Diverse resveratrol sensitization to apoptosis induced by anticancer drugs in sensitive and resistant leukemia cells.

Naturally occurring dietary compound resveratrol (RES), possessing chemopreventive and cytostatic properties, has been shown as potent sensitizer for apoptosis induced by a variety of anticancer drugs. Cell cycle analysis in sensitive promyelocytic leukemia HL60 cell line and its multidrug-resistant variant HL60/VCR (P-gp positive) treated with RES resulted in cell cycle arrest in S-phase in both cell variants. Flow cytometry measurements showed diverse activities of RES in combination with anticancer drugs doxorubicin (DOX), cycloheximide (CHX), busulfan (BUS), gemcitabine (GEM) and paclitaxel (PTX), in some cases resulting in apoptosis induction, preferentially at the expense of S-phase. Thus, RES could become a candidate to enhance the efficacy of combination anticancer therapy in a variety of human cancer cells inclusive leukemias.

Flavonoid quercetin, but not apigenin or luteolin, induced apoptosis in human myeloid leukemia cells and their resistant variants.

Flavonoids and their in vivo metabolites are neuroprotective, cardioprotective and chemopreventive agents acting as hydrogen-donating antioxidants or modulators functioning at protein kinase and lipid signaling pathways. In presented study treatments of human leukemia cells HL60 and their MDR-1 resistant subline HL60/VCR by flavonoids apigenin (API), luteolin (LUT), quercetin (QU) and anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) are reported. Of all flavonoids used only QU treatments led in both cell lines to DNA fragmentation, cleavage of poly (ADP- ribose) polymerase (PARP), up-regulation of proapoptotic Bax and posttranslational modification (phosphorylation) of antiapoptotic Bcl-2. Cytochrome c and p21WAF1/CIP1 levels remained unchanged in these cells. Furthermore, treatments of both cell lines by QU and in its combined application with DOX increased phosphorylation of ERK, while Akt-1 and phosphorylated Akt-1 levels were not changed. All these events resulted in effective induction of apoptosis associated with down-regulation of P-glycoprotein in resistant cells. Presented results suggest that in human leukemia cells QU is a potent regulator of the cell apoptotic program associated with the modulation of several signaling molecules.

Radiation-induced apoptosis and cell cycle alterations in human carcinoma cell lines with different radiosensitivities.

Radiosensitivity of examined human neoplastic cell lines was assessed with the aid of MTT assay. Differences between radiosensitive and radioresistant human neoplastic cell lines were as follow: a) radiation-induced apoptosis detected by flow cytometry was apparent in the most radiosensitive (i.e. CH-1 ovarian carcinoma cell line), but not in the radioresistant (i.e. SKOV-3 ovarian carcinoma) cell lines, b) radiation-induced G2/M arrest appeared early after irradiation (6 hours) in both the radioresistant SKOV-3 cells and in the radiosensitive CH-1 human ovarian carcinoma cell line, but a different pattern was observed 24 hours after irradiation with 2 Gy dose with G2/M arrest only in radiosensitive cell line. The radiosensitivity and resistance to radiation-induced apoptosis in the radioresistant human breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 cell line were similar to those observed in SKOV-3 cells. These data suggest that radiation-induced apoptosis and cell cycle alterations can predict radiosensitivity at least in some examined human malignant cells in vitro.

PSC 833 induces apoptosis in drug-sensitive human leukemia cell line and modulates resistance to paclitaxel in its multidrug-resistant variant.

BACKGROUND: The non-immunosuppressive cyclosporine analog PSC 833 has been shown to reverse multidrug-resistance of neoplastic cells including the MDR-1 gene coded P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated cells resistant to paclitaxel. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Apoptosis was demonstrated in drug-sensitive HL-60 and multidrug-resistant human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60/ADR (MRP) and HL-60/VCR (MDR-1) cells in vitro with the aid of flow cytometry, DNA analysis and western blotting. RESULTS: The techniques used herein determined accumulation of paclitaxel/PSC 833 induced apoptotic cells with sub-G0 (hypodiploid) DNA content and blocked in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, Bcl-2 modulation and Bax up-regulation, without any significant alterations in the levels of Bcl-xL, CD95/Fas or Fas-L proteins. CONCLUSION: Drug resistance modulator PSC 833 abolished the P-gp-mediated multidrug-resistance to paclitaxel and paclitaxel-induced apoptosis in human myeloid leukemia (HL-60/VCR) cells in vitro. Furthermore, PSC 833 alone induced apoptosis in parental drug-sensitive leukemia cells, but not in both multidrug-resistant sublines studied.

Cell surface immunophenotype and gelatinase activity of the human breast carcinoma cell line (MCF-7/6) with functionally defective E-cadherin.

Expression of differentiation and adhesion cell surface antigens (LewisX - CD15, CD44, syndecan 1 - CD138 and basigin/EMMPRIN - CD147) were determined on the cell surface of human breast carcinoma MCF7 cells in vitro with the aid of flow cytometry and compared with that of MCF-7/6 cells, with functionally defective E-cadherin system and increased biological aggressiveness. The major cell surface alterations in MCF-7/6 cells compared with the parental MCF-7 cell line were a markedly increased CD15 (LewisX) and CD44 antigen cell surface expression on MCF-7/6 cells. There were no major differences between parental MCF-7 and MCF-7/6 cells in cell surface syndecan 1, basigin/EMMPRIN, E-cadherin and high affinity non-integrin laminin receptor expression. The constitutive cell surface gelatinase A and B activities were absent on MCF-7 and faint in MCF-7/6 cells. Both phorbol ester TPA and tumor necrosis factor TNF-alpha induced a marked up-regulation of gelatinase B only in MCF-7/6 cells. No marked differences in penetration of MCF-7 vs. MCF-7/6 cells into collagen/fibroblast matrix in vitro were observed. The increased expression of CD15 (LewisX), CD44 antigen and TNF-alpha-inducible gelatinase B on MCF-7/6 cells may represent auxiliary factors contributing to the increased biological aggressiveness of MCF-7/6 cells.

Angiogenesis inhibitor TNP-470: cytotoxic effects on human neoplastic cell lines.

Angiostatic substance TNP-470 displayed moderate cytotoxicity towards human leukemia HL-60, HL-60/ADR, HL-60/VCR and myeloma ARH77 cell lines with IC50 in the range 5-10 microM of concentrations and slightly higher IC50 for myeloma cell line U266. IC50 for ovarian CH-1, A2780 and A2780/ADR cell lines was in the range 10-15 microM with the exception of platinum-resistant SKOV3 cell line (more than 40 microM ). The IC50 values for MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast carcinoma cell lines were 15 and 25 microM, respectively. In human hemopoietic neoplastic cell lines examined, TNP-470 induced the appearance of subpopulation with sub-G0 DNA content, suggesting the apoptosis-inducing potential of TNP-470 in these cells. No TNP-470-induced drug uptake modulation in drug-resistant leukemia cell line HL-60/VCR was observed. TNP-470 induced accumulation of cells in G0/G1 phase of cell cycle. There was no TNP-470-induced inhibition of MMP collagenase activity or MMP (MMP2 and MMP9) production in the human fibrosarcoma cells HT 1080 in vitro.

Detection of apoptosis in a heterogenous cell population using flow cytometry.

Apoptosis induced in human leukemic cells (promyelocytic human leukemic cells HL-60, multidrug-resistant subline HL-60/VCR) and human ovarian carcinoma cells (A2780 and multidrug-resistant subline A2780/ADR) in vitro was detected by flow cytometric analysis or DNA electrophoresis. The cytofluorometric techniques utilized, i. e. detection of phosphatidylserine exposed at the outer surface of the plasma membrane, identification of cells with "sub-G0" DNA content or increased light side scatter (cell internal structure) correlated with the electrophoretic determination of DNA fragmentation ("DNA ladder"). Detection of the 34 kDa mitochondrial protein recognized by the monoclonal antibody Apo2.7 yielded elevated percentages of apoptotic cells, suggesting that this technique detecting both early and late apoptosis in digitonin-fixed cells might not be restricted to the specific detection of programmed cell death.

Resistance of human multidrug-resistant neoplastic cell lines to paclitaxel-induced-radiosensitization is reduced by the non-immunosuppressive cyclosporine analog SDZ PSC 833.

The non-immunosuppressive cyclosporine analog SDZ PSC 833 abolished the resistance of human multidrug resistant (MDR-1, P-gp) human promyelocyte leukemia HL-60/VCR cells in vitro to paclitaxel-induced cell cycle- and viability alterations, as well as resistance to paclitaxel-induced radiosensitization. Furthermore, SDZ PSC 833 abolished also the resistance of human multidrug-resistant ovarian A2780/ADR cells to paclitaxel-induced cell cycle alterations and reduced its resistance to paclitaxel-induced radiosensitization. In these multidrug-resistant ovarian carcinoma cells the supra-additive interaction between paclitaxel and SDZ PSC 833 pre-exposure and subsequent irradiation appeared at slightly higher paclitaxel concentrations (40-100 nM) compared to those required for a similar interaction in the parental drug sensitive A2780 cells (40-80 nM paclitaxel).

Protein kinase inhibitor-induced alterations of drug uptake, cell cycle and surface antigen expression in human multidrug-resistant (Pgp and MRP) promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells.

Protein kinase inhibitors staurosporine and CGP 41251, a benzoylated derivative of staurosporine with selective PKC inhibitory activity, reversed the decreased rhodamine 123 uptake in HL-60/VCR (with Pgp-mediated drug resistance) but not in HL-60/ADR (MRP-mediated drug resistance) cells. CGP 41251 reversed the decreased rhodamine 123 uptake in HL-60/VCR cells more efficiently (when compared on a equimolar basis) than staurosporine. However, the protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein unexpectedly modulated the decreased rhodamine 123 uptake in Pgp positive (HL-60/VCR) cells, but not in HL-60/ADR (MRP positive) cells. Cell surface phenotype of both HL-60 drug-resistant cell sublines was compared with that of the parental, drug-sensitive HL-60 cells. Both drug-resistant cell lines expressed markedly decreased levels of cell surface HLA class I antigen in comparison with the parental HL-60 cells. A similar decreased cell surface expression of HLA class II/DR on both drug-resistant, as well as of CD59 (protectin) on HL-60/ADR cells was found. Both protein kinase C inhibitors studied (staurosporine and CGP 41251) exhibited variable effects on cell surface antigen (HLA, ICAM-1, CD59) expression, suggesting complex interactions between PKC-dependent and -independent mechanisms in the regulation of surface antigen expression in these cell lines. Staurosporine differed from CGP 41251 in the cell cycle alterations induced in the HL-60 cell lines examined. Staurosporine induced the accumulation of cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle and the appearance of pre-G0 (apoptotic) cells in both examined drug-resistant cell lines. Staurosporine induced the appearance of cells with high DNA content in HL-60/ADR, but not in HL-60/VCR cells.

Human multidrug-resistant (MRP,p190) myeloid leukemia HL-60/ADR cells in vitro: resistance to the mevalonate pathway inhibitor lovastatin.

Mevalonate pathway inhibitor lovastatin inhibited proliferation of human multidrug-resistant promyelocytic leukemia HL-60/ADR cells in vitro, with MRP-gene coded p190 mediated drug resistance, to a markedly lesser extent than that of the parental drug sensitive HL-60 cells and also that of the other human multidrug resistant (MDR-1, P-glycoprotein) myeloid leukemia cell line HL-60/VCR. The sensitivity of the examined human leukemia cell lines to the cytostatic activity of lovastatin correlated approximately with the potential of lovastatin to induce the characteristic cell cycle alteration (i.e. the accumulation of lovastatin-treated cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle). The P-glycoprotein positive HL-60/VCR cells and the parental drug sensitive HL-60 cells were more sensitive to this cell cycle alteration than the HL-60/ADR multidrug resistant leukemia cells with MRP drug resistance. Lovastatin (72 hours, 20 micromol) induced apoptosis and cell necrosis in HL-60 cells, apoptosis but not cell necrosis in HL-60/VCR cells and neither apoptosis nor necrosis in HL-60/ADR cells.

Taxol-enhanced cytotoxic effect of radiation in human promyelocytic leukemia cells: relative resistance of multidrug-resistant HL-60 cells in vitro.

Cytotoxic effects of sequential taxol (paclitaxel) and X-irradiation on drug-sensitive human cultured promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cell line and its multidrug-resistant sublines were examined using photometric MTT test and flow cytometry. Paclitaxel (at concentrations 1-10 nmol) stimulated the cytotoxic effect of irradiation in HL-60 and to a lesser extent also in HL-60/ADR, but not in HL-60/VCR cells. The stimulation of radiation-induced cytotoxic effect by paclitaxel correlated with its potential to induce cell cycle and viability alterations identified with flow cytometric analysis (i.e. increased propidium iodide staining, increased side scatter, decreased forward angle scatter, accumulation of necrotic cell detritus, apoptotic pre-G0 cells and cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle).

Stimulation of 1-(beta-D-arabinofuranosyl)cytosine (AraC)-induced apoptosis in the multidrug resistant human promyelocytic leukemia cell lines with protein kinase inhibitors.

Stimulation of apoptosis induced by 1-(beta-D-arabinofuranosyl)cytosine (AraC) with protein kinase inhibitors (i.e. staurosporine, CGP 41251-a protein kinase C (PKC)-selective staurosporine derivative and protein tyrosine kinase (PKT) inhibitor genistein) was examined in two human multidrug-resistant promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cell lines with different cell membrane drug resistance-associated glycoproteins (i.e. HL-60/VCR:MDR1 gene coded Pgp/p170 and HL-60/ADR: MRP gene coded non-Pgp/p190). Staurosporine stimulated AraC-induced apoptosis in the parental drug-sensitive HL-60 cells and both examined multidrug resistant HL-60 sublines. The stimulation of AraC-induced apoptosis by PKC selective inhibitor CGP 412251 and PTK-inhibitor genistein was approximately equal to that of staurosporine in HL-60/ADR cell line. In both parental drug sensitive HL-60 cells and Pgp/p170 positive (MDR1) HL-60/VCR, staurosporine-stimulated AraC-induced apoptosis was higher than that stimulated by the PKC selective CGP 41251 inhibitor, or PTK-inhibitor genistein. These data suggest that the molecular pathway(s) for AraC-induced apoptosis can be activated and stimulated by PKC- and PTK-inhibitors in both examined drug-resistant HL-60 cell lines. Furthermore, these data suggest that although both PKC- and PTK-dependent mechanisms are involved in AraC-induced apoptosis, in the drug-sensitive HL-60 cells and multidrug-resistant HL-60/VCR (Pgp/p170) cells this process is mediated at least partially, also by PKC- and PTK-independent mechanisms, activated by staurosporine.

Phorbol ester (TPA)-induced differential modulation of cell surface antigens in human pluripotential leukemia (K-562) cell line: effects of protein kinase inhibitors with broad- and PKC selective inhibitory activity.

Phorbol ester (TPA)-induced increase in cell surface expression of adhesion structures, i.e. intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1, CD54), beta 2 integrin LFA-1 (CD11a), complement-regulatory cell membrane protein-protein (CD59) and leukocyte common antigen (CD45) in human erythroid/myeloid leukemia cell line K-562 was inhibited by staurosporine, an inhibitor with broad, non-selective protein kinase inhibitory profile, but not by CGP 41,251, a benzoylated staurosporine derivative with the selective protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitory activity. Neither staurosporine nor CGP 41,251 modulated TPA-induced down-regulation of transferrin receptor (CD71). These data suggest that phorbol ester-induced cell surface antigen modulations in K-562 cells are predominantly mediated by PKC-independent signalling pathways.

Sialylated Lewis(x) and Lewis(a) determinants expression on human neoplastic cell lines: immunocytometric study with the 5th workshop monoclonal antibodies.

The reactivity of monoclonal antibodies from the 5th workshop Selectins/Selectin Ligands panel, directed to the sialylated Lewis(x) and sialylated Lewis(a) determinants, with the human breast carcinoma (BT-20, ZR-75-1 and MDA-MB-468) cell lines, human ovarian carcinoma cell line A2780, fibrosarcoma (HT-1080, B-6FS) and hematopoietic neoplastic (U-937, HL-60, K-562) cell lines were determined with the aid of flow immunocytofluorometry. The examined monoclonal antibodies to sialylated Lewis determinants reacted with examined breast carcinoma, but not with the examined ovarian carcinoma and fibrosarcoma cell lines.

Differential effect of protein kinase inhibitors (staurosporine and CGP 41,251) on TPA-induced homotypic aggregation and cell surface adhesion antigen expression in human monoblastoid cell line U-937.

The phorbolester (TPA)-induced homotypic aggregation of human monoblastoid U-937 cells was completely abolished by staurosporine, but not by a new selective protein kinase C inhibitor, benzoylated staurosporine derivative CGP 41,251, a compound with known anti-tumor and drug resistance modulating activity. Staurosporine, a protein kinase inhibitor with broad profile of inhibitory activity on diverse protein kinases, but not CGP 41,251 substantially inhibited the TPA-induced up-regulation of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1, CD54) and to a lesser extent also its ligand CD11a. These results suggest that protein kinase C-independent mechanisms, inhibited by staurosporine but not by the selective PKC inhibitor CGP 41,251 are involved in the TPA-induced homotypic adhesion and modulation of cell surface adhesion antigens in the human monoblastoid cell line U-937.

Monoclonal antibodies to two adhesive cell surface antigens (CD43 and CD59) with different distribution on hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic tumor cell lines.

Two new murine monoclonal antibodies were prepared by hybridoma technique after immunization with the immature pluripotent leukemia cell line K562. The monoclonal antibody Bra10G (IgG2b) reacted in a non-lineage pattern with all examined hematopoietic neoplastic cell lines and peripheral blood cells (granulocytes, lymphocytes, erythrocytes) of healthy donors, with the exception of monoblastoid cell line U-937 and B lymphoma cell line Daudi. This monoclonal antibody immunoprecipitated an 18-20 kDa cell surface protein expressed also on the cell surface of examined non-hematopoietic (malignant glioma, melanoma and breast carcinoma) cell lines. These properties and the efficient inhibition of Bra10G binding to the cell surface of K562 cells by the reference CD59 monoclonal antibody (MEM-43) indicated that Bra10G belongs to the CD59 cluster of monoclonal antibodies which identify the human protectin molecule. The monoclonal antibody Bra7G (IgM) reacted with a 95 kDa cell surface protein expressed on hematopoietic cells (with the exception of erythrocytes) and was absent on the examined non-hematopoietic neoplastic cell lines. These data together with a partial inhibition of Bra7G binding by the reference CD-43 monoclonal antibody suggested the CD43 (leukosialin, sialophorin) specificity of this monoclonal antibody.

Human monoblastoid cell line U-937 cultured in protein-free medium: immunophenotype, cytochemical and biochemical markers.

Human monoblastoid cell line U-937 was adapted to grow in protein-free (protein-free hybridoma--PFH) medium and cloned by limiting dilution. Resulting cell subline (U-937/PF) cultured in protein-free medium was characterized by immunological, cytochemical and biochemical techniques. There were no major differences in immunophenotype (determined by FACS analysis with monoclonal antibodies directed to HLA and CD antigens) and cytochemical markers between the U-937/PF cells cultured in protein-free cell culture medium and parental U-937 cell cultured in serum-supplemented medium. Maximal cell density was slightly decreased in protein-free culture as compared to the parental cell line in FCS-supplemented medium. Cell viability and cell DNA histograms (determined by propidium iodide cytofluorimetry) showed no major differences between parental U-937 and U-937/PF cells. Phorbol ester (TPA)-induction of differentiation-associated cell markers resulted in a proliferation arrest and accumulation of G0/G1 cells in both sublines. All-trans retinoic acid and, to a lesser extent, TPA-stimulated NBT reduction was higher in parental U-937 cells cultured in serum-supplemented medium as compared to U-937/PF cells. Quantitative differences in the expression and inducibility of some cytochemical markers (beta-glucuronidase, chloroacetate esterase) were found between both examined sublines. Described U-937/PF subline cultured in a protein-free cell culture medium (PFH) appeared as a potential tool for studies of in vitro inducing agents and serum components with differentiation promoting (or inhibiting) activities.

Biochemical and immunological phenotype alterations in human monoblastoid cell line U-937 induced by physiological (interferon-alpha, retinoic acid) and nonphysiological (phorbol ester) inducers.

Human monoblastoid cell line U-937 was induced by recombinant or leukocyte human interferon-alpha, retinoic acid, by their combination, or by 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), to express some differentiation-associated markers and characteristics. Induced biochemical alterations were studied with the aid of two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis (isoelectrofocusing/SDS-PAGE) of 125I-lactoperoxidase radioiodinated cell surface proteins, 35S-methionine metabolically radiolabeled cell proteins and 32P orthophosphate radiolabeled cell phosphoproteins. Alteration of immunophenotype markers was studied by continuous flow immunocytofluorometry with a panel of monoclonal antibodies directed to leukocyte antigens, cell proliferation, DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis by radioactive precursor incorporation techniques. Furthermore, cytochemical markers, cell adherence and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction were utilized to follow the induction of differentiation-associated characteristics. Differential alterations of some immunophenotype markers induced by diverse inducers were observed. Major induced alterations included down-regulation of CD4 (induced by TPA, and to a lesser extent by IFN-alpha), TPA-induced decrease of cell surface expression of transferrin receptor (unmodified by IFN-alpha) and IFN-alpha induced increase of antigen density (fluorescence intensity) of MHC class I antigen. Marked retinoic acid and interferon-alpha induced increase in membrane expression of antigen(s) detected by monoclonal antibodies BraC6 and BraC8, elicited with healthy donor's granulocytes, was also observed.

Monoclonal antibodies (series Bra-) of broad (non-lineage) or restricted (myelomonocytic) reactivities elicited with granulocytes or K 562 cells.

A series of monoclonal antibodies was obtained by hybridoma technology after immunization with granulocytes from healthy donors or K 562 immature erythroid-myeloid leukemia cells. Three different types of reactivities with examined hematopoietic-, nonhematopoietic cells and cell lines were observed by microscopic immunofluorescence, immunocytofluorometry and enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA), as follows: (i) broad, non-lineage type of two monoclonal antibodies (Bra10G and Bra7F1) with examined hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic human neoplastic cell lines, (ii) non-lineage type of reactivity restricted to hematopoietic cell lines, and (iii) restricted (myelomonocytic) pattern of binding to myeloid cell lines and healthy donors' granulocytes (monoclonal antibodies Bra4F1, BraC8 and Bra1F2). Monoclonal antibodies Bra10G and BraC6 were shown to immunoprecipitate specifically a heterodimeric two-chain cell surface protein p200,95 from cell lysates of lactoperoxidase radioiodinated U 937 cells with recognized epitope localized on the heavy chain (as shown by immunoblotting experiments). Antibodies with restricted myelomonocytic type of reactivity exhibited minor quantitative differences in their microscopic immunofluorescence and immunocytofluorometric patterns of reactivities with examined myeloid leukemia cell lines (K 562, HL 60, U 937) and healthy donors' granulocytes. The monoclonal antibody Bra4F1 was defined by the 4th International Workshop on Leukocyte Differentiation Antigens as CD15 (with typical selective reactivity towards myelomonocytic leukemia cells and cell lines as well as healthy donors' granulocytes) recognizing the X-hapten carbohydrate antigenic determinant.