Transformed 3T3 cells have reduced levels and altered subcellular distribution of the major PKC substrate protein marcks

The MARCKS (myristylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate) protein is an abundant calmodulin-binding protein that is a major and specific endogenous substrate of protein kinase C (PKC). Stimulation of cells with phorbol esters or other activators of PKC has been shown previously to result in rapid phosphorylation of MARCKS proteins and redistribution of these myristylated C-kinase substrates from membrane to cytosol. Here we show that NIH3T3 murine fibroblasts transformed by p21-HA-C-RAS or pp60-V-SRC oncoproteins have markedly reduced levels of p68-MARCKS and that most of the remaining MARCKS protein is found in the cytosol. 3T3 cells containing a nontransforming oncoprotein p26-BCL2, in contrast, exhibited normal levels and distribution of p68-MARCKS. When taken together with recent evidence that MARCKS proteins are involved in regulating organization of the membrane cytoskeleton, our findings suggest that oncoprotein-mediated alterations in MARCKS protein levels and subcellular distribution may contribute to the development or maintenance of the transformed phenotpe.     

Cholesterol levels and plasma membrane fluidity in 3T3 and SV101-3T3 cells

Polyene antibiotics such as filipin selectively inhibit wheat germ agglutinin-induced agglutination of transformed and malignant cells compared to normal cells (Hatten ME, Burger MM: Biochemistry 18:739, 1979). Since filipin binds specifically to cholesterol, we measured cholesterol levels in 3T3 cells and SV101-3T3 cells. SV101-3T3 cells contained 50-100% more cholesterol per cell than 3T3 cells. Both cell types were starved for cholesterol by growth in lipid-depleted medium plus 25-hydroxycholesterol. The cholesterol level of SV101-3T3 cells decreased by 30-50%, while the level in 3T3 cells remained constant. Filipin-stained SV101–3T3 cells revealed bright patches of filipin under fluorescence microscopy. These patches were absent in 3T3 cells and in SV101–3T3 and 3T3 cells starved for cholesterol. We selectively labeled plasma membranes of these cells with a spin label analog of phosphatidylcholine. The spin label indicated differences in plasma membrane fluidity that may be related to the different cholesterol levels in 3T3 and SV101–3T3 cells.     

Proliferative activity and ribosomal RNA content of 3T3 and SV40-3T3 cells

The phenomenon of resistance of confluent 3T3 cells to serum stimulation of proliferation is investigated and shown to depend drastically on the kinetics of application of growth factors with the serum. The cellular content of ribosomal RNA is determined flow-cytometrically by measuring the red fluorescence of cells stained with acridine orange. Ribosomal RNA content of 3T3 cells, but not of SV40-3T3 cells, is shown to decrease after confluence. The kinetics of restoration of ribosomal RNA in stimulated 3T3 cells exhibits an increasing delay with increasing duration of quiescence. These and further results are consistent with “progression” to initiation of the cell cycle being closely associated with restoration of cellular content of ribosomes.     

Uptake of putrescine by 3T3 and SV3T3 cells and its effect on ornithine decarboxylase activity

Arterial smooth muscle cells undergo marked biochemical and morphological changes upon culturing. We have studied the time course of these changes in smooth muscle cells isolated from normal rabbit aortas by enzymic digestion and then maintained in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium with or without 10% rabbit serum. Subcultured smooth muscle cells were also examined. Isolated cells cultured in the presence of serum multiply rapidly and by 9 days exhibit features typical of subcultured cells including multilayered growth, elevated marker enzyme activities of subcellular organelles, and proliferation of organelles. In contrast, isolated cells cultured in the absence of serum remain quiescent, as indicated by the low level (<10%) of ₃H-thymidine incorporation into nuclei and constant DNA content of the cultures. These cells spread slowly to form a monolayer of randomly oriented cells and they retain differentiated morphological features. Their enzyme activities remain at the levels of those of freshly isolated cells initially, but by 5 days some enzyme activities increase, in particular those of the acid hydrolases and catalase. Rates of pinocytosis and protein synthesis in these cells are comparable to those of cells maintained in serum-supplemented medium for the same period, but are significantly less than those measured in subcultured cells. Within 5 days, morphological alterations in the serum-deprived cells occur including the presence of increased numbers of lysosomes. Quiescent cultures of enzymically isolated cells may be a useful tool for short-term biochemical and physiological studies of differentiated arterial smooth muscle cells.     

Cell density and amino acid transport in 3T3, SV3T3, and SV3T3 revertant cells

The transport of selected neutral and cationic amino acids has been studied in Balb/c 3T3, SV3T3, and SV3T3 revertant cell lines. After properly timed preincubations to control the size of internal amino acid pools, the activity of systems A, ASC, L, and Ly⁺ has been discriminated by measurements of amino acid uptake (initial entry rate) in the presence and absence of sodium and of transportspecific model substrates. L-Proline, 2-aminoisobutyric acid, and glycine were primarily taken up by system A; L-alanine and L-serine by system ASC; L-phenylalanine by system L; and L-lysine by system Ly⁺ in SV3T3 cells. L-Proline and L-serine were also preferential substrates of systems A and ASC, respectively, in 3T3 and SV3T3 revertant cells. Transport activity of the Na⁺-dependent systems A and ASC decreased markedly with the increase of cell density, whereas the activity of the Na⁺-independent systems L and Ly⁺remained substantially unchanged. The density-dependent change in activity of system A occurred through a mechanism affecting transport maximum (V_max) rather than substrate concentration for half-maximal velocity (K_m). Transport activity of systems A and ASC was severalfold higher in transformed SV3T3 cells than in 3T3 parental cells at all the culture densities that could be compared. In SV3T3 revertant cells, transport activity by these systems remained substantially similar to that observed in transformed SV3T3 cells. The results presented here add cell density as a regulatory factor of the activity of systems A and ASC, and show that this control mechanism of amino acid transport is maintained in SV40 virus-transformed 3T3 cells that have lost density-dependent inhibition of growth, as well as in SV3T3 revertant cells that have resumed it.     

Ether-linked lipids of Balb/c3T3, SV3T3 and concanavalin A-selected SV3T3 revertant cells

Ether-linked lipids were analyzed in Balb/c3T3, SV3T3 and Concanavalin A-selected SV3T3 revertant cells. The three cell lines were found to contain significant quantities of alk-1-enyl- and alkyl-linked phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) and small amounts of alkyldiacylglycerols. Compared to 3T3 cells, SV3T3 cells contain a higher amount of alk-1-enyl-linked PC, while in SV3T3 revertant cells the concentrations of the various ether lipids are similar to those of 3T3 cells. The major difference in the composition of ether groups of SV3T3 cells, compared to 3T3 cells, is an increase of 18:0 accompanied by a decrease of 18:1 in the alk-1-enyl-linked PE and PC. Alk-1-enyl-linked PC of SV3T3 revertant cells also shows an increase of 18:0, while the decrease of 18:1 was not statistically significant.     

Neutral glycolipids and gangliosides of concanavalin A-selected SV3T3 revertant cells and of normal and SV40-transformed Balb/c 3T3 cells.

The structural analysis of neutral glycolipids and gangliosides of the SV40 transformed Balb/c3T3 cells (SV3T3 cells) and concanavalin A-selected SV3T3 revertant cells, both compared with untransformed Balb/c3T3 cells, has shown: (i) a content of neutral glycolipids in revertant cells near to that found in the untransformed parental cells; (ii) a similar decrease of the higher gangliosides in transformed and revertant cells; (iii) a content of ganglioside GM3 in revertant cells much higher than that found in both SV3T3 and untransformed Balb/3T3 cells. The possible role of ganglioside GM3 in growth control is discussed.     

Transport of amino acids in intact 3T3 and SV3T3 cells. Binding activity for leucine in membrane preparations of ehrlich ascites tumor cells

Transport of amino acids into 3T3 and SV3T3 (SV40 virus-transformed 3T3) cells was measured on glass cover slips. The 3T3 and SV3T3 cells contain both A (alanine preferring) and L (leucine preferring) systems for neutral amino acid transport. Initial rates of uptake of amino acids are about twofold higher in SV3T3 than in 3T3 cells. Other parameters measured, however, do not indicate marked differences in the transport of amino acids by the two cell types. L-system amino acids, such as leucine, are subject to trans-stimulation in both cell lines, whereas A-system amino acids, such as alanine and glycine, are not. Leucine was transported to higher levels in confluent cells than in nonconfluent cells. Glycine, however, shows distinctly less transport activity as the cells become confluent. Ehrlich ascites cell plasma membranes were prepared and assayed for amino acid-binding activity. Leucine-binding activity was detected by equilibrium dialysis in Triton X-100-treated membrane preparations.     

NIH-3T3 cells expressing high levels of the c-ras proto-oncogene display reduced platelet derived growth factor-stimulated phospholipase activity

NIH-3T3 cells expressing elevated levels of the normal human c-Ha-ras proto-oncogene (c-ras) exhibit reduced platelet derived growth factor-stimulated phospholipase activity. Three clonal cell lines of NIH-3T3 cells expressing different levels of c-ras have been isolated and characterized. The level of c-ras expression correlates inversely with PDGF-stimulated phospholipase activity as monitored by prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production. In addition, high levels of c-ras expression produce cells with morphological and biochemical characteristics indistinguishable from NIH-3T3 cells transformed by EJ-ras. These data suggest that abnormal c-ras expression can attenuate growth factor-stimulated phospholipase activity in NIH-3T3 cells, in a manner analogous to that observed in cells transformed by EJ-ras.     

Differential adaptive response to hyperosmolarity of 3T3 and transformed SV3T3 cells

Both 3T3 and simian virus 40-transformed 3T3 (SV3T3) cells were used to investigate differences in population kinetics, protein synthesis, monovalent ion levels, and amino acid accumulations between normal and transformed cells exposed to hyperosmolarity at 0.5 Osm. Under similar culture conditions, SV3T3 cells were found to be more sensitive in their proliferative response than normal cells to the hyperosmolar treatment. In the normal 3T3 cells, the increase in transport of amino acids was less sustained and was associated with higher levels of accumulated amino acids. The equilibrium distribution of intracellular monovalent cations and the rate of protein synthesis also returned faster to baseline values in the normal cells than in the transformed cells. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) analysis revealed the induction of a 69-kDa polypeptide in the 3T3 cells but not in the SV3T3 cells after exposure to hyperosmolarity. On electrofocusing and relative mass analysis, this polypeptide closely migrated with the 70-kDa heat shock protein (hsp) family, although it was unrelated immunologically to the inducible 72-kDa hsp.     

Human c-fgr induces a monocyte-specific enzyme in NIH 3T3 cells.

The mutant c-fgr protein (p58c-fgr/F523) containing Phe-523 instead of Tyr-523 exhibited transforming activity in NIH 3T3 cells like other protein-tyrosine kinases of the src family, but normal p58c-fgr (p58c-fgr/wt) did not. The mutant protein showed tyrosine kinase activity threefold higher than that of the normal protein in vitro. Surprisingly, transfection of the normal c-fgr gene into NIH 3T3 cells resulted in induction of sodium fluoride (NaF)-sensitive alpha-naphthyl butyrate esterase (alpha-NBE), a marker enzyme of cells of monocytic origin, which was not induced in v-src-, v-fgr-, or lyn-transfected NIH 3T3 cells. The NaF-sensitive alpha-NBE induced in c-fgr transfectants was shown by isoelectric focusing to have a pI of 5.2 to 5.4, a range which was the same as those for thioglycolate-induced murine peritoneal macrophages and 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-treated WEHI-3B cells. Immunoblotting studies with antiphosphotyrosine antibodies revealed that 58-, 62-, 75-, 120-, 200-, and 230-kDa proteins were commonly phosphorylated at tyrosine residues in NIH 3T3 cells transfected with normal and mutated c-fgr, while 95-kDa protein was significantly phosphorylated at tyrosine residues in cells transfected with the mutated c-fgr. These findings suggest that tyrosine phosphorylation of specific cellular substrate proteins is important in induction of NaF-sensitive alpha-NBE and cell transformation by p58c-fgr.     

Transformation-associated changes in nuclear-coded mitochondrial proteins in 3T3 cells and SV40-transformed 3T3 cells

Comparative two-dimensional gel electrophoretic studies were performed on mitochondrial proteins in nontransformed mouse 3T3 cells and in SV40-transformed 3T3 cells, SV-T2. Two polypeptides, of 58 and 40 kDa, were present in increased amounts in SV40-transformed cells. These polypeptides were demonstrated to be nuclear-coded mitochondrial proteins by their absence in mitochondrial preparations, when labeling was performed in the presence of a mitochondrial-specific inhibitor, Rhodamine 6G. Temperature-sensitive mutants for transformation were derived from 3T3 cells by transfection with cloned SV40 DNA containing the ts A58 mutation. Increased amounts of the 58 kDa protein were apparent in these cells at the permissive temperature (33 degrees C) compared to the restrictive temperature (39.5 degrees C).     

Simian Virus 40-Host Cell Interactions. I. Temperature-Sensitive Regulation of SV40 T Antigen in 3T3 Mouse Cells Transformed by the ts*101 Temperature-Sensitive Early Mutant of SV40

BALB/3T3 and Swiss/3T3 mouse cells transformed at permissive temperature (33 C) by the early temperature-sensitive mutant of simian virus 40 (SV40), ts(*)101, exhibited a temperature-dependent modulation of SV40 tumor (T) antigen as assayed by immunofluorescence. The percentage of T antigen-positive nuclei in ts(*)101 transformed cells was reduced at restrictive temperature (39 C) when compared to 33 C and to wild-type SV40 transformed cells at either 33 C or 39 C. The percentage of T antigen-positive nuclei in ts(*)101 transformed cells returned to the 33 C control level when the cells were shifted from 39 to 33 C. The ts(*)101 transformed cells could be superinfected with wild-type, but not ts(*)101, virions at 39 C as assayed by an increase in T antigen-positive nuclei.     

Dependence of intracellular alkali-ion concentrations of 3T3 and SV 40-3T3 cells on growth density.

Intracellular contents of potassium and of sodium are determined for 3T3 and SV 40-3T3 cells in dependence of growth density. In parallel, total cell volume and volume of intracellular water is determined for these cells suspended in physiological buffer. Intracellular potassium concentration thus evaluated for suspended 3T3 cells exhibits a sharp decrease at cellular growth densities which lead to density dependent inhibition of cell proliferation. In the case of SV 40-3T3 cells, this drop of potassium concentration with increasing cellular growth density is not observed, which correlates well with the absence of cell density dependent inhibition of cell growth in the transformed cell line. These results support the notion that processes of stimulation of quiescent 3T3 cells or of cell density dependent inhibition of their proliferation are mediated by processes including changes of potassium transport characteristics leading to increase or decrease respectively of their intracellular potassium concentration. Furthermore, these and other results suggest, that a difference between normal and transformed cells most relevant to their different proliferation behaviour might reside in different transport characteristics for potassium of the plasma membranes of these cells.     

Calcium transport and exchange in mouse 3T3 and SV40-3T3 cells

The kinetics of Ca++ uptake have been evaluated in 3T3 and SV40-3T3 mouse cells. The data reveal at least two exchangeable cellular compartments in the 3T3 and SV40-3T3 cell over a 50-min exposure to 45Ca++. A rapidly exchanging compartment may represent surface-membrane-localized Ca++ whereas a more slowly exchanging compartment is presumably intracellular. The transition of the 3T3 cell from exponential growth (at 3 day's incubation) to quiescence (at 7 days) is characterized by a 7.5-fold increase in the size of the fast component. Quiescence of the 3T3 cell is also characterized by a 3.2-fold increase in the unidirectional Ca++ influx into the slowly exchanging compartment and a 3.6-fold increase in its size. The increase in size of the slow compartment at quiescence may result from a redistribution of intracellular Ca++ to a more readily exchangeable compartment, possibly reflecting a release of previously bound Ca++. In contrast, no significant change in any of these parameters is observed in the proliferatively active SV40-3T3 cells after corresponding period of incubation, even though these cells attained higher growth densities and underwent postconfluence.     

Vinblastine-induced formation of annulated lamellae in SV3T3 cells

SV40-transformed 3T3 cells formed microtubular crystals in the cytoplasm when treated with vinblastine sulfate. Annulated lamellae, an unusual intracellular organelle found in some actively proliferating cell types, appeared concurrently with the formation of microtubular crystals. Although crystals were also seen in non-transformed 3T3 cells treated with vinblastine, annulated lamellae were not found.     

DNA breakdown of 3T3 and SV 40-transformed 3T3 cells cultured in suspension

It was examined what effect of suspension culture exerted on prelabeled DNA of 3T3 and SV 40 transformed cells (SV3T3). On an alkaline sucrose density gradient the small size DNA of 3T3 cells increased with time of suspension, while that of SV3T3 did not. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that prelabeled DNA of suspended 3T3 cells became small on a neutral sucrose density gradient, in an alkaline and a neutral elution. When SV3T3 cells were treated with dimethylsulfoxide, the smaller DNA appeared on an alkaline sucrose density gradient.     

Induction of lysosomal enzymes in contact inhibited 3T3 cells

The pattern of changing activities of three lysosomal enzymes, N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase, aryl sulfatase, and DNase II, and that of DNA polymerase was followed in homogenates of 3T3 cells during the logarithmic phase of growth and in stationary cultures. The change in activities of the polymerase and the lysosomal enzymes is antiparallel. DNA polymerase exhibits highest activity in growing cultures, and shows a three-fold decline of the specific activity in stationary cultures. The lysosomal enzymes show a very marked increase in their specific activity after density saturation is reached, which can be prevented by the addition of cycloheximide. Colcemid added to logarithmically growing cultures also causes an increase in the specific activities of lysosomal enzymes.