Evading apoptosis by calcitriol-differentiated human leukemic HL-60 cells is not mediated by changes in CD95 receptor system but by increased sensitivity of these cells to insulin.

Previous studies revealed that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (calcitriol)-induced differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cells leads to an increased resistance of the cells to apoptosis-inducing agents. However many attempts were made to explain it, the mechanism underlying this effect still remains unclear. Our results suggest that the acquired resistance to apoptosis-inducing agents in HL-60 cells is not mediated by the CD95 receptor/ligand system. The expression of CD95 on the surface of HL-60 cells is very low and does not change during the calcitriol-induced differentiation of HL-60 cells. Studies presented here provide a strong indication that this receptor is unable to transmit the death signal in either differentiated or undifferentiated HL-60 cells. We therefore asked if evading apoptosis by differentiated human leukemia HL-60 cells may be caused by their increased sensitivity to growth factors contained in fetal calf serum. This study demonstrates that HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells, differentiated by exposure to calcitriol, undergo apoptosis in serum-free conditions. As low as 1% of fetal calf serum is enough to prevent cell death of differentiated HL-60 cells. The ability of 1% fetal calf serum to prevent apoptosis can be blocked by the specific inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, LY294002. We then tried to find out which component of fetal calf serum may be able to prevent serum-free cell death of differentiated cells. It appeared that serum-free cell death of differentiated HL-60 cells is reversed by addition of 10 microM insulin to the culture medium. The antiapoptotic activity of insulin can be inhibited by LY294002. Moreover, insulin increases the viability of differentiated, but not of undifferentiated, HL-60 cells.

Copyright 2001 Academic Press.