A growth-promoting ribosome extract (GPRE) from mouse L-929 cells stimulates growth of the HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cell line

An extract termed growth-promoting ribosome extract (GPRE), isolated from mouse L-929 cells stimulates growth of HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells. The stimulation first becomes apparent at 72 h when the cells start to enter the quiescent state. The inhibition of protein synthesis by the addition of cycloheximide to L-929 cells before ribosomal extracts were prepared did not alter the stimulatory effect of GPRE. When GPRE was added together with 20% fetal calf serum to cultures of quiescent HL-60 cells, growth was stimulated to the extent that the generation time was reduced by approximately 9 h to 32.4 h. GPRE alone was unable to stimulate the quiescent cells. The growth stimulatory effect was not restricted to one cell generation but was a characteristic of at least the following two cell cycles. GPRE extract from L-cells synchronized by centrifugal elutriation was most efficient when isolated from cells in early G1 phase, while extract from S phase cells had virtually no effect. It is tentatively suggested that the factor belongs to the competence/progression group of growth factors.