Thymidylate synthetase and thymidine kinase activities and methotrexate cytotoxicity during growth of L1210 and Ehrlich ascites tumor

The specific activities of TS and TK determined in the cytosols of Ehrlich and L1210 ascites tumor cells changed significantly during their logarithmic growth. In both tumors, the highest activity of TK was in early log phase while that of TS occurred in late logarithmic growth. The activity curves of TS were practically the same and those of TK were similar in the two tumors; however, the absolute values of the latter were different. TK/TS activity ratios in the early and late log growth of Ehrlich tumor were 20 and 2, in those of L1210 tumor 4 and 0.15 respectively. MTX cytotoxicity was considerable throughout the logarithmic growth of L1210 tumor, significantly higher values were observed however when TS activity increased. The variable degree of MTX cytotoxicity indicated an intracellular manifestation of the changes in TS activity determined in vitro. The different patterns for the specific activities of TS and TK, as well as, the parallel changes of TS activity and MTX cytotoxicity during tumor growth may be useful information for the antimetabolite research carried out with experimental tumors.     

The sensitivity of experimental tumor systems to ultra low doses of doxorubicin

Biological effect of doxorubycin in standard (10(-3) mol/l) and ultra low doses (10(-5)-10(-20) mol/l) against some "signal" animal tumor systems--Lewis lung carcinoma, 755 adenocarcinoma, B-16 melanoma, Ehrlich carcinoma and L1210 leukemia was studied. The all models were very sensitive to the action of the drug in standard dose. Solid tumors' growth inhibition by 80-95% as well as increasing in life span of mice with L1210 leukemia by 86% in comparison with control and surviving of animals with Ehrlich carcinoma had been revealed. It had been shown that the drug in the area of ultra low doses occurred the following effects: inhibition of Lewis lung carcinoma growth by 80-95% compared to control after administration of the all tested ultra low doses; increasing of the life span of the animals with Ehrlich carcinoma and L1210 leukemia by 86-123% and 6-23%, correspondingly, upon the action of all tested ultra low doses; inhibition of B-16 melanoma growth by 50 and 70% after administration of the drug in doses 10(-20) mol/l and 10(-5) mol/l, correspondingly as well as deceleration of 755 carcinoma growth by 40% compared to control after action of the drug in the dose 10(-20) mol/l; stimulation of the B-16 melanoma growth by 20% relative to control after 10(-10) mol/l dose injection and enhancement of tumors sizes by 20-60% above control levels as a result of treatment of mice with 755 carcinoma by the drug in such ultra low doses as 10(-5) and 10(-15) mol/l. So, it was found that all tested tumor systems revealed certain sensitivity to the some ultra low doses of the drug. At the same time it was shown that doxorubycin in ultra low doses displayed alternative character of its biological effect, directivity of which varied according with the dose level and tumor strain.     

Morphological appearance, content of extracellular matrix and vascular density of lung metastases predicts permissiveness to infiltration by adoptively transferred natural killer and T cells

We have recently shown that adoptively transferred, IL-2-activated natural killer (A-NK) cells are able to eliminate well-established B16-F10.P1 melanoma lung metastases. However, some B16-F10.P1 lung metastases were resistant to infiltration by the A-NK cells and also resistant to the A-NK cell treatment. The infiltration-resistant (I-R) B16-F10.P1 metastases had a unique “compact” morphology compared to the “loose” morphology of the infiltration-permissive (I-P) metastases. Here, we show that I-P loose tumors and I-R compact tumors are also found in lung metastases of mouse Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL), MCA-102 sarcoma, and MC38 colon carcinoma as well as rat MADB106 mammary carcinoma origin. Furthermore, the infiltration resistance of the compact tumors is not restricted to A-NK cells, since PHA and IL-2 stimulated CD8+ T-cells (T-LAK cells) also infiltrated the compact tumors poorly. Analyses of tumors for extracellular matrix (ECM) components and PECAM-1⁺ vasculature, revealed that the I-R lesions are hypovascularized and contain very little laminin, collagen and fibronectin. In contrast, the I-P loose tumors are well-vascularized and they contain high amounts of ECM components. Interestingly, the distribution pattern of ECM components in the I-P loose tumors is almost identical to that of the normal lung tissue, indicating that these tumors develop around the alveolar walls which provide the loose tumors with both a supporting tissue and a rich blood supply. In conclusion, tumor infiltration by activated NK and T cells correlates with the presence of ECM components and PECAM-1⁺ vasculature in the malignant tissue. Thus, analysis of the distribution of ECM and vasculature in tumor biopsies may help select patients most likely to benefit from cellular adoptive immunotherapy.     

A novel pro-apoptotic effector lactaptin inhibits tumor growth in mice models

Lactaptin, a human milk-derived protein, induces apoptosis in cultured tumor cells. We designed a recombinant analog of lactaptin (RL2) and tested its antitumor activity. The sensitivity of hepatocarcinoma A-1 (HA-1), Lewis lung carcinoma, and Ehrlich carcinoma to RL2 were tested to determine the most reliable in vitro animal model. HA-1 cells, which had the highest sensitivity to RL2, were transplanted into A/Sn mice to investigate RL2 antitumor activity in vivo. Investigation of the molecular effects of RL2 shows that RL2 induces apoptotic transformation of HA-1 cells in vitro: phosphatidylserine translocation from inner side of the lipid bilayer to the outer one and dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential. Repetitive injections of RL2 (5–50 mg/kg) for 3–5 days effectively inhibited ascites and solid tumor transplant growth when administered intravenously or intraperitoneally, without obvious side effects. The solid tumor inhibitory effect of RL2 (5 i.v. injections, cumulative dose 125 mg/kg) was comparable with that of cyclophosphamide at a therapeutic dose (5 i.v. injections, cumulative dose 150 mg/kg). In combination therapy with cyclophosphamide, RL2 had an additive antitumor effect for ascites-producing tumors. Histomorphometric analysis indicated a three-fold reduction of spontaneous metastases in the liver of RL2-treated mice with solid tumor transplants in comparison with control animals. Repeated RL2 treatment substantially prolonged the lifespan of mice with intravenously injected tumor cells. Recombinant analog of lactaptin effectively induced apoptosis of tumor cells in vitro and suppressed the growth of sensitive tumors and metastases in vivo.     

The effect of ascitic fluid on the growth of Ehrlich tumor and Lewis carcinoma]

In the study of the effect of ascitic fluid and dialysate of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells (m.m. less than 15 kDa) on the growth of Ehrlich and Lewis carcinoma it was found that the ascitic fluid significantly decreased the size of Ehrlich tumor (by more than 50% on day 9-25 after the tumor cell inoculation). It also reduced Lewis carcinoma tumor volume by more than 30% during 3 weeks after the tumor cells inoculation. Dialysate of Ehrlich tumor cells significantly inhibited the growth of Ehrlich tumor too. It is suggested that this test-system simulates inhibition of a small tumor by a big tumor in vivo.     

Comparative effects of Yoshi-864 and busulfan on certain transplantable murine tumors.

Yoshi-864 extends markedly the survival times of mice bearing L1210 leukemia or Ehrlich ascites carcinoma. Busulfan, with methanesulfonate leaving groups identical with those of Yoshi-864, is without effect. Tumor cells from mice bearing the Ehrlich tumor and treated with Yoshi-864 have a persistent reduction in ability to synthesize DNA. Synthesis of DNA in cells from mice treated with busulfan is moderately suppresed at 48 hr after treatment, but returns virtually to the control value at 72 hr.     

Mathematical analysis of cancer chemotherapy: The effects of chemotherapeutic agents on the cell cycle traverse

For the tumor model of Skipper and Zubrod, which has been analyzed previously for the theoretical FLM function and the effect of chemotherapy against tumors of known or assumed kinetic characteristics, the theoretical continuous labeling (CL) function is derived by considering an equivalent tumor (in terms of unlabeled cell populations) in which the density function of phase duration of cells inS-phasef ₂(a ₂)=δ(a ₂−∞) and the loss functionL ₂(t)=0. This mathematical concept of blocking is applied to the analysis of synchronization in tumor growth and blocking effects in cancer chemotherapy. These effects of chemical agents on the cell cycle progression are being incorporated into a previously written computer simulation program for cancer chemotherapy. Whereas, a program is written and used to simulate the CL functions for L1210 leukemia, and primary and metastatic Lewis lung carcinoma.     

Effects of Mg2+ and adenine nucleotides on thymidylate synthetase from different mouse tumors

Summary Magnesium ions variably influenced activity of highly purified thymidylate synthetase preparations from different mouse tumors, activating the enzyme from Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells and inhibiting the enzyme from L1210 and L5178Y cells and from 5-fluorodeoxyuridine (FdUrd)-resistant EAC cells. In the presence of Mg²⁺ in a concentration resulting in either maximum activation or inhibition (25–30 mM) the enzymes from both the sensitive and FdUrd-resistant EAC lines and L5178Y cells were activated by ATP. Under the same conditions of Mg²⁺ concentration ADP and AMP inhibited the enzyme from the parental but not from the FdUrd-resistant EAC cells.     

一些抗癌药物对荷瘤小鼠血清中唾液酸含量的影响

测定荷六种小鼠肿瘤S180肉瘤(实体型和腹水型),腹水肝癌(HepA),艾氏腹水瘤(EC),白血病P388和Lewis肺癌的小鼠腹水和血清中唾液酸含量,结果显示血清中唾液酸含量与肿瘤生长、肿瘤类型有关。腹水中唾液酸含量高,推测肿瘤能比正常组织产生更多唾液酸。对四种腹水肿瘤用阴离子交换树脂层析鉴定,发现HepA腹水中葡萄糖代唾液酸(NcuGc)含量明显低于其它三种腹水瘤。还研究了十几种抗癌药物对荷S180和Lewis肺癌小鼠血清中唾液酸含量的影响。发现吗丙嗪(probimane)和顺铂(DDP)能降低荷瘤小鼠血清中唾液酸含量,提示此二药物在肿瘤治疗中更具选择性。     

Flux through the de novo pyrimidine pathway in vivo. Effect of N-phosphonacetyl-L-aspartate, a potent inhibitor of aspartate transcarbamylase

The activity of the de novo pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway has been measured in resistant and sensitive murine tumors in vivo following a single intraperitoneal dose of N-phosphonacetyl-L-aspartate (PALA) (400 mg/kg). For these studies, we utilized a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometric technique which enabled measurement of 13C incorporation from 13CO2 into the uracil nucleotide pool (sigma uracil) of tumors in situ. Flux through the de novo pathway was 75-85% inhibited 1 h after PALA treatment in both sensitive (Lewis lung carcinoma) and the resistant (L1210) tumors, but there was a lag time before this inhibition was reflected in reduced sigma uracil pools. The activity of the pathway in the Lewis lung carcinoma tumors remained maximally depressed (5-15% of control activity) for up to 48 h after the dose of PALA. In contrast, flux through the pathway of L1210 tumors remained 80% inhibited for up to 4 h following PALA administration, but recovered to 70% of control activity between 4 and 12 h after PALA treatment. Recovery of the remaining 30% of control activity in the L1210 tumor was at a much slower rate requiring between 12 and 48 h after PALA treatment to regain full activity of the pathway. This recovery of flux through the de novo pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway did not correlate with the measurement of recovery of aspartate transcarbamylase activity in similarly treated tumors. These data argue strongly in favor of the importance of the de novo biosynthetic pathway, rather than salvage mechanisms, for determining in vivo sensitivity or resistance of these tumors to PALA treatment.     

Effect of weak combined static and low-frequency alternating magnetic fields on the Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in mice

The parameters of the low-frequency (1, 4.4, 16.5 Hz or the sum of these frequencies) extremely weak (300, 100, 150–300 nT, according to frequencies) alternating component of combined magnetic fields have been found, which in combination with a weak collinear static field of 42 μT (the induction corresponds to the range of the geomagnetic field) has a marked antitumor activity. The exposure to these magnetic fields inhibits the tumor growth in mice with an intraperitoneally transplanted Ehrlich ascites carcinoma. The effect manifests itself as an increase in the life of tumor-bearing animals and in the content of damaged tumor cells. It was found that the death of tumor cells by the action of weak fields occurs predominantly by the mechanism of necrosis.     

The modelling of the growth of Ehrlich carcinoma and teratoma T-36 with ascitic fluid and tumor-cell dialysate]

The study of the effect of ascitic fluid and dialysate of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells (M.m. less than 15 kDa) on the growth of Ehrlich carcinoma and teratoma T-36 has shown that both the ascitic fluid and dialysate can protect tumor cells in vivo. The number of animals with tumors increased from 0% in control animals to 60 and 20%, respectively, in experimental ones after transplantation i.m. of 20 x 10(3) Ehrlich tumor cells into mice. Compared to control, ascitic fluid and dialysate of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells increased the rate of tumor growth to 195 and 153%, respectively. It is suggested that this test-system simulates the effect of tumor humoral factors in vivo.     

Comparative radiosensitivity of clonogenic tumor cells of the transplantable Ehrlich carcinoma in the ascitic and solid forms of growth

Survival of clonogenic cells of solid Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) exposed to 60Co-gamma-radiation in vitro under the oxygenation conditions was investigated and the clonogenic capacity and radiosensitivity of these cells and cells of the previously studied EAT ascitic form and Lewis solid tumor comparatively studied to elucidate how the efficiency of colony formation (ECF) would affect their radiosensitivity. ECF for solid EAT cells was 2.6 +/- 0.3%, which was lower, by about an order of magnitude, than that for ascitic form of this tumor and was nearly the same as that for Lewis tumor cells. A median cell lethal dose (D0) was practically the same for all tumors under study. It is suggested that the differences in ECF do not substantially influence the radiosensitivity of clonogenic cells of the studied tumors.     

Ribosomal RNA on the surfaces of nonleukemic mouse ascites tumor cells

RNAs on the cell surfaces of two nonleukemic and two leukemic strains of mouse ascites tumor cells were studied by fractionating the RNAs released from the cell surface by gentle pronase treatment after sucrose density gradient centrifugation, by indirect membrane immunofluorescence that used anti-RNA antibody and by cell electrophoresis. RNA was extracted from the cell supernatants of Ehrlich ascites tumor and sarcoma 180 cells (nonleukemic) that had been treated or not treated with pronase (1 microgram/ml, 37 degrees C, 20 min) followed by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. It was clearly demonstrated that the amounts of ribosomal RNA (18S and 28S) released after pronase treatment were approximately 80% greater than that of nonpronase-treated cells. Ehrlich ascites tumor cells that had been treated with actinomycin D (100 micrograms/kg body weight of mouse, 16 h) in vivo released an amount of ribosomal RNA after pronase treatment only 20% greater than the value for untreated cells. Actinomycin D treatment greatly reduced both the cell surface negative charge and the cell surface immunofluorescence when rabbit anti-RNA antibody was used. Under the same experimental conditions with actinomycin D, only ribosomal RNA synthesis showed preferential inhibition, not the syntheses of poly A-containing messenger RNA, 4S or other small-size RNAs. In contrast, L1210 and C1498 cells (leukemic) showed no change in the amounts of ribosomal RNA released after pronase treatment. L1210 cells also showed no change in the surface negative charge after being treated with actinomycin D.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Synthesis and evaluation of a DHA and 10-hydroxycamptothecin conjugate

We have synthesized a conjugate of cis-4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexenoic acid (DHA) and 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT), DHA-HCPT. The antitumor activity of DHA-HCPT was evaluated in vitro against L1210 leukemia cells and in experimental animal tumor models including L1210 leukemia, Lewis lung carcinoma, and colon 38 adenocarcinoma. DHA-HCPT showed a greatly improved antitumor efficacy compared to HCPT.     

Electron microscopical observation of RNA on the surface of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

The structure of RNA on the surface of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells was studied under an electron microscope using both plasma polymerization replica films and ultrathin sections of the cells. Necklace-like structures were found on the cell surface where anti-RNA antibody was bound in replica film, and particles which resemble cytoplasmic ribosomes in size and density were found distributed sparsely on the cell surface in ultrathin sections. These particles were found to gather at one pole of the cell surface after the cell was incubated at 4 degrees C with anti-RNA antibody and then incubated at 37 degrees C for 10 min in antibody-free medium. On the other hand, L1210 cells which do not bind with anti-RNA antibody showed hardly any such structures on the cell surface. These results suggest that RNA on the surface of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells is present in the form of particles.     

Cytotoxicity as an indicator for transport mechanism. Evidence that melphalan is transported by two leucine-preferring carrier systems in the L1210 murine leukemia cell

Melphalan, l-phenylalanine mustard, is transported by the L1210 cell through carriers of the leucine (L) type. Its initial rate of transport is inhibited by both l-leucine, a naturally occurring L system amino acid and 2-aminobicyclo[2,2,1]heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH), a synthetic amino acid which is transported by the L system in the Ehrlich ascites tumor cell. Both amino acids inhibited melphalan transport comparably in sodium-free medium. However, BCH, in medium containing sodium, was unable to reduce a component of melphalan transport which was readily inhibited by leucine but not by α-aminoisobutyric acid. Inhibition analysis indicated that leucine competes with BCH for transport but that a portion of leucine transport is not readily inhibited by BCH. These results suggest that in the L1210 cell melphalan is transported equally by a BCH-sensitive, sodium-independent L system and a BCH-insensitive, sodium-dependent L system.     

Periodate-methylamine degradation of ribonucleotides in rat liver extracts in comparison to extracts of cultured cells

Periodate-methylamine degradation of ribonucleotides, which enables separation of deoxyribonucleotides in cell extracts by high-performance liquid chromatography, was tested on the acid-soluble fraction of L1210 cells, Ehrlich ascites tumor (ELD) cells, liver tissue, and liver cell nuclei. It was shown that dTTP, dCTP, and dATP could be clearly separated in L1210 and ELD extracts. In samples from liver tissue, however, dTTP coeluted with another compound, the dCTP peak often eluted very close to another peak, and only dATP separated quite satisfactorily. Furthermore, extracts from liver cell nuclei, isolated in glycerol, were not directly susceptible to periodate oxidation. This problem can be avoided by use of a different procedure for the isolation of cell nuclei.     

Antitumor activity of the components of a carminomycin complex

The antiblastomic activity of the carminomycin complex components was studied with respect to 8 strains of transplantable tumors of mice: lymphosarcoma L10-1, prestomach cancer OZh-5, sarcoma 180, lymphoid leucosis L 1210, lung bronchogenic cancer RL, lymphodenosis NK/LI, Ehrlich carcinoma and Garding-Passy melanoma. It was shown that components I, II and III possessed almost the same high antiblastomic activity and the same optimal administration schemes should be used for them. The scheme consisted of two-fold administration of the drug at intervals of 96-120 hours. Component I had broader therapeutic ranges and was more active against the lung bronchogenic cancer as compared to component II. All 3 components had no selective antiblastomic effect on the ascitic form of Ehrlich carcinoma. A comparative study of the component toxicity and pharmacology is required for final conclusion as to the recommendation of one of the components for clinical trials.     

1′-Acetoxychavicol acetate-induced cytotoxicity is accompanied by a rapid and drastic modulation of glutathione metabolism

The effect of 1′-acetoxychavicol acetate (ACA), an anticarcinogenic compound naturally obtained from rhizomes and seeds of South East Asia plants, on the intracellular concentration of glutathione and the activities of enzymes related to glutathione metabolism was studied in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. We showed in a previous study that ACA induced apoptosis in tumor cells and the cell death was reversed by the addition of N-acetlycysteine or glutathione ethylester. Here we found that ACA caused a rapid decrease in glutathione level in less than 10 min after ACA exposure. At the time, glutathione reductase activity was significantly inhibited and gamma-glutamyl cysteine increased by ACA exposure. These results show that ACA caused the decrease in the intracellular GSH levels in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells, suggesting that ACA-induced decrease of the cellular GSH levels can lead to growth arrest of cancer and enhancement of the efficacy other anticancer drugs.