Haemopoietic stem cell development to neutrophils is associated with subcellular redistribution and differential expression of protein kinase C subspecies.

Multipotential FDCP-Mix A4 (A4) cells can be induced either to self-renew or to differentiate and develop into mature neutrophils in liquid culture, depending on the haemopoietic growth factors with which they are cultured. When cultured in low concentrations of interleukin 3 (IL-3, 1 unit/ml)) plus Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) and Granulocyte-CSF (G-CSF), A4 cells proliferate with accompanying development to form cells which resemble mature, postmitotic neutrophils. The presence of high concentrations of IL-3 (100 units/ml) blocks the development of A4 cells even in the presence of GM-CSF plus G-CSF. A4 cell development to neutrophils is accompanied by major changes in the expression of protein kinase C (PKC) subspecies in these cells. The predominant subspecies present in multipotent A4 cells, as judged by direct chromatographic analysis, was the type III enzyme (alpha) subspecies, whereas in mature A4 cell neutrophils, the type II (beta I + beta II) enzymes were predominant. Phorbol esters added to immature A4 cells resulted in a proliferative response, but when added to postmitotic A4 cells resembling neutrophils they elicited a large increase in reactive oxygen intermediate production. This suggests that the type III (alpha) subspecies may mediate proliferative responses in stem cells, whilst the type II (beta I + beta II) enzymes are more important for the mature cell functions of postmitotic neutrophils. In cultures containing IL-3 (100 units/ml) both the type III, and also the type II subspecies were predominantly membrane-associated for prolonged periods (> 24 hours).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)