Polyamine-mediated turnover of ornithine decarboxylase in Chinese-hamster ovary cells

We have used Chinese-hamster ovary (CHO) cells maintained in a chemically defined medium to study the regulation of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) by polyamines. Cells maintained in the defined medium had no detectable putrescine, and approx. 1-3 units of ODC activity/10(6) cells, where 1 unit corresponds to 1 nmol of substrate decarboxylated in 30 min. The defined medium is ornithine-deficient, thus limiting the exogenous substrate for ODC, and subsequently decreasing intracellular polyamine accumulation. Restoration of intracellular putrescine and increased formation of spermidine by addition of exogenous ornithine or putrescine led to a marked decrease in ODC activity, which was paralleled by a decrease in a alpha-DL-difluoromethyl[3,4-3H]ornithine (DFMO)-binding protein of Mr approx. 53,000, which is precipitable with anti-ODC antibody. Calculation of DFMO binding per unit of activity showed no change in the specific activity of the enzyme. We identified [35S]methionine-labelled peptides corresponding to ODC by immunoprecipitation of radiolabeled whole cell proteins. Only one protein was precipitated, of Mr approx. 53 000, which co-migrated with the DFMO-binding protein. Immunoprecipitation of radiolabelled proteins from cells incubated in the presence of exogenous ornithine indicated that the observed activity decrease was not due to an inhibition of ODC protein synthesis. Analysis of immunoprecipitable ODC protein from cells that had been pulse-labelled with [35S]methionine, and then treated for 5 h with 100 microM-ornithine, -putrescine or -spermidine, revealed a distinct disappearance of labelled ODC protein after restoration of intracellular polyamine pools. No detectable turnover of ODC was observed in the absence of exogenous polyamine treatment. These data support the hypothesis that ODC protein, and subsequent activity, is regulated by intracellular polyamine content through mechanisms that influence turnover of the enzyme.

Potentiation by retinoic acid of ornithine decarboxylase induction by phytohemagglutinin or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate in guinea pig lymphocytes

Retinoic acid potentiated the increases in ornithine decarboxylase (L-ornithine carboxy-lyase [EC 4.1.1.17]) activity, [3H]difluoromethylornithine binding to ornithine decarboxylase, intracellular levels of polyamines and DNA synthesis in guinea pig lymphocytes stimulated with phytohemagglutinin. The stimulatory effect on the ornithine decarboxylase induction was dependent on the dose of retinoic acid and on the time of addition of the drug. Retinoic acid has to be added not later than 2 h after phytohemagglutinin to elicit the potentiation. Retinyl acetate also potentiated ornithine decarboxylase induction caused by phytohemagglutinin. Both of these retinoids augmented ornithine decarboxylase induction caused by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. The half-life of ornithine decarboxylase activity estimated after addition of actinomycin D was longer in cells treated with phytohemagglutinin or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate together with retinoic acid than in cells treated with the mitogen alone. The half-life after addition of cycloheximide was not affected by retinoic acid. These results suggest that the retinoids are stimulators rather than inhibitors of ornithine decarboxylase induction caused by phytohemagglutinin or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate in guinea pig lymphocytes and that retinoic acid potentiates the enzyme activity at the transcriptional or posttranscriptional, but not at the post-translational stage.

Identification and cloning of genes involved in phaseolotoxin production by Pseudomonas syringae pv. "phaseolicola"

Genes involved in the production of phaseolotoxin by Pseudomonas syringae pv. "phaseolicola" NPS3121 were identified by Tn5 mutagenesis and cosmid cloning. A total of 5,180 kanamycin-resistant colonies were screened for the loss of phaseolotoxin production by a microbiological assay. Six independent, prototrophic, Tox- mutants were isolated that had Tn5 insertions in five different EcoRI fragments. All six mutants had Tn5 inserted in the same KpnI fragment, which had a length of ca. 28 kilobases including Tn5. The mutants produced residual toxin in vitro. An EcoRI fragment containing Tn5 and flanking sequences from mutant NPS4336 was cloned and used to probe a wild-type genomic library by colony hybridization. Seven recombinant plasmids showing homology to this probe were identified. Each Tox- mutant was restored in OCTase-specific toxin production by two or more of the recombinant plasmids. The data suggest that at least some of the genes involved in phaseolotoxin production were clustered in a large KpnI fragment. No homology was detected between the Tn5 target fragment cloned from mutant NPS4336 and the total genomic DNA from closely or distantly related bacteria that do not produce phaseolotoxin.

Polyamines and growth regulation of cultured human breast cancer cells by 17 beta-oestradiol

The growth of ZR-75-1 cells, a line of human breast cancer cells in culture, is stimulated by oestradiol and inhibited by anti-oestrogens. Changes in growth rate caused by these agents are accompanied by changes in activity of ornithine decarboxylase, a rate-limiting enzyme for polyamine synthesis. Furthermore, the growth inhibition caused by tamoxifen, an anti-oestrogen, can be reversed by the addition of spermine, spermidine or putrescine to the cells. Insulin can also stimulate ZR-75-1 cell growth and this is again accompanied by an increase in ODC activity. The reduced cell growth rate observed when the cells become confluent is associated with a marked decrease in ornithine decarboxylase activity. Experiments performed with DFMO, a specific and irreversible inhibitor of ODC, show that this compound can prevent the stimulation of growth by oestradiol and that this may be overcome by the addition of putrescine to the cells. It would appear that increased ODC activity and polyamine synthesis are necessary components of the stimulation of breast cancer cell growth by oestradiol but that other growth regulatory stimuli also may act via this enzyme.

Uterine arginase inhibition affect the rat embryonic development

The presence of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) and the enzymatic activity of extrahepatic arginase (E.C. 3.5.3.1) which catalizes the hydrolysis of L-arginine into L-ornithine and urea have been related with cellular growth and development in several tissues. The enzymatic activity of arginase in rat implantation sites and its participation in reproductive process is demonstrated. Long-Evans adult rats during the 4th or 5th days of pregnancy were utilized. Arginase activity is higher in non-decidualized tissue (86.1 +/- 33 nmoles of urea/mg protein/min-1) when was compared with implantation sites (61.7 +/- 17). Intrauterine administration of several concentrations of a new synthetic L-ornithine analogue, AIAVA (2-amine-5-iodoacetamide valeric acid), produced embryonic growth arrest concomitant with arginase inhibition but not ornithine decarboxylase. From our results it is possible to stress the metabolic importance of uterine arginase in reproductive process.

Modulation of mouse skin tumor promotion by dietary 13-cis-retinoic acid and alpha-difluoromethylornithine

The effects of dietary supplementation of 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-cis-RA) and alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) in the drinking water on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-promoted skin tumor formation was determined. Administration of 13-cis-RA in the diet and DFMO in the drinking water was started 1 week and 2 days before the first TPA application to the dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-initiated skin of either female CD-1 or SENCAR mice, respectively. Dietary 13-cis-RA failed to inhibit both the tumor yield and the incidence; papillomas per mouse at 0, 5, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg diet 13-cis-RA doses were 25, 30, 22, 28 and 25 respectively at 18 weeks of promotion treatment and at all doses 100% of the mice bore papillomas. However, dietary 13-cis-RA dramatically reduced the size of skin tumor promoted with TPA. 13-Cis-RA at doses of 5, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg diet inhibited skin papillomas (greater than 4 mm diameter) per mouse by 28, 55, 76 and 93%, respectively. Retinoid treatment did not affect body weight gains and the survival was more than 80% in all groups. In accord with our previous findings, DFMO when given in drinking water, was a very effective inhibitor of mouse skin tumor promotion by TPA; DFMO at 0.25% concentration inhibited the number of papillomas by 50%. Inhibition of skin tumor promotion by combined treatments with dietary 13-cis-RA (100 mg/kg) and DFMO (0.25%) in the drinking water was possibly additive. The retinoid and DFMO preclude TPA-increased ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and the accumulation of putrescine by differential effects on ODC, an enzyme associated with skin tumor promotion by TPA.

Ligand binding-promoted conformational changes in yeast ornithine transcarbamoylase

It has been proposed that regulatory multienzyme complex formation between yeast ornithine transcarbamoylase (OTCase) and arginase is triggered by a conformational change promoted by the binding of ornithine to a regulatory site in OTCase (Wiame, J.-M. (1971) Curr. Top. Cell. Regul. 4, 1-38). To isolate the binding of ornithine to the proposed regulatory site, the active site was blocked with the high affinity (Ki = 13 +/- 1.4 nM) bisubstrate analogue, delta-N-phosphonacetyl-L-ornithine (PALO). The binding of PALO to the active site produces large changes in the absorption (delta A290-296 = 0.010/mg of enzyme) and in the fluorescence (25% quenching) of the protein. These changes both saturate at one PALO/polypeptide chain. The binding of PALO also changes the rate constant for diffusional acrylamide quenching by 43% and increases the midpoint for the thermal denaturation of the enzyme by 13 degrees C. Finally, PALO binding results in a +2.8% change in the sedimentation coefficient demonstrating that these spectral and energetic changes are associated with a gross structural change in the enzyme. In an effort to detect ligand binding to the proposed effector site on OTCase, ornithine was added to the enzyme saturated with PALO, and consequent conformational changes were tested for using methodologies identical to those which demonstrated active site ligand binding-promoted conformational changes. In no instance were any additional differences observed. Hence, strong support for isosteric effector binding-promoted conformational changes cannot be presented. We conclude that active site ligand binding events themselves are responsible for conformational changes which promote enzyme-enzyme association of OTCase with arginase.

Effect of 1,3,6-triaminohexane and 1,4,7-triaminoheptane on growth and polyamine metabolism in SV-3T3 cells treated with 2-difluoromethylornithine

The possibility that one or both of the synthetic triamines, 1,3,6-triaminohexane and 1,4,7-triaminoheptane, could substitute for the naturally occurring polyamines in the growth of SV-3T3 cells was investigated. It was found that these triamines did lead to a restoration of growth in cells in which spermidine content had been depleted by exposure to the ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor 2-difluoromethylornithine. This resumption of a normal growth rate occurred prior to the reduction in the content of cellular decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine, suggesting that this nucleoside (which increases in concentration several hundred-fold in cells treated with 2-difluoromethylornithine) does not cause the reduction of cell growth. However, unlike the increase in cell growth brought about by spermidine, which continued indefinitely, the increase produced by 1,3,6-triaminohexane or 1,4,7-triaminoheptane was transient. Cell growth in the presence of 2-difluoromethylornithine and these triamines stopped after about three or four population doublings. This corresponded to the time at which the intracellular spermine content of the cells was reduced to values less than 20% of normal. It is suggested that the increased growth rate of spermidine-depleted cells in response to these triamines is due to their uptake into the cell and ability to displace spermine from intracellular sites, thus making spermine available to fulfill the polyamine function(s) essential for growth. These results indicate that the naturally occurring polyamines spermidine or spermine are essential for continued cell growth and cannot be replaced by analogues containing only primary amino groups.

Effect of tamoxifen and D,L-2-difluoromethylornithine on the growth, ornithine decarboxylase activity and polyamine content of mammary carcinomas induced by 1-methyl-1-nitrosourea

The effect of combined treatment with D,L-2-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and tamoxifen on the growth status, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and polyamine content of established 1-methyl-1-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced mammary tumors was investigated. DFMO treatment, a 0.125% solution provided as drinking water, inhibited the rate of tumor occurrence and reduced the number of mammary tumors induced by a high dose of MNU (50 mg/kg body weight) during the first 120 days post-carcinogen treatment. Tamoxifen was administered daily via s.c. injection (25 micrograms/100 g body weight) to tumor-bearing rats in both treatment groups, i.e. control and DFMO-treated, for a 30-day period beginning 120 days after carcinogen. Tamoxifen treatment induced tumor regression but the percentage of regressing, static or growing tumors was no different in the presence or absence of DFMO. Whereas the mammary tumors of DFMO-treated rats had reduced ODC activity and lower polyamine concentrations in comparison to the tumors of untreated animals, tamoxifen had no effect on these parameters independent of its effect on tumor growth status. DFMO did not increase the efficacy of tamoxifen in inducing tumor regression.

Role of ornithine decarboxylase in proliferation of prolactin-dependent lymphoma cells

Mitogenic stimulation of Nb2 lymphoma cells by lactogenic hormones (prolactin, human growth hormone) caused a dramatic early increase in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity that achieved a maximal level by 6-8 h. A marked increase in ODC activity was also generated when cells which had reached a growth plateau were transferred to fresh medium that did not stimulate growth. Furthermore, low concentrations of human growth hormone (20 pg/mL) elicited a proliferative response, but did not cause a detectable early increase in ODC activity. The early peak of ODC activity thus appeared not to be directly involved in mediating lactogen-stimulated growth nor was it required to support the mitogenic response. However, prolonged suppression of ODC activity by DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) (200 microM) attenuated the growth of Nb2 cells (50-60% inhibition), indicating that normal cell growth was dependent on ODC and polyamine biosynthesis. Under these conditions, putrescine, the enzyme product, or the polyamines spermidine and spermine restored normal cell growth when added at a concentration of 1 microM or greater. Nb2-SP cells, variants which proliferate in the absence of prolactin, were about two times more resistant to the growth suppressive effects of DFMO than prolactin-responsive Nb2 cells.

Effects of DFMO-induced polyamine depletion on human tumor cell sensitivity to antineoplastic DNA-crosslinking drugs

We investigated the effect of pretreatment with difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, on the cytocidal responses of four human adenocarcinoma cell lines to two alkylating and crosslinking agents: chlorambucil and N,N',N"-triethylenethiophosphoramide (thiotepa). The cell lines studied included HuTu-80 (duodenum), HT-29 (colon), ME-180 (cervix), and A-427 (lung). A 48- to 72-h pretreatment with DFMO reduced intracellular putrescine and spermidine contents to less than 10% and less than 1% of control levels. This treatment also caused a 30%-70% decline in spermine content. Survival of control and DFMO-pretreated cells after treatment with chlorambucil or thiotepa was measured by a plating efficiency assay. For three of the four lines studied, the DFMO-induced partial polyamine depletion significantly protected cells from the lethal effects of chlorambucil. In ME-180 cultures alone, DFMO pretreatment did not alter the cytocidal efficacy of chlorambucil. Addition of exogenous putrescine to cultures of HuTu-80, HT-29, or A-427 24 h after DFMO addition but 24 h before treatment with chlorambucil reversed the polyamine depletion and its protective effects on chlorambucil-induced cell kill. In contrast to the above observations, DFMO and partial polyamine depletion had no effect on cell survival after thiotepa treatment for any of the cell lines investigated.

Autoradiographic measurement of relative changes in ornithine decarboxylase in axotomized superior cervical ganglion neurons

An autoradiographic method is described for detecting changes in ornithine decarboxylase in axotomized superior cervical ganglion neurons of rats using [3H]difluoromethylornithine. An increase in binding to neurons was seen at 12 h and 1 day after crushing the postganglionic nerves. Binding returned to control values between 3 and 5 days postoperation. The patterns found using this method were in general agreement with prior reports of enzymatic changes in whole ganglia.

Essential role of polyamine metabolism in hepatic regeneration. Inhibition of deoxyribonucleic acid and protein synthesis and tissue regeneration by difluoromethylornithine in the rat

We studied liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy and the effects of inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and putrescine administration. The specific ODC inhibitor, alpha-difluoromethylornithine was given as a 3% oral solution (5.4 g/kg X day intake) to hepatectomized rats as well as sham-operated controls. alpha-Difluoromethylornithine had no effect other than inhibition of the low basal levels of ODC in sham-operated rats, but it markedly inhibited increases in ODC by 85% in hepatectomized rats. alpha-Difluoromethylornithine reduced hepatic deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis by 61%, protein synthesis by 46%, and liver weight increased by 83%, showing that alpha-difluoromethylornithine inhibition of ODC inhibits liver regeneration. Putrescine (2 mmol/kg X day) was then given intraperitoneally to hepatectomized rats and controls. Putrescine had no effect in rats not given alpha-difluoromethylornithine. In rats given alpha-difluoromethylornithine, putrescine markedly reversed the inhibitory effect of alpha-difluoromethylornithine on ODC (83%), deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis (94%), protein synthesis (95%), and liver regeneration (85%). These results document that the increases in ODC are important in hepatic regeneration and that polyamine metabolism plays an important role in the increased deoxyribonucleic acid and protein synthesis in this hepatic proliferative response.

Polyamines in 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol-induced differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cells, HL-60

The human promyelocytic leukemia cell line, HL-60, differentiated into macrophage/monocytes in the presence of 1 alpha,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1 alpha,25(OH)2D3], as assessed by the percentage of morphologically mature cells and their ability to reduce nitroblue tetrazolium. In this study of the mechanism involved, the activities of ornithine decarboxylase and spermidine/spermine-N1-acetyltransferase (SAT), the rate-limiting enzymes of polyamine metabolism, as well as the cellular levels of polyamine were measured. ODC activity reached a peak 24 h after the addition of 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 and then decreased, while SAT activity gradually increased as differentiation commenced. An increase in putrescine and decreases in spermidine and spermine were also observed. Addition of alpha-difluoromethylornithine, an irreversible inhibitor of ODC, with or without methylglyoxalbis(guanylhydrazone), an inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, caused no effect on 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3-induced cell differentiation, although the cellular levels of putrescine and spermidine decreased markedly. Addition of alpha-difluoromethylornithine markedly suppressed cell proliferation; this effect was reversed by the addition of exogenous putrescine. Addition of exogenous spermidine or spermine to overcome activation of SAT also had no effect on 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3-induced cell differentiation. These results suggest both that polyamine metabolism is not important in 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3-induced differentiation of HL-60 cells, but that it is intimately involved in the proliferation of these cells.

Polyamine depletion following exposure to DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine both in vivo and in vitro initiates morphological alterations and mitochondrial activation in a monomorphic strain of Trypanosoma brucei brucei

DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), a specific irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), rapidly depletes cells of intracellular putrescine. When administered to animals and humans, DFMO cures acute infections of trypanosomiasis. In order to determine if the mechanism of drug action is related to initiation of transformation and biochemical alterations subsequent to polyamine depletion, trypanosome morphology and mitochondrial activation were studied in a monomorphic strain of Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Exposure of trypanosomes to DFMO in vivo in infected rodents or in vitro in culture resulted in a depletion of intracellular putrescine and a cessation of cell division without specific cytotoxicity. These events were followed by a transformation of the long slender bloodstream form to a short stumpy form via an intermediate morphology. Putrescine, the product of the ODC reaction, abrogates this effect. When introduced into SDM-79 medium, the intermediate form is capable of further transformation to an "insect" procyclic trypomastigote whereas the long slender form and short stumpy form are not. Short stumpy forms are incapable of binary fission and have lost their infectivity for the vertebrate host. In addition, the mitochondrial marker enzyme, NAD diaphorase, was found only in the short stumpy and intermediate forms. We hypothesize that the short stumpy phenotype may not be a viable stage in the natural transformation of the trypanosome from its mammalian host to the insect vector.

Polyamines contribute to calcium-stimulated release of aspartate from brain particulate fractions

The calcium-stimulated release of several neurotransmitters has been studied in crude synaptosomal preparations following accumulation of various radioactively labeled neurotransmitters or their precursors. The high affinity uptake of D-aspartate, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and dopamine was not modulated in the presence of 5 mM of difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), a specific inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). Depolarization-induced calcium influx caused release of labeled compounds. In the case of D-aspartate, this process was inhibited by DFMO. This major inhibition was completely reversed in the presence of 0.5 mM putrescine, the product of ODC-mediated catabolism of ornithine. This effect could not be shown for the depolarization-related release of dopamine, GABA or acetylcholine. In our preparation, a direct effect of the depolarizing medium upon levels of synaptosomal ODC could not be demonstrated, and the 50 mM K+-stimulated entry of 45Ca into the synaptosomal fraction was not inhibited by DFMO. These data suggest that polyamines are involved in the regulation of neurotransmitter release within certain classes of neurons.

Restoration of the polyamine contents in rat hepatoma tissue-culture cells after inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis. Relationship with cell proliferation

The restoration of the polyamine content in polyamine-deficient rat hepatoma tissue-culture (HTC) cells, after short duration of incubation in the presence of DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine (F2MeOrn) or of (2R,5R)-6-heptyne-2,5-diamine [(2R,5R)MAP], two potent irreversible inhibitors of L-ornithine decarboxylase, has been studied in relation to cell proliferation. Both L-ornithine decarboxylase inhibitors deplete the cells of their putrescine and spermidine contents within one day after their addition to the culture medium. Thereafter, intracellular putrescine and spermidine concentrations are restored to near control values within one day when (2R,5R)MAP is removed from the medium, but remain at low levels at least for one day or longer after removal of F2MeOrn. In both conditions, spermine concentration stays at normal or above normal values and cell growth rates are unaffected. Thus, the total intracellular spermine content per culture parallels, in fact, the increase in cell number. The continuous presence of the drugs maintains the depletion of putrescine and spermidine and decreases the total intracellular spermine content of the culture to the same order of magnitude as it reduces the increase in cell numbers. These findings suggest that the antiproliferative effects of these L-ornithine decarboxylase inhibitors in HTC cells is primarily associated with the limitation of spermine biosynthesis rather than to the almost complete reduction of the putrescine and spermidine pools.

Plasmodium falciparum: synchronization of cultures with DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine, an inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis

DL-alpha-Difluoromethylornithine, an inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis, was tested for its ability to synchronize Plasmodium falciparum. Asynchronous cultures were pretreated with sorbitol and incubated for 28-30 hr. Then, when cultures consisted of mainly schizont stage parasites, DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine was added to the growth medium for another 38-47 hr of incubation. Putrescine was added to parasites arrested at the early trophozoite stage. This resulted in a synchronous resumption of growth. After 19 hr, 83% of parasites were at the schizont stage. After 30 hr, more than 98% of the parasites were in the ring form stage. Furthermore, the transformation of early trophozoites to schizonts occurred within 3 hr, with a slight reduction in parasitemia. Synchrony was maintained for 4-5 biological cycles as confirmed also by flow fluorimetry. It appears that this new approach to synchronize P. falciparum cultures is simple, reproducible, and effective.

Polyamine depletion increases cellular ribonucleotide levels

Depletion of the putrescine and spermidine content of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells by alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) treatment results in at least a 1 500-fold increase in the decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine (deSAM) content. The accumulation of this adenine nucleoside occurs because of the absence of putrescine and spermidine to act as aminopropyl group acceptors in the spermidine and spermine synthase reactions and because of an increase in S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity. The fact that the synthesis of deSAM continues in DFMO-treated cells makes the pathway an adenine trap. This prompted a study of the adenine nucleotide pools. High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis showed that the total adenine nucleotide pool increased, rather than decreased, as a result of DFMO treatment; the major contributors to the increase being ATP and ADP, which increased 2.6 and 1.9 times, respectively. The cellular content of other ribonucleotides increased as well, particularly that of UTP and CTP. When putrescine was added together with DFMO, the increases in cellular ribonucleotide contents were prevented, showing that they were indeed caused by polyamine depletion.

Anchorage dependency effects on difluoromethylornithine cytotoxicity in human lung carcinoma cells

Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), a specific, irreversible, enzyme-activated inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase activity, the first and rate-limiting step in polyamine biosynthesis, has been shown to inhibit neoplastic cell proliferation in culture. In most cases, such inhibition is not accompanied by cell loss, with the exception of multiple cell lines of human small cell lung carcinoma (SCC), a human leukemia cell line (HL-60), and possibly the B16 melanoma cell line. The first two cell types grow as anchorage-independent suspension cultures, the HL-60 as single cells and the SCC as multicellular spheroid aggregates. Moreover, in the spectrum of human lung carcinoma cells in culture, the SCC cells respond in a cytotoxic manner to DFMO, whereas the non-small cell lung carcinoma (non-SCC) cells, which are anchorage dependent, show only growth inhibition, without actual cell loss. In the present study, we have investigated relationships between anchorage-dependent and -independent growth patterns of cells in culture and their response to DFMO treatment. Two non-SCC lung cancer cell lines, which normally grow as anchorage-dependent monolayers, show growth inhibition but no cell loss with the addition of DFMO. When these anchorage-dependent cells were forced to grow as multicellular aggregates, by coating the culture flask with Teflon, the cells developed an increased sensitivity to DFMO. They showed not only inhibition of cell proliferation but also cell death. Two SCC cell lines, which normally grow as anchorage-independent spheroids, developed adherence to the culture dishes coated with fibronectin. These cells, which show a cytotoxic response to DFMO during normal anchorage-independent growth, developed a decreased sensitivity to DFMO, showing only cell growth inhibition, but no cell death when treated during anchorage-dependent growth. Our data thus suggest that the state of anchorage dependence of lung cancer cells in culture is a critical factor in determining their response to polyamine depletion during treatment with DFMO.

Urea concentration and ornithine decarboxylase in liver of female rats

In virgin female rats thioacetamide administration (1 mg/100 g body wt) induced a 16-fold increase in liver ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and a significant decrease (19%) in hepatic urea concentration. The ornithine-metabolizing enzymes, ornithine-oxo-acid aminotransferase and ornithine carbamoyltransferase, were not modified by the treatment; only carbamoyltransferase, were not modified by the treatment; only carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase I activity was significantly reduced. In 19-day pregnant rats DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine treatment inhibited the expression of enhanced ODC activity occurring normally at this stage of pregnancy. Concomitantly an inhibition of the usual decrease in hepatic urea was observed. This increase of ureagenesis occurred without any increase in liver N-acetylglutamate or ornithine concentrations, which remained as low as in normal pregnant rats.

Long-term maintenance therapy of established human small cell variant lung carcinoma implants in athymic mice with a cyclic regimen of difluoromethylornithine

We report that cyclic p.o. administration of alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis, is an effective long-term (1-year) maintenance therapy for established implants of cultured human small cell lung carcinoma in athymic (nude) mice. Human small cell lung carcinoma cells, from a line which exhibited cell death in culture in the presence of DFMO, were inoculated into athymic mice and permitted to grow to palpable tumors (3-5-mm nodules with mean volume of 0.04 cm3). The animals were then randomized into untreated, continuous treatment and cyclic (3 weeks of 4 beginning 1 week after 8 weeks continuous) treatment groups. Treatment consisted of 3% DFMO in the drinking water (5.1 g/kg/day). The tumors in the untreated group grew to 27 cm3 by 8 weeks and the animals had a median survival of 7.6 weeks. Tumor growth was inhibited by 99% (0.3 cm3) in the continuous treatment group in comparison to untreated controls. Survival was prolonged with 93% survival at 10 weeks and a 101% increase in median survival to 15.3 weeks (P less than 0.05). The cyclic DFMO group had a 98.3% inhibition in tumor growth for longer than 1 year (0.56 cm3; P less than 0.05). Survival was also markedly prolonged compared to the untreated group with 100% survival up to 24 weeks and a median survival of 54.3 weeks (P less than 0.05). No significant toxicities were observed in the first 10 weeks of DFMO treatment even though antitumor effects were observed. With continuous DFMO treatment, the animals eventually became debilitated and developed marked weight loss and thrombocytopenia; by 20 weeks, mortality was 79%. With cyclic therapy, the animals resumed weight gain, recovered from thrombocytopenia and, at 20 weeks, had 0% mortality. By 55 weeks, mortality was 50% which, however, was not significantly different (P approximately 0.50) from mortality of a control group of nontumorous, athymic mice that had weekly body weight and skin fold measurements concurrently with the experimental, tumor-bearing animals. Thus, the observed mortality is ascribable to continuous encroachment on the normally sterile environment. These data suggest a role for DFMO in long-term therapy of sensitive human tumors such as small cell lung carcinoma, especially in patients with a low tumor burden. Furthermore, a cyclic regimen might be an important tool in maintaining clinical remissions induced by conventional combination chemotherapy.

Autocrine stimulation by estradiol-regulated growth factors of rat hormone-responsive mammary cancer: interaction with the polyamine pathway

We have recently shown that the integrity of the polyamine pathway is essential but not sufficient for expression of the mitogenic effect of estradiol (E2) in the N-nitrosomethylurea-induced rat mammary tumor grown in vitro in the soft agar clonogenic assay. To elucidate the mechanism of E2 action in this system, we tested whether E2 may stimulate tumor growth through induction of secretory growth factor(s), as already proposed for human breast cancer cell lines in culture. Furthermore, we investigated the potential interaction between such "autocrine" control of tumor growth by E2 and the polyamine pathway. Conditioned medium obtained from E2-treated tumors (E2-CM) but not from control tumors (C-CM) consistently stimulated colony formation when added to N-nitrosomethylurea-mammary tumors plated in soft agar under serum-free media conditions. Such growth-promoting effects of the E2-CM was found to increase with increasing protein concentrations of the medium and was abolished by pretreatment of the medium with concanavalin A, heat, and trypsin. The addition of the polyamine biosynthetic inhibitor alpha-difluoromethylornithine (1 mM) totally abolished the colony-stimulating effect of the E2-CM. Exogenous administration of spermidine (0.1 mM) reversed the inhibitory effect of alpha-difluoromethylornithine on colony formation and restored the action of the E2-CM. Although the addition of polyamines alone did not affect the number of colonies formed, the administration of spermidine was found to significantly enhance in a dose-dependent fashion the colony-stimulating effect of suboptimal concentrations of E2-CM. Attempts to identify the E2-inducible growth factor in the E2-CM and in N-nitrosomethylurea-mammary tumor specimens using monoclonal antibodies raised against the Mr 52,000 E2-inducible protein gave negative results. We conclude that autocrine stimulation of tumor growth by E2 is not limited to human breast cancer cell lines but also occurs in individual experimental mammary tumors grown in soft agar. Our results show that the polyamines must be present for the expression of this "autocrine" control of tumor growth by E2. Finally, the identity of the E2-induced growth factor operating in our system remains to be determined.

Synergistic antileukemic effect of two polyamine synthesis inhibitors. Host survival and cell-cycle kinetic analysis

alpha-Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an enzyme-activated irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, was used alone and in combination with multiple doses of methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) to treat mice with systemic L1210 leukemia. Used as a single agent (administered p.o. as a 3% solution in tap water), DFMO exerted a weak therapeutic effect against this tumor. The therapeutic effect of MGBG (administered i.p. at 50 mg/kg/day) was only slightly better. However, 1-3 days of pretreatment with DFMO strongly potentiated the effect of MGBG treatment. Thus, mice treated with the combination exhibited an increase in life span of up to 138%. The prolonged survival of leukemic mice treated with a combination of DFMO and MGBG was associated with inhibition of polyamine synthesis and a marked decrease in the spermidine and spermine content of the tumor cells as compared to untreated controls. As a consequence, there was a continuous decrease in the S- and G2-phase fractions with a concomitant increase in G1. Used singly, DFMO and MGBG had no significant effect on the cell-cycle distribution. The effects of the combination of DFMO and MGBG on the cell-cycle distribution are consistent with the contention that polyamine deficiency primarily interferes with initiation of DNA synthesis. However, the possibility that selective S-phase kill partly contributes to this change in cell-cycle distribution cannot be excluded.