Neuroleukin mediated differentiation induction of myelogenous leukemia cells.

Leukemia cells enriched from peripheral blood of a patient with myelogenous leukemia were induced to differentiate with a purified T cell lymphokine neuroleukin. With sufficient neuroleukin concentrations, cells with macrophage-like morphology were identified among the developing adherent cells. After 2-5 days, approximately 38-50% of the suspension cells became macrophage-like and acquired CD21, alpha-naphthyl acetate reactivity and immune adherence capability. The amount of these nonproliferating cells increased along with cells containing fragmented DNA. Induction with insufficient neuroleukin quantity or with patient plasma alone developed few or no mature cells, indicating differentiation to mature cells is dose-dependent. The possibility of insufficient quantity of neuroleukin in regulation of patient plasma for differentiation was discussed.