Thyroid hormone action: a cell-culture system responsive to physiological concentrations of thyroid hormones

Prolactin-deficient variants of GH3 rat pituitary tumor cells: linked expression of prolactin and another hormonally responsive protein in GH3 cells

GH3 cells normally synthesize and secrete two pituitary polypeptide hormones, prolactin and growth hormone. From an ethyl methane sulfonate-mutagenized population, prolactin low-producing variants have been isolated at a frequency near 20%. Intracellular prolactin synthesis in the variants was reduced 40- to 100-fold compared to wild-type cells while growth hormone synthesis varied less than 2-fold. This decrease was paralleled by a decrease in intracellular preprolactin mRNA. Although reduced, prolactin synthesis was still repressible by glucocorticoids. There was a coordinate loss of expression of p21, a thyroid and glucocorticoid hormone-regulated protein, in GH3 cells, whereas the synthesis and regulation of other hormonally responsive proteins were unimpaired in the variants. Since p21 expression was coordinately regained in a high-producing prolactin revertant cell, expression of the two proteins is tightly coupled in GH3 cells. The stability of the low-producing phenotype differed among variants. One (B2) gave rise to revertants at about 20% frequency even after two rounds of subcloning, whereas another (B3) was more stable in that only 1 weak revertant was found in 47 subclones. The reversion frequency of B3 cells was also measured at less than 0.5%. Unmutagenized GH3 cells were phenotypically stable in that no prolactin-deficient variant was found among 57 subclones. Since variants were ony found after ethyl methane sulfonate mutagenesis, the DNA alkylating agent appears to have promoted an epigenetic change in pituitary gene expression.

Effect of amiodarone on L-triiodothyronine stimulation of [3H] thymidine incorporation into GH3 cells

The antiarrhythmic agent amiodarone was found to inhibit the stimulatory effects of L-triiodothyronine on [3H] thymidine incorporation into GH3 rat pituitary tumor cells. This inhibitory effect of amiodarone was detected at concentrations as low as 0.5 microM; at 2 microM greater than 50% of the stimulatory effect of L-triiodothyronine was inhibited. The effect of amiodarone was present at all concentrations of L-triiodothyronine tested (50 pM to 10 nM), suggesting that amiodarone acted as a non-competitive antagonist. These studies raise the possibility, therefore, that the effect of amiodarone on thyroid hormone metabolism may be mediated in part by an inhibition of thyroid hormone action at the cellular level.

Induction of prolactin-deficient variants of GH3 rat pituitary tumor cells by ethyl methanesulfonate: reversion by 5-azacytidine, a DNA methylation inhibitor

GH3 cells are a rat pituitary tumor line expressing two pituitary peptide hormones, prolactin (rPRL) and growth hormone. Recently, it was found that the DNA alkylating agent ethyl methanesulfonate can induce the appearance of rPRL-deficient GH3 cell variants at a high frequency (ca. 20-30%). As shown here, such variants cannot be induced at high frequency by irradiation of wild-type GH3 cells with ultraviolet light, indicating that the effect may be specific to treatment with alkylating agents. Furthermore, the DNA methylation inhibitor 5-azacytidine reverted an ethyl methanesulfonate-induced rPRL-deficient variant into rPRL-expressing cells at high frequency (ca. 50%). The revertants were stable for at least 30-35 generations. These results support the hypothesis that the alkylating agent may promote the specific methylation of the rPRL gene or a gene regulating its activity, either one of which leads to inactivation of expression of the rPRL gene in GH3 cells.

Prolactin-deficient variants of GH3 rat pituitary tumor cells: linked expression of prolactin and another hormonally responsive protein in GH3 cells

GH3 cells normally synthesize and secrete two pituitary polypeptide hormones, prolactin and growth hormone. From an ethyl methane sulfonate-mutagenized population, prolactin low-producing variants have been isolated at a frequency near 20%. Intracellular prolactin synthesis in the variants was reduced 40- to 100-fold compared to wild-type cells while growth hormone synthesis varied less than 2-fold. This decrease was paralleled by a decrease in intracellular preprolactin mRNA. Although reduced, prolactin synthesis was still repressible by glucocorticoids. There was a coordinate loss of expression of p21, a thyroid and glucocorticoid hormone-regulated protein, in GH3 cells, whereas the synthesis and regulation of other hormonally responsive proteins were unimpaired in the variants. Since p21 expression was coordinately regained in a high-producing prolactin revertant cell, expression of the two proteins is tightly coupled in GH3 cells. The stability of the low-producing phenotype differed among variants. One (B2) gave rise to revertants at about 20% frequency even after two rounds of subcloning, whereas another (B3) was more stable in that only 1 weak revertant was found in 47 subclones. The reversion frequency of B3 cells was also measured at less than 0.5%. Unmutagenized GH3 cells were phenotypically stable in that no prolactin-deficient variant was found among 57 subclones. Since variants were ony found after ethyl methane sulfonate mutagenesis, the DNA alkylating agent appears to have promoted an epigenetic change in pituitary gene expression.

Establishment of functional human pituitary tumor cell cultures

Five primary human pituitary tumor cell cultures were initiated from adenoma fragments obtained from patients with prolactin-secreting adenomas and acromegaly. Functional cell cultures were maintained and propagated in monolayer or suspension culture for up to 9 months. Optimal cell viability and growth were achieved using Ham's F10 medium enriched with 20% fetal bovine serum, although cells from a patient with acromegaly also grew in serum-free, defined, hormone-containing medium. Bromocriptine (100 ng/ml) did not alter the growth curve of replicating cells derived from a patient with acromegaly. These cells initially secreted 5.5 micrograms human growth hormone/10(6) cells, and hormone production diminished after 6 wk. Prolactin secretion by cells derived from prolactinomas (0.5 to 1.3 micrograms/10(6) cells/24 h) was stimulated by thyrotropin-releasing hormone (10 ng/ml) in two of the cultures. Both dopamine (10 ng/ml) and nickel chloride (1 mM) suppressed PRL secretion. These studies demonstrate that responsive human pituitary tumor cell cultures can be initiated and maintained.

Triodothyronine enhancement of neuronal differentiation in aggregating fetal rat brain cells cultured in a chemically defined medium

Triiodothyronine (30 nM) added to serum-free cultures of mechanically dissociated re-aggregating fetal (15-16 days gestation) rat brain cells greatly increased the enzymatic activity of choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase throughout the entire culture period (33 days), and markedly accelerated the developmental rise of glutamic acid decarboxylase specific activity. The enhancement of choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase specific activities in the presence of triiodothyronine was even more pronouned in cultures of telencephalic cells. If triiodothyronine treatment was restricted to the first 17 culture days, the level of choline acetyltransferase specific activity at day 33 was 84% of that in chronically treated cultures and 270% of that in cultures receiving triiodothyronine between days 17 and 33, indicating that relatively undifferentiated cells were more responsive to the hormone. Triiodothyronine had no apparent effect on the incorporation of [3H]thymidine at day 5 or on the total DNA content of cultures, suggesting that cellular differentiation, rather than proliferation was affected by the hormone. Our findings in vitro are in good agreement with many observations in vivo, suggesting that rotation-mediated aggregating cell cultures of fetal rat brain provide a useful model to study thyroid hormone action in the developing brain.

Chondrocytes contain a growth factor that is localized in the nucleus and is associated with chromatin

Bovine scapular and articular chondrocytes were isolated from fresh cartilage and disrupted by sonication. The disrupted cells had the ability to stimulate DNA synthesis and cell division in vitro in chondrocytes and in 3T3 cells. Subcellular fractions were prepared by two methods, enucleation with cytochalasin B and lysis of cells with Nonidet P-40. After enucleation of chondrocytes, karyoplasts and cytoplasts were collected, disrupted by sonication, and tested for their ability to stimulate DNA synthesis. Over 95% of the cellular growth factor activity was localized in the karyoplast. In addition, after lysis of chondrocytes in Nonidet P-40, over 95% of the growth factor activity was recovered in the nuclear fraction. Chondrocyte chromatin was prepared by low ionic strength detergent treatment of karyoplasts. All of the growth factor activity of the karyoplast was found to be associated with chromatin. The growth factor activity of chondrocytes, cytoplasts, karyoplasts, and chromatin was analyzed by gel filtration on Bio-Gel A-0.5 m equilibrated with 4 M guanidine . HCl and 5 mM dithiothreitol. Chondrocytes, chondrocyte karyoplasts, and chondrocyte chromatin had similar column elution profiles, with molecular weights in the range of 12,000-22,000.

Stimulation of glucose utilization and lactate production in cultured human fibroblasts by thyroid hormone

Human dermal fibroblasts were obtained by harvesting outgrowing cells from the dermal tissue explants and cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium containing 10% fetal calf serum. After the cells reached confluency, culture was continued in the medium containing calf serum which was deprived of thyroid hormone by the treatment with activated charcoal. These fibroblasts were responsive to exogeneously added thyroid hormone (triiodothyronine) at physiological concentrations, resulting in enhanced utilization of glucose and production of lactate. This timulation by thyroid hormone was dependent upon the length of exposure to the hormone and its concentration. The hormone did not show any effect on cellular DNA and protein content. The experimental system described above seems to be easy to reconstitute and should be useful for the elucidation of the mechanism of thyroid hormone action.

Regulation of growth hormone messenger RNA

In cultured rat pituitary cells, glucocorticoids regulate growth hormone production by modulating the number of growth hormone messenger RNA molecules. The effect is quite specific, since only a few other mRNAs are affected by the hormones. This response is demonstrated by assays involving cell-free mRNA translation and cDNA-RNA hybridization. Furthermore, the inducibility by the glucocorticoids is regulated by at least one other class of hormones, thyroid hormone. Thus, this system serves as a model for studying not only the glucocorticoid regulation of specific mRNA, but also the control of this regulation by other factors in the target tissue.

Hormone action at the membrane level. VII. Stimulation of dihydroalprenolol binding to beta-adrenergic receptors in isolated rat heart ventricle slices by triiodothyronine and thyroxine

Thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) increase the number of beta-adrenergic receptors in heart ventricle slices. A short term effect reaches a maximum by 1.5-2 h and requires added amino acids for consistent results. The apparent Km for the L-T3 effect is 15 pM. This effect, measured by an increase in stereospecific binding of (-)-[3H]dihydroalprenolol is not inhibited by cycloheximide or puromycin and is produced more effectively by L-T3 than D-T3. However, cycloheximide nearly completely inhibits protein synthesis in the 2-3 h incubation time. T3 also gives a small inhibition of protein synthesis during this time interval. The early effect of T3 stimulation of dihydroalprenolol binding is considered to be a post-translational event shereby T3 enhances the transport of existing beta-adrenergic receptors from the cytosol into the membrane. A long term (15 h) stimulation of dihydroalprenolol binding to ventricle membranes is also produced by L-T3. This effect is stereospecific, is inhibited by cycloheximide, and is believed to be a transcriptional-translational event leading to the synthesis of new beta-adrenergic receptors by T3.

Replacement of serum in cell culture by hormones: a study of hormonal regulation of cell growth and specific gene expression

The hypothesis that the growth of mammalian cells is regulated by hormones is now supported by considerable evidence. Two rat pituitary cell lines, GH3 and GC, a mouse melanoma, M2R (B16), and a human cervical carcinoma cell, HeLa S-3, have been grown indefinitely in serum-free (SF) hormone-supplemented medium. No visible changes of growth characteristics were observed in the cells grown continuously in the SF condition. However, changes in the activity of a plasma membrane enzyme, alkaline phosphatase, and in the relative intensity of surface proteins that are labeled by the [125I] lactoperoxidase technique were found in HeLa cells grown in the SF condition. To study the role of hormones required in the regulation of cell growth, HeLa cells were grown in the absence of one of the required hormones. The following results were obtained. Epidermal growth factor is probably involved in the regulation of the synthesis of macromolecules such as RNA and of the protein content per cell. Transferrin, the accessory factor in the SF condition, supplies iron for cells. The two basic peptides in this SF system, fibroblast growth factor and insulin, are probably involved in the balance of nutrients and energy inside the cell. The replacement of F12 medium with a better-balanced medium, MCDB 105, can mimic the requirements for these two peptides. The steroid hydrocortisone (HC) is probably involved in alteration of the cell surface. This is indicated by the effects of HC on cell morphology, rate of detachment from the dish, and the pattern of [125I] lactoperoxidase labeling of surface proteins. In addition, it is necessary to change the medium more frequently to maintain the culture in the medium without HC. This observation suggests that HC may be involved in the control of homeostatic properties of the cell surface. The production of rat prolactin by GH3 cells was also studied. GH3 cells in the SF condition produce 1.6 microgram prolactin per 10(5) cells in 24 h, while 2.4 microgram is produced in the presence of serum. Prolactin production in the SF condition is enhanced by the presence of thyrotropin-releasing hormone and inhibited by triiodothyronine (T3). T3 is the major growth factor for these cells. Without it cell growth is severely limited, while prolactin production is elevated. This result suggests that the GH3 cell line in the SF condition may be an ideal system for the study of hormonal regulation of cell growth and specific gene expression.

Thyroid hormones stimulate erythropoiesis in vitro

Thyroid hormones have important effects on erythropoiesis in man and animals. We performed in vitro culture studies with murine and human bone marrow in order to define the interaction of these hormones with erythroid and granulocyte-monocyte progenitor cells. The methylcellulose clonogenic assay was used with the appropriate addition of erythropoietin or colony-stimulating activity. L-thyroxine, D-thyroxine and L-triiodothyronine potentiated erythropoientin-stimulated erythroid colony formation in concentrations of 50-100 ng/ml. These hormones had no effect on granulocyte-monocyte colony formation at concentrations up to 500 ng/ml. Testing of various thyroid analogues showed no clear correlation between potentiation of erythropoiesis and known calorigenic potency. Reverse triiodothyronine also had potentiating activity in this system. The active thyroid hormones stimulated erythroid colony formation at several concentrations of erythropoietin but could not substitute for erythropoietin. These data suggest that thyroid hormones have a direct effect on erythroid precursor proliferative capacity, a finding which may have relevance to the mechanism of erythropoietic dysfunction in human thyroid disease.

Thyroid hormones: effect of physiological concentrations on cultured cardiac cells

Cultured cardiac cells prepared from newborn rat heart will respond in vitro to physiological concentrations of L-triiodothyronine. The cells are grown in a culture medium that contains hypothyroid calf serum. A dose response relationship of L-triiodothyronine indicates that this system may be a useful model for elucidation of the mechanism of thyroid hormone effects on the heart.