HMBA induces MELC to terminal erythroid differentiation. The mechanism of HMBA action is not known. Culture with HMBA causes changes in gene expression which occur during the early "latent period", that is, prior to commitment to terminal differentiation. The inducer causes a decrease in diacylglycerol concentration, a decrease in Ca+2 and a decrease in phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C activity (within 2 hr) (Figure 2). There is an early suppression (within 1-2 hrs) of c-myb and c-myc gene transcription and an increase in c-fos mRNA (within 4 hrs). HMBA-induced commitment to terminal differentiation is detected by 12 hrs and over 95% become committed cells by 48 to 60 hrs. Commitment is associated with persistent suppression of c-myb gene transcription and elevated levels of c-fos mRNA whereas the level of c-myc mRNA returns to that of uninduced cells. By 36 to 48 hrs, transcription of alpha 1 and beta maj globin genes is increased 10 to 30 fold, while that of rRNA genes is suppressed. It is not yet clear how the protein products of proto-oncogenes elicit or modify cellular responses. Changes in expression of c-myb, c-myc, c-fos and p53 genes which occur during HMBA-induced differentiation, as well as in several other systems, suggest that products of these genes may have a role in regulating expression of multiple genes. One possible application of the established pattern of HMBA-induced modulation of gene expression during MELC differentiation may be in following the effects of cyto-differentiation agents during treatment of cancers. Phase I and Phase II chemical trials have been initiated to evaluate HMBA as a cytodifferentiation agent in human neoplasms (65). For most human tumors, assay for cytologic evidence of induced differentiation is difficult at best. Following the effects of a differentiation inducing agent by determining c-myc, or c-myb, mRNA levels may provide useful indicators of biological activity of HMBA and be a basis for evaluating whether continued administration of the agent is of interest in terms of potential clinical efficacy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)