Substance immunologically cross-reactive with insulin (SICRI) stimulates cell division

A substance immunologically cross-reactive with insulin (SICRI) was isolated and purified from murine melanoma B16. Biochemical and biological data provide evidence that SICRI and insulin are two distinct biologically active agents. In vitro, SICRI has stimulated the DNA and protein synthesis, cell growth or colony-forming ability of 19 normal and transformed cell lines of human and rodent origin. It indicates that SICRI is a potent nonspecific growth factor. The most pronounced stimulatory effect of SICRI on proliferative capacity of cells is observed with cells at G0/G1 point of the cell cycle.     

Elevated levels of substances immunologically cross-reactive with insulin in blood of patients with malignant and nonmalignant pulmonary tissue proliferation

Results of a survey of concentrations of substances immunologically cross-reactive with insulin (SICRI), glucose and growth hormone in preprandially drawn blood of 84 patients suffering from bronchial epidermoid, microcellular and adenocarcinomas and 22 patients from sarcoidosis, tuberculosis and obstructive bronchitis are presented. In all these diseases, tissue proliferation takes place. Supranormal SICRI concentrations were frequently associated with these diseases, whereas concentrations of glucose and growth hormone remained unaffected; this shows that physiological effects of SICRI in these diseases differ from the effects in patients suffering from some lympho-proliferative and solid tumors. These results indicate that elevated levels of circulating substances detectable by insulin-specific radioimmunoassay can accompany both malignant and nonmalignant proliferation in lungs.     

Somatostatin-reduced proliferation of murine aplastic carcinoma conditioned to diabetes

Murine mammary aplastic carcinoma, when it is passed from one alloxan-diabetic animal to another, after several passages becomes conditioned to hypoinsulinemia by secreting its own substance(s) immunologically cross-reactive with insulin (SICRI). Although not cytotoxic, the total daily dose of 2.5 mg of synthetic linear somatostatin per one kg body mass, administered in three or more portions, retards tumor growth in normoinsulinemic mice and the proliferation of tumors preconditioned by three serial passages in diabetics. After the first passage, somatostatin treatment has no effect on the already slow growth of the unconditioned tumor. Somatostatin-reduced tumor proliferation is accompanied by the strong suppression of insulin and SICRI levels, respectively; this effect is completely abolished by the administration of modest doses of crystalline insulin. It is concluded that somatostatin retards tumor growth by diminution of plasma levels of insulin and SICRI, respectively.     

Enhanced anti-tumour activity of carmustine (BCNU) with tumour necrosis factor in vitro and in vivo

The effects on experimental melanoma of a combination of recombinant human tumour necrosis factor alpha (rhTNF alpha) and carmustine (BCNU) were studied in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, BCNU alone was cytotoxic to murine B16 melanoma cells, and at all concentrations of BCNU this toxicity was increased by the addition of TNF. In vivo, BCNU and TNF, when given separately, caused tumour growth delay of B16 melanoma and of human melanoma xenografts in immune-deprived mice. The combination of TNF at low dose 2.5 x 10(5) U kg-1 = 122 ng kg-1) with BCNU (35 mg kg-1) resulted in significant growth delay (compared with either drug alone) in B16 melanoma (P = 0.005). There was no significant increase in toxicity as assessed by weight loss and peripheral blood counts. Experiments with human melanoma xenografts yielded similar results (P = 0.001) but only at higher doses of TNF (1 x 10(6) U kg-1 = 489 ng kg-1). The enhancement of BCNU cytotoxicity by TNF may be important if it can be translated into patients with melanoma. A randomised study is now underway to investigate the clinical potential of this observation.     

Induction of protein kinase C in mouse melanoma cells by retinoic acid

Retinoic acid inhibits the proliferation of B16 mouse melanoma cells. It also eliminates the ability of these cells to grow in soft agar. These biological actions of retinoic acid have been shown to be accompanied by an increase in the amount of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and an induction of a new isozyme form (RII beta). In this report we demonstrated that retinoic acid-treated B16 melanoma cells had large increases in protein kinase C activity. This increased enzyme activity was accompanied by increases in both the number of phorbol dibutyrate binding sites and the amount of immunoreactive protein kinase C. Other treatments (melanocyte-stimulating hormone, serum deprivation) which inhibited the growth of these cells did not increase protein kinase C activity. When B16 melanoma cells were treated for a prolonged time (72 h) with phorbol dibutyrate, protein kinase C activity was barely detectable. Under these conditions, melanin production was inhibited and cell growth was accelerated. When retinoic acid was added together with phorbol dibutyrate, it prevented the growth stimulatory effect of the phorbol ester and increased protein kinase C activity. However, the absolute activity of the enzyme was still below that found in control cells and very much lower than in cells treated with retinoic acid alone. Taken together with our previous findings, we propose that the increase in protein kinase C might be part of a differentiation program induced by retinoic acid.     

Severe pulmonary metastasis in obese and diabetic mice

Although obesity is known as a risk factor for several human cancers, the association of obesity with cancer recurrence and metastasis remains to be characterized. Here, B16-BL6 melanoma and Lewis lung carcinoma cells were intravenously injected into diabetic (db/db) and obese (ob/ob) mice. The number of experimental lung colonies was markedly promoted in these mice when compared with C57BL/6 mice. In contrast, tumor growth at the implanted site was comparable when cells were inoculated orthotopically. The use of B16-BL6 cells stably transfected with the luciferase gene revealed that the increased metastasis reflected a difference mainly within 6 hr after the intravenous inoculation of tumor cells. Administration of recombinant leptin in ob/ob mice abolished the increase in metastasis early on as well as the decrease in the splenic NK cell number. In addition, depletion of NK cells by an anti-asialo-GM1 antibody abrogated the enhanced metastasis in db/db mice. These results demonstrate that metastasis is markedly promoted in diabetic and obese mice mainly because of decreased NK cell function during the early phase of metastasis.     

Growth and treatment of Ehrlich tumor in mice with alloxan-induced diabetes.

Hypoglycemia and hypoinsulinemia accompanied i.p. or i.m. growth of the Ehrlich tumor in CBA/H and BALB/c mice. Simultaneously, insulin accumulated in the ascitic fluid of tumor-bearing mice. In hosts rendered diabetic by means of alloxan, the tumor decreased the blood glucose almost to the level seen in nondiabetic mice. Tumor growth was retarded in diabetic hosts, but cells from such tumors, transplanted into secondary diabetic recipients, grew faster than in their primary diabetic hosts, similarly to "nondiabetic" tumor cells growing in nondiabetic hosts. This phenomenon of "adaptation" of the tumor to the diabetic state was prevented if diabetic tumor-bearing mice were daily treated with insulin. The tumor did not grow in all diabetic recipients; the frequency of takes correlated with severity of the diabetes, i.e., with the dose of alloxan given to induce it. The greater the dose, the less mice accepted the tumor. Insulin injection into diabetic tumor-bearing mice promoted the tumor growth. Simultaneous treatment of diabetes and the tumor afforded the best antitumor effect.     

Guanosine Potentiates the Antiproliferative Effect of Cytosine-β-D-Arabinofuranoside in Melanoma Cell Lines

Guanosine is shown to potentiate markedly the antiproliferative effect of cytosine-β-D-arabinoside (ara-C) on B16 F10 mouse and SKMEL-28 human melanoma cell lines. Several metabolic consequences of the synergistic interaction between ara-C and guanosine on cell growth were determined in BI6 F10 mouse melanoma cells. Treatment of the cells with guanosine for 24hr resulted in an increase in the percentage of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle, a threefold increase in intracellular GTP concentration, and an increase in the incorporation of ara-C into acid-insoluble material and phosphorylated metabolites. These findings suggest that guanosine potentiates the growth-inhibitory effect of ara-C in B16 F10 melanoma cells by increasing the intracellular concentration of its active metabolites.     

Nerve growth factor effects on human and mouse melanoma cell invasion and heparanase production

The role of growth factor networks in regulating the progression of human melanocytes towards tumorigenicity and ultimately the malignant phenotype is poorly understood. In particular, the autocrine and paracrine influences that modulate cellular invasion and extracellular matrix degradative enzymes of melanoma cells remain undefined at the molecular level. We report here that nerve growth factor (NGF) can modify some metastasis-associated cellular properties of human and mouse melanoma cells. Treatment of early-passage human metastatic melanoma cells (MeWo) or their variants (3S5, 70W) with biologically active 2.5S NGF resulted in (a) delayed density-dependent inhibition of melanoma cell growth; (b) increased in vitro invasion through a reconstituted basement membrane; and (c) time- and dose-dependent induction of heparanase, a heparan-sulfate-specific endo-β-D-glucuronidase associated with human melanoma metastasis. These effects of NGF were most marked in the 70W brain-colonizing cells (70W > MeWo > 3S5). The NGF enhancement of heparanase secretion was not species-specific, since it was also observed in murine B16 melanoma cells; the highest NGF stimulation of heparanase was found in brain-colonizing murine B16-B15b variant (B16-B15b > B16-BL6, B16-F10, B16-F1). NGF also increased the invasive capacity of the human 70W and murine B16-B15b sublines in a chemoinvasion assay performed with filters coated with purified heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG). The enhancement of chemotactic response and heparanase production was detected at NGF concentrations sufficient to fully saturate both low- and high-affinity NGF receptors (NGFR), the neurotrophin receptor (p75) and the trkA gene product, respectively. The results suggest that, in addition to the effects of NGF on cellular development and differentiation within the peripheral and central nervous systems, NGF can exert changes in the invasive properties of neuroectoderm-derived melanoma cells.     

Control of phenotypic expression of cultured B16 melanoma cells by plant glycosides

The effects of two plant glycosides, ginsenosides Rh1 and Rh2, on the growth and differentiation of mouse melanoma (B16) cells in culture were studied. These plant glycosides have a dammarane skeleton resembling a steroid skeleton as an aglycone. Ginsenoside Rh2 inhibits the growth of B16 melanoma cells, causes morphological alterations, and stimulates melanogenesis at high cellular density. When ginsenoside Rh2 was removed after 2 or 6 days of treatment, the growth rate recovered slightly but not completely, during the period of observation (4 days after removal). On the other hand, ginsenoside Rh1 does not inhibit the growth of melanoma cells even at concentrations over 100 microM but stimulates the expression of the melanotic phenotype. Ginsenosides Rh1 and Rh2, possessing a glucose molecule at C-6 and C-3, respectively, have very similar chemical structures, but their effects on B16 melanoma cells differ remarkably. While it appears that the degree of differentiation is inversely related to cell growth, the present observations suggest that the differentiation and growth capacity of this B16 melanoma subline are independent phenotypic expressions.     

Decrease of polyamine levels and enhancement of transglutaminase activity in selective reduction of B16-F10 melanoma cell proliferation induced by atrial natriuretic peptide

The atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) at physiological levels reduced the proliferation of highly metastatic murine (B16-F10) and human (SK-MEL 110) melanoma cell lines whereas rat aortic smooth muscle (RASM) cells were unaffected. In RASM cells, the levels of proliferation markers (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) increase after 24 h of epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulation (RASM-EGF), but strongly decrease after 24 h of exposition to ANP. The B16-F10 cell line, which received no EGF stimulation, showed a similar decrease in polyamine content after ANP treatment. Furthermore, the enzymatic activity of a differentiation marker (transglutaminase) was increased for both RASM-EGF and B16-F10 cells after 24 h of treatment with 10(-10) mol/l ANP, concomitantly with the observed inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis and cell growth. Data obtained on B16-F10 cells treated with 8Br-GMPc or with an ANP analogue (cANF) support the involvement of the type C ANP receptor (NRP-C) in hormone effects. From the overall results, it appears that ANP may play a role in the inhibition of cellular growth under hyperproliferative conditions, as shown for RASM-EGF cells. The B16-F10 melanoma cell line showed similar results, but in the absence of mitogen stimulation. This observation suggests that the constitutive hyperproliferative state of tumor cells may be a sufficient condition to favor the ANP inhibitory effects on cell growth. This finding is particularly interesting in the light of a possible use of ANP as a potential selective antineoplastic agent.     

The effect of flavopiridol on the growth of p16+ and p16- melanoma cell lines

Flavopiridol is the first cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor to enter clinical trials. Flavopiridol has been shown to mimic, in part, the effect of the cell cycle control gene p16, which is frequently lost or mutated in malignant melanoma, making it an ideal candidate for targeted therapy in this disease. In these studies we investigated the effect of flavopiridol, at various concentrations, on the growth and gene expression of nine human melanoma cell lines with intact, absent or mutated p16. A cytostatic effect of flavopiridol on the growth of six melanoma cell lines with a mutated or non-expressed p16 (p16-) was seen at low concentrations of flavopiridol (mean 50% inhibitory concentration [IC(50)] = 12.5 nM), while the three melanoma cell lines with intact p16 (p16+) required higher concentrations (mean IC(50) = 25 nM) to produce this effect. Apoptotic cell death increased with increasing concentrations of flavopiridol in both p16- and p16+ cells. Exposure of cells to high flavopiridol concentrations (>100 nM) resulted in decreased expression of genes downstream in the normal p16 cell cycle control pathway (Rb and E2F) and the anti-apoptotic gene BCL2. No change in BCL2 expression was found after exposure to IC(50) concentrations of flavopiridol. These data indicate that flavopiridol in low, clinically achievable concentrations may have significant cytostatic effects, particularly in p16- melanoma cells, and may provide new molecular-based therapies for melanoma, particularly when combined with agents that target anti-apoptotic mechanisms.     

20(S)-人参皂苷Rg3对B16黑色素瘤生长的抑制作用

目的 :探讨 2 0 (S) 人参皂苷Rg3对B16黑色素瘤生长的影响。 方法 :体内建立B16实体瘤模型及PCNA免疫组织化学染色 ,体外应用MTT法、生长曲线观察Rg3对B16黑色素瘤生长影响。 结果 :实体瘤模型中 ,Rg3各组瘤重明显低于对照组 (P <0 0 1) ,且Rg3组PCNALI与对照组比较有差异 (P <0 0 5 ) ,随着Rg3给予浓度的增加 ,PCNALI逐渐降低。体外实验观察到Rg3对B16黑色素瘤细胞生长同样有抑制作用。 结论 :Rg3可以明显抑制B16黑色素瘤的生长及增殖活性     

Growth inhibition of murine melanoma and human colon carcinoma by recombinant human platelet factor 4.

Although it is well established that angiogenesis is essential to tumor development, no human protein with high specificity and efficacy for prevention of angiogenesis has been characterized. In a previous study, we demonstrated that recombinant platelet factor 4 (rPF 4) inhibited angiogenesis in the chicken chorioallantoic membrane. In the present study, we have extended that finding to the use of recombinant human platelet factor 4 (rHuPF 4) to inhibit solid tumor growth in the mouse. rHuPF 4 effectively suppressed the growth of the B16-F10 murine melanoma in syngeneic C57BL/6J hosts and prevented the growth of primary tumors of both B16-F10 murine melanoma and HCT 116 human colon carcinoma in semisyngeneic CByB6F1/J female athymic nude mice. These two transformed cell lines were completely insensitive to rHuPF 4 in vitro at levels (50 micrograms/mL) that extensively inhibit normal endothelial cell proliferation. The migration of human endothelial cells was also inhibited at these concentrations of rHuPF 4, suggesting a second mechanism by which rHuPF 4 may modulate capillary development. The observed antitumor effects of rHuPF 4 might be due to the inhibition of angiogenesis. This finding could have implications for the development of novel therapeutic approaches to angiogenic diseases. Alternative, and possibly concurrent, mechanisms of the rHuPF 4 antitumor effect include lymphokine-activated killer cell activation and the induction of other cytokines.     

三氧化二砷抑制恶性黑色素瘤B16细胞生长及对端粒酶活性的影响

背景与目的： 研究三氧化二砷(As2O3)对恶性黑色素瘤B16细胞生长抑制作用及对端粒酶活性表达的影响,探讨砷及其化合物治疗恶性黑色素瘤的作用机制,为临床治疗恶性黑色素瘤提供新的理论和实验依据。 材料与方法：四甲基噻唑氮蓝(Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium,MTT)比色法检测As2O3对B16 细胞的生长抑制作用：端粒重序列扩增酶联免吸附实验(Telomeric repeat amplification protocol enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay,TRAR-ELISA)和聚内烯酰胺凝胶电泳银染(Telomeric repeat amplification protocol,poly acryl amide gel electrophoresis silver-staining,TRAP-PAGE)法检测B16细胞的端粒酶活性。 结果： As2O3可显著抑制B16细胞的生长并可下调端粒酶活性,其抑制作用有显著的时间和剂量依赖关系。 结论： As2O3对恶性黑色素瘤B16细胞生长抑制作用及对端粒酶活性表达的抑制作用随药物浓度的增加和作用时间的延长而增强。     

三氧化二砷抑制恶性黑色素瘤B_(16)细胞生长及对端粒酶活性的影响

背景与目的:研究三氧化二砷(As2O3)对恶性黑色素瘤B16细胞生长抑制作用及对端粒酶活性表达的影响,探讨砷及其化合物治疗恶性黑色素瘤的作用机制,为临床治疗恶性黑色素瘤提供新的理论和实验依据。材料与方法:四甲基噻唑氮蓝(Methylthiazolyltetrazolium,MTT)比色法检测As2O3对B16细胞的生长抑制作用:端粒重序列扩增酶联免吸附实验(Telomericrepeatamplificationprotocolenzyme_linkedimmunosorbantassay,TRAR_ELISA)和聚内烯酰胺凝胶电泳银染(Telomericrepeatamplificationprotocol,polyacrylamidegelelectrophoresissilver_staining,TRAP_PAGE)法检测B16细胞的端粒酶活性。结果:As2O3可显著抑制B16细胞的生长并可下调端粒酶活性,其抑制作用有显著的时间和剂量依赖关系。结论:As2O3对恶性黑色素瘤B16细胞生长抑制作用及对端粒酶活性表达的抑制作用随药物浓度的增加和作用时间的延长而增强。     

Anti-proliferative effects and phenotypic alterations induced by 8-hydroxyquinoline in melanoma cell lines

The effect of the transition metal chelator, 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ), was examined on the growth and phenotype expression of B16 mouse melanoma cells. Micromolar concentrations of 8-HQ inhibited the growth of B16 cells as well as human melanoma cell lines. Removal of 8-HQ from the culture medium restored normal cell growth. Growth inhibition by 8-HQ was accompanied by phenotypic alterations that included changes in cell morphology, increased production of melanin and enhanced activities of the enzymes γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and NADPH cytochrome c reductase. These changes might be associated with a better differentiated phenotype.     

Differentiation of human melanoma cells through p38 MAP kinase is associated with decreased retinoblastoma protein phosphorylation and cell cycle arrest

The retinoblastoma protein (pRB), the product of the retinoblastoma gene, is a key regulator of the cell cycle, affecting apoptosis, proliferation and differentiation. Dysregulation of pRB is implicated in the pathogenesis of many cancers, including malignant melanoma. Recently we demonstrated that alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH)-induced activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase leads to differentiation of B16 murine melanoma cells. The current study assesses the ability of alpha-MSH to activate p38 MAP kinase in COLO 853 human melanoma cells and determines whether this is linked to modulation of pRB activity. Treatment of COLO 853 cells with alpha-MSH induced time- and concentration-dependent increases in the phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase, which corresponded with its ability to induce melanogenesis and inhibit cell growth. SB 203580, a selective inhibitor of p38 MAP kinase, blocked both the alpha-MSH-induced melanogenic response and inhibition of cell growth. Cell cycle analysis using flow cytometry revealed that treatment of COLO 853 cells with alpha-MSH for 72 h led to an increase in the proportion of cells in the G(1) phase and a marked reduction in the amount of phosphorylated pRB. Both of these effects were reversed by pre-treatment of cells with SB 203580. In summary, we have demonstrated for the first time that the alpha-MSH-induced differentiation of COLO 853 human melanoma cells proceeds via a p38 MAP kinase-mediated pathway and is associated with decreased pRB phosphorylation and accumulation of cells in the G(1) phase.