Transforming growth factor beta inhibits the proliferation of the blast cells of acute myeloblastic leukemia

The effect of transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) on proliferation and differentiation of peripheral blast precursors in acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) was investigated. TGF beta induced a dose-dependent inhibition of blast clonogenic cells in suspension and methylcellulose cultures in the presence of optimal concentrations of stimulators provided by conditioned media from the bladder cell line HTB9 (HTB9-CM) or the recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony- stimulating factor (GM-CSF). On removal of TGF beta, blast clonogenic cell proliferation recovers to the same level as that observed in control cultures, indicating that the effect is reversible. There was no induction of cell differentiation, as indicated by morphological and functional studies (production of superoxyde anions). Cell cycle analysis by thymidine uptake and flow cytometry with a DNA binding dye indicated that TGF beta caused a delay in progression into S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle without affecting cell viability. Thus, TGF beta appears to have a cytostatic rather than cytolytic effect on blast precursors and might therefore play a role as a negative regulator in hematopoiesis.     

Transforming growth factor beta inhibits megakaryocyte growth and endomitosis.

Using a rat bone marrow culture system, the effect of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) on megakaryocyte growth and endoreduplication has been studied. Purified human platelet TGF beta 1 inhibited the number of megakaryocytes that appeared in culture at a half-maximal concentration of 0.66 +/- 0.21 ng/mL and inhibited megakaryocyte endoreduplication at a half-maximal concentration of 0.14 +/- 0.08 ng/mL. Under identical conditions, growth of erythroid precursors was half-maximally inhibited at a concentration of 0.125 ng/mL while myeloid growth was not inhibited at concentrations of TGF beta 1 up to 25 ng/mL. These profound inhibitory effects on megakaryocyte growth and endomitosis suggested that TGF beta might play a role in megakaryocytopoiesis. Therefore, we explored the effect of TGF beta in three different experimental situations by using a neutralizing antibody to TGF beta: (1) Serum but not plasma was found to inhibit the number and ploidy of megakaryocytes that grew in vitro. This inhibitory activity was completely neutralized by antibody to TGF beta or on treatment with dithiothreitol. (2) Plasma from thrombocytotic rats was observed to decrease megakaryocyte ploidy on culture but this effect was not prevented by the addition of antibody to TGF beta. (3) Plasma from thrombocytopenic but not normal rats increased megakaryocyte ploidy on culture. Addition of antibody to TGF beta did not alter these results. Therefore, TGF beta is a potent inhibitor of the number and ploidy of megakaryocytes and accounts for all the inhibition seen when megakaryocytes are cultured in serum. However, the differences in effect on megakaryocyte growth that we observe between normal, thrombocytopenic, and thrombocytotic plasmas are not due to variations in the amount of TGF beta. Furthermore, our results show that release of TGF beta from megakaryocytes during culture does not act as an autocrine regulator of megakaryocyte ploidy in vitro.     

Transforming growth factor beta inhibits steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein expression in human ovarian thecal cells

In this study, we investigated the effects of TGFβ1 on steroidogensis and expression of the steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein which regulates an important early step in the steroidogenic pathway. We utilized a human ovarian thecal like tumor (HOTT) cell model and investigated the effects of activin-A, inhibin-A, or TGFβ1 in the presence of forskolin and the effect of dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP) on steroid accumulation in the culture medium. Cells were also treated with different concentration of TGFβ1 in the presence of forskolin, combined steroid production was measured at the end of 48 h and after 3 h incubation with 22R-hydroxycholesterol. In the presence of TGFβ1 there was a dose-dependent inhibition of androstenedione production. Inhibition in combined steroid production was apparent at the highest concentration of TGFβ1 tested. In the presence of 22R-hydroxycholesterol, combined steroid production was significantly inhibited at lower concentrations. TGFβ1 inhibited StAR protein expression in a concentration dependent manner. There was also a similar inhibition in StAR mRNA. These results suggest that the effect of TGFβ1 on steroid production and possibly follicular development may be in part due to its effects on StAR expression.     

Transforming growth factor beta 1 inhibits gonadotropin action in cultured porcine Sertoli cells.

In the present study, we have tested the effects of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) on FSH action toward aromatase activity and lactate production in cultured Sertoli cells isolated from immature porcine testes. Whereas treatment of Sertoli cells with FSH resulted in a dose-dependent increase (about 7-fold) in aromatase activity (conversion of testosterone into estradiol) (ED50 = 80 ng/ml FSH), the addition of TGF beta 1 reduced this gonadotropin action. The inhibitory effect of TGF beta 1 on FSH aromatase activity was dose dependent (ED50 = 0.1 ng/ml, 4 pM TGF beta 1) with a maximal decrease (about 40%) observed after a long term (48-h) treatment. TGF beta 1 exerted its inhibitory effect on FSH action at the level(s) of cAMP accumulation, exerting no apparent effect on the gonadotropin receptor or at a site(s) related to cAMP action. TGF beta 1 (2 ng/ml) significantly (P less than 0.002) reduced (52% decrease) FSH-stimulated cAMP levels in cultured porcine Sertoli cells. However, such an inhibitory effect of the growth factor was no longer observed when stimulation of cAMP accumulation with FSH occurred in the presence of methyl isobutyl xanthine (0.5 mM), an inhibitor of cAMP-phosphodiesterase activity. This observation suggests that TGF beta 1 decreased cAMP levels by increasing catabolism of the cyclic nucleotide through an enhancement of cAMP-phosphodiesterase activity. The inhibitory effect of TGF beta 1 was not limited to the action of FSH on aromatase activity but also extended to the gonadotropin action (mediated by cAMP) on lactate production. As for the inhibitory effect of TGF beta 1 on FSH-induced aromatase activity, the inhibitory effect of the growth factor on FSH-stimulated lactate production was dose and time dependent with a maximal decrease (about 30%) observed in the picomolar range (1 ng/ml, 40 pM) after 48 h treatment with TGF beta 1. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that TGF beta 1 attenuates FSH action on Sertoli cell activity and that such inhibitory action is potentially exerted through a decrease in cAMP levels. Because of the local production of TGF beta 1, it is suggested that the effects of the growth factor reported here might be exerted in the context of the testicular paracrine mechanisms.     

Transforming growth factor beta inhibits formation of osteoclast-like cells in long-term human marrow cultures.

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), a polypeptide present in abundant amounts in bone matrix, was examined for its effects on osteoclast formation by using a human bone marrow culture system in which multinucleated cells (MNCs) with osteoclast characteristics form. TGF-beta strongly inhibited MNC formation at concentrations as low as 1 ng/ml. TGF-beta also completely suppressed the effects of osteotropic factors known to stimulate MNC formation. The inhibitory effect of TGF-beta on osteoclast-like cell formation was more pronounced during the first week of culture, which corresponds to the period of proliferation of mononuclear osteoclast precursors. To examine whether the inhibitory effects of TGF-beta on MNC formation could be due to inhibition of the granulocyte/macrophage progenitor cell [colony-forming unit granulocyte/macrophage (CFU-GM)], the probable precursor for MNC, we tested the effects of TGF-beta on CFU-GM formation in presence of a source of colony-stimulating factor. Unexpectedly, TGF-beta at concentrations (0.1-1 ng/ml) that were inhibitory for MNC formation enhanced day 7 CFU-GM colony formation. This increase in CFU-GM colony formation seen in cultures containing TGF-beta resulted from significantly more granulocytic colonies being formed in the cultures, suggesting that TGF-beta may induce CFU-GM to differentiate preferentially to cells of the granulocytic lineage. Differentiation of CFU-GM to granulocytes rather than osteoclast precursors in response to TGF-beta would result in inhibition of MNC formation by depleting the precursor pool for MNC. These data suggest that inhibition of osteoclast-like cell formation by TGF-beta may be an important mechanism of control of local bone resorption.     

Transforming growth factor beta upregulates 5-lipoxygenase activity during myeloid cell maturation.

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) increased the arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO; EC 1.13.11.34) activity in HL-60 cells induced to granulocytic differentiation by dimethyl sulfoxide. The presence of a factor in human serum that caused a similar increase was recently demonstrated. Several observations indicate that the serum factor consists of isoforms of TGF beta. Heat-treated serum and TGF beta both resulted in approximately 10-fold increased 5-LO activity of HL-60 cells, antiserum to TGF beta neutralized the 5-LO-increasing activity in serum, and physical properties of the serum factor (lipophilic nature, alkaline pI, stability to heat and acid) coincided with those of TGF beta. The pattern of activity of native and heat-treated sera is compatible with activation of a latent form of TGF beta in serum. This activity was specific for TGF beta, since none of several other cytokines could increase 5-LO activity in differentiating HL-60 cells. However, granulocyte/macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and tumor necrosis factor alpha enhanced the effect of TGF beta. The most prominent effects of TGF beta, whether alone or together with GM-CSF, were observed for 5-LO activity in intact cells (10-fold or 30-fold induction, respectively). 5-LO protein levels were less affected (up to 2- or 5-fold, respectively, as judged from Western blots). There was no appreciable effect of TGF beta, or a combination of TGF beta and GM-CSF, on 5-LO mRNA expression.     

Transforming growth factor beta expression in human marrow stromal cells

The effects of hematopoietic cytokines on the expression of transforming growth factors (TGF beta) mRNA and the effect of TGF beta on cytokine and on a major extracellular matrix protein, collagen I, mRNA expression was studied in human marrow stromal cells. As with other cultured mesenchymal cells, stromal cells constitutively express TGF beta 1 but not TGF alpha mRNA. In simian virus 40 (SV40)-transformed stromal cells downregulation of TGF beta 1 expression was observed 2 hours after incubation with recombinant human (rh) tumor-necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) and 144 h after addition of rh granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Neither interleukin-1 (IL-1)beta nor IL-6 had an observable effect on TGF beta 1 mRNA expression. TGF beta upregulated collagen I mRNA expression. These data suggest that cytokines may influence TGF beta mRNA expression.     

Transforming growth factor beta inhibits endomitosis in the Dami human megakaryocytic cell line

Megakaryocyte development is a carefully controlled process that is at least partially regulated by cytokines. Previous investigations of megakaryocyte development have focused primarily on defining growth factors that induce or enhance differentiation. In this study we demonstrate that a specific cytokine, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1), inhibits the phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-induced differentiation of the Dami human megakaryocytic cell line. The addition of purified platelet TGF beta 1 inhibits PMA-induced endomitosis in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibition of endomitosis occurs with as little as 0.4 pmol/L TGF beta 1, is half-maximal at 6.4 pmol/L, and is maximal between 40 and 200 pmol/L TGF beta 1. Inhibition does not require other growth factors or nonmegakaryocytic cells. Removal of TGF beta 1 from the cultures decreases inhibition, suggesting that the continuous presence of TGF beta 1 is required and that its effects are reversible. This effect occurs even though the Dami cells constitutively express TGF beta 1 messenger RNA (mRNA) and the TGF beta 1 mRNA levels are increased by PMA. TGF beta 1 also has been shown to inhibit endomitosis during short-term culture of primary human megakaryocytes. These results suggest a model in which negative as well as positive regulatory factors modulate a critical stage of megakaryocyte development.     

Transforming growth factor beta selectively inhibits normal and leukemic human bone marrow cell growth in vitro

The effects of transforming growth factor beta 1 or beta 2 (TGF-beta 1 or -beta 2) on the in vitro proliferation and differentiation of normal and malignant human hematopoietic cells were studied. Both forms of TGF- beta suppressed both the normal cellular proliferation and colony formation induced by recombinant human interleukin-3 (IL-3) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). In the presence of GM-CSF or IL-3, optimal concentrations of TGF-beta (400 pmol/L) inhibited colony formation by erythroid (BFU-E), multipotential (CFU-GEMM), and granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) progenitor cells by 90% to 100%, whereas granulocyte or monocyte cluster formation was not inhibited. In contrast, neither form of TGF-beta had any effect on G- CSF-induced hematopoiesis. The suppressive action appeared to be mediated directly by TGF-beta since antiproliferative responses were also observed in accessory cell-depleted bone marrow cells. In contrast to normal bone marrow cells, both GM- and G-CSF-induced proliferation of cells from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia were suppressed in a dose-dependent manner by TGF-beta. Differential effects of TGF-beta on the proliferation of established leukemic lines were also observed since most cell lines of myelomonocytic nature studied were strongly inhibited where erythroid cell lines were either insensitive or poorly inhibited by TGF-beta. These results suggest that TGF-beta is an important modulator of human hematopoiesis that selectively regulates the growth of less mature hematopoietic cell populations with a high proliferative capacity as opposed to more differentiated cells, which are not affected by TGF-beta.     

Steel factor induces serine phosphorylation of Stat3 in human growth factor-dependent myeloid cell lines

Steel factor (SLF) acts synergistically with various hematopoietic growth factors that use the Jak-Stat pathways in vivo and in vitro, although the contribution by SLF to this pathway is unknown. We show here that SLF induces time- and dose-dependent phosphorylation of Stat3 in the human growth factor-dependent cell lines MO7e and TF-1. This phosphorylation occurs exclusively on serine residues. Simultaneous stimulation with SLF plus other cytokines that induce tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat3, such as interleukin-9 (IL-9) in MO7e cells or IL-6 in TF-1 cells, resulted in tyrosine phosphorylation and enhanced serine phosphorylation of Stat3. Serine phosphorylation alone did not promote nuclear translocation or DNA binding activity to the sis- inducible element of Stat3. However, costimulation with SLF plus IL-9 in MO7e cells resulted in the nuclear translocation of serine- hyperphosphorylated Stat3. Serine phosphorylation of Stat3 was also observed by the stimulation of cells with granulocyte-macrophage colony- stimulating factor and IL-3, which do not induce tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat3. These results suggest that SLF might modulate the Jak-Stat3 pathway by serine phosphorylation and that the Jak-Stat pathway may be differentially regulated by the combinational stimulation of two or more cytokines.     

Transforming growth factor beta 1 directly and reversibly inhibits the initial cell divisions of long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells

Hematopoiesis appears to be regulated, in part, by a balance between extracellular positive and negative growth signals. Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta 1) has been shown to be a negative regulator of primitive hematopoietic cells. This study examined the direct effect of TGF-beta 1 on the proliferation and differentiation of long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells (LTR-HSC) in vitro. We previously reported a cell fractionation approach that includes the selection of low Hoescht 33342/low Rhodamine 123 (low Ho/Rh) cell fractions that are highly enriched for long-term repopulating cells (LTR-HSC) and also clone to a very high efficiency in the presence of stem cell factor (SCF) + interleukin-3 (IL-3) + IL-6: 90% to 100% of individually cultured low Ho/Rh cells formed high proliferative potential clones. This high cloning efficiency of an LTR-HSC enriched cell population enabled proliferation inhibition studies to be more easily interpreted. In this report, we show that the continuous presence of TGF-beta 1 directly inhibits the cell division of essentially all low Ho/Rh cells (in a dose-dependent manner) during their 0 to 5th cell division in vitro. Therefore, it follows that TGF-beta 1 must directly inhibit the proliferation of LTR-HSC contained within these low Ho/Rh cells. The time required for some low Ho/Rh cells to undergo their first cell division in vitro was also prolonged in the presence of TGF-beta 1. Furthermore, when low Ho/Rh cells were exposed to TFG-beta 1 for varying lengths of time before neutralization of the TGF-beta 1 by monoclonal antibody, the ability to form macroclones was markedly decreased after approximately 4 days of TGF-beta 1 exposure. In addition, 1 to 10 ng/mL of TGF-beta 1 resulted in a maintenance of high proliferative potential-colony-forming cell (HPP-CFC) during 8 days of culture compared with loss of HPP-CFC in cultures with no added TGF- beta 1. In conclusion, this study shows that TGF-beta 1 directly inhibits the initial stages of proliferation of LTR-HSC and appears to slow the differentiation of daughter cells of low Ho/Rh cells.     

Differential effect of transforming growth factor beta 1 on the proliferation of human lymphoid and myeloid leukemia cells

BACKGROUND. Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGF beta) exerts different effects on the hemopoietic system which range from the growth stimulation of more mature myeloid progenitors to the growth inhibition of more immature and multilineage hemopoietic precursors. TGF beta is also an inhibitor of the proliferation and functional activities of normal T and B lymphocytes. The aim of this study was to evaluate its effect on the growth of a human leukemic cells of lymphoid and myeloid origin. METHODS. We tested its activity on the doubling time, the DNA synthesis rate and the clonal growth of a panel of lymphoid and myeloid leukemic cell lines. RESULTS. Among the myeloid cell lines, the proliferation in liquid cultures as well as the clonal growth of KG1, HL60 and U937 were suppressed by TGF beta 1 at doses ranging from 0.025 to 2.5 ng/ml; the degree of inhibition was, however, variable. BV 137, a Ph1-positive cell line derived from a very undifferentiated stem cell, was also highly responsive to TGF beta 1 inhibition. Among the six lymphoid neoplastic cell lines, only Nalm 6, a pre-B leukemic cell line, was consistently and reproducibly inhibited by the same doses of TGF beta 1. Conversely, two Burkitt lymphoma cell lines, Raji and Daudi, and three T-cell leukemias (Molt 4, Jurkat and PF 382) were insensitive to TGF beta inhibition.     

Transforming growth factor type beta induces monocyte chemotaxis and growth factor production.

Recent studies have focused on the potential role of transforming growth factor type beta (TGF-beta) as an immunoregulatory peptide. In this context, we demonstrate that TGF-beta is a potent chemoattractant for human peripheral blood monocytes. At concentrations from 0.1 to 10 pg/ml, TGF-beta induces directed monocyte migration in vitro. Consistent with this observation is the expression of high-affinity TGF-beta receptors on the monocytes with a Kd of 1-10 pM. At higher concentrations of TGF-beta (greater than or equal to 1 ng/ml), monocytes are stimulated to generate biologically active mediator(s) that enhance fibroblast growth. Gene expression for one of these growth factors, interleukin 1, is induced in monocytes within hours after exposure to TGF-beta. Thus, TGF-beta may provide an important signal for monocyte recruitment and for regulation of their synthesis of mediators of fibroblast growth and activity in wound healing.     

Transforming growth factor beta 1 inhibits placental differentiation and human chorionic gonadotropin and human placental lactogen secretion

Previously, no inhibitors of placental differentiation have been described. In this study, we determined the effect of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) on cytotrophoblast differentiation. Monolayer cultures of pure cytotrophoblasts were exposed to 0.001-10 ng/ml TGF beta 1 with and without the presence of 10 ng/ml epidermal growth factor (EGF), an inducer of placental differentiation. Over 7 days of culture, in 11 separate experiments, phase contrast microscopy demonstrated marked inhibition of EGF-induced syncytial formation by TGF beta 1. Basal human (h)CG and h-placental lactogen (PL) release were reduced compared to control by fractions of 0.75 (TGF beta 1/control) and 0.54, respectively. EGF alone induced fractional (EGF/control) increases in hCG and hPL release of 2.46 and 2.68, respectively. However, this stimulation was significantly inhibited by 10 ng/ml TGF beta 1. Dose-response studies showed that maximal TGF beta 1 inhibition of EGF-stimulated hormone secretion occurred at 0.1 ng/ml or more TGF beta 1. Partial differentiation (syncytium formation) occurred despite the presence of TGF beta 1, suggesting a portion of cytotrophoblasts were committed to differentiation at the time of culture. We conclude that TGF beta 1 acts as a major inhibitor of trophoblast differentiation and concomitant peptide hormone secretion.     

转化生长因子β在糖尿病肾病发生中的作用

糖尿病肾病(DN)是糖尿病(DM)患者常见和特异的微血管并发症,其发病机制尚未完全明确,转化生长因子(TGF)-β特别是TGF-β1在DN的发病中发挥了重要作用,阻断TGF-β1的过度表达、抑制或降低其生物活性,有可能成为一种新的预防和治疗DN的有效措施.本文就TGF-β的生物学特性、在DN发生中的作用及目前所作的相关研究做一简单综述.     

Interleukin 1 as an autocrine growth factor for acute myeloid leukemia cells

Production of interleukin 1 (IL-1) by leukemic cells was studied in 13 cases of acute myeloid leukemia. Intracytoplasmic immunofluorescence studies showed that the cells invariably contained the cytokine. Endogenous labeling studies demonstrated that acute myeloid leukemia cells produced either only the 33-kDa propeptide or both the propeptide and the 17-kDa mature form of IL-1 beta. The 33-kDa propeptide IL-1 alpha was always produced but was less frequently released. Involvement of IL-1 in leukemic cell growth was investigated using two antibodies specific for IL-1 subtypes, which inhibited spontaneous cell proliferation in the six cases studied. After acid treatment of the cells, a surface receptor for IL-1 could be demonstrated, which mediated 125I-labeled IL-1-specific uptake by leukemic cells. Furthermore, recombinant IL-1 alpha or IL-1 beta induced significant cell proliferation in 10 of 12 cases. The above findings were uncorrelated with the cytologic type (French-American-British classification) of leukemia. Our studies suggest that IL-1 may act as an autocrine growth factor in most cases of acute myeloid leukemia.