Anti-tumor promoting action of phthalic acid mono-n-butyl ester cupric salt, a biomimetic superoxide dismutase

Skin tumor promotion induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) was inhibited by a concurrent and topical application of phthalic acid mono-n-butyl ester cupric salt (PAMBCu) in CD-1 mice initiated with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene. PAMBCu inhibited TPA-caused epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) induction and ear edema formation, i.e. skin inflammation. However, neither PAMBCu nor superoxide dismutase (SOD) inhibited TPA-caused ODC induction in primary cultured mouse epidermal cells. 7-Bromomethylbenz[a]anthracene (BrMBA) is known to be a non-TPA type of tumor promoting agent. Epidermal ODC induction and inflammation caused by BrMBA were not inhibited by a concurrent application of PAMBCu. When mice were topically treated twice with PAMBCu, i.e. concurrently with and 7 h after BrMBA treatment, BrMBA-caused ODC induction was markedly suppressed. The same dose regimen of PAMBCu, however, failed to inhibit tumor promotion and inflammation caused by BrMBA. PAMBCu showed SOD-mimetic activity in superoxide generating systems, i.e. xanthine-xanthine oxidase reaction and TPA-stimulated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). Mono-n-butyl phthalate, which lacks SOD-mimetic activity, failed to inhibit TPA-caused ODC induction and skin inflammation. Therefore, inhibition by PAMBCu of TPA-caused tumor promotion, epidermal ODC induction and inflammation may be attributable to its SOD-mimetic activity. The results also support the contention that a superoxide anion of non-epidermal cell origin, such as PMN and macrophages, plays a role (probably some enhancing role) in in vivo ODC induction and tumor promotion caused by TPA. Failure of PAMBCu to inhibit BrMBA-caused tumor promotion suggests that superoxide anion generation is not involved in the tumor promoting action of this agent and that the anti-tumor promoting action of PAMBCu is dependent on the nature of the tumor promoting agents.     

Effects of local anesthetics on phorbol ester-induced ornithine decarboxylase activity in mouse and human skin

In preparation for experiments to determine the effects of various orally administered compounds on human skin ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity, it was observed that intradermal lidocaine hydrochloride inhibited 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced ODC. Topically applied ethyl chloride had variable and unpredictable effects on ODC induction. Adequate local anesthesia can be obtained by using intradermal 1.0% procaine hydrochloride or normal saline; neither of these agents inhibited TPA induction of epidermal ODC activity in incubated human skin punch biopsies.     

The potent anti-tumor-promoting agent isoliquiritigenin

A topical application of a chalcone derivative, 4,2',4'-trihydroxychalcone (isoliquiritigenin) inhibited epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) induction and ear edema formation, i.e. inflammation, caused by a topical application of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in CD-1 mice. In addition, isoliquiritigenin potently inhibited 7,12-dimethylbenz[alpha]anthracene (DMBA)-initiated and TPA-promoted skin papilloma formation. This inhibitory effect of isoliquiritigenin was not due to any damage inflicted on the initiated cells but due to its anti-tumor-promoting action. Isoliquiritigenin also inhibited epidermal ODC induction and skin tumor promotion caused by 7-bromomethylbenz[alpha]anthracene (BrMBA), a non-TPA type of tumor-promoting agent, in DMBA-initiated mice. Isoliquiritigenin inhibits neither 12-lipoxygenase nor cyclooxygenase in epidermal subcellular fractions. This compound, however, inhibited TPA-stimulated prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in intact epidermal cells. ODC induction caused by TPA was inhibited by a topical application of cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin. Inhibition of ODC induction by indomethacin was counteracted by a topical application of PGE2, while inhibition caused by isoliquiritigenin was not overcome by PGE2. The results suggest that a mechanism other than the inhibition of PGE2 production is involved in the anti-tumor-promoting action of isoliquiritigenin. Isoliquiritigenin failed to inhibit phospholipase A2 activity of platelet sonicates, but inhibited platelet 12-lipoxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase in polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Therefore, it might be possible that isoliquiritigenin exerts its anti-tumor-promoting action through the lipoxygenase inhibition by acting on cells other than the target epidermal cells. Our present results, in combination with our previous data, demonstrate that some chalcone derivatives and flavonoids which show a potent lipoxygenase inhibitory action act on a common step in the skin tumor promotion caused by two different types of tumor-promoting agents, i.e. TPA and BrMBA, and suggest that these compounds show promise as drugs to prevent tumor promotion.     

Induction of mouse epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity and skin tumors by 7,12-dimethylben

Application of a single large dose (3.6 micromol) or smaller weekly repeated doses (0.2 micromol) of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) to the skin of CD-1 mice led to a 20 to 50-fold increase in epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) (EC 4.1.1.17) activity as well as tumor formation. Retinoic acid (0.17-68 nmol), a potent inhibitor of both the induction of ODC activity and tumor formation by the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), failed to inhibit both the induction of ODC activity and tumor formation by DMBA. In contrast, 7,8-benzoflavone (367 nmol), which did not inhibit the induction of ODC activity by TPA, effectively inhibited the induction of ODC activity as well as the formation of skin tumors caused by DMBA. These results indicate that (a) the mechanism of the induction of ODC activity and tumor formation by a complete carcinogen appears to be different from that of the tumor promoter TPA, (b) DMBA-induced ODC activity may be an important component of the mechanism of DMBA carcinogenesis, and (c) the protective effect of retinoic acid on skin carcinogenesis is not universal; it inhibits skin tumor formation by some agents and not by others.     

Inhibitory effect of silymarin, an anti-hepatotoxic flavonoid, on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity and mRNA in SENCAR mice

In recent years, considerable emphasis has been placed on identifyingnew cancer chemopreventive agents which could be useful forhuman populations. Silymarin, an anti-oxidant flavonoid isolatedfrom artichoke, has been shown to possess siginificant activityagainst hepatotoxicity and other pharmacological and physiologicaldisorders. Since many antioxidants inhibit tumor promotion,and because ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is a well known biochemicalmarker of tumor promotion, we assessed the effect of skin applicationof silymarin on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) inducedepidermal ODC activity and ODC mRNA levels in SENCAR mice. Applicationof silymarin at doses of 0.5–18 mg (1–37 µmol)/mouseprior to that of TPA (2.5 µg) treatment resulted in significantinhibition of TPA-induced epidermal ODC activity in a dose-and time-dependent manner. Northern blot analysis revealed thattopical application of silymarin at the dose of 2 mg/mouse resultedin almost complete inhibition of TPA-induced epidermal ODC mRNA.In other studies, silymarin also showed significant inhibitionof epidermal ODC activity induced by several other tumor promoters,including free radical-generating compounds. Our data suggestthat silymarin could be a useful anti-tumor promoting agentcapable of ameliorating the tumor promoting effects of a widerange of tumor promoters.     

In vitro induction of human skin ornithine decarboxylase by the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate

A method was developed for the in vitro induction by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity in human skin punch biopsy samples. Addition of TPA to 1 ml serum-free minimum essential medium containing a single 3-mm human skin punch biopsy sample obtained from a surgical specimen resulted in an induction of ODC activity with a peak activity at 5 hours after TPA addition. In vitro induction of human epidermal ODC activity was dependent on the TPA concentration in the medium; about a twofold increase in ODC activity was observed 6 hours after the addition of 0.1 microM TPA, and about a fivefold increase in ODC activity was observed with 1 microM TPA. TPA also caused about a fivefold to sixfold increase in ODC activity in 3-mm skin punch biopsy samples from healthy volunteers. Human skin punch biopsy samples remained responsive to TPA induction of ODC activity even when stored in serum-free medium at 4 degrees C for 24 hours. A similar degree of induction of ODC activity by TPA was observed whether whole unfractionated human epidermis or a soluble epidermal extract was used for ODC assays. Increased ODC activity was the result of the increase in enzymatically active ODC protein, quantitated by a [3H]difluoromethylornithine-binding assay. Thus human skin, like mouse skin, is responsive to TPA for ODC induction.     

Inhibition of ultraviolet-B skin carcinogenesis by all-trans-retinoic acid regimens that inhibit ornithine decarboxylase induction

There is a correlation between the ability to induce the polyamine-biosynthetic enzyme ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and the tumor-promoting ability of various carcinogens in mouse epidermis. Some agents which inhibit skin carcinogenesis also inhibit ODC induction. In this study, all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) regimens that inhibited the induction of epidermal ODC by ultraviolet-B (UVB) were tested for their ability to inhibit UVB skin carcinogenesis. Hairless mice were irradiated once daily with UVB for 20 days, receiving a total dose of UVB (17.1 kJ/sq m). Topical RA was applied immediately (RA, one dose) or applied 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 hr (RA, five doses) after each irradiance. The mice were maintained for 52 weeks and then sacrificed. Groups treated with RA tended to have fewer mice with tumors, fewer tumors per mouse, smaller tumor diameters, and slower growing tumors than did appropriate irradiated control groups. RA given five times was more effective than was RA given one time at inhibiting UVB skin carcinogenesis. These results show that RA treatments that inhibit epidermal ODC induction may be effective in reducing the carcinogenicity of UVB.     

Inhibition of tumor promoter-induced ornithine decarboxylase activity by tannic acid and other polyphenols in mouse epidermis in vivo

Naturally occurring plant phenols with antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic activities were tested for their abilities to inhibit the ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) response linked to skin tumor promotion by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Topical applications of tannic acid (TA) inhibit remarkably and in a dose-dependent manner TPA-induced ODC activity in mouse epidermis in vivo. This inhibitory effect of TA is dependent on the time of its administration relative to TPA. The induction of epidermal ODC activity by 8.5 nmol of TPA is inhibited maximally when 20 mumol of TA are applied topically to the skin 20 min before the tumor promoter. Gallic acid and several of its derivatives inhibit the ODC response to TPA to a lesser degree than TA. Ellagic acid is the least effective inhibitor tested. TA also inhibits the ODC-inducing activities of several structurally different tumor promoters and the greater ODC responses produced by repeated TPA treatments. The ability of TA to inhibit by 85% the ODC marker of skin tumor promotion suggests that TA and other polyphenols may be effective not only against tumor initiation and complete carcinogenesis but also against the promotion phase of tumorigenesis.     

Induction of ornithine decarboxylase by aromatic amines in rat liver

The induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) in rat liver by the carcinogen 2-acetylaminofluorene (2AAF), the strong liver tumor initiator trans-4-acetylaminostilbene (AAS), the non-carcinogen 4-acetylaminofluorene (4AAF) and, as a control, 3-methylcholanthrene (MC) has been examined. MC and all aromatic amines increased the ODC activity of rat liver from 3.6-fold (MC) to maximal 5.7-fold (AAS). The time course of the maximal induction differs from 2.5 h (2AAF) to 10 h (MC). The cytosolic concentrations of the unchanged compounds parallel the ODC activity. These data indicate that ODC induction in rat liver shows no correlation with tumor promoting properties of the model compounds. It is concluded that the unchanged compound is responsible for the ODC induction.     

Enhanced induction of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity in C57BL/6 compared to DBA/2 mice by protein kinase C-activating skin tumor promoters: relevance to genetically mediated differences in promotion susceptibility.

Previous work from our laboratory demonstrated that 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) or a synthetic diacylglycerol induced significantly higher epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity in C57BL/6 than in DBA/2 mice. To understand further the genetic basis for this strain difference, two tumor promoters were evaluated for their effects on epidermal ODC activity: teleocidin, which activates protein kinase C (PKC); and 1,8-dihydroxyl-3-methyl-9-anthrone (chrysarobin), which does not. In addition, the ODC induction response in B6D2F1 offspring and BXD recombinant inbred (RI) strains was examined following multiple treatments with TPA. A single topical application of teleocidin to mouse dorsal skin led to the hyperinduction of epidermal ODC activity in C57BL/6 mice. In contrast, while chrysarobin induced epidermal ODC activity, no significant differences in the magnitude of this response were observed in SENCAR, DBA/2 or C57BL/6 mice. Consistent with our previous findings, the magnitude of ODC induction by teleocidin in these three mouse lines (C57BL/6 greater than SENCAR greater than DBA/2) did not correlate with their susceptibility to tumor promotion by TPA (SENCAR greater than DBA/2 greater than C57BL/6). ODC activity induced by multiple application of TPA in B6DF1 mice, whose susceptibility to phorbol ester tumor promotion is inherited as an incomplete dominant trait, was comparable to that induced in C57BL/6 mice at all the doses examined. Cluster analysis of TPA-induced ODC activity in BXD RI strains allowed us tentatively to group them into four or five phenotypes and to estimate a minimum of two genetic loci controlling TPA-induced ODC activity. Furthermore, in BXD RI strains, there was no apparent relationship between the magnitude of ODC induction and responsiveness to tumor promotion or sustained hyperplasia. Collectively, these results suggest that hyperinducibility of ODC in response to PKC-activating tumor promoters is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, and that genetic determinants for ODC induction, at least in C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mice, appear completely independent of those controlling tumor promotion susceptibility.     

Inhibition of phorbol ester tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13- acetate-caused inflammatory responses in SENCAR mouse skin by black tea polyphenols

Over the past 10 years many studies from several laboratories defined anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory effects of tea, a widely consumed beverage by the human population. Much of such work has been conducted with green tea or its polyphenolic constituents. Regarding black tea, studies have shown that its water extract affords protection against tumor promotion caused by chemical carcinogens or ultraviolet B radiation in murine skin carcinogenesis models. Several studies have shown that topical application of chemical tumor promoters to murine skin results in the induction of epidermal edema, hyperplasia and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and cyclo-oxygenase activities, and interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1alpha) and ODC mRNA expression. In this study, we assessed whether topical application of polyphenols isolated from black tea leaves (hereafter referred to as BTP) mainly consisting of theaflavine gallates and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, inhibits phorbol ester tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)- caused induction of these markers of inflammatory responses in murine skin. Topical application of BTP (6 mg in 0.2 ml acetone/animal) 30 min prior to TPA application on to the mouse skin resulted in significant inhibition against TPA-caused induction of epidermal edema (40%, P < 0.01), hyperplasia (57%, P < 0.005), leukocytes infiltration (50%), and induction of epidermal ODC (57%) and pro-inflammatory cytokine IL- 1alpha mRNA expression (69%). Pre-application of BTP to that of TPA also resulted in significant inhibition of TPA-caused induction of epidermal ODC (23-73%, P < 0.005-0.0001), and cyclo-oxygenase, in terms of prostaglandins metabolites formation (38-65%, P < 0.01-0.0005), enzyme activities. Our data indicate that the inhibition of TPA-caused changes in these markers of inflammatory responses in murine skin by BTP may be one of the possible mechanisms of chemopreventive effects associated with black tea against tumorigenesis. The results of this study suggest that black tea, specifically polyphenols present therein, may be useful against cutaneous inflammatory responses in human population.      

Induction of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity in mouse skin exposed to biogenic silica fibers.

The present study demonstrates that biogenic silica fibers (BSF), previously shown to promote skin tumors in mice and more recently to promote the induction of mesotheliomas when injected into the pleural cavity of rats, rapidly induces epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity in SENCAR mice following topical application. The time course for induction of epidermal ODC by BSF was very similar to that observed following topical treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Maximal ODC activity was observed 4-6 h following treatment with BSF. Cycloheximide (70 mg/kg i.p.) partially inhibited (61%) the induction of ODC by BSF at 5 h. In addition, retinoic acid (RA, 5 micrograms per mouse given 30 min before BSF) effectively inhibited BSF-induced ODC by 68%, while indomethacin (100 micrograms per mouse 2 h before BSF) had little or no effect. Copper(II) bis(diisopropylsalicylate) (2 mumol 30 min before BSF), an effective inhibitor of TPA-induced ODC activity and tumor promotion, also had little or no effect on BSF-induced ODC. The work described in this paper suggests that BSF induces epidermal ODC by a very specific mechanism that exhibits both similarities and differences with that of the phorbol ester, TPA. Nevertheless, this response strongly supports the conclusion that BSF is an effective tumor promoter in mouse skin and that ODC induction is an integral part of the mechanism of action of this environmental promoter.     

Protein kinase Cdelta-mediated signal to ornithine decarboxylase induction is independent of skin tumor suppression

Protein Kinase Cdelta (PKCdelta), a Ca(2+)-independent, phospholipid-dependent serine/threonine kinase, is among the PKC isoforms expressed in mouse epidermis. We reported that FVB/N transgenic mice that overexpress ( approximately eightfold) PKCdelta protein in basal epidermal cells are resistant to skin tumor formation by the 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-initiation and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-promotion protocol. However, despite being resistant to skin tumor promotion by TPA, PKCdelta transgenic mice elicited a 3-4-fold increase in TPA-induced epidermal ODC activity and putrescine levels than their wild-type littermates. PKCdelta was observed to be the key component of the TPA signal transduction pathways to the induction of mouse epidermal ODC activity. To determine if TPA-induced ODC activity and associated putrescine levels in PKCdelta transgenic mice contributed to PKCdelta-mediated suppression of skin tumor promotion by TPA, the irreversible inhibitor of ODC, alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), was used. PKCdelta transgenic mice and their wild-type littermates were initiated with 100 nmol DMBA and then promoted twice weekly with 5 nmol TPA. The experimental group was given 0.5% DFMO in their drinking water, while the control group was given tap water. After 25 weeks, the number of papillomas (>2 mm) per mouse was counted. The DFMO treatment did not affect the skin tumor multiplicity of PKCdelta transgenic mice. These results indicate that PKCdelta-induced ODC activity is not involved in PKCdelta-mediated tumor suppression. Thus, the signaling pathways via PKCdelta to epidermal ODC induction and skin tumor suppression appear to be independent.     

Modulation by adriamycin, daunomycin, verapamil, and trifluoperazine of the biochemical processes linked to mouse skin tumor promotion by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate

The antitumor antibiotics Adriamycin (ADR) and daunomycin (DAU) were tested for their ability to alter some of the molecular events linked to skin tumor promotion by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). When applied topically to mouse skin, DAU is a more effective inhibitor of the basal level of epidermal DNA synthesis than ADR. However, these drugs alone are unable to inhibit the sequential induction of RNA, protein, and DNA synthesis caused by TPA in mouse epidermis in vivo. Moreover, ADR enhances substantially the induction of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity by TPA. In vitro, the incorporation of [3H]DAU into isolated epidermal cells resembles more that of the HL-60 cells resistant to vincristine than that of the parental cell line. TPA does not alter the incorporation of [3H]DAU into epidermal cells. The Ca2+ antagonists verapamil (VRP) and trifluoperazine (TFP) enhance significantly the amount of [3H]DAU associated with the epidermal cells after 1 h. When applied shortly before TPA in vivo, VRP and TFP inhibit TPA-induced ODC activity at 5 h and TPA-induced DNA synthesis at 17 h. Moreover, the combinations of Ca2+ antagonists and anthracycline antibiotics administered before TPA inhibit synergistically these ODC and DNA responses to the tumor promoter. When they are applied at various times after TPA treatment, the same combinations of ADR or DAU and VRP or TFP fail to alter TPA-induced RNA and protein synthesis but still exert synergistic inhibitory effects on the peak of DNA synthesis observed 17 h after TPA. However, the chronic administration of ADR and DAU alone or in combination with VRP prior to the peak of TPA-induced DNA synthesis 16 h after each promotion treatment with TPA fails to alter the promotion of skin papillomas in the two-stage protocol of mouse skin carcinogenesis. In contrast, when administered alone or in combination with DAU prior to each TPA treatment, VRP inhibits skin tumor promotion and reveals the antitumor-promoting activity of DAU. These results point to the modulatory role of Ca2+ in the action of ADR and TPA and demonstrate the refractory nature of mouse epidermis to cancer chemotherapy by anthracycline antibiotics. However, ADR and DAU may be effective against skin tumor promotion if they are applied in combination with Ca2+ antagonists and at a time when they can inhibit the inductions of both ODC activity and DNA synthesis by TPA.     

Cytotoxicity and absence of mutagenic activity of vomitoxin (4-deoxynivalenol) in a hepatocyte-mediated mutation assay with V79 Chinese hamster lung cells

The effects of naturally occurring sweetening agents, which inhibited the induction of Epstein-Barr virus-associated early antigen (EBV-EA) induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), and related compounds on the induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) by TPA is examined. Application of glycyrrhetinic acid or steviol to mouse skin 1 h before TPA treatment showed a remarkable decrease in TPA-induced ODC activity. Post-treatment with glycyrrhetinic acid or steviol 1 h after application of TPA also resulted in a considerable depression in the induction of ODC activity. Neither glycyrrhetinic acid nor steviol alone induced epidermal ODC activity. These results suggest that glycyrrhetinic acid and steviol interfere with the process of induction of epidermal ODC by TPA treatment of mouse skin. cis-Abienol, frullanolide and norambreinolide, which have a partially similar structure in the moiety with glycyrrhetinic acid or steviol, were tested. cis-Abienol and frullanolide showed an inhibitory effect when applied 1 h before TPA treatment, but norambreinolide was not effective. A relationship between suppression of ODC activity and inhibition of EBV-EA induction is discussed.     

Inhibition of skin tumor promoter-caused induction of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase in SENCAR mice by polyphenolic fraction isolated from green tea and its individual epicatechin derivatives.

Green tea, next to water, is the most popular and commonly consumed beverage in the world, especially in eastern countries. In prior studies we have shown that the polyphenolic fraction isolated from green tea (GTP) exerts antigenotoxic effects in various mutagenicity test systems (Mutat. Res., 223: 273-285, 1989) and that its topical application or oral feeding in drinking water protects against polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-induced skin tumor initiation and complete carcinogenesis in SENCAR and BALB/c mice [Cancer Lett., 42: 7-12, 1988; Carcinogenesis (Lond.), 10: 411-415, 1989] and UV B radiation-induced photocarcinogenesis in SKH-1 hairless mice [Carcinogenesis (Lond.), 12: 1527-1530, 1991]. In the present study we assessed the effect of skin application of GTP to SENCAR mice on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and other skin tumor promoter-caused induction of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity. Topical application of GTP to mouse skin inhibited TPA-induced epidermal ODC activity in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of GTP was also dependent on the time of its application relative to TPA treatment. Maximum inhibitory effect was observed when GTP was applied 30 min prior to topical application of TPA. GTP application to animals also inhibited the induction of epidermal ODC activity caused by several structurally different mouse skin tumor promoters. In order to identify which of the specific epicatechin derivatives present in GTP is responsible for these inhibitory effects, they were isolated from GTP and evaluated for their inhibitory effects against TPA-caused induction of epidermal ODC activity. Among these, (-)epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which was the major constituent present in GTP by weight, exerted the maximum inhibition. EGCG also showed greater inhibitory effects against TPA-caused induction of epidermal ODC activity when compared with several other naturally occurring polyphenols. The results of this study suggest that GTP, specifically its epicatechin derivative EGCG, could provide anti-tumor-promoting effects against a wide spectrum of skin tumor promoters.     

Activation of human squamous cell carcinoma ornithine decarboxylase activity by guanosine triphosphate

Previous studies have demonstrated the presence in mouse epidermal tumors of a structurally and functionally altered ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). In this report, the enzymatic properties of ODC from normal human skin and squamous cell carcinomas are examined. Some tumors contained a more heat stable ODC than the enzyme found in normal skin. GTP stimulated enzyme activity in four of seven tumor extracts tested but had no effect on normal skin ODC. Kinetic analyses indicated that GTP either lowered the apparent Km of tumor ODC for L-ornithine, increased the Vmax, or had both effects, depending on the tumor examined. Gel filtration chromatography of crude tumor extracts indicated the existence of multiple molecular weight forms of ODC, some of which can be activated by GTP and some of which are unaffected by GTP. Some tumors contain both a GTP-activatable and -nonactivatable form of the enzyme. Immunolocalization studies demonstrated the presence within squamous cell carcinomas of cells with a constitutively high level of immunoreactive ODC, a situation never observed in normal skin tissue. These results suggest that some human squamous cell carcinomas contain a functionally altered ODC that may be aberrantly regulated.     

Regulation of ornithine decarboxylase gene expression in mouse epidermis and epidermal tumors during two-stage tumorigenesis

Topical treatment of mouse skin with the potent tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) results in an array of biochemical alterations, one of the earliest being a more than 200-fold transient induction of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity. There is an excellent correlation between the induction of epidermal ODC activity and changes in the level of immunoreactive ODC protein following a single TPA treatment to skin. Both ODC activity and protein levels peak at 4.5 h after TPA treatment and rapidly fall to basal levels by 24 h. Cycloheximide treatment of mice in which ODC had been previously induced by TPA indicated a similar rapid turnover of both ODC catalytic activity and protein levels. Northern blot analysis of polyadenylated RNA isolated from mouse epidermis after a single TPA treatment revealed the stimulation of one species of ODC mRNA of 2.0 kilobases with a maximum at 3.5 h declining by 16 h. The same-sized species of ODC mRNA was detected 4.5 h after multiple biweekly treatments with TPA as well as in mouse papillomas and carcinomas not treated with TPA for at least 1 week. Southern blot analysis of EcoRI or BamHI digests of DNA derived from mouse liver, papillomas, or carcinomas revealed no ODC gene amplification or rearrangement during neoplastic progression. These observations indicate that the induction of epidermal ODC activity following TPA treatment results in a transient increase in the steady state levels of ODC mRNA and in the rate of synthesis of ODC protein, in contrast to epidermal tumors where the levels of ODC mRNA and protein are constitutively elevated.     

Systemic inhibition of tumor promoter-induced ornithine decarboxylase in 1 alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3-treated animals

Topical application of 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1 alpha,25(OH)2D3], an active form of vitamin D3, was previously shown to inhibit the induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and tumor promotion by tumor promoters in mouse skin. In the present study, this observation in skin was extended to other tissues, such as the stomach, colon, and liver, using 1 alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 [1 alpha (OH)D3], which is converted to 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 in the liver without hormonal control and thus evokes the systemic effects, if any, of 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3. When mice were given 1 alpha (OH)D3 at a dose of 5 micrograms by gastric tube, their plasma level of 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 increased to a peak of about 18-fold the normal level after 12 h, followed by hypercalcemia (about 14 mg/dl), which reached a peak on Days 2 to 3. In 1 alpha (OH)D3-treated mice, induction of epidermal ODC by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate was markedly inhibited, the inhibition being maximal 2 to 4 days after 1 alpha (OH)D3 administration. ODC induction in the glandular stomach mucosa of rats by NaCl, a tumor promoter in stomach carcinogenesis, was also inhibited dose and time dependently by 1 alpha (OH)D3. Similarly, 1 alpha (OH)D3 treatment of rats markedly inhibited the induction of ODC in the colon mucosa by deoxycholate, a tumor promoter of colon carcinogenesis, and of ODC in the liver by phenobarbital, a promoter of liver carcinogenesis. These results suggest that an active form of vitamin D3 has a systemic inhibitory effect on induction of ODC activity by tumor promoters.