Inhibition of intracellular esterases by antitumour chloroethylnitrosoureas. Measurement by flow cytometry and correlation with molecular carbamoylation activity

Antitumour chloroethylnitrosoureas (Cnus) decompose in physiological conditions yielding alkylating species and organic isocyanates. While antitumour activity is mainly attributed to the alkylation of DNA, carbamoylation of intracellular proteins by isocyanates may also have pharmacological and toxicological relevance. We previously reported a novel dynamic flow cytoenzymological assay for esterase inhibition in intact murine cells by BCNU and related isocyanates, and proposed that this might form the basis of an assay for intracellular carbamoylation. We have now examined a wide range of Cnus, isocyanates, and alkylating agents for their ability to inhibit cellular esterases. BCNU, CCNU, their derived isocyanates, and the 4-OH metabolites of CCNU exhibited potent inhibitory activity (I50 values 5.5 x 10(-5)-7.3 x 10(-4) M). Chlorozotocin and GANU were relatively inactive (I50 much greater than 10(-2) M). ACNU, TCNU and the 2-OH metabolites of CCNU exhibited intermediate activity (I50 values 1.1 x 10(-3)-2.3 x 10(-2) M). Compounds not able to form isocyanates were essentially inactive. Poor membrane permeability was also implicated in the weak activity of chlorozotocin and GANU. There was overall a good correlation between esterase inhibition and chemical carbamoylating activity, but some particular differences were identified. We concluded that flow cytoenzymological assay appears to have the potential to provide useful measurement of intracellular protein carbamoylation by existing Cnus and novel derivatives, and also offers the advantage of cell subpopulation identification for in vivo evaluation of these agents.

c-myc oncoprotein levels in bladder cancer

The protein coded by the oncogene c-myc, p62c-myc, was measured using monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry in nuclei derived from paraffin-wax sections of transitional cell carcinomas of the human bladder. Superficial disease (stages pTa and pT1) which did not recur within 5 years of diagnosis had significantly higher oncoprotein levels than those which did recur or were muscle-invasive (stage pT2 or greater) at presentation (P less than 0.01). These preliminary findings indicate that oncoprotein levels might have prognostic significance for bladder cancer.

Subpopulation analysis of drug-induced cell-cycle delay in human tumor cells using 90 degrees light scatter

A mitotic cell subset has been identified with nuclear light scatter. Colcemid-treated T-47D human breast cancer cells were permeabilised, stained with ethidium bromide, and analysed by flow cytometry. Cells with G2M DNA content exhibited a unimodal distribution for DNA fluorescence and forward scatter, but two peaks were discernible with 90 degrees light scatter. A discrete low-scattering cell cluster could be distinguished from the G2 cell subset on two-dimensional contour plots of 90 degrees light scatter vs. DNA fluorescence; this cluster was reproduced by mitotic shake-off experiments and varied quantitatively with mitotic indices determined either by microscopy or by stathmokinetic cell-cycle analysis of DNA fluorescence. Cell sorting confirmed that the low-scattering cell cluster comprised predominantly metaphase and anaphase cells. Identification of mitotic cells with this one-step technique enables rapid analysis of drug-induced cell-cycle delay in cell populations with different rates of cell-cycle traverse. Hence, vincristine-induced cytostasis is shown to arise in part because of premitotic G2 arrest, whereas etoposide is shown to affect cycling cells with equal sensitivity in quiescent and activated cell populations. The use of light scatter to discriminate mitotic cells in this way facilitates analysis of drug-induced cell-cycle delay and supplements the information obtainable by conventional cell-cycle analysis.

Polar fluorescein derivatives as improved substrate probes for flow cytoenzymological assay of cellular esterases

Fluorescein esters are employed in assays of cell viability, membrane permeability and esterase activity. The ester most widely used, fluorescein diacetate (FDA), has the disadvantage of rapid cellular efflux of its hydrolysis product fluorescein. This is particularly problematic for flow cytoenzymology (FCE), where fluorescence is measured in individual cells allowing identification of subpopulations differing in esterase activity and/or membrane characteristics. We present a comparison of FDA with two potentially improved substrate probes for FCE, carboxyfluorescein diacetate (CFDA) and bis(carboxyethyl)-carboxyfluorescein-tetra acetoxy methyl ester (BCECF-AM). Substrates were characterized in terms of reaction and product efflux kinetics in EMT6 mouse mammary tumour cells, together with inhibition kinetics for the carbamoylating agent BCNU. Intact viable cells were analysed by FCE and spectrofluorimetry, and the latter was also used for cell sonicates and purified esterase. CFDA and BCECF-AM enter cells and are hydrolysed more slowly than FDA. CFDA and FDA hydrolyses obey Michaelis-Menten kinetics with Km values of around 19 and 2 microM, respectively, whereas BCECF-AM hydrolysis deviates from this classical behaviour. BCNU (5 X 10(-4) M) inhibits FDA and BCECF-AM hydrolyses by approximately 50%, compared to 30% for CFDA. CFDA may be partly hydrolysed by membrane-bound esterases. Efflux half-lives were 16 min, 94 min and greater than 2 h for products of FDA, CFDA and BCECF-AM, respectively. We conclude that BCECF-AM is the optimal substrate probe for FCE. This study emphasizes the need to optimize various parameters when selecting a substrate for flow cytoenzymological assay or when loading other reporter fluorochromes into cells via lipophilic esters.

Characterisation of VP-16-induced DNA cleavage in oestrogen-stimulated human breast cancer cells

Cycling cells are recognised to be more susceptible than quiescent cells to the cytotoxic action of many commonly used cancer chemotherapeutic agents. We have found that oestrogen stimulation of T-47D human breast cancer cells is accompanied by a two-fold increase in VP-16-induced DNA cleavage as measured by alkaline DNA unwinding, and that this increase in DNA cleavage is accompanied by a corresponding enhancement of drug-induced cytostasis. The enhancement of VP-16-induced DNA cleavage seen with oestrogen exposure is antagonised both by antioestrogen treatment and by cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, but not by the DNA synthesis inhibitor aphidicolin. Increased c-myc protein synthesis is detectable within an hour of oestrogen exposure, while increased VP-16-induced DNA cleavage is detectable within 4h and increased DNA synthesis within 16h. Only small changes in cell-cycle distribution occur with oestrogen stimulation. In the absence of VP-16, oestrogen does not reduce DNA double-strandedness, nor does it induce changes in chromatin structure as measured by alterations in DNA superhelicity or chromatin accessibility. These findings suggest that oestrogen enhances VP-16-induced DNA damage in asynchronously growing G1-phase cells and that this enhancement may be dependent at some point upon de novo protein synthesis. Oestrogen pre-treatment of T-47D human breast cancer cells improves the therapeutic index of VP-16 without the need for cell synchronisation or highly precise drug scheduling.

A mammalian cell mutant with enhanced capacity to dissociate a bis-benzimidazole dye-DNA complex

The bis-benzimidazole dyes (specifically Hoechst 33258 and the more lipophilic derivative Hoechst 33342) are non-intercalating AT base pair-specific ligands which bind to cellular DNA by non-covalent association with the minor groove. The interaction of dye with cellular DNA is thought to be the principal pathway for the cytotoxic, mutagenic and DNA-damaging properties of such agents. Upon binding and near UV light excitation, dye molecules exhibit fluorescence enhancement such that dye/DNA association and dissociation in individual cells can be monitored by flow cytometry. We have studied dye uptake and the DNA--dye dissociation characteristics of a Hoechst 33258-resistant mouse cell line (HoeR415) compared to the response of the parental cell line Ltk-. HoeR415 was found to show similar levels of cross resistance (approximately 10-fold) to Hoechst 33258 and Hoechst 33342 compared to parental responses except that the more lipophilic ligand was approximately 30-fold more toxic. Estimates of Hoechst 33342 uptake using flow cytometry or radiolabelling methods indicated that resistance could not be attributed to reduced cellular uptake, low initial levels or different modes of DNA binding. Both cell lines showed similar initial levels of dye-induced DNA strand-breakage. However, Hoechst 33342 resistance did correlate with an enhanced capacity (10-fold) of HoeR415 to remove dye from cellular DNA compared with the relatively long retention (T 1/2 300 min) of ligand by the parental cell line. Our results are consistent with the view that ligand persistence rather than indirect DNA damage is a more important factor in the cytotoxicity of non-intercalating DNA-binding ligands. A model is presented of the cellular processes of DNA damage recognition and surveillance for ligands which interact with the minor groove of DNA.

Improved program for the analysis of DNA histograms

We describe a computer program which will rapidly analyze a set of DNA histograms without further operator intervention after the initial input. The algorithm used was modified from that of Watson et al. (Cytometry 8:1-8, 1987). The program, coded in Pascal, has been implemented on two different systems. It has been tested by using simulated data and experimental data from cells labelled with bromodeoxyuridine. The program has been in use in this and other laboratories for over two years and has proved to be robust and fast and to give a reasonable approximation to the experimental data. It is particularly useful when dealing with badly perturbed DNA histograms.

Novel dynamic flow cytoenzymological determination of intracellular esterase inhibition by BCNU and related isocyanates

We present a novel dynamic flow cytoenzymological demonstration of the potent inhibition by the antitumour chloroethylnitrosourea BCNU of the intracellular hydrolysis of fluorescein diacetate by esterases of viable, intact murine and human tumour cells in vitro. The BCNU metabonate chloroethyl isocyanate and the related compound n-butyl isocyanate were also potent inhibitors. I50 values were in the range 4.2 X 10(-5)-2.0 X 10(-4) M. Generally similar quantitative results were obtained for intact cells and sonicates by conventional spectrofluorimetry, and inhibition of purified porcine liver carboxyl esterase (EC 3.1.1.1) was demonstrated. Little or no inhibitory activity was seen with the alkylating agents methyl methane-sulphonate, melphalan and nitrogen mustard. The results are consistent with carbamoylation of the esterase molecules by isocyanates, and this may provide a basis for the flow cytometric determination of intracellular carbamoylation in discrete subpopulations of heterogeneous samples.

Improved methodology for intracellular enzyme reaction and inhibition kinetics by flow cytometry

Flow cytoenzymology is the determination of enzyme activities or concentrations in single intact cells. Using the flow cytometer built and designed in our laboratory and recent modifications to hardware and software, we have developed an improved dynamic flow cytoenzymological procedure for the assay of cellular enzyme kinetics. The reaction mixture is sampled continuously, and the computer clock incorporates time as a parameter for kinetic determinations. Conditions for cellular esterase analysis were optimized and the rates of hydrolysis of two fluorogenic substrates, fluorescein diacetate (FDA) and 4-methylumbelliferone acetate (MUA), by esterases in EMT6 mouse mammary tumor cells were studied. Reaction kinetics were characterized, and Km values of 19 and 72 microM were obtained for the hydrolysis of FDA and MUA respectively. The kinetics of the cellular efflux of fluorescein were investigated, and a half-life of 7.5 min obtained. Enzyme inhibition kinetics were investigated using the competitive substrates p-nitrophenyl acetate and phenyl acetate, and the carbamoylating agents physostigmine and n-butyl isocyanate. The latter was particularly potent with an I50 of 4.8 X 10(-5) M for FDA hydrolysis compared with 6.5 X 10(-3) M for physostigmine. The I50 of 8.8 X 10(-5) M for n-butyl isocyanate inhibition of MUA hydrolysis was similar to that obtained with FDA as substrate. By monitoring FDA and MUA reactions separately and simultaneously, we showed them to act as competitive substrates. A comparison of flow cytoenzymological and conventional spectrofluorimetric analysis was also made, and differences identified in some cases.

Time, a quality-control parameter in flow cytometry

Time has been used as a quality-control parameter in our flow cytometer. This parameter was automatically incorporated into the list-mode data base by hooking the computer clock directly into the acquisition logic. Quality control can then be checked by "replaying" fluorescence or light scatter data vs. time and any instrumental drift can be observed and degraded data can be excised. The technique is illustrated with a number of DNA data sets from a tissue culture cell line in which artificial perturbations were introduced during data acquisition to simulate potential causes of instrumental drift.

Abnormal distribution of c-myc oncogene product in familial adenomatous polyposis

Monoclonal antibodies raised by synthetic peptide immunisation were used to determine the distribution of the protein product of the c-myc gene by immunocytochemical staining of archival wax embedded material from patients with familial adenomatous polyposis. Polyps from 18 cases of familial adenomatous polyposis, 10 of whom had developed malignant change, and 30 normal control colonic biopsy specimens were examined. A consistent staining pattern was observed in normal mucosa; nuclear staining in the basal proliferative zone; mixed nuclear and cytoplasmic staining in the maturation zone; and cytoplasmic localisation in the surface mature zone. In contrast, the polyps and carcinomata showed a mixed pattern of cytoplasmic and nuclear localisation in the basal proliferative zone with nuclear persistence throughout the crypts to the surface mature zone. This abnormal distribution of the c-myc oncogene product may have a role in the evolution of polyps and their subsequent malignant transformation into familial adenomatous polyposis.

Oncogene expression in ovarian cancer: a pilot study of c-myc oncoprotein in serous papillary ovarian cancer

The nuclear-associated protein product of the c-myc gene, p62c-myc, was assayed simultaneously with total DNA using flow cytometry in nuclei extracted from archival biopsies of serous papillary carcinoma of the ovary. The oncoprotein was probed with a synthetic peptide-induced mouse monoclonal antibody which was subsequently labeled with a fluorescent rabbit anti-mouse immunoglobulin and DNA was assayed using the nucleic acid fluorochrome propidium iodide. Serous papillary ovarian carcinoma expressed significantly higher p62c-myc levels compared with normal ovary (P less than 0.00003 Mann-Whitney U test). Biopsies classified as "borderline" low-potential malignancy exhibited levels between normal ovary and carcinoma. The difference between normal and "borderline" was significant at P less than 0.003, but no difference between "borderline" and frankly invasive biopsies was observed, P = 0.149. There was no difference among the histological grades of carcinomas. All normal ovaries had diploid DNA content as did 5/6 cases of "borderline" malignancy. The majority of cases of carcinoma, 28/36, were aneuploid. There was a statistically significant difference in the distribution of aneuploidy, P less than 0.005, between invasive carcinomas and those classified as "borderline" low-potential malignancy.

Nuclei act as independent and integrated units of replication in a Xenopus cell-free DNA replication system

We have used a novel approach to investigate the control of initiation of replication of sperm nuclei in a Xenopus cell-free extract. Nascent DNA was labelled with biotin by supplementing the extract with biotin-11-dUTP, and isolated nuclei were then probed with fluorescein-conjugated streptavidin. Flow cytometry was used to measure the biotin content of individual nuclei and their total DNA content. This showed that incorporation of the biotinylated precursor increases linearly with DNA content. Haploid sperm nuclei replicate fully to reach the diploid DNA content over 2-6 h in the extract. Synthesis stops once the diploid DNA content is reached. Different nuclei enter S phase at different times over greater than 1.5 h, although they share the same cytoplasmic environment. Nuclei reach their maximum rates of synthesis soon after entry into S phase and some replicate fully in less than 0.5 h, resembling the rates of replication observed in the intact egg. These results indicate that initiations are coordinated within each nucleus such that the nucleus is the fundamental unit of replication in the cell-free system.

Flow cytometric quantitation of the c-myc oncoprotein in archival neoplastic biopsies of the colon

The c-myc oncogene encoded protein product, p62c-myc, was assayed simultaneously with DNA in populations of individual nuclei extracted from archival biopsies of colonic neoplasia. Both the protein and DNA were assayed fluorimetrically using flow cytometry with a synthetic peptide induced monoclonal antibody (MYC 1-6E10) for the protein and propidium iodide for DNA. The nuclear p62c-myc levels increased progressively from normal mucosa through polyps to carcinomas. However, there was a trend for the more poorly differentiated carcinomas to exhibit lower levels than moderately and well-differentiated tumours, p = 0.085. These results agree with those published previously with the same antibody using Western blotting for protein extracted from fresh frozen tissue and immunocytochemical assessment. Furthermore, flow cytometry is able to effect discriminations between subsets in heterogeneous populations using DNA as a second parameter which Western blot bulk studies cannot.

New methods for implanting plastic tubes for 192iridium brachytherapy using steel needles

A revised method for implanting plastic tubes used to carry 192iridium for brachytherapy is described. Solid malleable stainless steel needles are machined at one end with a tapered screw thread, on to which the plastic tubing can be placed for pulling through tissue. The technique has proved to be both simpler and quicker than the standard 'Amersham' method. Since the solid needles may be moulded, it is easier to implant relatively inaccessible areas such as axillary, intrathoracic and paraspinal sites. For sites with no clear exit point for the needles, a large diameter steel needle is described, which enables the plastic tubes to be inserted with less trauma to the tissues.

Flow cytometric quantitation of DNA and c-myc oncoprotein in archival biopsies of uterine cervix neoplasia

The c-myc nuclear associated oncoprotein has been quantitated simultaneously with DNA in nuclei extracted from archival biopsies of uterine cervix neoplasia. The oncoprotein and DNA were measured fluorimetrically in a flow cytometer using a mouse monoclonal antibody (MYC 1-6E10) and propidium iodide. Normal biopsies exhibited higher oncoprotein levels than carcinomas (P less than 0.00001). Furthermore, the maximum fluorescence signal in the normal tissue occurred at a lower antibody concentration compared with tumour tissue. There was no correlation between oncoprotein levels and histological grade, stage of disease, age of the patients or prognosis in the carcinomas. Aneuploidy, defined as a distinct second peak separate from the diploid distribution, was not a significant feature. The c-myc oncoprotein nuclear content does not appear to be a prognostic indicator in carcinoma of the cervix from the results of these studies but there is clearly diagnostic potential, particularly for automated analysis of cervical screening.

Cell cycle kinetics model of LPS-stimulated spleen cells correlates switch region rearrangements with S phase

The cell cycle kinetics of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated spleen cells were measured by acridine orange (AO) staining and flow cytometry. We have devised a computer model to predict the proportions of cells in each cell cycle phase using iteratively varied parameters. The optimum fit between the predicted and observed proportions of cells in various phases of the cell cycle was determined using the minimum sigma chi 2. The model then correlates the variability of intermitotic phase time with the proportion of genomic DNA available for immunoglobulin (Ig) switch region (S mu) rearrangement. This analysis predicts that rearrangements at S mu are cell cycle-dependent events which occur during the first S phase after LPS activation. Molecular analysis of this system confirms these predictions.

A pragmatic approach to the analysis of DNA histograms with a definable G1 peak

A method for DNA histogram analysis is described that depends only on the simple assumption that the data are normally distributed and a requirement that a G1 peak is present. A probability density function was derived from the assumption that extracted the S-phase component from the whole histogram. The model was tested with simulated data, and good agreement between predicted and known proportions in G1, S, and G1 + M was found. Good agreement was also found between duplicates of experimentally derived data. Some systematic errors are present in the analysis of certain types of histograms. However, these result in small errors when compared with biological and experimental variation and are less than the average of variation and are less than the average of algorithms in current use. The program required only two queued requests, those of the start and the end channels over which the analysis is to be performed. The algorithms perform rapidly on a microcomputer with only 28K addressable memory. Only two failures occurred in over 350 analyses and the method can be used for drug- and radiation-perturbed populations as well as with unperturbed.

Molecular calibration in flow cytometry with sub-attogram detection limit

A monoclonal antibody to complement receptor type 1 (CR1) has been double labelled with 125iodine and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and used for parallel radioimmune assay (RIA) and flow cytometric studies. Serial dilutions of the reagent with unlabelled antibody were used to obtain a linear correlation between radioactivity counts and fluorescence over the whole range of labelled antibody molecules bound per cell, namely 700-25,000. This has enabled us to calibrate our flow cytometer in terms of numbers of molecules per channel as opposed to the customary arbitrary fluorescence units. Normal human granulocytes from a single donor were found to have a mean of 25,000 CR1 molecules per cell with a normal distribution and standard deviation of 4775 molecules. The detection limit of the flow cytometer was 730 CR1 molecules per cell which is equivalent to between 125 and 150 molecules of free fluorescein. This represents less than 0.1 attogram (ag) of fluorescein per cell, where 1 ag = 10(-18) g. The resolution was 44 CR1 molecules per digitization step of the analogue-to-digital converters (ADC) which corresponds to the fluorescence from less than ten molecules of free fluorescein.

Predominant role for DNA damage in etoposide-induced cytotoxicity and cell cycle perturbation in human SV40-transformed fibroblasts

The cytotoxic and cell kinetic effects of the epipodophyllotoxin 4,6-demethylepipodophyllotoxin-9-(4,6-O-ethylidene-beta-D-glucopyr anoside) (VP-16) in cultured mammalian cells are thought to relate to the induction of DNA damage, specifically DNA strand interruptions. In an effort to explore this relationship in human cells we have identified a VP-16-hypersensitive human cell system, namely an SV40-transformed fibroblast line (AT5BIVA) originally derived from an ataxia telangiectasia (AT) patient. Evidence is presented that enhanced VP-16 sensitivity may be a consistent in vitro feature at AT derived cells. However, the intrinsic sensitivity (DNA strand breaks per lethal hit quantitated by nucleoid sedimentation) was the same for AT5BIVA and a corresponding normal control, indicating that the AT cell line accumulated more drug-induced DNA damage during short-term VP-16 exposures. It is suggested that AT cells may have abnormal topoisomerase II activity. The cell cycle responses of normal and AT cells to VP-16 exposure were complex, with the generation of parasynchronous S phase populations and the accumulation of cells in G2. Differences in cell killing or DNA strand breakage between normal and AT cells could only be correlated with the magnitude and kinetics of the G2 retention phenomenon. In short, there are several similarities in the action of ionizing radiation and VP-16. We suggest that the sensitivity of cellular DNA to VP-16-induced DNA damage and the kinetics of the G2 delay may be useful parameters for predicting the survival probability of drug-treated human tumor populations.

Colcemid inhibits growth during early G1 in normal but not in tumorigenic lymphocytes

Mitogenically stimulated human and mouse lymphocytes enter the cell cycle (G0, G1A, G1B, S, G2+M) via a newly recognized subphase, G1'. This subphase precedes G1A and is distinct from G0. The G1' subphase is absent in immortalized and tumorigenic lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) by cytofluorimetric criteria. Furthermore, colcemid inhibits transition through the G0/G1' as well as G2 phases in mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes and in LCLs. Tumorigenic LCLs are not sensitive to growth inhibition by colcemid during early G1. These observations suggest that a progressive series of changes have occurred during G0/G1' which lead to deregulation of growth control.

The application of flow cytophotometry in measurements of cell adhesion

A common approach to the study of cell substrate interactions is the measurement of the attachment of cells to different substrates or to cultured cell layers. The evaluation of attachment is made either by scintillation counting of previously labelled adhering cells, or by light microscopy using the criterion of cell shape, sometimes refined by automatic image analysis. These methods have many drawbacks. This paper suggests the use of fluorescence-activated flow cytophotometry, (FC) which yields direct counts of the non-adhering cells. These "free" cells are removed after completion of the adhesion experiment from the microtitre plate wells. An internal standard, in the form of fluorescent polystyrene beads is added, allowing evaluation of the percentage of cells adhering to the well walls. Flow cytophotometry then produces data based on the analysis of large populations of cells. Unequivocal discrimination is obtained between the counted cells and counted fluorescent beads eliminating counting errors. The results can be processed on line by computer. A suspension of mouse splenocytes was used for the evaluation of the overall error of the method arising from inaccuracies in pipetting, interference of glutaraldehyde with ethidium bromide (EB) staining and instrumental error. Each adhesion experiment was terminated by staining and post-fixation and it was established that this introduces no change in cell counting, in comparison with the original unfixed cells. Prefixation, however, quenches the EB staining and would interfere with the counting procedure. The overall standard error of the technique was found to be 5%-10%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cervical brush biopsy specimens suitable for DNA and oncoprotein analysis using flow cytometry

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Neuron specific enolase expression in carcinoma of the lung

The value of neuron specific enolase (NSE) immunoreactivity as a marker for small cell lung cancer (SLC) has been assessed using a monoclonal antibody (MCAB) against NSE, MCAB specificity was confirmed using purified enolase isoenzymes, sections of human brain, a panel of lung tumours, neuroendocrine and non-neuroendocrine tumours and normal tissues. Using this MCAB in radioimmunoassay and immunohistochemistry, NSE immunoreactivity was detected in all SCLC material examined. However, considerable reactivity was also observed in a number of non-small cell lung cancer cell lines and tumour biopsy specimens. Furthermore, intratumoral heterogeneity with respect to NSE immunostaining was observed in several cases. Factors which may underlie such intratumoral phenotypic diversity were assessed using flow cytometry together with MCABs directed against both NSE and non-neuronal enolase. Such studies revealed that enolase expression in cells which were no longer actively proliferating differed markedly from that of cells in exponential growth. Furthermore, cells grown under conditions of increasing hypoxia exhibited increased enolase expression relative to those grown under oxygenated conditions. It is concluded from these studies that NSE immunoreactivity per se is an unreliable marker for the SCLC phenotype.

The clinical significance of flow cytometric c-myc oncoprotein quantitation in testicular cancer

A sensitive flow cytometric assay has been developed using a monoclonal antibody, Myc 1-6E10, to quantitate c-myc oncoprotein levels in nuclei isolated from wax embedded testicular tumours. The oncoprotein (p62c-myc) level increased significantly with increasing teratoma differentiation. Patients with intermediate and undifferentiated tumours who developed recurrence had lower p62c-myc levels than those who were disease free since their initial treatment. Such quantitative biochemical methods may provide new prognostic indices for cancer patients.

Estimating the kinetic parameters for enzymatic drug metabolism in the whole animal

A method for estimating the Michaelis constant, Km, and the maximum reaction velocity, Vmax, for the enzymatic degradation of a parent compound to a metabolite in the intact animal is presented. The technique involves a mathematical analysis which has shown that under specific conditions the peak/plateau blood concentrations of metabolite are related to initial parent compound concentration by the Michaelis-Menten relationship. It has also been shown how these data can be analysed with the "direct linear plot" of Eisenthal and Cornish-Bowden (Biochem. J. 139, 715 (1974)) to yield the enzyme kinetic parameters.

A simultaneous flow cytometric assay for c-myc oncoprotein and DNA in nuclei from paraffin embedded material

A simultaneous flow cytometric assay for the c-myc oncoprotein and DNA in nuclei extracted from archival paraffin wax embedded clinical biopsies is presented. The nuclei were extracted by pepsin digestion after dewaxing 20 micron sections. The c-myc oncoprotein was probed with a mouse monoclonal antibody. This was raised against a synthetic peptide corresponding to a hydrophilic region of the protein predicted from the amino acid sequence. The technique is illustrated with biopsies from patients with testicular cancer and with benign and malignant neoplasms of the colon.

Characterization of patients with an increased susceptibility to bacterial infections and a genetic deficiency of leukocyte membrane complement receptor type 3 and the related membrane antigen LFA-1

Three children from two unrelated families had a history of recurrent bacterial infections, and their neutrophils were shown to have deficient phagocytic and respiratory responses and possible deficiencies in chemotaxis or adherence. Their neutrophils were strikingly deficient in the ability to ingest or give a respiratory burst in response to unopsonized bakers' yeast or zymosan (Z). Tests for neutrophil and monocyte CR1 (C3b/iC3b receptor) and CR3 (iC3b receptor) demonstrated rosettes with both EC3b and EC3bi. However, EC3bi were bound only to CR1, and not to CR3, because EC3bi rosettes were inhibited completely by anti-CR1. Neutrophils, monocytes, and natural killer (NK) cells also did not fluorescence stain with monoclonal antibodies specific for the alpha-chain of CR3 (anti-Mac-1, anti-Mol, OKM1, and MN-41). Quantitation of C receptors with 125I monoclonal anti-CR1 and anti-CR3 indicated that neutrophils from each patient expressed normal amounts of CR1 per cell but less than 10% of the normal amount of CR3. Examination of neutrophils by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated that a normal glycoprotein of approximately 165,000 daltons was missing. Immunoblotting of these gels indicated that the missing band was the alpha-chain of CR3. Subsequent analysis of all three patients' cells also demonstrated a deficiency of LFA-1 alpha-chain and the common beta-chain that is shared by the CR3/LFA-1/p150,95 membrane antigen family. The deficiency of LFA-1 probably explained the absent NK cell function, as normal NK cell activity is inhibited by anti-LFA-1 but not by anti-CR3. The reduced phagocytic and respiratory responses to Z were probably due to CR3 deficiency, because treatment of normal neutrophils with anti-CR3, but not anti-FLA-1, inhibits responses to Z by 80% to 90%. Ingestion of Staphylococcus epidermidis by normal neutrophils was shown to be partially inhibited by monoclonal antibodies to the alpha-chain of either CR3 or LFA-1, and monoclonal antibody to the common beta-chain inhibited ingestion by 75%. Thus, both CR3 and LFA-1 may have previously unrecognized functions as phagocyte receptors for bacteria. The absence of this type of nonimmune recognition of bacteria by these children's neutrophils may be one of the reasons for their increased susceptibility to bacterial infections.

Effects of X-irradiation and sodium butyrate on cell-cycle traverse on normal and radiosensitive lymphoblastoid cells

We have used a multi-parameter flow-cytometric technique to analyse changes in cell-cycle phase distribution (early and late G1, S and G2+M phases) for normal and X-ray-sensitive (ataxia-telangiectasia, A-T) lymphoblastoid cells exposed to X-irradiation and sodium butyrate (either alone or in combination). Sodium butyrate, an inhibitor of histone deacetylase, is a useful pharmacological tool for determining the proposed role of a histone acetylation-based chromatin surveillance system in controlling cell-cycle responses to DNA damage. We report that X-irradiated A-T cells (acute doses up to 1.5 Gy) demonstrate deficiencies in the capacity to traverse G1 and G2+M phases, although we can find no evidence of the specific involvement of a sodium butyrate-sensitive process in normal cells or abnormalities in the responses of A-T cells to the drug. We conclude that abnormal cellular control of G1 transition in A-T may be the basis of disturbed cellular differentiation in vivo, particularly in non-proliferating tissues under conditions of accumulated environmental or spontaneous DNA damage.

Establishment and characterisation of cell lines from patients with lung cancer (predominantly small cell carcinoma)

Tissue samples from 59 patients with lung cancer have been used to establish cell lines in culture. The primary diagnosis was small cell carcinoma in all except four. Most of the samples were of bone marrow but pleural effusions, lymph node biopsies and skin metastases were also included. The samples were usually split between HITES serum-free medium and HITES plus 2.5% foetal calf serum. A total of 19 cell lines were established and characterised. One line is large cell anaplastic lung carcinoma, four are B-lymphoblastoid and fourteen are small cell lung cancer. Considerable heterogeneity in gross morphology, neuroendocrine differentiation (by electron microscopy) and content of the enzyme L-dopa decarboxylase was seen. The use of HITES plus 2.5% foetal calf serum resulted in better establishment of cultures than did serum-free HITES.

Metabolism of c-myc gene products: c-myc mRNA and protein expression in the cell cycle

The presence and synthesis of c-myc protein and mRNA in the cell cycle has been studied. We find that c-myc mRNA is present, at equivalent levels, at all times in the cell cycle with the possible exception of mitosis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this mRNA is transcribed in both G1 and G2 phases. An analysis of the c-myc protein in vivo shows that de novo synthesis occurs in G1 and G2 and the protein turns over with a half-life of approximately 20-30 min in both phases. Furthermore, the level of c-myc protein rapidly increases in cell populations when they re-initiate the cell cycle, thereafter decreasing as the culture reaches quiescence. The results therefore suggest that expression of c-myc can be rapidly modulated and that it is activated during the G0 to G1 transition, but is expressed thereafter in the cell cycle.

Detection of the c-myc oncogene product in testicular cancer

A set of monoclonal antibodies was constructed by immunising mice with peptide fragments of the c-myc oncogene product. One such antibody, Myc 1-6E10 was shown to bind to a 62,000 dalton protein identifiable with the c-myc product (p62c-myc). The antigen recognised was not destroyed by paraffin wax embedding. Myc 1-6E10 was used to characterise the distribution of p62c-myc in archival testicular tumour material. Normal testes expressed only small amounts of p62c-myc. Seminomas showed increased nuclear and cytoplasmic staining. Undifferentiated teratoma showed little activity, whereas p62c-myc was abundant in the nuclei of differentiating epithelial structures, yolk sacs and embryoid bodies. Only small amounts of p62c-myc were seen in the tumours of 5 patients who subsequently died from their disease.

Flow-cytometric detection of changes in the fluorescence emission spectrum of a vital DNA-specific dye in human tumour cells

A multiparameter flow cytometric technique has been used to detect changes in the emission spectrum of the DNA-specific fluorochrome Hoechst 33342 during uptake by intact, human tumour cells and during the in vitro titration of permeabilized cells. The spectral shift phenomenon was associated with changes in dye: DNA ratio revealing heterogeneity in dye-binding sites. The degree of spectral shift was sensitive to changes in pH within the physiological range. Surprisingly, chromatin structure, in terms of DNase accessibility, was not a major factor in the generation of the spectral shift. The technique of fluorescence emission analysis permits cells with similar DNA contents to be distinguished on the basis of changes in the microenvironment of chromatin for both fresh and freezer-stored biopsy or experimental preparations.

Flow cytometric fluorescence emission spectrum analysis of Hoechst-33342-stained DNA in chicken thymocytes

Hoechst-33342-stained chicken thymocytes were analysed simultaneously on two fluorescence wavelength bands (green and violet) in our custom-built flow cytometer, and two major subsets were identified. In one subset (33% of the total) the emission spectrum remained constant with time, with little change in the respective green and violet fluorescence intensities. In the other subset (42% of the total) the green fluorescence increased during staining, resulting in a considerable change in the green-to-violet ratio, due to a change in the "shape" of the fluorescence emission with time. The data indicate that two binding sites, or two types of binding at the same site, exist in DNA for this dye and that these have different binding energies and, consequently, different fluorescence emission properties.

How does flow cytometry express Gaussian distributed biological information?

The analogue-to-digital conversion step in flow cytometric analysis introduces a positive skew into the distribution of any measured parameter. In this communication we describe a semi-analytical method to determine if a distribution skewed by the analogue-to-digital conversion step is compatible with a Gaussian origin. The procedure involves determining the errors associated with calculating the coefficient of variation from the skewed distribution and applying systematic corrections. The method was tested with a number of experimental data sets and is illustrated with 3 distributions. One of these was not compatible with a Gaussian origin, but the other 2 were, in spite of considerable positive skewness in the data.

Family studies of erythrocyte complement receptor type 1 levels: reduced levels in patients with SLE are acquired, not inherited

It has been claimed that patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have an inherited deficiency of erythrocyte complement receptor type 1 (CR1, with ligand binding specificity for C3b, iC3b and C4b). CR1 functions as the only cofactor for factor I-mediated cleavage of iC3b to C3c and C3dg. The activity of this receptor on red cells may be an important mechanism for handling immune complexes which have bound C3b or iC3b. Radioligand binding studies were performed using a monoclonal antibody to CR1, E11, to enumerate these receptors accurately. The results confirmed that patients with SLE have a reduced number of CR1 molecules per red cell, but showed no reduction in CR1 levels amongst their consanguineous relatives. Study of 13 normal families suggested the presence of heritable factors controlling the numbers of erythrocyte CR1 molecules; in particular there was a correlation between mean parental CR1 numbers and CR1 numbers in their children. However, amongst 17 families of 19 patients with SLE, four families were identified in which genotypically 'high CR1' SLE patients had persistently low phenotypes. This is not compatible with the hypothesis that the reduction in erythrocyte CR1 numbers in these patients is inherited.

Cyclosporin-A binds lymphocyte surface receptors induced by activation

Cyclosporin A (CyA) is a new immunosuppressive drug of very considerable and widespread interest not only for clinicians and transplant immunologists but also for cell biologists concerned with activation mechanisms, as it causes a selective blockade of lymphocyte proliferation. Clearly, the molecular biology of CyA action is of fundamental importance, and in attempting to understand this we have looked for a cell surface receptor. We used indirect staining with antibody (at 4 degrees C and in azide) to ensure that only those CyA molecules held at the cell surface would be seen. The drug molecules which partition into the cell membrane, due to the extreme lipophilicity of CyA, are not detected by extracellular antibody. This technique differs from other methods using a directly labelled drug, where it is not possible to discriminate between specific and non-specific binding. Using high sensitivity flow cytometric analysis we were unable to find CyA on resting lymphocytes, whereas lymphocytes activated by concanavalin A (Con A) or mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) showed a CyA-dependent increase in fluorescence.

Effect of cell density on intracellular adriamycin concentration and cytotoxicity in exponential and plateau phase EMT6 cells

The relationship between cell number and available Adriamycin (ADM) has been investigated in EMT6 cells. Results have shown that the ratio between cell number and total available ADM is important in determining in vitro ADM uptake and surviving fraction. Having established this effect, the sensitivity of exponentially growing and plateau phase EMT6 cells to ADM was investigated. ADM was assayed by extraction followed by spectrofluorimetry and also by flow cytometry (FCM); both methods were found to give the same ratio of intracellular ADM between exponentially growing and plateau phase cells. We found that for a given exposure dose plateau phase cells were more sensitive than exponentially growing cells. For the same dose per cell, plateau cells take up more ADM than exponentially growing cells. But for a given intracellular ADM concentration exponentially growing cells have a lower surviving fraction than plateau phase cells. We conclude that the surviving fraction is dependent on the proliferative state of the cells and in order to draw that conclusion it is important to relate the ADM effect on cells in vitro to the total ADM available to each cell.

Scheduled and unscheduled combination chemotherapy in the treatment of squamous cell lung cancer (cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine and bleomycin, with and without cis-platinum)

Fifty four patients with squamous cell lung cancer, treated with Cyclophosphamide (750 mg/m2), Adriamycin (50 mg/m2), Vincristine (1.5 mg/m2) and Bleomycin (30 mg) (CAVB) in a 2 day scheduled regime, showed an overall median survival time (MST) of 32 weeks (28 weeks for non-responders and 46.5 weeks for responders--a non-significant difference). The response rate was 24%, the median duration of response being 23 weeks. Bone marrow toxicity was not a major problem. A further 21 patients received the same drugs but in a single bolus (unscheduled regime). Comparison of their results with the 25 patients randomised to the scheduled regime showed no significant difference in MST or toxicity. The addition of Cis-platinum (50 mg/m2) to the unscheduled CAVB regime (CAVBP) in a further 22 patients did not result in an improvement either in survival or response, but added to the toxicity.

Subcutaneous culture chamber for continuous infusion of monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies allow the precise definition of molecular components present on tumour cell surfaces. Some human monoclonal antibodies prepared by fusing intratumoral lymphocytes from patients undergoing craniotomy for malignant glioma with cells from a specially derived human lymphoid line (LICR-LON-HMy2) bind to glioma surface components. To study the feasibility of continuous administration of human monoclonal antibodies directed against glioma we designed a chamber which enables hybridoma cells to be cultured in the subcutaneous tissue. This chamber allows antibodies to diffuse out, and nutrients and oxygen necessary for continued cell viability to diffuse in. Cells are unable to traverse the membrane pores of the device, so there is no risk that malignant cells put in the chamber can metastasise. The chamber has now been inserted in one patient with recurrent glioma, in whom the kinetics of internally labelled antibody release has been monitored.

A comparison of mathematical methods for the analysis of DNA histograms obtained by flow cytometry

Twelve methods for analysing FCM-histograms were compared using the same set of data. Some of the histograms that were analysed were simulated by computer and some were taken from experiments. Simulated data were generated assuming synchronously growing cell populations and (i) measurement coefficients of variation (CV) from 2 to 16%; (ii) constant measurement CV or VC's increasing from G1 to G2 phase, and (iii) varying fractions of cells in each phase. Simulated data were also generated assuming synchronous cell populations in which a block in early S phase was applied and released. DNA histograms were measured for L-929 cells at various times after mitotic selection. Labelling indices were also measured for these cells at the same time. The fractions of cells in the G1, S, and (G2 + M) phases were calculated by each analytical method and compared with the actual fractions used for simulation, or in case of experimental data, with autoradiographic results. Generally, all methods yielded reasonably accurate fractions of cells in each phase with relative errors in the range of 10-20%. However, most methods tended to overestimate G1 fractions and underestimate S fractions. In addition, variations in the shape of the S phase distribution often caused considerable errors. Phase fractions were also calculated for histograms of kinetically perturbed populations, simulated as well as experimental. The errors were only slightly larger than for histograms from asynchronously growing cell populations.

Human hybridomas from malignant gliomas

Intratumoral lymphocytes from 12 patients undergoing craniotomy for malignant glioma were fused with a specially derived human myeloma line LICR-LON-HMy2. 71 stable hybridomas were obtained from 5 of the 12 patients. Such hybridomas had a DNA content equal to the sum of that present in lymphocytes and the parent myeloma. The hybridoma supernatants contained human monoclonal immunoglobulins. Glioma-binding activity was detected in 7 out of the 71 supernatants. These results suggest that malignant gliomas contain a population of B lymphocytes which may be involved in host defence against the tumour.

Dual laser beam focussing for flow cytometry through a single crossed cylindrical lens pair

Two laser beans (argon 488 nm blue, and krypton UV lines) have been focussed either to the same point or to two different points in a vertical plane in a multiparameter flow cytometer. The technique exploits the focal length shortening of the longer wavelength beam that occurs with spherical and astigmatic lens aberrations. Ethidium bromide-stained DNA is excited by both the argon 488 nm and krypton UV lines and the excitation intensities of both beams were set to give the same red fluorescence pulse height from ethidium bromide-stained nuclei. DNA histograms were obtained for sequential focussing of the two beams and these were virtually identical irrespective of which beam was the first excitor and irrespective of which beam the histogram was recorded from. Coincident focussing of the two exciting beams resulted in a histogram of double the emission intensity.