Sodium fluoride promotes morphological transformation of Syrian hamster embryo cells.

Sequential treatment of Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cells with a chemical carcinogen followed by sodium fluoride (NaF) resulted in a higher yield of morphologically transformed cell colonies than treatment of the cells with carcinogen alone. For example, cells treated with benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P; 3 micrograms/ml) for 3 days, then with NaF (25 micrograms/ml) for 4 days, exhibited a transformation frequency more than six times greater than that obtained by summing the transformation frequencies from cells treated with either B[a]P or NaF alone. This enhancement/promotion of cell transformation by NaF was only expressed after the cells had been pretreated with either direct-acting carcinogens or procarcinogens. Pretreatment of the cells with noncarcinogens or weakly-acting carcinogens or administration of NaF prior to treatment with the carcinogen failed to enhance the yield of transformation. Transformation was enhanced even when the NaF treatment was delayed for several days after the carcinogen treatment. However, the continued presence of NaF was necessary for maintenance of the increased level of transformation. Removal of NaF prior to termination of the assay resulted in a reversal of the transformed clonal morphologies to a normal phenotype such that the final yield of transformants was decreased, but was still greater than that observed after carcinogen treatment alone. A similar pattern for reversibility of the transformation enhancement also occurs for the widely recognized tumor promoter phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Seven different SHE cell pools were tested for sensitivity to NaF promotion following carcinogen treatment. Although the response was heterogeneous, no carcinogen-treated cell pool was refractory to the NaF-induced enhancement. A second fluorocompound, sodium monofluorophosphate (NaMFP), was also found to enhance carcinogen-induced cell transformation in a manner resembling that of NaF.

Perturbation of the cell cycle by adeno-associated virus.

Infection of nonpermissive cells with adeno-associated virus (AAV) or AAV inactivated by uv light inhibited their multiplication in culture and interfered with their transit through the cell cycle. The perturbation of the cell cycle led to the accumulation of cells in the late S and/or G2 phases. The AAV-mediated inhibition of growth was dependent upon high concentrations of input virus and the types of cells. Presenescent embryonic fibroblasts of Syrian hamster and human origin were the most sensitive cell types examined; in contrast, immortalized lines of Syrian hamster and human origin were relatively resistant. We suggest that the inhibition of cell division results from a reaction between a cellular target and the incoming AAV virion (or a component of the virion) and that parental viral gene expression is not required.

An interlaboratory evaluation of the Syrian hamster embryo cell transformation assay using eighteen coded chemicals.

Eighteen coded chemicals were evaluated in the Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cell transformation assay in three different laboratories using the same basic experimental protocol with minor modifications. In addition, individual cell and serum sources were selected. Major factors influencing intra-and interlaboratory reproducibility were the source of cells and serum, the toxicity of the chemicals, and the dose-range selected for transformation evaluation. Two or three assays from each laboratory were required to determine the transformation-inducing potential of a chemical because of the low number of transformants scored in any single assay and the difficulty of interpreting morphological variations. Rodent carcinogenicity data were available for 16 of the 18 chemicals tested and the transformation response of 14 of those chemicals was in agreement with the rodent carcinogenicity data (if the positive results are adopted for the four chemicals that produced contradictory results). Four rodent carcinogens, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, diphenylhydantoin, methapyrilene hydrochloride and o-toluidine hydrochloride, that were negative in the Salmonella/microsome assay, induced morphological transformation in the SHE assay. Although the labour, cost and lack of reproducibility might preclude application of this transformation assay for routine screening, it might, nevertheless, prove valuable for distinguishing between non-mutagenic carcinogens and non-carcinogens.

Membrane lipid dynamics in human promyelocytic leukemia cells sensitive and resistant to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate induction of differentiation.

A series of fluorescent probes was used to analyze membrane lipid dynamics in promyelocytic leukemic cells sensitive (HL-60) or resistant (R-55) to phorbol diester induction of cell differentiation. When examined with the probe 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene, which can penetrate the plasma membrane and intercalate in the lipids of both leaflets of the plasma membrane, as well as in organellar membranes, R-55 cells were found to have higher fluorescence anisotropy values, indicative of decreased lipid fluidity, as compared to HL-60 cells. In contrast, when HL-60 and R-55 cells were compared using a series of membrane-impermeant fluorophores (stachyose derivatives of anthroyloxystearate and pyrenebutyryl hydrazide) that incorporate only into the outer hemileaflet of the plasma membrane, no difference was observed in membrane lipid fluidity. Exposure to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (10 ng/ml) for 24 hr decreased the fluorescence anisotropy of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene in both HL-60 and R-55 cells, whereas by 48 hr only the HL-60 cells displayed the reduction. No effect on the fluorescence anisotropy of 1-(4'-trimethylammonium phenyl)-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene, which is believed to localize in the plasma membrane, was observed in R-55 cells exposed to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (10 or 100 ng/ml), whereas HL-60 cells treated with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (10 ng/ml) showed a marked reduction in the fluorescence anisotropy. These observations suggest that the ability of HL-60 cells to respond to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate may be affected by the physical state of the plasma membrane lipids and that the resistant phenotype is associated with decreased fluidity of either the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane and/or of the cytosolic organellar membranes.

Enhancement of chemical-carcinogen-induced cell transformation in hamster embryo cells by 1 alpha,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, the biologically active metabolite of vitamin D3.

The biologically active metabolite of vitamin D3, 1 alpha,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1,25-(OH)2D3], which by itself was not effective in inducing morphological cell transformation in vitro in the Syrian hamster embryo colony assay, enhanced such a transformation in a dose-dependent manner in cells pretreated with a series of known chemical carcinogens. Treatment of the hamster embryo cells with either benzo[a]-pyrene (B[a]P), (+/-)7 beta,8 alpha-dihydroxy-9 alpha,10 alpha-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene, or N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitroso-guanidine for 3 days (stage 1) followed by treatment with 1,25-(OH)2D3 for 4 days (stage 2) increased the transformation frequency compared to the transformation frequency for cells treated with the carcinogen only. Reversing the order of the treatment (i.e., incubating the cells with 1,25-(OH)2D3 prior to B[a]P treatment) did not result in an effective enhancement. Vitamin D3 and 24,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, another metabolite of this vitamin, also enhanced the frequency of cell transformation but to a lesser degree than did 1,25-(OH)2D3. Pyrene, which is not a carcinogen, did not induce transformed colonies either by itself or when combined with 1,25-(OH)2D3. Benzo[e]pyrene (B[e]P), which is not considered to be a complete carcinogen but can act as a tumor initiator, also was not effective by itself. However, in the two-stage protocol with 1,25-(OH)2D3, B[e]P did induce transformed colonies. Comparison of the enhancing effect of 1,25-(OH)2D3 to that of phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), a known tumor promoter, revealed a heterogeneity in the response to these agents. A high or low responsiveness of the cells to 1,25-(OH)2D3 was not necessarily indicative of a similar responsiveness to PMA. These results indicate that 1,25-(OH)2D3 can act as a promoter of cell transformation in fibroblasts and perhaps other cell types but through a mechanism not necessarily identical to that involving PMA.

Double minute chromatin bodies and other chromosome alterations in human myeloid HL-60 leukemia cells susceptible or resistant to induction of differentiation by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate.

An analysis of the chromosomal karyotype of the human promyelocytic HL-60 leukemia cell line and of a number of its sublines that exhibit varying degrees of resistance to induction of differentiation by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate was conducted. The HL-60 cell line and the derived sublines contained two consistent marker chromosomes [9p- and t(10;13)], which suggested that they have a common and possibly clonal origin. HL-60 cells that are susceptible to phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced cell differentiation contained double minute chromatin bodies. The sublines with different degrees of resistance showed a corresponding sequential reduction of double minute chromatin bodies in metaphase cells. This loss of double minute chromatin bodies was not associated with an appearance of homogeneously staining chromosomal regions. Resistant and susceptible HL-60 cells differed also in a number of other chromosomal alterations, including gains or losses involving chromosomes 5, 8, 11, 13, 16, and 17. Thus, it is suggested that acquisition of resistance to phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced cell differentiation in the HL-60 cells may involve one or more of the above chromosomal changes.

Control of macrophage cell differentiation in human promyelocytic HL-60 leukemia cells by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate.

Human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60) were induced to differentiate into macrophage-like cells in a dose (3 X 10(-10) to 10(-7) M) and time (1 to 6 days)-dependent manner by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and the tumor promoter, phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate. Differentiation was determined by an increase in the percentage of morphologically mature cells, in lysozyme and nonspecific esterase activities, and in reactivity with the murine OKM1 monoclonal antibody. Two HL-60 cell variants, designated as R-80 and B-II, were also examined. R-80 cells, which are resistant to induction of cell differentiation by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, also exhibited resistance, although to a lesser degree, to induction of cell differentiation by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. The resistance to the action of the two compounds is presumably not due to similar binding sites for the two inducers, since 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 was unable to compete for the phorbol diester binding sites as measured by [3H]phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate binding. B-II cells were resistant to induction of cell differentiation by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, retinoic acid, and dimethyl sulfoxide. Two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis of HL-60 cell protein patterns indicated that treatment of the HL-60 cells with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, retinoic acid, and dimethyl sulfoxide caused the cells to express various monocyte-macrophage and granulocyte marker proteins. None of the inducers caused a protein pattern identical to that of peripheral monocytes or granulocytes in the HL-60 cells, but the protein pattern of the HL-60 cells treated with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 was the closest to that of peripheral blood monocytes. These results indicate that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 induces in the HL-60 cells a phenotype that resembles, but is not identical to, that of peripheral monocytes-macrophages.

Influence of cadmium on the intestinal uptake and absorption of calcium in the rat.

To determine the effects of cadmium on the intestinal absorption of calcium, everted gut sacs from rats orally dosed with 0, 0.05, 0.5 or 5.0 mg Cd daily for 3 weeks were placed in media containing 4 x 10(-5) M Ca. Tissue content of calcium after 1 hour incubation was approximately 1.5 times greater for the 5-mg Cd dose. Serosal fluid content of calcium was decreased by the 0.5- and 5-mg Cd/day doses. In other experiments, gut sacs were incubated in bathing media containing 4 x 10(-5) Ca and Cd in concentrations of 10(-4) to 10(-2) M. Tissue and serosal fluid uptake of calcium decreased as Cd concentration increased. To determine the effects of cadmium on the accumulation of calcium against a concentration gradient, equimolar concentrations of Cd were placed in the mucosal and serosal fluids. Cadmium was added to the mucosal fluid. The accumulation of calcium was abolished by 1.5 x 10(-4) M Cd while at 10(-6) M Cd the accumulation was decreased to one-third the control value. The results indicate that acute or chronic exposure of the intestine to cadmium decreases the intestinal absorption of calcium.

Alterations in lipid metabolism induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in differentiating human myeloid leukemia cells.

Several aspects of lipid metabolism were evaluated in differentiating human myeloid leukemia (HL-60) cells after treatment with the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. Modifications accompanying the phorbol ester-induced differentiation include an increase in the incorporation of acetate into free fatty acids and neutral lipids, an increase in the amount of neutral glycerolipids, and a selective incorporation of long-chain fatty alcohols into triacylglycerols and ether-linked alkyldiacylglycerols. Additionally, an enhanced stimulation of phospholipid metabolism, as measured by the incorporation of 32P and labeled precursors of the polar head groups, could be detected within 4 hr after treatment of cells with the tumor promoter. 4-O-Methyltetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, an analog with poor tumor-promoting activity, failed to elicit any activity on phospholipid metabolism.

Induction of terminal differentiation in human promyelocytic leukemia cells by tumor-promoting agents.

Human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60) were induced to differentiate into mature cells by the tumor-promoting agent phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate and other related phorbol diesters. Differentiation was determined by an increase in the percent of myelocytes, metamyelocytes, and other mature myeloid cells as well as by an increase in the percent of phagocytizing cells. Induction of differentiation could be determined after 2 days of treatment with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate at a dose as low as 6 X 10(11) M. A correlation was found between reported tumor-promoting activity of a series of phorbol esters and their ability to induce myeloid differentiation and to inhibit cell growth. It is suggested that tumor-promoting agents like chemicals that induce terminal differentiation in these cells, at extremely low concentrations, may be used as a tool in the study of the control of cell growth, cell differentiation, and malignancy in human leukemic cells.