Stimulation of hemoglobin synthesis in murine erythroleukemia cells by low molecular weight ketones,aldehydes, acids,alcohols and ethers

The effects of short chain (C1-C5) aldehydes, ketones, acids, alcohols and ethers on murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells were examined to determine which particular chemical moieties and some of their combinations stimulated hemoglobin synthesis in these cells. The C4 series of compounds was active at lower concentrations than homologs of shorter chain lengths. Within an homologous series the potency and efficacy of the alcohol was always less than that of the acid and aldehyde compounds. Though heptanoic acid was found to be an inducer of hemoglobin synthesis in MEL cells, the 4,6-dioxoheptanoic acid analog is a potent inhibitor of hemoglobin synthesis. Analysis of porphyrin content of MEL cells incubated with the inducers 2-butanone, 2-methoxyethanol, acetone and methanol, showed that increased hemoglobin synthesis was always accompanied by the accumulation of porphyrins, most of which was protoporphyrin. These studies suggest that low molecular weight ketones, aldehydes, acids, ethers and alcohols can correct the defect in erythroid differentiation exhibited by MEL cells and they further suggest that the physiological trigger for inducing hemoglobin synthesis in these cells is less discriminating than previously recognized.     

Regulated expression of the c-myb and c-myc oncogenes during erythroid differentiation

We have investigated the expression of the genes c-myb, c-myc, and alpha globin in murine erythroid cells at different stages of development, in viral-induced erythroleukemias, as well as in two mouse erythroleukemia cell lines that can be induced to terminally differentiate when exposed to dimethylsulfoxide. We find that there is a reciprocal correlation between the cell's production of messenger RNA for c-myb and globin. c-myc message shows a similar but less dramatic decrease coincident with globin RNA production. Initially with the administration of an inducing agent, dimethylsulfoxide, there is a rapid decrease of myc and myb mRNA, which is followed by signs of differentiation in the induced culture. We conclude that these oncogenes function in early maturational stages of development of these cells. In the erythroleukemic state these genes are down-regulated by forced differentiation and may play a direct role in influencing the state of differentiation of these cells.     

Effect of bacitracin on erythroid differentiation of MEL cells

Bacitracin, an antibiotic widely utilized in clinical and veterinary use, was tested on murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells. Tests were performed to evaluate the capacity of the drug to interfere with erythroid differentiation. Cells were exposed to a single treatment in S phase at sublethal doses of bacitracin. Two responses were found depending on the drug concentration. At higher concentrations (25 g/ml and 250ng/ml) a reduction in number of differentiating cells was observed but the kinetics of the process remained unchanged. At lower concentrations (from 2.5 ng/ml to 2.5 fglml) a dramatic alteration of the dynamic of differentiation was found. These two responses are related to different activities of the DNA repair mechanisms. Higher doses of bacitracin stimulate repair while lower concentrations are not able to activate repair, as demonstrated by tests with hydroxyurea. The bacitracin-induced damage can be considered a stable genetic andlor epigenetic alteration, as demonstrated by the high frequency of mutant clones isolatedfrom low-dose treated cells. The suitability of MEL cells system in evaluating genotoxicity of drugs for veterinary use is underlined.Abbreviations MEL murine erythroleukemia - HU hydroxyurea     

DMSO increases tyrosine residue phosphorylation in membranes from murine erythroleukemia cells

Phosphorylation of membranes from murine erythroleukemia cells was performed in the presence and absence of the polar solvent dimethyl sulfoxide. Quantitation of the phosphoamino acid content revealed that DMSO stimulated phosphotyrosine accumulation by three-fold; serine and threonine phosphorylation decreased significantly. We had previously shown that DMSO stimulated tyrosine residue phosphorylation of the hepatic epidermal growth factor receptor. EGF had little effect in MEL membranes; therefore, DMSO results in accumulation of phosphotyrosine in cell membranes that do not exhibit significant EGF-dependent phosphorylation.     

D,L-alpha-difluoromethylornithine, an irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, induces differentiation in MEL cells

In the present study, the effect of D,L-alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), on Friend's murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cell differentiation is investigated. DFMO was able to induce differentiation of MEL cells in culture as determined by haemoglobin (Hb) content and percentage of cells synthesizing Hb detected by benzidine staining. DFMO at a concentration of 2 mM resulted in about 70% benzidine-positive cells on the fifth day. There was a time-dependent increase in the percentage of benzidine-positive cells starting from day three. However, only a 24 h presence of DFMO in the medium was required to induce differentiation suggesting that DFMO switches on a pathway during this period leading to terminal differentiation of MEL cells. DFMO induced differentiation of MEL cells was sensitive to dexamethasone and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine.     

False In Vitro and In Vivo Elevations of Uric Acid Levels in Mouse Blood

Uric acid (UA) levels in mouse blood have been reported to range widely from 0.1 μM to 760 μM. The aim of this study was to demonstrate false in vitro and in vivo elevations of UA levels in mouse blood. Male ICR mice were anesthetized with pentobarbital (breathing mice) or sacrificed with overdose ether (non-breathing mice). Collected blood was dispensed into MiniCollect® tubes and incubated in vitro for 0 or 30 min at room temperature. After separation of plasma or serum, the levels of UA and hypoxanthine were determined using HPLC. From the non-incubated plasma of breathing mice, the true value of UA level in vivo was 13.5 ± 1.4 μM. However, UA levels in mouse blood increased by a factor of 3.9 following incubation in vitro. This “false in vitro elevation” of UA levels in mouse blood after blood sampling was inhibited by allopurinol, a xanthine oxidase inhibitor. Xanthine oxidase was converted to UA in mouse serum from hypoxanthine which was released from blood cells during incubation. Plasma UA levels from non-breathing mice were 19 times higher than those from breathing mice. This “false in vivo elevation” of UA levels before blood sampling was inhibited by pre-treatment with phentolamine, an α-antagonist. Over-anesthesia with ether might induce α-vasoconstriction and ischemia and thus degrade intracellular ATP to UA. For the accurate measurement of UA levels in mouse blood, the false in vitro and in vivo elevations of UA level must be avoided by immediate separation of plasma after blood sampling from anesthetized breathing mice.     

Induction of differentiation in mouse neuroblastoma cells by hexamethylene bisacetamide

Hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA), a potent inducer of erythroid differentiation in murine erythroleukemia cells (1), induces differentiation in mouse neuroblastoma cells, as indicated by the extension of neurites and the development of an excitable membrane. HMBA is effective at concentrations 50-fold lower than dimethylsulfoxide (2), another inducer of differentiation in both mouse neuroblastoma and murine erythroleukemia cells.     

Response of murine erythroleukemia cells to cis-and trans-diamminedichloro-platinum (II)

Summary Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum II (cis-DDP), an antitumor drug and the inactive trans-isomer were studied to evaluate their effects on cell multiplication, DNA synthesis, and surface morphology of the murine erythroleukemia cells (clone 6A11A). Short-term treatment of cells (1h) with 5 and 10μg/ml of cis-DDP resulted in a significant inhibition of cell multiplication. Continuous treatment with cis-DDP (up to 144 h) significantly arrested cell growth at 1,5, and 10μg/ml. The cells exposed to 10 μg/ml trans-DDP exhibited a slight decrease in cell multiplication; however, the 25-μg/ml treatments showed a modest inhibition of cell growth. Continuous treatment with cis-DDP resulted in a concentrationdependent decrease in DNA synthesis, although low-dose treatment (0.05 and 0.1 μg/ml), with a few exceptions, had no relative inhibitory effect. Likewise, trans-DDP treatments decreased tritiated thymidine incorporation; however, this inhibitory effect was not as drastic as with corresponding concentrations of cis-DDP. Scanning electron microscope studies revealed the formation of many giant cells and blebs at all short-term treatment concentrations of cis-DDP past the 48 h interval. Continuous treatment of cis-DDP at 1 μg/ml concentration produced giant cells with minute holes, whereas the 5 and 10 μg/ml exposure resulted in the formation of blebs and large holes and reduction of microvilli past the 48-h treatment period. At higher concentrations the continuous treatment of cis-DDP completely destroyed the cells. The surface morphology of trans-isomer treated cells, in most instances, resembled the corresponding untreated control cells.     

Role of calcium in differentiation of murine erythroleu-kemia cells

Calcium plays a crucial role in the normal and abnomal cell metabolism.The role of calcium in the differentiation process of murine erythroleukemia cells(MELC)remains controversial.Here,based upon quantitative measurement of fluorescence in single cells,a method was developed to investigate the intracellular free calcium[Ca^2 ]i concentration and DNA contents simultaneously,by employing the fluorescent probe,fluo-3 acetoxymethyl ester and DNA dye Hoechst 33342.During MELC differentiation.[Ca^2 ]i concentration incresed.We also demonstrated that calcium ionophore,A23187,enhanced the HMB-induced MELC differentiation,while verapamil,an inhibitor of calcuim uptake,slightly reduced differentiation.These results suggested that an increase in the [Ca^2 ]i level was an essential step in HMBA-induced MELC differentiation.     

全反式维甲酸通过γ-氨基丁酸途径促进小鼠胚胎腭板间充质细胞的凋亡

维甲酸(RA)是一种能够诱导腭裂发生的致畸物．研究显示γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)在腭板的发育过程中发挥重要作用．而GABA是否参与了RA诱导的腭裂发生还不清楚．本研究以小鼠胚胎腭板间充质细胞(MEPM)为研究对象,观察全反式维甲酸(atRA)(0.2、0.67、2.0和 6.7 μmol/L)对MEPM细胞增殖和凋亡的影响,并探讨GABA信号通路在其中的可能作用．结果显示,atRA(2.0 μmol/L和6.7 μmol/L)显著性抑制了MEPM的增殖,并促进了细胞凋亡．atRA(0.67、2.0和 6.7 μmol/L)显著性降低了GABA合成的关键酶谷氨酸脱羧酶(GAD67)mRNA和蛋白质的表达,但对γ-氨基丁酸A型受体-β3(GABAAR-β3)mRNA和蛋白质的表达没有影响．1.0 μmol/L的GABA逆转了atRA(6.7 μmol/L)对MEPM细胞增殖和凋亡的影响．以上结果表明,atRA通过下调GAD67的表达,减少GABA的产生,抑制MEPM的增殖和促进MEPM的凋亡,从而可能影响腭板的发育,诱导腭裂形成．     

Activation of human T lymphocytes by ganglioside-containing liposomes

We investigated the in vitro stimulatory effect of ganglioside (G_M3, G_D1a, G_D1b, G_T1b, or G_Q1b)-containing liposomes on human immune cells. The effect of ganglioside-containing liposomes on the concentration of cytoplasmic free calcium ions ([Ca²⁺]₁) in human immunocytes was examined using the confocal laser fluorescence microscopic method. The G_D1a- and G_T1b-containing liposomes significantly increased [Ca²⁺]₁ of human T lymphocytes compared with the G_M3-, G_D1b- and G_Q1b-containing ones. The response of CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ cells was significantly higher than that of CD20⁺ cells. Our results show that the increase in [Ca²⁺]_i may be caused by not the number of sialic acids contained in the gangliosides but the conformation of the sialic acid moiety to protrude exteriorly from the liposomal membrane surface, and that a sort of receptor recognizing the sialic acid moiety exists on human T lymphocytes (both CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ cells), which may be involved in the activation of the cells. The present results are almost the same as those obtained for the rat T lymphocyte system previously reported. This clearly confirms that a sort of ganglioside surely stimulates T lymphocytes directly, which is not species-specific but conserved in humans and rats among animal species.     

Molecular properties of a galaptin and its activity in normal and leukemic erythroid tissue

Recently, the generic term “galaptins” was proposed for the group of low molecular weight, acidic, β-galactoside-specific protein lectins that have been isolated from a wide variety of animal tissues and are thought to have a role in cell-cell recognition and adhesion. A molecule of this type, called erythroid developmental agglutinin (EDA), has been isolated from rabbit bone marow where it seems to mediate the intererythroblast adhesion seen in erythroblastic islands during erythropoiesis in vivo. Here, we show that after purification, EDA shows 95%-100% Coomassie blue staining as a single component on electrophoresis in native, urea, and SDS polyacrylamide gels and electrofocuses as a single band at pH 5.6. EDA has a subunit molecular weight of 13,000 in SDS gels and, unlike the majority of other galaptins, which arc dimeric, native EDA is monomeric in solution. Another monomeric galaptin, chicken lactose lectin II, has been described recently, and it therefore seems that there may be two classes of galaptin distinguishable by their aggregation state in solution. We have previously reported that EDA agglutinates rabbit erythroblasts in vitro and that this reaction is inhibited by β-galactoside-containing sugars and by anti-EDA Fab fragments suggesting that EDA bridges directly between cell surface glycoproteins. The insensitivity of this reaction to cooling, or to the disruption of cellular metabolism or the cytoskeleton demonstrated here further supports this hypothesis. EDA-mediated erythroblast agglutination was also shown to be independent of divalent cations. Since galaptins are thought to be important in cohesion between normal cells, the possibility that EDA is not active in leukemic erythroid tissue was examined. The murine erythroleukemia cell line (MELC) provided an excellent system for this study since MELC are thought to be derived from an erythroid committed cell transformed at an early stage of development and can be induced by a number of chemical agents to differentiate terminally along the erythroid developmental pathway in culture. EDA of rabbit origin was found to agglutinate mouse erythroblasts in vitro and was used to investigate the response of MELC to EDA. It was found that the transformed cells were not readily agglutinated by EDA but on induction, and the concomitant loss of many of their transformed characteristics, MELC gained aggregation competence for EDA. The possible causes of these differences are discussed.     

Differential cytotoxic effects of azadirachtin on Spodoptera frugiperda and mouse cultured cells

Azadirachtin is a natural biopesticide extracted from the neem tree (Azadirachta indica); however, its safety to mammals is not well documented. This study examined the influence of azadirachtin on the proliferation and morphology of Spodoptera frugiperda insect cells (SF-9), and mouse erythroleukemia cells (MEL-GM 86). Cell kinetic studies conducted at 24 h intervals for 144 h showed that azadirachtin treatments (0.05, 0.20 and 0.50 g/ml) inhibited cell multiplication of the SF-9 cells. This inhibitory effect was dose dependent. Conversely, azadirachtin at 30 g/ml did not reduce MEL-GM 86 cell proliferation. SF- 9 cells displayed an increase in cell swelling and cell abnormalities after 48 h of treatment with azadirachtin, whereas no such changes were detected in MEL-GM 86 cells. A scanning electron microscope study revealed that treatment with an azadirachtin concentration as low as 0.10 g/ml induced cell swelling and caused distortions on the cell surface ultrastructure of SF-9 cells characterized by blebbing and holes after 48 h of treatment. However, these effects were not seen in the azadirachtin-treated MEL- GM 86 cells.     

Effect of sodium butyrate on the hepatoma cell cycle: Possible use for cell synchronization

Summary Exposure of HTC cells to sodium butyrate caused inhibition of growth. The site of growth inhibition was studied by time-lapse cinematography and [³H]thymidine incorporation studies. Evidence is presented that sodiunm butyrate affected the cell cycle at a specific point immediately after mitosis. Inasmuch as it does not modify the interphase duration after its removal, butyrate may be used for HTC synchronization. This work was supported by l'Institut Nationale de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale and la Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique (L. T. and J. K.).     

An esterification method for determination of lipase activity

The choice of a lipase for an esterification reaction can be determined from the esterification reaction between butyric acid (0.16 M) and butanol (0.33 M) at 50 °C and agitated with 10 mg lipase. The decrease in butyric acid is measured by titration and 1 unit of lipase activity is defined as 1 mol butyric acid consumed per min per mg lipase.