Induced differentiation of U937 cells by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 involves cell cycle arrest in G1 that is preceded by a transient proliferative burst and an increase in cyclin expression.

The hormonal form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1, 25(OH)2D3], is a potent inhibitor of cellular proliferation as well as an inducer of differentiation of myeloid leukemic cells to macrophages. We have previously reported that a number of genes are upregulated by 1,25(OH)2D3 during myeloid differentiation, including the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors p21, p27, 15, and p18, suggesting that cell cycle arrest and differentiation are tightly linked processes. We further explore here the relationship between growth inhibition and differentiation. We report that, upon 1, 25(OH)2D3 treatment, U937 cells exhibited an early proliferative burst followed by growth inhibition and subsequent differentiation. Although CDK levels remain constant throughout, this transient increase in proliferation was accompanied by increases in cyclin A, D1, and E protein levels. p21 and p27 levels were also elevated during both the proliferative burst and subsequent inhibition of cell growth. Ectopic overexpression of p21 and/or p27 in U937 cells, in the absence of hormone, resulted in an induction of the expression of monocyte/macrophage-specific markers, whereas overexpression of p15 and p18 had no effect, suggesting that a subset of CDK inhibitors are important for both growth arrest and differentiation and that an early increase in proliferation is somehow a prerequisite for subsequent differentiation. However, no such biphasic behavior was detected in cells that are growth inhibited by 1,25(OH)2D3 but do not differentiate, such as MCF-7 cells. Taken together, these results indicate that both growth stimulation and subsequent inhibition precede differentiation and involve induction of both cyclins and p21 and p27, whereas cell cycle arrest of differentiated cells can be achieved simply by elevations in CDK inhibitors.