Diverse Effects of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Three Subclones from Human Myelomonocytic Leukemia Cell Line ME-1 Exhibiting Different Differentiation Stages

The effects of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were examined in three subclone cells from human myelomonocytic leukemia cell line ME-1. These three subclone cells exhibit different differentiation stages of the myelomonocytic lineage. TNF-α exerted a growth-suppressive effect on the least mature subclone cells, ME-F₂ cells. On the other hand, TNF-α induced the most mature ME-F₁ cells and intermediate ME-F₃ cells to differentiate along the monocytic pathway. TNF-α also enhanced interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-induced complement C2 production by ME-F₁ and ME-F₃ cells but did not affect production by differentiated ME-F₁ and ME-F₃ cells. These results suggest that the diversity of the effects of TNF on subclone cells from ME-1 depends on the stage of cell differentiation.