Increased NAD(P)H:(quinone-acceptor)oxidoreductase activity is associated with density-dependent growth inhibition of normal but not transformed cells.

The activity of DT-diaphorase [NAD(P)H:(quinone-acceptor)oxidoreductase] is increased 7-fold in wild-type BALB/c 3T3T cells as they reach confluence and become density growth arrested. Harvesting and replating the cells at low density resulted in a loss of DT-diaphorase with a half time of 7 h, and removal of serum from high-density growth-arrested cells resulted in a decrease in DT-diaphorase with a half time of 3 days. Platelet-derived growth factor and insulin together, but not singly, maintain elevated DT-diaphorase levels in high-density growth-arrested BALB/c 3T3T cells. The increase in DT-diaphorase at high density diminished proportionately to the extent of transformation in four cell lines, 4NQO-3T3T, UV-3T3T, EJras-3T3T. and CSV3-1-3T3T. The most transformed cell line, CSV3-1-3T3T, showed no increase in DT-diaphorase at high density. Since there was no increase in DT-diaphorase mRNA in high-density growth-arrested wild-type BALB/c 3T3T cells compared to rapidly growing cells, the increase in DT-diaphorase activity at high density is most likely due to posttranslational events. High-density growth-arrested wild-type BALB/c 3T3 cells exhibited a greater sensitivity to growth inhibition by the antitumor quinone diaziquone [1,4-cyclohexadiene-1,4- dicarbamic acid, 2,5-bis(1-aziridinyl)-3,6-dioxo-, diethyl ether], which is metabolically activated by DT-diaphorase, than do low-cell-density, growth-arrested cells. The significance of the increase in DT-diaphorase at high cell density in normal cells and its loss in transformed cells may be related to the phenomenon of density-dependent growth inhibition in nontransformed but not in transformed cells.

Biological characteristics of primary cultures of human gallbladder epithelial cells.

Epithelial cells of the gallbladder have potential to represent an important model for studies of ductal epithelial in normal and pathological states. We therefore initiated studies to establish human gallbladder epithelial cells (GBEC) in culture. GBEC were isolated by trypsinization of small tissue fragments from human gallbladders obtained at cholecystectomy; cells were plated on tissue culture dishes and grown in defined MCDB 153 medium containing added growth factors. In this medium, GBEC showed a plating efficiency of approximately 1%; those GBEC that attached formed colonies and proliferated, as demonstrated by autoradiographic analysis of [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA. Cultured GBEC expressed two markers found on GBEC in situ, i.e., gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and cytokeratin 19. By using various attachment substrates, with and without added serum, increased plating efficiency and better growth were achieved. When type IV collagen was used as substrate and 10% fetal bovine serum was added to MCDB 153, passage of GBEC was possible, and cells proliferated through five to six population doublings. GBEC in culture under all conditions eventually enlarged, showed vacuolization, and demonstrated irreversible growth arrest. Nonetheless, the culture conditions described here allow for preparation of large quantities of highly enriched human GBEC.

Specific expression of proteins and phosphoproteins in 3T3 T mesenchymal stem cells at distinct growth arrest and differentiation states.

Murine mesenchymal stem cells can be induced to arrest their growth at a series of growth and differentiation states in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. These include the predifferentiation arrest state (GD) at which the integrated control of proliferation and differentiation is mediated, the growth factor/serum deficiency arrest state (GS), and the nutrient deficiency arrest state (GN). Cells at states of reversible nonterminal differentiation (GD') and irreversible terminal differentiation (TD) can also be isolated. In this paper we have employed 1- and 2-dimensional (D) gel electrophoresis to evaluate changes in specific proteins that occur during the various growth and differentiation states of 3T3 T mesenchymal stem cells. The protein composition of membrane, microsome and cytosol preparations of cells arrested at GD, GS and GN states was determined by 2-D gel electrophoresis. More than 50 distinct polypeptides could be identified for each arrest state in gels analysed by a silver staining procedure or by autoradiography following [35S]-methionine labelling. A second series of studies established that a more limited number of differences could be identified if phosphoproteins were analysed by 1-D gel electrophoresis in cells at the GS, GD, GD' and TD states. These results established that one distinct 37 kD phosphoprotein is present in all growth arrested cells and that two distinct differentiation-associated phosphoproteins with molecular weights of 29 kD and 72 kD are present in cells at the GD' and TD states. Thus, the composition of proteins and phosphoproteins in mesenchymal stem cells serves to characterize different states of growth arrest and differentiation.2+he identification of differential

Nonterminally differentiated cells express decreased growth factor responsiveness.

In 3T3 T mesenchymal stem cells, at least four types of biological states exist that can mediate the control of cell differentiation and/or proliferation. These include the predifferentiation growth arrest state, the nonterminal differentiation state, the terminal differentiation state, and a growth arrest state induced by growth factor/serum deficiency. The current studies were performed to investigate the relative mitogenic responsiveness of cells at these four states and specifically to determine if nonterminally differentiated cells show decreased responsiveness to specific mitogens. Twenty-five different serum, plasma, and growth factor combinations were evaluated. The results show that undifferentiated, growth-arrested cells are highly responsive to numerous mitogens and that by definition terminally differentiated cells are not responsive to any mitogens. In contrast, nonterminally differentiated cells demonstrate a unique pattern of mitogenic responsiveness. Whereas nonterminally differentiated cells can be stimulated to proliferate by high concentrations of serum or plasma supplemented with growth factors, they cannot be stimulated to proliferate by combinations of multiple purified growth factors. These results suggest that the process of nonterminal differentiation is associated with a significant change in factors/cofactors required to stimulate cell proliferation and that these factors/cofactors are present in plasma.

Nonterminal differentiation represses the neoplastic phenotype in spontaneously and simian virus 40-transformed cells.

The potential of nonterminal cellular differentiation to stably repress the expression of the neoplastic phenotype of transformed cells is established. Nonterminal differentiation induces spontaneously transformed 3T3 T cells to revert to a nontransformed state and induces the revertant cell clones to become resistant to retransformation by UV irradiation or 4-nitroquinoline oxide treatment. Nonterminal differentiation also induces simian virus 40-transformed 3T3 T cells to repress expression of the large tumor antigen and to revert to a nontransformed state. Although the molecular mechanisms that mediate these and other forms of anticancer activity have not been definitively established, data are presented which suggest that differentiation-induced repression of large tumor antigen expression can be regulated at the level of transcription and/or RNA processing.

Integrated control of proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.

The physiological control of cellular proliferation and differentiation is an integrated regulatory process. This conclusion is based upon observations using numerous in vivo and in vitro experimental systems of which murine BALB/c 3T3 T mesenchymal stem cells represent an excellent in vitro model. In these cells the coupling of growth arrest and differentiation occurs at a distinct biological state, and this predifferentiation arrest state is distinguishable by a variety of criteria from other restriction points, such as the growth factor deficiency arrest state and the nutrient deficiency arrest state. Most importantly, only cells at this predifferentiation arrest state acquire the potential to differentiate without undergoing DNA synthesis. From this state, differentiation can then occur as a two-step process. Cells first undergo nonterminal differentiation and, second, they terminally differentiate. Nonterminal differentiation is characterized by expression of a completely differentiated adipocyte phenotype with retention of proliferative potential. Thereafter, when nonterminally differentiated cells undergo the terminal event in differentiation, they irreversibly lose their proliferative potential. In this paper, data are reviewed which establish that the integrated control of proliferation and differentiation in 3T3 T mesenchymal stem cells is mediated both at the predifferentiation arrest state and at the state of nonterminal differentiation.

Differentiation, cancer, and anticancer activity.

Carcinogenesis is a multistep process that results from the development of a variety of defects in the control of differentiation and proliferation. To investigate this concept further, 3T3 T mesenchymal stems cells were employed to establish that a distinct sequence of biological processes is involved in the control of differentiation and proliferation, and that these processes are integrally regulated. Specific defects in these regulatory processes were next established as being involved in carcinogenesis. These defects, however, were found not to be absolute; rather, they appear to involve changes in the stringency by which differentiation and proliferation are integrally regulated. Finally, it was established that when normal or transformed stem cells are induced to undergo nonterminal differentiation (which is one step in the integrated control of proliferation and differentiation), they can be made resistant to carcinogenesis or to revert to a nontransformed state. These data provide strong evidence that a critically important requirement for normal homeostasis is maintenance of intact cellular mechanisms to integrally regulate differentiation and proliferation.

Biological mechanisms for the loss of the differentiated phenotype by non-terminally differentiated adipocytes.

The differentiation of 3T3 T proadipocyte stem cells is controlled at two related yet distinct states in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. They are designated GD and GD'. GD is the G1 state at which cells must growth arrest prior to differentiation, and GD' is the G1 state at which non-terminal differentiation occurs. Cells arrested at the GD and GD' states have distinct characteristics; yet cells at both states can mediate the integrated control of cellular proliferation and differentiation. In this paper we report on studies designed to further characterize the relationship of these two states, specifically to determine whether non-terminally differentiated GD'-arrested cells can be induced to lose the adipocyte phenotype and revert to the GD state. We report that retinoic acid (RA) and methyl isobutyl xanthine (MIX) can induce non-terminally differentiated GD'-arrested cells to lose the adipocyte phenotype without undergoing DNA synthesis. Such cells that have lost the adipocyte phenotype are also shown to remain in the G1 phase of the cell cycle and to reacquire most of the characteristics of GD-arrested cells. Most importantly, they demonstrate the capacity to redifferentiate without DNA synthesis. We therefore conclude that when non-terminally differentiated GD'-arrested cells are induced to lose the adipocyte phenotype they do indeed revert to the GD state and they thereby become more responsive to environmental influences which can further regulate the integrated control of cellular proliferation and differentiation.

Efficient differentiation of proadipocyte stem cells on nonadherent surfaces: evidence for differentiation without DNA synthesis.

The differentiation of low density BALB/3T3 T proadipocytes that are cultured in standard tissue culture flasks can be induced by heparinized medium containing human plasma. It has been shown that under these conditions, cells first growth-arrest at a distinct state in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, designated GD, and thereafter differentiate within 8 to 12 days. In this paper, we report that the kinetics of proadipocyte differentiation can be significantly accelerated by culture of cells in differentiation-promoting medium on non-adherent surfaces, such as agarose-coated plates or bacteriological Petri dishes. Data also show that in a nonadherent microenvironment extensive differentiation can occur in the absence of DNA synthesis. This was established most convincingly by the demonstration that placement of mitotic cells in heparinized medium containing human plasma and hydroxyurea on agarose-coated Petri dishes induced 70-80% of the cells to GD arrest and differentiate without traversing the S phase of the cell cycle. It is concluded that under appropriate microenvironmental conditions metabolic events that occur solely in the late M or early G1 phase of the cell cycle can mediate the integrated control of proadipocyte proliferation and differentiation.

Cell surface characteristics of proadipocytes growth arrested at the predifferentiation GD state. Defects associated with neoplastic transformation.

The differentiation of murine proadipocytes is preceded by growth arrest at a specific state in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, designated GD. The GD arrest state has been shown to be distinct from other G1 arrest states, including those induced by serum or growth factor deprivation, designated GS, and by nutrient deprivation, designated GN. Defects in the control of growth arrest at GD have also been correlated with carcinogenesis. In this study we have analyzed the cell surface characteristics of nontransformed proadipocytes at various states in the G1 phase of the cell cycle by scanning electron microscopy. The results show that abundant cell surface microvilli, 2.0 to 4.0 micrometer long and 0.2 to 0.4 micrometer in diameter, develop when proadipocytes are cultured in medium that induces GD arrest but not when they are cultured under conditions that induce GS or GN arrest. The results also show that initiated and transformed proadipocytes fail to develop prominent cell surface microvilli when cultured in differentiation-promoting medium; they also fail to GD arrest and differentiate.

Coupling of proadipocyte growth arrest and differentiation. II. A cell cycle model for the physiological control of cell proliferation.

Experimental evidence is presented that supports a cell cycle model showing that there are five distinct biological processes involved in proadipocyte differentiation. These include: (a) growth arrest at a distinct state in the G1 phase of the cell cycle; (b) nonterminal differentiation; (c) terminal differentiation; (d) loss of the differentiated phenotype; and (e) reinitiation of cell proliferation. Each of these events is shown to be regulated by specific human plasma components or other physiological factors. At two states designated GD and GD', coupling of growth arrest and differentiation is shown to occur. We propose that these mechanisms for the coupling of growth arrest and differentiation are physiologically significant and mimic the regulatory processes that control stem cell proliferation in vivo.

Growth arrest of proadipocytes at a distinct predifferentiation G1 state associated with cytotoxic responsiveness to 8-bromo cyclic AMP.

The control of cell proliferation can result from the coupling of growth arrest and differentiation. In this regard, we recently demonstrated that growth arrest which precedes the differentiation of 3T3 T proadipocytes must occur at a distinct state in the G1 phase of the cell cycle (GD). Cells arrested at GD differ in several biological parameters from cells arrested in G1 at other states induced by either serum deprivation (GS) or nutrient deficiency (GN). Specifically, GD-arrested cells can differentiate in the absence of DNA synthesis and GD-arrested cells can be induced to proliferate when stimulated with 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine; GS- and GN-arrested cells cannot. In addition, GD-, GS- and GN-arrested cells reside at topographically distinct states in G1. We now report that GD-arrested proadipocytes are also distinct in that they are highly sensitive to a cytotoxic effect of 8-bromocyclic AMP, whereas GS- and GN-arrested cells are not.

Plasma membrane vesiculation in 3T3 and SV3T3 cells. I. Morphological and biochemical characterization.

3T3 and SV3T3 mouse embryo cells and a variety of other monolayer cell lines can be induced to form and shed plasma membrane vesicles by exposure to sulphydryl blocking agents including formaldehyde and N-ethyl malemide. Morphological studies show that multiple vesicles are formed and released from individual cells and that the vesicle membrane is continuous with the plasma membrane of the cell. Vesicles measure from o.1 to 15 micrometer in diameter and are free of detectable contamination with cytoplasmic membranes and organelles. Vesicles also show a 10-fold enrichment in the plasma membrane marker enzyme 5'-nucleotidase and are devoid of detectable NADH-cytochrome C reductase and succinic dehydrogenase activity which are marker enzymes for endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, respectively. Vesicles have a high cholesterol: phospholipid ratio and show enrichment in sphingomyelin content. They contain receptors for Con A and WGA, approximately 20 size class polypeptides and intramembranous particles. These results suggest that vesicles are derived from and have the general characteristics of plasma membranes.

Plasma membrane vesiculation: a cellular response to injury.

The shedding of plasma membrane vesicles has been shown to result from exposure of monolayer cell cultures to formaldehyde and other sulfhydryl blocking agents. Incubation of cells in concentrations of these agents as low as 5 to 10 mM for intervals as brief as fifteen minutes is effective (Scott, 1976). Plasma membrane vesiculation has been shown to be an energy-dependent process that requires Ca++ and physiological temperature. Following plasma membrane vesiculation, cell monolayers appear intact by phase microscopy and show only slight evidence of cell injury by electron microscopy. In view of these observations, the question has been raised whether plasma membrane vesiculation is compatible with continued cell growth and metabolism. The experiments described in this paper were designed to answer these questions. We pulse exposed 3T3 mouse embryo cells to concentrations of formaldehyde, between 2.5 and 250 mM, for intervals 15, 30 or 60 min. Cell momolayers were then washed in a variety of different media in an attempt to reverse the effect of formaldehyde on cells. Cell monolayers were thereafter assayed for the shedding of plasma membrane vesicles and for their ability to transport 2-deoxy-D-glucose. Cells were also replated in serum-containing medium and their ability to grow was assayed over a seven day interval. The results show an inverse relationship between the shedding of plasma membrane vesicles and the ability of the cells to transport nutrients and to grow. We interpret these data to suggest that the process of plasma membrane vesiculation results from a form of cell injury which blocks cellular metabolism and growth.