Effects of Aflatoxin on Seeding Growth and Ultrastructure in Plants

Nineteen plants belonging to 11 species of the cruciferae were studied to determine the effects of aflatoxin B₁ on seed germination and seedling development. Germination was not inhibited in any test organism at a concentration of 100 μg of aflatoxin per ml of agar substrate. Inhibition of elongation of the hypocotyls and roots in the species studied varied from 29 to 93% and from 22 to 91% in the respective tissues. Lepidium sativum was the most susceptible plant studied and exhibited the maximal inhibitory response noted above at concentrations of 8 μg of aflatoxin per ml. The ultrastructure of Lepidium root cells treated with crystalline aflatoxin B₁ exhibited morphological changes characteristic of those found in aflatoxin-treated animal cells. In addition to changes in the cytoplasmic organelles, numerous ring-shaped nucleoli with prominent nucleolar caps were produced. The effect of aflatoxin on plant cells is compared with similar effects induced by actinomycin D. Seed germination and seedling development is discussed in relation to the effects of both compounds on deoxyribonucleic acid-dependent ribonucleic acid biosynthesis.     

Angiogenesis-inducing ability of human bladder epithelium cell lines and "spontaneously" transformed murine fibroblasts

Ten human bladder epithelium cell lines were tested for their ability to induce blood vessel formation after intradermal injection into irradiated ST/a mice. Cell lines that were shown to be tumorigenic in nude mice, were able to evoke angiogenesis of a higher intensity than nontumorigenic cell lines. No difference was observed between the angiogeneic ability of tumorigenic cells originating from tumors and from in vitro transformed urothelium of nontumor origin. Similarly the origin of nontumorigenic urothelial cell lines did not show any influence on their angiogeneic abilities, but nontumorigenic cell lines which had undergone "infinite growth transformation" exhibited a higher angiogeneic activity than nontumorigenic cell lines with a finite life. The angiogeneic reaction evoked by human bladder epithelium cell lines showed cell dose- and time-dependence; but it was unrelated to the growth potential of the cultured cells. Two "spontaneously" altered sarcoma-producing murine cell lines showed a higher angiogeneic activity than tumorigenic human bladder epithelial cells. The angiogeneic response to these two murine cell lines was unrelated to morphological signs of transformation and to differences in growth rate, serum requirement, saturation density, anchorage dependence, and isoimmunizing properties.     

Enhancement of aflatoxin B1 cytotoxicity in differentiated rat hepatoma cultures by a prior glucocorticoid treatment of the monolayer.

The cytotoxic effect of aflatoxin B₁ on cultures of a differentiated rat hepatoma cell line, Faza 967, has been evaluated by scoring the surviving colonies two weeks after briefly exposing the freshly plated cells to the mycotoxin. At the lowest concentration, aflatoxin B₁ exhibits no toxicity, unless the cultures have been pretreated with dexamethasone. HF-1, an hepatoma hybrid cell line exhibiting extinction of the hepatic functions and HF1-4, its subclone, that reexpresses all of these functions, have been compared. A 6hrs exposure to 60ng/ml aflatoxin B₁ is not toxic for HF₁ even after an hormonal treatment, while dexamethasone enhances the effect on HF₁-4. Glucocorticoïds have been shown previously to induce, in the differentiated clones, the hydroxylation of bile acid - a cytochrome P-450-mediated reaction ; in contrast, 3-methylcholanthrene, an inducer of benzopyrene hydroxylase in hepatoma cultures, is without effect on bile acid metabolism and on aflatoxin B₁ cytotoxicity. These results suggest that in the differentiated hepatoma cells, aflatoxin B₁ is converted into a cytotoxic metabolite by a glucocorticoïd-induced monooxygenase belonging to the cytochrome P-450-related group.     

Immunosuppressive effects of aflatoxin in growing rats

The immunosuppressive potential of aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁), the carcinogenic metabolite ofAspergillus flavus, was evaluated in growing rats. The weanling rats were subchronically exposed to 60, 300 and 600 µg AFB₁/kg body weight for four weeks on alternate days by oral feeding. Various parameters of cell mediated immunity (CMI) and humoral immunity were assessed in control and treated animals. CMI was evaluated by measuring delayed type of hypersensitivity (DTH) response and humoral by plaque forming cell (PFC) assay. The lymphoproliferative response assay for T- and B-cells was also performed. It was observed that AFB₁ selectively suppressed cell mediated immunity in growing rats. AFB₁ suppressed CMI at the 300 and 600 µg dose levels only as measured by DTH response assay. It is concluded that continuous low level exposure of aflatoxin to growing host may enhance its susceptibility to infection and tumorigenesis.Abbreviations AF Aflatoxin - AFB₁ Aflatoxin B₁ - CMI Cell mediated immunity - CPM Counts per minute - DTH Delayed type of hypersensitivity - GST Glutathione-S-transferase - LPS Lipopolysaccharide - PFC Plaque forming cell - PHA Phytohemagglutinin - SRBC Sheep red blood cells     

Immortalization of human urothelial cells by human papillomavirus type 16 E6 and E7 genes in a defined serum-free system

Normal human epithelial cell cultures exhibit a limited (although different between tissues) lifespan in vitro. In previous studies, urothelial cell cultures were immortalized using retroviral transformation with human papillomavirus type 16 E6 and E7 genes, in undefined culture systems containing serum or bovine pituitary extract. OBJECTIVE: Due to the variability of results in such systems, we instead developed a procedure for the immortalization of urothelial cells using a defined, serum-free culture system. METHOD AND RESULTS: Immortalization through retroviral transformation with human papillomavirus type 16 E6 and E7 was successful, and transformation of urothelial cells conferred an extended over normal lifespan and restored telomerase activity. Transformed cells retained typical morphology and exhibited a similar growth rate, cytokeratin immunoreactivity pattern, and response to growth factors as observed in untransformed cells. Karyotype analysis revealed a gradual accumulation of genetic mutations that are consistent with previously reported mutations in epithelial cells transformed with human papillomavirus type 16 E6 and E7. CONCLUSION: The ability to extend the in vitro lifespan of cells holds the potential to reduce the continuous need for tissue samples and to enable complete investigations with one cell line.     

Cytochrome P-450 and the activation of promutagens in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae the cellular content of cytochrome P-450 was investigated and shown to be related to the growth phase of aerobic cultures when glucose was the carbon source. When grown on glucose medium the log-phase cells of the diploid strain D5 contained about 9× more cytochrome P-450 than log-phase cells of the diploid strain D4. The D4 cells grown on medium containing glucose contained about 10× more cytochrome P-450 than D4 cell grown on medium containing galactose as carbon source. Cells of strain D4, harvested from log-phase cultures grown on glucose, were capable of metabolizing aflatoxin B₁, dimethylnitrosamine, β-naphthylamine, ethyl carbamate, cyclophosphamide and dimethylsulphoxide to products active genetically in the same cells. The metabolism of the compounds tested was attributed to cyctochrome P-450-dependent mixed-function oxidation since genetic activity was high in log cells grown on medium containing glucose but negligible in log cells grown on medium containing galactose. However, aflatoxin B₁ differed from the other promutagens tested since the genetic activity of this compound in cells grown on galactose medium was similar to the activity in cells grown on glucose medium. This result is discussed in relation to enzyme systems which could metabolize aflatoxin B₁. The results of treating log-phase cells of the strain D5, grown on medium containing glucose, with aflatoxin B₁ and dimethylnitrosamine are presented and compared with the results from the strain D4.     

Characterization of a monoclonal antibody reactive with a glycolipid antigen expressed by tumorigenic and certain immortalized,non-tumorigenic rat esophageal epithelial cell lines

A monoclonal antibody (mAb 5G) was produced against a tumorigenic rat esophageal epithelial cell line, designated B2T. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunofluorescence assay (IFA), thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and immunoperoxidase staining, it was found that mAb 5G reacted specifically with a glycolipid antigen expressed by three tumorigenic rat esophageal epithelial cell lines, and two out of the three nontumorigenic, immortalized rat esophageal epithelial cell lines tested; but did not react with primary cultures of normal rat esophageal epithelial cells or fibroblasts. mAb 5G did not bind to rat respiratory tract carcinoma cell lines, to immortalized rat tracheal epithelial cell lines, or to primary cultures of normal rat tracheal epithelial cells. In addition, mAb 5G did not react with any of the human or mouse cell lines tested. In IFA experiments, mAb 5G stained imprints prepared from in vivo propagated B2T tumor tissues, but did not react with normal rat esophageal, tracheal, lung, liver, and kidney tissues. The antigen was identified by TLC as a neutral glycolipid, consisting of two bands, withR _F = 0.45 and 0.41, which migrated in proximity to the ceramide trihexoside standard on TLC plates. Densitometric scanning of the antigen bands indicated that the tumorigenic rat esophageal cell lines possessed 50%–90% more mAb-5G-reactive antigen than the nontumorigenic esophageal cell lines. The results show that mAb 5G reacts specifically with a glycolipid antigen expressed by tumorigenic and certain non-tumorigenic, immortalized rat esophageal epithelial cell lines that might be at the late stages of transformation and early malignancy.     

Desmoplakin expression and distribution in cultured rat bladder epithelial cells of varying tumorigenic potential

The expression and distribution of the desmosomal plaque proteins, desmoplakins (DPs) I and II, were studied in nontumorigenic (RBE-8) and a series of tumorigenic (AY34, R-4909, SS-24B, RBTCC-8, and 804G) rat bladder epithelial cell lines. These cell lines ranged from slow-growing papillary transitional cells (AY34) to rapidly metastatic carcinoma cells (RBTCC-8). DPs I and II were shown by immunoblotting and Northern analysis to be present in nontumorigenic RBE-8 cells as well as in all of the tumorigenic cell lines, albeit in differing amounts. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed striking differences in DP distribution, corresponding in general with increases in tumorigenic potential. Whereas DPs of normal RBE-8 cells and less tumorigenic AY34 cells were localized predominantly at cell interfaces, the more tumorigenic lines exhibited a high proportion of DP in the form of cytoplasmic dots, a distribution reminiscent of that seen in epithelial cells maintained in low levels of extracellular calcium. In 804G cells, which represented the most extreme example of this phenomenon, the majority of DPs were organized as cytoplasmic dots. Electron microscopy revealed intermediate filament (IF)-associated spots in the cytoplasm as well as an elaborate array of IF-associated plaques at the cell-substratum interface. The IF-associated spots in the cytoplasm reacted with anti-DP antibody in immunogold labeling experiments while those at the cell-substratum did not react. In more dense cultures of 804G cells, certain cells stratified and expressed increased amounts of DP followed by the induction of new keratins including those of the skin type. Decreasing extracellular calcium resulted in a rearrangement of DP in each cell line; staining at cell-cell interfaces disappeared and was replaced with a pattern of cytoplasmic dots. These results demonstrate a possible relationship between desmosome assembly and/or maintenance and tumorigenic potential.     

Increased cytotoxicity of food-borne mycotoxins toward human cell lines in vitro via enhanced cytochrome p450 expression using the MTT bioassay

Eight food-borne mycotoxins epidemiologically implicated in human disease were tested for their cytotoxic effects on human cells previously immortalised and transfected to introduce human cytochrome p450(CYP 450) genes. Such cells retain many characteristics of normal cell growth and differentiation while simultaneously having the potential of either increasing or decreasing the metabolic activity (cytotoxicity) of the challenging mycotoxins. The MTT assay provided an indication of cytotoxicity. Of the nine CYP 450s introduced CYP1A2 was most effective,rendering the cells 540 times more sensitive than the control cells to aflatoxin B₁, 28 times more sensitive to aflatoxin G₁ and 8-fold more sensitive to ochratoxin A. CYP3A4 resulted in the cells being 211 times more toxic to aflatoxin B₁ and 8-fold more toxic to aflatoxin G₁ while CYP 2A6, CYP 3A5 and CYP 2E1 also produced observable effects. No increase in metabolic activity was found using cyclopiazonic acid, deoxynivalenol,fumonisin B₁, patulin or T-2 toxin. CD5Os were calculated for the mycotoxins against the non-CYP-introduced control cells. There was almost a five order of magnitude difference between the most toxic,T-2 toxin (CD50 0.0057 g/ml) and the least toxic, fumonisin ₁(CD50 476.2 g/ml). In vitro biological assays thus provide an excellent system for quantifying the often low CD50s expressed bymycotoxins in foods.This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Chemical carcinogen-mouse mammary tumor virus interactions in cell transformation

We have studied the process of mammary cell transformation in vitro using a single cell clone (Clone 18) from a presumptive epithelial cell line, C57MG, derived from a normal mammary gland; a mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) host-range variant (RIII)vp4; and the potent initiating carcinogen 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA). After several serial subcultures, cells treated with virus and then with carcinogen exhibited an altered (transformed) morphology, a dramatic increase in anchorage independence, an increase in multinucleation after exposure to cytochalasin B, an enhanced ability to proliferate in low Ca2+ (0.01 mM) medium, and tumorigenicity when inoculated subcutaneously into athymic (nude) mice. Although some of these phenotypic alterations were observed also in cultures treated singly with MMTV or DMBA and in cultures exposed to DMBA before infection with MMTV, enhanced cytochalasin B multinucleation and tumorigenicity were properties observed only in mass cultures of cloned cells first infected with MMTV and then exposed to DMBA. This demonstrates for the first time that exposure of presumptive mammary epithelial cells to MMTV followed by DMBA, but not to either agent alone or to DMBA followed by MMTV, results in malignant transformation of these cells.     

Mechanism of action of aflatoxin B1

The inhibitory effects of aflatoxin B₁ were found to be related to the gram character in procaryotes, used in this study. Ethylene diamine tetra chloroacetic acid (0.05% w/v) or Tween-80 (0.05 % v/v) addition accentuated the aflatoxin B₁ growth inhibition inSalmonella typhi andEscherichia coli at different pH values. The inhibition of lipase production was only 5–20 % inPseudomonas fluorescence ca. 25–48% inStaphylococcus aureus andBacillus cereus at different aflatoxin B₁ concentrations (4–16μg/ml).However, inhibition of α-amylase induction was complete in1Bacillus megaterium whereas the inhibition was partial inPseudomonas fluorescence (27–40%) at 32μg aflatoxin B₁ concentration. An increase in leakage of cell contents and decreased inulin uptake were observed in toxin incubated sheep red blood cell suspension (1 %) with increased aflatoxin B₁ concentration     

Extended life span and tumorigenicity of nonestablished mouse connective tissue cells transformed by the fos oncogene of FBR-MuSV

We have analyzed the transforming potential of two fos oncogene products in nonestablished cultures of mouse connective tissue cells: p55fos of FBJ-MuSV and p75gag-fos of FBR-MuSV. Although both proteins induced morphological transformation and colony formation at low cell density in a G418 resistance selection assay, p75gag-fos exhibited more pronounced transforming potential than p55fos. In addition, p75gag-fos-transformed cells overcame crisis with a high probability and were tumorigenic in syngenic mice. These properties of the FBR-MuSV appear to be linked to structural alterations in the p75gag-fos oncogene product. Polyoma virus large T protein complemented the transforming potential of fos, in that it not only increased the probability of establishment of fos-transformed cells but also enhanced fos-induced morphological transformation. Our results suggest that different oncogenes affect morphological transformation, low cell density growth, establishment, and tumorigenicity to various degrees.     

Ovarian carcinoma tumor-initiating cells have a mesenchymal phenotype

Solid tumors appear to contain a subpopulation of cells (tumor-initiating cells, TICs) that not only drives and sustains tumor growth, but is possibly responsible for recurrence. We isolated, after enzymatic digestion of primary ovarian carcinoma samples, a subpopulation of cells propagating as non-adherent spheres in medium suitable for tumor stem cells. These cells were able to self-renew in vitro, as suggested by PKH-26 staining studies, were tumorigenic and acquired an epithelial morphology when grown in FBS-supplemented medium, losing their tumorigenic potential. Interestingly, the tumorigenic potential of PKH-26^high- and PKH-26^neg-sorted cells was similar. These TIC-enriched cultures showed higher levels of genes involved in stemness than differentiated cells derived from them and were more resistant to the cytotoxic effects of some drugs but equally sensitive to others. The higher level of ABCG2 efflux pump could explain increased resistance to taxol and VP16, and higher levels of genes involved in nucleotide excision repair partially explain the resistance to cisplatin. These cells express mesenchymal markers, and epithelial transition could be induced when cultured in differentiating conditions, with a loss of invasive potential. These data suggest that ovarian cancer is a stem cell disease and should help elucidate the role of these cells in the aggressive phenotype of this tumor and find new therapeutic strategies to reduce resistance to current chemotherapeutic drugs.     

Sustained early disruption of mitochondrial function contributes to arsenic-induced prostate tumorigenesis

Arsenic is a well-known human carcinogen that affects millions of people worldwide, but the underlying mechanisms of carcinogenesis are unclear. Several epidemiological studies have suggested increased prostate cancer incidence and mortality due to exposure to arsenic. Due to lack of an animal model of arsenic-induced carcinogenesis, we used a prostate epithelial cell culture model to identify a role for mitochondria in arsenic-induced prostate cancer. Mitochondrial morphology and membrane potential was impacted within a few hours of arsenic exposure of non-neoplastic prostate epithelial cells. Chronic arsenic treatment induced mutations in mitochondrial genes and altered mitochondrial functions. Human non-neoplastic prostate epithelial cells continuously cultured for seven months in the presence of 5 µM arsenite showed tumorigenic properties in vitro and induced tumors in SCID mice, which indicated transformation of these cells. Protein and mRNA expression of subunits of mtOXPHOS complex I were decreased in arsenic-transformed cells. Alterations in complex I, a main site for reactive oxygen species (ROS) production as well as increased expression of ROS-producing NOX4 in arsenic-transformed cells suggested a role of oxidative stress in tumorigenic transformation of prostate epithelial cells. Whole genome cGH array analyses of arsenic-transformed prostate cells identified extensive genomic instability. Our study revealed mitochondrial dysfunction induced oxidative stress and decreased expression of p53 in arsenic-transformed cells as an underlying mechanism of the mitochondrial and nuclear genomic instability. These studies suggest that early changes in mitochondrial functions are sustained during prolong arsenic exposure. Overall, our study provides evidence that arsenic disruption of mitochondrial function is an early and key step in tumorigenic transformation of prostate epithelial cells.     

Effect of Citrus reticulata and Cymbopogon citratus Essential Oils on Aspergillus flavus Growth and Aflatoxin Production on Asparagus racemosus

Essential oils extracted from Citrus reticulata and Cymbopogon citratus were tested in vitro against the toxigenic strain of Aspergillus flavus, isolated from the tuberous roots of Asparagus racemosus, used in preparation of herbal drugs. The essential oils completely inhibited the growth of A. flavus at 750 ppm and also exhibited a broad fungitoxic spectrum against nine additional fungi isolated from the roots. Citrus reticulata and Cymbopogon citratus essential oils completely inhibited aflatoxin B₁ production at 750 and 500 ppm, respectively. During in vivo investigation, the incidence of fungi and aflatoxin B₁ production decreased considerably in essential oil-treated root samples. The findings thus indicate possible exploitation of the essential oils as effective inhibitor of aflatoxin B₁ production and as post-harvest fungitoxicant of traditionally used plant origin for the control of storage fungi. These essential oils may be recommended as plant-based antifungals as well as aflatoxin B₁ suppressors in post-harvest processing of herbal samples.     

Biological heterogeneity and radiation sensitivity of in vitro propagated lung metastatic lines originated from a transplantable squamous cell carcinoma of BALB/C mouse

Summary Seven cell lines established from a diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced forestomach carcinoma (DEN₃) of a BALB/c mouse and its six pulmonary metastatic foci were used to study the biological and functional diversity of tumor cells. DEN₃ is a highly tumorigenic line capable of forming lung metastases readily. Six metastatic nodules were isolated from the lungs of syngeneic mice and six cell lines were established. The cell lines differed in characteristics such as tumorigenicity, metastatic capability, and in vivo and in vitro growth properties. Radiation sensitivity of these cell lines was examined by exposure, at ner confluency stage of in vitro growth, to doses of 2.5 to 50 Gray (Gy) X-rays (1 Gy=100 rads). Shortly after exposure (approximately 5 min), the cells were harvested and 10⁵ cells were cultured or inoculated into syngeneic mice, or both. Growth of three of the six cell lines tested was prohibited by 5 Gy. However, some populations from the other cell lines were able to survive 5 or 10 Gy. Progenies of the cells that survived primary radiation exposure after several in vitro passages were able to withstand another exposure of the same magnitude but not a higher dose. The X-rayed survivor cells also maintained their tumorigenic potential. This work was supported by Biomedical Research Support grant 2-507-RR-071292-07 from the National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD; by the Ohio Board of Regents Research Challenge Grant; and an FRC grant. R. J. Jamasbi under Department of Energy Research contract DE-ACOF-760-R00033 through Oak Ridge Associated Universities.     

The influence of the transpiration rate on uptake and transport of potassium ions in barley plants

Summary The vegetation points of branches of Caralluma frerei (Asclepiadaceae) were treated with 300, 100 and 30 ppm of crude aflatoxin (36% B₁, 38% G₁, 3% B₂, 2% G₂) and with toxin-free control. Application of 300 and 100 ppm aflatoxin resulted in stop of growth and death of the upper leaves and flower buds. Malformations or wilting was not observed in any case. Branches treated with 30 ppm aflatoxin and with control solution developed normally. It is concluced that under the experimental conditions used aflatoxin has an unspecific toxic effect.     

Normal keratinization in a spontaneously immortalized aneuploid human keratinocyte cell line

In contrast to mouse epidermal cells, human skin keratinocytes are rather resistant to transformation in vitro. Immortalization has been achieved by SV40 but has resulted in cell lines with altered differentiation. We have established a spontaneously transformed human epithelial cell line from adult skin, which maintains full epidermal differentiation capacity. This HaCaT cell line is obviously immortal (greater than 140 passages), has a transformed phenotype in vitro (clonogenic on plastic and in agar) but remains nontumorigenic. Despite the altered and unlimited growth potential, HaCaT cells, similar to normal keratinocytes, reform an orderly structured and differentiated epidermal tissue when transplanted onto nude mice. Differentiation-specific keratins (Nos. 1 and 10) and other markers (involucrin and filaggrin) are expressed and regularly located. Thus, HaCaT is the first permanent epithelial cell line from adult human skin that exhibits normal differentiation and provides a promising tool for studying regulation of keratinization in human cells. On karyotyping this line is aneuploid (initially hypodiploid) with unique stable marker chromosomes indicating monoclonal origin. The identity of the HaCaT line with the tissue of origin was proven by DNA fingerprinting using hypervariable minisatellite probes. This is the first demonstration that the DNA fingerprint pattern is unaffected by long-term cultivation, transformation, and multiple chromosomal alterations, thereby offering a unique possibility for unequivocal identification of human cell lines. The characteristics of the HaCaT cell line clearly document that spontaneous transformation of human adult keratinocytes can occur in vitro and is associated with sequential chromosomal alterations, though not obligatorily linked to major defects in differentiation.