Nuclear localisation of DNA polymerase alpha and DNA synthesis in polyoma virus infected mouse cells.

Studies using inhibitors of DNA synthesis have shown that DNA polymerase alpha is located in nuclei of polyoma virus infected mouse cells to the same degree as these nuclei are engaged in DNA replication. These results indicate that either the enzyme is actively transported into nuclei concomitant with the onset of DNA synthesis, or that it is bound much more strongly in nuclei during DNA replication. In any case, these observations support the hypothesis that DNA polymerase alpha is involved in the replication of cellular and viral DNA.     

Lability of DNA polymerase alpha correlated with decreased DNA synthesis and increased age in human cells

DNA excision repair and mitogen-initiated blastogenesis in human cells declined in efficiency as an apparent function of decreased DNA polymerase alpha specific activity with increased age of the cell donor. DNA polymerase alpha isolated from fetal cells contained a single, high-specific-activity enzyme form that could not be further activated and that was stable with regard to enzyme activity and affinity for DNA template-primer. DNA polymerase alpha isolated from adult-derived cells contained both low-specific-activity and high-specific-activity forms. The low-activity enzyme form, which showed low affinity of binding to DNA template-primer, was activated by treatment with phosphatidylinositol, 32P-ATP, and phosphatidylinositol kinase, resulting in a 32P-labeled enzyme that exhibited high affinity of binding to DNA template-primer. The activated enzyme was unstable, exhibiting a loss of 32P-label correlated with the loss of both specific activity and high affinity of binding to DNA template-primer. The data suggest that DNA polymerase alpha isolated from adult-derived human cells has low-activity and high-activity forms. Decreased specific activity of DNA polymerase alpha correlated with increased age of the donor appears to be a function of loss of an enzyme activator molecule resulting in diminished ability of the enzyme to bind DNA template-primer.     

DNA synthesis inpermeable mouse ascites sarcoma cells.

DNA synthesis was studied in mouse ascites sarcoma cells using a permeable cell system. The sarcoma was induced by the Schmidt-Ruppin strain of Rous sarcoma virus. The cells were made permeable to nucleoside triphosphates by treatment with a hypotonic buffer containing 10 mM Tris Cl, 4 mM MgCl2, 1 mM EDTA, and 6 mM 2-mercaptoethanol (pH 8.0). DNA-synthetic activity in the permeable cells was highly dependent on four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates, adenosine triphosphates, Mg2+, and a proper ionic environment. The activity was stimulated about 50% by the addition of an appropriate concentration of cytidine triphosphate, guanosine triphosphate, and uridine triphosphate in an assay mixture containing adenosine triphosphate and four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates. DNA synthesis was confined to the nucleus and was sensitive to N-ethylmaleimide and DNase. The activity assayed by the permeable cell system correlated closely with the DNA-replicating activity assayed by [3H]deoxythymidine incorporation in intact cells. The close correlation between DNA synthesis in vitro and in vivo was further confirmed in cultured sarcoma cells synchronized with DNA synthesis. Analysis of the DNA synthesized in vitro by alkaline cesium sulfate density gradient centrifugation showed that over half the DNA synthesized in permeable cells was due to elongation of strands initiated in vivo. The permeable cell system appears to be a useful method for examining DNA replication of cells in suspensions.     

Status of ornithine decarboxylase activity and DNA synthesis in mancozeb-exposed mouse skin.

The effect of mancozeb, a fungicide, on mouse skin ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and DNA synthesis was studied. ODC activity was induced after topical application of mancozeb and exhibited a peak level at 5 h. This ODC induction was dependent on the dose of mancozeb applied. Cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, inhibited the mancozeb-caused ODC induction, indicating the effect on enzyme protein synthesis. The rate of DNA synthesis was also increased by mancozeb, as indicated by increased [3H]thymidine incorporation into skin DNA. Induction of ODC activity and DNA synthesis are among the events probably involved in the tumorigenic action of mancozeb on mouse skin.     

Strand break repair, DNA polymerase activity and heat radiosensitization in thermotolerant cells

HeLa S3 cells were made thermotolerant by 'chronic' (5 h at 42 degrees C) or 'acute' (15 min at 44 degrees C followed by 5 h at 37 degrees C) heat treatments. Cell survival, repair of radiation-induced DNA strand breaks, alpha and beta DNA polymerase activity and radiation sensitivity following hyperthermia were all measured in both control and thermotolerant cells. The ability to repair DNA strand breaks correlated well with cell survival following hyperthermia. Hyperthermic inhibition of strand break repair was reduced in thermotolerant relative to control cells, although the thermal tolerance ratios for repair were less than for hyperthermic cell killing. Both radiosensitization and DNA polymerase inactivation by hyperthermia were only slightly reduced in thermotolerant relative to control cells. Hence a poor correlation was found between these two parameters and hyperthermic cell survival. For all heat treatments applied, alpha and beta DNA polymerase activity correlated well with the extent of hyperthermic radiosensitization.     

Effect of captan on DNA synthesis in the liver and testes of rats

Rats were fed a diet containing 0.3% (w/w) captan for 2, 4 and12 weeks and compared with controls, and with rats fed 0.02%(w/w) N-2-acetylamino-fluorene (AAF). Cell loss was evaluatedfrom the drop of previously [¹⁴C] labeled DNA and DNA synthesiswas expressed as fractional incorporation of [³H] dThd intohepatic and testicular DNA. The feeding of AAF for 12 weeksproduced in the liver a cell loss and a stimulation of DNA synthesis( + 348%); in the testes, a cell loss but an inhibition of DNAsynthesis ( – 84%) occurred. The continuous feeding ofcaptan produced no cytotoxic effect on the liver but increasedhepatic DNA synthesis between 2 and 4 weeks of diet ( + 100%).Then, the synthesis induction seemed to reach a plateau until12 weeks. The captan diet did not provoke any cytotoxic effecton testes until 4 weeks of feeding. At 12 weeks, some loss oftesticular DNA and of [¹⁴C] labeling indicated a toxic effectof captan. The testicular DNA synthesis was clearly inhibitedby captan diet at 4 weeks ( – 22%), and the inhibitionincreased at 12 weeks ( – 27%). Experiments done at ahigher level of captan (1.5% in the diet) showed that the effecton DNA synthesis in liver and testes was dose-related.     

Lack of influence of hypophysectomy on estrogen-induced DNA synthesis in Leydig cells of BALB/c mice.

In mice of strains susceptible to Leydig cell tumor induction, treatment with estrogens induced a "spurt" of DNA synthesis within the first few days. This synthetic activity generally subsided, until areas of Leydig cell hyperplasia developed several months later. Autoradiographic and quantitative biochemical studies indicated that in BALB/c mice this initial DNA synthetic activity occurred in the absence of the hypophysis and apparently was the result of effects of estrogen directly on Leydig cells. Although hypophysectomy inhibited sperm maturation, [3H]thymidine incorporation into spermatogonia was reduced only slightly 2 weeks after surgery, as was the induced DNA spurt in the interstitial tissues.     

Transforming activity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma DNA detectable in mouse JB6 cells

A JB6 mouse epidermal recipient cell line has been used to detect nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) DNA-associated transforming activity that is not detectable in the NIH 3T3 focus assay. NPC DNA showed both transforming activity and activity for transferring sensitivity to tumor-promoter-induced neoplastic transformation, assayed in 2 different variants of mouse JB6 cells. Comparison of DNAs from various NPC sources that did or did not harbor EBV DNA and that varied in degree of differentiation showed similar transforming activities and similar activities for transferring promotion sensitivity. Thus both a NPC DNA-associated promotion sensitivity and an oncogenic activity function independently of concurrent EBV gene expression.     

Control of Polyomavirus T-antigen and DNA synthesis in mouse embryo fibroblast cells by vitamin A

Vitamin A (retinoic acid, 10(-6) M) treatment of confluent mouse embryo cells for only 7 h resulted in optimal inhibition of Polyomavirus replication. Depending upon the input multiplicity of virus, one could wait until between 12 and 18 h postinfection to add vitamin A and still observe maximal inhibition of virus yields. Taken together, and assuming the same kinetics before and after virus infection, these results suggested that the inhibitory action of vitamin A occurred between 19 and 25 h into the Polyomavirus replication cycle. In this model system, such a time corresponded to the onset of T-antigen expression and virus-induced cellular DNA synthesis. Analysis of both viral and virus-induced cellular DNA synthesis by the method of Hirt (J. Mol. Biol., 26: 365-369, 1967) and by cesium chloride gradients suggested that vitamin A preferentially inhibited viral, more than virus-induced cellular, DNA synthesis in confluent cell monolayers. Vitamin A also concomitantly inhibited Polyomavirus T-antigen expression in such confluent cultures. In contrast, viral DNA synthesis and infectious virus yields were not significantly inhibited by vitamin A in subconfluent cell cultures. The antagonistic effect of vitamin A on Polyomavirus replication in confluent monolayers could be blocked with cycloheximide, a reversible protein synthesis inhibitor. This suggested that vitamin A inhibition of Polyomavirus replication was indirect and mediated by a newly synthesized protein. Taken together, these results suggest that vitamin A induced a protein in confluent, but not subconfluent, cells, which blocked the expression of Polyomavirus T-antigen. Decreased amounts of T-antigen most likely reduced Polyomavirus and cellular DNA synthesis and virus yield.     

Effects of estrogen and tamoxifen on secretory glycoprotein synthesis in mouse Leydig cell tumor in vivo

Effects of estrogen and tamoxifen on the synthesis of secretory proteins were examined using estrogen-responsive mouse Leydig tumor. Estrogenization of host mice bearing the tumor (T 124958-R) resulted in the appearance of the secretory glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 34,000 which was detected by incubation of dispersed cells or minced tissues with [35S]methionine. The discontinuation of in vivo estrogenization decreased the growth rate of the tumor with the simultaneous disappearance of this secretory protein. Transplantation of tumor grown in non-estrogenized mice showed reacquisition of estrogen dependency in terms of tumor growth as well as secretory glycoprotein synthesis. Furthermore, tamoxifen administration to mice enhanced the tumor growth with simultaneous induction of this secretory protein. These results suggest that this secretory glycoprotein can be used as a marker for estrogen- or tamoxifen-dependent growth in vivo.     

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase activity regulates apoptosis in HeLa cells after alkylating DNA damage

Majority of chemotherapeutic agents inhibit tumor growth by inducing apoptosis or necrosis. The DNA alkylating agent, N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), kills cells by necrosis through massive production of DNA strand breaks and subsequent over-activation of PARP. Inhibition of PARP, either through PARP1 genetic ablation or through small molecule PARP inhibitors, protected MNNG-induced cell death in certain cell types including MEF and primary cortical cultures. We report here that a potent PARP inhibitor, ABT-888, facilitates the induction of apoptotic cell death in HeLa cells treated with MNNG. Although the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol was observed in HeLa cells treated with either MNNG alone or the combination of MNNG and ABT-888 (MNNG/ABT-888), apoptosis is observed only in HeLa cells treated with MNNG/ABT-888. Bcl-2 family proteins regulate the release of cytochrome c. Downregulation of Bax and Bak by their corresponding siRNAs or overexpression of Bcl-xl inhibited the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol, and inhibited apoptosis induced by MNNG/ABT-888. Further examination indicates that ATP concentration is greatly reduced in HeLa cells treated with MNNG alone, but not in HeLa cells treated with MNNG/ABT-888. Reduction of ATP concentration by F0F1-ATP synthase inhibitor oligomycin A renders HeLa cells resistant to the apoptosis induction by treatment with MNNG/ABT-888. Unlike in HeLa cells, ABT-888 protected MNNG induced cell death in normal human fibroblasts. Our study provides evidence that PARP activity determines the fate of HeLa cells by regulating the level of ATP after treatment with MNNG.     

Effects of ATP and other nucleotides on DNA repair synthesis in bleomycin-pretreated permeable mouse sarcoma cells

Effects of ATP and some other nucleotides (AMP, ADP, CTP, GTP, UTP and dATP) on reparative DNA synthesis and repair patch ligation in bleomycin-pretreated permeable mouse sarcoma cells were studied. Reparative DNA synthesis was significantly stimulated by 2.5 mM ATP, ADP or dATP. The stimulation was observed on both DNA polymerase alpha- and beta-dependent reparative DNA synthesis. ATP concentration required for repair patch ligation was much lower than that required for the stimulation of reparative DNA synthesis. An apparent Km value for ATP of the repair patch ligation was about 40 microM. ADP supported repair patch ligation after being converted into ATP by adenylate kinase in permeable cells.     

FGF9 promotes cell proliferation and tumorigenesis in TM3 mouse Leydig progenitor cells

Fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9) modulates cell proliferation, differentiation and motility for development and tissue repair in normal cells. Growing evidence shows that abnormal activation of FGF9 signaling is associated with tumor malignancy. We have previously reported that FGF9 increases MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cell proliferation, in vitro, and tumor growth, in vivo. Also, FGF9 promotes the tumor growth and liver metastasis of mouse Lewis lung cancer cells, in vivo. However, the effects of FGF9 in the early stage of tumorigenesis remains elusive. In this study, TM3 mouse Leydig progenitor cells, that are not tumorigenic in immunocompromised mice, were used as a model cell line to investigate the role of FGF9 in tumorigenesis. The results demonstrated that FGF9 significantly induced cell proliferation and activated the MAPK, PI3K and PLCγ signaling pathways in TM3 cells. The percentage of the cell number in G1 phase was reduced and that in S and G2/M phases was increased after FGF9 stimulation in TM3 cells. Cyclin D1, cyclin A1, CDK2, CDK1, and p21 expressions and the phosphorylation level of Rb were all induced in FGF9-treated TM3 cells. In addition, FGF9 increased the expression of FGF receptor 1-4 in TM3 cells, suggesting the positive feedback loop between FGF9 and FGFRs. Furthermore, in the allograft mouse model, FGF9 promoted the tumorigenesis of TM3 cells characterized by higher expression of tumor markers, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and α-fetoprotein (AFP), in the subcutaneously inoculated TM3 cell tissue. Conclusively, FGF9 induced cell cycle to increase cell proliferation of TM3 cells through FAK, MAPK, PI3K/Akt and PLCγ signaling pathways, in vitro, and promoted the tumorigenesis of TM3 cell allograft tissue, in vivo, which is a potential marker for tumor as well as a target for cancer therapeutic strategies.