Selective downregulation of neutrophils by a phosphatidic acid generation inhibitor in a porcine sepsis model.

Effects of lisofylline (1-(5-R-hydroxyhexyl)-3,7-dimethylxanthine), a functional inhibitor of phosphatidic acid (PA) generation derived from de novo synthesis, on neutrophil function were examined in a porcine sepsis model. Hanford minipigs (18-25 kg) were randomly separated into six groups of six animals each: (1) saline control group; (2) sepsis control group, infused with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1 x 10(6) colony-forming units/kg/min) for 2 h; (3) lisofylline control group, given a 25 mg/kg bolus of lisofylline 30 min prior to time zero, followed by a continuous infusion of 10 mg/kg/h throughout the study; (4) lisofylline pretreatment sepsis group, given lisofylline 30 min prior to sepsis, (5) lisofylline 1-h post-treatment sepsis group, and (6) lisofylline 2-h post-treatment sepsis group. All animals were studied for 6 h. Neutrophils were isolated at -0.5, 2, and 6 h. In the pretreatment and 1-h post-treatment groups, sepsis-induced neutrophil attachment to fibronectin was significantly attenuated. Sepsis-enhanced phagocytic activity was significantly reduced in the lisofylline pretreatment sepsis group, but not in the post-treatment groups. No treatment affected phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced chemiluminescence and basal filamentous actin content, which increased in sepsis, and cap formation, which declined in sepsis. Sepsis caused neutropenia, pretreatment produced neutrophilia, and 1-h post-treatment caused the neutropenia to recover to control levels. Interestingly, toward the end of the 6-h period, the neutrophil count was higher in the lisofylline control group than in the saline control groups. Thus, the inhibition of PA generation from de novo synthesis during sepsis not only can selectively downregulate some neutrophil functions but can also reverse neutropenia.

Duration and magnitude of nerve growth factor signaling depend on the ratio of p75LNTR to TrkA.

The role of the low affinity neurotrophin receptor p75LNTR in neurotrophin signal transduction remains open. Recent reports show that this receptor generates intracellular signals independent of Trk activity, and others imply that it collaborates with Trk(s) to enhance cellular responses to low neurotrophin concentrations. We have used the Cytosensor microphysiometer as a direct marker of intracellular metabolic activity to address the physiologic role of p75LNTR in nerve growth factor (NGF) signal transduction. NGF treatment of PC12 or TrkA-transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells results in a rapid, transient increase in the extracellular acidification rate as measured by the Cytosensor; in both cell types, p75LNTR enhances this response. p75LNTR affects both the magnitude of and the duration of the extracellular acidification response to NGF. Moreover, it is not merely the presence of p75LNTR, but also the ratio of p75LNTR:TrkA which determines cellular responsiveness to NGF. In transiently transfected CHO cells, a 5:1 ratio of p75LNTR:trkA cDNAs produced the greatest change in NGF-induced acid secretion. Pretreatment of PC12 cells with anti-p75LNTR antibodies decreased the responsiveness to NGF. However, long-term NGF exposure to PC12 cells in which p75LNTR expression was decreased to approximately 10% of wild-type levels showed a longer duration of acid secretion compared to wild-type PC12 cells. Together, these data suggest that p75LNTR may play a dual role in modulating NGF signal transduction by enhancing and extending cellular responses to short-term ligand exposures while attenuating the metabolic response to long-term ligand exposures. With regard to potential Trk-independent p75LNTR signal transduction mechanisms, we detected no change in extracellular acidification response in 75LNTR-transfected CHO cells, PCNA-15 fibroblasts, or Schwann cells, all of which express large amounts of p75LNTR and no Trk. Thus, p75LNTR cannot produce any signal detected by microphysiometry in the absence of TrkA.

Restoration of the G1 checkpoint and the apoptotic pathway mediated by wild-type p53 sensitizes squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck to radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: A significant number of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN) resist radiation treatment, the most common form of adjuvant therapy for this disease. The presence of a mutant form of the tumor suppressor gene p53 has been correlated with disruption of programmed cell death (apoptosis) and reduced cell cycle arrest, resulting in increased radiation resistance and survival. METHODS AND RESULTS: We introduced by means of an adenoviral vector a functional p53 gene into a radiation-resistant SCCHN cell line that harbors mutant p53. Replacement of wild-type p53 restored the G1 block and apoptosis in these cells in vitro. Moreover, introduction of wild-type p53 sensitized SCCHN-induced mouse xenografts to radiotherapy in vivo. CONCLUSION: The combination of p53 replacement gene therapy with conventional radiotherapy may treat SCCHN more effectively.

Plasma concentrations after rectal administration of acetaminophen in preterm neonates.

Acetaminophen is frequently administered to infants and children for its antipyretic and analgesic properties. Oral administration is the route of choice in daily practice. In some circumstances this is impractical. Rectal administration of acetaminophen is an alternative route. This study measures plasma concentrations following rectal administration of acetaminophen 20 mg.kg-1 (10% Infants' Tylenol Drops, McNeil Consumer Product Co., diluted with an equal volume of sterile water) in five preterm neonates. Serial arterial blood samples were obtained at 0, 15, 30, 60, 120, and 240 min. Pharmacokinetic parameters were (mean +/- SD): Cmax (maximum plasma concentration) of 8.38 +/- 3.92 micrograms.ml-1 and Tmax (time to reach maximum plasma concentration) of 78.0 +/- 40.2 min. Our results show that 20 mg.kg-1 of acetaminophen rectally results in low plasma levels in preterm neonates.

Differential expression of tubulin isotypes during the cell cycle.

Microtubules play an essential role in cell division. Little is known about possible variations of total tubulin and tubulin isotype expression during the cell cycle. We analyzed the total tubulin content, tubulin polymerization status and tubulin isotype content in resting and dividing human K562 leukemic cells and human MES-SA sarcoma cells. Although the total cellular tubulin content increases as the cells progress toward mitosis, the total tubulin/total protein ratio is stable during the cell cycle. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was applied to analyze the levels of expression of alpha, beta, and gamma-tubulin isotypes. Whereas alpha-tubulin isotype and gamma-tubulin transcripts were found to be expressed at constant levels throughout the cell cycle, some of the beta-tubulin isotype transcripts were found to be more highly expressed in dividing then in resting cells. Both of the class IV beta-tubulin isotype transcripts (human 5 beta and beta 2, Class IVa and IVb, respectively) were expressed in dividing K562 and MES-SA cells at twice the levels found in resting cells. Increased expression of the class IV isotype proteins in dividing cells was confirmed by immunoblotting, both in K562 and in MES-SA cells. A larger fraction of total cell tubulin was found to be polymerized in dividing cells (36-40%) than in resting cells (27-30%). The degree of polymerization of class IV tubulin in dividing and resting cells was similar to that of total tubulin. These results show that total tubulin is expressed as constant levels throughout the cell cycle but that the degree of polymerization is increased as cells are committed to division. The relative overexpression of the two class IV beta-tubulin isotypes in dividing cells suggests functional specificity for these isotypes and a regulatory role of these isotypes on the microtubule network during mitosis.

Activation of TNF-R1 receptor in the presence of copper kills TNF resistant CEM leukemic T cells.

The cytotoxic effects of TNF on malignant cells are known to be mediated through high affinity surface receptors. The precise mechanism by which transformed cells are selectively killed by the activation of these receptors is yet unknown, but several intracellular signaling pathways are known to be involved. Phospholipase A2 activation by TNF-alpha has been shown to be important in the transduction of signals leading to cell death. We have used monitoring of extracellular acidification rate as a measure of cellular metabolism to follow the early time course of TNF effects on a human leukemic T cell line (CEM-SS cells). CEM-SS cells were relatively resistant to TNF cell killing but TNF caused an early stimulation of metabolism within 2-4 hr, followed by a suppression of metabolic activity occurring over 20 hr. In contrast, a TNF sensitive subclone of CEM cells (C1Ca) showed a rapid and dramatic decrease in metabolic activity corresponding to cytotoxicity within 18 hr. It was discovered that cupric o-phenanthroline markedly potentiated the effects of TNF on the resistant CEM-SS cells leading to cell death. This observation was specific for copper because ferric o-phenanthroline was without effect at the same concentration. The copper cytotoxic effect was shown to be mediated through the TNF-R1 receptor and independent of phospholipase A2 signaling.

TGF-beta 1 causes increased endothelial ICAM-1 expression and lung injury.

Neutrophil adherence to vascular endothelium is partially mediated by adhesion molecules, including intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), on endothelial cells. We examined the effect of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) on the expression of ICAM-1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). TGF-beta 1 (1 ng/ml) increased ICAM-1 and ICAM-1 mRNA expression in HUVEC, as assessed by flow cytometry and Northern blot analysis, respectively. In addition, we investigated whether exogenous recombinant TGF-beta 1 can cause neutrophil-mediated lung injury in guinea pigs. The plasma half-life of 125I-labeled TGF-beta 1 in guinea pigs was 4.6 +/- 0.1 min, and the 125I activity was 2.8 +/- 0.2% 8 h after injection. The ratio of 125I-labeled albumin concentration in lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid to that in plasma, lung wet-to-dry weight ratio, numbers of neutrophils in BAL fluid, and numbers of neutrophils per alveolus in fixed lung sections increased in guinea pigs that received a high dose of TGF-beta 1 (25 micrograms i.v. followed by 2 micrograms/h for 8 h) compared with the control group. These results suggest that TGF-beta 1 causes neutrophil-mediated lung injury, possibly through upregulation of ICAM-1 on endothelial cells, and might be important in the pathogenesis of lung injury.

The protein kinase C inhibitor, H-7, induces acute lung injury in guinea pigs.

OBJECTIVES: To determine if the protein kinase C inhibitor, H-7, alone can cause acute lung injury. In cell studies, H-7 inhibited phorbol myristate acetate-induced neutrophil oxygen radical release. Additionally, one animal study demonstrated that H-7 inhibited phorbol myristate acetate-induced lung injury. There have been no studies on the effect of H-7 alone on lung function or on neutrophil release of oxygen radicals. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, laboratory study along with in vitro studies using flow cytometry and lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence. SETTING: Experimental laboratory. SUBJECTS: Specific, pathogen-free guinea pigs and isolated human peripheral neutrophils. INTERVENTIONS: Guinea pigs were randomized into three experimental groups: saline control, H-7 low dose (2 mg/kg bolus + 0.2 mg/kg/hr), and H-7 high dose (6 mg/kg bolus + 0.5 mg/kg/hr). Human neutrophils were randomized into control and experimental groups. The effects of H-7 on pulmonary permeability in guinea pigs were examined over an 8-hr period. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We measured the wet/dry weight ratio as an index of pulmonary edema and we measured the concentration ratios of 125I-labeled albumin in lung tissue and in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and compared the ratios with those values in plasma as indices of pulmonary permeability. We also studied the in vitro effect of H-7 on human neutrophil oxygen radical production, using flow cytometry and lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence. By flow cytometry, we measured oxygen radical production using the 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin and hydroethidine assays. The 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin assay mainly measures hydrogen peroxide, while the hydroethidine assay measures either superoxide anion alone or in combination with other oxygen intermediaries like hydrogen peroxide. Neutrophils (5 x 10(5)) were obtained by Ficoll-Hypaque gradient centrifugation and were incubated with H-7 (5, 25, 100 microM). In the H-7 high-dose group, wet/dry weight ratio, and 125I-labeled albumin ratios in lung/plasma, and bronchoalveolar lavage/plasma were significantly increased (p < .05 for each ratio). Pulmonary endothelial gap and subendothelial bleb formation were demonstrated in the high-dose group by electron microscopy. One hundred micromols of H-7 caused a small, significant decrease (23.3%, p < .05) in neutrophil oxygen radical production assessed by 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin. H-7 had no other effects on neutrophil oxygen radical production. H-7 did not stimulate neutrophil chemiluminescence; it decreased chemiluminescence. CONCLUSIONS: a) Protein kinase C inhibition with high-dose H-7 increased wet/dry weight and albumin in lung/plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage/plasma ratios in guinea pigs; b) the H-7 high-dose group demonstrated damaged pulmonary endothelium by electron microscopy; and c) since neutrophil oxygen radical production was not increased by H-7 as assessed by flow cytometry and chemiluminescence, it appears that H-7-induced acute lung injury and endothelial damage are not mediated by increased neutrophil oxygen radical production.

Attenuation of acute lung injury and oxygen radical production by the 21-aminosteroid, U-78518F.

Oxygen radicals play an important role in the mechanism of acute lung injury. The 21-aminosteroid lazaroid, U-78518F, is a potent antioxidant. We examined the effect of intravenous U-78518F on acute lung injury in septic guinea pigs over 8 h. The experimental groups (n = 6) were 1) saline control, 2) Escherichia coli (2 x 10(9)/kg i.v.), 3) pretreatment (U-78518F 5 mg/kg bolus + 1 mg.kg-1 x h-1, 15 min before E. coli injection), and 4) posttreatment (U-78518F 30 min after E. coli injection). We measured wet-to-dry weight ratio (W/D) as an index of pulmonary edema and concentration ratios of 125I-labeled albumin in lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid compared with plasma (L/P and BAL/P, respectively) as indexes of lung protein fluxes. In septic guinea pigs, pretreatment with U-78518F attenuated W/D, L/P, and BAL/P and posttreatment attenuated W/D and BAL/P (P < 0.05 for each). Furthermore, we studied the effect of U-78518F on human neutrophil oxygen radical production (ORP) by using flow cytometry to assess intracellular ORP and lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence to assess extracellular ORP. Neutrophils (5 x 10(5) were stimulated with 0.5 micrograms/ml of phorbol myristate acetate. With flow cytometry, we measured intracellular ORP, cross-sectional cell area, and degranulation in neutrophils. U-78518F (minimum concn 1.0 microM) decreased intracellular ORP (n = 4; P < 0.05) when the dihydrorhodamine 123 assay was used. U-78518F (minimum concn 1.0 microM) inhibited phorbol myristate acetate-induced neutrophil chemiluminescence (n = 4; P < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Further characterization of Hungarian acatalasemia by Hinf1 polymorphism of catalase gene.

An Hinf1 associated restriction length polymorphism pattern is reported for the catalase gene of Hungarian normocatalasemic individuals and acatalasemic patients. The 2.4-kb pCAT 10 probe revealed 9 bands (2.1, 1.5, 1.2, 1.1, 0.9, 0.8, 0.6, 0.5 and 0.4 kb) with 9 distinct patterns for the controls. The same patterns were detected for the Hungarian acatalasemic patients. The examination of the A to T mutation of the Hungarian acatalasemic patients and their relatives at position -21 in the flanking region with Hinf1 polymorphism could not reveal any difference between the acatalasemic and the normocatalasemic catalase gene.

Polyethylene glycol-conjugated superoxide dismutase attenuates septic lung injury in guinea pigs.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), including superoxide anions, play an important role in mediating acute lung injury. We examined whether polyethylene glycol-conjugated superoxide dismutase (PEG-SOD) attenuates lung injury in Escherichia coli-treated guinea pigs. Twenty-four guinea pigs were divided into four groups: (1) control group; (2) septic group, in which live E. coli (2 x 10(9)/kg) were injected intravenously; (3) pretreatment group, in which PEG-SOD (2,000 IU/kg) was injected intravenously 15 min before E. coli; and (4) posttreatment group, in which PEG-SOD (2,000 IU/kg) was injected intravenously 30 min after E. coli. Lung injury was assessed by the concentration ratio of 125I-labeled albumin in lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid relative to plasma (L/P and BAL/P), lung wet-to-dry weight ratio, and the number of neutrophils in BAL fluid. Plasma half-life of PEG-SOD in normal guinea pigs was 13.5 h. L/P, lung wet-to-dry weight ratio, and the number of neutrophils in BAL fluid decreased in both pretreatment and posttreatment groups compared with the septic group. BAL/P decreased in the pretreatment group but not in the posttreatment group compared with the septic group. After the animal model studies, we investigated the effect of PEG-SOD on the human neutrophil extracellular generation of ROS stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) in lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence (CL). PEG-SOD at concentrations greater than or equal to 0.1 U/ml inhibited PMA-induced CL in a dose-dependent manner. We also examined the effect of PEG-SOD on the neutrophil intracellular generation of ROS using flow cytometry to assess intracellular hydroethidine oxidation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Iron in cancer.

Iron participates in a range of reactions that are necessary for cell viability and cell proliferation. Iron is an essential component in DNA synthesis and in respiratory and oxidative metabolism. These functions relate to the properties of unremitting proliferation and a more anaerobic metabolism, that may contribute to a selective advantage of neoplastic cells over nonneoplastic cells. Clinical correlations have been made linking cellular iron content to the development of cancer in humans. The clinical entities include disease states in which there is abnormal accumulation of iron as part of the disease process, and cases in which neoplasms have developed as a result of administered iron preparations. The molecular mechanisms regulating cellular iron incorporation and the iron-dependent formation of reactive oxygen intermediates that can cause cell injury have been recently elucidated and provide a basis for better understanding the relationship of these processes to neoplastic development.

A difference in the regulation of mRNA expression between the phenotypic and the embryonic alkaline phosphatase genes in human cancer cells.

The steady-state levels of mRNAs encoding alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes were examined in two human breast carcinoma cell lines. MDA-MB-157 cells expressed the phenotypic breast alkaline phosphatase and BT20 cells expressed the nonphenotypic placental alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme, frequently reexpressed in neoplasms. Dexamethasone (DEX), which elicits a general effect on phosphatase expression, and 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3), a promoter of cell differentiation that correspondingly effects embryonic phosphatase expression, were chosen as perturbing agents for these experiments. RNA blot analysis showed a single RNA species of approximately 2.6 kb under all treatment conditions in BT20 cells and a single RNA species of 2.6 kb under each condition in MDA-MB-157 cells. The results showed that the expression of both the AP isoenzyme mRNA phenotypic of breast produced by MDA-MB-157 cells and the embryonic alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme (PLAP) mRNA produced by BT20 cells was increased by treatment with DEX. By comparison 1,25(OH)2D3 caused an increase in the tissue-unspecific AP mRNA in the MDA-MB-157 cells, but caused a decrease in PLAP mRNA levels in BT20 cells. The level of each isoenzyme mRNA species is altered by either hormone in a dose- and time-dependent manner in both cell lines. In BT20 cells, treatment with cycloheximide showed that ongoing protein synthesis is not required to potentiate the PLAP mRNA response to DEX, but is required for the action of 1,25(OH)2D3. However, protein synthesis is required for the action of both hormones in the MDA-MB-157 cells which make the breast phenotypic AP. These data demonstrate that the DEX- and 1,25(OH)2D3-regulated expression of both of these alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes occurs via a complex mechanism involving control of mRNA abundance, not translational control of constant message levels.

Pst I restriction fragment length polymorphism of human placental alkaline phosphatase gene: Mendelian segregation and localization of mutation site in the gene.

The pattern of inheritance of a Pst I restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the human placental alkaline phosphatase gene was studied in nine nuclear families by Southern blot hybridization analysis of genomic DNA. The dimorphic RFLP is defined by the presence of allelic fragments 1.0 kilobase and 0.8 kilobase long. The results of this study show that the two alleles of the PstI RFLP of the placental alkaline phosphatase gene segregate as codominant traits according to Mendelian expectations. For a polymorphism to be useful as a genetic marker the probability that an offspring is informative (PIC) must be at least 0.15. The allelic frequency of the 1.0-kilobase allele is 0.21, which correlates to a probability that an offspring is informative of 0.275 and is indicative of a useful polymorphism. By using probes derived from different regions of the placental alkaline phosphatase cDNA, the mutated Pst I site causing the RFLP was located in the penultimate intron 2497 base pairs downstream from the transcriptional initiation site.

Pst I restriction fragment length polymorphism of the human placental alkaline phosphatase gene in normal placentae and tumors.

The structure of the human placental alkaline phosphatase gene from normal term placentae was studied by restriction enzyme digestion and Southern blot analysis using a cDNA probe to the gene for the placental enzyme. The DNA digests fall into three distinct patterns based on the presence and intensity of an extra 1.1-kilobase Pst I band. The extra 1.1-kilobase band is present in 9 of 27 placenta samples, and in 1 of these samples the extra band is present at double intensity. No polymorphism was revealed by digestion with restriction enzymes EcoRI, Sma I, BamHI, or Sac I. The extra Pst I-digestion site may lie in a noncoding region of the gene because no correlation was observed between the restriction fragment length polymorphism and the common placental alkaline phosphatase alleles identified by starch gel electrophoresis. In addition, because placental alkaline phosphatase is frequently re-expressed in neoplasms, we examined tissue from ovarian, testicular, and endometrial tumors and from BeWo choriocarcinoma cells in culture. The Pst I-DNA digestion patterns from these cells and tissues were identical to those seen in the normal ovary and term placentae. The consistent reproducible digestion patterns seen in DNA from normal and tumor tissue indicate that a major gene rearrangement is not the basis for the ectopic expression of placental alkaline phosphatase in neoplasia.

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 exerts opposite effects on the regulation of human embryonic and nonembryonic alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes.

The regulation of alkaline phosphatase activity by steroid hormones was studied in two human breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-157 and BT20. MDA-MB-157 cells were shown to express the alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme produced by normal breast tissue, and the activity of this isoenzyme increased 3-fold after a 72-h treatment of these cells with 10(-7) M 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3], 2-fold after treatment with 10(-6) M hydrocortisone (HC), and 5-fold after treatment with both hormones. BT20 cells did not express the isoenzyme phenotypic to breast, but ectopically expressed the isoenzyme phenotypic to term placenta and other embryonic tissue. Treatment of BT20 cells with 1,25-(OH)2D3 results in a 30% decrease in alkaline phosphatase activity of the embryonic isoenzyme. There was a 2-fold increase in activity after treatment with HC, and enzyme activity was similar to control values after treatment with both hormones. For both cell lines, changes in alkaline phosphatase activity correlated with changes in nanograms of isoenzyme per mg cellular protein, as measured by RIA. Increases in enzyme activity were inhibited when the cells were incubated simultaneously with the steroids and cycloheximide. Studies with receptors in each cell line showed that both cell lines bound 1,25-(OH)2D3 and that a 1,25-(OH)2D3-binding protein with the same mol wt as the D3 receptor was present in both. The BT20 cells also express a larger mol wt protein which binds 1,25-(OH)2D3 but is not as specific for the 1,25-(OH)2D3 isomer. HC receptors were similar in quantity and binding affinity in both cell lines.

Human placental ferritin receptor.

Brush-border membranes from human placenta were prepared and their purity was clarified by biochemical and morphological methods. Ferritin binding to these prepared membranes was examined using horse spleen 125I-apoferritin, and was found to be completed within 10 min at 37 degrees C and pH 7.5. The amount of ferritin bound to the membranes was found to be proportional to the amount of membrane added and saturable for a given amount of the membrane in the presence of excess ligand. The membranes exhibited specific ferritin binding with a Ka of 2.3 X 10(7) M-1 at pH 7.5. A competitive binding assay indicated that horse spleen 125I-apoferritin binding was inhibited by a 10-fold molar excess of horse spleen ferric ferritin and a 500-fold molar excess of human transferrin. These results suggest that human placental brush-border membranes have specific receptors for horse spleen apoferritin molecules.

Demonstration of two distinct transferrin receptor recycling pathways and transferrin-independent receptor internalization in K562 cells.

The endocytosis and recycling of the human transferrin receptor were evaluated by several experimental modalities in K562 cells perturbed with 10(-5) M monensin. The work presented is an extension of a previous study demonstrating both complete inhibition of release of internalized human transferrin and a 50% reduction in the number of cell surface transferrin binding sites in K562 cells treated with monensin (Stein, B. S., Bensch, K. G., and Sussman, H. H. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 14762-14772). The data directly reveal the existence of two distinct transferrin receptor recycling pathways. One pathway is monensin-sensitive and is felt to represent recycling of transferrin receptors through the Golgi apparatus, and the other pathway is monensin-resistant and most likely represents non-Golgi-mediated transferrin receptor recycling. A transferrin-free K562 cell culture system was developed and used to demonstrate that cell surface transferrin receptors can be endocytosed without antecedent ligand binding, indicating that there are factors other than transferrin binding which regulate receptor internalization. Evidence is presented suggesting that two transferrin receptor recycling pathways are also operant in K562 cells under ligand-free conditions, signifying that trafficking of receptor into either recycling pathway is not highly ligand-dependent.