Hypoxia affects cytokine production and proliferative responses by human peripheral mononuclear cells

We have shown that hypoxia (2% O₂ ≈ pO₂ 14 mmHg) as opposed to O₂ atmospheric pressure (20.9% O₂ ≈ pO₂ 140 mmHg) can deeply affect the production of cytokines in human peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) in the presence or absence of a specific T-cell activator such as phytohemagglutinin (PHA). In hypoxia, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and interferon (IFN)-γ production increased by 110, 70, and 50% over that of controls, respectively, in PHA-stimulated PBMC (P < 0.05). Moreover, in hypoxia, IL-6 production was significantly enhanced in both resting and PHA-stimulated PBMC by 36 and 37%, respectively (P < 0.05). However, in hypoxia, IL-10 production decreased in both resting and stimulated PBMC, being 80 and 67% of controls, respectively (P < 0.05). PBMC proliferation was not significantly affected by hypoxia, although PBMC susceptibility to PHA was about 80% of that of the control (P < 0.05) after 40 hr of treatment, whereas the cycle progression of hypoxic PBMC was delayed. From an evaluation of these results, hypoxia apparently modifies the production of cytokines by PBMC. These results have both theoretical and practical interest because local hypoxia is very common in several conditions, such as inflammation and local ischemia, and is a host-nonspecific defense against infection. Furthermore, these results suggest a differential pattern of cytokine production in vivo in hypoxic tissues. J. Cell. Physiol. 173:335–342, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Growth factor, steroid, and steroid antagonist regulation of cyclin gene expression associated with changes in T-47D human breast cancer cell cycle progression.

Cyclins and proto-oncogenes including c-myc have been implicated in eukaryotic cell cycle control. The role of cyclins in steroidal regulation of cell proliferation is unknown, but a role for c-myc has been suggested. This study investigated the relationship between regulation of T-47D breast cancer cell cycle progression, particularly by steroids and their antagonists, and changes in the levels of expression of these genes. Sequential induction of cyclins D1 (early G1 phase), D3, E, A (late G1-early S phase), and B1 (G2 phase) was observed following insulin stimulation of cell cycle progression in serum-free medium. Transient acceleration of G1-phase cells by progestin was also accompanied by rapid induction of cyclin D1, apparent within 2 h. This early induction of cyclin D1 and the ability of delayed administration of antiprogestin to antagonize progestin-induced increases in both cyclin D1 mRNA and the proportion of cells in S phase support a central role for cyclin D1 in mediating the mitogenic response in T-47D cells. Compatible with this hypothesis, antiestrogen treatment reduced the expression of cyclin D1 approximately 8 h before changes in cell cycle phase distribution accompanying growth inhibition. In the absence of progestin, antiprogestin treatment inhibited T-47D cell cycle progression but in contrast did not decrease cyclin D1 expression. Thus, changes in cyclin D1 gene expression are often, but not invariably, associated with changes in the rate of T-47D breast cancer cell cycle progression. However, both antiestrogen and antiprogestin depleted c-myc mRNA by > 80% within 2 h. These data suggest the involvement of both cyclin D1 and c-myc in the steroidal control of breast cancer cell cycle progression.     

NA22598, a Novel Antitumor Compound, Reduces Cyclin D1 Levels, Arrests Cell Cycle at G1 Phase, and Inhibits Anchorage-Independent Growth of Human Tumor Cells

NA22598, a novel antitumor compound isolated from a microbial cultured broth, inhibited the growth of human colon cancer DLD-1 cells in suspension cultures (anchorage-independent growth) severalfold more strongly than in substratum-attached monolayer cultures. It arrested the cell cycle progression at early G1 phase under both these culture conditions. Rb phosphorylation, cyclin D1 expression, and cdk2 activation in G1 progression were all inhibited by NA22598, but the amounts of cdk2 and p27 were not affected. Among these effects the inhibition of cyclin D1 expression was most prominent, and NA22598 was found to inhibit the synthesis of cyclin D1 without affecting mRNA expression or protein degradation. p27 binding to cdk2 was more markedly increased in suspension cultures than in attached cultures by NA22598, but the compound had no effect on total p27. Apparently, the decrease of cyclin D1 induced redistribution of p27 from the cyclin D1/cdk4 to the cyclin E/cdk2 complexes during G1 phase in the suspension cultures. Because p27 is upregulated during suspension culture, a greater amount of it was associated with cyclin E/cdk2, thus producing greater growth inhibition. An agent, like NA22598, which induces the downregulation of cyclin D1 might offer a new anticancer strategy.     

Expression of cyclins and cdks throughout murine carcinogenesis.

The overexpression and/or amplification of cell cycle regulating genes is an important factor in the progression of cancer. Recent attention has been focused on several cyclin and cdks genes whose expression were increased in many types of tumor. In this study, we investigated the expression kinetics of cyclins A, B, D1, E and cdks 1, 2, 4, 6 by RT-PCR coupled with densitometry and correlated to the growth fraction (percentage of S cells). This analysis was performed using an experimental murine leukemic model, generated by in vivo administration of murine clonogenic cells Wehi-3b injected into balb-c mice. Differential expression of cyclins and cdks was observed between normal and tumoral cells with different patterns of expression between G1 and G2M cyclins-cdks. G1 cyclins cdks expression was significantly increased in tumor cells when compared to normal cells. In the same manner, G2M cyclins cdks expression was only observed in tumor cells at a lower level than for G1 cyclins cdks, but not detected in normal cells. These differences correlated with the growth fraction for both the G1 cyclins cdks (r = 0.91, 0.94, 0.85, 0.90 and 0.96 for cyclin D1, cyclin E, cdk2, cdk4 and cdk6, respectively) and the G2M cyclins cdks (r = 0.96, 0.97 and 0.93 for cyclins A, B and cdkl respectively). Analysis of cyclins cdks expression kinetics during tumoral progression shows that cyclins A, B and cdkl were expressed from the 12th day on of disease, increased until the death of the animals and correlated with the growth fraction (r = 0.94, 0.95 and 0.97 for cyclins A, B and cdk1 respectively) (n = 20). Overexpression of other cyclins cdks were observed, from the 6th day on for cyclin D1, the 12th day for cdk2 and cdk4, the 15th day for cdk6 and the 20th day for cyclin E. These increases persisted during tumoral progression and correlated with the growth fraction (r = 0.85, 0.94, 0.93, 0.96, and 0.98 for cyclin D1, cyclin E, cdk2, cdk4 and cdk6, respectively) (n = 20). Our results demonstrated that G1 and G2-M cyclins cdks mRNA levels were increased at approximately the same time of maximal tumor growth. Only cyclin D1 overexpression occured at the initiation of tumoral development, and could therefore be considered as an early marker of cell proliferation.     

Acceleration of the G1/S phase transition by expression of cyclins D1 and E with an inducible system.

Conditional overexpression of human cyclins B1, D1, and E was accomplished by using a synthetic cDNA expression system based on the Escherichia coli tetracycline repressor. After induction of these cyclins in asynchronous Rat-1 fibroblasts, a decrease in the length of the G1 interval was observed for cyclins D1 and E, consistent with an acceleration of the G1/S phase transition. We observed, in addition, a compensatory lengthening of S phase and G2 so that the mean cell cycle length in populations constitutively expressing these cyclins was unchanged relative to those of their uninduced counterparts. We found that expression of cyclin B1 had no effect on cell cycle dynamics, despite elevated levels of cyclin B-associated histone H1 kinase activity. Induction of cyclins D1 and E also accelerated entry into S phase for synchronized cultures emerging from quiescence. However, whereas cyclin E exerted a greater effect than cyclin D1 in asynchronous cycling cells, cyclin D1 conferred a greater effect upon stimulation from quiescence, suggesting a specific role for cyclin D1 in the G0-to-G1 transition. Overexpression of cyclins did not prevent cells from entering into quiescence upon serum starvation, although a slight delay in attainment of quiescence was observed for cells expressing either cyclin D1 or cyclin E. These results suggest that cyclins D1 and E are rate-limiting activators of the G1-to-S phase transition and that cyclin D1 might play a specialized role in facilitating emergence from quiescence.     

Estrogen-induced cyclin D1 and D3 gene expressions during mouse uterine cell proliferation in vivo: Differential induction mechanism of cyclin D1 and D3

D-type cyclins are involved in the regulation of the G₁/S transition of the cell cycle in various cell types cultured in vitro. Little is, however, known about the expression pattern and functional role of D-type cyclins in physiological processes in vivo. In this report, we studied whether the expression of murine D-type cyclins correlates with the states of mouse uterine cell proliferation in vivo. Time-course changes in cyclin D1 and D3 mRNA levels in the uterine tissues of immature mice primed with 17β-estradiol (E₂) were examined by Northern blot hybridization. c-fos and thymidine kinase (TK) mRNA levels were also examined as markers for the transition from G₀ to G₁ and the onset of S phase, respectively. Cyclin D1 and D3 mRNAs were induced 2.5-fold between c-fos and TK mRNA peaks. The E₂-induced cyclin D1 and D3 gene expressions were blocked by antiestrogens tamoxifen and ICI 182,780. We also investigated the effects of cycloheximide (CHX), a protein synthesis inhibitor, on cyclin D1 and D3 gene expressions. When CHX was treated alone, cyclin D3, but not cyclin D1, mRNA was immediately superinduced. The E₂-induced cyclin D3 gene expression was shifted by approximately 6 h when CHX was pretreated 1 hr before E₂ administration. Interestingly, the ³H-thymidine incorporation experiment showed that the mouse uterine cell cycle progression also shifted by 6 hr with pretreatment of CHX. The overall results suggest that both cyclin D1 and D3 mRNAs are constitutively expressed in uterine tissues and induced by E₂ at G₁ phase of the mouse uterine cell cycle. However, the superinducibility and temporal shift of cyclin D3 by CHX suggest that there is a different regulatory mechanism underlying cyclin D1 and D3 gene expressions in the mouse uterine cell cycle progression. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 46:450–458, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Synergism between stem cell factor and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor on cell proliferation by induction of cyclins

Synergism between stem cell factor (SCF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has been shown to be essential for hematopoietic cell proliferation. Since HML-2 cells proliferate exponentially in the presence of SCF and GM-CSF together, we analyzed the molecular mechanism of the interaction between these two factors in the cells. An immediate-early gene product, c-myc, was additively upregulated in HML-2 cells by addition of a combination of SCF and GM-CSF. c-myc antisense oligonucleotides effectively suppressed cell proliferation and downregulated the induction of D3, E, A, and B cyclins in HML-2 cells stimulated with the two-factor combination. HML-2 cells arrested at the G0/G1 phase with SCF alone and expressed modest amounts of c-myc and cyclin D3, but not cyclin E. With GM-CSF treatment alone, the cells could not progress to the G2/M phase and expressed c-myc, cyclin D3 and cyclin E but not cyclins A or B. The addition of the counterpart cytokine resulted in cell cycle completion by induction of the deficient cyclins. Taken together, it appears that the induction of c-myc is an indispensable event in the proliferation of HML-2 cells and that the cytokines SCF and GM-CSF interact reciprocally for expression of all cyclins required for cell cycle progression.     

Differential expression of D-type G1 cyclins during mouse development and liver regeneration in vivo

D-type Gl cyclins are the primary cell cycle regulators of G1/S transition in eukaryotic cells, and are differentially expressed in a variety of cell lines in vitro. Little is known, however, about the expression patterns of D-type G1 cyclins in normal mouse in vivo. Thus, in the present study, tissue-specific expressions of cyclin D1 and D3 genes were examined in several tissues derived from adult male mice, and stage-specific expression of cyclin genes was studied in brain, liver, and kidney of developing mice from embryonic day 13 to postnatal day 11. Cell cycle-dependent expression of cyclins was also examined in regenerating livers following partial hepatectomy. Our results indicate that (l) cyclins Dl and D3 are expressed in a tissue-specific manner, with cyclin Dl being highly expressed in kidney and D3 in thymus; (2) cyclin D3 mRNA is abundantly expressed in young proliferating tissues and is gradually reduced during development, whereas cyclin Dl mRNA fluctuates during development; and (3) compensatory regeneration of liver induces cyclin Dl gene expression 12 hr after partial hepatectomy, and cyclin D3 gene expression from 36 to 42 hr (at the time of G1/S transition). In conclusion, this study indicates that cyclin D1 and D3 genes are differentially expressed in vivo in a tissue-specific, developmental stage-dependent, and cell cycle-dependent manner. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Cell cycle kinetics of aerated, hypoxic and re-aerated cells in vitro using flow cytometric determination of cellular DNA and incorporated bromodeoxyuridine

The effects of extreme hypoxia on cell cycle progression were studied by simultaneous determination of DNA and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) contents of individual cells. V79-379A cells were pulse-labelled with BrdU (1 microM, 20 min, 37 degrees C) and then incubated for up to 12 hr in BrdU-free medium under either aerated or extremely hypoxic conditions. After the incubation interval (0-12 hr), the cells were trypsinized and fixed in 50% EtOH. Propidium iodide and a fluorescein-labelled monoclonal antibody to BrdU were then used to quantify DNA content and incorporated BrdU, respectively. Measurements in individual cells were made by simultaneous detection of green and red fluorescence upon excitation at 488 nm using flow cytometry. Bivariate analysis revealed progression of BrdU-labelled cells in aerated cultures out of S phase, into G2 and cell division, with halving of mean fluorescence, and back into S phase by approximately 9 hr after the BrdU pulse. Hypoxia immediately arrested cells in all phases of the cell cycle. Both the DNA distribution and the bivariate profile of cells that were fixed from 2 to 12 hr after induction of hypoxia were identical to the 0 hr controls. The percent of cells with green fluorescence in a mid-S phase window remained 100% and the mean fluorescence of these cells remained at control (0 hr) levels. This indicates that, under hypoxic conditions, cells were moving neither into nor out of S phase. Cultures that had been hypoxic for 12 hr exhibited an increasing rate of BrdU uptake with time after re-aeration. Re-aerated cells were able to complete or initiate DNA synthesis, but their rates of progression through the cell cycle were markedly reduced. A large fraction of cells appeared unable to divide up to 12 hr following release from hypoxia.     

Cell Cycle Kinetics of Aerated, Hypoxic and Re-Aerated Cells In Vitro Using Flow Cytometric Determination of Cellular Dna and Incorporated Bromodeoxyuridine

Abstract. The effects of extreme hypoxia on cell cycle progression were studied by simultaneous determination of DNA and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) contents of individual cells. V79-379A cells were pulse-labelled with BrdU (1 μM, 20 min, 37°C) and then incubated for up to 12 hr in BrdU-free medium under either aerated or extremely hypoxic conditions. After the incubation interval (0-12 hr), the cells were trypsinized and fixed in 50% EtOH. Propidium iodide and a fluorescein-labelled monoclonal antibody to BrdU were then used to quantify DNA content and incorporated BrdU, respectively. Measurements in individual cells were made by simultaneous detection of green and red fluorescence upon excitation at 488 nm using flow cytometry. Bivariate analysis revealed progression of BrdU-labelled cells in aerated cultures out of S phase, into G₂ and cell division, with halving of mean fluorescence, and back into S phase by approximately 9 hr after the BrdU pulse. Hypoxia immediately arrested cells in all phases of the cell cycle. Both the DNA distribution and the bivariate profile of cells that were fixed from 2 to 12 hr after induction of hypoxia were identical to the 0 hr controls. the percent of cells with green fluorescence in a mid-S phase window remained 100% and the mean fluorescence of these cells remained at control (0 hr) levels. This indicates that, under hypoxic conditions, cells were moving neither into nor out of S phase. Cultures that had been hypoxic for 12 hr exhibited an increasing rate of BrdU uptake with time after re-aeration. Re-aerated cells were able to complete or initiate DNA synthesis, but their rates of progression through the cell cycle were markedly reduced. A large fraction of cells appeared unable to divide up to 12 hr following release from hypoxia.     

Cyclin gene expression and growth control in normal and neoplastic human breast epithelium

Recent advances in defining the molecular mechanisms of cell cycle control in eukaryotes provide a basis for beter understanding the hormonal control of cell proliferation in normal and neoplastic breast epithelium. It is now clear that a number of critical steps in cell cycle progression are controlled by families of serine/threonine kinases, the cdks. These kinases are activated by interactions with various cyclin gene products which form the regulatory subunits of the kinase complexes. Several families of cyclins control cell cycle progression in G₁ phase, cyclins C, D and E, or in S, G₂ and mitosis, cyclins A and B. Recent studies have defined the expression and regulation of cyclin genes in normal breast epithelial cells and in breast cancer cell lines. Following growth arrest of T-47D breast cancer cells by serum deprivation restimulation with insulin results in sequential induction of cyclin genes. Cyclin D1 mRNA increases within 1 h of mitogenic stimulation and is followed by increased expression of cyclins D3 and E in G₁ phase, cyclin A in late G₁/early S phase and cyclin B1 in G₂. Similar results were observed following epidermal growth factor stimulation of normal breast epithelial cells. Other hormones—oestrogens and progestins—and growth factors—insulin-like investigated for their effects on G₁ cyclin gene expression. In all cases there was an excellent correlation between the induction of cyclin D1 mRNA and subsequent entry into S phase. Furthermore, growth inhibition by antioestrogens and concurrent G₁ arrest were preceded by an acute decrease in cyclin D1 gene expression. These observations suggest a likely role for cyclin D1 in mediating many of the known hormonal effects on cell proliferation in breast epithelial cells.     

The radiation response of cells recovering after chronic hypoxia

Experiments were performed to study the influence of hypoxic pretreatment on the radiation response of A431 human squamous carcinoma cells. Reaeration for 10 min after chronic hypoxia (greater than 2 h) was found to enhance the radiosensitivity of A431 cells, and the maximal effect was seen for those cells reaerated after 12 h of hypoxia. The radiosensitivity enhancement for reaerated cells after 12 h of hypoxia was maximized by 5 min after the return to aerobic conditions and reached the control level by 12 h of reaeration. This enhanced radiosensitive state was characterized by a reduced shoulder region and increased slope of the radiation dose-response curve for cells in both the exponential and plateau phases of growth. There was a slight increase in the number of G1 and decrease in the number of S and G2 + M cells for both exponential- and plateau-phase cultures following 12 h hypoxic treatment. Although growth inhibition induced by 12 h of hypoxia was seen for cells in the exponential phase, there was no cell number change in the plateau-phase culture after hypoxia. Plating efficiency (PE) of cells in both growth phases was reduced by 30% after hypoxia. Furthermore, in the exponential-phase culture, the extent of reduction in PE after hypoxia was similar among cells in different phases of the cell cycle. Although S-phase cells in exponentially growing cultures were relatively more resistant to radiation than G1 and G2 + M cells, the cell age-response pattern was the same whether the cells had been aerobic or hypoxic before reaeration and irradiation. Furthermore, the enhancement ratio associated with reaeration after 12 h of hypoxia for these three subpopulations of cells was 1.3. Our results indicate that the increase in radiosensitivity due to reaeration after chronic hypoxia is unlikely to be related to the changes of cell cycle stage and growth phase during hypoxic treatment.     

Buoyant density of EMT6 fibrosarcoma cells: time course of the density changes after growth in hypoxia

EMT6 fibrosarcoma cells were grown to the exponential phase in tissue culture and incubated at 37 degrees C under hypoxic conditions. Buoyant density was determined as a function of the time in hypoxia. Hypoxia was produced in two ways. The first involved incubation of the cells in sealed aluminum chambers containing 95% N2, 5% CO2 gas, and < 10 ppm oxygen, resulting in the cells rapidly becoming exposed to the hypoxic environment. After incubation at 37 degrees C, they were centrifuged in linear Ficoll gradients to their isopycnic density. A significant decrease in density was found after 4 h, and prolonged incubation up to 24 h did not result in further change. This density change was reversible on transfer back to aerobic conditions, with the hypoxic cells reverting to their aerobic density after about 10 h reincubation in air. The second method of producing hypoxia involved growing about 8 X 10(6) cells in a medium-filled air-tight container. Hypoxia was produced gradually as the oxygen in the medium was consumed by cellular respiration. Similar results were obtained; that is, hypoxic cells became significantly less dense. However, when the level of hypoxia was varied between 4000 and < 10 ppm at 2-h intervals after the cells had depleted all of the original oxygen, no significant difference in density was found between hypoxic and aerobic cells.     

Cyclin levels during TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis in HIV-infected cells.

Cyclins are cell cycle regulatory proteins. We compared the concurrent kinetics of apoptosis and cyclin expression between HIV-infected cells (J1.1), and uninfected Jurkat cells. Cells were cultured with TNF-alpha and harvested at 24, 48 and 72 hr to examine cyclin expression and DNA content. We found a decline in the levels of the mitotic B cyclin in Jurkat cells (16 to 2%, 48 hr), while in J1.1 cells it was observed in cyclin E (60 to 37%, 72 hr). Because cyclin B is mitotic, results suggest that Jurkat cells undergo apoptosis at G2, while J1.1 cells enter mitosis and then die by apoptosis, as no changes in cyclin B or DNA content at G2M were observed. G1 cyclin E decline in J1.1 cells also suggests that they die after entering mitosis. Based on differences in the cyclins involved, it seems that HIV-1 manipulates the cell cycle to protect J1.1 cells from apoptosis induction at G2, a critical cell cycle phase for HIV replication. Thus, cyclins are useful to characterize points in the cell cycle at which apoptosis is induced, and could become excellent tools to evaluate mechanisms of action of antiretroviral drugs in the cell cycle of HIV-infected cells.     

Hypoxia stimulates p16 expression and association with cdk4

Exposure of CV-1P cells to hypoxic conditions causes cell proliferation inhibition concomitant with the accumulation of pRb in the hypophosphorylated, growth suppressive form. This is in part due to inhibition of pRb-directed cdk4 and cdk2 activity. In this study we attempted to elucidate the mechanism by which cdk4 is inactivated under hypoxic conditions. After 18 h of hypoxia, CV-1P cells are inhibited from progressing from G(1) phase into the S phase of the cell cycle. This occurs in conjunction with dephosphorylation of serine-795, which is a putative substrate of cdk4. The amounts of cdk4, cdk6, and the D type cyclins are not affected by 18 h of hypoxia. The levels of cdki p16, p18, p19, and p57 under aerobic or hypoxic conditions were analyzed and although the levels of most cdki are unaffected by hypoxic conditions, the level of p16 increases significantly by 18 h of hypoxia. The mechanism by which cdk4 activity is inhibited under hypoxic conditions may be mediated through p16 association with cdk4. Immunoprecipitation analysis shows that p16 binds to cdk4 under hypoxic conditions but does not in cells maintained under aerobic conditions. Thus p16 may be involved in hypoxia-induced growth inhibition.