HEL Cells

HEL cells are a human erythroleukemia cell line that was established from the peripheral blood of a 30-year-old man with erythroleukemia in relapse after treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma in 1980. HEL cells are capable of spontaneous and induced globin synthesis, producing mainly G gamma and A gamma chains. These cells also express embryonic chains (epsilon, zeta) and alpha chains in minimal amounts, while beta chains are undetectable. HEL cells are round, large to occasionally giant polynucleated, single cells in suspension, with a few cells adherent. The expression of mutated JAK2 has been confirmed in these cells by RT-PCR and sequencing. HEL cells express several cell surface markers, including CD3-, CD13+, CD14-, CD19-, CD33+, CD41a+, CD71+, and CD235a+. According to research, hydroxyurea, a medicine routinely used to treat a variety of cancers, including erythroleukemia, may also regulate the death of HEL cells. HEL cell apoptosis produced by hydroxyurea may be connected to HEL cell terminal differentiation. Additionally, earlier research has shown that hydroxyurea may be crucial in controlling HEL cell proliferation and differentiation.