International Journal of Cell Cloning, Vol 1, 440-450, Copyright © 1983 by AlphaMed Press
Effects of prostaglandin E on the proliferation and differentiation of leukemic progenitor cells in acute nonlymphocytic leukemia
K Ozawa, Y Miura, T Suda, K Motoyoshi and F Takaku
The effects of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) on leukemia colony formation were
investigated in seven cases of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia. In contrast
to the almost constant results observed for normal myeloid colony
formation, in patients there were apparent individual variations. Strong
inhibition of colony formation by PGE1 was observed in three cases. In one
case, enhancement rather than inhibition was observed. These in vitro
inhibitory or stimulatory effects of PGE1 were not related to the degree of
the in vivo proliferation of leukemia cells. Morphologic analysis of
colonies revealed that preferential inhibition of monocytic colony
formation by PGE1, characteristic of normal bone marrow cultures, was not
always observed in leukemia cell cultures. These abnormal responses to PGE1
suggest that the proliferation and differentiation of leukemic progenitor
cells are regulated in a different way from normal hemopoiesis.
