Lipid metabolism in T47D human breast cancer cells: 31P and 13C-NMR studies of choline and ethanolamine uptake.

31P and 13C-NMR were used to determine the kinetics of choline and ethanolamine incorporation in T47D clone 11 human breast cancer cells grown as small (150 microns) spheroids. Spheroids were perfused inside the spectrometer with 1,2-13C-labeled choline or 1,2-13C-labeled ethanolamine (0.028 mM) and the buildup of labeled phosphoryl-choline (PC) or phosphorylethanolamine (PE) was monitored. Alternatively the PC and GPC pools were prelabeled with 13C and the reduction of label was monitored. 31P spectra were recorded from which the overall energetic status as well as total pool sizes could be determined. The ATP content was 8 +/- 1 fmol/cell, and the total PC and PE pool sizes were 16 and 14 fmol/cell, respectively. PC either increased by 50% over 24 h or remained constant, while PE remained constant in medium without added ethanolamine but increased 2-fold within 30 h in medium containing ethanolamine, indicating a dependence on precursor concentration in the medium. The 31P and 13C data yielded similar kinetic results: the rate of the enzymes phosphocholine kinase and phosphoethanolamine kinase were both on the order of 1.0 fmol/cell per h, and the rate constants for CTP:phosphocholine cytidyltransferase and CTP:phosphoethanolamine kinase were 0.06 h-1 for both enzymes. The kinetics of choline incorporation did not alter in the presence of 0.028 mM ethanolamine indicating that they have non-competing pathways.     

Lipid metabolism in large T47D human breast cancer spheroids: 31P- and 13C-NMR studies of choline and ethanolamine uptake

³¹P- and ¹³C-NMR were used to determine the kinetics of choline and ethanolamine incorporation in T47D clone 11 human breast cancer cells grown as large (300 μm) spheroids. Spheroids were perfused inside the spectrometer with 1,2-¹³C-labelled choline or ethanolamine (0.028 mM) and the buildup of labeled phosphorylcholine (PC) or phosphorylethanolamine (PE) was monitored. To analyze the NMR kinetic data, it was assumed that each signal represents a weighted average of signal from the proliferating and non-proliferating compartments of the large spheroid. The average ATP pool size was 4±1 fmol/cell compared to 8±1 fmol/cell in small (150 μm) proliferating spheroids (P < 0.0002). The average PC pool size at steady state was reduced to 11±6 fmol/cell compared to 22±8 (P < 0.007). This could be correlated with an overall reduction of choline uptake in the non-proliferating spheroid fraction. The rate of the enzyme choline kinase was 0.3 fmol/(cell h) compared to 1.0 fmol/(cell h) (P < 0.0001) for proliferating cells. The rate constant of CTP: phosphocholine cytidyltransferase (0.05 h^?1) was not significantly altered, but the rate of the enzyme was reduced from 1.3 to 0.2–0.5 fmol/(cell h). The pool size of PE in medium containing serum ethanolamine (1.7 μM) was approximately the same (15 fmol/cell) in small and large spheroids. In the presence of high ethanolamine (0.028 mM) the average PE level decreased slightly (11 fmol/cell) and the rate of the enzyme ethanolamine kinase in the non-proliferating fraction was 0.7 fmol/(cell h) versus 1.0 fmol/(cell h) in the proliferating cells (P < 0.07). The rate constant of CTP: phosphoethanolamine cytidyltransferase (0.07 h^?) was not significantly altered but the corresponding reaction rate was reduced from 1.4 to 0.2–0.8 fmol/(cell h). The kinetics of choline incorporation did not alter in the presence of 0.028 mM ethanolamine.     

Chemotherapy-induced changes in the energetics of human breast cancer cells; 31P- and 13C-NMR studies

The early changes in the energetics of T47D-clone 11 human breast cancer cells, following treatment with adriamycin and several other anti-cancer drugs were characterized by 31P- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. Treatment of the cells with cytotoxic doses of either adriamycin (10(-5) M), daunomycin (10(-5) M) or actinomycin-D (2 x 10(-6) M) induced an immediate increase in the content of the nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) pool. A maximum increase of 30 to 50% was reached 6 to 8 h after treatment, and was followed by a gradual decrease, in accord with the decline in cell number due to cell death. High-performance liquid chromatography measurements indicated that the adriamycin-induced build-up of the NTP pool was mainly due to a specific increase in ATP and GTP. Treatment with cytotoxic doses of cytosine arabinofuranoside (10(-4) M) and cis-platin (10(-4) M) and with the antiestrogen tamoxifen at a dose which inhibited growth (2 x 10(-6) M) did not induce an early increase in the NTP content. Adriamycin and actinomycin-D did not alter significantly the rates of glucose consumption and lactate production via glycolysis during the first 4 to 8 h of treatment. Both drug, however, caused during this time interval a 50% inhibition in the rate of glutamate synthesis via the Krebs cycle. Complementary flow cytometry studies have indicated that within 4 h of treatment with either adriamycin or actinomycin-D there is no detectable change in cell cycle distribution. Treatment for longer time periods indicated that each drug affects the cell cycle distribution in a different manner. Thus, the early increase in NTP can not be associated with a specific cell cycle distribution. The results suggest therefore that drugs of the anthracycline and actinomycin type exert a similar specific and early metabolic induction which may affect the energy state of the cells. This induction may relate to the cytotoxic mechanism and could potentially serve as an early marker for response to treatment.     

31P-NMR studies of phosphate transfer rates in T47D human breast cancer cells

The concentration of phosphates and the kinetics of phosphate transfer reactions were measured in the human breast cancer cell line, T47D, using 31P-NMR spectroscopy. The cells were embedded in agarose filaments and perifused with oxygenated medium during the NMR measurements. The following phosphates were identified in spectra of perifused cells and of cell extracts: phosphorylcholine (PC), phosphorylethanolamine (PE), the glycerol derivatives of PC and PE, inorganic phosphate (Pi), phosphocreatine (PCr), nucleoside triphosphate (primarily ATP) and uridine diphosphate glucose. The rates of the transfers: PC----gamma ATP (0.2 mM/s), Pi----gamma ATP (0.2 mM/s) and the conversion beta ATP----beta ADP (1.3 mM/s) were determined from analysis of data obtained in steady-state saturation transfer and inversion recovery experiments. Data from spectrophotometric assays of the specific activity of creatine kinase (approx. 0.1 mumol/min per mg protein) and adenylate kinase (approx. 0.4 mumol/min per mg protein) suggest that the beta ATP----beta ADP rate is dominated by the latter reaction. The ratio between the rate of ATP synthesis from Pi and the rate of consumption of oxygen atoms (4 X 10(-3) mM/s) was approx. 50. This high value and preliminary measurements of the rate of lactate production from glucose, indicated that aerobic glycolysis is the main pathway of ATP synthesis.     

Progesterone receptor replenishment in T47D human breast cancer cells. Roles of protein synthesis and hormone metabolism

T47D are unusual human breast cancer cells that do not require estrogen to synthesize high levels of progesterone receptors. These cells can, therefore, be used to study the mechanisms by which progesterone, freed of estrogen interference, controls the synthesis of its receptors. In a recent paper we described progesterone receptor translocation and a subsequent very rapid nuclear processing step that results in an apparent loss of 60 to 80% of cellular progesterone receptors, 30 to 60 min after progesterone treatment. This paper deals with the replenishment of cellular receptors following processing. If progesterone is removed from cells after 60 min of treatment, cytoplasmic progesterone receptors replenish in 16 to 20 h. However, replenishment occurs even during chronic progesterone treatment; this is an artifact created by the extremely rapid (t1/2 approximately 2 h) metabolism of progesterone in media exposed to cells. If progesterone metabolism is blocked, then replenishment is not seen, probably because the hormone continuously retranslocates the newly replenished sites. There is an early protein synthesis-dependent step; cycloheximide in the first 4 h inhibits replenishment 24 h later, but if cycloheximide is slightly delayed (beyond 4 h), replenishment proceeds normally. In contrast to progesterone, the synthetic progestin R5020 completely suppresses progesterone receptor replenishment even 96 h after its removal from the medium. This compound can bind covalently to receptors and may be very difficult to remove from cells. Clearly, progestin treatment, and by analogy, circulating progesterone, will have profound effects on cytoplasmic and nuclear progesterone receptor levels when these are measured in biopsied human tumors as an adjunct to endocrine therapy.     

In vivo 31P- and 13C-NMR studies of ATP synthesis and methane formation by Methanosarcina barkeri

Carbon and phosphorus metabolism of cell suspensions of Methanosarcina barkeri strain MS (DSM 800), grown on methanol, were probed in vivo by NMR. The experimental conditions, which involved thick cell suspensions, did not significantly affect the efficiency of the rate of methanol uptake by cells. Following exposure to methanol an acidification of both the intracellular and the extracellular spaces was observed and a gradient of 0.5 pH units across the cytoplasmic membrane was determined from the 31P-NMR data. High levels of intracellular ATP up to 4 mM were detected. The ADP concentration determined in a suspension of starved cells was only 2 mM, suggesting that a significant amount of ADP may be immobilized and is thus not detectable by NMR. In the presence of the protonophore, 3,3',4',5-tetrachlorosalicylanilide, the proton gradient was dissipated and the synthesis of ATP stopped. The inhibitor of the ATP synthase, N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, was rather inefficient in inhibiting ATP synthesis. High concentrations of N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (corresponding to 300 nmol/mg protein-1) were required to decrease the ATP content by approximately 60%, and, under these conditions, formation of acetyl phosphate was detected. However, the methanol consumption rate was not affected.     

31P- and 13C-NMR studies on the flavin-protein and flavin-ligand interactions in brewer's yeast old yellow enzyme

The 31P- and 13C-NMR spectra of old yellow enzyme (OYE) were measured. The 31P-NMR signal of FMN bound to apo OYE-I, one of the pure forms of OYE, was observed at a substantially lower field compared to that of free FMN. While the 31P-signal of free FMN is pH-titratable with a pK value of about 6.5, which corresponds to the monoanion-dianion transition of the phosphate group, the 31P-signal of FMN bound to OYE-I shows no pH-dependence at pH 5-9, indicating that the phosphate group of FMN bound to OYE-I is fixed in the dianionic form in the pH region of 5-9. Apo OYE(0), i.e., the OYE preparation obtained by the conventional method, was reconstituted with [2-13C]FMN or [4,10a-13C2]FMN, while apo OYE-I was reconstituted with [4a-13C]FMN. The 13C-NMR spectra of these reconstituted OYE species were measured in the absence and presence of phenolic compounds which form complexes with OYE. Each 13C-signal of the 13C-labeled FMN became broader in the bound state compared to the free state, indicating restriction of flavin mobility in the bound form. Complex formation of the reconstituted OYE species with p-bromophenol did not shift the 10a-13C signal but shifted the 2- and 4-13C signals slightly upfield, whereas the 4a-13C signal was shifted significantly upfield in the complexed form. This complex-induced upfield shift of the 4a-13C signal was measured with various p-substituted phenols.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

31P-NMR and 13C-NMR studies of mannose metabolism in Plesiomonas shigelloides. Toxic effect of mannose on growth.

The metabolism of mannose was examined in resting cells in vivo using 13C-NMR and 31P-NMR spectroscopy, in cell-free extracts in vitro using 31P-NMR spectroscopy, and by enzyme assays. Plesiomonas shigelloides was shown to transport mannose by a phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system producing mannose 6-phosphate. However, a toxic effect was observed when P. shigelloides was grown in the presence of mannose. Investigation of mannose metabolism using in vivo 13C NMR showed mannose 6-phosphate accumulation without further metabolism. In contrast, glucose was quickly metabolized under the same conditions to lactate, ethanol, acetate and succinate. Extracts of P. shigelloides exhibited no mannose-6-phosphate isomerase activity whereas the key enzyme of the Embden-Meyerhof pathway (6-phosphofructokinase) was found. This result explains the mannose 6-phosphate accumulation observed in cells grown on mannose. The levels of phosphoenolpyruvate and Pi were estimated by in vivo 31P-NMR spectroscopy. The intracellular concentrations of phosphoenolpyruvate and Pi were relatively constant in both starved cells and mannose-metabolizing cells. In glucose-metabolizing cells, the phosphoenolpyruvate concentration was lower, and about 80% of the Pi was used during the first 10 min. It thus appears that the toxic effect of mannose on growth is not due to energy depletion but probably to a toxic effect of mannose 6-phosphate.     

Glucose transporters and transport kinetics in retinoic acid-differentiated T47D human breast cancer cells

The rates of glucose transport and of glycolysis and the expression of the glucose transporters GLUT-1 through GLUT-4 were measured in T47D human breast cancer cells that underwent differentiation by retinoic acid. Glucose transport was found to be the rate-limiting step of glycolysis in control and differentiated cells. The transporters GLUT-1, GLUT-3, and GLUT-4 were present in the cell membrane and in the cytoplasm, and GLUT-2 was present solely in the cytoplasm. Differentiation led to a reduction in GLUT-1 and to an increase in cytoplasmic GLUT-2 and GLUT-3 with no change in GLUT-4. Differentiation also caused a reduction in the maximal velocity of glucose transport by approximately 40% without affecting the Michaelis-Menten constant of glucose transport. These changes did not alter the steady-state concentration of the phosphate metabolites regulating cell energetics but increased the content of phospholipid breakdown phosphodiesters. In conclusion, differentiation of human breast cancer cells appears to be associated with decreased glycolysis by a mechanism that involves a reduction in GLUT-1 and a slowdown of glucose transport.     

Progesterone metabolism in T47Dco human breast cancer cells--II. Intracellular metabolic path of progesterone and synthetic progestins

We show here that progesterone added to the medium of proliferating T47Dco human breast cancer cells is metabolized with a half life of 2-4h. The final metabolic product, 5 alpha-pregnan-3 beta,6 alpha-diol-20-one, (P-metabolite) is released into the medium. This structure suggested that the intracellular metabolism of progesterone involves the enzymes 5 alpha-reductase, 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, and 6 alpha-hydroxylase. To investigate this pathway, the cells were incubated with a variety of potential substrates. In addition to progesterone, only precursors with the 5 alpha-configuration served as substrates for the enzymes leading to P-metabolite formation. Some precursors with a 5 beta-configuration were also metabolized by T47Dco cells. This metabolism reflected activity by either 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and/or 6 alpha-hydroxylase but, in contrast to progesterone metabolism, the rates were different and the products were often mixtures. In T47Dco and MCF-7 human breast tumor cells, the reduction at C-3 followed by 6 alpha-hydroxylation, appear to be the major, and possibly only, route of progesterone metabolism. In contrast, preliminary data suggest that in normal human breast epithelial cells, this is not an exclusive route. Androgens are partially subject to the same metabolic enzymes, but synthetic progestins are not metabolized by T47Dco during an 18 h incubation.     

Progestin stimulation of thymidine kinase in the human breast cancer cell line T47D

Our laboratory has previously reported that progestins stimulate growth of the human breast cancer cell line T47D. In an attempt to probe further into this stimulation, we are investigating progestin effects on thymidine kinase (EC 2.7.1.21), an enzyme known to be involved in growth regulation. This report relates our finding that progestins stimulate thymidine kinase activity, at physiological progestin concentrations, in a dose-responsive manner. Estradiol-17 beta also stimulates, but testosterone, hydrocortisone and aldosterone do not. The antiprogestin RU486 inhibits progestin stimulation, but also stimulates on its own. Maximal by 24 h, the progestin stimulation then falls off with time. Experiments with actinomycin D and cycloheximide suggest that the thymidine kinase stimulation depends on new RNA and protein synthesis. These data shed further light on progestin stimulation of the growth of human breast cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first report of progestin stimulation of thymidine kinase in human breast cancer cells.     

Synthesis and cytotoxicity of some biurets against human breast cancer T47D cell line

Design, synthesis and cytotoxicity of several known and novel biurets against human breast cancer T47D cell line in comparison to doxorubicin are described. Biurets incorporating 2-methyl quinoline-4-yl and benzo[d]thiazol-2-ylthio moieties showed higher cytotoxicity and decreased cell viability in a concentration- and time-dependent manner.     

Whole-cell uptake and nuclear localization of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol by breast cancer cells (T47 D) in culture

1. The specificity of rat prostatic spermidine synthase and spermine synthase with respect to the amine acceptor of the propylamine group was studied. 2. Spermidine synthase could use cadaverine (1,5-diaminopentane) instead of putrescine, but the Km for cadaverine was much greater and the rate with 1mM-cadaverine was only 10% of that with putrescine. 1,3-Diaminopropane was even less active (2% of the rate with putrescine) and no other compound tested (including longer alpha,omega-diamines, spermidine and its homologues and monoacetyl derivatives) was active. 3. Spermine synthase was equally specific. The only compounds tested that showed any activity were 1,8-diamino-octane, sym-homospermidine, sym-norspermidine and N-(3-aminopropyl)-cadaverine, which at 1mM gave rates 2, 17, 3 and 4% of the rate with spermidine respectively. 4. The formation of polyamine derivatives of cadaverine and to a very small extent of 1,3-diaminopropane was confirmed by exposing transformed mouse fibroblasts to these diamines when synthesis of putrescine was prevented by alpha-difluoromethylornithine. Under these conditions the cells accumulated significant amounts of N-(3-aminopropyl)cadaverine and NN'-bis(3-aminopropyl)cadaverine when exposed to cadaverine and small amounts of sym-norspermidine and sym-norspermine when exposed to 1,3-diaminopropane.     

Effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on cell-cycle kinetics of T 47D human breast cancer cells

The replication of several human and animal cancer cell lines is regulated in vitro and in vivo by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3], the hormonally active form of vitamin D3. We have examined the effects of concentrations of 1,25-(OH)2D3, which inhibit cellular replication, on the cell-cycle kinetics of a 1,25-(OH)2D3-responsive human breast cancer cell line, T 47D. After 6 or 7 days of treatment, a time period representing approximately five cell population doublings of control cultures, concentrations of 1,25-(OH)2D3 in the range 10(-9) M to 10(-6) M caused a time- and concentration-dependent decrease in cell numbers. Treatment of cells growing in charcoal-treated fetal calf serum with 10(-8) M 1,25-(OH)2D3 for 6 days reduced cell numbers to 49% +/- 9% (n = 9) of control, and this was associated with a marked increase in the proportion of cells in the G2 + M phase of the cell cycle from 9.7% +/- 0.5% (n = 11) to 19.6% +/- 2.3% (n = 9), significant by paired analysis (P less than 0.002). At higher concentrations of 1,25-(OH)2D3 (10(-7)-10(-6) M), there was a concentration-dependent decline in S phase and increases in both G0/G1 and G2 + M phase cells. Detailed analysis of the temporal changes in cell-cycle phase distribution following treatment with 2.5 X 10(-8) and 10(-7) M 1,25-(OH)2D3 showed an initial accumulation of cells in G0/G1 and depletion of S phase cells during the first 24 hr of treatment. This decline in S phase cells was not accompanied by a decline in % G2 + M indicating a transition delay in G2 or mitosis. At the lower dose these changes returned to control values at 48 hr and at later times were associated with a slight but consistent decline in G0/G1 phase and an increase in G2 + M. In contrast cells treated with 10(-7) M 1,25-(OH)2D3 had significantly elevated % G0/G1 cells at days 2 and 3, consistent with a transition delay through G1 phase. This was confirmed in stathmokinetic experiments which demonstrated an approximate sevenfold decrease in the rate of exit of cells from G0/G1 following 4 days of exposure to 10(-7) M 1,25-(OH)2D3. This accumulation of cells in G0/G1 was accompanied by a fall in % S phase cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Comparison of proteomic and genomic analyses of the human breast cancer cell line T47D and the antiestrogen-resistant derivative T47D-r

In search of novel mechanisms leading to the development of antiestrogen-resistance in human breast tumors, we analyzed differences in the gene and protein expression pattern of the human breast carcinoma cell line T47D and its derivative T47D-r, which is resistant toward the pure antiestrogen ZM 182780 (Faslodex trade mark, fulvestrant). Affymetrix DNA chip hybridizations on the commercially available HuGeneFL and Hu95A arrays were carried out in parallel to the proteomics analysis where the total cellular protein content of T47D or T47D-r was separated on two-dimensional gels. Thirty-eight proteins were found to be reproducibly up- or down-regulated more than 2-fold in T47D-r versus T47D in the proteomics analysis. Comparison with differential mRNA analysis revealed that 19 of these were up- or down-regulated in parallel with the corresponding mRNA molecules, among which are the protease cathepsin D, the GTPases Rab11a and MxA, and the secreted protein hAG-2. For 11 proteins, the corresponding mRNA was not found to be differentially expressed, and for eight proteins an inverse regulation was found at the mRNA level. In summary, mRNA expression data, when combined with proteomic information, provide a more detailed picture of how breast cancer cells are altered in their antiestrogen-resistant compared with the antiestrogen-sensitive state.     

Progestin stimulation of manganese superoxide dismutase and invasive properties in T47D human breast cancer cells

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) occurs in two intracellular forms in mammals, copper–zinc SOD (CuZnSOD), found in the cytoplasm, mitochondria and nucleus, and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), in mitochondria. Changes in MnSOD expression (as compared to normal cells) have been reported in several forms of cancer, and these changes have been associated with regulation of cell proliferation, cell death, and metastasis. We have found that progestins stimulate MnSOD in T47D human breast cancer cells in a time and physiological concentration-dependent manner, exhibiting specificity for progestins and inhibition by the antiprogestin RU486. Progestin stimulation occurs at the level of mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity. Cycloheximide inhibits stimulation at the mRNA level, suggesting that progestin induction of MnSOD mRNA depends on synthesis of protein. Experiments with the MEK inhibitor UO126 suggest involvement of the MAP kinase signal transduction pathway. Finally, MnSOD-directed siRNA lowers progestin-stimulated MnSOD and inhibits progestin stimulation of migration and invasion, suggesting that up-regulation of MnSOD may be involved in the mechanism of progestin stimulation of invasive properties. To our knowledge, this is the first characterization of progestin stimulation of MnSOD in human breast cancer cells.     

Opioids are non-competitive inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase in T47D human breast cancer cells

Opioids and nitric oxide (NO) interact functionally in different systems. NO-generating agents decrease the activity of opioid agonists, prevent opioid tolerance, and are used in opioid withdrawal syndromes. There exist, however, few reports indicating a direct interaction of the two systems. T47D human breast cancer cells in culture express opioid receptors, and opioid agonists inhibit their growth, while they release high amounts of the NO-related molecules NO(2-)/NO(3-)to the culture medium. We have used this system to assay a possible direct interaction of opiergic and nitric oxide systems. Our results show that delta- or mu-acting opioid agonists do not modify the release of NO(2-)/NO(3-). In contrast, kappa-acting opioid agonists (ethylketocyclazocine, and alpha(S1)-casomorphine) decrease the release of NO(2-)/NO(3-), in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The general opioid antagonist diprenorphine (10(-6) M) produce a similar NO(2-)/NO(3-)release inhibition, indicating a possible non-opioid-receptor mediated phenomenon. In addition, ethylketocyclazocine, alpha(S1)-casomorphin and diprenorphine directly inhibit NOS activity: agonists, interact with both calcium-dependent and independent NOS-isoforms, while the antagonist diprenorphine modifies only the activity of the calcium-dependent fraction of the enzyme. Analysis of this interaction revealed that opioids modify the dimeric active form of NOS, through binding to the reductase part of the molecule, acting as non-competitive inhibitors of the enzyme. This interaction opens interesting new possibilities for tumor biology and breast cancer therapy.     

The calcitonin receptor on T 47D breast cancer cells. Evidence for glycosylation.

The glycosyl nature of the receptor for the peptide hormone calcitonin has been investigated in a human breast cancer cell line, T 47D. Studies have been carried out to assess the ability of various lectins and of the antibiotic tunicamycin to inhibit specific binding of calcitonin to the cells, to reduce cross-linking of photoactive calcitonin to a macromolecular receptor component and to influence calcitonin stimulation of cyclic AMP. Pre-incubation of cells with low concentrations of tunicamycin for 72 h resulted in a reduction of total specific binding by approx. 80% and a 40% reduction in calcitonin-stimulated adenylate cyclase; formation of the cross-linked receptor component was also inhibited. Wheat-germ lectin showed the most marked inhibition of total specific binding and cyclic AMP production. However, cross-linking of photoactive calcitonin to receptor component was totally inhibited by this lectin. Soya-bean lectin brought about very little reduction in total specific binding but had more profound effects on calcitonin-stimulated cyclic AMP production and cross-linking of photoactive calcitonin. Concanavalin A and lentil lectin showed some inhibition of all parameters. The data indicate that the calcitonin receptor in T 47D cells is associated with glycosyl moieties, the major contributors of which are N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues, but N-acetyl-D-galactosamine and mannose residues are also associated.     

Met-HGF/SF mediates growth arrest and differentiation in T47D breast cancer cells.

Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) is a pluripotent growth factor that exerts mitogenic, motogenic, and morphogenic effects. To elucidate the cellular mechanisms underlying the pluripotent function of this growth factor, T47D human breast cancer cells were transfected with human hgf/sf. The hgf/sf-positive clones exhibited different levels of biologically functional HGF/SF expression and up-regulation of endogenous Met (HGF/SF receptor) expression. In addition, a constitutive phosphorylation of the receptor on tyrosine residues was detected, establishing a Met-HGF/SF autocrine loop. The autocrine activation of Met caused marked inhibition in cell growth accompanied by cell accumulation at G0/G1. These cells underwent terminal cell differentiation as determined by morphological changes, synthesis of milk proteins such as beta-casein and alpha-lactalbumin, and production of lipid vesicles. Our results demonstrate that Met-HGF/SF, an oncogenic signal transduction pathway, is capable of inducing growth arrest and differentiation in certain breast cancer cells and, thus, may have potential as therapeutic and/or prognostic tools in breast cancer treatment.