5-NITROFURAN DERIVATIVES OF FATTY-ACID HYDRAZIDES INDUCE DIFFERENTIATION IN HUMAN MYELOID LEUKEMIC-CELL LINES

Compounds formed by 5-nitrofuran with hydrazides of formic, acetic and propionic acids, hereafter respectively known as SBF, SBA and SBP have been used to evaluate the differentiation-inducing properties on two established myeloid leukaemic cell lines ML-2 and EOL-1. SBP is found to be the most effective as an antineoplastic agent amongst the three. Induction of differentiation observed are in the order SBP > SBA > SBF as assessed by morphology, NBT-reducing activity and surface marker antigens of the treated cells. Induction of differentiation of ML-2 and EOL-1 cells by the most effective compound, SBP (3 mu M), is accompanied by perturbation of the cell cycle, with most of the cells accumulating in the G(0)-G(1), phase. Inhibition of DNA synthesis occurs while protein and RNA synthesis remain practically unchanged.