Dimethylsulfoxide induces upregulation of tumor suppressor protein PTEN through nuclear factor-kappaB activation in HL-60 cells.

Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) has been known to differentiate HL60 cells into neutrophil like cells. Here, we provide an evidence for the involvement of tumor suppressor PTEN, an antagonist of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) in the DMSO-induced differentiation of HL60 cells. DMSO upregulated PTEN with unaffecting the expression of PI3K.