Cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP) is a potent and effective metalloporphyrin inducer of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) activity in many tissues. Here, we report that CoPP induces differentiation of monocytic THP-1 cells into macrophage-like cells. CoPP induced a marked growth inhibition with a slight reduction in viability, and increased adhesion and spreading of THP-1 cells. However, other protoporphyrins did not. CoPP also resulted in expression of CD11b, MMP9, MSR1, CD14 and ICAM-1, which are differentiation markers for macrophages. Interestingly, we observed a decrease of cytoplasmic redox factor-1 (Ref-1) levels in the process of CoPP-induced differentiation of THP-1 cells. In addition, knockdown of Ref-1 by siRNA enhanced cell adhesion induced by CoPP. Furthermore, an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase, diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), completely abolished CoPP-induced adhesion of Ref-1-deficient cells using an siRNA. A cytosolic factor for NADPH oxidase activity, p47phox, was significantly increased in THP-1 cells by CoPP treatment. Κnockdown of Ref-1 increased CoPP-induced p47phox expression in THP-1 cells. Taken together, these results suggest that CoPP induces differentiation of monocytic THP-1 cells, and that the CoPP-induced differentiation is associated with cytoplasmic Ref-1-related NADPH oxidase activity.

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