Effect of liver cell coat acid mucopolysaccharide on the appearance of density-dependent inhibition in hepatoma cell growth.

Yoshida ascites hepatoma 66 (AH 66) cells grown in monolayer cultures show a lack of density-dependent inhibition of growth. When acid mucopolysaccharide (AMPS) isolated from rat liver cell coats is added to growing cultures at concentrations of 50–100 μg/ml, AH 66 cell cultures became markedly inhibited and exhibited density-dependent inhibition of growth at a cell density of 19 × 10⁴ cells/cm². Inhibition reached 84% below control levels. Inhibition is a density-related phenomenon since cells at densities below 19×10⁴ cells/cm² do not exhibit inhibition of growth. AH 66 cells inhibited in the plateau state are capable of resuming growth when AMPS is removed from the cultures. When AMPS is added at a concentration of 0.5 μg/ml, growth of tumor cells is promoted. Promotion reaches 78% above control levels. It is suggested that AMPS may play an important part in the regulation of cellular proliferation.     

Magnesium restriction induces granulocytic differentiation and expression of P27Kip1 in human leukemic HL-60 cells

When cultured in Mg restricted medium, human leukemic HL-60 cells develop morphological and functional granulocytic differentiation. In 0.03 mM Mg, cells display the distinctive features of differentiation, without appreciable inhibition of proliferation. In 0.01 mM Mg, cells show terminal differentiation, accompanied by clear inhibition of proliferation. Such cells accumulate in the G0/G1 phase and subsequently die via apoptosis, similar to HL-60 cells that have been induced to differentiate by DMSO. These phenotypic changes are associated with a marked increase in the expression level of the cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor p27^Kip1. Cyclin E expression is also slightly increased in Mg restricted cells, whereas no changes are observed in the expression level of cyclin D1. We also show that during differentiation cell total Mg decreases, whereas [Mg²⁺]_i increases in both Mg-depleted and DMSO-treated cells. These data suggest that the maturation process is paralleled by a redistribution of intracellular Mg, leading to a shift from the bound to the free form. These changes could modulate the kinetics of Mg-dependent enzyme(s) that are involved in the control of the differentiation pathway. We propose that this model may represent an useful tool for the study of the mechanisms of cell differentiation and related events, such as aging and death. J. Cell. Biochem. 70:313–322, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Cell density dependent response of E. Coli cells to weak ELF magnetic fields

The effects of weak magnetic fields of extremely low frequency (ELF) on E. coli K12 AB1157 cells were studied by the method of anomalous viscosity time dependencies (AVTD). E. coli cells at different densities within a range of 5 × 10⁵–10⁹ cell/ml were exposed to ELF (sinusoidal, 30 μT peak, 15 min) at a frequency of 9 Hz. A transient effect with maximum 40–120 min after exposure was observed. Kinetics of the per-cell-normalised ELF effects fitted well to a Gaussian distribution for all densities during exposure. A maximum value of these kinetics and a time for this maximum were strongly dependent on the cell density during exposure. These data suggest a cell-to-cell interaction during response to ELF. Both dependencies had three regions close to a plateau within the ranges of 3 × 10⁵ − 2 × 10⁷ cell/ml, 4 × 10⁷ − 2 × 10⁸ cell/ml and 4 × 10⁸–10⁹ cell/ml and two rather sharp transitions between these plateaus. The effect reached a maximum value at a density of 4 × 10⁸ cell/ml. Practically no effect was observed at the lowest density of 3 × 10⁵ cell/ml. The data suggested that the ELF effect was mainly caused by a secondary rather than a primary reaction. The filtrates from exposed cells neither induced significant AVTD changes in unexposed cells nor increased the ELF effect when were added to cells before exposure. The data did not provide evidence for significant contribution of stable chemical messengers, but some unstable compounds such as radicals could be involved in the mechanism of cell-to-cell interaction during response to ELF. The results obtained were also in accordance with a model based on an re-emission of secondary photons during resonance fluorescence. Bioelectromagnetics 19:300–309, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Differentiation of HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells is accompanied by a modification of magnesium homeostasis

Magnesium homeostasis in HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells was compared to that in neutrophyl-like HL-60 cells obtained by 1.3% DMSO treatment. Magnesium homeostasis was studied by the characterization of magnesium efflux, the identification of intracellular magnesium pools, and the regulation of intracellular ionized Mg²⁺. In both undifferentiated and neutrophyl-like HL-60 cells, magnesium efflux occurred via the Na-Mg antiporter which was inhibited by imipramine and stimulated by db cAMP and forskolin. Receptor-mediated signals such as ATP, IFN-α, or PGE1, which can trigger cAMP-dependent magnesium efflux, were ineffective in undifferentiated HL-60 cells but induced 60–70% increase of magnesium efflux in neutrophyl-like HL-60 cells. Selective membrane permeabilization by the cation ionophore A23187 induced a large magnesium release when cells were treated with rotenone. In both cell populations, the addition of glucose to rotenone-treated cells restored magnesium release to the control level. Permeabilization by 0.005% digitonin provoked the release of 90% cell total magnesium in both cell types. Intracellular [Mg²⁺]_i was 0.15 and 0.26 mM in undifferentiated and neutrophyl-like HL-60 cells, respectively. Stimuli that triggered magnesium efflux, such as db cAMP in undifferentiated and IFN-α in neutrophyl-like HL-60 cells, induced a slow but consistent increase of [Mg²⁺]_i which was independent from Ca²⁺movements. Overall, these data indicate that magnesium homeostasis is regulated by receptor-mediated magnesium efflux which was modified during differentiation of HL-60 cells. Stimulation of magnesium efflux is paralleled by an increase of [Mg²⁺]_i which reflects a release of magnesium from the bound cation pool. J. Cell. Biochem. 71:441–448, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Induction of the Differentiation of HL-60 Promyelocytic Leukemia Cells by l-Ascorbic Acid

The present study was undertaken to examine the effect of l-ascorbic acid (LAA) on the growth of HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells, besides induction of apoptosis. LAA (≥10^-4?M) was found to markedly inhibit the proliferation of HL-60 in liquid culture and clonogenicity in semisolid culture. Moreover, LAA-treated HL-60 showed activity to produce chemiluminescence and expressed CD 66b cell surface antigens, indicating that LAA induces the differentiation of HL-60 mainly into granulocytes. The results are supported by morphological changes of LAA-treated HL-60 into segmented neutrophils. Therefore, the inhibitory effect of LAA on the growth of HL-60 cells seems to arise from the induction of differentiation. To assess the potential role of LAA, cells were exposed to oxygen radical scavengers in the absence or presence of LAA. Catalase abolished and superoxide dismutase promoted LAA-induced differentiation of HL-60. Thus, H²O² produced as a result of LAA treatment seems to play a major role in induction of HL-60 differentiation.     

Studies on a fractionated murine fibrosarcoma: A reproducible method for the cautious and a caution for the unwary.

A technique is described for the dissociation and fractionation by isopycnic centrifugation (4,000 × g, 60 minutes, 4°C) in linear bovine albumin density gradients (12 ml, pH 5.2 real osmolality 333 mmol/Kg water, 1.030–1.075 g/cm³) of cells (? 3 × 10⁷/gradient) released by a strictly standardised combination of mechanical and enzymatic means from a transplantable methylcholanthrene induced BALB/c fibrosarcoma. Optimal conditions for reproducible localisation of cell bands with maintenance of both satisfactory resolution and satisfactory viable cell recovery (> 80%) were established by means of a series of simultaneous double fractionation experiments. When rebanding was performed under these conditions the density of the median of the cell count of the refractioned cells shifted less than 0.0005 g/cm³. Experiments also showed that close adherence to certain aspects of the tissue dissociation and fractionation protocol was necessary to avoid reduced cell yields and viabilities, density-dependent selective cell losses, reductions in resolution and shifts in the location of cell bands. Other aspects of the protocol were tolerant to variation without introducing artefacts.     

Cell susceptibility to apoptosis by glutamine deprivation and rescue: Survival and apoptotic death in cultured lymphoma-leukemia cell lines

Human leukemia/lymphoma cells maintained in culture medium without provision of fresh nutrients lose viability and die by a process resembling apoptosis within a few days. Upon incubation in an FCS-supplemented RPMI 1640 medium containing 2 mM L-glutamine CEM, Namalwa, HL-60 and U937 cells, seeded at initial densities of 0.2 to 1 × 10⁶ cells/ml, ceased growing within 3–5 days and progressively entered an apoptotic pathway, as assessed by nucleosomal DNA fragmentation and morphology. Both the major energy-source nutrients in the medium, glucose and glutamine, became rapidly exhausted during the incubation. Further studies were performed using CEM cells. Incubation in glutamine-free or glucose-free medium renewed every 24 h showed that glutamine deprivation is associated with cell death by apoptosis independent of energetic failure, whereas glucose deprivation is followed by rapid loss of mitochondrial function with sharp drop of intracellular ATP and cell death by necrosis. A 12–24 h incubation in glutamine-depleted medium was required to direct the cells toward the apoptotic pathway. Growth arrest followed by apoptotic death was detected in CEM cells when medium glutamine concentration remained below 0.3–0.4 mM for at least 24 h, but a reinstatement of medium glutamine to 2 mM within this period rescued the cells from growth arrest and death. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Increased mutant frequencies in the HPRT gene locus of leukemia HL-60 cells treated with succinylacetone

Succinyl acetone (SA) was initially identified in the urine of patients with tyrosinemia type I, an autosomally recessive inherited disease. SA has been used to downregulate the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) through its specific inhibition of heme biosynthesis and to investigate the biological properties of MPO in the human myeloid leukemic (HL-60) cell line. The goal of this study is to evaluate the mutagenic potential of SA by determining the frequencies of somatic mutations in the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) reporter gene in HL-60 cells following treatment with the chemical. Treatments of HL-60 cells with 500 μmol/L SA for 72 h, a condition generally used to inhibit the MPO activity, resulted in a significantly increased HPRT mutant frequency (HPRT-Mf), compared with the control of untreated cells (47.25 × 10^-6 versus 7.5 × 10^-6, respectively, p <0.01). Treatment of the cells with lower doses of SA also led to an increase in HPRT-Mf but this was significant only with 200 μmol/L (28.67 × 10^-6, p<0.05) and not with doses lower than 100 μmol/L (p0.05), compared with the control of untreated cells (7.5 × 10^-6). These data show a dose–response increase in HPRT-Mf in HL-60 cells treated with SA, suggesting that this chemical causes mutations in the HPRT locus in these cells either directly or indirectly through its inhibition of the MPO activity.     

The pattern of density dependent growth inhibition in murine fibroblasts

Observations on the pattern of nuclear incorporation of ³H-TdR in long term (8-day) and short term (3-day) 3T3 cultures with local cell densities between 0.2 × 10⁴ and 6.2 × 10⁴ cells/cm² are reported. Contrary to a number of previous studies our observations indicate that density dependent inhibition is exhibited in relatively sparse cultures, commencing at 0.5 × 10⁴ cells/cm². Various possible mechanisms which could have caused the observed pattern of density-dependent regression in labelling index are discussed.     

Large-scale production of Erythroid Differentiation Factor (EDF) by gene-engineered Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in suspension culture

From Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells which were producing Erythroid Differentiation Factor (EDF) in a culture medium, anchorage-independent cells, named as CHO-SPN, were produced by repeated cultivating in a suspension system. The growth time and maximum cell density of the CHO-SPN cells were 48 h and 7.8×10⁵ viable cells/ml. CHO-SPN cells accumulated 8,000 units/ml (corresponding to 4 mg/ml) of EDF in 4d. After 20 cycles of culture, CHO-SPN cells still possessed the same EDF productivity and the same growth kinetics. Furthermore, in an appropriate dissolved oxygen concentration and pH controlled culture system, the growth time and cell density became 24 h and 1×10⁶ viable cells/ml. The critical level of dissolved oxygen for cell growth was 0.015 atm. The maximum oxygen demand was 3.3×10⁻⁹ mole of O₂/ml/min.Fetal bovine serum (FBS) was indispensable for cell growth. However, a FBS-free medium (ASF201) was available for maintenance of the CHO-SPN cells, and EDF production occurred in the same medium.     

Cell culture density dependent toxicity and chromatin changes upon cadmium treatment in murine pre-B-cells

Murine pre-B-cells grown in the presence of lower (1 μM) or higher (5 μM) concentration of cadmium chloride were separated into 13 fractions by centrifugal elutriation. The rate of DNA synthesis after cadmium treatment determined in permeable cells was dependent on cell culture density during cadmium treatment. Cell cycle analysis revealed a shift in the profile of DNA synthesis from replicative to repair DNA synthesis upon cadmium treatment. The study of the relationship between cell culture density and cell diameter at lower and higher cell densities in the presence of 1 μM cadmium chloride concentration showed that a. at 5×10⁵ cell/ml or lower densities cells were shrinking indicating apoptotic changes, b. at higher cell culture densities the average cell size increased, c. the treatment of cells with low CdCl₂ concentration (1 μM) at higher cell culture density (>5×10⁵ cell/ml) did not change significantly the average cell diameter. At 5 μM cadmium concentration and higher cell culture densities (>5×10⁵ cell/ml) the average cell size decreased in each elutriated fraction. Most significant inhibition of cell growth took place in early S phase (2.0–2.5 C value). Apoptotic chromatin changes in chromatin structure after cadmium treatment were seen as large extensive disruptions, holes in the nuclear membrane and stickiness of incompletely folded chromosomes.     

Density-dependent inhibition of 2-deoxy-d-glucose uptake into glioma and neuroblastoma cells in culture

The transport of 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG) into cultured human glioma (138 MG) and mouse neuroblastoma (C1300) cells has been studied in relation to the growth curves of the cells. An initial increase in the uptake of 2-DG into exponentially growing 138 MG cells, could be attributed to the number of days the cells were kept in culture rather than to their increased density. As the 138 MG cells reached confluency after 3 days the 2-DG uptake became density-dependent inhibited. In still denser cultures the cell growth was inhibited. This was accompanied by morphological ‘normalization’ of the cells and increased uptake of 2-DG. Uptake of 2-DG into C1300 cells was density-dependent inhibited throughout the cell growth cycle. As the cell density increased from 15 × 10³ to 130× 10³ cells/cm² the rate of uptake/cell decreased to one-fourth. At the latter cell density the cells entered stationary phase, without any major changes in morphology. The results suggest that spontaneously occurring tumour cells, such as glioma and neuroblastoma cells, can regulate the sugar transport in relation to cell density. This could be due to newly-acquired differentiated properties of the cells or to true contact-inhibitory phenomena.     

Imitation of contact inhibition by substrate-bound plasma membrane glycoproteins and lectins in serum-free hormone-supplemented cultures of GH3 cells

N-Acetylneuraminic acid-bearing glycoproteins and lectins isolated from the plasma membrane of GH₃ cells are coupled covalently to glass dishes and are used as substrates for cell culture. Under serum-free, hormone-supplemented culture conditions these coupled molecules inhibit the growth rate of GH₃ cells. This inhibition is non-toxic and is concentrationand time-dependent. For an inhibition of 50% 2 × 10⁶ coupled molecules contacting one cell are needed. The data suggest that specific plasma membrane-located glycoproteins and lectins are involved in the ‘density-dependent growth regulation’.     

On culture artefacts in coccolith morphology

Coccolith malformations occur more frequently in cultured specimens than in specimens from natural samples, a phenomenon commonly termed ‘culture artefacts’. The causes of culture artefacts are unknown. Here, we tested the effect of culture flask shape, mixing, and cell density on the morphology of Emiliania huxleyi coccoliths. While there was no effect of different culture flask types typically used in coccolithophore culturing, continuous mixing reduced the percentage of malformations by ca. 11 % in exponential-phase cells (cell density ca. 80 × 10³ cells per ml) and ca. 17 % in stationary-phase cells (cell density ca. 2 × 10⁶ cells per ml). Stationary-phase cells displayed 19 % more malformations than mid-exponential-phase cells when not mixed at all and 20 % more malformations when continuously mixed. It is concluded that the lack of mixing and unnaturally high cell densities, typical for coccolithophore stock cultures, are partly responsible for culture artefacts.     

Effects of GDNF and LIF on mouse spermatogonial stem cells proliferation in vitro

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are the only type of cells that transmit genes to the subsequent generations. The proliferation, cultivation and identification of SSCs in vitro are critical to understanding of male infertility, genetic resources and conservation of endangered species. To investigate the effects of glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) on the proliferation of mouse SSCs in vitro, supplement of GDNF and/or LIF were designed to culture SSCs. The testes of 6–8 d mouse were harvested and digested by two-step enzyme digestion method. The SSCs and Sertoli cells were separated by differential plating. Then the SSCs were identified by alkaline phosphatase staining, RT-PCR and indirect immunofluorescence cell analysis. The cellular proliferation capacity was measured by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. The results showed that addition of 20 and 40 ng/ml of GDNF could strongly promote growth of mouse SSCs (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between LIF treatment groups and the control group in promoting proliferation of the mouse SSCs (p > 0.05). However, the combination of 20 ng/ml GDNF and 1,000 U/ml LIF could significantly enhance the invitro proliferation of mouse SSCs (p < 0.05), and the OD₄₉₀ value was 0.696 at day 5 of culture when the density of SSCs was 5–10 × 10⁴ cells/ml.     

Stimulation of the proliferation of normal BHK21 cultured fibroblasts by plant lectins.

Concanavalin A (ConA), and the lectins from Dolichos biflorus and Robinia pseudoacacia, stimulate proliferation in cultures of BHK21 hamster fibroblasts. Both cell number and the proportion of cells incorporating acid-insoluble thymidine are increased. The proportion of labelled cells is increased over threefold (Dolichos and Robinia) and by more than 80% (ConA) at the end of the first day in culture. Optimum concentrations are 10 μg/ml, 1 μg/ml, and 0.1 μg/ml for Dolichos, Robinia, and ConA, respectively. The response of these cells to lectins is biphasic and stimulation is reduced at higher concentrations. The optimum concentrations change as the cultures begin to show density-dependent inhibition of growth and eventually, when saturation density is reached, the cultures do not respond at all. If, however, the lectin is applied while the cultures are still growing they can reach a density 40% greater than that at which saturation normally occurs. Virus-transformed BKH cells, which do not show density-dependent inhibition of growth, show none of these responses. Lectins thus alter, but do not abolish, density-dependent inhibition of growth in fibroblasts.     

Selective cytotoxicity of 3-amino-l-tyrosine correlates with peroxidase activity

Summary In the presence of 3-amino-l-tyrosine (3-AT), abundant brown pigment forms in human HL-60 cells, but not in a variety of other cell lines, which are reported to be lower in mean myeloperoxidase (MPO) content than HL-60. Cells were assessed for peroxidase activity with an ABTS-based colorimetric assay and compared to values obtained with known amounts of human myeloperoxidase. HL-60 cells were estimated to contain the equivalent of 37.1 ng myeloperoxidase/10⁶ cells versus 26.1 and 5.0 ng/10⁶ cells for human K562 and murine RAW 264.7 cell lines, respectively. HL-60 cells exhibited a nearly 60% inhibition of proliferation and >70% reduction in cell viability after 4 d of culture in the presence of 100 μg 3-AT per ml. Higher concentrations of 3-AT (up to 400 μg/ml) for 4 d reduced HL-60 proliferation by 80% and decreased viability to 1–3%. Comparable levels of cytotoxicity were achieved in KG-1 cells after 7 d with 200 or 400 μg 3-AT per ml. K562 cells exhibited a 40% reduction in cell number after 7 d with 400 μg 3-AT per ml, but concentrations less than 400 μg/ml did not significantly affect K562 proliferation. K562 viability remained unchanged with doses of 3-AT up to 400 μg/ml. RAW 264.7 cells exhibited unchanged viability and proliferation in the presence of 3-AT at concentrations up to 400 μg 3-AT per ml. K562, KG-1, and RAW 264.7 cells exhibited no evidence of brown pigment formation in the presence of 3-AT and medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum. However, RAW 264.7 cells that were converted to protein-free medium and exposed to 3-AT exhibited intense brown pigment in some cell nuclei. A high percentage of HL-60 cells treated with 3-AT exhibited membrane blebbing, pyknosis, and nuclear fragmentation, which was not observed among other 3-AT-treated cell lines. A mechanism involving toxic intermediates of peroxidase-mediated “aminomelanin” formation is hypothesized.     

Long term growth and maintenance of stratified rat urothelium in vitro

Abstract Culture conditions that allow long term growth and maintenance of rat urothelium have been determined using short (3 to 8 days) and long (14 to 60 days) term measurements of cell density and tritiated thymidine incorporation as indices. The basal nutrient medium utilized was a mixture of 199 plus Ham's F 12 (1:1) supplemented with insulin (1 μ/ml) and hydrocortisone (1 μ/ml). Long term culture of urothelium seems to require porous collagen. Porous albumin, or plastic dishes thinly coated with albumin, collagen, fibronectin or mixtures thereof, did not support long term maintenance. Serum was required at a concentration of 5%, independent of other additives. Decreasing Ca⁺⁺ levels below that normally found the basal medium (～1 × 10^?3) to as low as 1 × 10^?4, resulted in increased short term proliferation, but decreased long term maintenance by causing a loss of stratification of the urothelium. Even a slight increase in Ca⁺⁺ concentration from 1.0 to 1.5 × 10^?3 resulted in an inhibition of proliferation and an increase in the number of large flat cells which subsequently sloughed off in sheets. The deletion of either insulin, hydrocortisone or both, inhibited growth. The addition of epidermal growth factor (EGF) or its homologue, transforming growth factor (TGF-α), increased cell proliferation markedly and caused a variable increase in stratification. However, epithelium induced to rapid growth and proliferation with EGF, eventually exhausted its growth potential and died. TGF-β1, alone or in combination with either EGF or α-TGF, had no additional effect upon urothelial growth. Repeated transfers of urothelium by enzymatic dissociation led to decreased growth and maintenance potential. The data indicates that long term maintenance of stratified urothelium in culture requires a porous collagen substrate and fetal bovine serum together with hormonal requirements and concentrations of Ca⁺⁺ that neither greatly stimulate nor inhibit growth.     

Inhibitory effect of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) on rat granulosa cell deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) has been found to be expressed within the ovary and to modulate cell differentiation in ovarian cells. In the present study we have analyzed the influence of GnRH on DNA synthesis in rat granulosa cells. Cells were obtained from immature DES-treated rats and cultured in defined medium (DMEM:F12) containing combinations of FSH, estradiol, and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), both in the presence and absence of GnRH. A GnRH analog, Leuprolide (GnRHa), caused a dose-dependent inhibition of ³H-thymidine incorporation in cells cultured in the presence of FSH (20 ng/ml) and TGFβ (2.5 ng/ml), at concentrations as low as 5 × 10⁻¹¹ M. Similarly, a complete inhibition of hormonally stimulated DNA synthesis were observed with another analog (Buserelin, ED₅₀ = 1.58 ± 0.22 × 10⁻¹⁰ M) and native GnRH (ED₅₀ = 1.4 ± 0.3 × 10⁻⁶ M). A competitive antagonist of GnRH (Antide) was used to neutralize the GnRH agonist effects. Antide 10⁻⁸ M could prevent the inhibition elicited by 10⁻⁷ M of Leuprolide. These results suggest that GnRH may play a role in the regulation of rat granulosa cell proliferation during follicular development. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 47: 170–174, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.