Action of valinomycin in vivo on Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. A change in the ultrastructure of the tumor cells under the influence of valinomycin]

It was found with the help of electron microscopy that valinomycin administered to mice with Ehrlich ascitic tumors in a dose inhibiting the proliferating activity induced impairements in the mitochondria. The changes were similar to those under the effect of valinomycin in vitro. An increase in the antibiotic dose resulted in more pronounced and irreversible changes not only in the mitochondria but also in other structures of the tumor cells.     

In vivo action of valinomycin on Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. Inhibition of the proliferative activity of the tumor cells under the action of valinomycin]

It was shown that repeated administrations of valinomycin in doses of 1.0 and 0.01 gamma/gm to mice with Ehrlich ascitic tumors inhibited the ascite development. The radioautographic study using 3H-thimidine showed that 24 hours after the administration of valinomycin in doses of 0.1 and 0.01 gamma/gm transference of the cells into the phase of DNA synthesis was inhibited--inhibition of the tumor cell mitotic activity took place.     

Effect of hyperthermia on growth of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

Hyperthermic treatment at 43 degrees C suppressed the growth of Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) cells in vitro. Incubation of EAT cells at 43 degrees C for as little as 1.5 h totally abolished the transplantability of the tumor. At the same time, the rate of cellular glucose uptake, the density of glucose transporter on the cells as well as the extent of thymidine, uridine and leucine incorporation were significantly reduced.     

Effects of valinomycin,ouabain, and potassium on glycolysis and intracellular pH of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

Summary Both valinomycin and ouabain block reaccumulation of K⁺ by Ehrlich ascites tumor cells depleted of K⁺ and cause loss of K⁺ from high-K⁺ cells. Glucose largely reverses the effect of valinomycin and to a lesser extent that of ouabain.In cells depleted of K⁺, glucose utilization and lactate production are impaired. Neither extracellular pH (pH_e) nor intracellular pH (pH_i) falls to the extent seen in non-depleted glycolyzing cells. Addition of K⁺ to depleted cells reverses these effects. Valinomycin increases glycolysis in K⁺-depleted cells but to a greater extent in nondepleted or K⁺-repleted cells. The increase in lactate production caused by valinomycin is accompanied by a correspondingly greater fall in pH_e and pH_i. Valinomycin, unlike other uncoupling agents, does not abolish the pH gradient across the plasma membrane. Increased utilization of glucose resulting from addition of K⁺ to K⁺-depleted cells or addition of valinomycin either to depleted or non-depleted cells can be entirely accounted for by increased lactate production. Ouabain blocks the stimulatory effect of added K⁺ on K⁺-depleted cells and has an inhibitory effect on glycolysis in non-depleted cells. It does not obliterate the difference in glycolytic activity between K⁺-depleted and nondepleted cells. Ouabain does not completely block the effect of valinomycin in augmenting glycolysis in depleted or non-depleted cells. Increased accumulation of glycolytic intermediates, particularly dihydroxyacetone phosphate, is found in glycolyzing K⁺-depleted cells. The most marked accumulation was found in ouabain-treated K⁺-deficient cells.This investigation was supported by U.S. Public Health Service grant no. GM 13606 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and by grant no. P-603 from the American Cancer Society.PHS Research Career Program Award 4 K06 GM 19429 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.     

Effects of GTP on cyclic AMP concentrations in intact Ehrlich ascites tumor cells.

Experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that intracellular concentrations of guanosine triphosphate (GTP) regulate the activity and hormonal sensitivity of adenylate cyclase in intact cells. By appropriate treatments, the GTP concentrations of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells could be varied between 28% and 680% of control values. Cyclic AMP concentrations were measured before and after addition of epinephrine in cells containing this range of GTP concentratins. Basal cyclic AMP concentrations were unaffected by changes in GTP concentrations. In cells containing lowered concentrations of GTP, the cyclic AMP concentration following addition of epinephrine was half that in control cells. Elevation of GTP concentrations above normal and had no effect on cyclic AMP concentrations following epinephrine treatment.     

Investigations on the function of creatine kinase in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

1. Growth and viability of in vitro cultured Ehrlich ascites tumor cells are not significantly impaired by exogenous creatine up to 40mM. Retardation of cell growth by higher concentrations depends on cell density. 2. Ehrlich cells grown in the presence of high concentrations of creatine accumulate creatine phosphate to high levels (up to 23 nmol/10(6) cells in the presence of 40mM creatine). 3. A nearly complete interruption of glycolytic ATP production or inhibition of the oxidative ATP synthesis reduces the maximal creatine to about 40-50% of controls. 4. Studies on the intracellular distribution of creatine kinase have shown, that the enzyme is only associated with the mitochondrial fraction. Titration of isolated mitochondria with digitonin revealed that the activity is located in the inter-membrane space and partly bound to the outer site of the inner membrane. 5. By growth of Ehrlich cells in creatine-free medium it is possible to obtain "creatine phosphate-depleted" cells (creatine phosphate less than 10% of controls). The growth of creatine phosphate-depleted cells as compared to controls is significantly reduced under energetic stress situations. The protein synthesis of these cells after an energetic stress (lack of glucose and oxygen) is significantly reduced as compared to creatine phosphate containing cells. 6. It is concluded that in these cells creatine kinase/creatine phosphate is a thermodynamic buffer system and not part of an energy shuttle as is postulated for muscle cells.     

Effect of cytochalasins on F-actin and morphology of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

Cytochalasins have been used extensively to probe the role of F-actin in different aspects of cellular function. Most of the data obtained are interpreted on the basis of the well-established depolymerizing effects of cytochalasins on F-actin preparations in vitro. However, some evidence indicates that, in intact cells, different cytochalasins can have varying effects on cell morphology and F-actin content and organization. To examine this problem in more detail, we analyzed the effects of cytochalasins on the cell morphology of and F-actin content and organization in Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) cells. After a 3-min exposure to 0.5 microM cytochalasin D, B, or E, F-actin content was equally reduced in all cases and this correlated with a reduction in the amount of cortical F-actin associated with the EAT cell membrane. However, only with CE was cell morphology markedly altered, with the appearance of numerous blebs. At 10 microM, blebbing was present in all conditions and the organization of cortical F-actin was disrupted. F-actin content, however, was not further reduced by this higher concentration and in CD it was identical to control levels. Exposure of EAT cells to similar concentrations of cheatoglobosin C, an analog of the cytochalasins that has little to no affinity for F-actin, resulted in a loss of F-actin content, a reduction in F-actin fluorescence, but no change in cell morphology, including a complete lack of bleb formation. Myosin II immunoreactivity, concentrated in the cortical cytoplasm colocalized with F-actin and in an area associated with the Golgi, was reduced by the high-dose cytochalasin. These results demonstrate that caution must be exercised in the use of cytochalasins to probe the role of F-actin in cellular function and that several parameters must be analyzed to obtain an accurate assessment of the effect of cytochalasin on the actin filament system.     

Evidence for the occurrence of the malate-citrate shuttle in intact Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

A possible activity of the malate-citrate shuttle has been investigated in Ehrlich ascites cells by testing the effects of 1,2,3-benzenetricarboxylic acid, an inhibitor of the malate-citrate exchange, and (?)-hydroxycitrate, an inhibitor of the citrate cleavage enzyme, on the glucose-dependent oxidation-reduction rates of pyridine nucleotides and cytochrome b as well as on ATP levels of glycolyzing cells. Moreover, to quantitate such an activity, the effects of these two inhibitors have been compared with those induced under the same experimental conditions by aminooxyacetate, an inhibitor of the malate-aspartate shuttle which is known to operate in this strain of ascites tumor. Both benzenetricarboxylic acid and hydroxycitrate are able to increase the reduction of pyridine nucleotides, which follows glucose addition to whole cells, to about the same extent. A much more pronounced effect is elicited by aminooxyacetate under the same condition. When n-butylmalonate is added to slow down the flux of glycolytic reducing equivalents to the respiratory chain via the malate-aspartate shuttle, benzenetricar-boxylic acid or hydroxycitrate promotes an ATP-driven reversal of electron transfer. Indeed, the glucose-induced reduction of cytochrome b becomes sensitive to oligomycin and the ATP level is raised significantly with respect to the value of uninhibited cells. It is concluded that the malate-citrate shuttle operates in Ehrlich ascites cells, although with a substantially lower activity with respect to the malate-aspartate shuttle.     

Effect of haemolysin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on Ehrlich ascites tumor cells]

Haemolysin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exerts toxic effects upon the metabolism of Ehrlich ascitic tumor cells : morphological changes appear readily ; respiration is inhibited more slowly ; the lethal effect determined by intraperitoneal injection of tumor cells is neutralized. Inhibition with human normal sera is complete for the hemolytic action, but incomplete for the cytopathic action.     

A kinetic analysis of purine nucleotide synthesis and interconversion in intact Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

A pseudo-first order kinetic analysis has described the reactions of purine ribonucleotide synthesis and interconversion in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells in vitro. Rate constants were determined for 13 reactions at non-saturating precursor concentration (50 μM); nucleotide formation from adenine-¹⁴C and hypoxanthine-¹⁴C was rate limiting for ATP synthesis and nucleotide formation from guanine-¹⁴C and hypoxanthine-¹¹C was rate limiting for GTP synthesis. The initial rites of nucleotide synthesis from 1.0 mM adenine-¹⁴C and hypoxanthine-¹⁴C were equivalent to the rates of nucleotide synthesis at non-saturating base concentration, but the rate of nucleotide synthesis at saturating base concentration after 30 minutes incubation was 20-25% that of non-saturating precursor concentration.     

Melatonin effect on the ultrastructure of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells,lifetime and histopathology in Swiss mice

Aims

One of the models used for studying cancer is the Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) due to its ability to grow in liquid suspension, allowing a standard number of cells to be inoculated, growth quantification and regression of tumor mass. Among the oncostatic substances, melatonin has shown effectiveness in limiting the tumor cell proliferation. However, studies have shown contradictory effects of melatonin on the EAT. This study has investigated the melatonin effect on tumor growth, time and survival percentage, ultrastructure and metastasis of EAT cells in mice submitted or not to pinealectomy.

Main methods

Animals were inoculated with 5 × 10⁶ cells/mL and treated or not with exogenous melatonin with doses of at 150 and 300 μg/30 g animal weight for 12 days. Melatonin significantly reduced the abdominal circumference, volume of ascites liquid and EAT-cell viability, raising rates of time and mice survival percentage.

Key findings

Ultrastructurally, the melatonin treatment revealed changes in the shape of cells, the cell surface showed numerous projections, some bifurcated, cytoplasmic vacuolation, mitochondrial degeneration and nuclear fragmentation, peculiar characteristics of apoptosis. Histopathology revealed no metastasis in the liver, small intestine and large intestine in any of the animals in the experimental groups; however this process was evident in the lungs and kidneys, being inhibited by melatonin administration.

Significance

Thus, we can conclude that doses of 150 and 300 μg/30 g of melatonin for 12 consecutive days have a very effective oncostatic and cytotoxic activity on EAT cells in mice.     

Nucleosidediphosphate kinase from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

A phosphate-incorporating protein has been highly purified from the cytosol of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells (EAT cells). The nitrocellulose membrane method was used to follow the progress of the purification by quantitation of the [32P]phosphorylated form of the protein. The purified protein was identified as an NDP-kinase since it exhibited NDP-kinase activity and had enzyme characteristics in common with other NDP-kinases from various mammalian cells. The purified NDP-kinase was found to have a molecular weight of approximately 76,000 daltons. Moreover, the enzyme appears to consist of two distinct polypeptides (18,000 and 20,000 daltons). This enzyme contained 19 amino acids, with high levels of glycine (9.8%) and lysine (9.0%). The enzyme rapidly formed a [32P]phosphoenzyme when incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP in the presence of Mg2+ (1 mM) at the optimum pH of 7.5 even at low temperature (below 4 degrees C). This phosphoenzyme is an enzyme-bound, high-energy-phosphate intermediate, because ATP was formed from it on incubation with ADP in the presence of Mg2+ (1 mM). This finding suggests that the phosphoenzyme functions as an intermediate in NDP-kinase action.     

Mannose toxicity in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

Mannosephosphate isomerase (MPI) showed a higher activity than hexokinase (HKM) in its ability to phosphorylate mannose in the spleen, thymus, brain, liver, striated muscles, kidneys, and testes from BALB/c mice. This led to a HKM/MPI ratio of less than 1 in all the organs and tissues mentioned. In contrast, Ehrlich ascites tumor cells obtained from the peritoneum of BALB/c mice had low MPI activity (half of the HKM activity and, therefore, a ratio of 2). Mannose, which is nontoxic to nontumor cells at a concentration of 0.1 M, induced marked in vitro mortality of the tumor cells. Incubation of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells with mannose resulted in a high accumulation of mannose-6-phosphate and a marked depletion of ATP which did not appear when the cells were incubated with glucose. These facts may explain the selective mortality caused by mannose in the tumor cells studied.