a corresponding sequential reduction of double minute chromatin bodies in metaphase cells. This loss of double minute chromatin bodies was not associated with an appearance of homogeneously staining chromosomal regions. Resistant and susceptible HL-60 cells differed also in a number of other chromosomal alterations, including gains or losses involving chromosomes 5, 8, 11, 13, 16, and 17. Thus, it is suggested that acquisition of resistance to phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced cell differentiation in the HL-60 cells may involve one or more of the above chromosomal changes.