Inhibition of β-adrenergic stimulation of lymphocyte adenylate cyclase by phorbol myristate acetate is mediated by activated macrophages

Phorbol myristate acetate, a tumor promoter and lymphocyte mitogen, inhibits isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Catalase and superoxide dismutase and depletion of macrophages from the cell preparations reversed this inhibitory effect. Phorbol myristate acetate did not inhibit isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase in purified T-cells or in membrane preparation from turkey erythrocytes. Thus, inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity by phorbol myristate acetate in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells is an indirect effect resulting from production of oxy radicals by activated macrophages.     

Inhibition of hepatic alpha 1-adrenergic effects and binding by phorbol myristate acetate

Treatment of isolated hepatocytes with the tumor-promoting agent, 4 beta-phorbol 12 beta-myristate 13 alpha-acetate (PMA) produced a time- and dose-dependent, non-competitive inhibition of alpha 1-adrenergic responses, including the activation of phosphorylase, increase in Ca2+ efflux, increase in free cytosolic Ca2+, and release of myo-inositol-1,4,5-P3. The actions of [8-arginine] vasopressin (AVP) on liver cells were also inhibited by PMA, but the inhibition could be overcome by high AVP concentrations. No significant inhibition of beta-adrenergic and glucagon-mediated activation of phosphorylase was induced by PMA and no inhibitory or synergistic effects of PMA were observed on the dose-dependent activation of phosphorylase by the Ca2+ ionophore A23187. In radioligand binding studies, PMA did not directly interfere with [3H]prazosin specific binding, the displacement of [3H]prazosin by (-)-norepinephrine nor with [3H]AVP specific binding to purified liver plasma membranes. Plasma membranes prepared from livers perfused with PMA exhibited a 30-44% reduction in [3H]prazosin binding capacity. Under identical conditions [3H]AVP binding was unchanged. The alpha 1-receptors remaining in membranes from PMA-treated livers had equivalent affinities for [3H]prazosin and (-)-norepinephrine, and were unaffected in terms of coupling to guanine nucleotide-regulating proteins as indicated by the ability of guanosine 5'-(beta, gamma-imido)triphosphate to promote the conversion of the remaining alpha 1-receptors into a low affinity state. These data indicate that tumor promoters are potent antagonists of alpha 1-adrenergic and vasopressin (low dose) responses in liver. It is proposed that PMA acting via protein kinase C (which presumably mediates the action of PMA) exerts its inhibitory action on alpha 1-adrenergic responses at the alpha 1-adrenergic receptor itself and also at a site close to or before myo-inositol-1,4,5-P3 release.     

The production of oxygen-centered radicals by Bacillus-Calmette-Guerin-activated macrophages: An electron paramagnetic resonance study of the response to phorbol myristate acetate

The spin trapping with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide of free radicals formed from Bacillus-Calmette-Guerin elicited peritoneal macrophages stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate resulted in the formation of a superoxide and hydroxyl spin adducts. The formation of both spin adducts was inhibited by copper/zinc superoxide dismutase. Only 70% of the hydroxyl spin adduct could be inhibited by catalase or the scavenger dimethyl sulfoxide. This suggests that the production of hydroxyl radicals involves prior formation of both superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide, implicating a Fenton catalysed Haber-Weiss reaction. The metal scavenger desferrioxamine also reduced the hydroxyl radical signal by 70%. The unaccounted 30% hydroxyl radical-like signals are probably due to carbon-centered free radicals formed by the lipoxygenase reaction. Spin trapping in the presence of the lipid-soluble spin trap, 5-octadecyl-5,3,3-trimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide, resulted in a spectrum consistent with the presence of an oxaziridine nitroxide. This results from the free radical-induced cyclisation of a nitrone with an unsaturated fatty acid.     

Stimulation and inhibition of secretion by phorbol myristate acetate in different cell types

In washed human platelets and in HL60 granulocytes phorbol myristate acetate (PMA, 1-2000nM) synergised with threshold concentrations of secretogogues to induce a sustained maximum secretory response. Likewise, superoxide production from HL60 cells maintained a maximal response at PMA concentrations between 30-300nM. At concentrations up to 10nM PMA also augmented calcium ionophore, A23187, stimulated histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells. However, in the mast cell PMA concentrations above 10nM reduced maximum histamine release in a dose-dependent manner.     

Polyamines stimulate superoxide production in human neutrophils activated by N-fMet-Leu-Phe but not by phorbol myristate acetate

The polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine, at concentrations of 10 microM, stimulated superoxide generation by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes induced by fMet-Leu-Phe in the presence of Ca2+. This positive effect was not evident in the absence of Ca2+ or when the polymorphonuclear leukocytes were stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate. Spermidine in the range of 10-100 microM showed a dose-dependent stimulatory effect on the superoxide generation induced by fMet-Leu-Phe, whilst at doses above 25 mM it produced an inhibitory effect. At this concentration, spermidine did not reduce the phorbol myristate acetate-neutrophil-induced O2-. generation, while an inhibitory effect by the polyamine was evident at concentrations above 50 mM. In addition, 100 microM spermidine increased the amount of superoxide generated and enhanced the ability of the chemotactic peptide to stimulate superoxide generation. The polyamines in the range of 10 microM-25 mM did not modify the activity of purified NADPH oxidase, nor the rate of reduction of cytochrome c as supported by the xanthine/xanthine oxidase reaction. These results indicate that physiological concentrations of polyamines can stimulate superoxide formation by polymorphonuclear leukocyte cells produced by the chemotactic peptide fMet-Leu-Phe, probably by increasing the availability of external calcium.     

Enhancement of the expression of a rat neutrophil-specific cell surface antigen by activation with phorbol myristate acetate and concanavalin A

A monoclonal antibody against rat neutrophils, RP-1, was produced by hybridizing a mouse myeloma (P3-X63-Ag8.653) with BALB/c mouse spleen cells sensitized with peritoneal neutrophils from Wistar-King-Aptakeman/Hok rats. RP-1 specifically reacted to neutrophils and bone marrow cells from rats of various strains. The expression of an antigen reactive to RP-1 on rat peritoneal neutrophils was enhanced by stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate and concanavalin A. The experimental result that the expression of an antigen reactive with another anti-neutrophil monoclonal antibody was not enhanced by stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate indicates that the antibody-binding capacity of stimulated neutrophils was not nonspecifically enhanced. The enhancement of antigen expression was temperature dependent. A glycolytic inhibitor, 2-deoxy-D-glucose, and an inhibitor of intracellular calcium mobilization, 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid 8-(diethylamino)-octyl ester hydrochloride, which inhibited hydrogen peroxide release from stimulated neutrophils, did not inhibit enhancement of the expression of an antigen reactive with RP-1.     

Inhibition of thymine dimer excision by the phorbol ester, phorbol myristate acetate

The effect of the promoting agent, phorbol myristate acetate, on repair of UV-induced damage in HeLa cells was studied. The agent decreased survival and subsequent colony-forming ability of irradiated cells and inhibited removal of UV-induced thymine-containing dimers from DNA of irradiated cells.     

Stimulation of Ca efflux from fura-2-loaded platelets activated by thrombin or phorbol myristate acetate

We investigated the restoration of [Ca²⁺]_i in fura-2-loaded human platelets following discharge of internal Ca²⁺ stores in the absence of external Ca²⁺. After stimulation by thrombin [Ca²⁺]_i returned from a peak level of 0.6 μM to resting levels within 4 min. When ionomycin discharged the internal stores the recovery was slower with [Ca²⁺]_i still elevated at around 0.5 μM after 5 min. Thrombin added shortly after ionomycin could accelerate the recovery of [Ca²⁺]_i and restore resting levels within 5 min, an effect that was mimicked by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA). Since the continued presence of ionomycin precluded reuptake into the internal stores we conclude that thrombin and PMA stimulate Ca²⁺ efflux, perhaps via protein kinase C actions on a plasma membrane Ca²⁺ pump.     

Phosphorylation of proteins in human neutrophils activated with phorbol myristate acetate or with chemotactic factor

In human neutrophils stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or with the chemotactic factor N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLF) a number of proteins are phosphorylated, including proteins recovered in the membrane fraction corresponding to molecular masses of 130, 78, 46, 40, and 34 kDa and proteins recovered in the cytosol fraction corresponding to molecular masses of 65, 55, 48, 38, 36, 30, and 22 kDa. Phosphorylation of the membrane proteins was fourfold greater in cells stimulated with PMA, as compared to cells stimulated with fMLF, whereas both activators induced similar phosphorylation of proteins recovered in the cytosol fraction. Phosphorylation of membrane proteins appeared to be mediated by native protein kinase C (PKC) translocated from the cytosol to the plasma membrane. Thus phosphate incorporation was inhibited by retinal and a similar pattern of incorporation was reproduced in a reconstituted system composed of isolated cell membranes and purified PKC. Phosphorylation of cytosol proteins, on the other hand, appeared to be mediated by the proteolytically modified form of PKC. In this case, phosphate incorporation was inhibited by leupeptin, which prevents the conversion of native PKC to the proteolytically modified form, The phosphorylation pattern was reproduced when isolated cytosol fractions were incubated with the proteolytically modified form of the enzyme but not with the native PKC. These results demonstrate that responses to stimuli such as PMA or fMLF are mediated by different forms of PKC and that the proteolytically modified form is responsible for the major responses elicited by fMLF.     

Contrasting effects of phorbol dibutyrate and phorbol myristate acetate in rabbit aorta

In rat hepatocytes, active phorbol esters inhibited the alpha 1-adrenergic stimulation of phosphatidylinositol labeling with the expected potency order: phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) greater than phorbol dibutyrate (PDB). In contrast, in rabbit aorta the alpha 1-adrenergic action was inhibited dose-dependently by PDB but not by PMA. Similarly PDB (but not PMA) induced a strong contraction in rabbit aorta. The phorbol ester-induced contraction developed slowly, was dose-dependent and independent of extracellular calcium. These effects of PDB in rabbit aorta were neither inhibited by the protein kinase inhibitor H-7 nor mimicked by the synthetic diacylglycerol, OAG. Our results raise some doubts on the mechanism(s) through which the actions of PDB take place in rabbit aorta.     

Regulation of urokinase receptors in monocytelike U937 cells by phorbol ester phorbol myristate acetate

A specific surface receptor for urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) recognizes the amino-terminal growth factor-like sequence of uPA, a region independent from and not required for the catalytic activity of this enzyme. The properties of the uPA receptor (uPAR) and the localization and distribution of uPA in tumor cells and tissues suggest that the uPA/uPAR interaction may be important in regulating extracellular proteolysis-dependent processes (e.g., invasion, tissue destruction). Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), an inducer of U937 cell differentiation to macrophage-like cells, elicits a time- and concentration-dependent increase in the number of uPAR molecules as shown by binding, cross-linking, and immunoprecipitation studies. The effect of PMA is blocked by cycloheximide. Overall, the data indicate that PMA increases the synthesis of uPA. PMA treatment also causes a decrease in the affinity of the uPAR for uPA, thus uncovering another way of regulating the interaction between uPA and uPAR. In addition, the PMA treatment causes a modification of migration of the cross-linked receptor in mono- and bidimensional gel electrophoresis.     

Zymosan but not phorbol myristate acetate induces an oxidative burst in rat bone marrow-derived macrophages

We found that rat bone marrow-derived macrophages responded to opsonized zymosan by releasing superoxide anion. However, these cells were defective in the response to the potent oxidative burst activator phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). This result was observed whatever the concentration of agonist used and with different concentrations of cells. Since it is strongly suspected that protein kinase C (PKC) is involved in the transductional pathway induced by PMA in numerous cell types, and particularly in phagocytes, we studied PKC and we observed that it was functional in rat bone marrow-derived macrophages, but only present at a low level. Thus, we suggest that our results are consistent with the possibility that zymosan-induced respiratory burst may be independent of PKC and that these cells may not possess the minimal level of PKC required for responding to PMA.     

Endothelial diaphragmed fenestrae: in vitro modulation by phorbol myristate acetate

Cultured microvascular endothelial cells isolated from fenestrated capillaries have been shown to express many properties of their in vivo differentiated phenotype, yet they contain very few diaphragmed fenestrae. We show here that treatment of capillary endothelial cells with the tumor promoter, 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, induces more than a fivefold increase in the frequency of fenestrae per micron 2 of cell surface, as determined from a quantitative evaluation on freeze-fracture replicas. In quick-frozen, deep-etched preparations, the endothelial fenestrae appeared to be bridged by a diaphragm composed of radial fibers interweaving in a central mesh, as previously observed in vivo. These results indicate that diaphragmed fenestrae are inducible structures, and provide an opportunity to study them in vitro.     

Effect of RNA and protein synthesis inhibitors on the release of inflammatory mediators by macrophages responding to phorbol myristate acetate

The interaction of phorbol myristate acetate with resident populations of mouse peritoneal macrophages causes an increased release of arachidonic acid followed by increased synthesis and secretion of prostaglandin E₂ and 6-keto-prostaglandin F_1α. In addition, phorbol myristate acetate causes the selective release of lysosomal acid hydrolases from resident and elicited macrophages. These effects of phorbol myristate acetate on macrophages do not cause lactate dehydrogenase to leak into the culture media. The phorbol myristate acetate-induced release of arachidonic acid and increased synthesis and secretion of prostaglandins by macrophages can be inhibited by RNA and protein synthesis inhibitors, whereas the release of lysosomal hydrolases is unaffected. 0.1 μg/ml actinomycin D blocked the increased prostaglandin production due to this inflammatory agent by more than 80%, and 3 μg/ml cycloheximide blocked prostaglandin production by 78%. Similar results with these metabolic inhibitors were found with another stimulator of prostaglandin production, zymosan. However, these inhibitors do not interfere with lysosomal hydrolase releases caused by zymosan or phorbol myristate acetate. It appears that one of the results of the interaction of macrophages with inflammatory stimuli is the synthesis of a rapidly turning-over protein which regulates the production of prostaglandins. It is also clear that the secretion of prostaglandins and lysosomal hydrolyses are independently regulated.     

Effect of RNA and protein synthesis inhibitors on the release of inflammatory mediators by macrophages responding to phorbol myristate acetate

The interaction of phorbol myristate acetate with resident populations of mouse peritoneal macrophages causes an increased release of arachidonic acid followed by increased synthesis and secretion of prostaglandin E2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha. In addition, phorbol myristate acetate causes the selective release of lysosomal acid hydrolases from resident and elicited macrophages. These effects of phorbol myristate acetate on macrophages do not cause lactate dehydrogenase to leak into the culture media. The phorbol myristate acetate-induced release of arachidonic acid and increased synthesis and secretion of prostaglandins by macrophages can be inhibited by RNA and protein synthesis inhibitors, whereas the release of lysosomal hydrolases is unaffected. 0.1 microgram/ml actinomycin D blocked the increased prostaglandin production due to this inflammatory agent by more than 80%, and 3 microgram/ml cycloheximide blocked prostaglandin production by 78%. Similar results with these metabolic inhibitors were found with another stimulator of prostaglandin production, zymosan. However, these inhibitors do not interfere with lysosomal hydrolase releases caused by zymosan or phorbol myristate acetate. It appears that one of the results of the interaction of macrophages with inflammatory stimuli is the synthesis of a rapidly turning-over protein which regulates the production of prostaglandins. It is also clear that the secretion of prostaglandins and lysosomal hydrolases are independently regulated.     

Alterations of glial tumor cell Ca2+ metabolism and Ca2+-dependent cAMP accumulation by phorbol myristate acetate

C6 glial tumor cells exposed to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) possessed lowered cAMP content, reduced ability to accumulate cAMP in response to norepinephrine or cholera toxin, and a 3-fold increase in the concentration of norepinephrine producing 50% of the maximal rate of cAMP accumulation. Detectable effects on cAMP accumulation occurred within 10 min of exposure to PMA, and prominent effects by 2 h. PMA similarly affected cells pretreated with cycloheximide. In contrast, Ca2+-depleted preparations of control and PMA-treated cells accumulated cAMP identically in response to norepinephrine or cholera toxin. Ca2+ restoration, which increased the rate of cAMP accumulation in control cells severalfold, did not enhance cAMP accumulation in PMA-treated cells. Neither high catecholamine nor high extracellular Ca2+ concentrations reversed the suppression of cAMP accumulation by PMA. Trifluoperazine, which inhibited the Ca2+-dependent component of norepinephrine-stimulated cAMP accumulation in control cells, did not significantly reduce norepinephrine-stimulated cAMP accumulation in PMA-treated cells. Cell free preparations of control and PMA-treated cultures did not differ significantly in calmodulin content or in Ca2+-stimulated adenylate cyclase, Ca2+-dependent cAMP phosphodiesterase, and (Ca2+-Mg2+)-ATPase activities. The Ca2+ content, however, of intact cells decreased with time of PMA treatment. Within minutes after exposure to PMA, the ability of Ca2+-depleted cells to take up 45Ca was significantly reduced. Both 45Ca uptake and Ca2+-dependent cAMP accumulation were reduced over the same PMA concentration range.     

Differential response of myofibrillar and cytoskeletal proteins in cells treated with phorbol myristate acetate

Muscle-specific and nonmuscle contractile protein isoforms responded in opposite ways to 12-o-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Loss of Z band density was observed in day-4-5 cultured chick myotubes after 2 h in the phorbol ester, TPA. By 5-10 h, most I-Z-I complexes were selectively deleted from the myofibril, although the A bands remained intact and longitudinally aligned. The deletion of I-Z-I complexes was inversely related to the appearance of numerous cortical, alpha-actinin containing bodies (CABs), transitory structures approximately 3.0 microns in diameter. Each CAB consisted of a filamentous core that costained with antibodies to alpha-actin and sarcomeric alpha-actinin. In turn each CAB was encaged by a discontinuous rim that costained with antibodies to vinculin and talin. Vimentin and desmin intermediate filaments and most cell organelles were excluded from the membrane-free CABs. These curious bodies disappeared over the next 10 h so that in 30-h myosacs all alpha-actin and sarcomeric alpha-actinin structures had been eliminated. On the other hand vinculin and talin adhesion plaques remained prominent even in 72-h myosacs. Disruption of the A bands was first initiated after 15-20 h in TPA (e.g., 15-20-h myosacs). Thick filaments of apparently normal length and structure were progressively released from A segments, and by 40 h all A bands had been broken down into enormous numbers of randomly dispersed, but still intact single thick filaments. This breakdown correlated with the formation of amorphous cytoplasmic aggregates which invariably colocalized antibodies to myosin heavy chain, MLC 1-3, myomesin, and C protein. Complete elimination of all immunoreactive thick filament proteins required 60-72 h of TPA exposure. The elimination of the thick filament-associated proteins did not involve the participation of vinculin or talin. In contrast to its effects on myofibrils, TPA did not induce the disassembly of the contractile proteins in stress fibers and microfilaments either in myosacs or in fibroblastic cells. Similarly, TPA, which rapidly induces the translocation of vinculin and talin to ectopic sites in many types of immortalized cells, had no gross effect on the adhesion plaques of myosacs, primary fibroblastic cells, or presumptive myoblasts. Clearly, the response to TPA of contractile protein and some cytoskeletal isoforms not only varies among phenotypes, but even within the domains of a given myotube the myofibrils respond one way, the stress fibers/microfilaments another.     

Enhancement of murine ascites tumor cell killing with x-irradiation by thiol binding agents

Female mice bearing the Ehrlich carcinoma or P388 lymphocytic leukemia tumors in ascites form were given sublethal doses of whole-body x-irradiation and the thiol binding agents N-ethylmaleimide, hydroxy-mercuribenzoate, or iodoacetamide, injected intraperitoneally prior to irradiation, as a single treatment. These compounds were found previously to sensitize mice to radiation lethality. Enhanced tumor cell killing was observed as measured by tumor cell count, along with slightly longer survival times of the host animal. Increasing the dose of either radiation or drug alone also caused an increase in tumor cell killing, but at the expense of earlier mortality of the host animal. At the doses employed the sensitizers examined appeared more effective on these two ascites tumors han on the host. The mechanism of enhancement of radiation killing of tumor cells by these drugs is not clear, although it appears not to be due to additive toxicity effects. Similar experiments with several cancer chemotherapy agents showed that those compounds did not act as radiosensitizers.