Differentiation of mouse myeloid leukemia cells is inhibited by a factor from non-differentiating leukemia cells.

Mouse myeloid leukemia cells (MI) were induced to differentiate by a factor(s) (D-factor) in ascitic fluid. An inhibitory activity (I-activity) for the induction of differentiation was present in conditioned medium and lysate of MI cells resistant to the D-factor. The I-activity was non-dialyzable, heat-labile and protease-sensitive. Most of the activity was recovered in the fraction precipitated with 30-50% saturated ammonium sulfate. The fraction inhibited induction of phagocytic activity, migrating activity and morphological changes in MI cells, which are typical properties of differentiated MI cells. Low levels of I-activity were detected in conditioned medium or lysate of MI cells sensitive to the D-factor. The resistant MI cells were sensitized to the D-factor by treatment with a low concentration (5-10 ng/ml) of actinomycin D. The I-activity in conditioned medium of actinomycin D-treated resistant cells decreased with development of sensitivity to the D-factor. These results suggest that production of the I-activity in the resistant cells is closely associated with resistance of the MI cells to the D-factor.