Relationship of DNA damage and embryotoxicity induced by 4-hydroperoxydechlorocyclophosphamide in postimplantation rat embryos

4-Hydroperoxydechlorocyclophosphamide (4-OOHdeCl-CP) is a preactivated analogue of cyclophosphamide (CP) that undergoes an elimination reaction to yield acrolein and the nonalkylating derivative of phosphoramide mustard (PM), i.e., dechlorophosphoramide mustard. We used this analogue to assess the role of acrolein in CP-induced embryotoxicity. Embryotoxicity was assessed using day 10 rat embryos cultured in vitro. 4-OOHdeC1-CP was embryotoxic over a concentration range of approximately 75-150 microM and produced complete embryolethality at concentrations of 175 microM and above. This analogue induced abnormal development characterized by tail defects at low drug concentrations and microencephaly or prosencephalic hypoplasia at high concentrations. Using the technique of alkaline elution, we also assessed DNA damage induced by embryotoxic concentrations of drug. When embryos were cultured in serum-containing medium during drug exposure, no DNA damage was detected, even at embryolethal drug concentrations. However, if cellular glutathione (GSH) was depleted with buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) before drug exposure and embryos were cultured in serum-free medium during drug exposure, DNA damage, primarily DNA single-strand breaks, was detected, but only at embryolethal concentrations. Using radiolabeled CP, we showed that acrolein does reach the embryo; however, more acrolein is incorporated into the yolk sac. Binding studies revealed that acrolein binds preferentially to cellular protein, whereas PM binds preferentially to DNA. These results suggest that, unlike the case with PM, the embryotoxic target for acrolein is protein and not DNA. Furthermore, our results indicate that acrolein may mediate its effects on the embryo via the yolk sac.     

Toxicity,interstrand cross-links and DNA fragmentation induced by ‘activated’ cyclophosphamide in yeast: Comparative studies on 4-hydroperoxy-cyclophosphamide,its monofunctional analogon,acrolein, phosphoramide mustard,and nor-nitrogen mustard

Activated cyclophosphamide (CP) is known to achieve its cytotoxic and alkylating capacity upon spontaneous hydrolytic breakdown of the oxazaphosphorine ring structure. Treatment of yeast cells with the chemically activated form of CP (4-hydroperoxy-CP, 4-OOH-CP) and with several potentially toxic cleavage products revealed that cytotoxicity is closely linked to the formation of DNA interstrand cross-links and to DNA fragmentation. While this holds true for 4-OOH-CP and its bifunctional alkylating breakdown products, phosphoramide mustard (PM) and nor-nitrogen mustard (NNM), equimolar concentrations of acrolein and the monofunctional analogon of activated CP were inactive. NNM, the ultimate cleavage product within the successive degradation of the oxazaphosphorine structure was five times more toxic than 4-OOH-CP, whereas the cytotoxic action of PM was only slightly enhanced. The high cytotoxicity of NNM was matched by its ability to induce DNA interstrand cross-links: at concentrations and treatment times producing equal cell killing, 4-OOH-CP and NNM produced the same extent of cross-linking and DNA fragmentation. Biochemical potency of NNM is in contrast to data found with the NBP colorimetric assay which suggest that NNM loses its alkylating activity at neutral pH. 4-OOH-CP and PM are much more stable than predicted from half-life measurements performed via the NBP colorimetric assay: they retain a considerable fraction of their cytotoxic and cross-linking activity in spite of a 12-h preincubation at pH 7 and 36°C.     

DNA replication is required To elicit cellular responses to psoralen-induced DNA interstrand cross-links

Following introduction of DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs), mammalian cells display chromosome breakage or cell cycle delay with a 4N DNA content. To further understand the nature of the delay, previously described as a G(2)/M arrest, we developed a protocol to generate ICLs during specific intervals of the cell cycle. Synchronous populations of G(1), S, and G(2) cells were treated with photoactivated 4'-hydroxymethyl-4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen (HMT) and scored for normal passage into mitosis. In contrast to what was found for ionizing radiation, ICLs introduced during G(2) did not result in a G(2)/M arrest, mitotic arrest, or chromosome breakage. Rather, subsequent passage through S phase was required to trigger both chromosome breakage and arrest in the next cell cycle. Similarly, ICLs introduced during G(1) did not cause a G(1)/S arrest. We conclude that DNA replication is required to elicit the cellular responses of cell cycle arrest and genomic instability after psoralen-induced ICLs. In primary human fibroblasts, the 4N DNA content cell cycle arrest triggered by ICLs was long lasting but reversible. Kinetic analysis suggested that these cells could remove up to approximately 2,500 ICLs/genome at an average rate of 11 ICLs/genome/h.     

Alteration of cell cycle progression in human leukemia cell line (KOPM-28) induced by 12-o-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate

Terminal cell differentiation usually results in an irreversible arrest in the G1 phase of the cell cycle and loss of cell renewal ability. Human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells induced with 12-o-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) differentiate into monocytes/macrophages and accumulate in G1. We determined the effect of TPA on the growth kinetics of a human leukemia cell line (KOPM-28), which developed several of the characteristics of megakaryocytes in response to TPA, such as the surface antigen complex IIb/IIIa, platelet peroxidase and polyploidy. Cell growth was immediately and completely inhibited by TPA. Flow cytometric analysis of cellular DNA content revealed a gradual decrease in cells in G1 and an accumulation of cells in G2. These data suggest that TPA prolonged G1 and rapidly arrested the cells in G2. Synchronized cells were utilized to further analyze the rapid G2 arrest. Cells arrested with aphidicolin at the G1/S interphase were released, and the effects of TPA (added at different intervals) on cell cycle progression were examined 14 h after release. The results showed that TPA added at the end of the S phase, as well as at the G1/S interphase incompletely but distinctly arrested cells in G2. Moreover, G2 arrest was observed when TPA was added to cells released from a colcemid-induced G2/M block, suggesting that cells already in G2 were inhibited by TPA from moving through M to G1. Since some cells became multi-nucleated in the course of incubation with TPA, this G2 accumulation may have resulted at least in part from a prolongation of the phase or a transient G2 block. These changes in cell cycle progression induced by TPA may be characteristic of and/or related to megakaryocytic differentiation of hemopoietic precursor cells.     

Ambient particulate matter induces alveolar epithelial cell cycle arrest: role of G1 cyclins

We hypothesized that the ambient air pollution particles (particulate matter; PM) induce cell cycle arrest in alveolar epithelial cells (AEC). Exposure of PM (25microg/cm(2)) to AEC induced cells cycle arrest in G1 phase, inhibited DNA synthesis, blocked cell proliferation and caused decrease in cyclin E, A, D1 and Cyclin E- cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-2 kinase activity after 4h. PM induced upregulation of CDK inhibitor, p21 protein and p21 activity in AEC. SiRNAp21 blocked PM-induced downregulation of cyclins and AEC G1 arrest. Accordingly, we provide the evidence that PM induces AEC G1 arrest by altered regulation of G1 cyclins and CDKs.     

The cell cycle and DNA mismatch repair

The DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway contributes to the fidelity of DNA synthesis and recombination by correcting mispaired nucleotides and insertion/deletion loops (IDLs). We have investigated whether MMR protein expression, activity, and subcellular location are altered during discrete phases of the cell cycle in mammalian cells. Two distinct methods have been used to demonstrate that although physiological MMR protein expression, mismatch binding, and nick-directed MMR activity within the nucleus are at highest levels during S phase, MMR is active throughout the cell cycle. Despite equal MMR nuclear protein concentrations in S and G(2) phases, mismatch binding and repair activities within G(2) are significantly lower, indicating a post-translational decrease in MMR activity specific to G(2). We further demonstrate that typical co-localization of MutSalpha to late S phase replication foci can be disrupted by 2 microM N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). This concentration of MNNG does not decrease ongoing DNA synthesis nor induce cell cycle arrest until the second cell cycle, with long-term colony survival decreased by only 24%. These results suggest that low level alkylation damage can selectively disrupt MMR proofreading activity during DNA synthesis and potentially increase mutation frequency within surviving cells.     

Transient G2M arrest and subsequent release of apoptotic and mitotic cells in vanadyl(4)-prepulsed human Chang liver cells

The relationship between cell cycling and apoptosis/programmed cell death has been perceived as either checkpoint arrests or mitotic aberration where common pathways between mitosis and apoptosis seem suggested. We show here evidence implicating both perceptions of cell cycle involvement. The process was initiated by hydroxyl free radicals (OH*) generated intracellularly from internalized vanadyl(4). Intranuclear sequestration of vanadyl(4) was verified by nuclear microscopy. Resultant high oxidative reactivity in the nucleus was shown by the redox indicator methylene blue, suggesting direct oxidative damage to genomic DNA. Oxidative stress was further enhanced by depletion of glutathione which is the main cellular reducing agent. Genomic degradation and fragmentation was confirmed by flow cytometric evaluation of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated 3'OH end-labelling (TUNEL) of DNA nicks, and cell cycle DNA profiling demonstrating sub-G1 (sub-2N) accumulation. With DNA degradation, there was a G2M transient with hyperdiploid right-shifting, consistent with G2 arrest. G2 arrest was subsequently 'released' with abolition of G2M and all other cell cycle phases except for a solitary sub-G1 (apoptotic) peak. The cytological profile of this 'release' phenomenon was initially marked by the appearance of clusters of mitotic and apoptotic cells. At later stages, the cell population was composed exclusively of nuclear ghosts, apoptotic cells, mitotic cells, and mitotic cells with both chromosomes and apoptotic condensations. Concurrent and conjoint expression of cell death and cell division as the exclusive process of an entire cell population refuted the notion of mutual exclusivity between life and death. Zn2+, an endonuclease inhibitor, abolished all observed cytological and DNA profile changes.     

Effect of cadmium on cell cycle progression in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Chinese hamster ovary K1 (CHO K1) cells are very sensitive to cadmium (Cd) toxicity. They were used to investigate the effect of Cd on cell cycle progression. Cells were cultured with 0.1, 0.4, 1 or 4 microM Cd for various time intervals. There was no difference in growth rate when less than 0.4 microM Cd was given within 24 h. A dose-dependent reduction of cell proliferation was observed when more than 0.4 microM of Cd was given. The cells were pulse-labeled with 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), and the labeled cells were cultured in the presence of increasing concentrations of Cd. Cell cycle progression was retarded as a function of Cd concentration. G2/M arrest was observed when the BrdU-labeled cells were treated with 1 microM Cd for 8h, whereas cells receiving 4 microM Cd stopped at the S phase within 4 h. Cell cycle analysis of cells treated with Cd for 24 h showed that G2/M arrest occurred only when cells received 0.8 to 2 microM Cd. Despite the occurrence of G2/M arrest in the Cd treatment, only a limited proportion of the cells were blocked in the M phase. However, the increase in M phase cells coincided with an elevation in the cyclin-dependent kinase 1 activity. To examine whether Cd acts on cells at a specific cell stage, they were synchronized at the G1 or G2/M phase then treated with 1 microM Cd for 12 h. The cells were blocked at the G2/M and G1/S phase, respectively. This finding indicates that Cd toxicity is global and not cell phase specific. We also investigated the involvement of Cd-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) with the occurrence of G2/M block and found a lack of correlation between cell cycle arrest and ROS production. We measured the Cd content that caused G2/M arrest from a series of Cd treatments and determined the ranges of cumulative Cd concentrations that could result in cell cycle arrest.     

顺铂靶向食管癌细胞周期Cx43表达的研究

目的:为研究顺铂治疗食管鳞癌细胞的靶向作用。方法:本研究使用流式细胞技术双变量分析检测顺铂对食管癌细胞周期进程和癌细胞周期的连接蛋白43(connexin 43,Cx43)表达的影响。结果:顺铂对食管鳞癌细胞周期的影响主要作用于S期的DNA复制,细胞阻滞于S期,G2/M期减少。顺铂诱导食管鳞癌细胞周期S和G2/M期的Cx43表达的大幅度改变。低浓度顺铂(由0~2μmol/L),Cx43表达增强;顺铂渐高浓度(2~12μmol/L),细胞Cx43表达由强逐渐变弱,特别是G2/M期细胞的Cx43表达活跃,易受顺铂影响。结论:我们的研究表明以顺铂处理食管鳞癌细胞,癌细胞周期的S期和G2/M期的Cx43表达与S期的DNA复制一样可作为的潜在治疗靶标。顺铂靶向作用细胞周期S和/或G2/M期细胞的特性可能减少或避免对非分裂细胞的影响。     

Treatment of myeloid leukemic cells with the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid induces cell cycle arrest at either G1/S or G2/M depending on dose.

The phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid was found to induce cell cycle arrest of human myeloid leukemic cell lines HL-60 and U937 in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Exposure to low concentrations of okadaic acid (2-8nM) for 24-48 hr caused greater than 70% of cells to arrest at G2/M, with up to 40% of the cells arrested in early mitosis. Cell viability decreased rapidly after 48 hr of treatment, and morphological and DNA structure analysis indicated that this was primarily due to the induction of apoptosis. The cells arrested in mitosis by 8 nM okadaic acid could be highly enriched by density gradient centrifugation and underwent apoptosis when further cultured either with or without okadaic acid, indicating that the effects of okadaic acid were irreversible. In contrast to the effects of low concentrations of okadaic acid, high concentrations (500 nM), inhibited proliferation in less than 3 hr. Remarkably, the majority of cells also entered a mitosis-like state characterized by dissolution of the nuclear membrane and condensation and partial separation of chromosomes. However, these cells had a diploid content of DNA, indicating that the cell cycle arrest occurred at G1/S with premature chromosome condensation (PCC), rather than at G2/M. If cells were first blocked at G1/S with hydroxyurea and then treated with okadaic acid, greater than 90% developed PCC in less than 3 hr without replicating their DNA. Caffeine was not able to induce PCC in these cells, either with or without prior inhibition of DNA synthesis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

An essential role for the Saccharomyces cerevisiae DEAD-box helicase DHH1 in G1/S DNA-damage checkpoint recovery

The eukaryotic cell cycle displays a degree of plasticity in its regulation; cell cycle progression can be transiently arrested in response to environmental stresses. While the signaling pathways leading to cell cycle arrest are beginning to be well understood, the regulation of the release from arrest has not been well characterized. Here we show that DHH1, encoding a DEAD-box RNA helicase orthologous to the human putative proto-oncogene p54/RCK, is important in release from DNA-damage-induced cell cycle arrest at the G1/S checkpoint. DHH1 mutants are not defective for DNA repair and recover normally from the G2/M and replication checkpoints, suggesting a specific function for Dhh1p in recovery from G1/S checkpoint arrest. Dhh1p has been suggested to play a role in partitioning mRNAs between translatable and nontranslatable pools, and our results implicate this modulation of mRNA metabolism in the recovery from G1/S cell cycle arrest following DNA damage. Furthermore, the high degree of conservation between DHH1 and its human ortholog suggests that this mechanism is conserved among all eukaryotes and potentially important in human disease.     

Cell cycle control by Ca2+ in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We established an experimental system suitable for study of cell cycle regulation by Ca2+ in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Systematic cell cycle analysis using media containing various concentrations of Ca2+, a Ca2(+)-ionophore (A23187), and a Ca2(+)-chelator [ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)]tetraacetic acid (EGTA) revealed that simultaneous addition of 10 microM A23187 and 10 mM EGTA to cells growing in a Ca2(+)-deficient medium at 22 degrees C caused rapid decrease in intracellular Ca content and resulted in transient G1 arrest followed by block mostly at G2/M, as revealed by flow cytometry. Recovery from G1 arrest was not due to coordinated initiation of DNA synthesis and bud emergence: unbudded cells with S or G2/M DNA were observed. Examination of terminal phenotype suggested that Ca2+ was required at all the stages of the cell cycle except for the initiation of DNA synthesis. The intracellular cAMP level decreased within 10 min of addition of A23187 and EGTA. No significant transient G1 arrest was observed in cells incubated with 8-Br-cAMP, or RAS2val19 and delta bcy1 mutants, which produce a high level of cAMP and have constitutively activated cAMP-dependent protein kinase, respectively. These results indicate that Ca2+ is essential for cell cycle progression and suggest that Ca2+ may regulate the cAMP level. This system will be useful for genetic and molecular studies on cell cycle events regulated by Ca2+.     

Modulation of G(2) arrest enhances cell death induced by the antitumor 1-nitroacridine derivative,Nitracrine

Nitracrine (Ledakrin) is an antitumor drug which is activated by cellular enzymes and binds covalently to DNA. Previous studies have shown that covalent binding and crosslinking of DNA is associated with the cytotoxic and antitumor activities of this compound. In this study, cell cycle perturbations, effects on DNA synthesis and the cell death process initiated by Nitracrine were studied in murine leukemia L1210 cells. We show that exposure of L1210 cells to Nitracrine at the IC₉₉ concentration delayed progression through the S phase and transiently arrested cells in G₂/M as found by flow cytometry. Higher drug concentration (2 × IC₉₉) inhibited cell cycle progression in the S phase and induced rapid cell death. Both studied concentrations of the drug produced different effects on DNA synthesis as determined by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation, with a delay in the S phase progression at EC₉₉ concentration and irreversible arrest in early S phase at the higher dose (2 × IC₉₉). At both concentrations of Nitracrine cell death occurred preferentially in the S phase as revealed by the TUNEL assay. When cells treated with the drug for 4 hours were post-incubated in the presence of 1 mM caffeine this led to rapid cell death and suppression of the G₂ arrest. This was associated with a about 10-fold increase in the cytotoxicity of Nitracrine. Similar effects were observed for another DNA crosslinking agent, cis-platinum, and to a lesser extent, for DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor, camptothecin. Together, our studies show that suppression of G₂ arrest induced by Nitracrine greatly enhances its cytotoxicity toward L1210 cells.     

Cyanide-resistant alternative respiration is strictly correlated to intracellular peroxide levels in Acremonium chrysogenum

Long-wave ultraviolet radiation (UVA) may cause extensive DNA damage via reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study we examined whether UVA- and H₂O₂-mediated DNA damage have equivalent effects on the induction of G2/M phase checkpoint and cell cycle progression in a transformed keratinocyte cell line HaCaT. By employing single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay) we determined the equipotent doses of UVA and H₂O₂ with respect to the induction of alkali-labile sites (an indicator of oxidative DNA decay). However, in contrast to H₂O₂ which caused a pronounced G2/M cell cycle arrest 24h after treatment, UVA irradiation did not affect cell cycle progression. Increasing UVA doses up to 150 kJ/m² did not affect cell cycle and proliferation whereas increasing H₂O₂ concentrations caused a cell cycle block or cell death. Cytometric analysis revealed that G2/M cell cycle arrest took place beyond the cyclin B1 restriction point. We conclude that the DNA damage induced by UVA is easily repaired and does not perturb cell growth, whereas the H₂O₂-induced damage leads ultimately to cell cycle arrest or cell death.     

Zinc stabilizes adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) protein levels and induces cell cycle arrest in colon cancer cells

In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms by which zinc causes growth arrest in colon cancer cells. The results suggest that zinc treatment stabilizes the levels of the wild-type adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) protein at the post-translational level since the APC mRNA levels and the promoter activity of the APC gene were decreased in HCT-116 cells (which express the wild-type APC gene) after treatment with ZnCl2. Increased levels of wild-type but not truncated APC proteins were required for the ZnCl2-mediated G2/M phase arrest in different colon cancer cell lines. We further tested whether serum-stimulation, which induces cell cycle arrest in the S phase, can relieve ZnCl2-induced G2/M phase arrest of HCT-116 cells. Results showed that in the HCT-116 cells pretreated with ZnCl2, the serum-stimulation neither changed the distribution of G2/M phase arrested cells nor the increased levels of APC protein. The G2/M phase arrest correlated with retarded growth of HCT-116 cells. To further establish that wild-type APC protein plays a role in ZnCl2-induced G2/M arrest, we treated SW480 colon cancer cells that express truncated APC protein. We found that ZnCl2 treatment did not induce G2/M phase arrest in SW480 cells; however, the cell growth was retarded due to the loss of E-cadherin and alpha-tubulin levels. These results suggest that ZnCl2 inhibits the proliferation of colon cancer cells (which carry the wild-type APC gene) through stabilization of the APC protein and cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase. On the other hand, ZnCl2 inhibits the proliferation of colon cancer cells (which carry the mutant APC gene) by disrupting cellular attachment and microtubule stability.     

Activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in G2 phase delays mitotic entry through p21CIP1

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity is essential for mediating cell cycle progression from G(1) phase to S phase (DNA synthesis). In contrast, the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase during G(2) phase and mitosis (M phase) is largely undefined. Previous studies have suggested that inhibition of basal extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity delays G(2)- and M-phase progression. In the current investigation, we have examined the consequence of activating the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway during G(2) phase on subsequent progression through mitosis. Using synchronized HeLa cells, we show that activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate or epidermal growth factor during G(2) phase causes a rapid cell cycle arrest in G(2) as measured by flow cytometry, mitotic indices and cyclin B1 expression. This G(2)-phase arrest was reversed by pre-treatment with bisindolylmaleimide or U0126, which are selective inhibitors of protein kinase C proteins or the extracellular signal-regulated kinase activators, MEK1/2, respectively. The extracellular signal-regulated kinase-mediated delay in M-phase entry appeared to involve de novo synthesis of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p21(CIP1), during G(2) through a p53-independent mechanism. To establish a function for the increased expression of p21(CIP1) and delayed cell cycle progression, we show that extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation in G(2)-phase cells results in an increased number of cells containing chromosome aberrations characteristic of genomic instability. The presence of chromosome aberrations following extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation during G(2)-phase was further augmented in cells lacking p21(CIP1). These findings suggest that p21(CIP1) mediated inhibition of cell cycle progression during G(2)/M phase protects against inappropriate activation of signalling pathways, which may cause excessive chromosome damage and be detrimental to cell survival.     

H2O2-dependent hyperoxidation of peroxiredoxin 6 (Prdx6) plays a role in cellular toxicity via up-regulation of iPLA2 activity

Peroxiredoxin 6 (Prdx6) is a bifunctional enzyme with peroxidase activity and Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 (iPLA2) activity. Here, we report that H2O2-induced cellular toxicity acts through Prdx6 hyperoxidation. Under high concentrations of H2O2 (> 100 microm), Prdx6, and 2-Cys Prdxs were hyperoxidized. Contrary to hyperoxidation of 2-Cys Prdxs, hyperoxidation of Prdx6 was irreversible in vivo. Surprisingly, H2O2-induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M transition correlated with hyperoxidation and increased iPLA2 activity of Prdx6. This arrest was also associated with up-regulation of p53 and p21 and with down-regulation of cyclin B1. Furthermore, the H2O2-mediated increase in iPLA2 activity was dramatically abolished in a hyperoxidation mutant (C47A), an iPLA2 mutant (S32A), and a double mutant (C47A/S32A) of Prdx6, demonstrating the essential requirement of Prdx6 C47 hyperoxidation for its iPLA2 activity. Together, our results demonstrate that H2O2-mediated hyperoxidation of Prdx6 induces cell cycle arrest at the G2/M transition through up-regulation of iPLA2 activity.