Effect of glutamine deprivation on growth and differentiation of primary APL cells

AIM:To investigate the effect of Gln deprivation on growth and differentiation of primary APL cells. METHODS: The primary APL cells were collected from 18 cases of APL patients’ periphery blood, the patients had not been treated. The cells were incubated in RPMI 1640 without or with different contents of glutamine and with 10% fetal calf sera, at 37℃,5% CO 2 and saturation humidity for 4 days.The initial living cell density was 5×10⁸/L. After 4 days incubation,the cells were counted,collected, smeard and stained with Wright-Giemsa, DNA, POX, NAE and NaF inhibition,gulping ink and NBT etc. cytochemical technology. The stained cells were investigated under oil immersion lens. RESULTS: The living cell density became (54.28±4.28)% of the initial in glutamine deprivation group, but the living cell density in control with 4 mmol/L Gln was (108.56±12.27 )% of the initial ( P <0.01) after 4 days incubation. The cells differentiated into mature granulocytes in glutamine deprivation group.CONCLUSION: Deprivation of glutamine inhibited primary APL cell growth and induced cell differentiation toward mature granulocyte.