Late signals are required for the stimulation of DNA synthesis in rat mammary fibroblasts by growth factors

Fibroblast growth factor-2 is an immediate-early gene induced by mechanical stress in osteogenic cells

Fifteen minutes of physiological MS induces FGF-2 in osteogenic cells. Here, we show that MS induced proliferation in both MC3T3-E1 and BMOp cells isolated from Fgf2(+/+) mice; Fgf2(-/-) BMOp cells required exogenous FGF-2 for a normal proliferation response. The induction of fgf-2 is mediated by PKA and ERK pathways.

INTRODUCTION

Mechanical stress (MS) induces gene expression and proliferation of osteogenic MC3T3-E1 cells. We have previously shown that physiological levels of MS in MC3T3-E1 cells causes extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 phosphorylation. Here we evaluate the induction and importance of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) for MS-induced proliferation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We characterized the MS induction of fgf-2 using a 15-minute pulse of 120 mustrain and studied the stability of fgf-2 message using actinomycin D. Bone marrow stromal cells (BMOp) isolated from Fgf2(-/-) and Fgf2(+/+) mice were used to study the importance of FGF-2 in MS-induced proliferation.

RESULTS

We found that the induction of fgf-2 by MS is dependent on both protein kinase A (PKA) and ERK pathways. MS transiently induces fgf-2 within 30 minutes. FGF-2 receptor (FGFR2) was also significantly increased within 1 h. All three isoforms of FGF-2 (24, 22, and 18 kDa) were significantly increased by MS. The MS-mediated increase of fgf-2 mRNA was caused by new synthesis and not stabilization. Pretreatment of MC3T3-E1 cells with cycloheximide showed that the induction of fgf-2 did not require new protein synthesis. Pretreating MC3T3-E1 cells with the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/ERK kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2) inhibitor, U0126, or H-89, a PKA inhibitor, significantly inhibited the induction of fgf-2, showing that mechanical induction of fgf-2 is dependent on ERK and PKA signaling pathways. The downstream consequence of a single 15-minute stress pulse was a 3.5-fold increase in cell number in MC3T3-E1 compared with growth in nonstressed control cells. In studies using bone marrow osteoprogenitor cells (BMOp) isolated from Fgf2(+/+)and Fgf2(-/-) mice, we found that FGF-2 was necessary for a full proliferative response to MS.

CONCLUSIONS

These studies show that FGF-2 is an immediate-early gene induced by MS, and its expression is mediated by both the PKA and MAPK signal transduction pathways. FGF-2 was required for a full proliferative response.

Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor stimulates migration of rat mammary fibroblasts through both mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathways

Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) is considered to be a mesenchymal-derived factor that acts via a dual system receptor, consisting of the MET receptor and proteoglycans present on adjacent epithelial cells. Surprisingly, HGS/SF stimulated the migration of rat mammary (Rama) 27 fibroblasts, although it failed to stimulate their proliferation. HGF/SF stimulated a transient activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases p44 and p42 (p42/44(MAPK)), with a maximum level of dual phosphorylation of p42/44(MAPK) occurring 10-15 min after the addition of the growth factor, which was followed by a rapid decrease to near basal levels after 20 min. Interestingly, a second phase of p42/44(MAPK) dual phosphorylation was observed at later times (3 h to 10 h). PD098059, a specific inhibitor of MEK-1, prevented the dual phosphorylation of p42/44(MAPK) and also the phosphorylation of p90(RSK) (ribosomal subunit S6 kinase), which mirrored the kinetics of p42/44(MAPK) phosphorylation. Moreover, PD098059 prevented the HGF/SF-induced migration of Rama 27 cells. HGF/SF also induced an early increase in the phosphorylation of protein kinase B/Akt. Akt phosphorylation was elevated 15 min after the addition of HGF/SF and then declined to basal levels by 30 min. Wortmannin, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PtdIns3K), prevented the increase in Akt phosphorylation and abolished HGF/SF-induced migration of fibroblasts. PD098059 also inhibited the stimulation of Akt phosphorylation by HGF/SF and wortmannin similarly inhibited the stimulation of p42/44(MAPK) dual phosphorylation. These results suggest that HGF/SF-induced motility depends on both the transient dual phosphorylation of p42/44(MAPK) and the activation of PtdIns3K in Rama 27 fibroblasts and that these pathways are mutually dependent.

In vitro effects of growth factors on lung hypoplasia in a model of congenital diaphragmatic hernia

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Pulmonary hypoplasia, a leading contributor to the lethality of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), precedes diaphragmatic malformation in the nitrofen model and persists to allow experimental manipulations in organ culture. Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are crucial to early lung development. Acidic FGF (FGF-1) binds to all FGF receptors and enhances in vitro branching morphogenesis. Basic FGF (FGF-2) is localized to developing airway epithelium, basement membrane, and extracellular matrix. Heparin (HEP) modulates FGF kinetics and inhibits smooth muscle proliferation in lung primordia. The aim of this study was to examine the morphological effects of fibroblast growth factors and heparin on lung hypoplasia in an organ culture model.

METHODS

Sprague-Dawley rats were fed nitrofen on day 9.5 of pregnancy to induce lung hypoplasia and CDH in newborns. Control rats received olive oil. Normal and hypoplastic lung primordia were microdissected on day 13.5 of gestation and cultured up to 78 hours in plain media with or without FGF-1 or FGF-2, with or without HEP. In vitro morphological development was studied by serial measurements of terminal bud count, lung area, and lung perimeter.

RESULTS

Over 120 fetal lung specimens were studied (n > or = 4 per group). Significant increases in area, perimeter, and bud count were seen in normal lungs cultured with FGF-1 plus HEP compared with control media (P < .05). In the nitrofen lungs, FGF1 plus HEP yielded reductions in all parameters compared with those in control media (P < .05), whereas FGF-2 produced significant expansion in lung area but marked reductions in bud count and lung perimeter divided by square root of area (P < .05). Heparin did not produce substantial or sustained alteration of morphology in normal or hypoplastic lungs.

CONCLUSIONS

These observations may indicate an intrinsic abnormality of FGF processing in the hypoplastic nitrofen lung before diaphragmatic malformation. Heparin did not rescue abnormal lung development. Mechanisms underlying the differential effects of these agents now need to be explored to target fetal lung growth and improve the dismal prognosis of human CDH.

Interaction of heparan sulfate from mammary cells with acidic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and basic FGF. Regulation of the activity of basic FGF by high and low affinity binding sites in heparan sulfate

We have determined the relationship between the binding sites for acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) and basic FGF (bFGF) in heparan sulfate (HS) prepared from a panel of mammary cell lines and the ability of the HS to activate aFGF and bFGF in DNA synthesis assays. The ka of the HS for aFGF fell into three groups, whereas the kd (0.0015-0.016 s-1) and the Kd (0.4-8.6 microM) formed a continuum. bFGF possessed a high affinity binding site (Kd 22-30 nM) with a fast ka (320,000-550,000 M-1 s-1), termed "fast/high," and a lower affinity site (Kd 47-320 nM) with a slower ka (35,000-150,000 M-1 s-1), termed "slow/low." Most of the species of HS possessed the latter binding site, which was able to activate bFGF in HS-deficient fibroblasts. However, the HS from the culture medium of the mammary fibroblasts and the myoepithelial-like cells possessed both a fast/high and a slow/low binding site and could not activate bFGF, although it could potentiate the growth-stimulatory activity of aFGF. Treatment of the HS possessing two binding sites for bFGF with heparitinase 1 released oligosaccharides that were able to restore the activity of bFGF in HS-deficient fibroblasts.