Proteases act synergistically with low molecular weight inducers to stimulate mouse erythroleukemia cell differentiation

Proteases stimulate mouse erythroleukemia (MEL) cell differentiation and multiplication. The stimulation of differentiation is synergistically increased by low concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide. Synergism of other low molecular weight inducers with representative proteases, α-chymotrypsin and protease V8, was tested. Hemin, hypoxanthine, actinomycin D, aminonucleoside of puromycin, hexamethylene bisacetamide, and 5-azacytidine were also found to act synergistically with this protease to augment MEL cell hemoglobin production, but not cell multiplication. Fatty acids (acetate, propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate, and valerate), prostaglandins A₁ and E₁, amino acids, and amino acid analogs and metabolites did not act synergistically with chymotrypsin. Some physiologic amino acids were found to be weak inducers. Several of the low molecular weight inducers also acted synergistically with protease V8 in inducing differentiation, and, as with chymotrypsin, did not act synergistically in stimulating cell multiplication. Like chymotrypsin, protease V8 did not act synergistically with butyrate. The earlier finding that ptoteases, but not low molecular weight inducers, stimulate cell multiplication during the induction of differentiation was confirmed. Carboxypeptidase A also was found to be an inducer.