A fucosyltransferase in teratocarcinoma stem cells. Decreased activity accompanying differentiation to parietal endoderm cells

Teratocarcinoma stem cell F9 expressed a potent fucosyltransferase activity acting on asialofetuin. A majority of the product was susceptible to alpha-L-fucosidase I from almond emulsin, indicating that the linkage formed was mainly Fuc alpha 1 leads to 3GlcNAc. The specific activity of the transferase decreased when the stem cells were induced to differentiate into parietal endoderm cells by retinoic acid and dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Furthermore, PYS-2 cell, a parietal endoderm cell line virtually lacked the transferase. The change in the fucosyltransferase activity could be correlated with cell surface changes occurring during differentiation.     

gamma-Glutamyltranspeptidase activity in newborn rat kidney brush border.

gamma-Glutamyltranspeptidase, known to be localized in the proximal tubule cell brush border in the rat, is a membrane-bound enzyme which transfers the gamma-glutamyl moiety of glutathione or its analogue gamma-glutamyl-p-nitroanilide to an amino acid or dipeptide acceptor. Brush borders were isolated from the kidneys of newborn and adult Sprague-Dawley rats and assayed for gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase activity. There is an increase in specific activity in the brush border with maturation. Newborn and adult brush border preparations exhibit similar pH optima, substrate affinities, apparent Km values, patterns of heat inactivation, inhibition by glutathione, and migration on polyacrylamide gels. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of a deoxycholate extract of brush border proteins and subsequent reaction with substrate within the gel reveal the presence of two bands, suggesting the presence of two forms of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase in the rat kidney brush border.     

Apurinic acid endonuclease activity from mouse epidermal cells.

An endonuclease activity making single-strand breaks into depurinated and alkylated DNA has been purified 500-fold from carcinogen-transformed mouse epidermal cells. The enzyme was active only at apurinic/apyrimidinic sites, regardless of whether they were produced by heating at an acidic pH or by alkylation with the ultimate carcinogen MeSO2OMe. The enzyme did not act on native DNA nor on ultraviolet-induced pyrimidine-dimers nor on steric distortions caused by modification of DNA with the carcinogen (Ac)2ONFln. The enzyme was active in the presence of 1 mM EDTA; however, at pH 7.4 optimal conditions were: 6mM MgCl2 and 40--120 mM KCl or 10--40 mM potassium phosphate. The enzyme eluted from hydroxyapatite, phosphocellulose and heparin-cellulose between 100--250 mM potassium phosphate but did not bind to DEAE-cellulose. Using four chromatographic steps the endonuclease was obtained free of exonuclease, demethylase and DNA glycosylase activity specific for DNA bases methylated with MeSO2OMe or MeNOUr. The molecular weight was 31 000 +/- 3000 as calculated from the diffusion coefficient (8.2 x 10-7 cm2/s) and the sedimentation value (2.7 S).     

Coculture of newborn rat skin epidermal cells with Swiss 3T3 cells: effect of the phases of 3T3 cells on attachment, growth and keratin synthesis of epidermal cells.

Swiss albino mouse 3T3 cells in various states were inoculated onto one side of Millipore filters. The other side of the filter was then coated with type I collagen and inoculated with newborn rat skin epidermal cells. On coculture of these cells, the attachment, growth and keratin synthesis of epidermal cells were found to depend on the state of the 3T3 cells: 3T3 cells in the stationary phase of growth were the most effective, followed by those in the logarithmic growth phase, those in the lag phase and plasmolyzed fibroblasts being only slightly effective. The effects of 3T3 cells in different states correlated well with their abilities to synthesize type IV collagen, but not type I collagen: with an increase in type IV collagen synthesis by the 3T3 cells, attachment of epidermal cells to the cell support, and their growth and synthesis of keratins increased. This culture system is concluded to mimic conditions in skin in vivo, and therefore to be suitable for studies on the effects of fibroblasts on the growth of epidermal cells.     

Guanosine diphosphate-L-fucose glycopeptide fucosyltransferase activity in Corynebacterium insidiosum

The biosynthesis of a phytotoxic glycopeptide of Corynebacterium insidiosum involves guanosine diphosphate-l-fucosyltransferase activity. This enzyme activity is most consistently associated with the cellular membranes fraction. The optimal pH for the transfer reaction is 7.5. The partially hydrolyzed toxin serves as an acceptor (primer) of l-fucose.     

Light-scattering studies of cation-stimulated filament assembly of newborn rat epidermal keratin

Effects of CaCl2 on in vitro polymerization of keratin extracted from cornified cells of newborn rat were investigated by means of light-scattering and supramolecular structures. Elongation and parallel assembly of filaments occurred with addition of CaCl2 to dialyzed keratin solutions and was detected by an increase in light-scattering intensity. Nonfibrous aggregates which occurred in higher buffer concentrations and in lower pH were also recorded as intensity increased. MgCl2, ZnCl2, and GdCl3 demonstrated similar effects, but NaCl and KCl showed no effect.     

Mammalian epidermal keratin: isolation and characterization of the alpha-helical proteins from newborn rat.

Neutral buffer-insoluble proteins extracted from newborn rat epidermis with alkaline urea have been purified by chromatography on Sephadex G-150 columns run in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Two proteins with apparent molecular weights of 60 000 and 68 000, respectively have been isolated and characterized. Spectropolarimetric studies show both of them to be alpha-helical in contrast to the non-helical heavier and lighter species also solubilized with alkaline urea. The amino acid composition of the two proteins, their electrophoretic behavior and their immunological characteristics are essentially identical. Both proteins appear to be major constituents of rat epidermal tonofilaments.     

Enzymatic activity of metal-binding proteins in epidermal cells

Summary Enzymatic activity was investigated in metal-binding proteins from rat epidermal cells. Tris-HCl buffer soluble and KSCN solubilized proteins were extracted stepwise from granular and cornified cells of 2-day old rat epidermis. Each extract was separately applied to a Cu²⁺ or Zn^2– chelate Sepharose 6B column and the proteins were eluted with buffers of different pHs and finally with EDTA solution. Metal chelate-binding proteins were found in both soluble and solubilized proteins but there was a larger amount in the latter. Affinity of the proteins to bind with Cu²⁺ chelate was greater than that with Zn²⁺ chelate. In Tris-HCl buffer extract, histidase activity was detected in Cu²⁺ chelate-binding proteins, but not in Zn²⁺ chelate-binding proteins. Acid phosphatase, cysteine proteinase, dipeptidase, cathepsin D, -galactosidase, gelatin hydrolase, and superoxide dismutase did not bind to metal chelates although these enzymes, except acid phosphatase, were inhibited by Cu²⁺, but not by Zn²⁺. In contrast, KSCN solubilized metal chelate-binding proteins showed plasminogen activator, acid phosphatase, and gelatin and casein hydrolases while histone hydrolase did not bind to either chelate column. Since metal-binding proteins in rat epidermal cells have been shown previously to be histidine- and cysteine-rich proteins concentrated in keratohyalin granules, interaction of metals and the structural proteins with certain enzymes may be involved in the regulation of epidermal cell functions.     

Rhythmic autocrine activity in cultured insect epidermal cells

It is now well established that ecdysteroids can be produced in insects in the absence of prothoracic glands. In this respect, it has been shown that cells in culture can produce ecdysteroids. Our aims were: (1) to determine whether ecdysteroid target cells of epidermal origin could also be the source of ecdysteroids; (2) to monitor more accurately the kinetics of ecdysteroid production; and (3) to check for possible relationships between this synthetic activity and dynamics of cell division. An insect cell line (IAL-PID2) established from imaginal discs of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella, with wild-type sensitivity to ecdysteroids was used in our study. Our results showed that the Plodia cell line exhibited autocrine activity. When division of IAL-PID2 cells was synchronized, a rhythmic production of ecdysteroids was observed. However, further experiments indicated that this rhythmicity could be cell autonomous. This led us to anticipate the existence of two cell subpopulations that would be able to produce ecdysteroids rhythmically, a minor one that would be cell cycle serum-independent population, and a major population that would need serum growth factors to proliferate and produce ecdysteroids. Qualitative study of the ecdysteroid content of the media clearly showed that ecdysone was the major immunoreactive product. Taken together, our findings clearly show that an insect cell line of epidermal origin is capable of rhythmic autocrine production of ecdysteroids. These results support the hypothesis that alternate sites for ecdysteroid production in vivo may exist and could play a role in local regulation of development. We now plan to determine the cellular basis of this rhythmic autocrine activity and to confirm the existence of growth factor-autonomous cells in the culture as well as the potent role played by ecdysteroids in the cross-talk between various cell subpopulations.     

Changes in tight junctions of rat intestinal crypt cells associated with changes in their mitotic activity.

The freeze-fracture appearance of tight junctions between rat duodenal crypt cells was studied in normal, mitotically suppressed, and mitotically enhanced animals. In normal animals crypt cell tight junctions present a pleomorphic appearance. The population includes junctions resembling postmitotic junctions of the intestinal villus, junctions composed largely or completely of particle chains, and regions at the cell apex in which junctions are absent for 3-4 micron distances laterally. Mitotic suppression by inhibition of DNA synthesis with cytosine arabinoside results in the disappearance of pleomorphism and crypt tight junctions progressively come to resemble those of the intestinal villus. With recovery from the drug and further synchronization with Colcemid, the crypt cells undergo a mitotic burst, and all varieties of unusual junctional configurations are observed with increased frequency.     

Amino acid sequence of derivatives of newborn rat epidermal thiol proteinase inhibitor

Three different forms of thiol proteinase inhibitor (TPI) were isolated from newborn rat epidermis, in which two forms, TPI-1 and TPI-2, inhibited a proteinase activity, but another newly detected one (designated as TPI-3), showed no inhibitory effect. The complete amino acid sequence of TPI-2 and the sequence of the first seventeen residues from the NH2-terminus of TPI-3 were determined. The sequence shows that TPI-2 lacks in the first six (or four) residues from the NH2-terminus of intact inhibitor, TPI-1, whereas TPI-3 is devoid of its fifteen amino acid residues. These results indicate a high and specific susceptibility of TPI to proteolysis. Most significantly, the NH2-terminal region of TPI appears to be essential for inhibition of proteinase activity.     

In vitro migration of epidermal cells in suction blisters of rat skin.

Wounds of the external ear of the rat created by suction were carried in vitro up to 48 hr, and the growth of epidermal cells was observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Epidermal cells migrated on the intact basal lamina taking origin from the surrounding uninjured epidermis and from the external root sheaths of hair follicles. The time required to form a confluent layer of cells was much shorter than that observed earlier in intact blisters under in vivo conditions. This model offers promise for the further study of the migration of epithelial cells.     

Regulatory characteristics of amino acid transport in newborn rat renal cortex cells.

The uptaken of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid by slices of kidney cortex from newborn rats is enhanced by a preliminary incubation of the tissue in buffer at 37 degrees C. This effect is abolished by anaerobiosis, the presence of dinitrophenol or the removal of Na+ during the preliminary incubation. Cycloheximide (50 muM) and purimycin (1 mM) as well as alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, glycine and proline (5 mM) in the preincubation buffer also abolish the effect, while actinomycin D (0.8 muM) partially the phenomenon indicates that the enhanced uptake is due to an increased entry rate into the cells without a change in effux. There is no alteration in the apparent transport Km but an increase in the V for entry. The effect is dependent on tissue age being observed between birth and 22 days, after which there is a decrease in response to preliminary incubation with no effect seen in adult tissues.     

Localization of calcium changes in stimulated rat mast cells.

We studied intracellular free, bound, and sequestered calcium in rat mast cells after various stimulations. The use of a fluorescent probe combined with digitized imaging on individual living cells demonstrated transient increases of free Ca2+ in the micromolar range. The use of histochemical techniques (K pyroantimonate and anhydrous fixation), together with X-ray microanalysis, energy electron-loss spectroscopy, and electron spectroscopic imaging, revealed large amounts of stored calcium within the cells (in the millimolar range). Chelation experiments and stimulations enabled us to identify at least two pools of bound calcium which exhibited different dynamic behaviors. Stimulation in the presence of EGTA did not modify calcium from granules, granule membranes, and heterochromatin, whereas it decreased calcium from other cell compartments. Stimulation triggered variations in the amount of bound calcium but they did not parallel free calcium movements. Hence, whereas free calcium is implicated in exocytosis, bound calcium may be involved in altogether different cell functions.     

Secretion of an epidermal growth factor-like growth factor by epidermal growth factor-independent rat mammary carcinoma cells.

Rat mammary carcinoma (RMC) cells derived from serially transplantable mammary tumors are independent of epidermal growth factor (EGF) for long-term growth in serum-free medium. This phenotype is in contrast to that of normal mammary epithelial cells or cells derived from nontransplantable tumors that express an absolute requirement for EGF for growth in culture. The results of the experiments reported here indicate that EGF-independent RMC cells secrete a growth factor with potent EGF-like mitogenic activity. Conditioned media obtained from these cells can substitute for EGF for the growth of the EGF-dependent cell line MCF-10. This growth factor is neither EGF nor transforming growth factor alpha and does not compete with 125I-EGF for binding to EGF receptors. Phosphotyrosine Western blot analysis of lysates obtained from EGF-independent RMC cells revealed the presence of a 190 kilodalton (kDa) protein that was distinct from the EGF receptor. Similarly, growth of MCF-10 cells to confluence in serum-free medium supplemented with conditioned medium growth factor in place of EGF resulted in the disappearance of the EGF receptor band and appearance of the 190 kDa band in phosphotyrosine Western blots. The 190 kDa tyrosine-phosphorylated protein detected in cells stimulated by the conditioned medium factor is unlikely to be the c-erbB-2 protein, as indicated by negative results in immunoprecipitation experiments and in vitro kinase assays. In summary, EGF-independent RMC cells secrete a factor with potent EGF-like mitogenic activity. This suggests that an autocrine loop involving this growth factor mediates EGF independence in these cells.     

Tissue-specific changes of multicatalytic proteinase activity in the fasted rat.

During a three-day fast, followed by four days of refeeding, the content of the multicatalytic proteinase as well as hydrolyzing activity towards Suc-Leu-Leu-Val-Tyr-7-amino-4-methylocoumarin (SLLVT-MCA) was measured in various rat tissues. When compared with normal rats, the MCP content, as determined by immunochemical techniques, was unchanged over the entire experimental period in the three tissues examined: gastrocnemius muscle, thymus and testis. By contrast, a differential response was observed in the three tissues with respect to specific and total SLLVT-MCA splitting activity: for thymus and testis, these values were again unchanged, whereas in gastrocnemius muscle, both specific and total enzyme activity fell by almost 70% on day three of fasting but returned to control values on day four of refeeding. This change in activity was not due to the accumulation or degradation of a specific proteinase inhibitor. Data demonstrate that, in association with the insulin-deficient state of starvation, the activity of the multicatalytic proteinase shows an adaptive behaviour which becomes manifest in some but not in other tissues.     

Tonofilament protein from newborn rat epidermis. Isolation, localization, and biosynthesis of marker of epidermal differentiation.

A novel extraction procedure, previously used on the cell walls of dermatophytes, has been applied to the epidermis of newborn rat. A leucine-rich fraction was isolated which contained over 60% of the total epidermal radioactivity from [3H]leucine in 15 to 20% of the total protein. This fraction was further purified by chromatography in DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex G-200. The protein with the highest specific activity from [3H]leucine was isolated and gave a single band in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gels of molecular weight = 58,000. Antibody to this protein gave a single precipitin band by immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoresis in agar with the purified protein. This antibody ultrastructurally immunolocalized specifically over tonofilaments in all layers of the epidermis, but showed no reaction in the dermis. The synthesis of this protein in vitro was inhibited by puromycin but not by actinomycin D, suggesting ribosomal synthesis involving a relatively long lived messenger.     

Occurrence of two fucosyltransferase activities at the outer surface of rat lymphocytes.

To demonstrate the existence of ectofucosyltransferase activities on the outer surface of rat lymphocytes, we measured fucosyltransferase activities on whole cells using procedures enabling us to exclude the possibility of misleading results due to precursor hydrolysis and intracellular utilization of the free fucose, and to take into account the contamination by intracellular enzymes freed by the small percentage of broken cells. The described ectofucosyltransferases are able to catalyze the transfer of fucosyl residues from GDP-fucose to the endogenous membrane acceptors but the transfer activity towards exogenous acceptors is restricted to low molecular weight compounds. Use of galactose and di-N-acetylchitobiose as exogenous acceptors and concomitant study of the specific inhibition by N-ethylmaleimide enabled us to detect both types of ectofucosyltransferases: a GDP-fucose: galactoside ectofucosyltransferase and a GDP-fucose: N-acetylglucosaminide ectofucosyltransferase.