A distinctive phospholipid-stimulated protein kinase of normal and malignant murine hemopoietic cells

This report describes the activity of a novel phospholipid-stimulated protein kinase from mouse DA-1 leukemic cells. The kinase was activated by phosphatidylglycerol or phosphatidylinositol. Phospholipid-stimulated protein phosphorylation occurred in the presence of Mn2+ or Mg2+; kinase activity was greater with Mg2+ than with Mn2+ from 4 to 10 mM, although at lower divalent cation concentrations Mn2+ was preferred. A Mr 75,500-77,000 endogenous protein doublet and a Mr 42,000 endogenous protein were phosphorylated in whole cell extracts under these conditions. These substrates contrasted with those identified under protein kinase C conditions. Of the exogenous proteins tested, phospholipid-stimulated phosphorylation was highest with histone H2B followed by other histones. In addition to DA-1 cells, phospholipid-stimulated protein kinase also was detected in high levels in normal mouse spleen, marrow, and kidney but not detectable in brain extracts. The phosphatidylglycerol-stimulated kinase was separated from protein kinase C by anion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel, from which it eluted at 0.2 to 0.3 M NaCl. Physiological dissociation of the two types of kinase activity was demonstrated by down regulation of protein kinase C over 24 h by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetic acid. Under these conditions phosphatidylglycerol kinase activity and subcellular distribution were unaffected. Thus, phosphatidylglycerol-stimulated kinase was detectable in both normal and malignant cells and contrasted with, and was separable from, protein kinase C in numerous respects. Phosphatidylglycerol-stimulated protein kinase basic biochemistry and physiological roles are topics worthy of further investigation.     

Mechanisms of normal and malignant breast epithelial growth regulation

In this presentation we review information highlighting the multiple roles of both steroidal and polypeptide regulators of mammary epithelial cell growth with some additional emphasis on the work of our laboratory. The effects of both classes of hormones are complex and involve multiple interactions with epithelial components (malignant or normal) and the stromal compartment. Estrogens induce growth regulatory polypeptide growth factors which are responsible for many of the induced phenotypic effects in hormone-dependent breast cancer. Progression of hormone-dependent breast cancer to hormone independence probably involves multiple genetic mechanisms of oncogene activation, loss of the estrogen receptor, or loss of hormone responsivity of other gene products. Initial carcinogenesis and progression of mammary epithelium to cancer probably also requires both proliferative stimuli (estrogen, polypeptide growth factors) and genetic damage, leading to qualitatively different hormonal responses (hormone responsive cancer). New therapeutic strategies based on these biological considerations are emerging, including a variety of approaches which interfere at multiple points with ability of ligand to induce receptor signaling.     

Mitogenic regulation of normal and malignant breast epithelium

The multiple roles of both estrogenic and polypeptide regulators of mammary epithelial cell growth are reviewed in this article. Effects of both steroidal and peptide hormones are complex and involve multiple interactions with malignant cells and non-malignant host components. Initial carcinogenesis and progression of mammary epithelium to cancer probably require both proliferative stimuli (estrogen, polypeptide growth factors) and genetic damage. This condition may lead to qualitatively different hormonal responses (hormone-responsive cancer). Estrogens can be shown to induce growth-regulatory polypeptide growth factors and interact with them in hormone-dependent breast cancer. Progression of hormone-dependent (estrogen-responsive) breast cancer to hormone independence probably involves multiple mechanisms, including oncogene activation, loss of the estrogen receptor, or loss of hormone responsivity of other gene products. One direction for further therapies may be blockade of hormonal stimulation and interference with necessary activated or induced components of malignant progression such as oncogenes or polypeptide growth factor-receptor systems.     

The effect of environmental pH on the growth of normal and malignant cells

Data have been presented with respect to the widely varying pH optima for the growth of a number of normal and transformed human, mouse, monkey, hamster, rabbit and rat cell lines. At that optimum, differences between normal and transformed cells with respect to maximum population densities tended to become less prominent. Other differences (serum requirement, long-term viability of cultures) were not demonstrably pH-dependent.     

Acetylcholinesterase in normal and malignant human cells

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was determined in normal and malignant human cell lines by histochemical methods. In normal human fibroblasts, no AChE activity could be demonstrated by any histochemical technique or substrate. Enzymic activity was observed in HT-1080 human fibrosarcoma cells, RD 2 human rhabdomyosarcoma cells, and SW 311 human colon carcinoma cells. Activity was localized around the nuclear envelope, in the cytoplasm and associated with the cortical region of most cells. The specificity of the reaction was shown through the use of specific cholinesterase inhibitors.     

Identification of a prominent nuclear protein associated with proliferation of normal and malignant B cells

Experiments were undertaken to identify nuclear proteins that might be involved in regulation of the mitogenic process in B lymphocytes. Murine splenic B lymphocytes were purified and cultured with anti-Ig insolubilized onto Sepharose (anti-Ig/Sepharose) for 16 hr and labeled with [35S]methionine. Nuclei were isolated and the nuclear proteins were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Anti-Ig/Sepharose induced a prominent increase in the synthesis and abundance of a 40 kDa/pI 5 nuclear protein (p40/pI-5). Inhibition of anti-Ig/Sepharose-induced mitogenesis by pretreatment of the cells with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate was associated with a specific inhibition (63%) of p40/pI-5. Subcellular fractionation experiments showed that p40/pI-5 is not detected in the soluble fraction of resting or activated B cells, indicating that this protein is located exclusively in the nucleus. Analysis of the expression of p40/pI-5 relative the cell cycle showed that the synthesis of this protein was increased during G1 phase and gradually reduced during S phase of the cell cycle. Abundant amounts of p40/pI-5 were also found in the rapidly proliferating B lymphoma cells, WEHI-231, and growth arrest of these cells by anti-mu was found to be associated with a marked inhibition (68%) of this protein. Taken collectively these results suggest that the nuclear protein p40/pI-5 may have an important role in regulation of the proliferation of normal and malignant B lymphocytes.     

Identification of epidermal growth factor-responsive genes in normal rat ovarian surface epithelial cells

Alteration in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family signaling is among the most frequently implicated effectors of human oncogenesis. Overexpression of members of this family of receptors has often been detected in many epithelial tumors and is believed to be associated with an overall poor prognosis in patients with cancer. Therefore, we hypothesized that identification of potential EGF target genes in normal cells will provide a basis for unbiased genetic analysis of this signaling pathway in cancer. We utilized Atlas Rat 1.2 nylon cDNA arrays (Clontech) to determine gene expression changes in normal rat ovarian surface epithelial (ROSE) cells following EGF treatment. The results indicate activation of genes involved in a wide variety of cellular mechanisms, including regulation of cell cycle and proliferation, apoptosis, and protein turnover. In addition, using an in vitro model of ovarian cancer, we demonstrated that malignant transformation of ROSE cells resulted in alteration of downstream effectors of the EGFR pathway, as exemplified by aberrant expression of p66Shc, c-Jun, c-Myc, c-Fos, Lot1, p21Cip/Waf, and cdc25A. These data suggest that knowledge of the downstream genetic lesions, which may result in loss of growth factor requirement of the affected cells, will be crucial for the selection of the EGFR pathway as an effective target for cancer therapy.     

USP22在转录调控及肿瘤发生中的作用

泛素特异性蛋白酶22（ubiquitin specific protease 22,USP22）是一种组蛋白去泛素化酶,在核受体介导的基因转录调控中起增强转录活性的作用。USP22在肿瘤发生、发展中发挥着重要作用,影响癌基因c-Myc介导的基因转录,从而促进肿瘤的增殖和生长;另一方面,USP22可改变远上游识别序列结合蛋白1（far upstream element—binding protein1,FBP1）的泛素化水平,从而影响FBP1下游的抑癌基因p21的表达。USP22与胃癌、大肠癌、乳腺癌及膀胱癌等肿瘤的病理进程相关。此外,USP22在端粒稳态的维持中起作用。本文主要综述USP22参与核受体介导的基因转录调控的表观遗传学机制及其在肿瘤发生中的作用。     

Laminin and fibronectin in normal and malignant neuroectodermal cells

Laminin and fibronectin, the major noncollagenous matrix glycoproteins, were studied in connection with normal brain cells and neuroectodermal cell lines. Laminin, a Mr 900,000 dalton matrix glycoprotein and an essential component of basement membranes, was found to be produced by cultured cells of several malignant cell lines of neuroectodermal origin. In cultured mouse C1300 neuroblastoma line cells laminin was localized, by immunoelectron microscopy, to the rough endoplasmic reticulum and, to sites of cell-to-cell and cell-to-substratum adhesion. Further experiments on the intracellular transport of this glycoprotein in C1300 cells confirmed that laminin is, at least partially, transported through the Golgi pathway. These results favor a role for laminin in attachment and cellular interactions of malignant neuronal cells. Laminin was also found in connection with neurons and glial cells from mammalian brain. In primary cultures from developing rat brain the vast majority of non-neuronal cells (80%) expressed immunoreactivity for the glial fibrillary acidic protein, a cytoskeletal protein specific for astrocytes. During the first week in culture all the glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive cells, with the exception of mature-looking star-shaped astrocytes, exhibited immunoreactivity for laminin. The intracellular laminin disappeared gradually after a few weeks in culture, but an extensive laminin matrix persisted and seemed to be localized on the upper surface of the non-neuronal cells. The neurofilament-positive neurons were negative for laminin. Pretreatment of the cultures with the ionophore monensin, caused accumulation of laminin-immunoreactivity within the Golgi region, which confirmed that laminin is, indeed, produced by cultured astrocytes and secreted through the Golgi complex. No fibronectin immunoreactivity was found in the majority of glial cells. However, under culture conditions where fibronectin was omitted from the culture medium there was, in the primary cultures, a minor population of glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive flat glial cells that exhibited intracytoplasmic immunofluorescence for fibronectin. In the presence of fibronectin in culture medium no fibronectin-positive glial cells could be detected. It thus appears that laminin, and to a minor extent fibronectin, are proteins that normal glial cells are capable of producing under specific conditions. Laminin and fibronectin were localized in adult rat brain in capillary and meningeal structures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

IGF-I mediated survival pathways in normal and malignant cells

The type-I and -II insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I, II) are now established as survival- or proliferation-factors in many in vitro systems. Of note IGFs provide trophic support for multiple cell types or organ cultures explanted from various species, and delay the onset of programmed cell death (apoptosis) through the mitochondrial (intrinsic pathway) or by antagonizing activation of cytotoxic cytokine signaling (extrinsic pathway). In some instances, IGFs protect against other forms of death such as necrosis or autophagy. The effect of IGFs on cell survival appears to be context specific, being determined both by the cell origin (tissue specific) and the cellular stress that induces loss of cellular viability. In many human cancers, there is a strong association with dysregulated IGF signaling, and this association has been extensively reviewed recently. IGF-regulation is also disrupted in childhood cancers as a consequence of chromosomal translocations. IGFs are implicated also in acute renal failure, traumatic injury to brain tissue, and cardiac disease. This article focuses on the role of IGFs and their cellular signaling pathways that provide survival signals in stressed cells.     

Proliferation control in cloned normal and malignant human cells

A method for cloning of a variety of normal and malignant human cells in culture is described. Palladium is precipitated on agarose through masks prefabricated by a photolithographic technique. Practically any pattern can be produced where cells exclusively settle and multiply as ‘miniclones’ on the metal ‘islands’. This communication establishes

1. 1. that ‘miniclones’ settle and multiply with the same efficiency as cells of a mass population, thus constituting an unbiased cell sample

2. 2. that certain malignant lines cannot be studied with the unmodified technique suitable for normal glia-like cells because of excessive translocation between islands

3. 3. that this can be circumvented by the interposition of a thin agar overlay between the cells and the fluid medium. Proliferation of normal glia-like cells was inhibited on palladium islands in a cell density-dependent way. On sufficiently small islands even single cells could be prevented from dividing. Circles of about 3 000 μm² prevented multiplication of about 50% of single cells otherwise capable of division, suggesting that cell-to-cell contacts may not be necessary for proliferation inhibition of normal cells.

     

Steroid hormone mimics: molecular mechanisms of cell growth and apoptosis in normal and malignant mammary epithelial cells

Anti-estrogen (anti-E2) therapy with E2 receptor antagonists has a significant benefit in women with breast cancer, but it may also increase the risk for developing hormone-independent breast cancer for which there is no therapy similar to that used in hormone-dependent breast cancer. Therefore, there is a significant interest in the development of compounds that may provide therapeutic benefit for hormone-independent breast cancer without untoward risks and adverse effects. The estrogen receptor (ER) modulators with both agonistic as well as antagonistic properties may, thus, be exploited for the development of the next generation of compounds for the prevention and/or treatment of breast cancer. In this article, we have discussed the clinical indications, risks, benefits and mechanisms of action of ER modulators and related compounds, particularly indole-3-carbinol (I3C), which may open new avenues for the prevention and/or treatment of breast cancer.