Characterization of a BALB/c 3T3 preadipose cell mutant with altered Na+K+Cl- cotransport activity

A BALB/c 3T3 cell mutant (3T3-E12) was isolated by its ability to survive at a low extracellular K+ concentration (0.14 mM). The growth rate of mutant cells was less dependent on external K+ than parental cells. Analysis of potassium transport revealed that 3T3-E12 cells have a decreased activity of the furosemide-sensitive Na+K+Cl- cotransport system, both in the efflux and influx modes. This is shown to be a result of a decrease in the apparent affinity of the transport system for K+ and Na+, but not Cl-. Upon exposure to the phorbol ester 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), BALB/c 3T3 cells exhibited a maximal volume decrease of 20%, while mutant cells shrunk by only 7%, suggesting that regulation of cell volume, at least four exposure to a tumor promoter, is impaired in mutant cells compared to parental 3T3 cells.     

Phorbol esters and mitogenesis: comparison of the proliferative response of parental and Na+K+Cl- -cotransport-defective BALB/c 3T3 cells to 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate

The ability of the phorbol ester 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) to stimulate the growth of quiescent BALB/c 3T3 cell lines lacking Na+K+Cl- cotransport activity was tested. We have previously isolated and characterized two mutant cell lines defective in this important ion transport system by mutagenesis and selection in medium containing low K+. To test our hypothesis that loss of this transport activity might abrogate the proliferative response to TPA, two kinds of mitogenesis assays were performed. First, the effect of 0.16 microM TPA on the saturation density of parental vs. mutant cell lines was determined. TPA caused a small but reproducible 30-35% increase in the saturation density of mutant cells compared to the 100-120% increase seen in parental cell lines. Second, the effect of TPA on the incorporation of 3H-thymidine into cell nuclei (labeling index) was measured. While some variability from experiment to experiment in the extent and time course of the response of mutant cells was noted, TPA either had no effect or only a small effect on the labeling index when compared to the response of parental cells. When a range of concentrations of TPA (0.016-1.6 microM) was tested, neither cell line exhibited a large response to any concentration. These results suggest that loss of Na+K+Cl- cotransport activity decreases the response of these cells to the mitogenic action of TPA.     

Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport is stimulated by a Ca(++)-calmodulin-mediated pathway in BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts.

In the present study, we investigated the role of intracellular Ca++ in the stimulation of the Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport in synchronized BALB/c 3T3 cells. The Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport was stimulated by the growth factors EGF, TGF-alpha, IGF-1, and IGF-2, which do not activate protein kinase C, but do induce a transient increase in free cytoplasmic Ca++. In addition, direct activation of protein kinase C by the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) did not affect the Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport activity of quiescent cells. The Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport was also stimulated by the above mitogens in cells pretreated with the phorbol ester TPA. This treatment led to a progressive decline in the activity of cellular protein kinase C. This result implies that cells deficient in protein kinase C may still support stimulation of the Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport. Taken as a whole, these findings suggest that the Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport is stimulated predominantly by a protein kinase C-independent mechanism in BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts. Both the intracellular Ca++ antagonist 8-(N,N-diethylamino)octyl-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate (TMB-8) and two potent calmodulin antagonists, trifluoperazine (TFP) and chloropromazine (CP), blocked serum- and mitogen-stimulated Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport. These results suggest that the Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport is stimulated by an increase of intracellular Ca++ and subsequently by a Ca(++)-calmodulin-mediated pathway in the synchronized BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts.     

A phorbol ester-nonproliferative variant of Swiss 3T3 cells is deficient in Na+K+Cl- cotransport activity

The identity of the genetic defect(s) in Swiss 3T3 TNR-2 and TNR-9 that confers nonresponsiveness to the proliferative effect of 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) is not known. In BALB/c 3T3 cells, loss (via mutation) of a specific membrane ion transport system, the furosemide-sensitive Na+K+Cl- cotransporter, is associated with decreased responsiveness to TPA. In this study, the transport properties of parental Swiss 3T3 cells and the TPA-nonresponsive lines TNR-2 and TNR-9 were determined in the presence and absence of TPA. When the rate of 86Rb+ efflux (as a tracer for K+) was measured from each of the three cell lines, a furosemide- and TPA-inhibitable component of efflux was clearly evident in parental and TNR-9 cells but was virtually absent in TNR-2 cells. 86Rb+ influx measurements indicated the presence in parental 3T3 cells and the TNR-9 line of a substantial furosemide-sensitive flux that could be inhibited by TPA. In contrast, much less furosemide-sensitive influx was present in 3T3-TNR-2 cells and it was relatively unaffected by TPA. In both parental 3T3 and 3T3-TNR-2 cells, most of the furosemide-sensitive 86Rb+ influx is dependent on extracellular Na+ and Cl-. The apparent affinities of the transporter for these two ions, as well as for K+, were similar in both cell lines. In parental cells, the inhibition of furosemide-sensitive 86Rb+ influx was quite sensitive to TPA (K1/2 approximately equal to 1 nM) and occurred very rapidly after phorbol ester exposure. As expected because of its volume-regulatory role, inhibition of Na+K+Cl- cotransport by TPA in parental cells caused a substantial reduction in cell volume (25%). In contrast, because of the reduced level of cotransport activity in TNR-2 cells, TPA had only a slight effect on cell volume. These results suggest that the genetic defect in 3T3-TNR-2 cells (but not TNR-9 cells) responsible for nonresponsiveness to phorbol esters may be the reduction of Na+K+Cl- cotransport activity. Thus this membrane transport system may be an important component of the signal transduction pathway used by phorbol esters in 3T3 cells.     

Regulation of hexose transport in BALB/c 3T3 preadipose cells: effects of glucose concentration and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate

Like many cell types in culture, both undifferentiated and differentiated BALB/c 3T3 preadipose cells respond to glucose deprivation with an increased uptake of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (deoxyglucose) and 3-O-methyl-D-glucose (methylglucose). Glucose readdition to glucose-deprived cultures resulted in a prompt fall in uptake activity; in undifferentiated cells, a half-maximally effective concentration of glucose was approximately 0.5 mM, while 0.1 mM was ineffective. Several hexoses differed in their efficacy of "deactivating" methylglucose transport in glucose-deprived cells; it appeared that a particular hexose must be metabolized beyond the 6-phosphate form to deactivate the transport system. Previous studies have shown that the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) stimulates hexose transport in undifferentiated and differentiated BALB/c 3T3 cells. In this study, it was found that TPA (and insulin in differentiated cells) prevented the glucose-induced deactivation of transport activity. Glucose-induced deactivation of transport activity was also prevented by cycloheximide or actinomycin D addition concomitantly with glucose. In glucose-starved cells, agents such as TPA and insulin appear to override a cellular control mechanism sensitive to the external concentration of glucose, so that elevated levels of transport activity are maintained under environmental conditions (i.e., a return to physiological glucose concentrations) that normally induce a fall in transport activity.     

Phorbol ester TPA inhibits the stimulation of bumetanide-sensitive Na+/K+/Cl- transporter by different mitogens in quiescent BALB/c 3T3 mouse fibroblasts

In this study we examined the effect of the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) on the bumetanide-sensitive Na+/K+/Cl- transporter in quiescent BALB/c 3T3 cells. We have shown that exposure of quiescent BALB/c 3T3 cultures to phorbol ester did not inhibit the basal bumetanide-sensitive Rb+ influx or efflux. In fact, at high concentration (100 ng/ml), TPA slightly stimulated the bumetanide-sensitive Rb+ influx and efflux. However, when the quiescent cultures were stimulated by serum or by defined growth factors, the stimulated fraction of the bumetanide-sensitive Rb+ influx was drastically inhibited by exposure of the cells to the phorbol ester TPA. Based on the above findings, we propose that activation of protein kinase C by the phorbol ester TPA does not inhibit the Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport activity; however it does suppress only the growth-factors-stimulated fraction of the cotransport in quiescent BALB/c 3T3 cells. These data propose that activation of kinase C has a regulatory feedback effect on the stimulation of the Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport activity by growth factors.     

Inhibition of adipose conversion of BALB/c 3T3 cells by interferon and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate

The adipose conversion of BALB/c 3T3 preadipose cells is inhibited by interferon; this inhibition is directly correlation with the interferon concentration. In cultures treated with low doses of interferon and the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, another inhibitor of adipose conversion (Diamond et al., 1977), the two compounds act synergistically to block differentiation. Several lines of evidence suggest that the compounds differ in the mechanism by which they inhibit adipose conversion.     

The tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate stimulates lactate production in BALB/c 3T3 preadipose cells.

The tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), which reversibly inhibits the adipose conversion of $\text{BALB}\text{c}$ 3T3 preadipose cells, increases lactate production by these cells. The stimulation of lactate production requires 4–7 days for optimal effect. Once TPA is removed from the cultures, the rate of lactate production falls to control levels. The concentration dependence for the TPA-mediated stimulation of lactate production is similar to that for its inhibitory effect on adipose conversion. Exogenous lactate in the absence of TPA also inhibits adipose conversion. These results suggest that the ability of TPA to interfere with the normal pattern of glucose metabolism may be important in the inhibitory effect of TPA on triglyceride accumulation in these cells.     

Hexose transport in undifferentiated and differentiated BALB/c 3T3 preadipose cells: Effects of 12–0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and insulin

The effect of the phorbol diester 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) on hexose transport in undifferentiated and differentiated BALB/c 3T3 preadipose cells was studied. Additon of TPA to undifferentiated or fully differentiated cultures resulted in an increased rate of both 2-deoxyglucose uptake and 3-0-methylglucose transport; the time course and maximal stimulation differed for each type of culture and for each hexose. In confluent, undifferentiated cells, half-maximal stimulation of 2-deoxyglucose uptake occurred at 3 nM TPA, while the half-maximal stimulation of 3–0-methylglucose occurred at 30 nM. Epidermal growth factor and fetal bovine serum increased 2-deoxyglucose uptake in undifferentiated cells, while insulin did not. Insulin did, however, stimulate 3–0-methylglucose transport in differentiated cells. From dose-response curves in differentiated cells, halfmaximally effective concentrations were 0.17 nM for insulin and 30 nM for TPA. At optimal concentrations and incubation times for each, TPA was significantly more effective than insulin in stimulating hexose transport in differentiated cells. It was also shown that insulin could further increase hexose transport in maximally stimulated TPA-treated cells. Cycloheximide inhibited by 75% the increase in hexose transport by TPA in differentiated cells, while having no effect on the response of these cells to insulin. In differentiated cells, chronic exposure to insulin abolished the ability of these cells to respond acutely to insulin addition but they could still respond to TPA. On the other hand, differentiated cells exposed continuously to TPA for 5 days retained the ability to activate 3–0-methylglucose transport after either TPA or insulin addition. These results demonstrate that TPA can stimulate hexose transport directly in both undifferentiated and differentiated 3T3 cells and suggest that TPA and insulin affect transport by different mechanisms.     

Furosemide-sensitive salt transport in the Madin-Darby canine kidney cell line. Evidence for the cotransport of Na+, K+, and Cl-

Confluent monolayer cultures of the Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell line have been shown to possess a furosemide and bumetanide-sensitive (Na+,K+)-cotransport system. We have studied the effect of anion substitutions on (Na+,K+)-cotransport. In Na+-depleted cells, bumetanide-sensitive uptake of 22Na+ or 86Rb+ exhibited an absolute requirement for extracellular Cl-. Chloride could be replaced in the buffers by Br-, but not by F-, I-, acetate, nitrate, thiocyanate, sulfate, or gluconate. The effect of Cl- was saturating, and Na+-stimulated 86RB+ uptake as well as K+-stimulated 22Na+ uptake was shown to be dependent on the square of the Cl- concentration. The concentration of Cl- which gave half-maximal stimulation of cation cotransport varied between 58 and 70 mM. There was a small degree of cooperativity between the binding affinities for Cl- and K+ at constant Na+ concentrations. Bumetanide-sensitive 36Cl- uptake could be demonstrated when extracellular Na+ and K+ were present simultaneously. Uptake through this system was unaffected by changes in the membrane potential or by the imposition of pH gradients. Together these data strongly suggest that the bumetanide-sensitive transport system in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells co-transports Na+, K+, and Cl- in a ratio of 1:1:2.     

Ouabain-resistant Na+, K+ transport system in mouse NIH 3T3 cells

Summary It is shown that the ouabain-resistant (OR) furosemide-sensitive K⁺(Rb⁺) transport system performs a net efflux of K⁺ in growing mouse 3T3 cells. This conclusion is based on the finding that under the same assay conditions the furosemidesensitive K⁺(Rb⁺) efflux was found to be two- to threefold higher than the ouabain-resistant furosemide-sensitive K⁺(Rb⁺) influx. The oubain-resistant furosemide-sensitive influxes of both²²Na and⁸⁶Rb appear to be Cl^– dependent, and the data are consistent with coupled unidirectional furosemide-sensitive influxes of Na⁺, K⁺ and Cl^– with a ratio of 1 1 2. However, the net efflux of K⁺ performed by this transport system cannot be coupled to a ouabain-resistant net efflux of Na⁺ since the unidirectional ouabain-resistant efflux of Na⁺ was found to be negligible under physiological conditions. This latter conclusion was based on the fact that practically all the Na⁺ efflux appears to be ouabainsensitive and sufficient to balance the Na⁺ influx under such steady-state conditions. Therefore, it is suggested that the ouabain-resistant furosemide-sensitive transport system in growing cells performs a facilitated diffusion of K⁺ and Na⁺, driven by their respective concentration gradients: a net K⁺ efflux and a net Na⁺ influx.     

Regulation of Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport and [3H]bumetanide binding site density by phorbol esters in HT29 cells

The involvement of protein kinase C in the regulation of Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport was investigated in cultured HT29 human colonic adenocarcinoma cells. We have demonstrated previously the presence of a Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport pathway in HT29 cells (Kim, H.D., Tsai, Y-S., Franklin, C.C., and Turner, J.T. (1989) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 946, 397-404). Treatment of cells with the phorbol esters phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) caused an increase in membrane-associated protein kinase C activity that was accompanied by a concomitant decrease in cytosolic protein kinase C activity. PMA also produced a rapid transient increase in cotransport to 137% of control values by 5 min followed by a progressive decrease to 19% of control values by 2 h. To determine the underlying mechanism for the reduction in Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport, changes in cotransporter number and/or affinity were determined in radioligand binding studies using [3H]bumetanide. PMA and PDBu produced essentially identical time- and dose-dependent decreases in specific [3H]bumetanide binding that were similar to the observed decreases in cotransport. Analysis of saturation and competition binding data indicated that the decrease in binding was due to a lowered Bmax with no change in affinity. Both the decrease in binding and the changes in cotransport elicited by PMA were prevented by the protein kinase inhibitor H7. These findings suggest that phorbol esters cause a decrease in the number of cotransporters in HT29 cells, resulting in a reduction in Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport activity.     

Coupling of Na+ with the spermidine transporter protein in NIH BALB/c 3T3 cells

This study demonstrates that polyamine spermidine (Spd) transporter protein is directly coupled with the Na+ in a ternary complex form, Na(+)-Spd-carrier. The Spd is transported with Na+ in a 1:1 stoichiometry relationship. Interestingly, addition of 2-deoxyglucose in the assay medium did not influence significantly the Spd uptake demonstrating the ATP independency of Spd transport.     

Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (TPA) blocks CD3-mediated Ca2+ mobilization in Jurkat T cells independently of protein kinase C activation

Stimulation of Jurkat T cells with antibodies against the T cell receptor/CD3 complex induces a rise in the intracellular concentration of Ca2+ within seconds. The inositol phosphate-dependent Ca2+ mobilization induced by OKT3 was completely abrogated when Jurkat cells were pretreated for 1 min with the phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate TPA (10nM), a concentration which activates protein kinase C (PKC). The effects of TPA on the Ca2+ fluxes were insensitive to treatment of the cells with known PKC inhibitors (H-7 and staurosporin) under conditions where the PKC-mediated phosphorylation was blocked. Furthermore, another activator of PKC, mezerein, inhibited the Ca2+ signal induced by OKT3. This inhibition, however, could completely be reversed by pretreatment with H-7 or staurosporine. We conclude that the TPA-mediated inhibition of Ca2+ fluxes in Jurkat T cells largely acts through a PKC-independent pathway.     

Transient elevation of ribonucleotide reductase activity, M2 mRNA and M2 protein in BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts in the presence of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate

A rapid elevation of ribonucleotide reductase activity was observed with BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts within 1/2 to 1 hour treatment with 0.1 microM 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). This increase in activity was transient, and returned to about normal levels within 24 to 48 hours. Northern analysis of the two components of ribonucleotide reductase showed a slight transient elevation of M1 mRNA and a marked transient elevation of M2 mRNA after 1/2 hour TPA treatment. As a positive control, ornithine decarboxylase message levels were also observed to be transiently elevated following identical treatment with TPA. Western blot analysis with M1 and M2 specific monoclonal antibodies indicated that the increase in ribonucleotide reductase activity was primarily due to the transient elevation of the M2 but not the M1 protein during treatment with 0.1 microM TPA. This first demonstration that the tumor promotor, TPA, can cause rapid and transient alterations in ribonucleotide reductase suggests that the enzyme, particularly the M2 component, may play an important role in the critical events involved in the process of tumor promotion.     

Phorbol ester (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate) prevents ornithine decarboxylase inhibition and apoptosis in L1210 leukemic cells exposed to TGF-β1

Previous studies have shown that growth suppression and apoptosis of leukemic cells exposed to TGF-β₁ is associated with the inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) — the key enzyme of polyamine pathway. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) — a potent ODC inducer on antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of TGF-β₁ in L1210 leukemic cells. Cells were incubated in 2%FCS/RPMI1640 medium, supplemented with TGF-β₁ (2 ng/ml), TPA (100 ng/ml) or -difluoromethyl-ornithine (DFMO) (5 mM). Cell proliferation, apoptosis and necrosis were evaluated using [methyl-³H] thymidine, electron microscopy, electrophoresis of DNA and trypan blue exclusion. Expression and activity of ODC were determinated by RT-PCR and measurement of ¹⁴CO₂ release from L-1-¹⁴C ornithine, respectively. TGF-β₁ inhibited proliferation and induced apoptotic and necrotic cell death in L1210 leukemic cells. The above effects were associated with the inhibition of ODC expression and activity, measured 2 and 4 hr after TGF-β₁ administration, respectively. The presence of DFMO, an irreversible inhibitor of ODC, led to apoptotic fragmentation of DNA, similar to that observed in TGF-β₁-treated cultures. Administration of TPA simultaneously with TGF-β₁ significantly reduced antiproliferative, apoptotic and necrotic effects of TGF-β₁, and prevented its inhibitory action on ODC expression and activity. It is concluded that: down-regulation of ODC expression may be one of the early events associated with TGF-β₁-evoked suppression of growth and apoptosis; ODC is involved in the mechanism of protective action of TPA on TGF-β₁-related growth inhibition of L1210 leukemic cells.     

Expression of sodium pump activities in BALB/c 3T3 cells transfected with cDNA encoding alpha 3-subunits of rat brain Na+,K+-ATPase

The cDNAs encoding alpha 3-subunits of rat brain Na+,K+-ATPase and the neomycin resistance gene were incorporated into BALB/c 3T3 cells by the co-transfection method. Stably transformed cells were selected with 300 micrograms/ml of neomycin (G-418) for 6 weeks. Northern blot analysis using the 3'-non-translated region of the cDNA as a probe revealed that the alpha 3 mRNA appeared in transfected cells. Na+,K+-ATPase activity of the transfected cells was twice that of wild-type cells. Regarding ouabain sensitivity, the Na+,K+-ATPase showed two Ki values for ouabain (8 x 10(-8) and 4.5 x 10(-5) M) in transfected cells while wild-type cells displayed only the higher value. Ouabain sensitivity of Rb+ uptake also demonstrated two Ki values in the transfected cells (8 x 10(-8) and 4 x 10(-5) M) and a Ki in wild-type cells of 4 x 10(-5) M. It is concluded that alpha 3 is a highly ouabain-sensitive catalytic subunit of Na+,K+-ATPase. It is also suggested that ouabain sensitivity is exclusively determined by the properties of the alpha-subunit rather than the beta-subunit. This is the first report on the catalytic characteristics of the alpha 3 isoform of Na+,K+-ATPase.