Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF- α ) induces both rapid onset of apoptosis and monocytic differentiation in HL-60 human myeloid leukemia cells. In this study, we examined the effect of activation of protein kinase C (PKC) in c-Myc protein expression in association with the induction of apoptosis and differentiation in TNF- α -treated HL-60 cells. Pretreatment with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), an activator of PKC, prevented TNF- α -induced rapid onset of apoptosis, which occurs at 3 h culture with TNF- α, concomitantly with the up-regulation of c-Myc protein expression. In addition, PMA enhanced TNF- α -induced differentiation at 24 h treatment. This was documented by the expression of integrin Mac-1 molecule (CD11b) on the cell surface and the cellular adhesion to the plastic bottom of the flask, indicating the differentiation along with the monocyte/macrophage lineage. These results indicate that activation of PKC not only counteracts apoptosis but also enhances differentiation in TNF- α -treated HL-60 cells. Up-regulation of c-Myc protein evoked by pretreatment with PMA for a short time could disturb the signaling pathway of the ceramide and sphingosine, which are known to function as the endogenous modulators mediating the apoptotic signal of TNF- α. Our results strongly suggest the role of c-Myc protein as a mediator of cytoprotective effect of PKC pathway, and PKC pathway opposes apoptosis and consequently undergo differentiation via rapid up-regulated c-Myc protein expression during TNF- α signaling of HL-60 cells. Our findings provide a new insight for a role of PKC and c-Myc protein with special reference to the regulatory mechanisms in the decision of cellular fate, differentiation or apoptosis.