Previous studies have found nbl expression to transiently rise and fall during glucocorticoid-induced thymic apoptosis. This induction of apoptosis is blocked by the transcriptional inhibitor actinomycin D. However, actinomycin D can trigger apoptosis in other cell types, e.g., HL-60 cells. This study found that internucleosomal DNA cleavage typical of apoptosis is induced by actinomycin D in cell lines such as HL-60 which constitutively express high levels of nbl above a certain "threshold." In contrast, "DNA ladder" formation was not induced by actinomycin D in cell lines with low constitutive nbl expression. Enhanced nbl expression therefore appears to be associated with apoptosis which is either blocked or induced by actinomycin D.