Selection and characterization of mutant S49 T-lymphoma cell lines resistant to phosphonoformic acid: evidence for inhibition of ribonucleotide reductase

Human cytomegalovirus mediates cell cycle progression through G(1) into early S phase in terminally differentiated cells

Terminal differentiation of embryonal carcinoma cells and monocytes has been shown to be important for their permissiveness for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection, even though such terminally differentiated cells have withdrawn from the cell cycle and are, essentially, in G(0) arrest. Recently, data from a number of laboratories have shown that productive infection with HCMV of quiescent fibroblasts held reversibly in G(0) of the cell cycle can result in cell cycle progression, which results eventually in cycle arrest. In contrast to quiescent fibroblasts, the effect of HCMV on cells that have withdrawn irreversibly from the cell cycle due to terminal differentiation has not, so far, been addressed. Here, it is shown that, in cells that have arrested in G(0) as a result of terminal differentiation, HCMV is able to induce cell functions associated with progression of the cell cycle through G(1) into early S phase. This progression is correlated with a direct physical and functional interaction between the HCMV 86 kDa major immediate-early protein (IE86) and the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(Cip1).

Use of phosphonocarboxylic acids as inhibitors of sodium-phosphate cotransport

Phosphonocarboxylic acids, initially developed as antiviral agents, are found to be specific inhibitors of phosphate (P(i)) transport across cell membranes. Foscarnet (PFA), the most potent and the most widely used compound, can induce phosphaturia both after parenteral and oral administration. Furthermore, it can inhibit intestinal phosphate absorption when administered orally. PFA absorption and bioavailability are increased in animals on phosphate-restricted diets. PFA also blunts the adaptive increase in intestinal and renal Na(+)-P(i) cotransport which accompanies dietary phosphorus restriction. Finally, PFA is shown to inhibit hydroxyapatite crystal formation and calcium-phosphate precipitation when tested in in vitro systems. These properties, and the low toxicity of PFA, point to potential new applications for PFA and some of its analogs in clinical conditions such as chronic renal insufficiency, where phosphate retention may lead to progression of renal failure and to other serious complications.

Antiviral effects of phosphonoformate (PFA, foscarnet sodium)

This article describes the antiviral properties of foscarnet (trisodium phosphonoformate) at the enzyme level as well as in cell cultures and in vivo. The mechanism of action against herpesvirus DNA polymerases and reverse transcriptases is outlined. Clinical studies using topical foscarnet against mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus infections are presented. The clinical use of intravenous foscarnet against severe viral infections caused by cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus is discussed.

Deoxyribonucleotide metabolism and cyclic AMP resistance in hydroxyurea-resistant S49 T-lymphoma cells

We investigated the cell cycle regulation of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) metabolism in hydroxyurea-resistant (HYUR) murine S49 T-lymphoma cell lines. Cell lines 10- to 40-fold more hydroxyurea-resistant were selected in a stepwise manner. These HYUR cells exhibited increased CDP reductase activity (5- to 8-fold) and increased dNTP pools (up to 5-fold) that appeared to result from increased activity of the M2 subunit (binding site of hydroxyurea) of ribonucleotide reductase. These characteristics remained stable when the cells were grown in the absence of hydroxyurea for up to 2 years. In both wild type and hydroxyurea-resistant cell populations synchronized by elutriation, dCTP and dTTP pools increased in S phase, whereas dATP and dGTP pools generally remained the same or decreased, suggesting that allosteric effector mechanisms were operating to regulate pool sizes. Additionally, CDP reductase activity measured in permeabilized cells increased in S phase in both wild type and hydroxyurea-resistant cells, suggesting a nonallosteric mechanism of increased ribonucleotide reductase activity during periods of active DNA synthesis. While wild type S49 cells could be arrested in the G1 phase of the cell cycle by dibutyryl cyclic AMP, hydroxyurea-resistant cell lines could not be arrested in the G1 phase by exogenous cyclic AMP or agents that elevate the concentration of endogenous cyclic AMP. These data suggest that cyclic AMP-generated G1 arrest in S49 cells might be mediated by the M2 subunit of ribonucleotide reductase.