A novel GM-CSF-dependent myeloid cell line, OHN-GM, was established from a patient who developed acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML) as a consequence of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). As the patient had previously received cytotoxic chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease, the MDS and AML were probably related to such therapy. Sequential karyotypic analysis established a del(5q) as the initial cytogenetic abnormality. Additional alterations, including t(10;13)(q24;q14), had developed subsequently during disease progression. Southern blot analysis of OHN-GM cells suggested deletion of one allele of the IRF-1 gene, although no aberrant transcripts were detected. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis revealed the deletion of the Rb gene due to the t(10;13)(q24;q14) translocation, and Western blot analysis demonstrated the absence of Rb protein in OHN-GM cells. Finally, the OHN-GM cells exhibited two missense point mutations in highly conserved regions of the p53 gene. These observations suggest that a multistep process, involving alterations of Rb and p53 genes, may have contributed to the patient's disease development and progression. To our knowledge, OHN-GM is the first cell line derived from a therapy-related AML. These cells may aid the investigation of leukaemogenesis as well as the biology of secondary leukaemia.