Effects of sex steroids on cell differentiation and interleukin-1 beta production in the human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60.

Abstract

The effects of 17 beta-estradiol (E2), progesterone (P) and testosterone (Te) on cell differentiation in the HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells after treatment with 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3] and those on interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) production by HL-60 cells in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were investigated. Neither E2 (10(-10) to 10(-7) M), P (10(-9) to 10(-6) M) nor Te (10(-10) to 10(-7) M) affected monocytic differentiation as assessed by reactivity with OKM14 monoclonal antibody and alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase activity. Pretreatment of HL-60 cells with 1,25-(OH)2D3 enhanced their ability to produce IL-1 beta in response to subsequent exposure to LPS, although 1,25-(OH)2D3 by itself did not induce IL-1 beta production by HL-60 cells. This priming effect of 1,25-(OH)2D3 was augmented by the addition of E2 and Te at physiologic concentrations, but not by that of P. E2, P and Te at physiologic concentrations enhanced IL-1 beta production by HL-60 cells that were pretreated with 1,25(OH)2D3 and stimulated by LPS. The increasing rate of IL-1 beta production by the addition of E2 and Te was higher when added with LPS than when added with 1,25-(OH)2D3. These findings suggest that enhancing effects of sex steroids in IL-1 beta production by monocyte/macrophage lineage cells.