Effects of cytosine arabinoside on DNA synthesis and mitotic activity of HL-60 cells.

HL-60 cells were exposed to tritiated thymidine (3HTdR) alone (control group), to cytosine arabinoside followed by 3HTdR or to tritium labelled cytosine arabinoside (3H-AraC) for one hour followed by incubation with colcemide to arrest them during metaphase. Autoradiographic slides were prepared and cell counts were at 1, 24, 48 and 72 h. The studies demonstrated that HL-60 cells exposed to high concentrations of AraC (10 micrograms ml-1) can pass through the S-phase as the G2-phase of the cell cycle and enter mitosis. Despite completing the S-phase, the cells exposed to AraC were severely damaged and had already begun to die.