Involvement of ABC7 in the biosynthesis of heme in erythroid cells: interaction of ABC7 with ferrochelatase

A mitochondrial half-type ATP-binding cassette (ABC) protein, ABC7, plays a role in iron homeostasis in mitochondria, and defects in human ABC7 were shown to be responsible for the inherited disease X-linked sideroblastic anemia/ataxia. We examined the role of ABC7 in the biosynthesis of heme in erythroid cells where hemoglobin is a major product of iron-containing compounds. RNA blots showed that the amount of ABC7 mRNA in dimethylsulfoxide (Me(2)SO)-treated mouse erythroleukemia (MEL) cells increased markedly in parallel with the induction of the mRNA expression of ferrochelatase, the last enzyme in the pathway to synthesize heme. The transfection of the antisense oligonucleotide to mouse ABC7 mRNA into Me(2)SO-treated MEL cells led to a decrease of heme production, as compared with sense oligonucleotide-transfected cells. ABC7 protein was shown to be colocalized with ferrochelatase in mitochondria, as assessed by immunostaining. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo pull-down assays revealed that ABC7 protein is interacted with the carboxy-terminal region containing the iron-sulfur cluster of ferrochelatase. The transient expression of ABC7 in mouse embryo liver BNL-CL2 cells resulted in an increase in the activity and level of ferrochelatase and thioredoxin, a cytosolic protein containing iron-sulfur. These increases were also observed in MEL cells stably expressing ABC7. When ABC7 transfectants were treated with Me(2)SO, an increase in cellular heme concomitant with a marked induction of the expression of ferrochelatase was observed. The extent of these increases was 3-fold greater than in control cells. The results indicated that ABC7 positively regulates not only the expression of extramitochondrial thioredoxin but also that of an intramitochondrial iron-sulfur-containing protein, ferrochelatase. Then, the expression of ABC7 contributes to the production of heme during the differentiation of erythroid cells.     

Dissociation of iron transport and heme biosynthesis from commitment to terminal maturation of murine erythroleukemia cells.

Treatment of murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells with imidazole in the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO) has been shown to dissociate hemoglobin accumulation from commitment to terminal maturation. To explore the mechanism(s) of this effect, we studied iron transport and heme and hemoglobin synthesis in Me2SO-induced MEL cells that were then exposed to imidazole. Imidazole treatment (i) causes moderate inhibition of 125I-labeled transferrin binding to both control and Me2SO-treated MEL cells; (ii) markedly suppresses Me2SO-induced activation of iron uptake into MEL cells; (iii) markedly decreases the incorporation of iron into ferritin; and (iv) abolishes heme biosynthesis from [2-14C]glycine and hemoglobin accumulation in Me2SO-treated cells. Imidazole treatment does not inhibit other aspects of cellular maturation; cells treated with Me2SO in the presence or absence of imidazole exhibit similar changes in proliferative activity and protein synthesis and, as shown previously, in cell morphology. Inhibition of hemoglobin accumulation in MEL cells is reversible on withdrawal of imidazole but is not altered by exogenous hemin. These data indicate that commitment to terminal maturation is regulated independently from the systems for iron transport and heme biosynthesis during early phases of erythroid cell differentiation.     

Synthesis and turnover of globin mRNA in murine erythroleukemia cells induced with hemin

When murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells are induced with hemin, they carry out several early functions of the erythroid program. However, they do not become committed to terminal differentiation nor do they become benzidine positive. This is in contrast to MEL cells induced with dimethyl sulfoxide (Me(2)SO) which undergo a more complete program of erythroid differentiation. In order to determine the relationship between commitment and various events in the erythroid program, we compared the induction of MEL cells with hemin and with Me(2)SO. The amount of globin mRNA accumulated in inducing MEL cells and the rate of its synthesis and turnover were quantitated. Although MEL cells induced with hemin accumulated significantly less globin mRNA than did cells induced with Me(2)SO, the rate of synthesis of globin mRNA was the same in fully induced cells, irrespective of inducer. Therefore, there is no evidence that induction with hemin produces an early program that is different or altered from that which is part of Me(2)SO induction. MEL cells induced with Me(2)SO specifically destabilize their globin mRNA after 4 days of induction. This raises the question of whether this destabilization of globin mRNA is an independently programmed late event, as suggested by the time of its occurrence, or, alternatively, whether it might be the inevitable consequence of an early event(s). For instance, destabilization might be linked to the synthesis or translation of globin mRNA. Because MEL cells induced with hemin do not destabilize their globin mRNA, we have concluded that this turnover of globin mRNA is a late event, occurring only in a committed cell population.     

delta-Aminolevulinate dehydratase in human erythroleukemia cells: an immunologically distinct enzyme

Physicochemical and immunologic properties of delta-aminolevulinate (ALA) dehydratase in human K562 erythroleukemia cells were examined. ALA dehydratase activity was found to increase in K562 cells after treatment with butyric acid or selenium oxide. Enzyme activity in untreated K562 cells was comparable to that in normal adult erythrocytes but was increased three- to six-fold in K562 cells treated with 1.2 mmol/L butyric acid or 0.03 mmol/L selenium oxide. The Michaelis-Menten constant (Km), the inhibitor constant (Ki), and elution profile by diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) cellulose chromatography were similar for ALA dehydratase from K562 cells and normal human adult and human fetal erythrocytes. However, ALA dehydratase from K562 cells did not react with a monospecific rabbit antibody against ALA dehydratase purified from normal adult erythrocytes, although the antibody reacted with the enzyme from normal adult and fetal red cells. These findings indicate that ALA dehydratase in K562 cells is immunologically distinct from the normal enzyme.     

Erythropoietin controls heme metabolic enzymes in normal human bone marrow culture

Erythropoietin (Epo) was found to act as a concentration-dependent inducer of aminolevulinic acid (ALA) synthase and porphobilinogen (PBG) deaminase in normal human bone marrow in culture. Epo increased enzymatic activities in individual plated nucleated cells. At a low concentration of Epo, heme oxygenase activity did not change in human bone marrow erythroid progenitor cells. However, Epo at a concentration of 2 U/ml increased heme oxygenase as demonstrated by an increase in both the enzyme protein and its mRNA. In experiments with an inhibitor of heme synthesis, succinylacetone (SA), Epo failed to stimulate erythroid colony-forming unit (CFU-E) growth, but this CFU-E inhibition by SA was completely overcome by the addition of hemin. Epo nevertheless potentiated induction of ALA synthase in the presence of SA. Hemin exerted its regulatory role by negative feedback on ALA synthase in the presence of SA and Epo. Heme potentiated Epo action and resulted in the increase of human marrow erythroid progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation and a concomitant stimulation of ALA synthase and PBG deaminase. The potentiating effects of hemin on CFU-E growth were observed in human bone marrow cells cultured in media supplemented with fetal calf serum or serum-free media with interleukin 3 (IL-3). These results indicate that Epo is a potent inducer of ALA synthase and PBG deaminase in normal human bone marrow. In addition, our results may explain the mechanisms by which heme potentiates Epo or IL-3 enhancement of erythropoiesis. 1) Heme may stimulate the translation of several globin and nonglobin mRNAs, including those of ALA synthase and PBG deaminase; 2) as endogenous cellular heme synthesis reaches optimal levels, heme exerts its regulatory role on ALA synthase by negative feedback inhibition. Additionally, an increase in cellular heme may lead to an increase in its own degradation by induction of heme oxygenase.     

Lengthening of the G1 phase is not strictly correlated with differentiation in Friend erythroleukemia cells.

Friend murine erythroleukemia cells (Friend cells) undergo erythroid differentiation in vitro with an increased probability when cells are cultured in the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO) or other agents. Exponentially growing Friend cells, after dilution into medium containing Me2SO, underwent a transient lengthening of the G1 phase of the cell cycle before they became committed to erythroid differentiation. For nine inducing agents, a positive correlation was found between the percentage of cells that had differentiated and synthesized heme, and the percentage of progenitor cells in which a lengthened G1 phase had previously been observed. This correlation was not found, however, with two other potent inducing agents, hypoxanthine and actinomycin D. Moreover, cells that underwent a lengthened G1 phase did not always terminally differentiate. One such example was a Me2SO-resistant, variant Friend cell line (520a) grown in the presence of Me2SO. These results imply that the prolonged G1 phase, although observed with many inducers, is not a prerequisite for erythroid differentiation with all inducers.     

Hemin-independent control of globin synthesis in Friend erythroleukemia cells induced to differentiate.

A hemin-independent translational inhibitor that prevents synthesis of rabbit globin when uninduced Friend leukemia (FL) cell and rabbit reticulocyte lysates are mixed [Cimadevilla, J. M. & Hardesty, B. (1975) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 63, 931-937] cannot be detected in FL cells induced to differentiate. Mixing of lysates of FL cells induced with hexamethylene bisacetamide or aminonucleoside of puromycin and rabbit reticulocytes does not cause inhibition of rabbit globin synthesis. Induction also results in the cells acquiring sensitivity to the inhibitor from uninduced FL cells. A reduction in total protein synthesis is observed when uninduced and induced FL cell lysates are mixed. Inhibition does not result from competition by an excess of uninduced FL cell mRNA species for the translational machinery because uninduced FL cell lysates retain their inhibitory activity after treatment with micrococcal nuclease. Rabbit globin mRNA recovered from rabbit reticulocyte lysates that have been incubated with lysates of uninduced FL cells can still be translated effectively, indicating that inhibition does not result from modification of other species of mRNA by uninduced FL cell lysates. A switch to hemin-dependent translational control does not follow induction of differentiation. The rate of amino acid incorporation in induced FL cell lysates--like that in uninduced FL cell lysates--is unaffected by omission of exogenous hemin from the system. Its presence is not required to prevent activation of heme-regulated inhibitor. From these data, it is clear that the control of protein synthesis in FL cells--whether or not they are induced--is different from that regulated by hemin in normal erythroid cells.     

Proteomic analysis of erythroid differentiation induced by hexamethylene bisacetamide in murine erythroleukemia cells

OBJECTIVE: Murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells are transformed erythroid precursors that are arrested in an immature and proliferating state. These leukemic cells can be grown in cell cultures and induced to terminal erythroid differentiation by a treatment with a specific chemical inducer such as N,N'-hexamethylene bisacetamide. MEL cells then re-enter their original erythroid program and differentiate along the erythroid pathway into non-dividing hemoglobin-rich cells resembling orthochromatophilic normoblasts. To deepen our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying and erythroid differentiation and leukemia we monitored changes in protein expression in differentiating MEL cells. METHODS: In our effort to find new candidate proteins involved in the differentiation of MEL cells, we embraced a proteomic approach. Employing two-dimensional (2D) electrophoresis combined with mass spectrometry, we compared protein expression in non-induced MEL cells with MEL cells exposed to N,N'-hexamethylene bisacetamide for 48 h. RESULTS: From 700 proteins spots observed, 31 proteins were differentially expressed. We successfully identified 27 of the differentially expressed molecules by mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). CONCLUSION: In addition to proteins involved in heme biosynthesis, protein metabolism, stress defense and cytoskeletal organization, we identified 3 proteins engaged in regulation of cellular trafficking and 7 proteins important for regulation of gene expression and cell cycle progression including 3 components of chromatin remodeling complexes. Many of the identified molecules are associated with erythroid differentiation or leukemia for the first time. To our knowledge, this is the first study applying a modern proteomic approach to the direct analysis of erythroid differentiation of leukemic cells.     

Amiloride inhibits murine erythroleukemia cell differentiation: evidence for a Ca2+ requirement for commitment.

The effect of amiloride (an inhibitor of passive Na+ transport in many tissues) on the differentiation of murine erythroleukemia cells was investigated. Amiloride completely blocked the dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO)-induced erythroid differentiation of cells at a concentration (10 microgram/ml) that did not affect cell proliferation. Amiloride also prevented the decrease in cell volume normally observed afte a 20-hr exposure to Me2SO. The ratio of total cell Na+ to total cell water was essentially the same for control cells, Me2SO-treated cells, and cells treated with Me2SO plus amiloride. However, cells treated for 24 hr with Me2SO had a rate of Ca2+ uptake that was twice that of untreated cells and a similarly higher Ca2+ content. Addition of amiloride plus Me2SO prevented both the increase in Ca2+ uptake rate and the increase in Ca2+ content. Cells grown in the presence of Me2SO plus amiloride initiated differentiation immediately after removal of amiloride or addition of the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 (1 microgram/ml). Addition of sufficient ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N'',N''-tetraacetic acid to reduce free extracellular Ca2+ to submicromolar levels prevented Me2SO-induced differentiation while only slightly affecting cell proliferation. These results suggest that an increase in in the Ca2+ level is an essential step in Me2SO induction, that amiloride either directly or indirectly inhibits this process, and that Me2SO has an early effect on cells that is necessary for differentiation and is not mimicked by A23187.     

Constitutive expression of a megakaryocytic functional property by murine erythroleukemia (Friend) cells: the incorporation of serotonin.

Murine Friend-derived erythroleukemia cells (MEL) are generally believed to be unipotential progenitors inducible to terminal erythroid differentiation. However, we found that MEL can constitutively incorporate significant amounts of radiolabeled serotonin ([3H]5-HT). Because this process is typical of cells belonging to the megakaryocytic lineage, we investigated the significance and mechanisms of 5-HT incorporation in the MEL system. We observed that: 1) normal murine erythroid cells and erythroid progenitors do not incorporate [3H]5-HT, as well as normal murine myeloid cells and the human myeloid cell line HL-60; on the other hand, the human erythroleukemia cell lines K562 and HEL, which have been shown to constitutively express megakaryocytic features, were able to incorporate [3H]5-HT; 2) MEL incorporated 5-HT by an active and saturable mechanism, dependent on temperature and sodium concentration in the medium; and 3) 5-HT uptake was very rapid. Moreover, because about 65% of cell-associated radioactivity was no longer displaced by the cold substrate, we assumed it to represent "true" cytoplasmic internalization. Finally, 5-HT incorporation by MEL was inhibited by clomipramine, ouabain, and reserpine, which are known inhibitors of 5-HT uptake in platelets. The commitment of MEL to terminal erythroid differentiation by hexamethylene bisacetamide or dimethyl sulfoxide greatly reduced the capacity to incorporate [3H]5-HT. These results seem to suggest that the MEL system, although mainly erythroid as regards its differentiation capability, constitutively expresses features of the megakaryocytic lineage, possibly disclosed by the ability to incorporate 5-HT. This hypothesis was further supported by the findings that 30%-40% of uninduced MEL were labeled by a polyclonal antibody raised against murine platelets that selectively recognized megakaryocytes in murine bone marrow smears.     

A novel system to identify Myb target promoters in friend murine erythroleukemia cells

Friend murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells provide an early erythroid precursor model that can be induced to terminally differentiate in cell culture and has been used to study erythroid differentiation as well as multistage tumorigenesis. During the chemically induced differentiation of MEL cells, expression of the c-myb protooncogene is downregulated in a biphasic fashion and forced expression of c-myb is able to block the differentiation process, suggesting that c-myb activity may be limiting for differentiation in MEL cells. We have recently produced stable transfectants in the C19 MEL cell line that carry a dominant interfering myb allele (MEnT) under the control of an inducible mouse metallothionein I (MTH) promoter. Upon inducing expression of MEnT, transfected cells enter a differentiation program and begin to produce alpha-globin mRNA, assemble hemoglobin, and stop proliferating. Differential display was used to compare mRNA expression between parental C19 MEL cells induced to differentiate with hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA) and stable transfectants induced to differentiate via expression of MEnT to identify potential Myb target promoters. We identified six candidate cDNAs in this fashion and present evidence that two of these represent genes that are dependent on c-Myb activity for maximal expression in MEL cells.     

Erythroid colony development as a function of age: the role of marrow cellular heme

The activities of the heme biosynthetic enzymes ALA synthase (ALAS) and ALA dehydrase (ALAD) and the heme degradative enzyme heme oxygenase were analyzed from bone marrow cells obtained from young, middle-aged, and senescent rats. There was age-related reduced activity of bone marrow ALAS but no age-related difference in the activity of ALAD. In contrast, heme oxygenase activity was 50% greater in the senescent marrow cells. Incorporation of 14C-glycine into heme was 45% less in senescent rat marrow cells, whereas incorporation of 14C-delta-aminolevulinic acid was not related to age. Senescent bone marrow cells demonstrated a marked reduction in 14C-leucine and 3H-uridine incorporated into protein and nucleic acid synthesis, respectively. In vitro erythroid colony (CFUE) growth by senescent bone marrow cells was as much as 40% less compared with young bone marrow cells. The decreased ability to form CFUE by the senescent bone marrow cells may be related to reduced ALAS activity and increased heme oxygenase activity. Thus, part of the aging process appears to involve fluctuations in the enzyme activities and protein synthesis involved with metabolism of heme.     

Transient inhibition of initiation of S-phase associated with dimethyl sulfoxide induction of murine erythroleukemia cells to erythroid differentiation.

The murine erythroleukemia cell (MELC) line in suspension culture can be induced to differentiate to erythroid cells by various compounds, including dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO). Analysis of the cell cycle, during differentiation induced by Me2SO, using thymidine incorporation, thymidine labeling index, and relative DNA content per cell as measured by flow microfluorometry, demonstrates a transient inhibition of entry of cells into S-phase of the cell cycle which is detected as early as 5 hr and is maximal about 20 hr after beginning of nonsynchronous cultures. Furthermore, in the presence of Me2SO there is restricted binding of the intercalating dye propidium iodide to chromatin from MELC in G1 phase of the cell cycle, as early as 10 hr of culture. This restricted binding of propidium iodide to chromatin is observed in MELC cultured with other inducing agents, such as butyric acid and dimethyl-acetamide, but is not detected with an Me2SO-resistant cell line cultured with Me2SO.     

Regulation of hemoglobin synthesis and proliferation of differentiating erythroid cells by heme-regulated eIF-2alpha kinase

Protein synthesis in reticulocytes depends on the availability of heme. In heme deficiency, inhibition of protein synthesis correlates with the activation of heme-regulated eIF-2alpha kinase (HRI), which blocks the initiation of protein synthesis by phosphorylating eIF-2alpha. HRI is a hemoprotein with 2 distinct heme-binding domains. Heme negatively regulates HRI activity by binding directly to HRI. To further study the physiological function of HRI, the wild-type (Wt) HRI and dominant-negative inactive mutants of HRI were expressed by retrovirus-mediated transfer in both non-erythroid NIH 3T3 and mouse erythroleukemic (MEL) cells. Expression of Wt HRI in 3T3 cells resulted in the inhibition of protein synthesis, a loss of proliferation, and eventually cell death. Expression of the inactive HRI mutants had no apparent effect on the growth characteristics or morphology of NIH 3T3 cells. In contrast, expression of 3 dominant-negative inactive mutants of HRI in MEL cells resulted in increased hemoglobin production and increased proliferative capacity of these cells upon dimethyl-sulfoxide induction of erythroid differentiation. These results directly demonstrate the importance of HRI in the regulation of protein synthesis in immature erythroid cells and suggest a role of HRI in the regulation of the numbers of matured erythroid cells.     

Insulin-like growth factor I stimulates human erythroid colony formation in vitro

The effects of human GH and insulin-like growth factor I on the proliferation and differentiation of erythroid progenitor cells from the bone marrow and peripheral blood of children were studied in a hormone-depleted culture system. Growth of erythroid progenitors was quantified by directly scoring colonies and by biochemical determination of the activity of a cytosolic enzyme of the heme pathway, uroporphyrinogen I synthase. In the presence of erythropoietin, high concentrations (50-100 ng/mL) of human GH induced an increase in the number of erythroid colonies (and their uroporphyrinogen I synthase activity) formed by bone marrow or peripheral blood erythroid precursors. In the same conditions, physiological concentrations of insulin-like growth factor I (0.5-1 ng/mL) stimulated erythroid cell growth and differentiation (P less than 0.03) from bone marrow or peripheral blood.     

The rapid and decremental change in haem oxygenase mRNA during erythroid differentiation of murine erythroleukaemia cells

Changes in mRNA for haem oxygenase (HO), the rate-limiting enzyme for haem catabolism, were examined in murine Friend-virus transformed erythroleukaemia (MEL) cells while they were induced to undergo erythroid cell differentiation by treatment with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). When MEL cells were treated with 1.5% (v/v) DMSO, a rapid decrease in HO mRNA content was observed (less than 12 h) which reached the lowest value at 18 h (18% of the untreated control). HO mRNA levels remained at substantially lower levels (approximately 50%) than those in untreated controls thereafter. A rapid decline in HO mRNA may be involved in the cellular events that determine the onset of erythroid differentiation.