Cellular basis for the species differences in sensitivity to cardiac glycosides (digitalis)

The relative toxicity of numerous cardiotonic steroids (viz. ouabain, digitoxin, digoxin, convallatoxin, SC4453, bufalin, gitaloxin, digoxigenin, actodigin, oleandrin, digitoxigenin, gitoxin, strophanthidin, gitoxigenin, lanatosides A, B and C, alpha- and beta-acetyl digoxin, alpha- and beta-methyl digoxin) and related compounds towards a number of independent cell lines established from human, monkey, mouse, Syrian hamster, and Chinese hamster have been determined. All cardiac glycosides and their genins, as well as the cardiotonic alkaloid cassaine, exhibited greater than 100-fold higher toxicity towards cultured human and monkey cells in comparison to the cell lines of mouse, Syrian hamster, and Chinese hamster origins. These differences are species-related as all cell lines (both normal as well as transformed) from any one species, as well as cells from the closely related species (e.g., man and monkey or mouse, Chinese hamster, and Syrian hamster), showed similar sensitivity towards these drugs. The failure to see any significant differences in cellular toxicity for a larger number of other compounds which either bear limited structural resemblance to cardiac glycosides (viz. estradiol 17-beta-acetate, testosterone propionate, 21-acetoxy pregnenolone, beta-estradiol, digitonin, tigogenin, and tomatine) or interact with the Na+/K+ ATPase in a different manner (viz. veratridine, sanguinarine nitrate, penicillic acid, vanadium pentoxide, harmaline-HCI,5,5'-diphenyl hydantoin, quindonium bromide, and methyl quinolizinum bromide) provides strong evidence that the observed species-related differences are highly specific for cardiotonic steroids. Studies on the binding of [3H]ouabain show that, in comparison to human and monkey cell lines, no significant binding of the drug is observed in cells derived from the resistant species (i.e., mouse and Chinese hamster). The Na+/K+ ATPase from cells of the resistant species is inhibited at much higher concentrations of ouabain and digitoxin in comparison to the enzyme from human cells, and a good correlation is observed between these concentrations and those reported for inhibition of the enzyme from isolated heart muscles of the same species. These results provide strong evidence that the species-related differences in sensitivity to digitalis have a cellular basis and that the cultured cells from various mammalian species provide a useful model system for investigating the mechanism of action of cardiac glycosides.     

Species-specific differences in the toxicity of puromycin towards cultured human and Chinese hamster cells

The toxicity of the protein synthesis inhibitor puromycin towards a number of human and Chinese hamster cell lines has been examined. In comparison to cells of human origin, Chinese hamster cells exhibited about 25-fold higher resistance towards puromycin. These differences appeared to be species related as all the cell lines from any one species showed similar sensitivity towards puromycin. The incorporation of [3H]leucine in the hamster cell lines was accordingly found to be more resistant to the inhibitory effects of puromycin as compared to human cells. Studies on the cellular uptake of [3H]puromycin showed that in comparison to human cells, the drug uptake/binding in the hamster cell lines was greatly reduced. However, protein synthesis in the extracts of hamster and human cells showed no significant differences in sensitivity towards puromycin. These results show that the observed species related differences in cellular toxicity to puromycin are due to differences in the cellular uptake/binding of the drug.     

Species-specific differences in the toxicity of rhodamine 123 towards cultured mammalian cells

The toxicity of cationic fluorescent dye, rhodamine 123, towards a number of independently established cell lines from three different species, namely human, mouse, and Chinese hamster, has been examined. All of the cell lines from any one species that were examined were found to exhibit similar sensitivities towards rhodamine 123 and no appreciable differences were observed between the normal and transformed cell types. However, in comparison to the cells of human origin, mouse and Chinese hamster cell lines exhibited about 10-fold and 70-fold higher resistance, respectively, and these differences appeared to be species related. In contrast to rhodamine 123, no differences in relative toxicities for these cell lines were observed for the structurally related neutral dye, rhodamine B. Fluorescence studies with rhodamine 123 show that in comparison to mouse and Chinese hamster cells, the more sensitive human cells show much higher uptake/binding of the drug, and a good correlation was seen in these studies between the extent of dye uptake/binding and the relative sensitivities of cell lines to rhodamine 123. These results provide evidence that the observed species-related differences in cellular toxicities are due to differences in the cellular uptake/binding of the dye.     

Chromomycin, mithramycin, and olivomycin binding sites on heterogeneous deoxyribonucleic acid. Footprinting with (methidiumpropyl-EDTA)iron(II)

The DNA binding sites for the antitumor, antiviral, antibiotics chromomycin, mithramycin, and olivomycin on 70 base pairs of heterogeneous DNA have been determined by using the (methidiumpropyl-EDTA)iron(II) [MPE x Fe(II)] DNA cleavage inhibition pattern technique. Two DNA restriction fragments 117 and 168 base pairs in length containing the lactose operon promoter-operator region were prepared with complementary strands labeled with 32P at the 3' end. MPE x Fe(II) was allowed to partially cleave the restriction fragment preequilibrated with either chromomycin, mithramycin, or olivomycin in the presence of Mg2+. The preferred binding sites for chromomycin, mithramycin, and olivomycin in the presence of Mg2+ appear to be a minimum of 3 base pairs in size containing at least 2 contiguous dG x dC base pairs. Many binding sites are similar for the three antibiotics; chromomycin and olivomycin binding sites are nearly identical. The number of sites protected from MPE x Fe(II) cleavage increases as the concentration of drug is raised. For chromomycin/Mg2+, the preferred sites on the 70 base pairs of DNA examined are (in decreasing affinity) 3'-GGG, CGA greater than CCG, GCC greater than CGA, CCT greater than CTG-5'. The sequence 3'-CGA-5' has different affinities, indicating the importance of either flanking sequences or a nearly bound drug.     

Rapid staining methods for analysis of deoxyribonucleic acid and protein in mammalian cells.

Quantitative fluorescent staining and analysis of cellular deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) were accomplished using three groups of reagents having different mechanisms of action for DNA binding. These reagents included (a) the fluorescent antitumor antibiotics mithramycin, chromomycin A3 and olivomycin; (b) the Feulgen reagents acriflavine and flavophosphine N and (c) the intercalating dyes ethidium bromide and propidium iodide. Propidium iodide (PI) was used in combination with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) to stain both cellular DNA and protein, respectively. Multiparameter analysis of PI/FITC-stained cells provided a direct correlation of DNA and protein for cells in all stages of the cell cycle. Nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio determinations were also performed on PI/FITC-stained cells by analysis of the time duration of the red (DNA) and green (protein) fluorescence signals from each cell. These staining and analysis techniques provide alternative methods for directly determining the quantitative relationship between cellular DNA and protein and will be extremely useful in investigations where fluctuations of these parameters are of importance for assessing experimental results.     

Inhibitors of retrovirus infection are secreted by several hamster cell lines and are also present in hamster sera.

We have previously shown that Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are resistant to infection by gibbon ape leukemia virus and amphotropic pseudotype retroviral vectors because of the secretion of factors that inhibit retrovirus infection. Such factors were not secreted by any mouse or human cell lines tested. Secretion of the inhibitors and resistance to infection are abrogated by treatment of CHO cells with the glycosylation inhibitor tunicamycin. Here we show that the inhibitory activities against gibbon ape leukemia virus and amphotropic viruses are partially separable and that glycosylation mutations in CHO cells mimic the effects of tunicamycin treatment. We find that several hamster cell lines derived from both Chinese and Syrian hamsters secrete inhibitors of retrovirus infection, showing that these inhibitors are not unique to the CHO cell line. Inhibitory factors are also present in the sera of Chinese and Syrian hamsters but were not detected in bovine serum. These results suggest the presence of specific factors that function to inhibit retrovirus infection in hamsters.     

Detailed Studies on the Application of Three Fluorescent Antibiotics for Dna Staining in Flow Cytometry

The effects of pH, ionic strength, stain concentration, magnesium concentration, and various fixative agents on DNA staining with the fluorescent antibiotics olivomycin, chromomycin A3, and mithramycin were examined with DNA in solution and in mammalian cells. Ethanol-fixed Chinese hamster cell populations (line CHO) stained with mithramycin and analyzed by flow cytometry provided DNA distribution patterns with a high degree of resolution. Glutaraldehyde-fixed cells exhibited about one-half the fluorescence intensity of ethanol-fixed cells; however, the percentages of cells in G₁, S, and G₂ + M were comparable. DNA distributions obtained for formalin-fixed cells were unacceptable for computer analysis. Cell staining over a pH range of 5-9 in solutions containing 0.15-1 M NaCl and 15-200 mM MgCl₂ provided optimal results based on the DNA profiles obtained by flow cytometry. The intensity of cells stained in 1 M NaCl was one and one-half times greater than cells stained in the absence of NaCl; however, spectrophotofluorometric analysis of mithramycin-magnesium-DNA complexes in solution revealed no significant changes in fluorescence intensity over a range of 0-1.75 M NaCl. These results and those obtained by flow cytometry analysis indicate that the increase in fluorescence of stained cells as a function of increasing ionic strength is due to changes in chromatin structure, providing a larger number of binding sites for the dye-magnesium complex.     

Cis-platinum(II) diamine dichloride causes mutation, transformation, and sister-chromatid exchanges in cultured mammalian cells.

The anti-tumor agent cis-platinum(II) diamine dichloride caused dose-dependent toxicity in V79 Chinese hamster cells and in secondary Syrian hamster embryo cells. Chromosome aberrations were induced and positive dose--response relationships were observed for induction of sister-chromatid exchanges and 6-thioguanine-resistant mutations in V79 cells and morphologic transformation of secondary Syrian hamster embryo cells. The findings suggest that this chemical is a potential human carcinogen.     

Action of aureolic acid and dactinomycin group antibiotics on human brain tumors in culture]

The cytotoxic effect of antitumour antibiotics, such as dactinomycin, mithramycin, variamycin and olivomycin on the cells of the human brain tumours (multiform glyoblastoma, arachnoidendotelioma and astrocytoma) grown by the method of the primary plasmic culture was studied. Dactinomycin was superior to the antibiotics of the aureolic acid group in the rate and level of the cytotoxic effect on the tumour cells: 76 per cent of the above tumours were sensitive to dactinomycin, 56 per cent to mithramycin and 52 per cent to variamycin and olivomycin. Among the total number of the tumours sensitive to the drugs the number of the highly sensitive tumours amounted to 57.9 per cent for dactinomycin and 30.8--38.5 per cent for the antibiotics of the aureolic acid group. Definite differences in the efficiency of the antibiotics of the aureolic acid group with respect to different types of the brain tumours were observed.     

Chromosomal distribution of the hamster intracisternal A-particle (IAP) retrotransposons

The retrotransposon-like elements of the intracisternal A-particle (IAP) sequences occur in about 900 copies per haploid hamster cell genome. By applying the fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) technique and four different, cloned segments of the IAP element as hybridization probes, these elements were found to be distributed in specific patterns over many of the 44 hamster chromosomes. The hybridization patterns were very similar regardless of whether all four probes or only the IAPI probe carrying the long terminal repeat (LTR) region were used. The IAP elements were found most abundantly, though not exclusively, on the short arms of at least 12 of the autosomes. Of the sex chromosomes, the shorter Y chromosome was stained on both arms, and the X chromosome on one arm by the IAP probes. Primary Syrian hamster cells, the established Syrian hamster cell line BHK21, and the adenovirus type 12 (Ad12)-transformed BHK21 cell line T637 yielded very similar results. In Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) or 3T3 mouse cells, signals could not be elicited by FISH using the Syrian hamster IAP probes. On Southern blots, the DNAs from these cell lines hybridized very weakly, if at all, to the IAP sequences. Thus, IAP sequences were retroposed after Syrian hamster and mouse or Syrian and Chinese hamsters had diverged in evolution.     

Results of determining the sensitivity of hypernephroid cancer to cytostatic agents in vitro and clinically]

Sensitivity of the cells of 57 human hypernephromas was determined with respect to 8 drugs, i.e. tiodipin, fluorbenzotef, mithramycin, cyclophosphan, tiotef, rubomycin, 5-fluoruracyl and olivomycin with the help of the method of primary plasma cultures. Because of the changes introduced earlier into the estimative concentrations used in vitro, coincidence of the results of the sensitivity determined in vitro with the results obtained during the treatment of the same patients in clinics, significantly increased (up to 90 per cent).     

High resistance of cultured Mongolian gerbil cells to X-ray-induced killing and chromosome aberrations.

The Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) is known to be one of the most radioresistant animals. We have examined the X-ray sensitivity of normal diploid fibroblasts from Mongolian gerbil embryos compared with those of cultured embryo cells obtained from various laboratory animals and a normal human. There was a wide difference in X-ray sensitivity for cell killing among different mammalian species. The D0 values for Mongolian gerbil cells ranged from 2.08 to 2.28 Gy, values which are twice as high as those for human cells. The mean D0 value for human cells was 1.06 Gy. Mouse, rat, Chinese hamster, and Syrian/golden hamster cells showed similar D0 values ranging from 1.30 to 1.56 Gy. When cells were irradiated with X rays, ten times more chromosome aberrations were detected in human cells than in Mongolian gerbil cells. The frequencies of chromosome aberrations in other rodent cells were between the values for cells from humans and those from gerbils. These data indicate that the Mongolian gerbil cells are resistant to X-ray-induced cell killing and chromosome aberrations, and that the radiation sensitivity of mammalian cells in primary culture may be reflected by their radioresistance in vivo.     

The three-dimensional structure of the 4:1 mithramycin:d(ACCCGGGT)(2) complex: evidence for an interaction between the E saccharides

Mithramycin and chromomycin, two antitumor drugs, each having an identical aglycone and nearly identical disaccharide and trisaccharide side chains, have differing binding properties to a small oligonucleotide, d(ACCCGGGT)(2) (M. A. Keniry et al., Journal of Molecular Biology, 1993, Vol. 231, pp. 753-767). In order to understand the forces that induce four mithramycin molecules to bind to d(ACCCGGGT)(2) instead of two drug molecules in the case of chromomycin, the structure of the 4:2:1 mithramycin: Mg(2+):d(ACCCGGGT)(2) complex was investigated by (1)H-nmr and restrained molecular dynamics. The resulting three-dimensional model showed that in order to accommodate the close approach of one neighboring mithramycin dimer, the inwardly directed CDE saccharide chain of the neighboring mithramycin dimer undergoes a conformational change such that the E saccharide no longer spans the minor groove but reorients so that the hydrophilic face of the E saccharides from the two dimers oppose each other. Two hydrogen bonds are formed between the hydroxyl groups of the two opposing E saccharide groups. The results are interpreted in terms of the differences in stereochemistry and functional group substitutions between mithramycin and chromomycin. A mithramycin dimer is able to self-associate on an oligonucleotide template because it has two hydroxyl groups on the same face of its terminal E saccharide. A chromomycin dimer is unable to self-associate because one of these hydroxyl groups is acetylated and the neighboring hydroxyl group has a stereochemistry that cannot permit close contact of the hydroxyl group with a neighbouring chromomycin dimer.Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Evidence for suppression of cellular growth in vitro and selection against the indigenous mouse X chromosome in A9 cell hybrids after microcell-mediated transfer of an X from other mammalian species

Introduction of a human or Syrian hamster X chromosome (derived from BHK-191-5C cell hybrids) into tumorigenic mouse A9 cells via microcell fusion induced changes in cellular morphology and a retardation of cellular growth. The suppression of growth of the hybrids could be abolished, however, by daily changes of medium containing 20% serum. G-banding analysis showed the absence of a single, cytogenetically identifiable, indigenous X chromosome (marker Z) in two of four hybrid clones after an X chromosome was transferred from either hamster or human cells. All hybrids were tumorigenic when tested in nude mice. Together, these data suggest that the loss of the mouse X chromosome took place probably because of growth inhibitory effects imposed on hybrid cells due to the increase in X chromosome dosage. In addition, our results show a lack of association between the phenotype of cellular growth suppression in vitro and the phenotype of suppression of tumorigenicity in vivo.     

Cyclic amines are selective cytotoxic agents for pigmented cells

We have shown that morpholine, a cyclic amine, exerts a selective inhibition of growth on melanocytic pigmented cell lines compared to nonpigmented cells. The ID50 of morpholine for the pigmented B-16 cell line HFH was 1200 micrograms/ml, compared to values greater than 2400 micrograms/ml for baby hamster kidney, Chinese hamster ovary and NP, an unpigmented primate cell line. Two other cyclic amines piperazine and piperidine, were similarly found to be selectively toxic to melanocytes. This selective toxicity could be synergistically enhanced by pretreatment of the cells with theophylline, a stimulator of tyrosinase activity, which indicates that the selective toxicity may be associated with melanin synthesis. Low passage HFH, high passage HFH and Syrian hamster melanoma RPMI 1846 cells that were pretreated with theophylline showed between 13 and 29% greater toxicity compared to controls treated with theophylline or morpholine alone. Unpigmented NP primate cells, Chinese hamster ovary and mouse fibroblast L929 remained unaffected. These cyclic amines join a list of other amines that have also been shown to be melanocytotoxic.     

Circular dichroism studies of complexes of the antibiotics daunomycin, nogalamycin, chromomycin, and mithramycin with DNA

The circular dichroism spectra of complexes of the antibiotics daunomycin, nogalamycin, chromomycin, and mithramycin with calf thymus DNA have been measured over a range of drug/DNA ratios. The similarity of the CD spectra of bound chromomycin and mithramycin suggests that they have very similar binding sites, which produce strong effects on the CD spectra of the bound drugs, and remove the differences arising from local stereochemistry in the free drugs. It was found that it was not possible to predict whether the antibiotics intercalated, from studies of the CD spectra alone, even when comparisons were made with the CD spectra of aminoacridine–DNA complexes with intercalating or nonintercalating ligands.     

Molecular analysis of the phosphate-specific transport (pst) operon ofPseudomonas aeruginosa

Mithramycin is an antitumor antibiotic synthesized byStreptomyces argillaceus. This producer strain is highly resistant in vivo to mithramycin (MIC 100 µg/ml) but sensitive to the related drugs chromomycin and olivomycin (MIC 10 µg/ml). From a genomic library ofS. argillaceus DNA two cosmid clones were isolated which confer a high level of resistance to mithramycin onS. albus. The resistance genes were mapped by subcloning to a 3.9-kbPstI-PvuII fragment. DNA sequence analysis of this fragment revealed one incomplete and three complete open reading frames. Subcloning experiments demonstrated that resistance to mithramycin is mediated by the genesmtrA andmtrB. ThemtrA gene can potentially encode an ATP-binding protein of the ABC transporter superfamily, containing one nucleotide-binding domain and showing similarity with other ABC transporters involved in resistance to daunorubicin, oleandomycin and tetronasin in their respective producer strains. ThemtrB gene codes for an integral membrane protein with six putative transmembrane helices. A mithramycin-sensitive mutant was generated in a gene replacement experiment by disrupting themtrA gene, thus demonstrating that the system encoded by themtrAB genes is essential for conferring resistance to mithramycin inS. argillaceus.     

Nonintercalative DNA-binding antitumour compounds

Summary A family of compounds which appear to bind reversibly to double stranded DNA without intercalation between DNA base pairs has been defined. Methods are described by which this non-intercalative binding can be characterised using ultraviolet spectrometry, fluorimetry with ethidium as a probe, viscometry and other hydrodynamic techniques, circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry. Antibiotics which fall into this family include the antibiotics distamycin A, netropsin, mithramycin, chromomycin and olivomycin. Synthetic antitumour agents include diarylamidines such as berenil, phthalanilides, aromatic bisguanylhydrazones and bisquaternary ammonium heterocycles. A survey has been made of the general requirements of this family of compounds for DNA binding and biological activity. Binding of drugs to the minor groove of the DNA double helix appears to be the most likely mechanism for the antitumour action of these compounds.     

Provisional assignment of TPI, GPI, and PEPD to Chinese hamster autosomes 8 and 9: a cytogenetic basis for functional haploidy of an autosomal linkage group in CHO cells

Concordant segregation analysis of Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus) isozymes and chromosomes segregating from interspecific somatic cell hybrids made with mouse C11D cells revealed the locations of GPI and PEPD on chromosome 9 and TPI on chromosome 8 in both euploid Chinese hamster and CHO cells. The patterns of electrophoretically detectable shift mutants of these loci in CHO cells were consistent with the observed presence of two normally banded chromosome 8's and monosomy for chromosome 9. These findings and the isolation of three independent, null PEPD mutants in only 527 ethyl methansulfonate-exposed clones indicate that the high frequency of recovery of recessive drug resistant mutants in CHO cells may be due not only to haploidy caused by deletions and monosomy but also by great sensitivity of certain loci to particular mutagens.