PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - McCabe, Michael J.
AU  - Singh, Kameshwar P.
AU  - Reddy, Srikar A.
AU  - Chelladurai, Bhadrani
AU  - Pounds, Joel G.
AU  - Reiners, John J.
AU  - States, J. Christopher
TI  - Sensitivity of Myelomonocytic Leukemia Cells to Arsenite-Induced Cell Cycle Disruption, Apoptosis, and Enhanced Differentiation Is Dependent on the Inter-Relationship between Arsenic Concentration, Duration of Treatment, and Cell Cycle Phase
DP  - 2000 Nov 01
TA  - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
PG  - 724--733
VI  - 295
IP  - 2
4099  - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/295/2/724.short
4100  - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/295/2/724.full
SO  - J Pharmacol Exp Ther2000 Nov 01; 295
AB  - Arsenite treatment has been found to induce clinical remission in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Although the potential therapeutic value of arsenite may lie in triggering apoptosis, it has not been established that cytotoxicity is the sole mechanism of action. We have used a myelomonocytic leukemia cell line (U937) to characterize the concentration-dependent effects of arsenite on cell growth, viability, apoptosis, and differentiation. Arsenite has multiple effects on U937 cells. Low concentrations of arsenite (i.e., ≤1 μM) potentiate vitamin-D3-induced differentiation. Two markers of monocyte differentiation, Mac-1 expression and nitroblue tetrazolium reduction, are increased in arsenite-exposed, D3-costimulated cells. Concentrations of arsenite >10 μM rapidly induce the death of cells irrespective of cell cycle phase. Intermediate concentrations of arsenite (i.e., 5 to 10 μM) are cytostatic initially. Cell cycle analysis using elutriated, synchronous cell populations revealed that intermediate concentrations of arsenite delay both G1 and G2transit. G2 cells appear to be most sensitive to arsenite, in that transit through G2/M is more delayed than transit through G1, and apoptosis is induced in these cells as they emerge from an aberrant G2/M. Arsenite-induced apoptosis was caspase-3 dependent. Arsenite-mediated cytotoxicity was reduced in the presence of the broad caspase inhibitor Z-Val-Ala-dl-Asp-fluoromethylketone; however, caspase inhibition did not reverse arsenite-induced cytostasis. Thus, arsenite has multiple effects on U937 cells that are dependent on concentration and cell cycle phase. Specifically, cell cycle transit and differentiation are more sensitive to arsenite than is the induction of apoptosis. The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics