Isolation and renaturation of alpha 2-macroglobulin receptor from diploid human fibroblasts.

alpha 2-Macroglobulin receptor was extracted from human diploid fibroblasts and purified by affinity chromatography in a single step. The receptor had mol.wt. 125 000 after sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS)/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The isolated receptor was separated by SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, transferred on to nitrocellulose sheets and subsequently renatured, as shown by a specific binding test, by incubation with Nonidet P40.     

Isolation of active subforms of alpha 2-macroglobulin.

Anion-exchange chromatography is shown to permit resolution and separation of subforms of the serum glycoprotein alpha 2-macroglobulin. The subforms differ dramatically in their stability as judged by differential scanning calorimetry, undergoing thermally induced unfolding at temperatures of 61 and 69 degrees C respectively. In addition, the proteinase-binding stoichiometry of the subforms differs by a factor of 2, with the more- and less-stable forms binding 2 and 1 mol of proteinase per mol of tetramer respectively. The calorimetric stability of the two forms is differentially affected on treatment with neuraminidase, suggesting that the nature of glycosylation may in part account for the observed differences in physical and functional properties.     

The organization of the dihydrofolate reductase gene of baby hamster kidney fibroblasts.

Using cloned DNA complementary to mouse dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) mRNA, the organization of the hamster DHFR gene has been determined in two baby hamster kidney (BHK) cell lines, A5 and B1. A5 cells are highly methotrexate-resistant, containing 200-fold more copies of the DHFR gene than do the parental B1 cells. The DHFR gene has the same organization in A5 and B1 cells, suggesting that it has not been altered by the amplification process. The BHK DHFR gene spans a maximum of 10.7 kb and contains at least three introns. Thus the BHK DHFR gene is much smaller than the mouse DHFR gene, which has a minimum size of 42 kb and at least five introns. This striking size difference is probably due to much smaller introns in the BHK DHFR gene.     

Relationship between recombinant activated protein C secretion rates and mRNA levels in baby hamster kidney cells

Analysis of 12 baby hamster kidney (BHK) clones in exponential growth revealed a linear relationship between cell-specific recombinant activated protein C (APC) production rates and APC mRNA levels. This correlation indicated that mRNA levels limited APC productivity. Two strategies were employed to increase APC mRNA levels and APC productivity. First, sodium butyrate was added to increase mRNA levels by two- to sixfold in five APC-producing clones to obtain up to 2.7-fold increase in APC production rate. The second strategy was to retransfect an APC-producing BHK cell line with a vector containing additional APC cDNA and a mutant DHFR. This mutant DHFR gene allowed the selection of retransfected clones in higher MTX concentrations. Over two-fold higher mRNA levels were obtained in these retransfected clones and the cell-specific APC production rate increased twofold. At the highest level of APC secretion, increases in mRNA levels did not result in higher rates of APC production. Analysis of the intracellular APC content revealed a possible saturation in the secretory pathway at high mRNA levels. The relation between mRNA level and APC secretion rate was also investigated in batch culture. The levels of total cellular RNA, APC mRNA, and beta-actin mRNA were relatively stable while cells were in the exponential growth phase, but rapidly decreased when cells reached the stationary phase. The decline of cell-specific APC mRNA levels correlated with a decline in APC secretion rates, which indicated that the mRNA levels continued to limit the rates beyond the exponential phase and into the declining growth and stationary phases of batch APC production.     

The phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 in baby hamster kidney fibroblasts

Ribosomal protein S6 was extensively phosphorylated in pre-confluent but not in post-confluent baby hamster kidney fibroblasts. This appears to be the first example of increased phosphorylation of S6 under physiological conditions where the cellular concentration of cyclic AMP is not elevated. The extent of the phosphorylation of S6 was also independent of alterations in the protein synthetic activity of the cells, suggesting that the biological role of this phosphorylation may be unrelated to the functional ability of the ribosomes.     

Receptor-mediated endocytosis of alpha 2-macroglobulin in cultured fibroblasts

Alpha 2-macroglobulin is internalized into cultured fibroblasts by receptor-mediated endocytosis. This ligand binds initially to diffusely distributed receptors on the cell surface which cluster rapidly into bristle-coated pits. Within a few minutes at 37 degrees C, these complexes are internalized into uncoated cytoplasmic vesicles, called receptosomes, which move about in the cell by saltatory motion. These vesicles interact with the Golgi-endoplasmic reticulum-lysosome system in the cell to deliver the ligand to newly formed lysosomes within 30--60 min.     

Expression of human and Chinese hamster hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase cDNA recombinants in cultured Lesch-Nyhan and Chinese hamster fibroblasts

The results presented in this communication demonstrate that hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) cDNA can be expressed in both Chinese hamster and human fibroblasts deficient in the endogenous gene product at levels permitting normal growth of the transformants. All the elements necessary for this expression are present in a pBR322-derived plasmid containing HPRT cDNA coding sequence and a retroviral long terminal repeat. These molecules function in both species investigated and, at least in the case of the Chinese hamster transformants, are efficient at the single copy level. Although the effects of the presence of intron sequences and a polyadenylation signal within the plasmids have yet to be evaluated, these studies demonstrate that neither is an absolute requirement for expression of HPRT cDNA sequences in cultured mammalian cells. We describe the construction of recombinant plasmids containing wild type human or Chinese hamster HPRT cDNA sequences in tandem with a retroviral LTR which confer the HPRT+ phenotype in HPRT-deficient V79 and Lesch-Nyhan fibroblasts. Both stable and unstable transformants, that expressed HPRT mRNA and protein, were isolated at high frequency.     

Heat-induced fragmentation of human alpha 2-macroglobulin.

Previous studies have demonstrated that human plasma alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2 M) possesses a single subunit chain (Mr approximately 185,000) when incubated with dodecyl sulfate and dithiothreitol at 37 degrees C and analyzed by dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis. The present study details the observation that heating alpha 2 M to 90 degrees C under identical conditions produces at least two additional polypeptide chains, termed bands II and III, with apparent molecular weights of 125,00 and 62,000. The generation of these fragments is enhanced by increasing the time of incubation. The appearance of band II composition of the buffer, dodecyl sulfate concentrations, or alpha 2 M protein concentration in the incubation mixture. The electrophoretic bands II and III of alpha 2 M have dissimilar 125I-labeled tryptic peptide digests and also differ in their amino acid composition. The heat-induced fragmentation of alpha 2M is not affected by the inclusion of a variety of low molecular weight protease inhibitors, suggesting that the appearance of bands II and III is not due to enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis. When the subunit chain of alpha 2M is first cleaved by trypsin into the previously described Mr = 85,000 derivative, neither band II nor III material, nor other lower molecular weight products are generated by heat treatment. Furthermore, preincubation of alpha 2M with methylamine prevents fragmentation of the subunit chain. These results indicate that these fragments are neither pre-existing subunits of alpha 2M nor derivatives formed prior to treatment for gel analysis. These data provide evidence that a covalent bond in the alpha 2M molecule is unusually susceptible to heat-induced cleavage.     

Evolution of human alpha 2-macroglobulin

A papain-binding protein (PBP) resembling human alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) but of Mr half that of alpha 2M was purified from plaice (Pleuronectes platessa L.) plasma. The plaice protein displayed most of the distinctive inhibitory properties of the human macroglobulin, and was therefore considered, despite its smaller molecular size, to be homologous with alpha 2M. Plaice PBP was shown to consist of four dissimilar subunits; two I chains (Mr 105 000) and two II chains (Mr 90 000). Each of the larger I chains contained a "bait region" sensitive to proteolytic attack by a variety of proteinases, and an autolytic site analogous to the autolytic site of alpha 2M. Subunit I, almost certainly at the autolytic site, formed SDS-stable, covalent links with methylamine or a proportion of the trapped proteinase molecules. A scheme is proposed for the evolution of human alpha 2M from the smaller fish protein, and the possibility of a shared evolutionary origin for alpha 2M and the complement components C3 and C4 is discussed.     

Binding and degradation of alpha 2-macroglobulin by cultured fibroblasts

We studied the interactions of alpha 2-macroglobulin, a major protease inhibitor of plasma and of serum-containing culture medium, with cultured fibroblasts. Iodinated human alpha 2-macroglobulin bound specifically to washed cell layers of cultured human fibroblasts. At 0--4 degrees C, binding was saturated at a concentration of 10--20 micrograms/ml. At 37 degrees C, radiolabel appeared in the medium in a form soluble in 10% trichloroacetic acid. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that ingested iodinated alpha 2-macroglobulin transiently forms a complex with a trypsin-like protease. Indirect immunofluorescence demonstrated alpha 2-macroglobulin in vacuoles of fibroblasts grown in 10% human serum or incubated with purified alpha 2-macroglobulin. Fibroblasts transformed by SV-40 (VA-13 cells) bound and degraded less 125I-labeled alpha 2-macroglobulin than non-transformed fibroblasts and had fewer vacuoles containing alpha 2-macroglobulin. These observations indicate that cultured fibroblasts bind, take up by endocytosis, and degrade alpha 2-macroglobulin. Binding and endocytosis of alpha 2-macroglobulin by a cell may be a means of modulating proteases in the microenvironment of the cell and during endocytosis.     

Genome modification in two lines of baby hamster kidney fibroblasts (BHK-21).

Reasons for the different levels of 5-methyl cytosine encountered in the DNA of two baby hamsters kidney fibroblast lines, BHK-21/C13 and BHK-21/PyY have been investigated. From enzymic studies it does not seem that there are large numbers of potentially methylatable cytosine residues in the C13 line DNA which contains a lower level of 5-methyl cytosine. Rather it is possible that the difference may be due to the reiteration in the PyY strain of certain sequences containing 5-methyl cytosine which simply occur less frequently in the other line.     

Metabolism of pyrenyl fatty acids in baby hamster kidney fibroblasts. Effect of the acyl chain length.

Biosynthetic labeling of cellular lipids with a fluorescent pyrenyl fatty acid (PyrxFA) moiety was studied in order to assess the usefulness of this approach in the introduction of fluorescent lipid molecules to living cells for transport and metabolic studies. PyrxFAs containing 4-14 aliphatic carbons were added to the culture medium of baby hamster kidney (BHK) fibroblasts, and their incorporation to various lipid species was monitored by thin layer and high pressure liquid chromatography. The results show that the length of the acyl chain has a remarkable effect on the efficiency of incorporation as well as distribution of the label between lipid species. Accordingly, PyrxFAs can be divided into two groups: the short chain ones including the pyrene butyrate and hexanoate derivatives, which show only modest incorporation to phospholipids and negligible labeling of triglycerides and cholesterol esters, and the long chain PyrxFAs including pyrene octanoate, decanoate, dodecanoate, and myristate derivatives, which incorporate efficiently both to phospholipids, mainly phosphatidylcholine (PC) and -ethanolamine (PE), and neutral lipids, i.e. di- and triglycerides and cholesterol esters. Positional analysis showed that the longer PyrxFAs are esterified preferentially to the sn-1 position of the glycerol moiety of PC and PE while the shorter ones are found exclusively in the sn-2 position indicating that the longer PyrxFAs mimic natural saturated fatty acids whereas the shorter ones may be recognized as polyunsaturated fatty acids by the acylating enzymes. Reverse phase chromatography of PC and PE revealed the presence of a variety of labeled molecular species among which the palmitate and oleate containing species were the major ones. Reverse phase analysis with simultaneous monitoring at the monomer and excimer channels showed the presence of tri- and diglyceride species with either 1 or 2 pyrenyl acyl residues. Analysis of the total cellular fatty acids demonstrated that PyrxFAs are shortened, probably by beta-oxidation in peroxisomes, up to pyrene butyrate. It is concluded that metabolic labeling with PyrxFAs is a promising alternative for studies on intracellular lipid traffic, especially because it allows introduction of fluorescent phospholipid species of very different hydrophobicity into intracellular membrane(s).     

Expression of human basic fibroblast growth factor cDNA in baby hamster kidney-derived cells results in autonomous cell growth

Growth factor over-production by responsive cells might contribute to their autonomous proliferation as well as their acquisition of a transformed phenotype in culture. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has been shown to induce transient changes in cell behavior that resemble those encountered in transformed cells. In addition, several types of human tumor cells have been shown to produce bFGF. To determine directly the role that bFGF might play in the induction of the transformed phenotype, we have introduced a human bFGF cDNA expression vector into baby hamster kidney-derived (BHK-21) fibroblasts. One of the BHK transfectants, termed clone 19, expresses the bFGF mRNA and produces biologically active bFGF that accumulates to a high concentration inside the cells. These properties correlate with the ability of the cells to grow in serum-free medium without the addition of exogenous bFGF. Clone 19 cells also proliferated in soft agar, indicating that constitutive expression of the bFGF gene results in a loss of anchorage-dependent growth.     

Stability and subunit structure of human alpha2-macroglobulin.

The molecular weights of alpha2-macroglobulin and its non-covalent subunits have been determined by equilibrium centrifugation. The secondary structure of the native and the thermally denatured molecules has been analyzed by circular dichroic measurements. In contrast to most proteins the thermally denatured form contains a slightly more highly organized polypeptide chain than the native form. The relaxation time of the native protein, as determined by fluorescence polarization measurements, indicates that alpha2-macroglobulin is composed of domains smaller than that of the two subunits. The transitions in acid, alkali, and at high temperatures have been explored in order to establish the pH and thermal range of stability of alpha-macroglobin.     

Interaction of hemorrhagic metalloproteinases with human alpha 2-macroglobulin.

The interaction between four Crotalus atrox hemorrhagic metalloproteinases and human alpha 2-macroglobulin was investigated. The proteolytic activity of the hemorrhagic toxins Ht-c, -d, and -e against the large molecular weight protein substrates, gelatin type I and collagen type IV, was completely inhibited by alpha 2-macroglobulin. The proteolytic activity of Ht-a against the same substrates was not significantly inhibited. Each mole of alpha 2-macroglobulin bound maximally 2 mol of Ht-e and 1.1 mol of Ht-c and Ht-d. These proteinases interacted with alpha 2-macroglobulin rapidly at 22 degrees C. Rate constants based on intrinsic fluorescence measurements were 0.62 X 10(5) M-1 s-1 for interaction of alpha 2-macroglobulin with Ht-c and -d and 2.3 X 10(5) M-1 s-1 for the interaction of alpha 2-macroglobulin with Ht-e. Ht-a interacted with alpha 2-macroglobulin very slowly at 22 degrees C. Increasing the temperature to 37 degrees C and prolonging the time of interaction with alpha 2-macroglobulin resulted in the formation of Mr 90,000 fragments and high molecular weight complexes (Mr greater than 180,000), in which Ht-a is covalently bound to the carboxy-terminal fragment of alpha 2-M. The identification of the sites of specific proteolysis of alpha 2-macroglobulin shows that the cleavage sites for the four metalloproteinases are within the bait region of alpha 2-macroglobulin. Ht-c and -d cleave only at one site, the Arg696-Leu697 peptide bond, which is also the site of cleavage for plasmin, thrombin, trypsin, and thermolysin. Ht-a cleaves alpha 2-macroglobulin primarily at the same site, but a secondary cleavage site at the His694-Ala695 peptide bond was also identified.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Intracellular NAD+ content and ADP-ribose polymerase activity of serum-stimulated baby hamster kidney fibroblasts

We have examined a number of events relating to ADP-ribose metabolism during serum-stimulated growth of BHK-21/C13 fibroblasts. Both the intracellular NAD+ content and the ADP-ribose polymerase activity were found to increase after serum stimulation of cells that were previously arrested by growth in low-serum medium. NAD+ content increased about two-fold, reaching a maximum of 4.2 nmol/microgram of DNA 8 hr after serum steK-21/C13 fibroblasts. Both the intracellular NAD+ content and the ADP-ribose polymerase activity were found to increase after serum stimulation of cells that were previously arrested by growth in low-serum medium. NAD+ content inreased about two-fold, reaching a maximum of 4.2 nmol/microgram of DNA 8 hr after serum step-up. The polymerase exhibited a sharp rise in activity, reaching a peak at about 5 hr after step-up; the activity declined below initial values by 10 hr, and then increased again to reach a plateau at 20 hr. We also report evidence which suggests a possible effect of ADP-ribosylation on the activity of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase I. The activity of this enzyme is diminished in isolated nuclei, and in a subsequent (NH4)2SO4 extract, when the nuclei are incubated with NAD+, the substrate for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. This inhibitory effect on the RNA polymerase is abolished when nuclei are incubated also with nicotinamide, a powerful inhibitor of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase.     

Electrorotation studies of baby hamster kidney fibroblasts infected with herpes simplex virus type 1

The dielectric properties of baby hamster kidney fibroblast (BHK(C-13)) cells have been measured using electrorotation before and after infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). The dielectric properties and morphology of the cells were investigated as a function of time after infection. The mean specific capacitance of the uninfected cells was 2.0 microF/cm2, reducing to a value of 1. 5 microF/cm2 at 12 h after infection. This change was interpreted as arising from changes in the cell membrane morphology coupled with alterations in the composition of the cell membrane as infection progressed. The measured changes in the cell capacitance were correlated with alterations in cellular morphology determined from scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. Between 9 and 12 h after infection the internal permittivity of the cell exhibited a rapid change, reducing in value from 75epsilono to 58epsilono, which can be correlated with the generation of large numbers of Golgi-derived membrane vesicles and enveloped viral capsids. The data are discussed in relation to the known life cycle of HSV-1 and indicate that electrorotation can be used to observe dynamic changes in both the dielectric and morphological properties of virus-infected cells. Calculations of the dielectrophoretic spectrum of uninfected and infected cells have been performed, and the results show that cells in the two states could be separated using appropriate frequencies and electrode arrays.