Retransformation of a revertant cell line with the adenovirus E1 oncogenes and vanadate

We have isolated a revertant cell line (G5) from an adenovirus transformed rat cell line (F4) which failed to express the integrated viral oncogenes. To determine whether the reversion mutation was acting in cis or trans the G5 cells were co-transfected with an E1 gene bearing expression plasmid and a neomycin phosphotransferase bearing plasmid. G418-resistant colonies were picked and shown to express the E1 proteins and to be tumorigenic. This re-transformation could be partially mimicked by treatment with vanadate, an inhibitor of phosphotyrosine phosphatases. These results show that the continued presence of the E1 proteins was required to maintain the transformed phenotype, and that the reversion mutation was a cis-acting event affecting directly the integrated E1 genes.     

p145, a protein with associated tyrosine kinase activity in a human gastric carcinoma cell line.

A protein with an Mr of 145,000 (p145) was detected by antibodies to phosphotyrosine by Western blot (immunoblot) analysis. This protein was phosphorylated on tyrosine in a gastric carcinoma cell line. In cells that were metabolically labeled with 32Pi, this protein was phosphorylated on tyrosine and serine. p145 is a cysteine-rich transmembrane glycoprotein. The extracellular domain could be labeled by 125I under nonpermeating conditions and was cleaved by mild trypsin treatment of intact cells. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under nonreducing conditions revealed a shift of p145 mobility to an apparent Mr of 190,000. After immunoprecipitation with phosphotyrosine antibodies, p145 displayed a strong associated protein kinase activity in vitro, becoming phosphorylated on tyrosine. There was no immunological cross-reaction between p145 and known tyrosine kinases. Both in vivo and in vitro tyrosine phosphorylations were unaffected by the addition of known growth factors. However, p145 was rapidly dephosphorylated in vivo when cells were exposed to low pH, a condition that is known to dissociate ligands from their receptors. These data suggest that p145 is associated with a protein tyrosine kinase activity which, in the tumor cell line studied, is activated by an as yet unidentified factor.     

A cell line of human malignant astrocytoma producing autocrine growth factor

Summary A cell line was established from an anaplastic astrocytoma from a 69-yr-old female. The cells have been serially subcultured over 300 times for 6 yr without showing any sign of cell senescence. Their doubling time is about 36 h. The cells are fusiform and often hexagonal in sparse culture, but become spindle-shaped and formed mosaic structure in confluent culture. Under electron microscopy, intermediate filaments were randomly distributed in the cytoplasma, especially in the perinuclear space. The chromosome number was near tetraploid and varied from 86 to 94 chromosomes with a modal number of 91. The alpha and beta subunits of S-100 protein, vimentin, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), which are reliable markers of astrocytic cells, were demonstrated in a large number of cells by immunoperoxidase staining. The results of immunoblotting showed that the expression of vimentin was much higher than that of GFAP. The tumorigenicity of the cells was revealed by xenografting into nude mice, which were X-irradiated before inoculation. Culture medium conditioned by the cells promoted growth of these cells in serum-free conditions and of normal rat glial cells in serum-depleted culture. The growth-promoting effect of conditioned medium was lost by trypsinization and reduced by boiling. These findings suggest that these cells are derived from neoplastic astrocytic cells and secrete a self-acting polypeptide growth-promoting factor into the culture medium. This study was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture of Japan.     

Identification of tyrosines 154 and 307 in the extracellular domain and 653 and 766 in the intracellular domain as phosphorylation sites in the heparin-binding fibroblast growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (flg).

Four tyrosine residues have been identified as phosphorylation sites in the tyrosine kinase isoform of the heparin-binding fibroblast growth factor receptor flg (FGF-R1). Baculoviral-insect cell-derived recombinant FGF-R1 was phosphorylated and fragmented with trypsin while immobilized on heparin-agarose beads. Phosphotyrosine peptides were purified by chromatography on immobilized anti-phosphotyrosine antibody and analyzed by Edman degradation and electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. Tyrosine residue 653, which is in a homologous spatial position to major autophosphorylation sites in the catalytic domain of the src and insulin receptor kinases, is the major intracellular FGF-R1 phosphorylation site. Residue 766 in the COOH-terminus outside the kinase domain is a secondary site. Tyrosine residues 154 and 307, which are in the extracellular domain of transmembrane receptor isoforms and are in an unusual sequence context for tyrosine phosphorylation, were also phosphorylated.     

Overexpression and activation of the RON receptor tyrosine kinase in a panel of human colorectal carcinoma cell lines

RON is a receptor tyrosine kinase belonging to the MET proto-oncogene family. The purposes of this study are to determine the expression and activation of RON in a panel of human colon carcinoma cell lines. Western blotting showed that RON is barely detectable in normal and SV-40-transformed colon epithelial cells, but highly expressed and constitutively activated in several colon carcinoma cell lines including Colo201, HT-29, HCT116, and SW837. Moreover, a novel RON variant with a molecular mass of 160 kDa (RONDelta160) was identified from HT-29 cells. The cDNA encoding RONDelta160 has an in-frame deletion of 109 amino acids in the extracellular domain of the RON beta chain, which is caused by splicing out of two exons in the RON mRNA. No mutations were found in the kinase domain of the RON gene in five carcinoma cell lines screened. By expressing RON in colon epithelial cells, we found that RON activation increases cell motile-invasive activities and protects cells against apoptotic death. These data suggest that RON expression and activation are deregulated in colon carcinoma cell lines. By abnormal activation of RON, this receptor and its variant may regulate motile-invasive phenotypes of certain colon carcinoma cells in vivo.     

Mitochondrial alterations in human gastric carcinoma cell line

We compared mitochondrial function, morphology, and proteome in the rat normal gastric cell line RGM-1 and the human gastric cancer cell line AGS. Total numbers and cross-sectional sizes of mitochondria were smaller in AGS cells. Mitochondria in AGS cells were deformed and consumed less oxygen. Confocal microscopy indicated that the mitochondrial inner membrane potential was hyperpolarized and the mitochondrial Ca²⁺ concentration was elevated in AGS cells. Interestingly, two-dimensional electrophoresis proteomics on the mitochondria-enriched fraction revealed high expression of four mitochondrial proteins in AGS cells: ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase, mitochondrial short-chain enoyl-coenzyme A hydratase-1, heat shock protein 60, and mitochondria elongation factor Tu. The results provide clues as to the mechanism of the mitochondrial changes in cancer at the protein level and may serve as potential cancer biomarkers in mitochondria. two-dimensional gel electrophoresis proteomics; biomarker; cancer     

脂联素对人胃癌细胞HGC27生长和迁移能力的影响

目的 探讨脂联素对胃癌细胞HGC27的生长和迁移能力的影响.方法 应用Western blot方法检测脂联素受体adipoR1和adipoR2在HGC27细胞中的表达.以不同浓度脂联素干预细胞,MTT法检测细胞生长情况,应用细胞划痕试验检测脂联素干预对细胞迁移能力的影响.结果 两种脂联素受体在HGC27细胞中均有表达,随着脂联素浓度的升高和培养时间的延长HGC27细胞的生长受到抑制,脂联素可以抑制细胞的迁移能力.结论 脂联素可抑制HGC27细胞生长和迁移能力,其机制可能是通过与受体结合完成的.     

Evidence for the involvement of a Src-related tyrosine kinase in Xenopus egg activation.

Recently, we have purified a Src-related tyrosine kinase, named Xenopus tyrosine kinase (Xyk), from oocytes of Xenopus laevis and found that the enzyme is activated within 1 min following fertilization [Sato et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 13250-13257]. A concomitant translocation of a part of the activated enzyme from the membrane fraction to the cytosolic fraction was also observed. In the present study, we show that parthenogenetic egg activation by a synthetic RGDS peptide [Y. Iwao and T. Fujimura, T. (1996) Dev. Biol. 177, 558-567], an integrin-interacting peptide, but not by electrical shock or the calcium ionophore A23187 causes the kinase activation, tyrosine phosphorylation, and translocation of Xyk. A synthetic tyrosine kinase-specific inhibitor peptide was employed to analyze the importance of the Xyk activity in egg activation. We found that the peptide inhibits the kinase activity of purified Xyk at IC50 of 8 microM. Further, egg activation induced by sperm or RGDS peptide but not by A23187 was inhibited by microinjection of the peptide. In the peptide-microinjected eggs, penetration of the sperm nucleus into the egg cytoplasm and meiotic resumption in the egg were blocked. Indirect immunofluorescence study demonstrates that Xyk is exclusively localized to the cortex of Xenopus eggs, indicating that Xyk can function in close proximity to the sperm-egg or RGDS peptide-egg interaction site. Taken together, these data suggest that the tyrosine kinase Xyk plays an important role in the early events of Xenopus egg activation in a manner independent or upstream of calcium signaling.     

Morphological changes in a human scirrhous gastric carcinoma cell line (KATO-III) when cultured in collagen-coated dishes

The morphological differences between cells of a human scirrhous gastric carcinoma cell line (KATO-III) cultured in plastic dishes and in collagen-coated dishes were examined by phase-contrast and electron microscopy. When KATO-III cells were inoculated into plastic dishes, a few cells became attached to the surface of the dishes and the rest remained in suspension. However, when they were inoculated into collagen-coated dishes, they all remained in suspension. In both types of dish, most of the cells in suspension were single although a few were in clusters. The cells in suspension in collagen-coated dishes differed in morphology from those in the plastic dishes. They had abundant cytoplasm, well-developed Golgi complexes, and many microvillus-like cell protrusions. Moreover, they had hemidesmosome-like and desmosome-like structures on their surface and an increased amount of intracytoplasmic desmosome-like structures. The cells in clusters in the collagen-coated dishes were closely connected by junctional complexes, such as tight junctions, desmosomes and interdigitations, whereas those in plastic dishes were linked only by desmosomes. These results suggest that collagen affects the morphology of human scirrhous carcinoma cells.     

Release of fibroblast growth factor-1 by human squamous cell carcinoma correlates with autocrine cell growth

Summary A squamous cell carcinoma cell line Nakata proliferated in serum-free culture and was not responsive to exogenous fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1). Immunostaining revealed that Nakata cells expressed FGF-1 in their cytoplasms and nuclei. Two molecular mass species of FGF-1 (16 and 18 kDa) were identified in cell extracts by Western blot. These cells also expressed high-affinity FGF-1 binding sites (Kd=360 pM, 28 000 sites/cell). The results of cross-linking with [¹²⁵I]FGF-1 demonstrated the presence of two bands with molecular masses of 160 and 140 kDa. The addition of FGF-1 specific antisense oligonucleotides at 25 μM to Nakata cells resulted in an 82% inhibition in cell growth and suppressed FGF-1 expression. This effect was dose-dependent and specific, because sense oligonucleotides were ineffective in inhibiting cell growth. In addition, Nakata cell growth was suppressed by an anti-FGF-1 neutralizing antibody, which resulted in a 52% inhibition at 8 μg/ml. These results demonstrate that Nakata cells produce FGF-1, and indicate that this growth factor acts in an autocrine manner by interacting with FGF-1 binding sites on Nakata cells.     

Pertussis toxin activates protein kinase C and a tyrosine protein kinase in the human T cell line Jurkat

Pertussis toxin activates T lymphocytes by a mechanism that is independent of its ADP-ribosylation activity. The toxin stimulates increases in diacylglycerol and intracellular calcium apparently by interacting with a cell surface receptor. Consistent with the production of these second messengers we have found that pertussis toxin activates protein kinase C in the Jurkat cell line. The toxin was also found to activate a tyrosine protein kinase in these cells in a manner similar to that observed with phytohemagglutinin. These results provide evidence that the mechanism of activation of T cells by pertussis toxin involves stimulating the activity of protein kinase C and a tyrosine protein kinase.     

Inhibition of tumor cell growth by a human B-cell line

An Adenocarcinoma cell line (Breast-M) and an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected B-cell line (Hairy-BM) were established from breast tumor tissue. The Hairy-BM was CD20⁺, CD25 (Tac)+ and surface immunoglobulin (sIg)+. Hairy-BM suppressed the in vitro proliferation of Breast-M in a time and a dose-dependent manner. The suppression was also found in 5 different human tumor targets showing tumor-Hairy-BM binding, but not; in 2 murine tumor targets showing no significant tumor-Hairy-BM binding. Lytic activity of Hairy-BM was found only against Breast-M.Abbreviations sIg Surface immunoglobulin - CTL Cytotoxic T-cells - NK Natural killer - IL2 Interleukin 2 - LAK Lymphokine activated killer - CSN Culture supernatant - MTT 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoolium bromide - PCR Polymerase chain reaction - TIL Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes - HCL Hairy cell leukemia - TNF Tumor necrosis factor     

Defective stress kinase and Bak activation in response to ionizing radiation but not cisplatin in a non-small cell lung carcinoma cell line

We have here examined ionizing radiation (IR)-induced apoptotic signaling in one IR-sensitive small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and one resistant non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell line, both harboring mutant p53. In the sensitive SCLC cell line, IR induced conformational modulation of Bak and Bax, mitochondrial depolarization, and nuclear fragmentation. These events were not observed in the IR-resistant NSCLC cell line. However, in the same cells, cisplatin, a DNA-damaging drug, induced Bak and Bax modulation, mitochondrial depolarization, and nuclear fragmentation. Pre-mitochondrial signaling events were examined in order to further characterize the differing IR response. In the SCLC cell line, IR-induced apoptotic signaling was found to involve a MEKK1-related pathway and activation of the stress-activated kinases JNK and p38. In comparison, the NSCLC cell line had higher basal levels of activity of JNK and p38, and IR treatment did not further activate these kinases. However, NSCLC cells were sensitive to Bak modulation and apoptosis induced by a kinase-active mutant of MEKK1. Together, the results delineate a mechanism of IR resistance in NSCLC cells and indicate that IR and cisplatin induce Bak modulation and apoptosis via different pathways.     

A new human prostate carcinoma cell line, 22Rv1

Summary A cell line has been derived from a human prostatic carcinoma xenograft, CWR22R. This represents one of very few available cell lines representative of this disease. The cell line is derived from a xenograft that was serially propagated in mice after castration-induced regression and relapse of the parental, androgen-dependent CWR22 xenograft. Flow cytometric and cytogenetic analysis showed that this cell line represents one hyper DNA-diploid stem line with two clonal, evolved cytogenetic sublines. The basic karyotype is close to that of the grandparent xenograft, CWR22, and is relatively simple with 50 chromosomes. In nude mice, the line forms tumors with morphology similar to that of the xenografts, and like the parental CWR22 and CWR22R xenografts, this cell line expresses prostate specific antigen. Growth is weakly stimulated by dihydroxytestosterone and lysates are immunoreactive with androgen receptor antibody by Western blot analysis. Growth is stimulated by epidermal growth factor but is not inhibited by transforming growth factor-β1.     

Vanadate stimulates tyrosine phosphorylation of two proteins in Raji human lymphoblastoid cell membranes

A membrane fraction from Raji human lymphoblastoid cells exhibited tyrosine-specific kinase activity. Vanadate increased tyrosine phosphorylation up to 5-fold; serine and threonine phosphorylation were unchanged. The stimulation was detectable within 15 s at 0 degrees C and at concentrations of vanadate (0.3 and 1.0 microM) present in normal tissues and blood. The tyrosine phosphorylation of two substrates, M1 61 000 and 55 000, was dependent upon vanadate and incorporation into these substrates represented the majority of the vanadate-sensitive tyrosine phosphorylation.     

Interleukin-17 induces rapid tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of raf-1 kinase in human monocytic progenitor cell line U937.

Interleukin-17 is a T cell derived pro-inflammatory cytokine exhibiting multiple biological activities in a variety of cells and believed to fine tune all general phases of hematopoietic response. However, the signaling mechanism of this novel cytokine remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine whether Interleukin-17 induces tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins and to find out whether the raf-1 kinase signaling pathway is involved in mediating its signaling. Using immunoblotting and immunocomplex kinase assays, we report that the early signaling events triggered by rhIL-17 involves rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of several cellular proteins including raf-1 within 0.5 to 30 min. Optimal stimulation of tyrosine phosphorylation was observed with 0.5 to 1.0 ng/ml of Interleukin-17. Further, Interleukin-17 stimulates rapid activation of raf-1 kinase. These findings provide the first evidence that the mechanism of IL-17 signaling involves rapid tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of raf-1 serine/threonine kinase.     

Advanced gastric carcinoma in a de Brazza's guenon (Cercopithecus neglectus)

Abstract: A necropsy case of advanced gastric carcinoma in a 20-year-old female de Brazza's guenon (Cercopithecus neglectus) was studied. Grossly, an excavated carcinoma mass, 60 × 55 × 35 mm in size, was located in the cardiac region of the stomach. Multiple disseminated nodules had implanted on the diaphragm and omentum. The tumor consisted of intestinal-type adenocarcinoma cells and showed infiltrative growth beyond the serosa. The morphologic features of this tumor closely resembled those of advanced gastric carcinomas in human patients.     

Glycomic analysis of gastric carcinoma cells discloses glycans as modulators of RON receptor tyrosine kinase activation in cancer

BackgroundTerminal α2-3 and α2-6 sialylation of glycans precludes further chain elongation, leading to the biosynthesis of cancer relevant epitopes such as sialyl-Lewis X (SLe^X). SLe^X overexpression is associated with tumor aggressive phenotype and patients' poor prognosis.MethodsMKN45 gastric carcinoma cells transfected with the sialyltransferase ST3GAL4 were established as a model overexpressing sialylated terminal glycans. We have evaluated at the structural level the glycome and the sialoproteome of this gastric cancer cell line applying liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. We further validated an identified target expression by proximity ligation assay in gastric tumors.ResultsOur results showed that ST3GAL4 overexpression leads to several glycosylation alterations, including reduced O-glycan extension and decreased bisected and increased branched N-glycans. A shift from α2-6 towards α2-3 linked sialylated N-glycans was also observed. Sialoproteomic analysis further identified 47 proteins with significantly increased sialylated N-glycans. These included integrins, insulin receptor, carcinoembryonic antigens and RON receptor tyrosine kinase, which are proteins known to be key players in malignancy. Further analysis of RON confirmed its modification with SLe^X and the concomitant activation. SLe^X and RON co-expression was validated in gastric tumors.ConclusionThe overexpression of ST3GAL4 interferes with the overall glycophenotype of cancer cells affecting a multitude of key proteins involved in malignancy. Aberrant glycosylation of the RON receptor was shown as an alternative mechanism of oncogenic activation.General significanceThis study provides novel targets and points to an integrative tumor glycomic/proteomic-profiling for gastric cancer patients' stratification. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Glycans in personalised medicine" Guest Editor: Professor Gordan Lauc.     

Establishment of a CSF-producing cell line from a human gastric carcinoma and characteristics of the CSF produced by that cell line

A human cell line producing colony-stimulating factor has been established in vitro from a human gastric carcinoma. The cell line was transplantable into nude mice which developed a marked neutrophilia. The cell line has been maintained for three years. The cells grew in a monolayered sheet and produced colony-stimulating factors that enhanced the formation of granulocyte and monocyte colonies in vitro with mouse bone marrow cells as the target and granulocyte colonies with human bone marrow cells as the target.