Effects of hormone treatment on chromosomal radiosensitivity of somatic and germ cells of Snell's dwarf mice

The X-ray induction of micronuclei and structural chromosomal aberrations was studied in bone-marrow cells of normal and dwarf (dw) mice in combination with thyroxine and/or prolactin treatment or otherwise. Hormone treatment clearly increased micronuclei induction but not chromosome breakage, suggesting that indirect effects were involved. Since no clear differences in the timing of the final stage of erythropoiesis could be found, it is likely that the indirect effects are mediated via the formation-differentiation kinetics of erythroblasts. The induction of reciprocal translocations by X-rays in stem cell spermatogonia of dwarf mice was lower than in normals and treatment with prolactin, growth hormone and/or thyroxin, did not influence the chromosomal radiosensitivity of spermatogonial stem cells.     

Expression of insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) and histological changes in the thymus and spleen of transgenic mice overexpressing IGF-II

 Previously, transgenic mice were constructed overexpressing human insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) under control of the H₂k^b promoter. The IGF-II transgene was highly expressed in thymus and spleen, and these organs showed an increase in weight. In the current study we have analyzed the sites of IGF-II mRNA expression, the distribution of IGF-II, IGF-I, and both IGF receptors, and histomorphometrical changes in thymus and spleen. With in situ mRNA hybridization, expression of the IGF-II transgene is found with high intensity in the thymic medulla and in the white pulp/marginal zone of the spleen, whereas there were scattered positive cells in the thymic cortex and in the splenic red pulp. Hybridization was restricted to non-lymphocytic cells. Immunohistochemistry revealed intense IGF-II peptide staining with the same distribution as IGF-II mRNA. There was additional intense IGF-II staining of all elements in the splenic red pulp (including trabeculae) and diffuse, low level staining in the thymic cortex. These findings were not observed in control mice. In the thymic medulla, most IGF-II producing cells co-labelled with keratin, whereas a minor population also stained for the monocyte/macrophage marker MOMA-2. In the spleen, co-labelling of IGF-II producing cells was found with MOMA-1 (marginal zone), or with the dendritic cell marker NLDC-145 (red pulp). IGF-I and both IGF receptors were found in these organs in nearly all cell types, with a similar pattern in transgenic mice and in control animals. Histomorphometric analysis revealed a marked increase of thymus cortex size and an increased trabecular size in the spleen. This suggests that IGF-II overproduction induces local effects (auto/paracrine) in the thymic cortex, but not in the thymic medulla. Trabecular growth in the spleen most likely is a distant effect (paracrine or endocrine) of IGF-II overproduction. Accepted: 5 September 1996     

Influence of Growth Hormone and Thyroxine On Cell Kinetics In the Proximal Tibial Growth Plate of Snell Dwarf Mice

Abstract. In Snell dwarf mice, the influence of short-term treatment with human growth hormone (hGH) or thyroxine on the proliferative and sulphation activity of the proximal tibial growth plate was studied. By autoradiographic methods, the [³H]methylthymidine incorporation after a single injection was measured, after 2 hr incorporation time. the labelling index was calculated and the number of labelled mitoses was counted. In addition, the distribution of the labelled nuclei over the proliferating and degenerating zones was determined by continuous labelling for 25 and 73 hr.
In untreated dwarf mice after [³H]-methylthymidine administration, the number of labelled nuclei in the growth plate is low. Labelling occurs, as expected, mainly in the cells of the proliferative zones. the number of labelled nuclei in control dwarf mice was similar after 25 and 73 hr continuous labelling. This suggests that many cells are in a resting G_o or prolonged G₁ phase. Both hGH and T₄ treatment induce a significant increase of the number of labelled nuclei per growth plate and of the number of mitoses. Since hormonal treatment induces a small number of mitoses after 2 hr incorporation of the label, the minimal G₂ phase of the cell cycle is less than 2 hr. In addition, treatment with hGH and T₄ stimulates chondrocytes in the zone of proliferative and hypertrophic cells to actively incorporate [³⁵S]-sulphate.     

Effect of hormone treatment on spontaneous and radiation-induced chromosomal breakage in normal and dwarf mice

Treatment of dwarf mice with growth hormone, insulin and testosterone had no effect on the spontaneous frequencies of micronuclei (MN) in bone-marrow cells, whereas thyroxine decreased these frequencies. The induction of MN by X-rays and mitomycin C was significantly lower in dwarf mice than in normal mice. Treatment with thyroxine plus growth hormone restored normal radiosensitivity in dwarfs.     

Effects of a single cleavage in insulin-like growth factors I and II on binding to receptors, carrier proteins and antibodies.

Two somatomedin-like peptides were extracted from Cohn fraction IV of human plasma and brought to homogeneity: one focused at pH 7.8 and the other at pH less than 5.6. Each consisted of two peptide chains interlinked by disulphide bonds. The basic peptide was identical to insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and had a single cleavage in the C-domain before Arg37 [IGF-I(Arg36cl)]. The acid peptide showed identity with IGF-II, with a cleavage in the B-domain before Arg30 [IGF-II(Ser29cl)]. The effects of these cleavages on the characteristics of binding to type I and type II receptor sites, to binding proteins and to antibodies was studied. Binding of IGF-I(Arg36cl) to antibodies directed against the B-domain or against the AD-domain of IGF-I was the same as IGF-I binding. Thus the cleavage does not influence these antigenic sites. In contrast, binding of IGF-I(Arg36cl) to the type I receptor on human and bovine placental cell membranes was markedly decreased compared with IGF-I binding. Binding to the insulin receptor on human placental cell membranes was slightly diminished, whereas the interaction with specific type II receptors on bovine placental cell membranes was unaffected. There was only a minor influence of the cleavage on the region involved in binding to binding proteins. The cleavage in IGF-II(Ser29cl) diminished binding to antibodies directed against the C-domain of IGF-II, compared with binding of IGF-II itself. Binding to receptors (type I and type II) was changed less profoundly. With 125I-labelled IGF-II(Ser29cl), less insulin was needed in order to obtain 50% displacement of the tracer compared with displacement of 125I-labelled IGF-II. The cleaved form of IGF-II probably has a greater affinity towards the common receptor population than does native IGF-II. Binding to binding proteins was not affected by the cleavage in IGF-II.     

Biosynthetic human growth hormone: effects on growth of Snell dwarf mice

Bacterially synthesized human growth hormone (bhGH) administered to Snell dwarf mice during 4 weeks, induced an increase in body length and weight to a comparable degree as obtained with pituitary-derived human growth hormone (hGH). At a dose of 150 mU/day both bhGH and hGH induced a significant stimulation over saline-treated controls, of the weight of the submandibular salivary glands, the m. quadriceps femoris and gastrocnemius, the heart, liver, kidneys, thymus and spleen. The weight of the brain and the thickness of the skinfold were not influenced by either of the preparations used. When organ weights were expressed as a function of body weight, the contribution of the kidneys to body weight was significantly higher with hGH than with bhGH. The other organs studied did not show differences. As a biochemical parameter of cartilage growth, the sulfate incorporation into costal and epiphyseal cartilage in vitro was measured, and it was found to be stimulated by both hormones after short-term treatment. Thus bacterially synthesized hGH behaves identically to pituitary-derived hGH with respect to body length, sulfate incorporation into costal and epiphyseal cartilage, body weight and organ growth of Snell dwarf mice, with one exception: increase of weight of the kidneys, as a function of body weight, was more pronounced after treatment with hGH than with bhGH.     

Clastogenic effects of biosynthetic human growth hormone in Snell dwarf mice and CHO cells in vitro

Treatment of Snell dwarf mice with high concentrations of human growth hormone from pituitaries as well as of bacterial origin, significantly increased the frequencies of chromosomal aberrations in bone-marrow cells, as measured by the micronucleus test. In vitro treatment of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells with the two types of hormone likewise induced structural chromosomal aberrations.     

Human teratocarcinoma cells express functional insulin-like growth factor I receptors

Using iodinated insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) we have detected receptors for IGF-I at the cell surface of the clonally derived human embryonal carcinoma cell line Tera 2 clone 13. Affinity crosslinking of IGFs to Tera 2 clone 13-derived membrane preparations revealed the presence of proteins with features of both type-I and type-II IGF receptors. Treatment of Tera 2 clone 13 cells with retinoic acid to induce differentiation results in an increased number of cell surface receptors, apparently without altering the ratio of type-I and type-II receptors. In addition, Tera 2 clone 13 IGF-I receptors catalyze (auto)phosphorylation at tyrosine upon IGF-I and insulin binding. These findings suggest that type-I IGF receptors might be involved in mediating the effects of IGFs and insulin upon the proliferation of Tera 2 clone 13 cells.     

Influence of growth hormone and thyroxine on cell kinetics in the proximal tibial growth plate of Snell dwarf mice

In Snell dwarf mice, the influence of short-term treatment with human growth hormone (hGH) or thyroxine on the proliferative and sulphation activity of the proximal tibial growth plate was studied. By autoradiographic methods, the [3H]methylthymidine incorporation after a single injection was measured, after 2 hr incorporation time. The labelling index was calculated and the number of labelled mitoses was counted. In addition, the distribution of the labelled nuclei over the proliferating and degenerating zones was determined by continuous labelling for 25 and 73 hr. In untreated dwarf mice after [3H]-methylthymidine administration, the number of labelled nuclei in the growth plate is low. Labelling occurs, as expected, mainly in the cells of the proliferative zones. The number of labelled nuclei in control dwarf mice was similar after 25 and 73 hr continuous labelling. This suggests that many cells are in a resting G0 or prolonged G1 phase. Both hGH and T4 treatment induce a significant increase of the number of labelled nuclei per growth plate and of the number of mitoses. Since hormonal treatment induces a small number of mitoses after 2 hr incorporation of the label, the minimal G2 phase of the cell cycle is less than 2 hr. In addition, treatment with hGH and T4 stimulates chondrocytes in the zone of proliferative and hypertrophic cells to actively incorporate [35S]-sulphate.     

Plasma levels of insulin-like binding protein-2 in prepubertal short children and its diagnostic value in the evaluation of growth hormone deficiency

AIM: This study was designed to investigate whether determination of plasma insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) levels could be of benefit in the evaluation of childhood growth hormone (GH) deficiency (GHD). METHOD: A retrospective analysis was performed on 91 prepubertal children referred for investigation of short stature. Maximal GH levels in plasma after provocative stimuli were between 1.0 and 93.0 mU/l, 6 subjects exhibiting peak values of <5 mU/l. Initially a GH peak of 20 mU/l was used as a cutoff limit to define GHD and idiopathic short stature (ISS) patients. The results of GH provocative tests were compared to age- and gender-based standard deviation scores (SDS) of plasma IGFBP-2, IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and the molar ratios of the latter two to IGFBP-2. The respective normative range values for these parameters were determined in plasma samples from 353 healthy children (i.e. 171 girls, 182 boys). RESULTS: Circulating IGFBP-2 levels did not correlate with height SDS, height velocity SDS or the peak GH levels after provocative stimuli. A weak negative relationship was found between IGFBP-2 and IGF-I. Plasma levels of IGFBP-2 in GHD patients were higher than those of ISS children, who had normal levels. Although at the optimal cutoff point of -0.71 SDS 91.5% of the GHD patients were identified correctly, a substantial proportion (71.9%) of the ISS subjects also had IGFBP-2 levels above this limit. The use of various combinations of IGFBP-2, IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and the derived ratios only slightly improved the diagnostic efficiency as compared to the results of the individual tests. Neither IGFBP-2 nor the IGFBP-3/IGFBP-2 and IGF-I/IGFBP-2 ratios were found to be related to the short- (1 year) or long-term (3 years) growth response to GH therapy. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that none of the tests investigated, either alone or in various combinations, are reliable in either predicting the peak GH level after provocative stimuli in prepubertal short children or in predicting their growth response to GH.