Effect of parathyroid hormone and forskolin on cytoskeletal protein synthesis in cultured mouse osteoblastic cells

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) has been shown to cause transient cell shape changes in bone cells. We have examined the effects of parathyroid hormone and forskolin on the organization and expression of cytoskeletal proteins in cultured mouse endosteal osteoblastic cells. Analysis of [35S]methionine-labeled cytoskeletal proteins isolated on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis showed that PTH treatment (24 h) stimulated the de novo biosynthesis of actin, vimentin and tubulins in confluent cells, whereas forskolin had a minor effect despite a huge stimulation of cAMP production. This PTH-induced stimulation was associated with cell respreading following a mild and transitory cell retraction. PTH increased the synthesis of monomeric subunits of actin and beta-tubulins in subconfluent bone cells, whereas both monomeric and polymeric levels of beta-tubulins were increased in confluent osteoblasts. Under conditions reducing cell spreading, osteoblastic cells had initially high levels of unpolymerized subunits. In these poorly spread cells, parathyroid hormone or forskolin had no effect on the de novo synthesis of cytoskeletal proteins despite a marked elevation in intracellular cAMP levels. It is concluded that PTH affects the biosynthesis of cytoskeletal proteins in osteoblastic cells and that cAMP production does not seem to be directly involved. In addition, the effect of PTH is modulated by cell spreading and by the initial pool of cytoskeletal subunits.     

Content of phenolic acids in callus culture of alfalfa (Medicago sativa): The effect of age and biochemical differentiation

Phenolic acids were separated into three fractions and determined by HPLC inMedicago sativa callus culture at the age of two, three and four weeks. The contents of free and especially of predominating ester-bound phenolic acids decreased with callus age to approx. 80 % while the content of phenolic acids nonextractable by methanol increased byca. 90 %. The proportion of benzoic acid derivatives rose from 15 to 21 % within four weeks. The determined difference in the contents of phenolic acids in the upper and lower parts of callus diminished with age. The content of bound forms was higher in the lower part regardless of the callus age. The content of free acids in two weeks old callus was half as high as in the upper part.     

Some factors affecting root formation onin vitro regenerated pea shoots

The rooting ability of 2 cm long shoots ofPisum sativum L., derived from differentin vitro shoot-tip cultures in two pea cultivars Bohatýr and Kleine Rheinländerin was evaluated. In three mutually independent experiments the full and half-strength Murashige-Skoog medium (containing full or half concentration of macro and microelements), with sucrose concentrations 10–30 g l-¹, and with various NAA and IAA combinations, was tested. The variant with half concentration of macro- and microelements, supplemented with 30 g l¹ sucrose, and with growth regulators in the quantity of 1 μM proved optimum.     

Requirement for three distinct lymphokines for the induction of cytotoxic T lymphocytes from thymocytes

The induction of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) from CTL precursors requires a combination of antigen and lymphokine signals. To investigate lymphokine requirements for CTL generation, we used an assay in which helper T cell and accessory cell-depleted spleen cells or whole thymocytes were cultured with lectin (Con A) and lymphokines. This culture was followed by assessment of lectin-dependent cytolysis. High concentrations of recombinant interleukin 2 (R-IL 2) (100 U/ml) alone were not sufficient for lectin-mediated CTL induction from thymocytes, whereas 20 to 100 U/ml of R-IL 2 alone could induce a significant lectin-mediated CTL response from accessory cell-depleted spleen cells. Using thymocytes as responders, we found purified or recombinant interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) did not cause cytolytic activity either in the absence of or in the presence of R-IL 2. However, supernatant from Con A-stimulated rat spleen cells (rat Con A SN) in combination with R-IL 2 could induce cytolytic activity, suggesting that several factors are required for CTL induction. Con A SN was fractionated by gel filtration and the fractions were tested for ability to induce CTL. In the presence of a low level of R-IL 2 (5 U/ml), fractions with a Mr of approximately 31,000 could induce CTL, and this activity was referred to as CTL differentiation factor (CDF). The peak fractions containing CDF activity did not have detectable IL 1, IL 2, IFN-gamma, or CSF activity. However, by add-back experiments and the use of blocking antibodies, a monoclonal antibody against the IL 2 receptor or antibodies against murine IFN-gamma, we demonstrated that CTL induction from mature thymocytes (L3T4-, Lyt-2+) requires CDF activity in addition to IL 2 and IFN-gamma.     

Polypeptides coded for by the region pre-S and gene S of hepatitis B virus DNA with the receptor for polymerized human serum albumin: expression on hepatitis B particles produced in the HBeAg or anti-HBe phase of hepatitis B virus infection

There are four polypeptides coded for by the region Pre-S and gene S on DNA of hepatitis B virus that carry the receptor for polymerized human serum albumin (poly-HSA), i.e., P31 and P39, as well as their glycosylated counterparts P35 and P43. With the use of monoclonal antibodies directed to Pre-S(1) sequence and Pre-S(2) sequence (bearing the receptor for poly-HSA), the content of these polypeptides, as well as their expression on the surface, was determined for hepatitis B particles of various categories. P39 and P43, carrying both Pre-S(1) and Pre-S(2) sequences, were contained abundantly in Dane and tubular particles, and to a much lesser extent in small spherical particles, all of which were purified from plasma containing hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). P31 and P35, carrying Pre-S(2) but not Pre-S(1) sequence, were contained comparably in these three categories of hepatitis B particles. In remarkable contrast, small spherical particles derived from plasma containing antibody to HBeAg were very low in the content of any Pre-S polypeptides. P31 and P39 showed higher activities for poly-HSA receptor than their glycosylated versions. When Dane particles were digested with trypsin, the poly-HSA receptor was deprived in parallel with the loss of antigenicity for Pre-S(2) sequence. The antigenicity for Pre-S(1) sequence was much less affected, and that for the product of gene S was virtually unchanged by the digestion.     

Epidermal growth factor increases c-myc mRNA without eliciting phosphoinositide turnover, protein kinase C activation, or calcium ion mobilization in Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts

Incubation of quiescent cultures of Swiss 3T3 cells with epidermal growth factor (EGF) caused an increase in c-myc mRNA. Under these conditions, EGF did not induce phosphoinositide turnover, formation of diacylglycerol, formation of inositol tris-, bis-, and monophosphates, protein kinase C activation, or Ca2+ mobilization. Although it has been reported that both protein kinase C and Ca2+ may be responsible for the platelet-derived growth factor- and fibroblast growth factor-induced increases in c-myc mRNA in Swiss 3T3 cells (Kaibuchi, K., Tsuda, T., Kikuchi, A., Tanimoto, T., Yamashita, T., & Takai, Y. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 1187-1192), these results indicate that neither protein kinase C nor Ca2+ is involved in the EGF-induced increase in c-myc mRNA, and that an unidentified system may be involved in this reaction.     

Cellular retinoic acid-binding protein and its relationship to the biological activity of four synthetic retinoids in hamster tracheal organ culture

Summary The mechanism of action of retinoid in reversing keratinization in hamster trachea is yet unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine if cellular retinoic acid binding protein (CRABP) is present in tracheal epithelium following incubation in serum-free, vitamin A-deficient culture medium for 10 days, and if the effectiveness of a retinoid in reversing keratinization in organ culture is correlated with its ability to compete for CRABP sites. The cytosol prepared from tracheal cultures contained CRABP at a concentration of 2.61 pmoles per mg protein. Of the four retinoids with carboxyl end group selected for the study, two of the biological active retinoids competed for the CRABP sites. However, no correlation was observed between the biological activity of the inactive retinoids and their ability to associate with the CRABP sites. These results indicate that even though the action of retinoid may be mediated by retinoid binding protein, it cannot be used as a sole predicator of retinoid response in hamster trachea. This investigation was supported by Contract N01-CP-31012 and U. S. P. H. Grants CA30512 and CA32428, which were awarded by the Division of Cancer Etiology, National Cancer Institute, DHHS. Editor's Statement Tracheal organ cultures provide a useful model for the study of epithelial differentiation and carcinogenesis. Much attention has been given to the action of retinoids in this process. Mehta et al. demonstrate a lack of correlation between biological activity and specific cytosolic binding of members of this class of compounds, pointing out the need for a more complete biochemical understanding of the mechanism of action and active forms of retinoids in this and other systems in vivo and in vitro. David W. Barnes     

Enhancement of growth factor-induced DNA synthesis by colon tumor-promoting bile acids in Swiss 3T3 cells. Their different mode of action from that of phorbol esters

In Swiss 3T3 cells, colon tumor-promoting deoxycholate (DOC) enhanced DNA synthesis which was induced by fibroblast growth factor (FGF) in the presence of insulin. This effect was observed only when DOC was added within 10 h after the addition of FGF. DOC by itself did not induce DNA synthesis irrespective of the presence or absence of insulin. Similar results were obtained with other colon tumor-promoting bile acids such as cholate, chenodeoxycholate and taurocholate. In contrast to these bile acids, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) induced DNA synthesis fully without FGF in the presence of insulin. DOC did not affect TPA-induced DNA synthesis. Prolonged treatment of the cells with phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate caused the down-regulation of the phorbol ester receptor and rendered the cells unresponsive to TPA. In these cells, FGF still induced DNA synthesis in the presence of insulin, but the maximal level was reduced to about one third of that in the control cells. DOC did not enhance this DNA synthesis any more. DOC did not alter the binding of FGF to the cells. These results indicate that colon tumor-promoting bile acids enhance the mitogenic action of FGF and thereby stimulate DNA synthesis, although the phorbol ester substitutes for the mitogenic action of FGF.