Catalytic inhibition of human DNA topoisomerase IIalpha by hypericin, a naphthodianthrone from St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum).

St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is the most widely used herbal medicine for the treatment of depression. However, concerns have arisen about the potential of its interaction with other drugs due to the induction of cytochrome P450 isozymes 1A2 and 3A4 by the components hypericin and hyperforin, respectively. Structurally similar natural products are often employed as antitumor agents due to their action as inhibitors of DNA topoisomerases, nuclear enzymes that modify DNA during cellular proliferation. Preliminary findings that hypericin inhibited the DNA relaxation activity of topoisomerase IIalpha (topo II; EC 5.99.1.3) led us to investigate the mechanism of enzyme inhibition. Rather than stabilizing the enzyme in covalent complexes with DNA (cleavage complexes), hypericin inhibited the enzyme prior to DNA cleavage. In vitro assays indicate that hypericin is a potent antagonist of cleavage complex stabilization by the chemotherapeutics etoposide and amsacrine. This antagonism appears to be due to the ability of hypericin to intercalate or distort DNA structure, thereby precluding topo II binding and/or DNA cleavage. Supporting its non-DNA damaging, catalytic inhibition of topo II, hypericin was shown to be equitoxic to both wild-type and amsacrine-resistant HL-60 leukemia cell lines. Moreover, hypericin was incapable of stimulating DNA damage-responsive gene promoters that are activated by etoposide. As with the in vitro topo II assay, antagonism of DNA damage stimulated by 30 microM etoposide was evident in leukemia cells pretreated with 5 microM hypericin. Since many cancer patients experience clinical depression and concomitantly self-medicate with herbal remedies, extracts of St. John's wort should be investigated further for their potential to antagonize topo II-directed chemotherapy regimens.

Identification of DNA-protein interactions in the 5' flanking and 5' untranslated regions of the human multidrug resistance protein (MRP1) gene: evaluation of a putative antioxidant response element/AP-1 binding site.

Overexpression of the multidrug resistance protein, MRP1, confers resistance to multiple natural product-type chemotherapeutics. MRP1 amplification is observed in some multidrug-resistant cell lines, while in others, increased transcription occurs in the absence of gene amplification. To investigate mechanisms influencing MRP1 transcription, three small cell lung cancer cell lines were examined: drug sensitive H69 cells with two apparently normal MRP1 alleles, highly resistant H69AR cells in which MRP1 is amplified and low level resistant H69PR cells that contain only one MRP1 allele. Deoxyribonuclease I footprinting and gel mobility shift assays were undertaken using nuclear extracts from the three cell lines and a 1 kb region encompassing the 5' flanking region of MRP1. Thirteen protein binding sites were identified of which six were sequence specific. Differences in levels of protein binding occurred with a putative antioxidant response element (ARE)/AP-1 binding site at -511 to -477. Levels of protein binding to this site were 2.5- to 3.0-fold higher in H69AR nuclear extracts versus extracts from H69 or H69PR cells. The AP-1 sequence is required for binding and c-Jun and JunD were identified as components of the protein complex. The ARE/AP-1 element functioned as a transcriptional enhancer but did not mediate induction of a luciferase reporter gene upon beta-naphthoflavone treatment.

Benzene metabolites antagonize etoposide-stabilized cleavable complexes of DNA topoisomerase IIalpha.

Chronic exposure to benzene is associated with hematotoxicity and acute myelogenous leukemia. Inhibition of topoisomerase IIalpha (topo II) has been implicated in the development of benzene-induced cytogenetic aberrations. The purpose of this study was to determine the mechanism of topo II inhibition by benzene metabolites. In a DNA cleavage/relaxation assay, topo II was inhibited by p-benzoquinone and hydroquinone at 10 microM and 10 mM, respectively. On peroxidase activation, inhibition was seen with 4,4'-biphenol, hydroquinone, and catechol at 10 microM, 10 microM, and 30 microM, respectively. But, in no case was cleavable complex stabilization observed and the metabolites appeared to act at an earlier step of the enzyme cycle. In support of this conclusion, several metabolites antagonized etoposide-stabilized cleavable complex formation and inhibited topo II-DNA binding. It is therefore unlikely that benzene-induced acute myelogenous leukemia stems from events invoked for leukemogenic topo II cleavable complex-stabilizing antitumor agents. (Blood. 2001;98:830-833)

The histone deacetylase inhibitor sodium butyrate induces DNA topoisomerase II alpha expression and confers hypersensitivity to etoposide in human leukemic cell lines.

The differentiating agent and histone deacetylase inhibitor, sodium butyrate (NaB), was shown previously to cause a transient, 3-17-fold induction of human DNA topoisomerase II alpha (topo II alpha) gene promoter activity and a 2-fold increase in topo II alpha protein early in monocytic differentiation of HL-60 cells. This observation has now been extended to other short chain fatty acids and aromatic butyrate analogues, and evidence is presented that human topo II alpha promoter induction correlates closely with histone H4 acetylation status. Because increased topo II alpha expression is associated with enhanced efficacy of topo II-poisoning antitumor drugs such as etoposide, the hypothesis tested in this report was whether NaB pretreatment could sensitize HL-60 myeloid leukemia and K562 erythroleukemia cells to etoposide-triggered DNA damage and cell death. A 24-72 h NaB treatment (0.4-0.5 mM) induced topo II alpha 2-2.5-fold in both HL-60 and K562 cells and caused a dose-dependent enhancement of etoposidestimulated, protein-linked DNA complexes in both cell lines. At concentrations with minimal effects on cell cycle kinetics (0.4 mM in HL-60; 0.5 mM in K562), NaB pretreatment also modestly enhanced etoposidetriggered apoptosis in HL-60 cells, as determined morphologically after acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining, and substantially increased K562 growth inhibition and poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase cleavage after etoposide exposure. Therefore, a temporal window may exist whereby a differentiating agent may sensitize experimental leukemias to a cytotoxic antitumor agent. These results indicate that histone deacetylase inhibitors should be investigated for etoposide sensitization of other butyrate-responsive hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic tumor lines in vitro and in vivo.

Modulation of human DNA topoisomerase IIalpha function by interaction with 14-3-3epsilon.

Human DNA topoisomerase IIalpha (topo II), a ubiquitous nuclear enzyme, is essential for normal and neoplastic cellular proliferation and survival. Several common anticancer drugs exert their cytotoxic effects through interaction with topo II. In experimental systems, altered topo II expression has been associated with the appearance of drug resistance. This mechanism, however, does not adequately account for clinical cases of resistance to topo II-directed drugs. Modulation by protein-protein interactions represents one mechanism of topo II regulation that has not been extensively defined. Our laboratory has identified 14-3-3epsilon as a topo II-interacting protein. In this study, glutathione S-transferase co-precipitation, affinity column chromatography, and immunoprecipitations confirm the authenticity of these interactions. Three assays evaluate the impact of 14-3-3epsilon on distinct topo II functional properties. Using both a modified alkaline comet assay and a DNA cleavage assay, we demonstrate that 14-3-3epsilon negatively affects the ability of the chemotherapeutic, etoposide, to trap topo II in cleavable complexes with DNA, thereby preventing DNA strand breaks. By electrophoretic mobility shift assay, this appears to be due to reduced DNA binding activity. The association of topo II with 14-3-3 proteins does not extend to all 14-3-3 isoforms. No protein interaction or disruption of topo II function was observed with 14-3-3final sigma.

Analysis of the intron-exon organization of the human multidrug-resistance protein gene (MRP) and alternative splicing of its mRNA.

Overexpression of multidrug-resistance protein (MRP) and P-glycoprotein confers similar but not identical multidrug-resistance phenotypes. However, unlike P-glycoprotein, which comprises two membrane-spanning domains (MSDs) and two nucleotide-binding domains, MRP contains a third NH2-proximal MSD, a feature now identified in several other ATP-binding cassette transmembrane transporters. MRP is located on chromosome 16 at band 13.1 close to the short-arm breakpoint of the pericentric inversion associated with the M4Eo subclass of acute myeloid leukemia. We have defined the intron-exon structure of MRP and characterized a number of splicing variants of MRP mRNA. The gene spans at least 200 kb. It contains 31 exons and a high proportion of class 0 introns, alternative splicing of which results in significant levels of variant transcripts that maintain the original open reading frame of MRP mRNA. Analyses of the conservation of intron-exon organization and protein primary structure suggest that the MRP-related transporters evolved from a common ancestor shared with the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, by fusion with one or more genes encoding polytopic membrane proteins.

Response of Cultured Maize Cells to (+)-Abscisic Acid, (-)-Abscisic Acid, and Their Metabolites.

The metabolism and effects of (+)-S- and (-)-R-abscisic acid (ABA) and some metabolites were studied in maize (Zea mays L. cv Black Mexican Sweet) suspension-cultured cells. Time-course studies of metabolite formation were performed in both cells and medium via analytical high-performance liquid chromatography. Metabolites were isolated and identified using physical and chemical methods. At 10 [mu]M concentration and 28[deg] C, (+)-ABA was metabolized within 24 h, yielding natural (-)-phaseic acid [(-)-PA] as the major product. The unnatural enantiomer (-)-ABA was less than 50% metabolized within 24 h and gave primarily (-)-7[prime]-hydroxyABA [(-)-7[prime]-HOABA], together with (+)-PA and ABA glucose ester. The distribution of metabolites in cells and medium was different, reflecting different sites of metabolism and membrane permeabilities of conjugated and nonconjugated metabolites. The results imply that (+)-ABA was oxidized to (-)-PA inside the cell, whereas (-)-ABA was converted to (-)-7[prime]-HOABA at the cell surface. Growth of maize cells was inhibited by both (+)- and (-)-ABA, with only weak contributions from their metabolites. The concentration of (+)-ABA that caused a 50% inhibition of growth of maize cells was approximately 1 [mu]M, whereas that for its metabolite (-)-PA was approximately 50 [mu]M. (-)-ABA was less active than (+)-ABA, with 50% growth inhibition observed at about 10 [mu]M. (-)-7[prime]-HOABA was only weakly active, with 50% inhibition caused by approximately 500 [mu]M. Time-course studies of medium pH indicated that (+)-ABA caused a transient pH increase (+0.3 units) at 6 h after addition that was not observed in controls or in samples treated with (-)-PA. The effect of (-)-ABA on medium Ph was marginal. No racemization at C-1[prime] of (+)-ABA, (-)-ABA, or metabolites was observed during the studies.

Localization of a novel multidrug resistance-associated gene in the HT1080/DR4 and H69AR human tumor cell lines.

Two doxorubicin-selected human tumor cell lines, H69AR and HT1080/DR4, display a multidrug resistance phenotype but do not overexpress P-glycoprotein. Recently, a 6.5-kilobase mRNA encoding a novel member of the ATP-binding cassette superfamily of transport proteins, designated multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP), has been identified in the H69AR cell line. In the present study, the levels of MRP mRNA were found to be 14-fold higher in HT1080/DR4 cells relative to sensitive HT1080 cells. Southern blotting indicates that gene amplification contributes to the overexpression of MRP in HT1080/DR4 cells. Using a 4-kilobase MRP complementary DNA probe, MRP genes were localized to 2-5 chromosomes bearing homogeneously staining regions and to multiple double minute chromosomes in H69AR cells. Resistant H69AR cells also contained a new der(16) with a structural aberration affecting 16p13.1, the normal cellular locus of the MRP gene. The MRP probe hybridized to two small homogeneously staining regions (hsr) in HT1080/DR4 cells including hsr(7)(p12p15). MRP localization was restricted to the normal cellular locus, 16p13.1, in the parental H69 and HT1080 cells and the drug-sensitive H69PR revertant cells. Our data provide combined evidence that amplification of the MRP gene is associated with the expression of drug resistance in selected solid tumor cell lines.

Mechanisms of cartilage degradation in inflammatory arthritis: interaction between chondrocytes and immunoglobulin G.

A possible role for immune complexes in the degradation of cartilage (rheumatoid arthritis and antigen induced arthritis) has been modelled in vitro by studying interactions between cultured bovine chondrocytes and monomeric (M) or heat aggregated (HA) IgG. Concentrations of IgG used were within the range of values reported in the synovial fluids of rheumatoid joints. ELISA and rosetting assays revealed Fc receptor mediated binding of MIgG and HAIgG to chondrocytes that had been cultured, but not to freshly isolated cells. Both forms of IgG stimulated the production of metalloprotease, but only HAIgG boosted generation of superoxide anion and reduced proteoglycan synthesis. HAIgG also stimulated cells to produce immunoreactive interleukin 1 although no biological activity was apparent. It is concluded that the equivalent behavior of chondrocytes in vivo, triggered by immune complexes, could contribute or lead directly to matrix degradation.

Overexpression of a transporter gene in a multidrug-resistant human lung cancer cell line.

The doxorubicin-selected lung cancer cell line H69AR is resistant to many chemotherapeutic agents. However, like most tumor samples from individuals with this disease, it does not overexpress P-glycoprotein, a transmembrane transport protein that is dependent on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and is associated with multidrug resistance. Complementary DNA (cDNA) clones corresponding to messenger RNAs (mRNAs) overexpressed in H69AR cells were isolated. One cDNA hybridized to an mRNA of 7.8 to 8.2 kilobases that was 100- to 200-fold more expressed in H69AR cells relative to drug-sensitive parental H69 cells. Overexpression was associated with amplification of the cognate gene located on chromosome 16 at band p13.1. Reversion to drug sensitivity was associated with loss of gene amplification and a marked decrease in mRNA expression. The mRNA encodes a member of the ATP-binding cassette transmembrane transporter superfamily.