Induction of macrophagic and granulocytic differentiation of murine bone marrow progenitor cells by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) was recently shown to promote maturation of 5-fluorouracil (5FU)-treated bone marrow cells by up-regulating macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) receptors in the presence of interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha). In order to reveal how 1,25(OH)2D3 interacts with colony-stimulating factors and regulates the differentiation of bone marrow progenitor cell populations, in the present study, natural bone marrow cells were isolated from untreated mice and used in alpha-minimum essential medium supplemented with 20% heat-inactivated horse serum without added appropriate cytokines. Under the conditions, cells spontaneously differentiated gradually with days of culture, as assessed by expression of macrophage differentiation antigens such as Mac-1 (CD11b) and F4/80. Both M-CSF and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) induced only Mac-1 antigen expression. Simultaneous treatment with M-CSF and 1,25(OH)2D3 enhanced the M-CSF's effect on expression of both antigens, although 1,25(OH)2D3 per se has no effect on the expression for up to 11 days. In addition, successive treatment with 1,25(OH)2D3 and M-CSF or GM-CSF dramatically enhanced expression of both antigens or Mac-1 antigen, respectively. Similarly, both simultaneous and successive treatment with 1,25(OH)2D3 and M-CSF significantly enhanced phagocytic activity and H2O2 production, whereas successive treatment with 1,25(OH)2D3 and GM-CSF significantly enhanced only phagocytic activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)