Detection of Luxol-fast-blue positive cells in human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60

Differentiation of HL-60 cells toward the eosinophilic series has not been reported previously. Eosinophil granule specific staining with Luxol-fast-blue was used to determine if HL-60 cells could differentiate into the eosinophilic lineage. The specificity of the Luxol-fast-blue stain for cells of the eosinophilic series was substantiated by comparison of the staining of cells from a patient with an eosinophilic syndrome by Wright-Giemsa and Luxol-fast-blue. Luxol-fast-blue positivity was most notable in cells found in colonies formed from HL-60 clonogenic cells in semisolid agar medium. Colony and cluster formation was spontaneous but in the presence of medium conditioned by either human placental cells or the human monocyte-like cell line, GCT, Luxol-fast-blue positive colonies and clusters were detected at a higher frequency.