Characterization of the ATPase activity of the Mr 170,000 to 180,000 membrane glycoprotein (P-glycoprotein) associated with multidrug resistance in K562/ADM cells

The Mr 170,000 to 180,000 membrane glycoprotein associated with multidrug resistance (P-glycoprotein) is involved in drug transport mechanisms across the plasma membrane of multidrug-resistant cells. We have recently reported the purification of P-glycoprotein. The purified P-glycoprotein was found to have an ATPase activity, which might be coupled with the active efflux of anticancer drugs. In the present study, we have further studied the properties of the P-glycoprotein ATPase activity by an immobilized enzyme assay procedure using a P-glycoprotein-antibody-Protein A-Sepharose complex. GTP was also hydrolyzed by the P-glycoprotein, although less efficiently than ATP. The ATPase activity of P-glycoprotein had an optimal pH range around neutrality (pH 6.5-7.4). The detergent concentration of 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethyl-ammonio]-1-propane sulfonate used for protein solubilization was essential for enzyme recovery. Maximum activity was obtained when 0.1-0.2% 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethyl-ammonio]-propane sulfonate was used, while higher concentrations markedly inhibited the ATPase activity. The ATPase activity was dependent on Mg2+; maximum activity was obtained at 2-10 mM. Manganese and cobalt could substitute for magnesium as ionic cofactors. Divalent cations such as Ca2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+ inhibited the Mg2+-catalyzed ATP hydrolysis. N-Ethylmaleimide and vanadate inhibited the ATPase activity, while sodium azide or ouabain had no effect. Anticancer agents such as vincristine and Adriamycin did not affect the enzyme activity. In contrast, verapamil and trifluoperazine, agents which inhibit active drug efflux and restore drug sensitivity in resistant cells, caused an increase in the P-glycoprotein ATPase activity suggesting that P-glycoprotein might be the target molecule of these agents.     

Increased 5-phospho-alpha-D-ribose-1-diphosphate synthetase (ribosephosphate pyrophosphokinase, EC 2.7.6.1) activity in rat hepatomas

The behavior of the activity of 5-phosphoribosyl 1-pyrophosphate (PRPP) synthetase (ribosephosphate pyrophosphokinase, EC 2.7.6.1) was elucidated in normal rat liver, in 11 hepatomas of different growth rates, and in rapidly growing differentiating and regenerating liver. Tissue extracts were prepared by centrifugation of 10% homogenates at 100,000 X g for 30 min, and enzyme activity was measured in the protein fractions obtained by 40 and 47% ammonium sulfate saturation of the supernatant fluids from livers and hepatomas, respectively. In the tissue extracts, there was no interfering enzyme activity that utilized PRPP under the standard assay conditions. The affinity of PRPP synthetase for its substrates, ribose 5-phosphate and adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and to Mg2+ was similar in liver and hepatoma extracts. The Km for ribose 5-phosphate was 0.3 mM; for ATP, it was 0.1 mM in the presence of excess Mg2+. The Km for Mg2+ ATP was 1.2 mM in the presence of excess ATP. There was no difference in the affinity of the enzyme for its activators, Mg2+ and inorganic phosphate, in liver and hepatoma preparations; the Km for Mg2+ was 0.6 mM in the presence of excess ATP; the Km for inorganic phosphate was 14.0 mM. The requirement of hepatoma extracts for full phosphate saturation was higher than that of liver extracts (85 versus 65 mM). A standard assay was worked out for the liver and hepatoma systems; in liver, the enzyme activity was linear for 30 min incubation, and in hepatoma it was linear for 15 min incubation. PRPP synthetase activity was proportionate with amounts of protein added over a range of 0.4 to 3.0 mg in both liver and hepatoma extracts. In the liver of normal adult Wistar rats, PRPP synthetase activity was 108 +/- 10 nmol/hr/mg protein. In rat tissues of high cell renewal activity, thymus, testis, spleen, and small intestine, synthetase specific activity was 3.7-, 3.6-, 1.2-, and 1.3-fold higher than that of normal liver. The synthetase specific activity in hepatomas of slow growth rate increased 1.2- to 1.5-fold, and in intermediate and rapidly growing hepatomas it was elevated 1.9- to 4.1-fold higher than that of normal liver.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Purification and properties of inorganic pyrophosphatase of rat liver and hepatoma 3924A

Inorganic pyrophosphatase (EC 3.6.1.1) has been purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from the soluble portion of the cytoplasm of rat Hepatoma 3924A and rat liver. It has a specific activity of 600 to 700 mumol inorganic orthophosphate liberated per min per mg protein at 25 degrees, a value in the same range as the highly purified enzymes from yeast and Escherichia coli. By all criteria applied, the hepatoma inorganic pyrophosphatase is identical with the liver enzyme. It is a dimer with subunits with molecular weights of approximately 30,000 to 33,000 and has a pH optimum of 7.4, a Km for pyrophosphate of 5 microM, and a Ka for Mg2+ of 0.3 mM with a pyrophosphate concentration of 0.2 mM. It is not inhibited by high Mg2+ concentrations up to 20 mM. Other metal ions such as Zn2+ and Ca2+ do not activate. Mn2+ activates to less than 10% that of Mg2+ at 0.6 mM and has no effect at 1 mM or higher. In the presence of optimal (4 mM) Mg2+ concentration, Ca2+, Mn2+, Hg2+, and F- at 0.2 mM inhibited strongly, but Zn2+ at 1 mM was not inhibitory. The enzyme had no phosphatase activity toward any of the purine or pyrimidine nucleoside mono-, di-, and triphosphates or toward p-nitrophenyl phosphate, beta-glycerophosphate, glucose 6-phosphate, or glucose 1-phosphate. Bromo- or iodoacetate at high concentration had no inhibitory effect, but p-chloromercuribenzoate and p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonate inhibited strongly at low concentration. The purified enzyme was very unstable but was protected markedly at or above the pH optimum of 7.4 by cysteine, dithiothreitol, and glutathione.     

Differential sensitivity of human gastric cancer ATPase and normal gastric mucosa ATPase to the synthetic mammalian lignan analogue 2,3-dibenzylbutane-1,4-diol (hattalin)

Plasma membrane-associated adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) samples partially purified from the tumor dissections of 15 gastric cancer patients were examined for sensitivity to the synthetic lignan, 2,3-dibenzylbutane-1,4-diol (hattalin), and ouabain in the presence of Mg2+, Na+, and K+. Hattalin was the strongest Na+, K(+)-ATPase inhibitor among the lignans previously examined. The enzyme from normal gastric tissue of the same patient was used as control. The specific activity of ATPase from cancer tissue (C-ATPase) was inhibited by more than 50% by 2.0 mM hattalin, whereas only 33.1% of the specific activity of ATPase from normal gastric mucosa (N-ATPase) was inhibited by 2.0 mM hattalin. There was statistical significance of lignan sensitivity between C- and N-ATPase (p less than 0.02). Ouabain also inhibited C-ATPase in preference to N-ATPase, though not significantly. Hattalin inhibited both C- and N-ATPase more strongly than did ouabain (p less than 0.05). Moreover, the lignan inhibited both C- and N-ATPase in the absence of Na+ and K+. From these data, it is evident that the sensitivity of plasma membrane-associated to lignan increased by gastric canceration. The target ATPase of hattalin is likely to be one other than sodium- and potassium-dependent, ouabain-sensitive ATPase.     

Surface membrane nucleoside triphosphatase activity and tumorigenicity of cultured liver epithelial cells.

A cell surface-located nucleoside triphosphatase activity can be assayed in liver epithelial cultures in situ with the incubation of intact cells in a medium containing [gamma-32P]adenosine triphosphate and correlated with the tumorigenicity of these cells in neonatal Wistar rats. The ectoenzyme activity of normal diploid cell lines is minimal, whereas a considerably high activity has been found in all tumorigenic cell lines tested. The optimum condition for the adenosinetriphosphatase activity is physiological with regard to osmolarity, ionic composition, pH, and substrate concentration in the medium. The enzyme is significantly stimulated by Ca2+, and its activation is controlled by Mg2+. Histochemical examinations indicate that glutaraldehyde-fixed cells of tumorigenic lines have Ca2+-stimulated adenosinetriphosphatase activity on the external surface. The isotopic assay of adenosine triphosphate hydrolysis by intact cells may provide a rapid method for screening oncogenesis in vitro of liver epithelial cells.     

CD 39-associated high ATPase activity contribute to the loss of P 2 X 7-mediated calcium response in LCL cells

The P 2 X 7 nucleotide receptor is an adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP)-gated ion channel, which induces cation channel opening imparting significant permeability to Ca(2+), and is widely expressed in cells of hematopoietic origin. Our previous report showed that P 2 X 7-mediated calcium response was absent in three Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive and P 2 X 7 positive cell lines. In this report, we detected the cell surface ATPase activity, which contributes to the hydrolysis of extracellular ATP, and the expression of CD 39, which is the main source of ATPase on hematopoietic cells, in these cell lines. Then, we tried to restore the P 2 X 7-mediated calcium response in LCL-H and J 6-1 cells by either increasing the concentration of agonist or suppressing the ATPase activity by betagammaMeATP, a synthetic poorly metabolizable ATP analogue. The results showed that LCL-H and J 6-1 cells had higher levels of ATPase activity and CD 39 expression. The treatment of 300 microM betagammaMeATP efficiently inhibited the ATPase activity on LCL-H and J 6-1 cells. Both elevation of agonist concentration (10mM ATP or 1mM BzATP) and pretreatment with 300 microM betagammaMeATP followed by stimulation with normal concentration of agonists (1mM ATP or 0.1mM BzATP) could cause P 2 X 7-mediated calcium response in LCL-H but neither in J 6-1 cells. These results suggested that multiple mechanisms contributed to the loss of the P 2 X 7-mediated calcium response. CD 39-associated high ATPase activity contributed to the loss of the P 2 X 7-mediated calcium response in LCL-H cells, while additional mechanism(s) existed in J 6-1 cells.     

Effects of altered Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations on proliferation and functional differentiation of the clonal insulin-producing cells RINm5F

Effects of calcium and magnesium on proliferation and functional differentiation were investigated in the clonal insulin-producing rat cell line RINm5F. Variations of the extracellular concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+ had only minor effects on the cellular contents of these elements. Even when the medium was depleted of extracellular Ca2+ by the addition of EGTA, the Ca/Mg ratio corresponded to approximately 0.1. In a Mg2+-deficient medium a lowering of the extracellular calcium to 0.13 mM reduced the amount of insulin in the media but increased that in the cells. Irrespective of the concentration of Mg2+, depletion of Ca2+ was associated with low media levels of insulin and a reduced proliferation rate. In addition, the cells became smaller in size and showed an increased ability to exclude trypan blue. a rise of the magnesium concentration to 6.30 mM was accompanied by a decrease of the cellular content of insulin despite reduced amounts of hormone in the medium. This finding might be due to suppression of insulin biosynthesis, suggesting that the RINm5F cells have a markedly different metabolism and/or sensitivity to extracellular magnesium than non-tumorigenic beta-cells.     

Enhanced ATPase activity in liver cell nuclei induced by administration of mitomycin C to rats

Intraperitoneal administration of mitomycin C (40 micrograms/100 g body weight) to male Wistar rats increased the ATPase activity in hypotonic extracts of liver cell nuclei for 4 days after injection. Partially purified ATPase, obtained by the DEAE-cellulose column chromatography of these extracts, showed a 14 times higher specific activity than that found in normal rat liver nuclei. The enzymatic activity was strongly enhanced by the addition of polynucleotides, especially poly A and poly I, to the assay mixture, but was inhibited by GTP, a chelating agent, heparin and thiol-group inhibitors. Quercetin and oligomycin were less effective, and ouabain showed no inhibitory effect. Mg2+ ions were essential, but neither Ca2+, Na+ nor K+ ions were required for the manifestation of the activity. These characteristic properties of the enzyme are similar to those of a nucleoside triphosphatase found in the nuclear matrix and envelope, suggesting that some energy-providing mechanisms involved in the repair processes of DNA damage or cellular injury are induced by mitomycin C administration.     

Increase in intracellular Na+: transmembrane signal for rejoining of DNA strand breaks in proliferating lymphocytes

Two early events in the mitogen-induced entry of murine splenocytes into proliferation are (a) a rapid rise in influx of Na+, causing its total internal concentration to increase by 42 +/- 7% within 2 h of culture with concanavalin A (Con A), and (b) rejoining of some 3000 DNA strand breaks per diploid genome within the same period. Con A did not induce rejoining in low Na+ (less than 9 mM) medium, but the process began directly when Na+ was added, at its usual concentration, to the growth medium. Incubation of cells with ouabain, an inhibitor of the Na+K+-ATPase, or monensin, a Na+ ionophore, caused an increase in the internal Na+ concentration in normal, but not in low, Na+ medium. In the former (but not in the latter) medium, both ouabain and monensin caused rejoining of the DNA strand breaks to occur in resting lymphocytes, i.e., in the absence of mitogen. Stimulation of splenocytes with Con A also resulted in a rapid but transient increase in the level of intracellular free Ca2+. This effect was also observed in the absence of extracellular Na+; however, deprivation of extracellular Ca2+ completely abolished this effect. Moreover, the intracellular free Ca2+ level was significantly higher in cells suspended in Na+-free buffer or medium. Since the Con A-induced rejoining of DNA strand breaks occurred in the absence of extracellular Ca2+ and removal of extracellular Na+ had no inhibitory effect on the Con A-induced increase in the level of intracellular free Ca2+, the Con A-stimulated repair could not have been mediated by the initial increase in Ca2+ influx. The early mitogen-induced increase in the internal Na+ concentration is a necessary and sufficient signal for the rejoining of breaks, an event that must occur before the proliferating lymphocytes can replicate their DNA.     

Na+/K+ ATPase activity in mouse lung fibroblasts and HeLa S3 cells during and after hyperthermia

The ouabain-sensitive ATP-hydrolysing activity, representing the Na+/K+ ATPase capacity, of isolated membranes and whole cells during and after hyperthermia treatments was investigated. In isolated membranes no heat damage after treatments up to 46 degrees C during 45 min or up to 6 h at 44 degrees C could be detected. The ATP hydrolysing activity of Na+/K+ ATPase seems not to be impaired by direct heat attack in the range of commonly used hyperthermic temperatures (39-46 degrees C). Heat effects on the ATP hydrolysing activity of Na+/K+ ATPase of whole mouse fibroblasts could only be detected after heat doses (greater than 40 min at 44 degrees C) necessary to yield over 99 per cent dead cells. Potassium influx, measured with 86RB+ as the K+ tracer, was initially enhanced during incubation at 44 degrees C proportionally with the enhancement of the ATP-hydrolysing activity after raising the temperature. Replacement of non-lethally (10 min at 44 degrees C) and lethally (40 min at 44 degrees C) treated mouse fibroblasts to 37 degrees C showed complete reversibility of the enhanced activity at 44 degrees C to the control level at 37 degrees C. For comparison, the ATP-hydrolysing activity of Na+/K+ ATPase of HeLa S3 cells growing as monolayer was also tested. The activity after heat treatments up to 60 min at 44 degrees C was also found to be unchanged in these experiments. No indication of irreversible damage to the ATP-hydrolysing capacity of mouse fibroblasts and HeLa S3 cells, or K+ pumping activity of mouse fibroblasts by heat treatments up to 40 min at 44 degrees C was found.     

Biochemical properties of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase in metastasizing and nonmetastasizing rat mammary carcinomas.

The biochemical properties of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases in a nonmetastasizing and a spontaneously metastasizing rat mammary carcinoma were compared. The phosphooiesterases in both tumors had a pH optimum of around 8.0 and preferentially hydrolysed cyclic purine nucleotides. The rate of hydrolysis of purine nucleotides in the nonmetastasizing tumor was two times higher than in the metastasizing tumor, but the rate of pyrimidine nucleotide hydrolysis was equal in both tumors. Theophylline, caffeine, and D,L-4-(3-butoxy-4-methoxybenzyl)-2-imidazolidinone (Ro20-1724) inhibited the enzyme activity in both tumors; the percent inhibition was the same by each inhibitor. The cyclic nucleotie phosphodiesterase activity in either tumor was stimulated by Mg++, Mn++, and Co++ and suppressed by Ca++, Zn,++, and Ni++. EDTA inhibited the activity below the basal level (activity in the absence of added cation), an this inhibition could be recovered up to the basal level by an equimolar quantity of either Mn++ or Mg++. Further stimulation of the enzyme activity with increasing concentrations of divalent cations was observed only with Mn++. Similar effects were observe with ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-tn,n-tetraacetic acid. The stimulatory cations affected both the low and high Michaelis constant (tkm) enzymes in these tumors by increasing the maximum velocity. In the low Km enzyme, the Km was also slightly increased. Neither guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate nor adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate had any effect on the hydrolysis of the other at physiologic levels.     

Study on ATPase of tumor cells--I. A comparison of several ATPase activities

The activities of several ATPases of the ascitic hepatoma cells in mice were compared. The activities of the total ATPase and mitochondrial Mg++-ATPase in normal liver cells were 50% and 140% higher than those in the hepatoma cells (P less than 0.001). However, the Na+, K+-ATPase activity in hepatoma cells was 170% higher than that in normal liver cells (P less than 0.01). The proportion of the activities of mitochondrial Mg++-ATPase, as well as Na+, K+-ATPase to their respective total ATPase in hepatoma cells was in disorder. The relation between the changes of the activity of different ATPases, their proportion and the abnormal metabolism as well as some characteristics of tumor cells are discussed.     

Defective regulation of insulin release and transmembrane Ca2+ fluxes by human islet cell tumours

Regulation of insulin release and transmembrane Ca2+ fluxes was examined using pieces of 3 benign medullary-type insulinomas removed from the pancreas of female patients at surgery. Immunocytochemical staining confirmed the presence of insulin-containing cells with no demonstrable glucagon, somatostatin or pancreatic polypeptide. After 3 days of culture in RPMI-1640, tumour pieces released 11-158 mg insulin kg-1 dry wt during acute 60 min incubations with the concomitant uptake of 2-47 mmol 45Ca kg-1 into the intracellular lanthanum-nondisplaceable pool. At 2.56 mM Ca2+, glucose alone or in combination with glyceraldehyde, mannoheptulose or diazoxide did not modify insulin release or 45Ca uptake. Theophylline significantly increased insulin release from 2 tumours with a small stimulatory effect on the third. A depolarising concentration of K+ enhanced insulin release from one tumour but this was not associated with an increase of 45Ca uptake. Calcium antagonists, (verapamil, D-600 and trifluoroperazine) and calcium ionophores (A23187 and Br-X537A) failed to modify insulin release or 45Ca uptake by each of the two tumours tested. Evaluation of 45Ca efflux from one tumour confirmed the unresponsiveness to glucose, K+, verapamil and A23187. Prolonged culture of 2 tumours for up to 16 days was associated with the gradual decline of insulin release to a steady output of 2-15 ng 24 h-1. Addition of verapamil to the cultures inhibited insulin output from one tumour, but mannoheptulose or diazoxide were without effect. The results indicate that inappropriate insulin release from these 3 benign medullary-type insulinomas is associated with disturbances in the regulation of transmembrane Ca2+ fluxes.     

Photosensitizing effects of hematoporphyrin derivative and photofrin II on the plasma membrane enzymes 5'-nucleotidase, Na+K+-ATPase, and Mg2+-ATPase in R3230AC mammary adenocarcinomas

The sensitivity to photodynamic treatment of three plasma membrane enzymes in R3230AC mammary adenocarcinomas was assessed. The activities of Na+K+-ATPase, Mg2+-ATPase and 5'-nucleotidase in isolated membranes were measured after exposure of membranes to either hematoporphyrin derivative or Photofrin II plus light in vitro or in tumor membranes prepared from animals previously injected with 25 mg/kg Photofrin II and sacrificed at various times prior to exposure to light (in vivo-in vitro protocol). The activities of both Na+K+-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase were inhibited at equivalent rates by Photofrin II in vitro; inhibition was drug dose and light dose related. For 5'-nucleotidase in vitro, a 10-fold higher porphyrin concentration was required to achieve a similar rate of enzyme inhibition as that for the ion-activated ATPases. Injection of Photofrin II in vivo followed by preparation of tumor plasma membranes, which were subsequently exposed to light in vitro, produced no photosensitization of 5'-nucleotidase activity at any time studied (up to 72 h after Photofrin II administration). Under the same conditions Na+K+-ATPase activity was reduced by 40-60% from 2 to 72 h after drug injection, whereas Mg2+-ATPase activity was inhibited by 10-25% over the same time course. The differential sensitivity of these three enzymes observed in this in vivo-in vitro protocol suggests that each enzyme may possess different characteristics, such as three-dimensional configuration or membrane location, that afford varying susceptibility to porphyrin photosensitization. The data also suggest that photosensitivity-induced damage to these ion-activated plasma membrane ATPases could have deleterious effects on tumor cell survival.     

Ca2+-induced changes in energy metabolism and viability of melanoma cells.

Cancer cells are characterized by a high rate of glycolysis, which is their primary energy source. We show here that a rise in intracellular-free calcium ion (Ca2+), induced by Ca2+-ionophore A23187, exerted a deleterious effect on glycolysis and viability of B16 melanoma cells. Ca2+-ionophore caused a dose-dependent detachment of phosphofructokinase (EC 2.7.1.11), one of the key enzymes of glycolysis, from cytoskeleton. It also induced a decrease in the levels of glucose 1,6-bisphosphate and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, the two stimulatory signal molecules of glycolysis. All these changes occurred at lower concentrations of the drug than those required to induce a reduction in viability of melanoma cells. We also found that low concentrations of Ca2+-ionophore induced an increase in adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), which most probably resulted from the increase in mitochondrial-bound hexokinase, which reflects a defence mechanism. This mechanism can no longer operate at high concentrations of the Ca2+-ionophore, which causes a decrease in mitochondrial and cytosolic hexokinase, leading to a drastic fall in ATP and melanoma cell death. The present results suggest that drugs which are capable of inducing accumulation of intracellular-free Ca2+ in melanoma cells would cause a reduction in energy-producing systems, leading to melanoma cell death.     

A novel candidate for receptor-coupled phospholipase C purified from human platelets

The breakdown of polyphosphoinositides (PPI) but not phosphatidylinositol (PI) has been hypothesized as the primary event following agonist (hormones/growth factors/neurotransmitters) stimulation in a wide variety of systems. This, in turn, predicts the existence of a phospholipase C (PLC) enzyme that shows specificity to PPI. Ideally, this PPI-specific PLC activity should not be absolutely dependent on Ca2+ because of its proposed role in Ca2+ mobilization. I have recently identified two PLC activities that are specific to PPI and have described their resolution from a PLC that acts on all three phosphoinositides (Manne, 1987). In this report, I describe purification to near homogeneity of one of these PLC activities. The enzyme shows maximal activity towards PPI in the presence of physiological Mg2+ concentrations, and does not act on PI under conditions optimal for PPI hydrolysis. However, a weak PI hydrolytic activity, representing about 1/8th to 1/20th of that observed with PPI is detected when 0-100 microM Ca2+ is present in the assay. This weak PI hydrolytic activity is strongly inhibited by mM Ca2+, which is required at mM levels for most of the PLC enzymes described in literature. The size of the native enzyme as determined by gel filtration (high performance liquid chromatography) is 140 kDa. Analysis of the purified enzyme by HPLC on Zorbax GF-250 column showed a single major peak that coincided with the enzyme activity. Under both denaturing and non-denaturing conditions of SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the highly purified enzyme shows two major bands of 38 kDa and 42 kDa, which together represent about 90% of the total stain on the gel.     

Purification and properties of acid ribonucleases in human serum and leukocytes.

Acid RNase was purified from normal human serum about 2400-fold by chromatography on phosphocellulose and Sephadex G-75 and rechromatography on Sephadex G-75. Assayed with yeast RNA as substrate, the enzyme showed the maximal activity at about pH 6.5 with sodium phosphate buffer. The reaction was activated by Na+, K+, and spermine, but it was not affected greatly by Mg2+, Co2+, and EDTA. Ca2+, Fe2+, Zn2+, and Cu2+ inhibited the reaction. Among the synthetic substrates examined, the enzyme preferentially hydrolyzed pyrimidine nucleotides, with a higher affinity for polycytidylate than for polyuridylate. The enzyme was thermolabile, but it stabilized with bovine plasma albumin. The molecular weight was approximately 15,000, estimated gel filtration on Sephadex G-75, and its isoelectric pH was above 11.0. From normal human leukocytes, acid RNase was purified about 400-fold by the same procedure described previously except that rechromatography on Sephadex G-75 was omitted. The properties of leukocytic RNase were found to be similar to those of serum acid RNase, but the latter enzyme differed in substrate specificity substantially from leukocytic RNase, preferring polyuridylate to polycytidylate. This evidence shows that serum RNase is not of leukocytic origin under normal physiological conditions.     

Voltage-dependent ion channels in small-cell lung cancer cells

Small-cell carcinoma of the lung is a highly lethal form of cancer associated with a wide variety of paraneoplastic syndromes. Using the patch-clamp technique, we have directly demonstrated the presence of voltage-gated K+, Na+, and Ca2+ channels in three cell lines of human small-cell carcinoma, NCI-H128, NCI-H69, and NCI-H146. Whole-cell currents were measured from the tumor cells held at -80 mV and depolarized to -60 to +120 mV. Outward K+ current (IK), which was found in every cell tested, reached 1.58 +/- 0.12 nA (mean +/- SE, n = 24 cells) for H128 cells and 2.14 +/- 0.18 nA (n = 41) for H69 cells in response to a test potential of +80 mV. Unlike H69 and H128 tumor cells, IK from H146 cells occasionally exhibited partial inactivation during the 60-ms pulse length and reached 0.94 +/- 0.15 nA (n = 18) in response to a +80 mV test potential. IK from each of the cell lines was significantly reduced by 4-aminopyridine and tetraethylammonium. The rapidly inactivating inward Na+ current (INa), recorded in H146 cells and about 30% of the H69 and H128 cells tested, demonstrated a peak amplitude of 58 +/- 6 pA (n = 11) at 0 mV and a reversal potential of 47 +/- 2 mV (n = 11). Externally applied tetrodotoxin quickly suppressed INa. For the H128 and H69 tumor cells, inward Ca2+ current (ICa), observed in about 25% of the cells exposed to 10 mM [Ca2+]o, peaked at 5.1 +/- 0.4 ms (n = 5) with an amplitude of 46 +/- 14 pA (n = 5) at +20 mV and partially inactivated over the 40-ms depolarization. In H128 cells exposed to isotonic Ba2+ (110 mM), inward currents with time courses similar to those of ICa were recorded. Nearly all H146 tumor cells demonstrated a significant inward Ca2+ current which peaked with an amplitude of 93 +/- 16 pA (n = 26) at +30 to +40 mV in the presence of 10 mM [Ca2+]o. Application of test potentials 2 s in duration revealed that H146 ICa inactivated in a voltage-dependent manner with a time constant on the order of seconds. Adjustment of the holding potential from -80 mV to -40 mV had no observable effect on the amplitude of the evoked current. These voltage-dependent ion channels may have integral roles in several small-cell carcinoma bioelectric phenomena, including secretion, resting membrane potential, and action potential generation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Tiazofurin metabolism in human lymphoblastoid cells: evidence for phosphorylation by adenosine kinase and 5'-nucleotidase

The exact route of metabolism of tiazofurin, a novel nucleoside with antitumor activity, is controversial. Using human cell lines severely deficient in salvage nucleotide enzymes, we were able to identify the route of activation in tiazofurin metabolism. With loss of adenosine kinase activity by mutation in two lymphoblastoid cell lines, CCRF-CEM and WI-L2, the growth sensitivity to tiazofurin decreased by 6- and 3-fold, respectively. In contrast, the mutant lines were about 3000- to 1500- and 16- to 4-fold more resistant to the structurally similar tiazofurin analogues pyrazofurin and ribavirin, respectively. Other mutants with defective deoxycytidine or uridine kinase activity showed normal sensitivity to all three analogues. Both cell lines with defective adenosine kinase activity accumulated about 50% wild-type levels of tiazofurin-5'-monophosphate and thiazole-4-carboxamide adenine dinucleotide analogue of tiazofurin at cytotoxic concentrations of the drug. Extracts of wild-type lymphoblasts catalyzed the phosphorylation of tiazofurin in the presence of adenosine 5'-triphosphate and Mg2+. Loss of adenosine kinase activity in the mutant extract eliminated this phosphorylating activity for tiazofurin consistent with the notion that adenosine kinase catalyzes phosphorylation of tiazofurin. However, an enzyme activity that catalyzed the phosphorylation of tiazofurin in the presence of inosine-5'-monophosphate as donor and Mg2+ was detected in the extracts of both wild-type cells and adenosine kinase-deficient mutants. The monophosphate donor specificity, divalent metal, high salt requirement, and nucleoside acceptor specificity of this enzyme activity paralleled that of a 5'-nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.5) which catalyzes inosine phosphorylation. In addition, tiazofurin phosphorylation was competitively inhibited by inosine and the apparent Ki value was similar to the apparent Km value for inosine phosphorylation. These results indicate that two enzymes, adenosine kinase and a cytoplasmic 5'-nucleotidase, are functionally important anabolizing enzymes for tiazofurin in human cells.     

Human tumor cell sensitivity to oleandrin is dependent on relative expression of Na+, K+ -ATPase subunitst

The membrane enzyme Na+, K+ -ATPase is known to help maintain ion homeostasis in mammalian cells. Newly identified functions of this enzyme suggest that inhibition of Na+, K+ -ATPase by cardiac glycosides may be useful to patients with cancer. Twelve human tumor cell lines were chosen to examine determinants of human tumor cell sensitivity to cardiac glycosides. In vitro cell culture models of human glioma HF U251 and U251 cells as well as human parental and modified melanoma BRO cells were also included in these studies. Data derived from both models and twelve tumor cell lines indicated that high expression of Na+, K+ -ATPase alpha 1 isoform in the presence of low alpha 3 expression correlated with increased resistance to inhibition of cell proliferation by cardiac glycosides such as oleandrin, ouabain and bufalin. Interestingly, increased expression of Na+, K+ -ATPase alpha 1 and therefore total Na+, K+ -ATPase activity is associated with increased cellular levels of glutathione. The altered enzyme activity and glutathione content were associated with a delayed and diminished release of cytochrome c and caspase activation. Additionally, an increased colony-forming ability was noted in cells with high levels of Na+, K+ -ATPase alpha 1 expression, suggesting that Na+, K+ -ATPase alpha 1 isoform may be actively involved in tumor growth and cell survival. Its inhibition by cardiac glycosides may provide a strategy for effective cancer therapy.