Induction of (2'-5') oligoadenylate synthetase activity during granulocyte and monocyte differentiation.

Variations in the (2'-5') oligoadenylate synthetase (2-5 A synthetase) level were examined prior to and during the differentiation in culture of the human monocyte cell line U937 and the promyelocytic cell line HL60 in an attempt to reveal whether the enzyme is actively involved in hematopoietic cell maturation. The basal level of this enzyme was much higher in U937 than in HL60 cells. The activity of 2-5 A synthetase was enhanced in both cell lines in response to alpha, beta interferons. During cell differentiation, ten markers were measured. The level of the enzyme rose during the process of cellular maturation in both cell lines. The 2-5 A synthetase activity observed in differentiated HL60 and U937 cells was comparable to that observed in mature normal granulocytes and monocytes respectively. Induction of U937 differentiation by chemicals was associated with detectable production of IFN. The increase in enzyme activity observed was mostly dependent on endogenous production of interferon, since it was inhibited by interferon antibodies. Kinetic studies showed that in U937 cells 2-5 A synthetase was expressed prior to several of the differentiation markers. The rise in the enzyme's level observed during the differentiation of HL60 cells was independent of endogenous production of interferon, since it was not inhibited by the addition of anti-interferon antibodies. These results suggest that different biochemical and molecular mechanisms are responsible for the induction of 2-5 A synthetase observed during the differentiation of hematopoietic cells. In any case, 2-5 A synthetase can be considered as a biochemical marker of cell status and differentiation in hematopoietic cells.