Induction of apoptotic cell death by direct-current treatment in human leukemic cell lines.

Exposure of human leukemic cell lines (HL-60, ML-1, U-937, MOLT-4, EOL-1) to short direct-current (d.c.) treatment induced apoptotic cell death, characterized by cell shrinkage and nuclear and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation. On the other hand, human peripheral blood lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear cells were relatively resistant to d.c. treatment, and did not show any clear nuclear and DNA fragmentation. The effect of d.c. was slightly reduced by calcium depletion, but was not significantly affected by catalase or by superoxide dismutase. The present data suggest that previously reported tumor regression activities of d.c. treatment might be due, at least in part, to its apoptosis-inducing activity.