Purification of megakaryocyte differentiation activity from a human fibrous histiocytoma cell line: N-terminal sequence homology with activin A.

We purified a protein possessing a potent ability to induce the differentiation of a murine megakaryoblastic cell line, L8057, from the supernatant of a human fibrous histiocytoma cell line, KHM-5M. The protein, a homodimer of a molecular weight of 25-kDa, has an N-terminal sequence identical with that of the beta A-chain of inhibin, indicating that it is identical to or highly homologous with activin A. Thus, it is speculated that activin A or its homologue is involved in megakaryocytic differentiation.