[Directed synthesis of 2',5'-oligoadenylates with increased stability towards phosphodiesterases]. / Napravlennoe sozdanie 2',5'-oligoadenilatov s povyshennoi ustoichivost'iu k fosfodiésterazam.

Phosphodiesterase stability of synthetic analogs of 2',5'-oligoadenylates, the mediators of antiviral and antiproliferative action of interferons was analysed. The analogs with a 3'-terminal acyclic nucleoside residue were prepared. These analogs were treated with NIH3T3 cell lysate, mice liver homogenate and snake venom phosphodiesterase. All analogs have demonstrated a high stability as compared with the natural 2',5'-oligoadenylate and its 3'-deoxyderivative. The possible biological activity of these stable analogs of 2',5'-oligoadenylates is discussed.

A route to 2',5'-oligoadenylates with increased stability towards phosphodiesterases.

The rates of enzymatic hydrolysis of 2',5'-oligoadenylates and their synthetic analogs have been measured. These compounds were treated with either NIH 3T3 cell lysates, mouse liver homogenates or snake venom phosphodiesterase. All analogs with 3'-terminal acyclic nucleoside residues demonstrated greater stability compared with the natural compound adenylyl(2'-5')adenylyl(2'-5')adenosine.

Activities of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and enzymes of 2',5'-oligoadenylate metabolism in NIH 3T3 cells deepening into the resting state.

The activity of cAMP-dependent protein kinase was found to increase continuously in the NIH 3T3 cells, deepening into the resting state. The increase correlated with intracellular level of heat-stable protein inhibitor of the protein kinase rather than with the cAMP content. The elevation of 2',5'-oligo(A) synthetase activity and the decrease in 2'-phosphodiesterase activity were also observed in the cells sinking into the resting state. The variations in enzyme activities were similar to those caused by the increase in the intracellular cAMP content described elsewhere. These results agree with the idea that the cAMP-dependent protein kinase is involved in the regulation of the enzymes of 2',5'-oligo(A) metabolism.

[Study of 2'-phosphodiesterase activity in cultured NIH 3T3 cells during activation of cAMP-dependent phosphorylation]. / Issledovanie aktivnosti 2'-fosfodiésterazy v kul'ture kletok NIH 3T3 pri aktivatsii cAMP-zavisimogo fosforilirovaniia.

A rapid and transient decrease in 2'-phosphodiesterase activity in NIH 3T3 mouse cells was observed after adrenaline addition. The decrease of activity was accompanied by an elevation of intracellular cAMP level. The 2'-phosphodiesterase activity changed similarly when cells sink deeper into the resting state. In the latter case, the fall of the enzyme activity was correlated with elevation of the activity of cAMP-dependent proteinkinase and, moreover, a considerable increase of the intracellular level of 2',5'-oligoadenylate was observed. Phosphorylation of proteins by cAMP-dependent proteinkinase in the cell lysate also produced a pronounced drop of 2'-phosphodiesterase activity. Exogenous 2',5'-oligo (A) treatment of the cells resulted in the rise of 2'-phosphodiesterase activity; actinomycin D prevented this effect. The data presented suggest the involvement of two different mechanisms in regulation of 2'-phosphodiesterase activity: cAMP-dependent phosphorylation and induction of 2'-phosphodiesterase by 2',5'-oligoadenylate.

Application of 7-amino-actinomycin D for the fluorescence microscopical analysis of DNA in cells and polytene chromosomes.

The cytochemical properties of a guanine-specific synthetic fluorescent analogue of actinomycin D, 7-amino-actinomycin D, have been studied in fixed and living preparations of L cells and polytene chromosomes of salivary glands of Chironomus thummi thummi and Drosophila lummei (Hackman). 7-Amino-actinomycin D has been shown to bind to DNA-containing structures, thereby inducing in them a bright red fluorescence. No specific fluorescence has been found in RNA-containing structures treated with this fluorescent probe. The fluorescence pattern of some regions of polytene chromosomes with a known nucleotide composition was analysed. It has been established that 7-amino-actinomycin D induces a very weak fluorescence in GC-poor chromosome regions of the Drosophila lummei toromere structure. Data indicating a nonlinear dependence between the fluorescence intensity of a stained chromosome region and the GC content in its DNA have been obtained. The influence of DNA nucleotide composition in a chromosome region on the fluorescence of 7-amino-actinomycin D is discussed. In combination with quinacrine staining and the Feulgen fluorescence reaction, treatment with 7-amino-actinomycin D provides useful information about the distribution of GC base pairs in the chromosome region under study.

Regulation of 2-5 A phosphodiesterase activity by cAMP-dependent phosphorylation: mechanism and biological role.

The results of the present study permit the explanation of one of the mechanisms of the interconnection between the regulatory systems of cAMP and 2-5A. cAMP-dependent regulation of 2'-PDE was found to involve phosphorylation of the specific protein inhibitor. Originally, a similar way of regulation of the enzyme activity was discovered for protein phosphatase I. This enzyme has a specific protein inhibitor type 1, which is phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase and is activated by phosphorylation (18). It is interesting that the molecular weights of 2'-PDE protein inhibitor and of the inhibitor type 1 of protein phosphatase I are essentially the same. There is also a certain similarity between the above described mechanism and phosphorylation of the regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase type 2. The regulatory subunit can also act as a protein inhibitor of the enzyme and change its properties as a result of phosphorylation (19). The results obtained permit as well a more detailed explanation for cAMP-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation. Evidently, cAMP elevation causes activation of cAMP-dependent phosphorylation which, in turn, leads to the induction of 2-5A synthetase and inhibition of 2'-PDE. As a result of variations in the activities of these enzymes, the level of 2-5A rises. The latter brings about the changes characteristic of the resting state. They involve activation of RNase L and the succeeding acceleration of RNA hydrolysis, inhibition of protein synthesis and cell proliferation. The resting state is characterized by a rapid turnover of macromolecules due to their intensive degradation (20). The above described scheme suggested that the rapid turnover of RNA during inhibition of cell proliferation can be partially accounted for by activation of 2-5A-dependent RNase L. Thus, it can be thought that at least one of the mechanisms of the antiproliferative effect of cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of proteins involves cAMP-dependent elevation of intracellular 2-5A. Evidently, a number of properties of the resting cells are determined by the elevated content of 2-5A. Finally, it should be noted that the interconnection between the systems of cAMP and 2-5A is a multiple process. We have earlier demonstrated (12) that 2-5A activates cAMP phosphodiesterase in NIH 3T3 cell homogenates. These data suggest that the mutual regulation of cAMP and 2-5A levels involves the negative feedback mechanism (Fig. 8).

Inhibition of 2'-phosphodiesterase by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Involvement of phosphorylation of protein inhibitor.

2'-Phosphodiesterase from NIH 3T3 cells was purified about 530-fold. Treatment of the cell lysate with the cAMP-dependent protein kinase causing the 2'-phosphodiesterase inhibition did not result in phosphorylation of the enzyme itself. The kinase was found to phosphorylate a specific 18-kDa protein, the phosphorylated form of this protein being the inhibitor of 2'-phosphodiesterase.

[System of cAMP-dependent phosphorylation in NIH 3T3 cells passing into the resting state]. / Sistema cAMP-zavisimogo fosforiflirovaniia pri uglublenii kletok NIH 3T3 v sostoianie pokoia.

The changes in the cAMP level and the activity of cAMP-dependent protein kinase in NIH 3T3 cells going into the resting state induced by cell cultivation in a medium with 0.5% serum were investigated. It was shown that under conditions when cells are going into the resting state, the slight increase in the intracellular concentration of cAMP observed within the first 24 hours after cell transfer onto a serum-deficient medium is correlated with a simultaneous decrease of the cAMP phosphodiesterase activity. A procedure was developed allowing to measure the activity of cAMP-dependent protein kinase in cell lysates in the presence of cAMP-independent protein kinases. The activity of cAMP-dependent protein kinase in the cells going into the resting state markedly increases (up to 5-fold) after 9 days as compared to that of dividing cells. This rise in activity is due to the decrease of the content of a thermostable protein inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase rather than to the elevated level of cAMP.

The mechanisms of the cyclic AMP-dependent regulation of the enzymes of the 2',5'-oligoadenylate system.

The cAMP-dependent induction of 2,5-oligoadenylate (2-5A) synthetase and cAMP-dependent inhibition of 2-5A phosphodiesterase are shown. Variations in activities of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and the enzymes of 2-5A metabolism in the cells deepening into the resting state were found to be compatible with the above finding. A scheme of coordinated action of cAMP and 2-5A is proposed.

Cyclic AMP-dependent regulation of activities of synthetase and phosphodiesterase of 2',5'-oligoadenylate in NIH 3T3 cells.

Treatment of NIH 3T3 cells with adenylate cyclase activator adrenaline (10(-6) M) or cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor theophylline (10(-3) M) was shown to lead to intracellular cAMP elevation followed by a 2.0-to 2.5-fold increase in the 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase activity. This process was blocked by actinomycin D. The rise in the intracellular cAMP level was also followed by a 3-4-fold decrease in the activity of 2'-phosphodiesterase. Propranolol prevented this inhibition but actinomycin D produced only a negligible effect on the process. Incubation of the cell homogenate with purified catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and ATP also resulted in a decrease of 2'-phosphodiesterase activity. These results indicate that cAMP is involved in the regulation of enzymes of the 2',5'-oligoadenylate system. The possibility that certain biological functions of cAMP are implemented via 2',5'-oligoadenylate-dependent processes is discussed.

Regulation of 2',5'-oligo(A) synthetase activity in theophylline-treated NIH 3T3 cells.

Sequential treatment of NIH 3T3 cells with theophylline and actinomycin D results in an enhancement of 2',5'-oligo(A) synthetase activity 2-3-fold exceeding that induced by treatment with theophylline only. This 'superinduction' phenomenon suggests the existence of a negative control of the enzyme that involves a labile, transcription-dependent factor.

A study on the relationship between the interferon enzyme system and the system of cyclic nucleotide metabolism.

In order to study interrelationships between the components of the interferon enzyme system and the cyclic AMP system, NIH 3T3 cells were incubated in the presence of theophylline or adrenaline that cause a rise of intracellular cAMP, respectively, through inhibition of phosphodiesterase of cAMP and activation of adenylate cyclase. In doses that caused a transient, 2-to 3-fold elevation of the cAMP level, theophylline and adrenaline elicited about 2.5-fold elevation of 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (2-5A synthetase) activity. This increase could be prevented by actinomycin D. This suggests that the elevation of the enzyme activity in the cells was due to a transcription-dependent induction process. Theophylline and adrenaline treatment of the cell cultures also led to a 2-to 3-fold fall of the activity of the phosphodiesterase of 2',5'-oligoadenylate (2'-phosphodiesterase). This effect of adrenaline was prevented by propanolol but not by actinomycin D. In the case of adrenaline, the fall of 2'-phosphodiesterase activity was accompanied by at least 5-fold increase in the enzyme activity which did not occur if actinomycin D was present in the culture. Similarities and differences between these effects and those induced by interferon are discussed. It is concluded that cAMP is an important regulator of the enzyme system of the 2',5'-oligoadenylate metabolism. 2',5'-Oligoadenylate, in turn, was found to act on the activity of phosphodiesterase of cyclic AMP. The cAMP phosphodiesterase activity in the NIH 3T3 cell lysates was activated 2- to 2.5-fold at physiological concentrations (10(-9) to 10(-7) M) of both the phosphorylated form of oligoisoadenylate, ppp(5'A2'p)n5'A2'OH, and the dephosphorylated form, HO(5'A2'p)25'A2'OH. The phosphorylated form of oligoisoadenylate also activated partially purified preparations of cAMP phosphodiesterase. The data obtained in this study allow us to consider cAMP and 2',5'-oligoadenylate as the key metabolites that may be used in the cells to form a complex, interconnected, multifunctional circuit that involves the interferon enzyme system and the system of cyclic AMP metabolism and governs essential cell functions, as regulation of RNA metabolism and protein synthesis, cell growth and differentiation.