Evaluation of delayed apoptotic response in lethally irradiated human melanoma cell lines.

To assess the lethal doses of gamma radiation and corresponding apoptotic response in new established human melanoma cell lines we exposed exponentially growing cultures to 8-100 Gy gamma radiation. The apoptosis and cell survival were determined by trypan blue exclusion, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) reaction, agarose gel electrophoresis, colony forming assay, and long-term survival assay. The maximal DNA fragmentation 3 days after irradiation was observed in cultures irradiated with 20 Gy (36.9% TUNEL positive cells). The cultures irradiated with 50 and 100 Gy contained 18.7% and 16.4% TUNEL positive cells, respectively. Cultures exposed to 8 and 20 Gy gamma radiation recovered by week 3-4. Lethally irradiated (50 and 100 Gy) cultures which contained less apoptotic cells by day 3 died by week 5. A detectable increase in melanoma cell pigmentation after irradiation was also observed. The survival of human melanoma cell cultures after exposure to gamma radiation does not correlate with the level of apoptotic cells by day 3. At high radiation doses (> 50 Gy) when the radiation induced cell pigmentation is not inhibited the processes of apoptotic DNA fragmentation might be preferentially inactivated.

In vitro development of mouse marrow stromal cell cultures: distinct effect on growth and differentiation of marrow progenitor cells.

Mouse marrow stromal cells (MSC) were cultured up to 7 months in the absence of hydrocortisone. The efficiency of stromal layer in supporting the growth/differentiation of marrow progenitor cells (MPC) was studied. Senescent and quiescent MSC stimulated rapidly both stromal progenitor cells and hematopoietic progenitor cells. A transient production of two types of small blast cells resembling the stem cells described by Terstappen et al. (1991) was observed. In the subcultures obtained after limited dilution of the blast cells, formation of the stroma preceded production of hematopoietic cells.

Increased ability of murine bone marrow stromal cells immortalized with simian virus 40 (SV40) to retain haemopoietic cells and support long-term haemopoiesis in vitro.

A simple method for short-term recharge of SV40-immortalized marrow stromal cell (MSC) lines based on their specific interaction with the appropriate haemopoietic cells is described. During the first week after the recharge the production of polymorphonuclear and mononuclear blood cells is an order of magnitude higher than in the recharged primary MSC cultures. Progenitor-derived granulopoiesis is predominant. The long-term repopulating potential of the haemopoietic stem cells (HSC) in the recharged cultures is demonstrated when they are cultured in tissue culture wells (Sutherland et al., 1990). The blood cells produced in the later passages show signs of malignancy.

Primer specificity of ribosome-associated poly(A) polymerase from Ehrlich ascites tumour cells.

The reaction product of the ribosomal poly(A) polymerase [ATP(UTP):RNA nucleotidyltransferase] is analyzed. Two systems are used in vitro: (a) isolated polyribosomes with endogenous enzyme and RNA primer and (b) purified enzyme with total polyribosomal RNA as primer. In the polyribosome system about 50% of the [3H]AMP label is in poly(A)-containing mRNA. This RNA displays a heterogeneous size ditribution in the range of 8--30 S with a maximum at about 14 S. Upon denaturation the maximum is shifted towards the 10-S zone. The poly(A) polymerase catalyzes the addition of 12--18 adenylate residues to pre-existing mRNA poly(A) sequences of 40--160 residues. The [3H]AMP incorporated into poly(A)-lacking RNA is mainly in a fraction with an electrophoretic mobility corresponding to 4-S RNA. In the purified enzyme system, specificity towards poly(A)-containing mRNA is lost to a considerable extent. Only 10% of the [3H]AMP label is retained by oligo(dT)-cellulose. The bulk of the product is in 18-S rRNA and heterogeneous small molecular weight RNA. We conclude that the ribosome-associated poly(A) polymerase is most likely the enzyme responsible for the cytoplasmic polyadenylation of poly(A)-containing mRNA in vivo.

Two distinct poly(A) polymerases isolated from the cytoplasm of Ehrlich ascites tumour cells.

The poly(A) polymerases from the cytosol and ribosomal fractions of Ehrlich ascites tumour cells are isolated and partially purified by DEAE-cellulose and phosphocellulose column chromatography. Two distinct enzymes are identified: (a) a cytosol Mn2+-dependent poly(A) polymerase (ATP:RNA adenylyltransferase) and (b) a ribosome-associated enzyme defined tentatively as ATP(UTP): RNA nucleotidyltransferase. The cytosol poly(A) polymerase is strictly Mn2+-dependent (optimum at 1 mM Mn2+) and uses only ATP as substrate, poly(A) is a better primer than ribosomal RNA. The purified enzyme is free of poly(A) hydrolase activity, but degradation of [3H]poly(A) takes place in the presence of inorganic pyrophosphate. Most likely this enzyme is of nuclear origin. The ribosomal enzyme is associated with the ribosomes but it is found also in free state in the cytosol. The purified enzyme uses both ATP and UTP as substrates. The substrate specificity varies depending on ionic conditions: the optimal enzyme activity with ATP as substrate is at 1 mM Mn2+, while that with UTP as substrate is at 10--20 mM Mg2+. The enzymes uses both ribosomal RNA and poly(A) [but not poly(U)] as primers. The purified enzyme is free of poly(A) hydrolase activity.

Rifampin susceptibility of ribonucleic acid synthesis in a fragile Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis in the sorbitol-dependent, fragile yeast mutant VY1160 (Venkov et al., 1974) is rapidly inhibited by rifampin. The growth of the mutant cells and protein synthesis are more slowly affected by the antibiotic, apparently as secondary phenomena. Lower doses of rifampin (50 to 100 mug/ml) preferentially inhibit ribosomal RNA synthesis in comparison to that of messenger RNA and transfer RNA. Transcription and translation of messenger RNA continues in the presence of low doses of rifampin, as evidenced by the unimpaired induction of alpha-glucosidase. Partially purified RNA polymerase II from this mutant, in contrast to that from the parental strain, is strongly inhibited by low concentrations (1 mug/ml) of rifampin, whereas RNA polymerase I from the two strains is similar in behavior. The mutant may be useful for the study of regulatory mechanisms of transcription in eukaryotes.

Synthesis and maturation of ribosomal ribonucleic acids in isolated HeLa cell nuclei. A tracer study on the topology of the 45S precursor of ribosomal ribonucleic acids.

The synthesis and processing of RNA by isolated HeLa cell nuclei was studied at low ionic strength in the presence of alpha-amanitin. The RNA polymerase reaction, with endogenous template and enzyme, rapidly reaches a plateau dependent on the amount of nuclei. Evidence is presented that incorporation of [(3)H]UMP proceeds only in growing RNA chains, whereas initiation of new RNA chains is arrested. The product formed contains all the main components of the 45S pre-rRNA (precursor of rRNA) maturation pathway (45S, 32S and 20S pre-rRNA; 28S and 18S rRNA). Most of the labelled material is in the mature rRNA components and their immediate precursors, even at very short times of incubation (2min). Small, but definite, 5S and 4S RNA peaks are also observed. At shorter incubation times a substantial amount of [(3)H]UMP is incorporated into RNA molecules in the 24S and 10-16S zones. This RNA material is considered to represent the non-conserved segments of 45S pre-rRNA in the process of nucleolytic degradation. A model for the tracer study of the topology of 45S pre-rRNA, on arrest of rRNA initiation, is discussed. The experimental evidence obtained supports the following structure of 45S pre-rRNA: 5'-end-28S rRNA unit-18S rRNA unit-nonconserved segment-3'-end.