Measurement of DNA damage associated with apoptosis by laser scanning cytometry.

BACKGROUND: Phosphatidylserine (PS) binding by annexin V (AV) is an early membrane marker of apoptosis. Using laser scanning cytometry (LSC) and the comet assay, we showed that the DNA of AV(+) cells is so highly fragmented that it cannot be quantified by the comet assay (Bacso et al.: Cancer Res 60:4623-8, 2000). METHODS: The "halo" assay was used instead of the comet assay to quantify DNA damage associated with apoptosis. The LSC was used to measure both AV fluorescence and DNA damage on the same Jurkat cells following treatment with anti-Fas. The data from both sets of measurements were merged, allowing direct correlation of membrane and nuclear markers of cell death. RESULTS: AV(+) cells had significant DNA damage determined by the ratio between nuclear DNA and peripheral (migrated) DNA. Cells in the early and late stages of apoptosis could be discriminated on the basis of DNA content. In addition, it was possible to distinguish between apoptotic and necrotic cells in the AV(+) propidium iodide-positive population based on DNA content and DNA damage. The addition of specific inhibitors for caspases-8, 9, and 3 blocked both PS externalization and DNA fragmentation, indicating these events are downstream from caspase activation. CONCLUSIONS: This technique allows accurate distinction between apoptotic and necrotic cells and cytometric grading of apoptosis.

Pegylated cytokines: potential application in immunotherapy of cancer.

Conjugation of the polymer polyethylene glycol (PEG) to proteins can significantly decrease their clearance from plasma, thus increasing their half-lives in vivo. The increased half-life of PEG-proteins is directly proportional to the total molecular weight of the construct. This approach has been used to design cytokine constructs that can be administered once a week, rather than on a daily or alternate-day schedule. Two cytokines for which this approach appears to be successful are PEG-interferon-alpha-2a (PEG-IFNalpha-2a) and PEG-granulocyte colony- stimulating factor (PEG-G-CSF). Both use high molecular weight PEG (20 to 40kD) to give sufficiently long duration in vivo. In the case of PEG-G-CSF conjugates, the in vivo efficacy is directly proportional to molecular weight, whereas the in vitro activity is inversely proportional, suggesting that overall duration of contact is more important than the affinity of the interaction. Conjugates of a number of other cytokines have been prepared, but until recently, few have used the high molecular weight polymers. In the future, as this approach is taken to make new PEG-cytokine constructs, thorough pharmacokinetic studies will be essential for their development and clinical use.

Random monoallelic expression of three genes clustered within 60 kb of mouse t complex genomic DNA.

Mammals achieve gene dosage control by (1) random X-chromosome inactivation in females, (2) parental origin-specific imprinting of selected autosomal genes, and (3) random autosomal inactivation. Genes belonging to the third category of epigenetic phenomenon are just now emerging, with only six identified so far. Here we report three additional genes, Nubp2, Igfals, and Jsap1, that show 50%-methylated CpG sites by Southern blot analyses and primarily monoallelic expression in single-cell allele-specific RT-PCR analysis of bone marrow stromal cells and hepatocytes. Furthermore, we show that, in contrast to X inactivation, alleles can switch between active and inactive states during the formation of daughter cells. These three genes are the first in their category to exist as a tight cluster, in the proximal region of mouse chromosome 17, providing a thus far unique example of a region of autosomal random monoallelic expression.

The DNA of annexin V-binding apoptotic cells is highly fragmented.

Jurkat leukemia cells induced to undergo apoptosis by treatment with an antibody against the Fas receptor have two annexin V (AV)-binding subpopulations: (a) single-positive cells that bind AV but not propidium iodide (PI); and (b) double-positive cells that bind AV and PI. The single-positive population is thought to represent an early stage of apoptosis. We have examined the relationship between AV binding and a classical characteristic of apoptosis, DNA fragmentation. Time course studies with Jurkat cells treated for 1, 2, or 4 h with anti-Fas indicated that the proportion of AV-binding cells was increased after 2 h. A significant increase in DNA fragmentation was observed only at 4 h as measured by the mean tail moment determined with the alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay. This correlation suggests a temporal relationship between the two parameters, but does not provide direct evidence of what happens in individual cells. We developed a method to measure fluorescent markers of cellular structure or function with a laser scanning cytometer and then perform the comet assay on the same cells. Cells in each AV-binding subpopulation were re-examined before and after electrophoresis. Most AV-/PI- cells had no DNA damage, although a few cells showed a pattern of damage characteristic for apoptosis. Double-positive cells all had damaged DNA; approximately half had the apoptotic pattern, and the rest had a pattern typical for necrosis. Nearly all of the single-positive cells had damaged DNA with the apoptotic pattern. Both AV-positive populations contained cells with little or no detectable DNA after electrophoresis, indicating that the DNA was highly fragmented. These results indicate that AV binding is an excellent marker for apoptotic cells, but that these cells already have fragmented DNA.

Phemx, a novel mouse gene expressed in hematopoietic cells maps to the imprinted cluster on distal chromosome 7.

Phemx (Pan hematopoietic expression) is a novel murine gene expressed in developmentally regulated sites of hematopoiesis from early in embryogenesis through adulthood. Phemx is expressed in hematopoietic progenitors and mature cells of the three main hematopoietic lineages. Conceptual translation of the murine Phemx cDNA predicts a 25-kDa polypeptide with four hydrophobic regions and several potential phosphorylation sites, suggestive of a transmembrane protein involved in cell signaling. The PHEMX protein is structurally similar to tetraspanin CD81 (TAPA-1), a transmembrane protein involved in leukocyte activation, adhesion, and proliferation. Phemx maps to the distal region of chromosome 7, a segment of the mouse genome that contains a cluster of genes that exhibit genomic imprinting. However, imprinting analysis of Phemx at the whole organ level shows that it is biallelically expressed, suggesting that mechanisms leading to monoallelic expression are not imposed at this locus. The human PHEMX ortholog is specifically expressed in hematopoietic organs and tissues and, in contrast to murine Phemx, undergoes alternative splicing. The unique mode and range of Phemx expression suggest that it plays a role in hematopoietic cell function.

Extended activity in cynomolgus monkeys of a granulocyte colony-stimulating factor mutein conjugated with high molecular weight polyethylene glycol.

The activity of a granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) mutein (nartograstim; [NTG]) conjugated with an average of two polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains per protein molecule was examined in cynomolgus monkeys following a single s.c. injection. Groups of monkeys were given 10 microg/kg, 30 microg/kg, or 100 microg/kg. For comparison, one group of monkeys was given 5 microg/kg of recombinant human G-CSF (rHuG-CSF) daily for six days. In monkeys given 100 microg/kg of PEG-NTG, neutrophil levels reached a peak one day after injection approximately 20-fold higher than baseline levels. Neutrophil numbers in these animals were still significantly elevated six days after injection. In contrast, peak neutrophil levels in monkeys given six injections of rHuG-CSF reached a peak only on day 6 and were approximately the same as that in monkeys given a single dose of PEG-NTG six days before. Pharmacokinetics of PEG-NTG in these monkeys indicated that the area under the plasma concentration time curve (AUC) increased with increasing the dose from 497 ng x h/ml at 10 microg/kg, 6,140 ng x h/ml at 30 microg/kg to 27,900 ng x h/ml at 100 microg/kg. In a separate study, the effects of single doses of 100 microg/kg of PEG-NTG, rHuG-CSF, and unmodified NTG were compared. In this experiment, peak numbers of neutrophils were reached two days after injection in animals receiving PEG-NTG and one day after in animals given unmodified proteins. The pharmacokinetic parameters demonstrated increased exposure for PEG-NTG relative to the unmodified proteins with an AUC0. of 21,012 ng x h/ml compared with 5,492 ng x h/ml for rHuG-CSF and 5,153 ng x h/ml for NTG. These results demonstrate that conjugation of a G-CSF mutein with high molecular weight PEG results in a preparation that can induce prolonged elevation of neutrophils in normal nonhuman primates following a single injection.

Relationship between molecular mass and duration of activity of polyethylene glycol conjugated granulocyte colony-stimulating factor mutein.

Proteins conjugated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) have increased in vivo activity compared to native proteins. We examined the activity of a variety of PEG conjugates prepared with a recombinant mutein of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (nartograstim [NTG], KW-2228). The total PEG mass was varied by the number and size of the PEG molecules conjugated. In vitro activity, determined using a proliferation assay with G-NFS-60 cells, demonstrated an inverse relationship between PEG mass and concentration required for half-maximal proliferation. In vivo activity was examined by injecting compounds subcutaneously into normal mice and determining neutrophil counts at various times. Initial experiments in C57BL/6J mice indicated that neutrophil levels were significantly elevated 5 days after a single injection of 25 micrograms/mouse of each PEG-NTG preparation. More detailed experiments were performed with several of the preparations in C3H/HeJ mice lacking endotoxin receptors. The results demonstrated that the time after injection at which neutrophil numbers reached a maximum increased with increasing size of PEG. Similar results were obtained with purified preparations containing 1, 2, or 3 units of 20-kDa PEG per molecule of NTG, showing that increasing the extent of PEGylation also increases in vivo activity. Dose-response studies with the 20-kDa PEG-NTG demonstrated a plateau at doses > 2.7 micrograms/mouse at day 3. The plateau dose increased to 8.4 micrograms/mouse at day 5, and no plateau was evident at the highest dose tested (50 micrograms/mL) at days 7 and 10. These results demonstrate that elevated neutrophil levels can be maintained for extended periods following single administration of high-molecular-weight PEG-NTG.

Inhibition of hepatitis-B-virus core promoter by p53: implications for carcinogenesis in hepatocytes.

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is particularly high in regions of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa where rates of infection with human hepatitis-B virus (HBV) and aflatoxin-B1 contamination of food are high. In HCC tumors occurring in inhabitants of these regions, a G-to-T mutation frequently occurs at position 249 of the tumor-suppressor gene p53. This suggests that HBV and p53 mutation may collaborate in the carcinogenic process in liver. We have examined the effect of the HBV protein HBX in HCC lines with exogenous wild-type p53 or mutated p53 on transactivation of 2 different reporter genes. Transfection of HCC lines with wild-type p53 and a reporter with the promoter from the p53-responsive gene WAF1/p21 resulted in a high level of expression, as expected. When cells were co-transfected with a reporter gene driven by the HBV core promoter and with the HBX gene, expression was enhanced in the Hep 3B, HLE, PLC/PRF/5 and HuH 7 lines, but not in the HuH 1 line. Co-transfection of the reporter with a plasmid containing wild-type p53 resulted in significant inhibition of the HBV core promoter in all of the lines, whereas the mutated p53 gene had no effect. Our results indicate that wild-type p53 can inhibit transcription from the HBV core promoter. In similar experiments, both HBX and p53 were co-transfected into HCC lines with the WAF1/p2l reporter gene. HBX inhibited p53-induced expression in 4 of the 6 lines (Hep 3B, HuH 1, HuH 7 and HLE), there was no effect in one line (HLF), and enhancement was evident in PLC/PRF/5. Our results indicate that inhibition of p53 transcriptional activity by HBX does occur in HCC, but is highly cell-context-dependent. Inhibition of transcription from the HBV core promoter by wild-type p53 appears to be more universal, and may represent a mechanism by which wild-type p53 can protect against the carcinogenic process in liver.

Mofarotene (Ro 40-8757) inhibits hematopoiesis in vitro by preventing maturation from primitive progenitor cells.

The effect of the arotinoid mofarotene (Ro 40-8757; 4-[2-[p-[(E)- 2(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-2-naphthyl)- propenyl]phenoxy]ethyl]morpholine) on stromal cell-mediated hematopoiesis was examined in murine long-term bone marrow cultures. Whether added at week 2 to regenerating cultures or at week 4 to plateau-phase cultures, mofarotene strongly inhibited total cell production in a dose-dependent manner. Progenitor cell production was also inhibited, but to a lesser extent. When added at the initiation of culture, 1 mumol/L mofarotene did not affect formation of the adherent layer, but production of total nucleated cells and progenitors was inhibited over the next 10 weeks by 95% and 96%, respectively. However, after mofarotene treatment ceased, progenitor cell levels began increasing immediately, and cell production reached plateau levels comparable with those of control cultures within 4 weeks. Hematopoiesis was maintained for 14 more weeks, indicating that long-term culture-initiating cells survived the treatment. Assays of spleen colony-forming units (CFU-S) in the adherent layers showed an enrichment of day-13 CFU-S relative to the more mature day-9 CFU-S. Mofarotene did not inhibit colony formation by bone marrow cells stimulated by exogenous growth factors and did not decrease production of growth factors by stromal cells in the cultures, as determined by functional assays and by mRNA levels. These results suggest that mofarotene blocks differentiation of very primitive progenitors, inhibiting production of more mature hematopoietic elements.

The dithiane Ro 44-5912 enhances vinblastine sensitivity of drug resistant and parental KB lines in vivo.

The multidrug resistance modifying activity of a dithiane analogue of tiapamil, Ro 44-5912, was examined in vivo. Results of acute toxicity studies in mice indicated that lethal toxicity occurred with doses greater than 1 mmol/kg of body weight. In a preliminary pharmacokinetic investigation, Ro 44-5912 appeared to have a longer half-life in mice than did its (R) enantiomer Ro 44-5911 (3.15 +/- 0.02 h versus 2.15 +/- 0.14 h) as measured by total radiolabel in plasma. In non-tumour bearing mice, Ro 44-5912 enhanced the toxicity of vinblastine in a manner that was dependent on the dose of both drugs. Vinblastine did not have a significant effect on tumour growth when given to nude mice bearing the parental cell line KB-3-1 at a dose of 1.5 mg/kg once per week for 3 weeks. Combination treatment with Ro 44-5912 markedly enhanced the antitumour activity of vinblastine. Similar results were seen when KB-3-1 tumours were treated with the combination of vinblastine plus cyclosporin A. Another tiapamil analogue, Ro 11-2933, had no enhancing activity with this tumour when used at an equitoxic combination dose. Ro 44-5912 also significantly enhanced vinblastine activity with P-glycoprotein-expressing KB-8-5 tumours. In three independent experiments, Ro 44-5912 enhanced the growth inhibiting activity of vinblastine by a mean of approximately 40%. Neither Ro-11-2933 nor cyclosporin A, at the maximal tolerated doses in combination with vinblastine, led to significant inhibition of KB-8-5 tumour growth compared to treatment with the two vehicles alone. These results show that Ro 44-5912 is an active modulator of drug resistance in vivo.

Novel dithiane analogues of tiapamil with high activity to overcome multidrug resistance in vitro.

Dithiane analogues of tiapamil are highly active as modifiers of P-glycoprotein mediated multidrug resistance (MDR) in vitro. In an assay using the P-glycoprotein over-expressing cell line KB-8-5, the most active analogues for decreasing vincristine resistance were the racemate Ro 11-5160 and its two enantiomers, Ro 44-5911 (R) and Ro 44-5912 (S). In the KB-8-5 assay, the resistance modification index (RMI) of Ro 11-5160 was approximately 12-fold higher than those of the most active reference compounds tested, dipyridamole, cepharanthine, reserpine and cyclosporin A, when compared at concentrations equal to one-tenth of the IC50 of each compound (RMI0.1). The enantiomers have similar resistance modifying activities, but the (S) enantiomer Ro 44-5912 is somewhat more active, fully reverting the vincristine sensitivity of KB-8-5 cells to the level of the parental KB-3-1 cells at a concentration of 2 microM. The (R) enantiomer attained this level of modification at a concentration of 3.5 microM. These concentrations are both well below their IC50 values for KB-8-5 cells (150 microM). The enantiomers appear to interact with P-glycoprotein because they inhibited [3H]azidopine and [3H]-vinblastine binding to plasma membrane fractions prepared from resistant K562/ADR cells. However, in addition to their resistance modifying activities with KB-8-5 cells, these compounds also decreased the IC50 values of vincristine and doxorubicin with KB-3-1 cells that do not express detectable levels of P-glycoprotein. Ro 44-5911 overcame doxorubicin and vincristine resistance in three colorectal cancer cell lines (DLD-1, WiDr and COLO 201) that express P-glycoprotein. No effect was seen with the 3 colorectal cell lines on the IC50 values of three drugs not related to the MDR phenotype, 5-fluorouracil, 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine and cis-diaminodichloroplatinum (II). The in vitro vasodilatory activity of these dithianes, measured with strips of rat aorta contracted with KCl, was about 5% of that of verapamil. These results suggest that diathianes could be useful agents for MDR modification in vivo.

Purification, cloning, and expression of murine uridine phosphorylase.

Uridine phosphorylase was purified 10,300-fold from tumors of the murine colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line, Colon-26. Degenerate DNA probes were synthesized corresponding to partial amino acid sequences and used to screen a Colon-26 cDNA library. A cDNA clone of 1327 base pairs that contains a 5' untranslated region, a coding region of 933 base pairs, and a 3' nontranslated region with a polyadenylated tail was identified. The cDNA was confirmed to be uridine phosphorylase by 1) sequence comparison to uridine phosphorylase of Escherichia coli, 2) substrate specificity studies with recombinant protein expressed in COS-7 cells that demonstrated relatively high enzyme activity with uridine as substrate compared low levels when thymidine was used, and 3) inhibition of enzyme activity by the competitive inhibitor 2,2'-anhydro-5-ethyluridine. Northern blot analysis using the cDNA as a probe, demonstrated high levels of mRNA expression in Colon-26. Expression was low in NIH3T3 cells, but high in DMBA-3 and PH-1 cells, which are NIH3T3-derived cells that have been transformed with mutated murine Ha-ras and viral Ha-ras, respectively. Expression of uridine phosphorylase mRNA in these cell lines was further enhanced by treating the cells with the inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin 1 alpha, and interferon gamma.

Down-regulation of mitochondrial gene expression by the anti-tumor arotinoid mofarotene (Ro 40-8757).

To understand the mechanism of action of the antitumor arotinoid mofarotene (Ro 40-8757), differential screening of cDNA libraries with cDNA probes prepared from treated or untreated breast-cancer cells was performed. Several genes were identified that appeared to be regulated by mofarotene, including a mitochondrial gene encoding a subunit of NADH dehydrogenase (NDI). This gene was down-regulated in the breast-cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 after treatment with the arotinoid for 3 to 6 hr. Down-regulation of NDI was detected in 2 other breast-carcinoma cell lines (ZR-75-I and MCF-7) and a pancreatic cancer cell line (BxPC3), but not in the normal fibroblast cell line Wi-38 or several other tumor cell lines. This effect was blocked by addition of cycloheximide to the medium. The retinoids, all-trans and 9-cis retinoic acids, did not affect the expression of NDI in MDA-MB-231 cells, demonstrating that mofarotene was not acting through the nuclear retinoic-acid receptors. In the estrogen-receptor-expressing breast-cancer line ZR-75-I, tamoxifen had no effect on NDI expression. The cytotoxic drugs doxorubicin, 5-FU and vincristine also had no effect on regulation of this gene. Two mitochondrial proteins encoded in the nucleus, ATPase beta subunit and mitochondrial transcription factor I, were not down-regulated by mofarotene. Addition of mofarotene to cells incubated in glucose-free medium led to their death. These results indicate that down-regulation of mitochondrial gene transcription is specific to mofarotene and may explain, in part, the anti-proliferative effects of this compound.

The anti-tumor arotinoid Ro 40-8757 protects bone marrow from the toxic effects of 5-fluorouracil.

Combination therapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and the arotinoid Ro 40-8757 (mofarotene) of established chemically induced mammary tumors in rats was examined. The cytotoxic drug was administered weekly and Ro 40-8757 was given daily. The dose of Ro 40-8757 used in this study did not have an effect on tumor burden but, in combination with 5-FU, significantly enhanced the reduction in tumor burden and tumor number. In order to determine if Ro 40-8757 had a protective effect on 5-FU-treated animals, several studies were performed with non-tumor-bearing mice. The 5-FU was given once a week for 3 weeks at a dose that was lethal only after the third administration. When this treatment was combined with Ro 40-8757 given 5 times/week, approximately 50% of the mice survived. Examination of the progenitor cell contents of femur and spleens of treated mice indicated that the protective effect of Ro 40-8757 was manifested at the primitive hemopoietic progenitor cell level. Studies with murine bone marrow cells and human breast-cancer cell lines in vitro demonstrated that there was no interaction between the 2 drugs at the cellular level, indicating that the arotinoid does not enhance the ability of cells to metabolize 5-FU. This protective effect of the arotinoid makes it a useful potential partner for combination therapy with 5-FU.

Interferon alpha and 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine in colon cancer: effects as single agents and in combination on growth of xenograft tumours.

Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) enhances the activity of the 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) prodrug 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'-dFUrd) in colorectal cancer cells in vitro by upregulating the enzyme pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNPase), which is responsible for converting 5'-dFUrd to 5-FU. We examined whether such enhancement also occurs in vivo using human colorectal xenografts in nude mice. The Co-115 line has high basal levels of PNPase and the enzyme level was increased in tumours from mice treated for 3 weeks with 50,000 IU/day (5 days/week) of IFN-alpha A/D. The prodrug 5'-dFUrd (200 mg/day, 5 days/week) had a much greater antitumour activity than 5-FU had when it was used at an approximately equitoxic dose (20 mg/day, 5 days/week). However, because of the high activity of 5'/dFUrd as a single agent, no enhancement by IFN-alpha A/D was observed. Studies on xenografts of WiDr cells indicated that this line is much less sensitive to 5'-dFUrd. However, treatment of animals with IFN-alpha A/D at doses of 75,000 IU/day or 150,000 IU/day resulted in significant inhibition of WiDr tumour growth. Combination treatment with 75 mg/kg/day or 150 mg/kg/day of 5'-dFUrd resulted in enhanced antitumour activity, particularly at the higher dose of IFN-alpha A/D. Synergy of this drug combination was confirmed by isobologram analysis. Analysis of PNPase levels in WiDr tumours, excised from mice treated with IFN-alpha A/D, demonstrated that the enzyme activity was increased by IFN-alpha in a dose-dependent manner. Slight increases were also seen in normal liver and intestine from the same animals. Our results indicate that modulation of converting enzymes for anticancer prodrugs by cytokines could be a novel therapeutic strategy for combination therapy of colorectal cancer.

The anti-tumor arotinoid Ro 40-8757 protects bone marrow from the toxic effects of cyclophosphamide.

The arotinoid Ro 40-8757 is a novel compound that has significant therapeutic activity against chemically induced breast tumors in rats. The results of combination therapy with cyclophosphamide, plus the arotinoid showed that the anti-tumor effects were additive. However, all of the rats given CPA alone died between week 6 and week 10 of treatment. None of the animals in the group treated with the combination died. Administration of a single dose of Ro 40-8757 to non-tumor bearing mice resulted in a transient increase in bone-marrow-progenitor cells after 2 days and a decrease in splenic progenitors at day 4. Treatment of mice with the combination demonstrated that the marrow progenitors were protected from the toxic effects of CPA by the arotinoid. Direct addition of Ro 40-8757 to mouse bone-marrow cells in clonogenic assay cultures containing WEHI-3-conditioned medium plus erythropoietin showed no significant enhancement by the arotinoid. The results suggest that this compound may exert its protective effect through the hemopoietic micro-environment.

Anti-proliferative effects of the arotinoid Ro 40-8757 on human cancer cell lines in vitro.

A novel arotinoid with a morpholine structure in the polar end group Ro 40-8757 (4-[2-[p-[(E)-2(5,6,7,8-Tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-2- naphthyl)propenyl]phenoxy]ethyl]-morpholine) was tested for its anti-proliferative activity against nine human cancer cell lines in vitro. The lines included two estrogen receptor positive breast cancer lines (MCF-7 and ZR-75-1), two estrogen receptor negative breast cancer lines (MDA-MB-231 and BT-20), one cervix carcinoma line (KB-3-1), two lung adenocarcinoma lines (A549 and HLC-1), one large cell lung cancer line (LXFL 529) and two colorectal lines (CXF 243 and CXF 280). Proliferation of all the lines, except the two lung adenocarcinoma lines, was inhibited by lower concentrations of Ro 40-8757 than those of all-trans retinoic acid (RA) or 13-cis RA giving the same level of inhibition. The degree of inhibition of RO 40-8757 was concentration and time dependent. The arotinoid was not cytotoxic and morphological signs by differentiation were not evident in cultures treated with Ro 40-8757 for up to 2 weeks. Because this compound is active on cells such as KB-3-1 that are not inhibited by all-trans RA and because it does not bind to nuclear retinoic acid receptors, it may represent a novel class of anti-proliferative agents.

Comparison of the therapeutic effects of a new arotinoid, Ro 40-8757, and all-trans- and 13-cis-retinoic acids on rat breast cancer.

A novel arotinoid, 4-((2-(p-[(E)-2-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl- 2-naphthyl)propenyl]phenoxy))ethyl))-morpholine, was tested in rats bearing established chemically induced mammary tumors. At a dose of 0.35 mmol/kg/day of 4-((2-(p-[(E)-2-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-2- naphthyl)propenyl]phenoxy)ethyl))-morpholine, decreased tumor growth was seen after 2 weeks. By weeks 4 and 5, tumor burdens were decreased to 10-30% of initial values and 50-70% of the animals became free of palpable tumors. Stabilization of tumor size through 15 weeks of treatment was seen in rats given 0.23 mmol/kg/day of the arotinoid. The predominate adverse effects of this compound were dose-dependent weight loss during the first 1-3 weeks, attributed to poor palatability of the food admix as well as flaking of the skin and alopecia at later times. Bone toxicity, a characteristic side effect of retinoids in rodents, was rare with this arotinoid, mainly confined to young rats treated for more than 12 weeks with high doses. In a comparative study, neither all-trans-retinoic acid nor 13-cis-retinoic acid had significant antitumor effects at doses that were tolerated by the animals. When all-trans-retinoic acid was administered at 0.08 mmol/kg/day, tumor reduction was seen during weeks 4-6, but treatment was terminated after week 6 due to severe skeletal toxicity and general deterioration in all the animals. Such marked toxicity was not evident with the arotinoid at doses having high antitumor activity. The high efficacy and relatively low toxicity of 4-((2-(p-[(E)-2-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-2- naphthyl)propenyl]phenoxy)ethyl))-morpholine suggest that it may be a promising new anticancer agent.

Responsiveness of three newly established human colorectal cancer cell lines to transforming growth factors beta 1 and beta 2.

We have established 3 new human colorectal cancer cell lines (LS411N, LS513, and LS1034) from clinical biopsy samples. These lines are tumorigenic and grow s.c. as adenocarcinomas in nude mouse xenografts. Specific marker chromosomes are observed in each line. Carcinoembryonic antigen is expressed at the surface of all 3 lines, but with marked quantitative differences. Indeed, less than 10% of the cells from the HT-29 line used as a reference express carcinoembryonic antigen while more than 90% of the LS1034 cells do so. LS513 and LS1034 consistently express HLA class I antigens and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 which are not detected at the surface of the LS411N cells. No expression of HLA class II antigens DR, DQ, and DP has been measured on any of the lines. All three lines grow well in 5% fetal calf serum medium without addition of exogenous growth factors. The LS1034 line has been adapted to growth in serum-free conditions and exhibits increased clonogenicity when cells are seeded in serum-free methylcellulose medium, as compared with medium containing 5% fetal calf serum. The LS513 and LS1034 lines have proved to be of particular interest since they respond to the growth-inhibitory action of TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta 2 in both liquid and semisolid medium. Both factors were, at pM concentrations, equipotent inhibitors of LS1034 cell proliferation. In contrast, higher concentrations of TGF-beta 1 are inhibitory for proliferation of LS513 cells, whereas TGF-beta 2 has no effect on the growth of these cells in liquid assay. On this basis, using appropriate anti-TGF-beta 1 and anti-TGF-beta 1 IgY, we developed a bioassay for TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta 2. Two of the three lines have indeed been shown to produce latent-TGF-beta 1 activity.

Interactions of interferon-alpha 2a with 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine in colorectal cancer cells in vitro.

The biological activity of 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'-dFUrd) depends upon intracellular enzymatic cleavage by pyrimidine phosphorylase to form 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Interferon-alpha 2a (IFN-alpha) effect was analysed alone and combined with 5-FU or 5'-dFUrd, on proliferation inhibition of eight human colorectal cancer cell lines. The toxicity of 5-FU was enhanced by IFN-alpha in only one line (SW-480). In contrast, interactive enhancement of IFN-alpha was observed with 5'-dFUrd in five lines (WiDr, HT-29, 513, SW-480 and Co-115). In each of the lines showing potentiation by IFN/5'dFUrd but not by IFN/5-FU, cytoplasmic pyrimidine phosphorylase activity was increased after 5 days' incubation with IFN-alpha in a dose-dependent manner. Two lines (LISP-1 and SW-620) showed no potentiation of either 5-FU or 5'-dFUrd toxicity by IFN-alpha, and no change in pyrimidine phosphorylase activity. Potentiation of 5'-dFUrd effect by IFN-alpha may thus be explained by an enhancement of its conversion to 5-FU through stimulation of pyrimidine phosphorylase activity.