The prototypic acute phase reactant C-reactive protein (CRP) is not only a marker but also a potential contributor to inflammatory diseases. CRP exists as the circulating native, pentameric CRP (pCRP) and the monomeric isoform (mCRP), formed as a result of a dissociation process of pCRP. mCRP is highly pro-inflammatory, but pCRP is not. The mechanism of pro-inflammatory action of mCRP is unclea...

We investigated the signaling pathways associated with microtubule interaction and apoptosis in U937 cells in vitro and in the U937 xenograft model in vivo by using 6-pyrrolidinyl-2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-4-quinazolinone (MJ-29). MJ-29 induced growth inhibition and cell death of leukemia cell lines (U937, HL-60, K562, and KG-1) in a dose- and time-dependent manner but did not obviously impair the vi...

We analyzed the effect of recombinant human interleukin 6 (IL-6), in combination with human recombinant interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), on the growth and differentiation of several human and mouse myeloid leukemic cell lines, specifically U937, HL-60, M1, and its subclone M1-3b-N, into macrophage-like cells. IL-6 and IL-1 inhibited the growth of U937, M1, and M1-3b-N in a dose-dependent manne...

An elevated blood level of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is a validated marker of vascular inflammation, which can result in the development of vascular disease and atherosclerosis. This study examined the hypothesis that ketosis increases the TNF-alpha secretion, both in a cell culture model using U937 monocytes and in type 1 diabetic patients in vivo. U937 cells were cultured with ketone ...

ELLS OF THE monocyte/macrophage lineage are considered to be a reservoir of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The virus infects these cells without killing them and the cells produce moderate amounts of virus indefinitely.' During the maturation of the cells, HIV replication can be modified.' In particular, HL-60 cells induced to differentiate before infection become permissive for monocytotr...

We have recently demonstrated that bufalin is a new potent inducer of the differentiation of human myeloid leukemia cells. The present work was carried out to examine further the effect of bufalin on the growth and characteristics of human leukemia-derived cell lines U937, Mil. and HL60. At concentrations of 5-10 IIM,bufalin decreased the growth of Mil cells preferentially at the G2 phase and U...

Glucocorticoids inhibit the proliferation of lymphoid leukemia cells, whereas most myeloid leukemia cells are resistant to glucocorticoids. However, this study showed that glucocorticoids significantly and preferentially inhibited growth of monocytoid leukemia cells in combination with a low concentration of transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta). Combined 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and...

Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAcP) is used as a marker for osteoclasts, which are believed to be derived from phagocytic cells or phagocyte stem cell precursors. To further investigate the relationship between monocytic phagocytes and osteoclasts, acid phosphatase (AcP) activity was measured by three different techniques in human peripheral blood monocytes, monocyte-derived macrophages...

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), a cancer of the myeloid line of blood cells, progresses rapidly and is typically fatal within weeks or months if left untreated. Asparaginases are a class of enzymatic anti-leukemia agents that induce apoptosis in leukemia cell lines; however, the role of L-asparaginase in the induction of apoptosis in AML cells has not been investigated. In this study, we investig...

Evodiamine is one of the major bioactive compounds that have been isolated and purified from the fruit of Evodiae fructus. Evodiamine exhibits antitumor activities against the human tumor cells, including multidrug-resistant tumor cells. However, the molecular mechanism involved in cell death induced by evodiamine treatment remains poorly understood. In the present study, we showed that evodiam...