Depletion of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools in tumor cells by nitric oxide

Nitric oxide displays pro- and anti-tumor activities, prompting further studies to better understand its precise role. Nitric oxide inhibits ribonucleotide reductase (RnR), the limiting enzyme for de novo dNTP synthesis. We report here the first detailed analysis of dNTP variations induced in tumor cells by NO. NO prodrugs induced a depletion in dNTP pools and an activation of the pyrimidine salvage pathway, as did hydroxyurea, the prototypic RnR inhibitor. In the presence of dipyridamole, which blocked salvaged dNTP synthesis, depletion of dNTP pools was also observed in tumor cells cocultured with macrophages expressing the high-output iNOS activity. This effect was rapid, reversible, blocked by NO scavengers, and cGMP independent. It was quantitatively correlated to iNOS activity. In the absence of dipyridamole, NO still induced a decrease in dATP concentration in tumor cells cocultured with macrophages, whereas surprisingly, concentrations of dCTP and dTTP expanded considerably, resulting in a strong imbalance in dNTP pools. NO prodrugs did not cause such an increase in pyrimidine dNTP, suggesting that pyrimidine nucleosides were released by NO-injured macrophages. Altered dNTP levels have been reported to promote mutagenesis and apoptosis. It is suggested that abnormal changes in dNTP pools in tumors might contribute to NO-dependent toxicity.     

Changes of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools induced by hydroxyurea and their relation to DNA synthesis

Hydroxyurea inactivates ribonucleotide reductase from mammalian cells and thereby depletes them of the deoxynucleoside triphosphates required for DNA replication. In cultures of exponentially growing 3T6 cells, with 60-70% of the cells in S-phase, 3 mM hydroxyurea rapidly stopped ribonucleotide reduction and DNA synthesis (incorporation of labeled thymidine). The pool of deoxyadenosine triphosphate (dATP) decreased in size primarily, but also the pools of the triphosphates of deoxyguanosine and deoxycytidine (dCTP) were depleted. Paradoxically, the pool of thymidine triphosphate increased. After addition of hydroxyurea this pool was fed by a net influx and phosphorylation of deoxyuridine from the medium and by deamination of intracellular dCTP. An influx of deoxycytidine from the medium contributed to the maintenance of intracellular dCTP. 10 min after addition of hydroxyurea, DNA synthesis appeared to be completely blocked even though the dATP pool was only moderately decreased. As possible explanations for this discrepancy, we discuss compartmentation of pools and/or vulnerability of newly formed DNA strands to nuclease action and pyrophosphorolysis.     

Evidence for the involvement of substrate cycles in the regulation of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools in 3T6 cells

Pool sizes of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) in cultured cells are tightly regulated by i.al., the allosteric control of ribonucleotide reductase. We now determine the in situ activity of this enzyme from the turnover of the deoxycytidine triphosphate (dCTP) pool in rapidly growing 3T6 mouse fibroblasts, as well as in cells whose DNA replication was inhibited by aphidicolin or amethopterin, by following under steady state conditions the path of isotope from [5-3H]cytidine into nucleotides, DNA, and deoxynucleosides excreted into the medium. In normal cells as much as 28% of the dCDP synthesized was excreted as deoxynucleoside (mostly deoxyuridine), leading to an accumulation of deoxyuridine in the medium. Inhibition with amethopterin slightly increased ribonucleotide reductase activity, while aphidicolin halved the activity of this enzyme (and thymidylate synthase). In both instances all dCDP synthesized was degraded and excreted as nucleosides. This continued synthesis and turnover in the absence of DNA synthesis is in contrast to the earlier found inhibition of dCTP (and dTTP) turnover when hydroxyurea, an inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase, was used to block DNA synthesis. To explain our results, we propose that substrate cycles between deoxyribonucleosides and their monophosphates, involving the activities of kinases and phosphatases, participate in the regulation of pool sizes. Within the cycles, a block of the reductase activates net phosphorylation, while inhibition of DNA polymerase stimulates degradation.     

Changes in ribo- and deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools within the cell cycle of a synchronized moused fibroblast cell line

Intracellular pool levels of ribo- and deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates were monitored throughout the cell cycle of C3H10T1/2 mouse embryo fibrolast cells synchronized by isoleucine deprivation. Absolute pool sizes of ribonucleoside triphosphates were approximately 30 fold greater than those of the corresponding deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates. Of the ribonucleoside triphosphates, pool sizes of ATP exhibited the greatest change, increasing from a low of 32.7 nmol/10⁷ cells during G₁ to a high of 81.6 nmol/10⁷ cells 2 h prior to mid S-phase. Levels of ATP subsequently declined to 40.2 nmol/10⁷ cells during late S-phase, followed by a second peak of 65.8 nmol/10⁷ with the onset of cell division. No significant changes in the pool sizes of UTP and GTP were found throughout the cell cycle. Of the deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates, pool sizes of pyrimidine deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates were approx. 5–10 fold greater than those of purine deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates. Low levels of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates during G₁ (0.3–1.3 pmol/10⁷ cells) increased coordinately with the initiation of DNA synthesis to an initial peak during mid S-phase (0.5–6.4 pmol/10⁷ cells). Decling levels of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates during late S-phase were followed by a subsequent larger second peak (1.7–10.7 pmol/10⁷ cells) during G₂-M.     

Changes in ribo- and deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools within the cell cycle of a synchronized mouse fibroblast cell line

Intracellular pool levels of ribo- and deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates were monitored throughout the cell cycle of C3H10T1/2 mouse embryo fibroblast cells synchronized by isoleucine deprivation. Absolute pool sizes of ribonucleoside triphosphates were approximately 30 fold greater than those of the corresponding deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates. Of the ribonucleoside triphosphates, pool sizes of ATP exhibited the greatest change, increasing from a low of 32.7 nmol/10(7) cells during G1 to a high of 81.6 nmol/10(7) cells 2 h prior to mid S-phase. Levels of ATP subsequently declined to 40.2 nmol/10(7) cells during late S-phase, followed by a second peak of 65.8 nmol/10(7) with the onset of cell division. No significant changes in the pool sizes of UTP and GTP were found throughout the cell cycle. Of the deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates, pool sizes of pyrimidine deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates were approx. 5-10 fold greater than those of purine deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates. Low levels of deoxyribonucldoside triphosphates during G1 (0.3-1.3 pmol/10(7) cells) increased coordinately with the initiation of DNA synthesis to an initial peak during mid S-phase (0.5-6.4 pmol/10(7) cells). Declining levels of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates during late S-phase were followed by a subsequent larger second peak (1.7-10.7 pmol/10(7) cells) during G2-M.     

Detection of toxigenic Fusarium isolates by thin layer chromatography

A simple screening method was used to investigate mycotoxin production among 114 Fusarium isolates. Zearalenone, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol, neosolaniol, deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, fusarenon-X, butenolide, moniliformin and equisetin were detected. The importance of the use of a range of different substrates for mycotoxin production was proved.     

Recovery from vitamin B-12-induced unbalanced growth. The shortened cell cycle and the deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools.

The deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools are undetectable in vitamin B-12-deficient cells of Euglena gracillis, but appear rapidly after the replenishment with the vitamin. They reach a maximum size that is about 6 times that of normal exponentially growing cells, but decrease to almost zero as the cells divide. The pools expand again during the post-replenishment shortened cell cycle. However, the expansion takes place during rather than before the resumption of DNA synthesis. The maximum sizes reached are still larger than in normal cells. By using the protein-synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide and determining the pool size, we found that vitamin-deficient cells apparently accumulate a large amount of ribonucleoside triphosphate reductase apoenzyme, which lacks the vitamin B12 coenzyme. We showed that the production of the deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates is not closely coupled to DNA synthesis under our experimental conditions, and that the concentration of the deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools per unit of DNA synthesized is almost constant for all stages of growth examined.     

Stimulation of mutagenesis by proportional deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate accumulation in Escherichia coli

Intracellular pool sizes of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) are highly regulated. Unbalanced dNTP pools, created by abnormal accumulation or deficiency of one nucleotide, are known to be mutagenic and to have other genotoxic consequences. Recent studies in our laboratory on DNA replication in vitro suggested that balanced accumulation of dNTPs, in which all four pools increase proportionately, also stimulates mutagenesis. In this paper, we ask whether proportional dNTP pool increases are mutagenic also in living cells. Escherichia coli was transformed with recombinant plasmids that overexpress E. coli genes nrdA and nrdB, which encode the two protein subunits of aerobic ribonucleotide reductase. Roughly proportional dNTP pool expansion, by factors of 2- to 6-fold in different experiments, was accompanied by increases in spontaneous mutation frequency of up to 40-fold. Expression of a catalytically inactive ribonucleotide reductase had no effect on either dNTP pools or mutagenesis, suggesting that accumulation of dNTPs is responsible for the increased mutagenesis. Preliminary experiments with strains defective in SOS regulon induction suggest a requirement for one or more SOS functions in the dNTP-enhanced mutagenesis. Because a replisome extending from correctly matched 3'-terminal nucleotides is almost certainly saturated with dNTP substrates in vivo, whereas chain extension from mismatched nucleotides almost certainly proceeds at sub-saturating rates, we propose that the mutagenic effect of proportional dNTP pool expansion is preferential stimulation of chain extension from mismatches as a result of increases in intracellular dNTP concentrations.     

Complete analysis of cellular nucleotides by two-dimensional thin layer chromatography

We describe methods for the complete analysis of cellular nucleotides from as few as 10(6) 32Pi-labeled cells in a simple 2-day experiment. Nucleotides are extracted with acid, neutralized, and resolved by two-dimensional thin layer chromatography on polyethyleneimine cellulose. In the first dimension the nucleotides are separated based on the negative charge of their phosphate groups (i.e. cyclic, mono-, di, and triphosphates) and in the second dimension on their content of nucleobases (i.e. Ura, Cyt, Thy, Gua, and Ade). Because the separation is logical, one can predict the chromatographic migration of most nucleotides. By running standards we have determined the chromatographic location of over 90 biologically important nucleotides, nucleotide derivatives, and modified nucleotides from tRNA. We also developed a set of enzymatic and chemical methods to be used in conjunction with the chromatographic separations for verifying the identity of nucleotides and characterizing novel nucleotides. In this paper we use these methods to analyze and inventory the nucleotide content of Salmonella typhimurium in balanced log phase growth. Other potential uses of the method are also described.     

Induction of mutations in Drosophila melanogaster gypsy retroelements by modulation of intracellular deoxynucleoside triphosphate pools in vivo

The retroviral mutation rate is susceptible to a number of variables, including the balance between intracellular deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) pools. While this follows from tissue culture studies, the issue has never been addressed directly in vivo. To explore this question in a tractable experimental system, we analyzed the impact of thymidine treatment on the synthesis of gypsy retroelement cDNA from Drosophila melanogaster during development through to hatching. The mutation frequency was enhanced approximately 16-fold over the levels seen in the experimental background. Due to the lack of proofreading, these gypsy elements represent hypervariable loci within the Drosophila genome, suggesting that dNTP pool imbalances in vivo are mutagenic.     

A new fluorometric method for the determination of spermidine and spermine in tissues by thin layer chromatography.

A new fluorometric method is described for the rapid, sensitive analysis of spermidine and spermine in animal tissues. The polyamines added with N-3-aminopropylheptane-1, 7-diamine as internal standard were chromatographed on a silica-gel sintered-glass plate in a solvent system of n-BuOH-AcOH-Pyridine-H₂O, and the chromatograms were developed with an acetone solution of fluorescamine. Determination, using a scanning fluorometer, was performed by measuring peak area ratio with respect to the internal standard. The precision and accuracy of the method were established, and the limits of determination were of the order of 100 pmoles.     

Restriction and enhancement of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication by modulation of intracellular deoxynucleoside triphosphate pools.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication is shown to be sensitive to the intracellular concentration of deoxynucleoside triphosphate substrates. Addition of thymidine to established cell lines resulted in a dramatic reduction of virus production. The effect could be substantially alleviated by addition of deoxycytidine, which, alone, enhanced viral titers by a factor of 2 to 3. Hydroxyurea treatment abolished HIV-1 replication in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and could be reversed by deoxyadenosine. These data show that HIV-1 replication occurs under suboptimal DNA precursor conditions.     

A modified spray reagent for the detection of amino acids on thin layer chromatography plates

Summary. Identification of amino acids is extremely important for the evaluation of protein structure. Thin layer chromatography is an important tool for detecting amino acids by variety of spray reagents. Among these ninhydrin is the most popular due to its high sensitivity. However, ninhydrin produces the same purple/violet color with most amino acids. A spray reagent with high sensitivity for easy and rapid identification of amino acids on thin-layer plates has been introduced. Received March 14, 2000 Accepted August 31, 2000     

Optimized two-dimensional thin layer chromatography to monitor the intracellular concentration of acetyl phosphate and other small phosphorylated molecules

Acetyl phosphate (acetyl-P) serves critical roles in coenzyme A recycling and ATP synthesis. It is the intermediate of the Pta-AckA pathway that inter-converts acetyl-coenzyme A and acetate. Acetyl-P also can act as a global signal by donating its phosphoryl group to specific two-component response regulators. This ability derives from its capacity to store energy in the form of a high-energy phosphate bond. This bond, while critical to its function, also destabilizes acetyl-P in cell extracts. This lability has greatly complicated biochemical analysis, leading in part to widely varying acetyl-P measurements. We therefore developed an optimized protocol based on two-dimensional thin layer chromatography that includes metabolic labeling under aerated conditions and careful examination of the integrity of acetyl-P within extracts. This protocol results in greatly improved reproducibility, and thus permits precise measurements of the intracellular concentration of acetyl-P, as well as that of other small phosphorylated molecules.