1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol modulates 3H-thymidine incorporation in FRTL5 cells.

1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25(OH)2D3) possesses proliferation and differentiation modulating effects in many cell types in vitro. We studied the effect of 1,25(OH)2D3 on 3H-thymidine incorporation in FRTL5 cells, a cultured rat thyroid follicular cell line. 1,25(OH)2D3 alone at 10(-11) and 10(-9) M exerted no effect on 3H-thymidine incorporation. However, at 10(-7) M, 1,25(OH)2D3 slightly enhanced 3H-thymidine incorporation. In the presence of 5% calf serum, 1,25(OH)2D3 increased 3H-thymidine incorporation induced by calf serum in a dose-dependent manner. 1,25(OH)2D3 also enhanced 3H-thymidine incorporation induced by PMA, an extrinsic stimulator of protein kinase C, without directly affecting PMA-induced protein kinase C translocation. In contrast to the stimulatory effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 on the calf serum and PMA-induced 3H-thymidine incorporation, 1,25(OH)2D3 inhibited the increase in 3H-thymidine incorporation induced by TSH in a dose-dependent manner. This effect of 1,25(OH)2D3 on TSH-induced 3H-thymidine incorporation may be, in part, due to post-cAMP pathways since 1,25(OH)2D3 also inhibited the increase in 3H-thymidine incorporation induced by Bu2cAMP without affecting the TSH-induced increase in cAMP. The stimulatory effect of insulin on 3H-thymidine incorporation, a cAMP-independent process, was also inhibited by 1,25(OH)2D3. We conclude that 1,25(OH)2D3 affects 3H-thymidine incorporation in FRTL5 cells raising the possibility of a physiologic role for 1,25(OH)2D3 in the growth and function of thyroid follicular cells.     

Variations in some molecular events during the early phases of the Reuber H35 cell cycle. IV-regulation of tyrosine aminotransferase

Tyrosine aminotransferase activity increased during conversion of serum depleted quiescent Reuber H35 rat hepatoma cells into the proliferative state. Increased activity coincides with the actual increase of cells into S phase. The rate of tyrosine aminotransferase synthesis along the cell cycle was studied. The rate of enzyme synthesis fluctuated through the cell cycle but could not explain the increase of specific activity. Apparently enzyme activity is predominantly regulated by a post-translational event. Intracellular levels of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP were measured at various times of G1 and S phases. In the early part of the cell cycle tyrosine aminotransferase decreased while intracellular levels of cyclic AMP increased. At later stages cyclic AMP rises concurrently with increased rates of enzyme synthesis. Induction of tyrosine aminotransferase by N6,O2'-dibutyryladenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate (Bt2cAMP) was studied. Inducibility by Bt2cAMP fluctuated through the cell cycle. Alternation of positive and negative control of tyrosine aminotransferase synthesis was observed. In early serum induced cells, Bt2cAMP increased enzyme activity without any increased rate of enzyme synthesis, on the contrary, a decreased rate of synthesis was observed. The data support the view that alternation of positive and negative control of tyrosine aminotransferase synthesis and temporary post-translational control of enzyme activity determine the enzyme level during the transition of quiescent hepatoma cells into proliferation.     

IGF-I and MAP kinase involvement in the stimulatory effects of LNCaP prostate cancer cell conditioned media on cell proliferation and protein synthesis in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells

Bone metastases from prostate cancer cause abnormal new bone formation, however, the factors involved and the pathways leading to the response are incompletely defined. We investigated the mechanisms of osteoblast stimulatory effects of LNCaP prostate carcinoma cell conditioned media (CM). MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells were cultured with CM from confluent LNCaP cells. LNCaP CM stimulated MAP kinase, cell proliferation (3H-thymidine incorporation), and protein synthesis (14C-proline incorporation) in the MC3T3-E1 cells. The increases in cell proliferation and protein synthesis were prevented by inhibition of the MAP kinase pathway. IGF-I mimicked the effects of the CM on the MC3T3-E1 cells and inhibition of IGF-I action decreased the LNCaP CM stimulation of 3H-thymidine and 14C-proline incorporation and MAP kinase activity. The findings indicate that IGF-I is an important factor for the stimulatory effects of LNCaP cell CM on cell proliferation and protein synthesis in osteoblastic cells, and that MAP kinase is a component of the signaling pathway for these effects.     

Minimal requirement of the remnant pancreas for protein and DNA synthesis of cultured hepatocytes prepared from pancreatectomized rats

The incorporation of 3H-thymidine and 3H-leucine into the hepatocytes was studied, using cultured hepatocytes prepared from normal and pancreatectomized rats. (1) In the cultured hepatocytes prepared from 80% pancreatectomized rats, the incorporation of 3H-thymidine and 3H-leucine into hepatocytes remained unchanged compared with those of sham-operated controls. In contrast, in those from totally pancreatectomized rats, the incorporation of 3H-thymidine and 3H-leucine decreased to approximately 67% and 37% respectively of sham-operated controls. However, those returned to near normal in the cultured hepatocytes from totally pancreatectomized rats treated by 0.8 IU/kg of insulin. (2) The addition of insulin (10(-4) M) to the culture medium stimulated the incorporation of 3H-thymidine into cultured hepatocytes prepared from normal rats to 148% of controls. The insulin-stimulated incorporation was inhibited by the addition of glucagon to the culture medium. The combined addition of insulin and glucagon did not synergistically act on DNA synthesis. It is suggested that the portal blood insulin in the presence of more than 20% of the pancreas is imperative for maintaining spontaneous regeneration.     

Protein synthesis during the cell cycle of L5178Y cells

There are two peaks of ³H-leucine incorporation in the cell cycle of L5178Y cells. The first, during S stage, corresponds to a peak of ³H-leucine incorporation into the nuclear fraction. The second, during S or early G2, corresponds to a peak of ³H-leucine incorporation into the mitochondrial fraction. The rate of protein synthesis is unique for the proteins from each of the four fractions, nuclear, mitochondrial, microsomal, and soluble.The SDS polyacrylamide-gel electrophoretic patterns of ³H-leucine incorporation were different among three subcellular fractions: nuclear, mitochondrial, and microsomal + soluble. However, the incorporation pattern for each fraction remains qualitatively the same throughout the cell cycle.     

Simultaneous photometry of the DNA and silver-grain count in liver cells labelled with 3H-thymidine or 3H-leucine

A modified method was proposed for reflected light simultaneous measurement of DNA content and of the silver grain number in the nucleus or cytoplasm of the same cell. Specimens-smears of isolated liver cells incorporated 3H-thymidine and 3H-leucine were prepared on coverslips and after processing were mounted on the slide glasses with smeared side facing downwards to avoid the influence of grains on DNA content measurements. To decrease the background, label measurements were carried out in polarized light. It was shown that the intensity of 3H-leucine incorporation in hepatocytes increases proportionally with cell ploidy degree.     

Inhibitory effect of somatostatin on the basal and TSH-stimulated 3H-thymidine incorporation into rat thyroid lobes incubated in vitro

The effects of somatostatin on the spontaneous and TSH--stimulated incorporation of tritiated thymidine into the rat thyroid lobes incubated in vitro were investigated. The rate of 3H-thymidine incorporation was used as an index of thyroid follicular cells (TFC) proliferation. It was shown that: 1) somatostatin, at a concentration of 10(-7)M, decreased 3H-thymidine incorporation into DNA of TFC, 2) the highest somatostatin concentration, as tested in this study (10(-6)M), produced a similar decreasing effect; the decrease, in this case, did not attain significance vs. controls, 3) somatostatin, when employed together with TSH, suppressed the stimulatory effect of the latter hormone on 3H-thymidine incorporation into DNA of thyroid lobes.     

Effects of dexamethasone and indomethacin on estrogen-induced uterine growth

Certain aspects of estrogen-induced uterine growth are reminiscent of an inflammatory response. Dexamethasone (DEX) and indomethacin (IND), two anti-inflammatory agents that interfere with arachidonic acid metabolism, were examined with respect to their effects on several growth-associated responses of the uterus to estrogen. Ovariectomized rats were given a s.c. injection of either DEX (2 mg) or IND (8 mg) immediately prior to receiving a s.c. injection of estradiol (10 ωg). At 4 hr, DEX inhibited estrogen-stimulated uterine wet weight and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity by 100% and 48%, respectively. At 24 hr, ³H-leucine incorporation into protein was inhibited 44% and ³H-thymidine incorporation into DNA was depressed 83%. Estrogen-stimulated increases in uterine protein/DNA ratio and epithelial microvilli density at 24 hr were not inhibited by DEX. IND inhibited estrogen-stimulated wet weight by 64% and ³H-thymidine incorporation into DNA by 42%, yet did not inhibit the increases in ODC activity, ³H-leucine incorporation into protein or protein/DNA ratio. These results suggest that the inflammation-like component of estrogen-induced uterine growth is mediated, at least in part, by arachidonic acid metabolites and is directed primarily toward stimulating cell division, and not cell growth.     

Effect of a leukocytic serum preparation on hematopoietic cells in vitro

The effects of leucocyte serum (LS) on bone marrow cells (BMC), thymus and HL-60 human myeloid leukemia cells were studied in liquid suspension and agar cultures. LS increased 3H-thymidine incorporation in BMC and intensified the cloning efficiency of granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells (CFU-GM) and human myeloid leukemia cells. No significant stimulatory effect on thymus cells was observed. It has been shown that LS prevents or markedly decreases the effect of granulocyte inhibitor (GI-3S2).     

Growth-modulating tripeptide (glycylhistidyllysine): association with copper and iron in plasma, and stimulation of adhesiveness and growth of hepatoma cells in culture by tripeptide-metal ion complexes

The tripeptide H-Gly-His-Lys-OH (GHL) is a human plasma constituent which has been previously shown to modulate the growth and viability of a variety of cell types and organisms. Experimental observations presented herein indicate that GHL is complexed with the transition metal ions Cu++ and Fe++ in vivo and may exert its biological effects as a peptide-metal chelate. At physiological pH in vitro, GHL associates with ionic copper, cobalt, iron, molybdenum, manganese, nickel, and zinc, but has no affinity for calcium, manganese, potassium, and sodium. GHL acts synergistically with copper, iron, cobalt, and zinc to alter patterns of cell growth in monolayer cultures of a tumorigenic hepatoma cell line (HTC4). These transition metals induce cellular flattening and adhesion to support surfaces, and inhibit DNA synthesis and lactic acid production when growth is limited by reduction of serum concentrations in medium. These inhibitory effects are neutralized, and intercellular adhesion and growth are stimulated by GHL in medium at nanomolar concentrations. Cu and Fe are the most active metals when combined with GHL. The results suggest that the inability of HTC4 cultures to replicate without adequate concentrations of serum in medium may reflect deficiency of GHL and transition metals, which appear to form complexes prior to interaction with cells. Chelation of transition metals with GHL and, potentially, with other growth-modulating peptide factors in plasma or medium, may provide a mechanism for expression and regulation of biological activities influenced by transition metals and polypeptide growth factors. The observed effects of GHL-metal complexes, including stimulation of cellular adhesiveness to substratum (flattening) and intercellular attachment (monolayer formation), appear to satisfy requirements for growth of hepatoma cells in monolayer culture.     

Cell proliferation in organs of rats bearing hepatoma 3924A: effects of X-rays of surgery

For inbred rats with Morris hepatoma 3924A, increases in tumor size were accompanied by increases in weight and DNA content of spleen, DNA content of tibial marrow, and peripheral white cell concentrations of blood. White blood cell concentrations of rats with tumors weighing more than 5 g were approximately two-fold greater than for rats without tumors. Neutrophils were primarily responsible for the increase in white cells. Local x-radiation of 3750R to the tumor when the tumor was small prevented tumor growth and the increases in spleen weight, incorporation of 3H-thymidine into spleen DNA, white blood cell count, and tibial marrow DNA content related to tumor growth. Surgical removal of large tumors resulted in a return of spleen weight and DNA content to near normal values within 1 week. Despite the evidence for increased cell proliferation in hematopoietic tissues of rats with hepatoma 3924A, no systematic relationship has been observed between tumor size and animal survival following treatment with the cell cycle specific agent 5-fluorouracil when tumors have varied in size from 0.5 g to 5 g at the time of drug treatment.     

Functional activity of uremic erythroblast incubated in autologous and homologous plasma.

The uptake of 3H-thymidine, 3H-uridine and 3H-leucine in the erythroid precursors of patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) was examined by radioautography. The pattern of incorporation of the radioactive precursors was similar to that observed in erythroblasts of control subjects, i.e., the uptake decreased with cell maturation. CRF erythroblasts incubated with normal, homologous plasma, showed significant increase in the uptake of the radioactive precursors, compared to the activity of these cells incubated in autologous plasms, the only exception being the incorporation of 3H-leucine in the proerythroblasts, in which the increase was not statistically significant. These results suggest that the impaired function of CRF erythroblasts related to DNA, RNA and protein synthesis is due not to a defective mechanism in the cells themselves, but most probably to the effect of factors present in uremic plasma, the nature of which remains to be detected.     

Splenic suppressing factor: purification and characterization of a factor suppressing thymidine incorporation into activated lymphocytes.

Suppressing activity upon the mitogen-activated lymphocytes was found in the supernatant (SUP) from the culture of mouse spleen, high-density subpopulation of thymocytes, and peritoneal exudate cells. Suppressing factor was obtained from the non-stimulated lymphocytes cultured for 24 to 36 hr with or without serum. Suppressing activity in the SUP was observed in the incorporation of 3H-thymidine, 3H-uridine, and 3H-leucine into Con A-activated lymphocytes or in the proliferation of L cells. Suppressing factor partially purified by Sephadex G-25 column chromatography was a heat-stable and dialyzable substance(s). Further purification and isolation of this factor by two-dimensional thin layer chromatography revealed that this was thymidine and thymidine monophosphate. The suppression in 3H-thymidine incorporation was attributed to the dilution effect of cold thymidine released from cultured lymphocytes.     

Fraction from human and rat liver which is inhibitory for proliferation of liver cells

A comparative study was undertaken with human and rat liver of a fraction reported to have growth inhibitory activity when prepared from rat liver. Fractions which were soluble in 70% ethanol and insoluble in 87% ethanol were prepared from liver cytosols. Electrophoretic analysis under denaturing conditions indicated that there were several quantitative or qualitative differences in the fractions from the two species. Fractions from both human and rat liver were found to be inhibitory for the incorporation of 3H-thymidine into DNA of foetal chick hepatocytes. Under conditions in which the rat fraction inhibited precursor incorporation into DNA of rat liver epithelial cells there was not a significant inhibitory effect with the fraction from human liver. DNA synthesis in a rat hepatoma cell line was not significantly inhibited by preparations from either species. The data suggested that corresponding fractions from both rat and human liver could have inhibitory effects on precursor incorporation into DNA but the magnitude of the effects and target cell specificity may differ.     

Double-stranded RNA regulation of DNA synthesis in fibroblasts.

The double-stranded RNA molecule polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly IC) has been found in some studies to have a mitogenic effect on fibroblast proliferation while other studies found poly IC to have an inhibitory effect on proliferation. In this study, we investigated whether a stabilized form of poly IC complexed with poly-L-lysine and carboxymethylcellulose (poly ICLC) had a bidirectional effect on DNA synthesis in fibroblasts from four different cell lines and determined factors that potentially influence this bidirectional effect. In medium containing fetal bovine serum, poly ICLC slightly increased the levels of [3H]thymidine incorporation in growing fibroblasts in three of the four fibroblast cell lines tested, while poly ICLC increased [3H]thymidine incorporation in confluent, quiescent fibroblasts in two of four cell lines. Poly ICLC did not induce DNA synthesis in subconfluent, quiescent or in confluent, quiescent fibroblasts under serum-free conditions. Poly ICLC significantly suppressed serum-induced [3H]thymidine incorporation by quiescent fibroblasts in all cell lines. We conclude that the stimulatory and inhibitory effects of poly ICLC on DNA synthesis are influenced by both the cell line and the presence of serum components in the culture medium but not by population density.     

DNA replication in mammalian cells after the action of physical, chemical or biological factors. VI. The recovery of DNA synthesis in a culture of irradiated cells

The kinetics of DNA synthesis restoration in cultured HeLa cells and in L-929 mouse fibroblasts irradiated by gamma-rays of 60Co with a dose of 10 Gy was studied. Early after irradiation the rate of DNA synthesis in HeLa cells measured with 3H-thymidine incorporation was seen to decrease. Two hours later the incorporation starts to increase to reach the control level 4 hours after irradiation and then becomes even higher than this level. The distribution of cells among phases of the cell cycle measured with flow cytometry undergoes changes. 4-6 hours after irradiation part of S-phase cells increased contributing presumably to the elevating of 3H-thymidine incorporation observed at this time. The restoration of the incorporation was suppressed by inhibitors of protein and RNA synthesis--cycloheximide and actinomycin D. It is suggested that the processes of restoration of DNA synthesis in irradiated cells can be of inducible nature. In irradiated HeLa and L-929 cells the restoration of DNA synthesis is resistant to novobiocin, an inhibitor of DNA replication.     

Aluminum ions stimulate mitosis in murine cells in tissue culture

Addition of aluminum to the culture medium of Nakano mouse lens epithelial (NMLE) cells and Swiss 3T3K cells induced both 3H-thymidine incorporation and mitosis. This is in contrast to other metal ions such as vanadium, which, at concentrations high enough to increase 3H-thymidine incorporation, actually inhibits mitosis (Jones and Reid, J Cell Physiol 121:199, 1984). Aluminum concentrations between 20 microM and 50 microM were most effective. The 3T3 cells respond to aluminum with a 7.6-fold increase, and NMLE cells respond with a 21-fold increase in 3H-thymidine incorporation. DNA synthesis in NMLE cells was also found to be synergistically stimulated by aluminum and low concentrations of insulin (4.5 X 10(-8) M). A 3.25-hr incubation with 50 microM aluminum was sufficient to induce 50% of maximum 3H-thymidine incorporation during the 40-hr assay. Aluminum-stimulated 3H-thymidine incorporation is inhibited by hydroxyurea, and aluminum causes an increase in cell number. Also, by sedimentation equilibrium analysis of the product of aluminum-stimulated DNA synthesis it was found that a single copy of DNA was synthesized following addition of aluminum to quiescent cells. These facts indicate that aluminum induces both S-phase DNA synthesis and mitosis. However, only 48% of the NMLE cells found to be labeled with DNA went on to divide. In contrast, although only a small percentage of 3T3 cells were found to be labeled after aluminum treatment, all of these cells appeared to go through mitosis.     

收缩活动促进新生大鼠培养心室肌细胞的^3H—亮氨酸...

To determine whether contraction could influence cell growth, the rate of protein synthesis (3H-leucine incorporation) and cell diameter and volume were measured in cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes beating spontaneously or arrested by high potassium. In medium supplemented with 10% calf serum, the 3H-leucine incorporation for 24 h in contracting myocytes (CMC) was significantly higher by 14.2% than that in quiescent myocytes (QMC), i.e. 1,229 +/- 29 cpm/10(5) cells vs. 1,076 +/- 60 cpm/10(5) cells (P < 0.01, n = 5 for each group). The cell diameter and cell volume in QMC group were respectively 15.14 +/- 0.42 microns and 1,842 +/- 123 microns3, while in the CMC group the corresponding figures reached to 16.82 +/- 0.64 microns3 and 2,495 +/- 210 microns3, increased by 11.1% and 35.5% respectively (P < 0.01, n = 6 for each group). With prolongation of culture time, the differences in these parameters between CMC and QMC became even more significant. In all these experiments, there was no significant difference in cell number between the two groups (P > 0.05). It is concluded that contraction per se can accelerate protein synthesis and cell growth in neonatal rat ventricular myocardium.     

The first cycle of DNA replication in parthenogenetic mouse embryos

Dynamics of the first cell cycle in parthenogenetic mouse embryos derived from ethanol-activated eggs was studied using 3H-thymidine. DNA synthesis starts within 5 h and is terminated within 10 h after activation: it lasts ca. 6 h. Changes in the intensity of 3H-thymidine incorporation and in the distribution of radioactive label between haploid and diploid parthenogens were observed. 3H-thymidine was shown to incorporate into pronucleoli of diploid parthenogens and late-labeled heterochromatin blocks were bound in both diploid and haploid pronuclei. The structure of the first cell cycle in parthenogenetic and normal embryos is discussed.     

Transforming growth factors beta slow down cell-cycle progression in a murine interleukin-2 dependent T-cell line

Transforming growth factors beta (TGF-beta) inhibit the growth of a variety of cell types, including lymphocytes. The immunosuppressive effects of TGF-beta have been attributed to the interference of these molecules with the interleukin-2 (IL-2)-driven component of lymphocyte proliferation. In order to elucidate in more detail the effects of TGF-beta on IL-2-induced proliferation, we investigated the effects of porcine transforming growth factor beta 1 and 2 (pTGF-beta 1 and 2) on the IL-2-driven proliferation of a murine IL-2-dependent T-lymphocyte line (CTLL). The results showed that pTGF-beta 1 and 2 decreased 3H-thymidine incorporation in CTLL cells in a dose-dependent fashion (maximum decrease of 75-85%). Combined-time kinetic analysis of the effects of pTGF-beta on 3H-thymidine incorporation, cell growth, and cell-cycle distribution (monitored as DNA content distribution) revealed that, in the first 48 h of culture, pTGF-beta 1 increased the doubling time from 11.4 to 19.2 h without significantly affecting the cell-cycle distribution of CTLL cells. After 96 h of culture in the presence of pTGF-beta 1, cells started to accumulate in G0/G1, although at this time point 30% of the pTGF-beta 1-treated cells were still in S-G2/M. Furthermore, during the first 48 h, neither the expression of the 55 kd chain of the IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) nor the expression of the transferrin receptor (TfR) was affected by TGF-beta. After 72 h of culture in the presence of pTGF-beta 1, the expression of the IL-2R and TfR was decreased. The data suggest that in CTLL cells TGF-beta initially slows the progression of cells in all phases of cell cycle. In addition, the initial TGF-beta-mediated decrease of IL-2-induced 3H-thymidine incorporation and cell proliferation in CTLL cells is not due primarily to downregulation of the IL-2R and/or TfR.