Early changes in the synthesis of acidic nuclear proteins in human diploid fibroblasts stimulated to synthesize DNA by changing the medium

Characterization of p51/52, a cell-growth regulated protein of WI-38 cells

A number of proteins have been identified whose expression or activity is regulated by cell growth. We have produced a monoclonal antibody against a new cell-growth regulated protein found in normal human fibroblasts. We have shown that this antibody recognizes a 51/52-kDa doublet (p51/52) found mainly in normal cells. This doublet is sensitive to degradation by the calcium-activated protease, calpain, breaking down to a 37/38-kDa doublet. The relative amount of the two members of the 51/52-kDa doublet changes when serum-starved cells reenter the cell cycle. Quiescent cells express mainly the 51-kDa form; the 52-kDa form becomes more abundant upon refeeding serum-starved cells. Transformed cells express either very small amounts of this doublet, and then predominantly the 52-kDa form, or no detectable amount of either form. These characteristics distinguish this molecule from several other known growth-regulated proteins such as statin and the anti-oncogene p53.

The regulation of macrophage protein turnover by a colony stimulating factor (CSF-1)

CSF-1 is a hemopoietic growth factor that specifically regulates the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of mononuclear phagocytic cells. A homogeneous population of mononuclear phagocytes, bone marrow derived macrophages (BMM), were used to study the regulation of protein turnover by CSF-1. Removal of CSF-1 (approximately 0.4 nM) from exponentially growing BMM cultured in 15% fetal calf serum containing medium decreases the rate of DNA synthesis by more than 100-fold. Addition of CSF-1 to these cells causes them to resume DNA synthesis within 12 h. More immediate effects of CSF-1 were observed on BMM protein metabolism. BMM cultured for 24 h in the absence of CSF-1 reduce their protein synthetic rate by 50-60%. The protein synthetic rate commences to decrease at 2-3 h after CSF-1 removal. Readdition of CSF-1 to BMM previously incubated in its absence causes a return to the protein synthetic rate of exponentially growing cells within 2 h. In the presence of CSF-1, BMM synthesize protein at a rate of approximately 8.7%/h and degrade it at a rate of approximately 0.9%/h. Removal of CSF-1 results in a decrease in the protein synthetic rate to approximately 3.4%/h and an increase in the rate of protein degradation to approximately 3.4%/h. The rate of protein synthesis by BMM increases linearly with CSF-1 concentration over the range of concentrations stimulating both survival and proliferation, while the rate of protein degradation decreases exponentially over the range of concentrations stimulating survival without proliferation. Therefore, it appears that the stimulation of the rate of protein synthesis and inhibition of the rate of protein degradation are two distinct effects of CSF-1, both part of the pleiotropic response to this growth factor. The inhibition of the rate of protein degradation by CSF-1 may be most significant for its survival inducing effect.

Effect of aminonucleoside on transcription, methylation, and maturation of ribosomal RNA in SV40-transformed human lung fibroblasts

The effects of puromycin aminonucleoside (AMS) have been studied in the nucleoli of SV40-transformed human lung fibroblasts with attention to the relationship between transcription, methylation, and maturation of ribosomal RNA (rRNA). Inhibition of the transcription of pre-rRNA became evident between 1 and 2 hr of exposure to AMS, and the degree of inhibition remained approximately constant throughout the remainder of the 18-hr period of study. Methylation of the ribose units of pre-rRNA was inhibited by AMS approximately as much as RNA transcription, but later, suggesting that the inhibition of methylation is a consequence of the lowered rate of RNA transcription. It was also noted that ribose methylation of nucleolar RNA occurs in the absence of concurrent RNA transcription, indicating that rRNA may be methylated post-transcriptionally. Exposure of the fibroblasts to fresh serum had the capacity to increase the rate of nucleolar RNA transcription if the fibroblasts were treated with AMS for periods of less than 2 hr but was ineffective thereafter, confirming that the inhibitory effect of AMS on pre-rRNA transcription is established in approximately 2 hr. On the other hand, processing of the primary transcript (45 S RNA) to the mature rRNA species (28 and 18 S) was inhibited more gradually, with a complete inhibition of rRNA maturation being noted after 18 hr of AMS treatment. These data are consistent with the view that the primary effect of AMS is on the rate of rRNA transcription, with a later effect on its maturation, while RNA methylation is reduced only because of the diminished availability of the RNA substrate.

A genetic aspect of chromatin proteins of human brain tumors

Electrophoretic analysis of chromatin proteins was performed on rat and human tissues. Species and organ specific patterns were demonstrated in them. Twenty cases of human brain tumours were also analyzed and each tumor had typical phoretic patterns of chromatin. Proteins obtained from histologically similar tumors display similar electrophoretic patterns. As to the ratio of chromatin protein to DNA, no apparent differences between benign and malignant human brain tumors were observed.

Effect of different fetal bovine serum concentrations on the replicative life span of cultured chick cells

The effect of Eagle's minimal essential medium, containing different fetal bovine serum (FBS) concentrations, on the proliferation and replicative life span of cultured chick cells has been studied. Our results showed that the rate of chick cell proliferation and the cell density at stationary phase increased as a function of serum concentration between 5 and 30% FBS. The replicative life span of cultured chick cells was dependent on the FBS concentration between 5 and 20% in a medium volume of 0.20 ml/cm2. The maximum replicative life span of chick cells was obtained by serially propagating cells in a medium volume of 0.20 ml/cm2 containing 20 or 30% FBS, or, alternatively, in 0.53 ml/cm2 containing 10, 20 or 30% FBS. Cells grown in medium containing 5% serum had a calendar life span of 35 days, whereas cells propagated in medium containing higher serum concentrations had a calendar life span of 50 days. These results reenforce the concept that, although the kinetics of cell population aging can be affected by the culture medium composition, the aging of cells in culture is controlled by alterations within the cell.

T98G: an anchorage-independent human tumor cell line that exhibits stationary phase G1 arrest in vitro

T98 and T98G are two related cell lines that were derived from a human glioblastoma multiforma tumor. T98G has almost twice as many chromosomes as T98, suggesting that it is a polyploid variant of T98. Three aspects of control of cellular proliferation were studied in T98 and T98G cells in comparison to WI-38 normal human diploid cells. WI-38 cells have the following properties: (1) they can undergo only a limited number of population doublings in vitro; (2) they cannot proliferate without anchorage; and (3) they become arrested in G1 phase under stationary phase conditions. T98 cells differ from normal cells in all three of these properties, as do many other transformed cell lines. However, the derivative of T98, namely T98G, expresses an unique combination of normal and transformed aspects of the control of cellular proliferation. T98G cells are like normal cells in that they become arrested in G1 phase under stationary phase conditions, yet they also exhibit the transformed characteristics of anchorage independence and immortality. Thus, T98G cells demonstrate that transformation to immortality and anchorage independence can exist without concomitant loss of the normal mechanism for G1 arrest in response to stationary phase conditions. This result supports the hypothesis that each of these three aspects of control of cellular proliferation can be altered independently. Partially transformed cell lines, such as T98G, should be useful for sorting out the biochemical changes associated with transformation in each of these aspects.

Selective changes in tRNA methyltransferase activity in confluent monolayers of WI-38 cells stimulated to proliferate

In quiescent confluent monolayers of WI-38 cells, the specific activity of the tRNA methyltransferases falls to 20% of the level found in log phase cells. When the resting cells are stimulated to proliferate by a change to fresh medium, the enzyme show a rapid rise in specific activity which correlates with early increases in the rate of tRNA synthesis. The specific activity of the enzymes continues to rise throughout the period of DNA synthesis, at the end of which it is somewhat higher than that of log phase cells. The increases in enzyme activity could be blocked by exposure of the stimulated cells to Actinomycin D (2 microgram/ml). The increases in activity were not equivalent for the different base-specific enzymes. The contribution of the N2-methylguanine specific enzyme remained relatively constant, while that of the N2,N2-dimethyl-guanine specific and 1-methyladenine specific enzymes doubled and tripled, respectively, by late S phase. The contributions of the 1-methylguanine and the 7-methylguanine specific enzymes fell to a few percent of the total by late S phase. This indicates non-coordinate variations in the expression of the different base-specific enzymes after stimulation of resting cells and may be related to altered isoaccepting tRNA profiles observed in resting and growing cells.

Syntheses of DNA and chromosomal proteins in the rat thymus following whole-body X-irradiation

Syntheses of chromosomal proteins was studied in relation to DNA syntheses in the rat thymus following whole-body X-irradiation (600 rad). There was a considerable depression of the syntheses of DNA and histones during the first 4--48 hours after irradiation. The syntheses of histones H3 and H4 plus H2A were affected to a much greater degree than those of histones H1 and H2B, suggesting a tight coupling between the syntheses of DNA and histones H3 and H4 plus H2A. A part of the lysine-rich histones H1 and H2B, however, seems to be synthesized, even in the absence of DNA synthesis. Biosynthesis of non-histone proteins was also depressed in the thymus after irradiation. The degree of inhibition, however, was very low, except for the syntheses of a few non-histone protein components which were depressed to a considerable extent. This implies that the synthesis of the majority of non-histone proteins is independent of DNA synthesis.

Nuclear nonhistone proteins in murine melanoma cells: II. changes following exposure to MSH

Murine melanoma cells provide an excellent system for studying the proposed role of nuclear nonhistone proteins (NHP's) as regulators of gene expression. Cloudman mouse melanoma cells (S91, NCTC 3960, CCL 53), grown in culture, are normally lightly pigmented, but in the presence of melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) show a large increase in melanin content. Cells were grown in medium with and withoug MSH and labeled with either 14C- or 3H-leucine, respectively. Following 48 hr of incubation, the cells were harvested, combined, and nuclei isolated. The NHPs were extracted from these nuclei in a series of steps which yielded 4 major fractions. Each fraction was further separated on DEAE cellulose columns into a total of 40 subfractions, each of which was electrophoresed on SDS gels. Each gel was sliced and counted and the 14C/3H ratio was determined for each slice. A number of differences in 14C/3H ratios were observed between the NHPs isolated from MSH-treated and control cells which reflect changes in the synthesis and/or transport of NHPs in MSH-treated cells.

Responses of protein synthesis and degradation in growth control of WI-38 cells

The overall rates of protein synthesis and degradation in perfusion-grown WI-38 cells were followed in the three days after a stepdown in the serum concentration of the culture medium, from 10% to 0.3%. Within three hours after the stepdown, the rate of protein synthesis had decreased and the rate of protein degradation had increased, the combined result being the cessation of protein accumulation. The degradation rate returned over the next three days to its original value, but a zero rate of accumulation was retained because the synthesis rate continued to decline. The rate of DNA synthesis remained constant for six hours after the stepdown. It then declined steadily until reaching a minimum about eight hours later. The results show that extracellular control of protein accumulation depends on adjustments in both protein synthesis and protein degradation, and that the adjustments take place rapidly. This behavior suggests that the cell cycle is arrested after a stepdown because post-mitotic cells are unable to accumulate additional protein. However, an alternative interpretation of the data is that at least part of the changed accumulation is the result, rather than the cause, of the cycle arrest, and that the arrest is caused by other, more specific, reactions than those of general protein metabolism.

Stimulation of synthesis of the proteins of 30-S nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles in human amnion U cells by viral infection

Early increase in RNA synthesis induced in human amnion U cells by infection with poliovirus is accompanied by an increased incorporation of amino acids into non-histone nuclear proteins with an approximate molecular weight of 40 000. These proteins are the main polypeptides of the 30-S nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles. After fractionation of nuclear proteins by extraction with solutions of different ionic strength, these polypeptides are present in the fraction of nuclear sap proteins soluble in 0.1 M Tris - HCl buffer, pH 7.6, and in the fraction of non-histone chromosomal proteins which are soluble in 0.35 M NaCl. The increase in synthesis of non-histone nuclear proteins with an approximate molecular weight of 40 000, observed in the infected cells, represents an increase in the synthesis of proteins concerned with post-transcriptional events and, therefore, is the result and not the cause of gene activation.

Serum stimulation of human fibroblasts: effect on non-histones of nuclear ribonucleoprotein and chromatin

In quiescent human fibroblasts stimulated to proliferate by fresh medium plus 15% serum, no changes were seen in the incorporation of 3H tryptophan into the protein of nuclear ribonucleoprotein during the first three hours following re-feeding. This was in contrast to non-histone chromosomal proteins where the incorporation increased by 90% within ten minutes. The density of the formaldehyde fixed nuclear ribonucleoprotein in CsCl was 1.43-1.44 g/ml and this also did not change following stimulation. The electrophoretic profile of the proteins of nuclear ribonucleoprotein on SDS gels exhibited a predominant band corresponding to a molecular weight of 44,000 closely trailed by a band at 47,000 and other bands at higher molecular weight. This pattern was not altered by serum stimulation and the same was true for the more complex electrophoretic profile of the chromatin proteins. Following a 10-minute pulse of 3H-tryptophan at ten minutes after stimulation, there was a selective increase in the labeling of non-histone chromosomal protein of molecular weight 59,000; no change was seen in the labeling of any protein of nuclear ribonucleoprotein.

The effects of sex-steroids on the synthesis of uterine non-histone proteins

Newly synthesized non-histone proteins (NHP) labelled with [35S] methionine were isolated from uterine epithelium and stroma after different hormone treatments and examined by isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gels. Progesterone increased the proportion of basic NHP in the epithelium. This effect was detectable within 4 h and was maintained unchanged after oestrogen stimulation, which increased the synthesis of all classes of NHP. The proportion of basic NHP was higher in the untreated stroma than in the epithelium. Progesterone pretreatment did not increase the proportion of basic NHP in the stroma but prevented the increase in the more acidic NHP which followed treatment with oestrogen alone. The tendency to synthesize a higher proportion of basic NHP did not in any way correlate with the tissue's proliferative status.

Regulation of lipid synthesis from acetate in diploid fibroblast cultures -- variation with passage level and stage of cell growth

Regulation of lipid synthesis from acetate in human diploid fibroblast cultures has been studied at various passage levels and at different stages of cell growth. When cultures were transferred to lipid free medium, a stimulation of [14C]acetate incorporation into lipid occurred within three to six hours after removal of exogenous lipid. In early passage cultures, this stimulation was observed whether cells were transferred to protein-free medium or medium supplemented with delipidized serum protein. However, in late passage cultures the presence of delipidized serum protein was required for the stimulation of lipid synthesis. When logarithmically dividing and stationary phase cultures were compared, the cultures in log phase showed stimulation of acetate incorporation into lipid in the presence or absence of delipidized serum protein, whereas in the stationary cultures the delipidized serum protein was required. When cultures were partially synchronized by a thymidine block, stimulation of acetate incorporation into lipid in the blocked cells only occurred in the presence of delipidized serum protein; in released cells stimulation occurred in protein free medium. When inhibition of lipid synthesis from acetate was compared in young vs. old or dividing vs. stationary cultures, however, no differences were observed. The data indicate the response of diploid fibroblast cultres to change in exogenous lipid is dependent on passage level and state of growth.

Phosphorylation of nonhistone chromosomal proteins early during the prereplicative phase of the cell cycle of WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts

Stimulation of confluent monolayers of nondividing WI-38 cells to proliferate is accompanied by a doubling in the rate of phosphorylation of nonhistone chromosomal proteins during the first hour. The use of cycloheximide to inhibit protein synthesis does not appear to affect phosphorylation of the nonhistones. Nondividing and serum-stimulated cells exhibit qualitative differences in the phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of individual polypeptide peaks resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These results are consistent with other evidence implicating nonhistone protein phosphorylation as an early event involved in the activation of transcription occurring during cell proliferation.

Translational control of protein synthesis in stimulated WI-38 fibroblasts

A cell-free protein synthesis system employing ribosomes from WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts was developed and its optimum MgC12 and KC1 levels and pH value found. The rate at which ribosomes are able to incorporate radioactive leucine into proteins ([14C]leucine incorporation/10 min/100 mug rRNA) and the number of growing peptide chains [3H]puromycinpeptides formed/100 mug rRNA) was determined. When confluent monolayers of WI-38 cells were stimulated to proliferate by serum, a transient increase in the rate of peptide elongation by ribosomes was observed at 60 min after stimulation. This increase was not affected by the presence of actinomycin D (10 mug/ml) in the stimulating medium. A change in the relative amount of certain ribosome-associated proteins accompanied the increased elongation rate of peptide growth. The alteration in associated proteins could not be accounted for by an increased synthesis of protein. Finally, the early activation of ribosomes in stimulated WI-38 cells appears to result from the removal of an inhibitor(s) of ribosome function.

Non-histone protein synthesis during G1 phase and its relation to DNA replication

The kinetics of non-histone chromosomal protein (NHCP) synthesis were studied in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) plateau phase cells stimulated to proliferate and were compared to NHCP synthesis kinetics in two populations of synchronous G1 traversing cells. In all cases, NHCP synthesis rates increase 3- to 5-fold as cells traversed G1 and attained maximum values one hour before semi-conservative DNA replication began. Similar to results in synchronous G1 cells, the molecular weight distributions of the NHCP fraction from stimulated plateau phase cells underwent only minor changes, measured by sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, as these cells moved toward S phase. Yet, during this progression after plateau phase and in the transition from early G1 to late G1 in synchronous cells, the total NHCP fraction increased significantly (1.5-2-fold) in amount per cell. These data indicate that plateau phase cells are similar to early G1 cells both in terms of their amounts of non-histone per cell and in their subsequent NHCP synthesis kinetics as they move toward S phase. These results extend previous findings which suggested that NHCP synthesis was coupled to DNA replication and demonstrate that the increased NHCP synthesis and accumulation in chromatin may be a biochemical marker for G1 progression.

Isolation and electrophoretic analysis of nucleoli, phenol-soluble nuclear proteins, and outer cyst walls from Acanthamoeba castellanii during encystation initiation

A technique is described for isolating nuceoli from Acanthamoeba castellanii. Nuclei isolated by a modification of the technique of F. J. Chlapowski and R. N. Band (1971) are sonicated in a surcrose-Tris-MgSO4-KC1-Triton X-100 buffer and centrifuged on a linear sucrose gradient extending from 1.3 M to 1.5 M with a 2.6 M cushion, at 41000 rpm for 90 min. The only apparent contaminants in the nucleolar preparation are outer cyst walls. A procedure is described for the isolation of chemically pure outer cyst walls, and a comparison of the proteins with the nucleolar preparation reveals that outer cyst walls represent negligible contaminants. The ultrastructure of these isolated nucleoli examined with transmission electron microscopy is found to be identical with that of nucleoli from whole cells, fixed in an identical manner. The 50 nucleolar proteins separated by SDS gel electrophoresis have been examined throughout the growth cycle of Acanthamoeba and into the strat of induced encystment, at which time 10 protein bands disappear, 11 bands are observed to decrease, and 8 are seen to increase in concentration. Phenol-soluble proteins are extracted from the nucleolus which correspond to 29 of the 50 nucleolar proteins, with 17 of these proteins corresponding to nucleolar proteins that change at the onset of encystment. Thes nucleolar proteins are also compared with those of rat liver nucleoli by gel electrophoresis, resulting in the observation that extremely few protein homologies exist between the two. Numerous quantitative and qualitative changes in the gel pattern of phenol-soluble nuclear proteins during early and late log phase growth and the onset of stationary phase were also observed.

Regulation of cell cycle stage-specific transcription of histone genes from chromatin by non-histone chromosomal proteins

RNA transcripts from chromatin of S phase but not G1 cells contain histone-specific sequences. Chromatin reconstituted with S phase non-histone chromosomal proteins transcribes histone messenger RNA sequences whereas chromatin reconstituted with G1 non-histone proteins does not. These results suggest that transcription of histone genes is regulated during the cell cycle and that non-histone proteins have a key role in this regulation.

Chromosomal proteins of rat brain: increased synthesis and affinity for DNA following a pulse of the carcinogen ethyinitrosourea in vivo

A single pulse of ethlnitrosourea (EtNU), administered to 10-day-old BD IX-rats, specifically results in a high incidence of neuroectodermal tumors in the central and peripheral nervous system. At five days after an EtNU-pulse, analyses of protein-DNA interactions were performed using chromatin dissociation and re-association experiments, following incorporation of radioactive leucine into brain chromosomal proteins (CP) during short-term suspension culture. In comparison with 15-day-old control animals, the brain cells of EtNU-treated rats exhibited (i) an increased rate of CP synthesis, and (ii) an increased affinity of the newly-synthesized CP for brain DNA of both control and EtNU-treated animals.

Circular dichroism and ethidium bromide binding studies of chromatin from WI-38 fibroblasts stimulated to proliferate

Confluent monolayers of WI-38 diploid fibroblasts can be stimulated to proliferate by fresh serum. In the first 3 h after stimulation (that is, several hours before DNA replication) the chromatin of stimulated cells show structrual changes which include: (1) an increase in maximum positive ellipticity and a blue shift in the 250-300 nm region of circular dichroism spectra; and (2) an increase,in isolated chromatin, of the number of binding sites for the intercalating dye, ethidium bromide.The differences between chromtin of stimulated and chromatin of unstimulated cells are abolised when bother chromatins are treated with 0.25 M NaCL.

Effect of cell trypsinization on nuclear proteins of WI-38 fibroblasts in culture

When resting confluent monolayers of WI-38 fibrolasts are trypsinized and replated at a lower density they are stimulated to proliferate again with an interval of 18 hours between replating and the onset of DNA synthesis. Trypsinization of resting cells causes a 40% loss of nuclear proteins as well as of cytoplasmic proteins. The amount of nuclear proteins remains low for the first six hours after the cells have been replated and then it increases rapidly, reaching the same level of non-trypsinized resting cells by ten hours after plating. The proteins that are lost from the nucleus immediately after trypsinization are chromatin-associated proteins and most of them are non-histone chromosomal proteins, although a modest loss of histones cannot be ruled out. The loss of non-histone chromosomal proteins from cells that have been trypsinized causes changes in the structure of chromatin that can be detected by circular dichroism and by viscosity measurements. These results show that cell trypsinization causes an extensive loss of proteins from chromatin and that the loss is restored only several hours after the cells have been replated at a lower density.

Conformational changes in chromatin from density inhibited WI-38 fibroblasts stimulated to proliferate

Quiescent confluent monolayers of WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts can be stimulated to proliferate by replacing the old medium with fresh medium plus 10% serum. Circular dichroism spectra of chromatin from stimulated cells between 2 and 10 hrs after stimulation show an increase in positive ellipticity maxima and a blue shift in the 250-300 nm region. These changes are reversed when the stimulated cells enter DNA synthesis (which, in the present conditions, begins to increase at 12-15 hrs and reaches a peak at 20 hrs). The circular dichroism changes occurring 3 hrs after stimulation have been studied in greater detail. They consist in a 35% (average) increase in positive ellipticity and a blue shift in the 250-300 nm region. Changes in the gamma less than 244 nm region are less consistent. The differences between chromatins of stimulated and unstimulated cells are abolished when both chromatins are washed with 0.25 M NaC1. This procedure removes 10-12% of chromosomal proteins, which chromatograph with non-histone proteins. DNA, RNA and histones could not be detected in the 0.25 M NaC1 extract. In gel electrophoretic profiles of radioactively labelled chromosomal proteins from stimulated and unstimulated WI-38 cells there were no detectable differences between histones. The non-histone proteins of stimulated cells showed one radioactive peak which was increased above the level of non-histone proteins from control cells. These results show that structural changes occur in the chromatin of WI-38 cells stimulated to proliferate several hrs before the onset of DNA synthesis. The fact that differences in the chromatins can be abolished by washing with 0.25 M NaC1 could give a clue as to the mechanisms responsible for these structural changes.