Effect of glutamine or glucose deprivation on the expression of cyclin and cyclin-dependent kinase genes in glioma cell line U87 and its subline with suppressed activity of signaling enzyme of endoplasmic reticulum-nuclei-1.

Ischemia has been shown to induce a set of complex intracellular signaling events known as the unfolded protein response, which is mediated by endoplasmic reticulum-nuclei-1 sensing enzyme. We have studied the expression of several cyclin and cyclin-dependent kinase genes which participate in the control of cell cycle and proliferation under ischemic conditions (glucose or glutamine deprivation) in endoplasmic reticulum-nuclei-1-deficient glioma cells. It was shown that blockade of endoplasmic reticulum-nuclei signaling enzyme-1, the key endoplasmic reticulum stress sensor, leads to an increase of the expression levels of cyclin-dependent kinase-2 and cyclin A2, D3, E2 and G2 genes but suppresses cyclin D1. Moreover, the expression level of cyclin-dependent kinase-2 as well as cyclin A2, D3 and E2 mRNAs is significantly decreased under glucose or glutamine deprivation conditions both in control and endoplasmic reticulum-nuclei-1-deficient glioma cells. However, cyclin-dependent kinase-4 and -5 mRNA expressions is increased, but in glucose deprivation conditions only. Results of this study have shown that the expression of most tested genes of encoded cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases is dependent on endoplasmic reticulum-nuclei-1 signaling enzyme function both in normal and glutamine and glucose deprivation conditions and possibly participates in cell adaptive response to endoplasmic reticulum stress associated with ischemia.

Synchrotron radiation FTIR imaging in minutes: a first step towards real-time cell imaging.

FTIR microscopy with a focal plane array (FPA) of detectors enables routine chemical imaging on individual cells in only a few minutes. The brilliance of synchrotron radiation (SR) IR sources may enhance the signal obtained from such small biosamples containing small amounts of organic matter. We investigated individual cells obtained from a cell culture specifically developed for transmission FTIR imaging using either a Globar or an SR source coupled to the same instrumentation. SR-IR source focussing was optimized to control the energy distribution on the FPA of detectors. Here we show that accessing the IR absorption distribution from all the organic contents of cells at 1 x 1 microm pixel resolution was possible only with high circulating current (> or = 1.2 A) illuminating a limited number of the FPA's detectors to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of IR images. Finally, a high-current SR ring is mandatory for collecting FTIR images of biosamples with a high contrast in minutes.

The cytoprotective drug amifostine modifies both expression and activity of the pro-angiogenic factor VEGF-A.

BACKGROUND: Amifostine (WR-2721, delivered as Ethyol) is a phosphorylated aminothiol compound clinically used in addition to cis-platinum to reduce the toxic side effects of therapeutic treatment on normal cells without reducing their efficacy on tumour cells. Its mechanism of action is attributed to the free radical scavenging properties of its active dephosphorylated metabolite WR-1065. However, amifostine has also been described as a potent hypoxia-mimetic compound and as a strong p53 inducer; both effects are known to potently modulate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) expression. The angiogenic properties of this drug have not been clearly defined. METHODS: Cancer cell lines and endothelial cells were used in culture and treated with Amifostine in order to study (i) the expression of angiogenesis related genes and proteins and (ii) the effects of the drug on VEGF-A induced in vitro angiogenesis. RESULTS: We demonstrated that the treatment of several human cancer cell lines with therapeutical doses of WR-1065 led to a strong induction of different VEGF-A mRNA isoforms independently of HIF-1alpha. VEGF-A induction by WR-1065 depends on the activation of the eIF2alpha/ATF4 pathway. This up-regulation of VEGF-A mRNA was accompanied by an increased secretion of VEGF-A proteins fully active in stimulating vascular endothelial cells (EC). Nevertheless, direct treatment of EC with amifostine impaired their ability to respond to exogenous VEGF-A, an effect that correlated to the down-regulation of VEGFR-2 expression, to the reduction in cell surface binding of VEGF-A and to the decreased phosphorylation of the downstream p42/44 kinases. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results indicate that amifostine treatment modulates tumour angiogenesis by two apparently opposite mechanisms - the increased VEGF-A expression by tumour cells and the inhibition of EC capacity to respond to VEGF-A stimulation.

Expression of mouse 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase-3 mRNA alternative splice variants in hypoxia.

Expression of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase-3 (PFKFB-3) mRNA alternative splice variants was studied in different mouse tissues in hypoxic conditions in vivo. Significant increase of the expression of PFKFB-3 mRNA was observed in the mouse lungs, testes and brain in hypoxia. Several new alternative splice variants of PFKFB-3 mRNA were identified in the lung, testis, brain and skeletal muscle. They have different length and amino acid sequence of C-terminal regulatory part. However, 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase and fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase catalytic domains were identical. Moreover, the expression of different alternative splice variants of PFKFB-3 mRNA has shown tissue specificity and different levels of induction in hypoxic conditions in vivo. Results of this investigation indicate a possible role of PFKFB-3 splice isoform in cell adaptation to hypoxic conditions.

Elevated angiogenin levels in synovial fluid from patients with inflammatory arthritis and secretion of angiogenin by cultured synovial fibroblasts.

Angiogenesis is a key process in the pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritis. Angiogenin is one of the most potent inducers of neovascularization in experimental models in vivo. To look for evidence that angiogenin is involved in inflammatory joint disease, we examined plasma and synovial fluid (SF) samples from rheumatology patients and synovial fibroblast cell culture supernatants. Angiogenin levels were determined by radioimmunoassay and ELISA. Plasma angiogenin concentrations ranged from 96 to 478 ng/ml, with no significant difference between patients and normal controls. In SF, angiogenin concentrations were significantly higher in patients with acute or chronic synovitis (rheumatoid arthritis (RA): median, 104 ng/ml; range 13-748, n = 14; crystal-induced arthritis (CIA): median, 149 ng/ml; range, 37-616, n = 14, and other chronic inflammatory arthritis: median, 42 ng/ml; range, 15-205; n = 9) than in the 18 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) (median, 20 ng/ml; range 8-116) (P < 0.0001, anova). Angiogenin levels in SF from RA patients in remission with secondary OA were similar to those achieved in primary OA, and decreased in parallel with the resolution of acute gout. Angiogenin protein was released by cultured synovial fibroblasts from OA and RA patients, and reached 1.18 ng/106 cells/day. These data suggest that angiogenin may mediate local inflammation in arthritis via effects on angiogenesis and leucocyte regulation.

Basic homopolyamino acids, histones and protamines are potent antagonists of angiogenin binding to ribonuclease inhibitor.

A radio-ribonuclease inhibitor assay based on the interaction of 125I-angiogenin with ribonuclease inhibitor (RI) was used to detect pancreatic-type ribonucleases and potential modulators of their action. We show that highly basic proteins including the homopolypeptides poly-arginine, poly-lysine and poly-ornithine, core histones, spermatid-specific S1 protein and the protamines HP3 and Z3 were strong inhibitors of angiogenin binding to RI. A minimum size of poly-arginine and poly-lysine was required for efficient inhibition. The inhibition likely resulted from direct association of the basic proteins with the acidic inhibitor, as RI bound to poly-lysine and protamines while 125I-angiogenin did not. Antagonists of the angiogenin-RI interaction are potential regulators of either angiogenin-triggered angiogenesis and/or intracellular RI function, depending on their preferential target.

Ribonuclease inhibitor protein of human erythrocytes: characterization, loss of activity in response to oxidative stress, and association with Heinz bodies.

Significant amounts of ribonuclease inhibitor protein are present in human and rat erythrocytes, cells that are essentially devoid of ribonuclease or functional RNA. The protein from human erythrocytes is indistinguishable from human placental ribonuclease inhibitor protein by immunological and biochemical criteria. Each inhibitor forms an equimolar complex with bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A and is inactivated by treatment with the sulfhydryl reagent p-(hydroxymercuri)benzoate. Amino acid composition and several cycles of amino acid sequence analysis also showed apparent identify of the erythrocyte and placental proteins. We calculate a level of 1.5-3.5 x 10(4) molecules of active inhibitor per erythrocyte, most or all of which occurs in an uncomplexed form since inactivation of the inhibitor revealed barely detectable levels of RNase activity. Immunogold localization showed a high level of labeling and a uniform distribution of gold particles in the cytoplasm of erythrocytes, while little inhibitor activity was found in association with isolated red blood cell membranes. Oxidative stress on isolated red cells resulted in a decrease in the level of reduced glutathione and a gradual and irreversible loss of inhibitor activity; inhibitor disappeared from the cytosol and became associated with nascent Heinz bodies. We suggest a role for this protein in the metabolism and aging process of the erythrocyte.

Secretion of ribonucleases by normal and immortalized cells grown in serum-free culture conditions.

The requirement of serum in cell culture is a major limitation for studies on secreted ribonucleases (RNases) because serum contains a high amount of ribonucleolytic activity. Defined culture condition is thus of interest to improve our knowledge of the RNase biology. We report here that cells from three different types and origins, Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts, bovine smooth muscle cells, and human endothelium-derived EA.hy926 cells, proliferate consistently in the presence of a basal medium supplemented with bovine serum albumin, high-density lipoproteins, basic fibroblast growth factor, insulin, and transferrin. Using a new quantitative radio-RNase inhibitor assay, two distinct ribonucleolytic assays, and a radioimmunoassay against angiogenin, it is shown that RNases became apparent in media conditioned by cell monolayers. Both the hamster lung fibroblast and the EA.hy926 cell lines secreted larger amounts of RNase inhibitor-interacting factors and RNase activity than normal smooth muscle cells. The serum-free medium represents an alternative way to grow these cells and allows investigation of biosynthesis and functions of RNases in culture. It should be useful to identify and quantitate unambiguously specific members of the RNase family secreted by normal versus tumor cells in culture.

The widespread expression of angiogenin in different human cells suggests a biological function not only related to angiogenesis.

Angiogenin is a secreted polypeptide that induces neovascularization in vivo. The expression of angiogenin by human cells in culture was investigated by using a specific radioimmunoassay and by cDNA hybridization. Angiogenin immunoreactivity was widely but differentially produced by anchorage-dependent growing cells including vascular endothelial cells from saphenous and umbilical veins, aortic smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts (from embryos, new-borns and adults), and tumour cells. Endothelial cells from saphenous veins and the endothelium-derived EA.hy926 cell line released immunoreactivity whatever the stage of the culture, including release at the lag phase, during exponential growth and at the confluent phase. However, the rate of accumulation of angiogenin varied as a function of EA.hy926 cell density. As compared to anchored cells, normal peripheral blood cells and tumour cells of myelomonocytic and megakaryocytic origin did not noticeably secrete angiogenin except at low levels. A myeloma cell line supernatant contained as much angiogenin cross-reactivity as did anchored cells, while four tumour T-cell lines expressed the cross-reactivity at different levels, i.e. from undetectable levels to a high level. A 0.9-kb angiogenin messenger RNA was detected by Northern-blot analyses in a variety of representative cells correlating with the presence of immunoreactivity in the cell-culture media. The widespread expression pattern of angiogenin suggests a physiological function that is not restricted to the neovascularization process.

Quantification of angiogenesis due to basic fibroblast growth factor in a modified rabbit corneal model.

The rabbit corneal angiogenesis assay was modified to allow quantification of the neovascular response induced by growth factors. Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF) was used for this experiment. bFGF was diluted in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) in such a way that 2 microliter of solution contained concentrations ranging from 17 to 1,200 ng. Each drop was absorbed by a 1 x 2 mm particle of a dried 70% hydratable hydrogel and implanted into a mid-stroma corneal pocket, 2 mm from the limbus. Iodinated bFGF was used to measure growth factor diffusion in the cornea, which was found to be isotropic. Autoradiography showed that bFGF was stored in the cornea at both epithelial and endothelial level. Corneal neovascularization occurred on the second day after implantation and was maximal on the 7th day. At this time the neovascular surface was measured by planimetry on corneal photographs and compared with controls. This method allows precise definition of the dose of any substance to be implanted into the cornea and induces a rapid neovascular response, thus allowing quantitative evaluation of neovascularization within one week. A neovascular response was detectable for doses as low as 35 ng of bFGF and increased proportionally to the dose of bFGF implanted.

Internalization of basic fibroblast growth factor by Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cells: involvement of several pathways.

Subconfluent Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cells (CCL39) which express high- and low-affinity binding sites for basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were used to study bFGF internalization. Kinetics at 37 degrees C indicated that this process was complex and involved various pathways with regard to the ligand concentration used. Internalization with 6 to 45 pM of 125I-r-bFGF led to a steady state that lasted up to 3 h without any appearance of 125I-labeled degradation products in the cell-culture medium, suggesting that the endocytosis reached equilibrium. Furthermore, binding data at steady state, at 37 degrees C, revealed a two-phase Scatchard curve suggesting the involvement of two families of interaction sites in the process of internalization. Apparent dissociation constants were estimated to be 20 pM and 58 nM, respectively, and the number of bFGF molecules involved per cell, 4300 and 1.3 x 10(6), respectively. These data were in good agreement with those obtained from binding experiments at equilibrium at 4 degrees C. Besides, higher concentrations of 125I-r-bFGF (greater than 47 pM) induced an internalization process which did not reach steady state and was not saturable. These results suggest that CCL39 cells could internalize bFGF by various pathways involving high- and low-affinity binding sites.

Pharmacokinetic and autoradiographic studies of basic fibroblast growth factor on de-epithelialized and intact rabbit eye.

In a previous work, we showed and compared the wound healing properties of aFGF and bFGF topically administered on totally de-epithelialized rabbit corneas. Pharmacokinetic and autoradiographic studies were then performed to investigate the sites of accumulation of bFGF in ocular structures, both on de-epithelialized and intact rabbit eyes. After one single instillation of 125I-bFGF, all the ocular structures were dissected and the measurement of the radioactivity allowed to establish kinetic curves. The results showed a very important and early fixation of bFGF on denuded cornea (10 minutes) and a posterior distribution of the drug between 10 and 30 minutes. A second accumulation of bFGF in the anterior segment appeared 8 hours after application and then decreased till the 48th hour. These findings were confirmed by the macroautoradiographies and the microautoradiographies pointed out the fixation of bFGF not only at the location of the Bowman membrane, but also on the corneal endothelium. These experiments also demonstrated the systemic diffusion of bFGF into the untreated controlateral eye. The integrity of bFGF in the cornea and other structures was then confirmed by SDS PAGE followed by autoradiography. In the intact eye, bFGF was shown to penetrate in extremely low amounts, illustrating the major role of the corneal barrier. For a therapeutic use bFGF may be recommended as an efficient wound healing agent for epithelial but also endothelial defects. Its eventual unwanted side effects must be kept in mind to perfect an efficient low dose and short term clinical treatment.

Internalization and limited processing of basic fibroblast growth factor on Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts.

Using either acidic (pH 2.5) or trypsic treatments, we demonstrated that 125I-labeled basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (125I-bFGF) was submitted to an internalization process on responsive Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts (CCL39) at 37 degrees C. Various experiments based on the measurement of cell-associated radioactivity, as well as on research of degradated products of 125I-bFGF in cellular supernatants, showed that most of the internalized radioactivity remained intracellularly located after up to 5 hr of incubation. Analyses of this radioactivity by NaDodSO4-PAGE revealed the presence of labeled peptides issued from the limited processing of the native 125I-bFGF form (17 kD) and whose molecular weights were estimated to be 9 and 6 kD. Kinetic experiments indicated that proteolysis of the 125I-bFGF began early on incubation (less than 30 min) and led to a prolonged preservation of the 9- and 6-kD peptides which were still detectable after 13 hr of incubation. Preincubation of the cells with different lysosomotropic agents completely inhibited the proteolysis, indicating that this event occurred probably in an intracellular acidic compartment. Two enzyme inhibitors, leupeptin and N-alpha-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), were also shown to interfere with the formation of both 9- and 6-kD peptides, thus suggesting a way to control the appearance of these fragments, and hence to determine their potential intracellular role.

Specific fixation of bovine brain and retinal acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors to mouse embryonic eye basement membranes.

The labeling pattern of mouse embryonic eye frozen sections incubated with radioiodinated brain acidic and basic fibroblasts growth factors (aFGF and bFGF) was investigated by autoradiography. Both growth factors bind to basement membranes in a dose-dependent way, with a higher affinity for bFGF. Similar data were obtained with eye-derived growth factors (EDGF), the retinal forms of FGF. There was a heterogeneity in the affinity of the various basement membranes toward these growth factors. The inner limiting membrane of the retina and the posterior part of the lens capsule have a higher binding capacity than the posterior part of the Bruch's membrane. The specificity of the growth factor-basement membrane interaction was demonstrated by the following experiments: (i) an excess of unlabeled growth factor displaced the labeling; (ii) unrelated proteins with different isoelectric points--gelatin, serum albumin, histones--did not modify the labeling; and (iii) iodinated EGF or PDGF did not label basement membrane. In order to get a better understanding of the nature of this binding, we performed the incubation of the frozen sections with iodinated FGFs preincubated with various compounds: (i) heparin which is known to have a strong affinity for aFGF and bFGF partially decreases the labeling, and (ii) chondroitin sulfate B and dextran sulfate at high concentrations were also partially effective. In addition, enzymatic treatment of the sections reveals that only heparitinase, not collagenase or chondroitinase ABC, completely prevents the labeling without destroying the overall structure of the basement membrane. An antibody against the proteic part of EHS mouse proteoheparan sulfate does not affect the signal. Esterification of the acidic groups cancelled the binding. These results demonstrate that FGFs bind specifically to basement membranes, probably on the polysaccharidic part of the proteoheparan sulfate, and suggest that this type of interaction may be a general feature of the mechanism of action of these growth factors.

Early and late mitogenic events induced by FGF on bovine epithelial lens cells are not triggered by hydrolysis of polyphosphoinositides.

Basic or acidic forms of FGF, a potent mitogen for Bovine Epithelial Lens cells caused a rapid and transient rise in cytoplasmic Ca2+ followed by an increase in intracellular pH of 0.4 units. When cells were labeled at equilibrium with [3H]-inositol, no significant breakdown of polyphosphoinositides (in the presence of 20 mM LiCl) could be detected in response to 10-100 ng/ml of FGF. Similarly, fetal calf serum efficiently reinitiated DNA synthesis in these cells with little stimulation of polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis. In contrast, prostaglandin F2 alpha and angiotensin II, two weak mitogens for BEL cells, were found potent agonists of polyphosphoinositide breakdown. These results strongly indicate that the mitogenic action of FGF is not coupled to phospholipase C activation, a conclusion consistent with the fact that the FGF-induced [Ca2+]i rise is strictly dependent upon external Ca2+.

Biochemical comparative studies between eye- and brain-derived growth factors.

Two bovine brain-derived growth factors, BDGF I and BDGF II, were isolated using the same extraction procedure as previously described for eye-derived growth factors (EDGF). The hypothesis that these growth factors were identical to EDGF I and EDGF II, respectively, was supported by their similar molecular weights (16,000 and 15,000, respectively) and isoelectric points (9.0 and 5.0, respectively), their identical retention behavior on reverse-phase chromatography and their similar amino acid compositions. From studies on their binding properties to cell surfaces, competition between EDGF I and BDGF I as well as competition between EDGF II and BDGF II to the same receptor was observed. The amino terminal sequence of EDGF II (1-16) was shown to be identical to the amino acid residues (7-22) of the acidic FGF, strongly confirming our observations on the identity of the factors isolated from bovine brain and retina.

The mitogenic signaling pathway of fibroblast growth factor is not mediated through polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis and protein kinase C activation in hamster fibroblasts.

Basic or acidic fibroblast growth factor (FGF), alone, was found to be as potent as alpha-thrombin to reinitiate DNA synthesis in G0-arrested Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts (CCL39). Basic FGF at 50 ng/ml or thrombin at 1 unit/ml rapidly initiated early events such as cytoplasmic alkalinization (0.2-0.3 pH units), rise in cytoplasmic Ca2+, phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 and increased c-myc expression, followed by a 30-40-fold increase in labeled nuclei. Whereas thrombin is a potent activator of phospholipase C as judged by the rapid release of inositol trisphosphate, inositol bisphosphate and by the massive accumulation of total inositol phosphate (IP) in the presence of 20 mM Li+, FGF failed to induce the breakdown of polyphosphoinositides in quiescent CCL39 cells. Indeed, no inositol trisphosphate nor inositol bisphosphate could be detected in response to FGF; in presence of Li+ the total IP release never exceeded 8% of the IP released by the action of thrombin. Two additional findings indicated that FGF and thrombin activate different signaling pathways. First, we found that, in contrast to thrombin, the FGF-induced rise in the cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration measured by quin-2 fluorescence, is strictly dependent upon the presence of Ca2+ in the external medium. Second, we found that FGF failed to activate protein kinase C as judged by the epidermal growth factor-receptor binding assay. Treatment of the cells with either thrombin or phorbol esters, rapidly inhibited 125I-labeled epidermal growth factor binding (50-60%). Basic or acidic FGF had no effect. We conclude that: the FGF-receptor signaling pathway is not coupled to phospholipase C activation, and early mitogenic events and reinitiation of DNA synthesis can be initiated independently of inositol lipid breakdown and protein kinase C activation.

Evidence and characterization of the receptor to eye-derived growth factor I, the retinal form of basic fibroblast growth factor, on bovine epithelial lens cells.

Eye-derived growth factor I (EDGF-I), the retinal form of the basic fibroblast growth factor, has been purified to homogeneity from bovine retina by heparin-Sepharose chromatography. The radioiodinated EDGF-I retained full mitogenic activity and was used to study the interaction of the growth factor with bovine epithelial lens cells. We showed that 125I-labeled EDGF-I bound in a saturable and reversible manner to a specific cellular receptor. Scatchard analysis of the equilibrium binding gave a Kd of 53 X 10(-12) M with approximately equal to 20,000 binding sites per cell. Crosslinking experiments using two homobifunctional reagents induced the formation of a specific major complex with a Mr of approximately equal to 145,000, as determined by NaDodSO4/PAGE, and independent of reducing conditions. These data establish the existence of a receptor for the basic growth factor derived from neural tissues and give an estimation of the size of this receptor at Mr 130,000.

Evidence for FGF-like growth factor in adult bovine retina: analogies with EDGF I.

Eye Derived Growth Factor (EDGF) is the genus name for growth factor activities found in several ocular tissues. Purification from bovine retina by Cibacron blue affinity chromatography has previously given a fraction which can induce target cell proliferation at doses of 30 ng per ml of culture medium. Radioimmunoassay using a labelled synthetic decapeptide [Tyr 10]--FGF (1-10) including the 9 N terminal amino acids of brain Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) indicated that EDGF contained a FGF-like material. Further purification of Cibacron blue purified EDGF with heparin sepharose chromatography yielded two active fractions after elution with a sodium chloride gradient. One fraction named EDGF I eluted between 1.3 and 1.5 M NaCl and accounted for over 50% of the input biological activity and comigrated with purified FGF on SDS PAGE at a molecular weight of 16,000 d as a single band. FGF competed with EDGF I for binding to specific receptors on bovine epithelial lens cells. We conclude that retina contains a growth factor activity (EDGF I) similar if not identical to FGF.