Thyrotropin releasing hormone action in pituitary cells. Protein kinase C-mediated effects on the epidermal growth factor receptor

Thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) causes phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate hydrolysis to form inositol trisphosphate and diacylglycerol. Since diacylglycerol activates protein kinase C (Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent enzyme), this enzyme may be involved in mediating the physiological response to TRH. Activation of protein kinase C leads to phosphorylation of receptors for epidermal growth factor (EGF) and decreased EGF affinity. The present study examined the effect of TRH on EGF binding to intact GH4C1 rat pituitary tumor cells to test whether TRH activates protein kinase C. Cells were incubated with TRH at 37 degrees C and specific 125I-EGF binding was then measured at 4 degrees C. 125I-EGF binding was decreased by a 10-min treatment with 0.1-100 nM TRH to 30-40% of control in a dose-dependent manner. 125I-EGF binding was not altered if cells were incubated at 4 degrees C, although TRH receptors were saturated or in a variant pituitary cell line without TRH receptors. TRH (10 min at 37 degrees C) decreased EGF receptor affinity but caused little change in receptor density, 125I-EGF internalization, or degradation. When cells were incubated continuously with TRH, there was a recovery of 125I-EGF binding after 24 h. Incubation with the protein kinase C activating phorbol ester TPA caused an immediate (less than 10 min) profound (greater than 85%) decrease in 125I-EGF binding followed by partial recovery at 24 h. Maximally effective doses of TRH and TPA decreased EGF receptor affinity with half-times of 3 min. EGF treatment (5 min) caused an increase in the tyrosine phosphate content of several proteins; prior incubation with TRH resulted in a small decline in the EGF response. GH4C1 cells were incubated with 500 nM TPA for 24 h in order to down-regulate protein kinase C. Protein kinase C depletion was confirmed by immunoblots and the effects of TRH and TPA on 125I-EGF binding were tested. TRH and TPA were both much less effective in cells pretreated with phorbol esters. TRH increased cytoplasmic pH measured with an intracellularly trapped pH sensitive dye after mild acidification with nigericin. This TRH response is presumed to be the result of protein kinase C-mediated activation of the amiloride-sensitive Na+/H+ exchanger and was blunted in protein kinase C-depleted cells. All of these results are consistent with the view that TRH acts rapidly in the intact cell to activate protein kinase C and that a consequence of this activation is EGF receptor phosphorylation and Na+/H+ exchanger activation.     

p-Azidophenylglyoxal-Epidermal Growth Factor: A Photoactivatable Affinity Crosslinking Reagent

Abstract

A photoaffinity derivative of highly purified ¹²⁵I-labelled epidermal growth factor (¹²⁵I-EGF) has been synthesized. The heterobifunctional crosslinking reagent p-azidophenylglyoxal (PAPG) was bound to arginine residues in ¹²⁵I-EGF. PAPG-¹²⁵I-EGF bound to EGF receptors on rat fibroblasts and human A431 epidermoid carcinoma cells in culture. An apparent decreased affinity of PAPG-¹²⁵I-EGF for the EGF receptor is in accord with at least one arginine being at or near the EGF receptor binding site. The PAPG-¹²⁵I-EGF:EGF receptor complexes on rat cells were internalized to the same extent as control EGF:receptor complexes. A431 cells treated with PAPG-¹²⁵I-EGF were irradiated with ultraviolet light and the labelled proteins were analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The 3 major labelled proteins had apparent molecular weights ranging from 75,000 to 200,000. Only the labelling of the 200,000-M_r protein was prevented by the addition of excess unlabelled EGF with the PAPG-¹²⁵I-EGF. This molecular weight is in agreement with the reported size of the EGF receptor plus EGF. A protein with apparent molecular weight of 100,000 was labelled by ¹²⁵I-EGF by an unknown mechanism which was dependent on the dose of UV light and blocked by the addition of excess unlabelled EGF.     

EGF receptor affinity is regulated by intracellular calcium and protein kinase C

Phorbol esters specifically reduce the binding of epidermal growth factor to surface receptors in intact cells, but not when added directly to isolated membranes. We show that after treatment of intact cells with phorbol myristate acetate, 125I-EGF binding is reduced in membranes prepared subsequently. High-affinity binding of 125I-EGF is modulated by an intracellular calcium-dependent regulatory process. Preventing calcium entry with EGTA or enhancing intracellular calcium with A23187 in intact cells modulates EGF receptor affinity in membranes isolated subsequently. Also, EGTA attenuates the usual inhibition of EGF binding caused by phorbol esters. Membrane preparations do not respond to phorbol ester treatment because the calcium- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C is removed or inactivated during membrane isolation. Reconstitution of unresponsive membranes with purified C kinase alters phosphorylation of the EGF receptor and restores the inhibitory effect of phorbol esters on 125I-EGF binding previously observed only in intact cells. Thus, activation of the Ca++-dependent enzyme, C kinase, modulates EGF receptor affinity, possibly via altered receptor phosphorylation.     

Verapamil enhances the toxicity of conjugates of epidermal growth factor with Pseudomonas exotoxin and antitransferrin receptor with Pseudomonas exotoxin

Verapamil, a clinically important calcium channel blocker, has been found to cause a 40-fold enhancement of killing of the human KB cell line by a cytotoxic conjugate of epidermal growth factor with Pseudomonas exotoxin (EGF-PE). Synergistic effects of verapamil and EGF-PE are also seen on HeLa D98 cells and a human epidermal carcinoma cell line, A431. Verapamil also potentiates the effect of a toxic conjugate formed between Pseudomonas exotoxin and a monoclonal antibody to the human transferrin receptor (anti-TFR-PE) and enhances the effect of Pseudomonas exotoxin (PE) alone. Two other calcium antagonists were tested. Diltiazem enhances the cytotoxic effect of EGF-PE, but nifedipine does not. Verapamil does not affect the binding and uptake of 125I-EGF by KB cells, but it significantly delays the disappearance of internalized 125I-EGF from the cells. Density gradient fractionation studies using cell homogenates suggest that 125I-EGF accumulates in an undegraded form in lysosomes when cells are treated with verapamil. By immunofluorescence microscopy using an antibody to PE, EGF-PE was found to accumulate in lysosomes; by electron microscopy the lysosomes had an abnormal appearance. The effects of verapamil on toxicity of EGF-PE and lysosomal function appear to be related. However, it is not known whether the enhanced toxicity of EGF-PE in the presence of verapamil is due to its delayed degradation in lysosomes or some more general effect of verapamil on membrane permeability.     

Dimethyl sulfoxide decreases specific EGF binding

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) stimulates tyrosine phosphorylation of the hepatic EGF receptor in isolated membrane preparations. To determine whether DMSO affects EGF binding, primary cultures of rat hepatocytes were incubated with 1-10% DMSO for 30 min prior to the addition of 125I-EGF. DMSO (1-2%) reduced specific 125I-EGF binding; the effect was maximal (a 40-60% reduction) at 5-7.5% DMSO and was reversed by removing the DMSO. Scatchard analysis showed that the reduction in binding was due to a change in receptor affinity. The decrease in binding was not seen when other, slightly less polar, solvents (eg, acetone and ethanol) were tested. DMSO also reduced 125I-EGF binding to purified rat liver plasma membranes. This reduction was seen in the absence of added ATP and in membranes that had been pretreated with TLCK, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Thus, completion of the receptor autophosphorylation reaction was not necessary to effect the change. The data are consistent with a DMSO-induced alteration of receptor conformation that reversibly reduces receptor affinity.     

Accumulation of epidermal growth factor receptors in retinoic acid-treated fetal rat lung cells is due to enhanced receptor synthesis

125I-Epidermal growth factor (EGF) binding capacity in fetal rat lung (FRL) cells is increased approximately 2 to 3-fold within 18 h of retinoic acid addition. Analysis of 125I-EGF binding assays at 0 C reveals approximately 25,000 receptors per cell, while analysis of growth factor binding to retinoic acid-treated cells demonstrates an increase in receptor levels to approximately 70,000 receptors per cell with no detectable changes in receptor affinities. We show by immunoprecipitation of 35S-methionine labeled EGF receptors that retinoic acid addition produces an increase in the accumulation of EGF receptor protein. Using brief pulses of 35S-methionine, an increase in EGF receptor synthesis can be identified within 3 h after retinoic acid addition. These results are the first to demonstrate that a retinoic acid-induced increase in 125I-EGF binding capacity is due to increased EGF receptor protein synthesis. Also, we find that a transient decrease in the rate of EGF receptor turnover occurs when retinoic acid is initially added to FRL cells. On the basis of our data, we conclude that the retinoic acid-induced accumulation of EGF receptors in FRL cells is primarily due to increased receptor synthesis. The effect of retinoic acid on EGF receptor turnover may be a secondary factor, influencing the rate at which receptors accumulate.     

Inhibition of the binding of 125I-labelled epidermal growth factor to mouse cells by a mitogen in goat mammary secretions.

Pre-colostrum and colostrum from goats cause a marked inhibition of the binding of 125I-labelled epidermal growth factor (125I-EGF) to Swiss 3T3 cells. The ability of these secretions to inhibit 125I-EGF binding is closely correlated with the ability to stimulate DNA synthesis in quiescent 3T3 cell cultures, suggesting that goat mammary secretions may contain an EGF-related mitogen. However, the material in colostrum which inhibits 125I-EGF binding to Swiss 3T3 cells is a basic protein with Mr greater than 20000 and is thus quite different from mouse and human EGF. Furthermore, the colostral-mediated inhibition of 125I-EGF binding, although rapid and apparently competitive, differs from the inhibition of binding induced by native, unlabelled EGF. Thus, the inhibitory effect of colostrum is markedly decreased when the assay temperature is shifted from 37 degrees C to 4 degrees C whereas unlabelled EGF is an effective competitive inhibitor at both 37 degrees C and 4 degrees C. Incubation of cells with EGF causes a reduction in cell surface EGF receptors whereas exposure to colostrum does not induce down-regulation of the EGF receptor. Our results suggest that the colostral factor does not bind directly to EGF receptors but inhibits 125I-EGF binding by an indirect mechanism which involves a temperature-sensitive step.     

beta-Adrenergic regulation of insulin and epidermal growth factor receptors in rat adipocytes

Incubation of intact rat adipocytes with physiological concentrations of catecholamines inhibits the specific binding of 125I-insulin and 125I-epidermal growth factor (EGF) by 40 to 70%. Affinity labeling of the alpha subunit of the insulin receptor demonstrates that the inhibition of hormone binding is directly reflective of a specific decrease in the degree of receptor occupancy. The stereospecificity and dose dependency of the binding inhibitions are typical of a classic beta 1-adrenergic receptor response with half-maximal inhibition occurring at 10 nM R-(-)-isoproterenol. Specific alpha-adrenergic receptor agonists and beta-adrenergic receptor antagonists have no effect, while beta-adrenergic receptor antagonists block the inhibition of 125I-insulin and 125I-EGF binding to receptors induced by beta-adrenergic receptor agonists. Further, these effects are mimicked by incubation of adipocytes with dibutyryl cyclic AMP or with 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine. The beta-adrenergic inhibition of both 125I-insulin and 125I-EGF binding is very rapid, requiring only 10 min of isoproterenol pretreatment at 37 degrees C for a maximal effect. Removal of isoproterenol by washing the cells in the presence of alprenolol leads to complete reversal of these effects. The inhibition of 125I-EGF binding is temperature dependent whereas the inhibition of 125I-insulin binding is relatively insensitive to the temperature of isoproterenol pretreatment. Scatchard analysis of 125I-insulin and 125I-EGF binding demonstrated that the decrease of insulin receptor-binding activity may be due to a decrease in the apparent number of insulin receptors while the inhibition of EGF receptor binding can be accounted for by a decrease in apparent EGF receptor affinity. The decrease in the insulin receptor-binding activity is physiologically expressed as a dose-dependent decrease of insulin responsiveness in the adipocyte with respect to two known responses, stimulation of insulin-like growth factor II receptor binding and activation of the glucose-transport system. These results demonstrate a beta-adrenergic receptor-mediated cyclic AMP-dependent mechanism for the regulation of insulin and EGF receptors in the rat adipocyte.     

Heterogeneity of 125I-labeled epidermal growth factor

Highly purified epidermal growth factor (EGF) was iodinated, and the labeled product with the same isoelectric point as underivatized EGF was isolated by isoelectric focusing. When the 125I-labeled EGF was analyzed by reverse-phase chromatography, the resulting profile of 125I activity was much broader than the profile obtained with underivatized EGF. Rechromatography of 125I-EGF fractions indicated that our highly-purified labelled EGF was indeed heterogeneous. Analysis of each HPLC column fraction demonstrated that degradation of EGF had not occurred. The column fractions containing 125I-EGF were pooled into five groups for analysis of cell binding characteristics. Scatchard plot analysis of the five 125I-EGF pools revealed markedly different binding behaviors. In contrast, they had equal potency in stimulating DNA synthesis, within the sensitivity of our assay. Specific activity measurements indicated that the five HPLC pools of 125I-EGF had varying numbers of 125I atoms per EGF molecule. The heterogeneity of the highly purified 125I-EGF and the binding characteristics of the 125I-EGF subfractions pose serious implications for all workers who use iodinated ligands for receptor binding studies.     

Consumption of EGF by A431 cells: evidence for receptor recycling

We examined the extent of EGF consumption by EGFR in A431 cells. When 125I-EGF was added to A431 cell cultures at low or high density, at concentrations which corresponded to 10-fold excess of ligand over receptor on the cell surface, most of the 125I-EGF was consumed within 2 h. The amounts of 125I-EGF consumed were much greater than available EGFR on the A431 cells, by a factor of 6.5 in low-density cultures and 5.8 in high-density cultures. When the concentration of 125I-EGF was increased in low density cultures, further consumption of 125I-EGF by the A431 cells was greatly reduced, partially due to a rapid down regulation of EGFR. However, when higher concentrations of 125I-EGF were added to high density cultures, with reduced receptor down regulation, the cells continued to consume a large fraction of the EGF in the culture medium. The consumption of 125I-EGF by these cultures was in excellent agreement with the measured amount of ligand internalized into the cell. EGF consumption was far in excess of the number of EGFR down regulated or degraded. Only a minor portion of the EGFR could have been replaced during the assay period by synthesis of new EGFR or from the intracellular pool of EGFR, and the fluid-phase uptake of EGF is only temporarily increased by exposure to EGF. Our results demonstrate that EGFR in high density A431 cell cultures recycled many times. The apparent level of recycling was dependent upon the concentration of EGF and followed Michaelis-Menton kinetics for ligand concentrations as high as 215 nM. At this EGF concentration, high-density cultures consumed 45 EGF molecules per receptor over a period of 6 h.     

Interactions between the receptors for platelet-derived growth factor and epidermal growth factor

Preincubation of Swiss 3T3 cells or human fibroblasts with purified platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) at 4 degrees C or 37 degrees C rapidly inhibits subsequent binding of 125I-epidermal growth factor (125I-EGF). The effect does not result from competition by PDGF for binding to the EGF receptor since (a) very low concentrations of PDGF are effective, (b) cells with EGF receptors but no PDGF receptors are not affected, and (c) the inhibition persists even if the bound PDGF is eluted before incubating the cells with 125I-EGF. PDGF does not affect 125I-insulin binding nor does EGF affect 125I-PDGF binding under these conditions. Endothelial cell-derived growth factor also competes for binding to PDGF receptors and inhibits 125I-EGF binding. The inhibition demonstrated by PDGF seems to result from an increase in the Kd for 125I-EGF binding with no change in the number of EGF receptors.     

Regulation of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor activity during the modulation of protein synthesis.

The capacity of cultured human fibroblasts to bind 125I-labeled epidermal growth factor (EGF) was measured during protein synthesis inhibition and reinitiation. Protein synthesis was inhibited by incubation of human fibroblasts in histidine-free medium supplemented with L-histidinol to produce a stringent amino acid starvation. Under these conditions 125 I-EGF binding activity decreased with a half-life of 14.5 hours. Protein synthesis could be rapidly reinitiated by the addition of L-histidine to human fibroblasts which had been preincubated in histidinol containing media for 36 to 48 hours. 125I-EGF binding activity rapidly increased upon the reinitiation of protein synthesis. In the presence of serum 100% of the original binding capacity was recovered ten hours after the reinitiation or protein synthesis, while 70% of the binding capacity was recovered in 12 hours in serum-free media. The recovery of 125I-EGF binding activity after the reinitiation of protein synthesis, was not blocked by the presence of Actinomycin D, indicating that the messenger RNA for the EGF receptor may accumulate during the period of histidinol-mediated inhibition of protein synthesis. The time course of recovery of 125I-EGF binding activity after the reinitiation of protein synthesis is very similar to that observed during the recovery of receptor activity following "down regulation" of EGF receptor activity. Recovery from down regulation, however, was markedly sensitive to Actinomycin D.     

Effect of oxidative iodination of epidermal growth factor on its binding and secretion by hepatocytes

Experiments were undertaken to determine whether the method of iodination of epidermal growth factor (EGF) affects its binding to rat liver plasma membranes and its uptake, processing, and secretion into bile by intact rat hepatocytes. EGF was iodinated using one of three oxidative reagents: chloramine T (CT), lactoperoxidase (LP), or monochloride (MC). Quantitative receptor binding studies on plasma membranes isolated from male rat livers with either CT-, LP-or MC-125I-EGF indicated no significant difference in the apparent binding constants of the three preparations. To determine whether these three preparations were capable of forming a covalent-like complex with the EGF receptor, they were individually incubated with isolated plasma membranes and subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions, followed by autoradiography. Each preparation formed a major radioactive protein band of approximately 180 kD, identified as the EGF receptor by immunoprecipitation with monoclonal anti-EGF receptor antibodies. Furthermore, even unlabeled EGF incubated with plasma membranes formed this same 180 kD band, as revealed on Western blots using anti-EGF antibody. The biliary secretion of CT-, LP-, and MC-125I-EGF was compared by injecting each one into rat portal veins and measuring the total and immunoprecipitable radioactivity in bile. The amount of immunologically intact CT-125I-EGF in bile was significantly greater than the others, whereas MC-125I-EGF transport was significantly reduced. We conclude that the method of iodination does not affect the covalent-like binding properties of EGF. Furthermore, since unlabeled EGF displayed these same binding properties, oxidative iodination procedures per se do not account for the covalent-like association between EGF and its receptor. However, the method of iodination used did affect the intracellular transport and processing of EGF by hepatocytes. The structural modification responsible for this alteration in transport properties has yet to be determined.     

Epidermal growth factor-dependent growth of human KB cells in a defined medium and altered growth factor requirements of KB mutants resistant to EGF-Pseudomonas exotoxin conjugates

A serum-free culture system was established for human KB carcinoma (HeLa) cells that consisted of a chemically defined medium and several growth factors including epidermal growth factor (EGF), insulin, transferrin, hydrocortisone, and ethanolamine. EGF and insulin showed the greatest effects on the growth rate of KB cells. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) at the same concentration as insulin stimulated cell growth less than insulin. Transferrin, hydrocortisone, or ethanolamine had no growth-stimulatory effects alone but were stimulatory when combined with EGF and/or insulin. Transforming growth factor-beta inhibited growth and triiodothyronine stimulated growth. The growth factor requirements were established for several KB mutants with low EGF receptor levels that had been selected for resistance to a conjugate of EGF with Pseudomonas exotoxin (EGF-PE). Three of five KB mutants did not respond to EGF; two other mutants responded to a lesser extent than the parental KB cells. Four mutants had a reduced response to insulin and responded to T3; one mutant (ET-30) responded to neither. These results indicate that KB cells selected for EGF-PE resistance have lost their growth response to EGF and illustrate the usefulness of serum-free medium for studying the growth factor requirements of mutants with altered receptor levels.     

Tumor-promoting phorbol diesters mediate phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor

4 beta-Phorbol 12 beta-myristate 13 alpha-acetate (PMA) markedly inhibited the binding of low concentrations (less than 10(-9 m) of 125I-epidermal growth factor (EGF) to A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells. However, very little change in the binding of 125-I-EGF at high concentrations (greater than 10(-8) M) was observed in response to PMA. Affinity labeling of the 170,000-dalton EGF receptor with 125I-EGF and disuccinimidyl suberate was also decreased by the tumor promoter at low, but not high, concentrations of 125I-EGF. In order to examine this action of PMA on the EGF receptor, the receptor phosphorylation state was evaluated in A431 cells that had been incubated with [32P]phosphate for 3 h prior to the addition of PMA. The 32P content of the EGF receptor purified with EGF-Sepharose was increased by 38% compared with the same amount of receptor isolated from control cells. The increase in EGF receptor phosphorylation was dose-dependent with a half-maximal effect between 0.1 and 1 nM PMA and was specific for tumor promoting analogues of phorbol diesters. Phosphoamino acid analysis indicated that the increase in the 32P content of the EGF receptor was mainly due to phosphoserine. These results demonstrate that the EGF receptor is a target for PMA action and suggest that the mechanism of PMA action on the response of cells to epidermal growth factor may be mediated in part by phosphorylation of the EGF receptor.     

Solubilization of membrane receptor for epidermal growth factor.

The membrane receptor for epidermal growth factor (EGF) has been solubilized from A-431 tumor cells using Triton X-100. Operational criteria used to define solubilization include failure of the binding activity to be pelleted after centrifugation at 90,000 x g for 1.5 hrs and the requirement for polyethylene glycol precipitation to detect ¹²⁵I-EGF: receptor complexes on membrane filters. Properties of the solubilized EGF are characterized and compared to the properties of the particulate receptor. The specific binding capacity of the solubilized EGF receptor was 8.0 picomoles ¹²⁵I-EGF bound per mg protein--approximately 60% of the binding capacity of particulate receptor preparations. Also, solubilization of the EGF receptor resulted in a 10-fold decrease in the affinity of the receptor for ¹²⁵I-EGF.     

Receptor modulating properties of an antibody directed against the epidermal growth factor receptor

A murine antiserum with specificity for the human epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor was used to investigate EGF receptor function. The IgG fraction of this antiserum displayed no EGF-like mitogenic activity, even when cross-linking was ensured by sequential treatment with rabbit anti-(mouse IgG). The interaction of antibody with solubilized purified EGF receptor was characterized in detail. The binding of 125I-antibody to the receptor was not blocked by EGF, but the binding of 125I-EGF to the receptor was blocked by the immune IgG. Scatchard analysis of this reaction revealed a reduction in maximal EGF binding but an enhanced EGF binding affinity. In addition, at low concentrations, the immune IgG was found to enhance receptor kinase activity in the absence of EGF. The enhancement of kinase activity, as measured by receptor phosphorylation, was due to a decreased Km for ATP, and an increased V. These results suggest that the antibody is capable of altering conformations at receptor active sites by binding to non-active species-specific epitopes.     

Characterization of epidermal growth factor receptor induction by retinoic acid in a chemically transformed rat liver cell line

Levels of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor expression vary widely among cell lines derived clonally from a chemically transformed population of rat liver epithelial cells. Retinoic acid (RA), a derivative of vitamin A that stimulates differentiation in a number of embryonal cell lines, increases the level of 125I-EGF binding in several clones of the transformed cell lines. One such cell line, GP6ac, which reverts to a less transformed phenotype when treated with RA, exhibited a 3-4-fold increase in surface EGF receptors with prolonged (2-5-day) RA exposure. The increase persisted as long as the cells were treated with RA. The increase in surface EGF receptors was due to induction of receptor biosynthesis, which occurred within 4 h at both the mRNA and protein levels and persisted until the RA was withdrawn. Paradoxically, the RA response was accompanied by an initial 40-50% decrease in 125I-EGF binding during the first 12 h of RA treatment. The decrease was due primarily to a reduction of receptor affinity. Since the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate also decreases 125I-EGF binding and increases EGF receptor biosynthesis in GP6ac cells, we tested the effect of RA in cells depleted of protein kinase C by prolonged treatment (18 h) with 10 microM 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. The absence of protein kinase C did not affect the induction of receptor mRNA and protein or the decrease in binding during the early period of RA exposure. This indicates that RA induction of EGF receptor synthesis in GP6ac cells involves signaling pathways distinct from those utilized by phorbol esters.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Reconstitution of human epidermal growth factor receptors and its deletion mutants in cultured hamster cells

DNA sequences encoding the human epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and various EGF-receptor deletion mutants were transfected into chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells devoid of endogenous EGF receptors. A functional human EGF-receptor is expressed on the surface of heterologous CHO cells with the following properties: it exhibits typical high affinity (10%; Kd = 3 X 10(-10) M) and low affinity (90%; Kd = 3 X 10(-9) M) binding sites for 125I-EGF; it is expressed as a polypeptide of 170,000 molecular weight with intrinsic protein tyrosine kinase activity. EGF stimulates the kinase activity leading to self-phosphorylation and to phosphorylation of exogenous substrate; 125I-EGF is rapidly internalized into the CHO cells by receptor mediated endocytosis and; EGF stimulates DNA synthesis in the cells expressing the human EGF-receptor. Deletion of 63 amino acids from the C-terminal end of EGF-receptor, which removes two autophosphorylation sites, abolishes the high affinity state of the receptor. Nevertheless, this receptor mutant is able to undergo endocytosis and to respond mitogenically to EGF to a similar extent as the "wild type" receptor. Further deletions from the cytoplasmic domain give rise to low affinity endocytosis-defective receptor mutants. Finally, deletion of the transmembrane domain of the human receptor yields an EGF-receptor ligand binding domain which is secreted from the cells.     

Epidermal growth factor binding is altered in pancreatic acini from diabetic rats

The effects of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on 125I-labeled epidermal growth factor (EGF) binding were studied in rat pancreatic acini. 125I-EGF binding was one-half maximal at 20 min, and maximal at 90 min. Saturation data revealed a decreased binding capacity in diabetic acini when compared with normal acini. Insulin, in vivo, normalized the decreased binding capacity. 125I-EGF internalization was also decreased in diabetic rat acini. Further, the inhibitory effect of cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK8) on cell-associated 125I-EGF radioactivity was significantly greater in diabetic than in normal rat acini. These findings suggest that insulin deficiency may lead to defective regulation of the exocrine pancreas by EGF.