Erythroid differentiation in cultured Friend leukemia cells treated with metabolic inhibitors.

The induction of erythroid differentiation in the T3-C12 clone of Friend leukemia cells by dimethyl sulfoxide is accompanied by reduction in viral RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity with increased cellular delta-aminolevulinic acid synthetase activity and hemoglobin synthesis. These cells were treated with a variety of compounds to determine whether other durgs are capable on inducing erythroid differentiation. While several hormones, inhibitors of RNA synthesis, organic solvents, inhibitors of DNA polymerase, sulfhydryl inhibitors, and inducers of delta-aminolevulinic acid synthetase administered singly did not stimulate hemoglobin synthesis like dimethyl sulfoxide, inhibitors of DNA and RNA synthesis such as adriamycin, mitomycin C, and hydroxyurea:mithramycin were synergistic in stimulating erythroid differentiation.