Inhibition of deoxygenation-induced membrane protein dephosphorylation and cell dehydration by phorbol esters and okadaic acid in sickle cells.

Deoxygenation (DO) of sickle cell anemia red blood cells (SS cells) induces membrane permeabilization to Ca2+, Na+, and K+ and cell dehydration mostly through the activation of the Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels. We show that DO of both SS cells and normal red blood cells was accompanied by a nonspecific dephosphorylation of membrane proteins. After treatment with a protein kinase C activator (phorbol myristate acetate) or a phosphoprotein phosphatase inhibitor (okadaic acid), the level of membrane protein phosphorylation in deoxygenated cells was maintained higher or equal, respectively, to that of the oxygenated controls. We found that these drugs in SS cells (1) inhibited by 40% the DO-stimulated net Ca2+ uptake, without affecting the DO-stimulated Ca2+ influx, suggesting that they activated the Ca2+ efflux; (2) slightly increased the DO-induced Na+ uptake and decreased the DO-induced K+ loss; and (3) prevented the DO-induced cell dehydration. Both drugs are known to stimulate both phosphorylation and activity of the Ca pump and of the Na/H antiport. Inhibition of SS cell dehydration might be due to an activation of the Ca pump preventing [Ca2+]i elevation responsible for the stimulation of the K+ channels and/or to an activation of the Na/H exchange resulting in cell water gain.

Thyroid hormone receptors and stimulation of angiotensinogen production in HepG2 cells.

Binding characteristics and effects of 3,5,-3'-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3) on angiotensinogen production in HepG2 were studied in serum-free medium. Binding was performed on intact cells and on partially purified isolated nuclei using [125I]T3. Scatchard plots revealed one class of high affinity binding sites with a Kd of approximately 80 pmol/liter. Calculation of maximum binding showed that HepG2 possess approximately 1000 binding sites per cell. Unlabeled T3 and T4 competed for binding sites on intact HepG2 with 50% inhibition of [125I] T3 binding at approximately 3.0 and 38.0 pmol/liter, respectively. The HepG2 showed a dose-dependent increase in angiotensinogen production in serum-free medium which was maximal at 10(-5) mol/liter (two-fold increase/10(6) cells/24 h) and had an EC50 of approximately 5.0 x 10(-8) mol/liter. T3 also produced after 24 h a dose-dependent increase in DNA highly correlated with T3 applied (r = 0.88, P less than 0.01). In conclusion, this study shows that HepG2 possess specific high affinity binding sites for T3 and that T3 stimulates angiotensinogen production and DNA synthesis in these cells.

Involvement of a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein in the regulation of angiotensinogen production by an angiotensin II analog in HepG2 cells.

The cellular mechanism by which the angiotensin II (AII) agonist, Sar1-AII, inhibits production and release of angiotensinogen in human hepatoma HepG2 cells was examined. Pretreatment of HepG2 cells with pertussis toxin attenuated the ability of Sar1-AII to block angiotensinogen production. This effect could be correlated with the in situ ADP-ribosylation of a protein(s) of apparent molecular weight 39,000-41,000 on SDS-PAGE, and attenuation of the ability of Sar1-AII to inhibit cAMP accumulation. The role of cAMP in angiotensinogen production was examined. A transient increase in cAMP accumulation above basal could be evoked by forskolin (8-fold) or by glucagon (5-fold) using insulin-deficient media. Although neither forskolin nor glucagon had a significant effect on angiotensinogen production agents producing a sustained increase in intracellular cAMP (8-bromo-cAMP, dibutyryl-cAMP, cholera toxin) were able to increase angiotensinogen production. Although these data indicate that intracellular cAMP is a regulatory factor in angiotensinogen production other evidence suggests that modulation of intracellular cAMP is not entirely responsible for the effects of Sar1-AII.

Inhibition of angiotensinogen production by angiotensin II analogues in human hepatoma cell line.

The aim of this study was to examine in Hep G2, a human hepatoma-derived cell line, the presence of angiotensin II (ANG II) receptors and the effect of ANG II and its analogues on angiotensinogen production. The presence of ANG II receptors was demonstrated using a long-acting ANG II analogue, 125I-labeled [Sar1]ANG II. A single class of specific binding sites was identified in these cells with a dissociation constant (Kd) of 2 nM. The number and affinity of these binding sites were not changed by [Sar1]ANG II treatment over 24 h. ANG II showed an inhibitory effect on angiotensinogen production. [Sar1]ANG II also exhibited a similar inhibitory effect as that of ANG II but to a greater extent and therefore was used throughout these studies. [Sar1]ANG II inhibited angiotensinogen production in a dose-dependent manner, exhibiting a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 2 nM. Other ANG II analogues showed similar effects on angiotensinogen production. In order of decreasing ability, they were [Sar1]ANG II greater than [Sar1-Ala8]ANG II greater than [Sar1-Val8]ANG II greater than [Sar1-Val5-(Br5)-Phe8]ANG II greater than [Sar1-Val5-DPhe8]ANG II. Results of these studies show that the Hep G2 cell possesses specific ANG II receptors and that [Sar1]ANG II induces a dose-dependent inhibition of angiotensinogen production in this system.

Regulation of angiotensinogen production by angiotensin II analogues.

Specific binding sites for angiotensin II (Ang II) were identified in a human hepatoma cell line, HepG2. Binding of [125I]-Sar1 Ang II to these cells showed a high-affinity site with a Kd of 2.4 +/- 0.2 nmol/l. This specific binding was not changed during the cell cycle and showed no alteration after 24 h of treatment with Sar1-Ang II (10(-8) mol/l). Exposure of HepG2 cells to the Ang II agonist Sar1-Ang II caused a dose-dependent decrease in angiotensinogen production. The maximal inhibitory effect was at a dose of 10(-6) mol/l Sar1-Ang II which elicited 67% inhibition of angiotensinogen production after 24 h (control: 2.015 +/- 0.5 micrograms angiotensinogen/mg DNA; Sar1-Ang II 10(-6) mol/l: 0.68 +/- 0.03 micrograms angiotensinogen/mg DNA). Fifty per cent inhibition was obtained at a dose of 10(-9) mol/l Sar1-Ang II. Angiotensin II had a less marked effect, showing maximal inhibition of 40%. This study shows that the HepG2 cells possess specific Ang II binding sites and that Ang II analogues induce a dose-dependent inhibition of angiotensinogen production in cell culture.

Monoclonal antibodies to human angiotensinogen: development of an ELISA for measurement of hepatocyte cultured cells content.

We have prepared and purified a rabbit polyclonal antibody (PcAb) and two mouse monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) against human angiotensinogen. The PcAb (Kd: 4.0 X 10(-12) M) inhibits 50% of the hydrolytic activity of renin on angiotensinogen, at a final dilution of 1:800. The two monoclonal antibodies (Kd: 5.0 X 10(-11) and 9.0 X 10(-13) M) do not inhibit the enzymatic reaction. None of the antibodies showed displacement of 125l-labeled angiotensinogen by angiotensin I, angiotensin II or human tetradecapeptide. The polyclonal antibodies recognize marmoset and baboon angiotensinogen with an affinity 10(3)lower than that of the human angiotensinogen, whereas the McAbs do not recognize primate angiotensinogen. Since the two monoclonal antibodies recognize different epitopes of the human angiotensinogen molecule than the polyclonal antibody, it is therefore possible to use them in various sandwich assays as ELISA. Thus, we have developed a liquid phase radioimmunoassay and an ELISA which allowed to measure human plasma angiotensinogen, under several pathophysiological conditions, and that produced by human hepatocyte cells in culture (HepG2).

Effect of mestranol on cell proliferation and angiotensinogen production in HepG2 cells: relation with the cell cycle and action of tamoxifen.

The effects of the estrogen analog mestranol and of the antiestrogen tamoxifen on cell growth and the rate of angiotensinogen production were investigated in HepG2 cells, an hepato-carcinoma cell line of human origin. After 36 h of cell contact with high concentration of mestranol, a (10(-5) M) dose increased by 2-fold the rate of proliferation of HepG2 while reducing angiotensinogen production to below control level. Mestranol at 10(-6) M preferentially stimulated angiotensinogen production 5-fold, whereas cell growth rate was slightly increased. Comparable results were obtained for thymidine uptake in the course of the cell cycle, with a maximum increase for 10(-5) M mestranol, and an increase of angiotensinogen production for 10(-6) M mestranol. At 10(-6) M, tamoxifen acted as a pure antagonist by strongly inhibiting the stimulatory effect of mestranol and reducing angiotensinogen production to below the control level within 60 h. Tamoxifen did not affect the growth rate of HepG2 cells, either when administered alone or together with an equimolar concentration of mestranol.

Processing of rat and human angiotensinogen precursors by microsomal membranes.

We have studied the processing of rat and human angiotensinogen precursors by microsomal membranes as a means of determining the number of asparagine-linked oligosaccharide units per angiotensinogen molecule, and thus the utilization of potential sites of N-glycosylation. Glycosylated, processed forms of angiotensinogen were isolated by chromatography on lentil lectin-Sepharose 4B. 35S-Methionine-labeled precursor and processed forms of angiotensinogen were compared with glycosylated and nonglycosylated 35S-methionine-labeled mature forms of angiotensinogen secreted by hepatoma cells, using immunoprecipitation, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. N-Glycosylation of secreted angiotensinogen was inhibited using tunicamycin. For rat angiotensinogen, only 2 of 3 potential sites of N-glycosylation were utilized; in contrast, all 4 potential sites of N-glycosylation of human angiotensinogen were utilized. For neither rat or human angiotensinogen precursor was there any evidence for a prosequence.

Characterization of precursor and secreted forms of human angiotensinogen.

To define the basis of the heterogeneity of angiotensinogen, we have characterized the immunoreactivity of high molecular weight (HMW) and low molecular weight (LMW) plasma angiotensinogen, the angiotensinogen precursor synthesized by cell-free translation, and angiotensinogen secreted by human hepatoma (Hep G2) cells. Angiotensinogen precursor synthesized by rabbit reticulocyte lysate primed with RNA prepared from liver or Hep G2 cells was compared with angiotensinogen secreted by Hep G2 cells by using immunoprecipitation and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). So as to assess the contribution of N-glycosylation of angiotensinogen, Hep G2 cells were incubated in the presence of tunicamycin. Glycosylation of secreted angiotensinogen was further characterized by using chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose, digestion with neuraminidase, and treatment with trifluoromethane sulfonic acid. In Sephadex G-200 column chromatography, HMW plasma angiotensinogen eluted just after the column void volume and was clearly separated from LMW angiotensinogen which eluted just before bovine serum albumin. Both HMW and LMW plasma angiotensinogen were shown to bind to monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies raised against pure LMW angiotensinogen. Only one angiotensinogen precursor (mol wt 50,000) was identified by cell-free translation which, after cleavage by renin, was reduced to mol wt 45,600. Angiotensinogen secreted by Hep G2 cells showed electrophoretic heterogeneity (mol wt 53,100-65,400). Tunicamycin-treated Hep G2 cells secreted five discrete forms of angiotensinogen, a predominant form of mol wt 46,200, with other forms (mol wt 46,800, 48,100, 49,200, and 49,600) representing 10% of secreted angiotensinogen. All five forms showed a similar reduction in molecular weight after cleavage by renin. The predominant 46,200-mol wt protein represented nonglycosylated angiotensinogen in that, after cleavage by renin, it had an electrophoretic mobility (mol wt 45,600) identical to the desangiotensin I-angiotensinogen resulting from renin cleavage of the angiotensinogen precursor. The other higher molecular weight forms of angiotensinogen secreted by tunicamycin-treated Hep G2 cells were shown to represent O-glycosylated angiotensinogen in that they were reduced to 46,200 mol wt by treatment with trifluoromethane sulfonic acid. Dexamethasone (10(-7) and 10(-6)M) stimulated angiotensinogen secretion by Hep G2 cells two- to fourfold, both in the absence and presence of tunicamycin. However, a small stimulatory effect of mestranol (10(-7) M) was evident only in the presence of tunicamycin. Neither dexamethasone nor mestranol influenced the electrophoretic pattern (SDS-PAGE) of angiotensinogen secreted by Hep G2 cells. However, when incubation media were chromatographed on Sephadex G-200 with subsequent immunoprecipitation of the column fractions, both dexamethasone and mestranol were shown to stimulate the secretion of HMW angiotensinogen (eluting just after the column void volume) which, on SDS-PAGE, migrated in a position identical to LMW angiotensinogen. From these studies, we conclude that all forms of human angiotensinogen are derived from a single precursor. The heterogeneity of secreted angiotensinogen represents differences in posttranslational processing of angiotensinogen. This processing includes both N- and O-glycosylation, and also the formation of HMW complexes (HMW angiotensinogen) through association either with other angiotensinogen molecules or with some other protein(s) whose secretion by hepatocytes is stimulated by glucocorticoids and estrogens.

Effects of glucocorticoids and antiglucocorticoid on angiotensinogen production by hepatoma cells in culture.

Angiotensinogen is synthesized in large amounts by Fao cells derived from the Reuber H35 rat hepatoma in a medium enriched with 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS). Treatment of FBS with dextran-coated charcoal removed endogenous steroids without modifying angiotensinogen production. This treatment allowed the study of the effects of steroids on angiotensinogen production. Hydrocortisone increased the angiotensinogen synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. The antiglucocorticoid RU 38486 did not change the basal rate of angiotensinogen production but inhibited the stimulation by hydrocortisone. Similar results were obtained with dexamethasone. Angiotensinogen biosynthesis seems to be regulated by two distinct mechanisms: (a) glucocorticoid independent, controlling the basal rate of angiotensinogen production and (b) glucocorticoid dependent, mediating the increased rate of angiotensinogen production upon glucocorticoid treatment.

Characterization of precursor and secreted forms of rat angiotensinogen.

Angiotensinogen precursors synthesized by rabbit reticulocyte lysate primed with rat liver RNA were compared with angiotensinogen secreted by rat hepatoma cells and rat hepatocytes using immunoprecipitation and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Inhibition of glycosylation with tunicamycin permitted identification of the nonglycosylated form of secreted angiotensinogen. Whereas angiotensinogen secreted by hepatoma cells and hepatocytes showed electrophoretic heterogeneity (mol wt, 52-62 X 10(3], tunicamycin-treated cells secreted only a single angiotensinogen species [mol wt, 48.3 +/- 0.7 X 10(3) (mean +/- SD)], which could be cleaved by renin. Two putative angiotensinogen precursors were synthesized in the reticulocyte lysate: a major protein of 52.5 +/- 1.0 X 10(3) mol wt and a minor protein of 55.7 +/- 1.3 X 10(3) mol wt. Evidence that these proteins represent separate angiotensinogen precursors includes the following. 1) Both proteins were recognized by five different polyclonal antibodies and two monoclonal antibodies. 2) Both proteins increased in parallel in reticulocyte lysates primed with liver RNA from rats nephrectomized and given hormones that increase liver angiotensinogen production. 3) Both proteins were cleaved by renin to produce a single protein of 47.6 +/- 0.8 X 10(3) mol wt. 4) The des-angiotensin I-angiotensinogen generated by renin treatment of the lysate had an electrophoretic mobility identical to that of des-AI-angiotensinogen produced by renin treatment of nonglycosylated angiotensinogen secreted by tunicamycin-treated hepatoma cells and hepatocytes. These studies suggest that rat liver synthesizes two separate angiotensinogen precursors which may differ only in the size of their prepro sequence. The heterogeneity of secreted angiotensinogen can be fully accounted for by differences in N-glycosylation of asparagine residues of the molecule. Glycosylation of angiotensinogen is not essential for its synthesis, processing, and secretion or its hydrolysis by renin.

Angiotensinogen production by rat hepatoma cells in culture and analysis of its regulation by techniques of somatic cell genetics.

Angiotensinogen was synthesized by cells derived from the Reuber H35 rat hepatoma. Independent clones produced similar amounts of angiotensinogen, which corresponded to about four times more than expected for normal hepatocytes. The protein was secreted rapidly but could be visualized within cells using immunofluorescence. For one clone, it is shown that maximal angiotensinogen synthesis occurred during mid-exponential growth. Somatic cell genetics techniques have been used to investigate the regulation of angiotensinogen expression. Eleven clones of dedifferentiated variant hepatoma cells that failed to produce most or all of the liver specific proteins analyzed including albumin fell into two groups: Seven clones produced only 1-3% as much angiotensinogen as the differentiated clones, and four showed a reduction to 10-30%. Clones of the latter class were the only ones among the eleven analyzed that retained the potential to give rise to revertants, showing restoration of the differentiated state. All revertants fully restored angiotensinogen production, but only some of them re-expressed albumin. Somatic hybrids between differentiated hepatoma cells and one of the variants showed a substantial reduction in angiotensinogen production, whereas for some clones, albumin synthesis was fully maintained. These results show that regulation of the expression of angiotensinogen and of a second serum protein, albumin, was independent and that angiotensinogen synthesis was a faithful indicator of the general differentiation profile of all classes of clones.

Antithrombin III synthesis in rat liver parenchymal cells.

We have previously demonstrated by immunoperoxydase the presence of immunoreactive antithrombin III (AT III) in rat hepatocytes. We now present direct evidence that rat hepatocytes in culture synthesize AT III like immunoreactive material : 35S-methionine was added to the culture medium and incubated with hepatocytes. After incubation, AT III was immunologically characterized in the medium. We found significant amounts of 35S-AT III among the radioactive proteins synthesized and secreted by the cells.

Synthesis and release of immunoreactive angiotensinogen by rat liver slices.

Hepatic storage and secretion of angiotensinogen was studied using rat liver slices and a new direct angiotensinogen RIA. This assay permitted the demonstration of a significant hepatic storage of angiotensinogen, largely underestimated until now by the enzymatic method of angiotensinogen measurement. Angiotensinogen release by rat liver slices was linear with time and was associated with a significant increase in hepatic content of angiotensinogen. The measurement of both release and changes in hepatic content permitted the measurement of de novo synthesis of angiotensinogen by rat liver slices in vitro. Both hepatic content and release of angiotensinogen were decreased by thyroidectomy and increased by ethinyl estradiol, dexamethasone, thyroid hormones, and binephrectomy.

Mode of action of LN 1643 (a triphenylbromoethylene antiestrogen): probable mediation by the estrogen receptor and high affinity metabolite.

After in vivo administration of [3H]LN 1643, a triphenylbromoethylene antiestrogen, to immature female rats, polar metabolites were selectively accumulated in uterine nuclear fractions which contained most of the estrogen receptor. One metabolite comigrated with the 4-hydroxylated derivative (LN 2839) of LN 1643. LN 1643 and LN 2839 inhibited competitively and reversibly the binding of estradiol to the estrogen receptor, and the affinity of LN 2839 for the estrogen receptor was about 150-fold higher than that of LN 1643. Both compounds prevented the growth of the MCF7 human breast cancer cells and LN 2839 was about 10-fold more efficient than LN 1643. These results and previous data obtained with tamoxifen (a parent triphenylethylene antiestrogen) and its 4-hydroxylated metabolite, suggest that the antiestrogenic action of LN 1643 is mediated by the estrogen receptor as for the other synthetic antiestrogens, and that LN 1643 acts at least partly via its 4-hydroxy metabolite.

Tamoxifen and metabolites in MCF7 cells: correlation between binding to estrogen receptor and inhibition of cell growth.

The binding of [3H]tamoxifen ([3H]Tam), a nonsteroidal antiestrogen, and of 4-[3H]hydroxytamoxifen ([3H]OH-Tam), a metabolite accumulated in vivo in target cell nuclei, was characterized in soluble extracts of human breast cancer MCF7 cells growing in a medium depleted in estrogens. Saturation analysis indicated a much higher affinity for OH-Tam (Kd = 0.15 nM) than for Tam (Kd = 4.8 nM). The binding of [3H]Tam and [3H]estradiol was competitive and mutually exclusive, and the binding site concentration (0.16 to 0.47 pmol/mg total protein) was similar for both ligands, strongly suggesting that antiestrogens were binding to the estrogen receptor (ER) in these cells. The ability of Tam and of some of its metabolites or derivatives to prevent the MCF7 cell growth was found to be correlated with their affinity for ER as determined by direct interaction or by binding competition with [3H]estradiol on the uterine and MCF7 cytosol ER. OH-Tam was the highest-affinity compound and was 100-fold more active than Tam. The inhibitions observed were actually due to Tam and OH-Tam, respectively, since we did not detect any significant metabolism of these two labeled compounds by the MCF7 cells. N-desmethyltamoxifen, the other Tam metabolites found in high concentration in human plasma, was as effective as Tam while cis-tamoxifen appeared less effective. Compound E, which has no lateral chain, was the only tested compound having a good affinity for ER and a poor efficiency in preventing cell growth. These results support the hypothesis that antiestrogens control the growth of breast cancer by acting directly on the ER located in cancer cells.

[Glucocorticoid receptors in mammary tumors in PS and C3H mouse strains (author's transl)]. / Récepteurs des hormones glucocorticoïdes dans les tumeurs mammaires de 2 lignées de souris PS et et C3H.

Specific binding of glucocorticoids was characterized in mammary tumors and cells derived from C3H and PS mice. The binding protein satisfied all the general criteria of hormone receptors namely high affinity and binding specificity for glucocorticoids (KD congruent to 2.5 nM) for 3H Dexamethasone and limited number of binding sites (congruent to 150 femtomoles/mg Protein). The hormonal regulation of these receptors will be reported. The production of viral particles of type A and B was increased by glucocorticoids in the PS MT1 and PS MT2 cell lines derived from the PS tumors.