Hemoglobin Synthesis in Murine Virus-Induced Leukemic Cells In Vitro: Stimulation of Erythroid Differentiation by Dimethyl Sulfoxide

Cells of a cloned line of murine virus-induced erythroleukemia were stimulated to differentiate along the erythroid pathway by dimethyl sulfoxide at concentrations that did not inhibit growth. A rise in the number of benzidine-positive normoblasts was accompanied by increased synthesis of heme and hemoglobin and a decrease in the malignancy of the cells. This action of dimethyl sulfoxide, which was reversible, may represent the derepression of leukemic cells to permit their maturation.