Platelet factor 4 gene expression in a human megakaryocytic leukemia cell line (CMK) and its differentiated subclone (CMK11-5)

The human cell line CMK spontaneously expresses megakaryocytic characteristics and can be induced to differentiate into mature megakaryocytes after exposure to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). In comparison with CMK, we have examined the characteristics of a subclone, designated as CMK11-5, that is morphologically larger than the parent clone CMK and contains multinucleated giant cells. All CMK11-5 cells were positive for platelet peroxidase (PPO) activity, and some contained abundant alpha-granules and well-developed demarcation membranes. CMK cells had few demarcation membranes and alpha-granules, and 10% of these cells were found not to possess PPO activity. Phenotypic analysis revealed the percentage of CMK11-5 cells for platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa (CD41a), and GPIIIa (CD61) was greater than that for CMK cells. On the basis of these findings, CMK11-5 cells were considered to be more differentiated than CMK cells. We further examined the expression of GPIIb and platelet factor 4 (PF4) mRNA by Northern blot hybridization using 32P-labeled cDNA probes for GPIIb and PF4 in CMK and CMK11-5 cells. CMK cells exhibited mRNA for GPIIb, and its expression was augmented by TPA addition, but not PF4. In contrast, CMK11-5 cells were found to contain mRNA for GPIIb and PF4, and their mRNA levels were increased by the addition of TPA. The immunoreactive PF4 antigen was not detected in the TPA-treated CMK11-5 cells or in the culture medium of these cells. These results indicate that expression of mRNA for PF4 is a useful marker for the identification of mature megakaryocytes. Detection of mRNA for PF4 is a more sensitive method for characterization of megakaryocytic cells than that for the PF4 antigen.