Transmembrane ferricyanide reductase activity in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

Modeling Human Ductal Carcinoma In Situ in the Mouse

Breast cancer development is a multi-step process in which genetic and molecular heterogeneity occurs at multiple stages. Ductal carcinoma arises from pre-invasive lesions such as atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which progress to invasive and metastatic cancer. The feasibility of obtaining tissue samples from all stages of progression from the same patient is low, and thus molecular studies dissecting the mechanisms that mediate the transition from pre-invasive DCIS to invasive carcinoma have been hampered. In the past 25 years, numerous mouse models have been developed that partly recapitulate the histological and biological properties of early stage lesions. In this review, we discuss in vivo model systems of breast cancer progression from syngeneic mouse models to human xenografts, with particular focus on how accurately these models mimic human disease.

Transplasma membrane electron transport: enzymes involved and biological function

The notion of transmembrane electron transport is usually associated with mitochondria and chloroplasts. However, since the early 1970s, it has been known that this phenomenon also occurs at the level of the plasma membrane. Ever since, evidence has accumulated for the existence of a plethora of transplasma membrane electron transport enzymes. In this review, we discuss the various enzymes known, their molecular characteristics and their biological functions.

Intracellular redox status affects transplasma membrane electron transport in pulmonary arterial endothelial cells

Pulmonary arterial endothelial cells possess transplasma membrane electron transport (TPMET) systems that transfer intracellular reducing equivalents to extracellular electron acceptors. As one aspect of determining cellular mechanisms involved in one such TPMET system in pulmonary arterial endothelial cells in culture, glycolysis was inhibited by treatment with iodoacetate (IOA) or by replacing the glucose in the cell medium with 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG). TPMET activity was measured as the rate of reduction of the extracellular electron acceptor polymer toluidine blue O polyacrylamide. Intracellular concentrations of NADH, NAD(+), NADPH, and NADP(+) were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography of KOH cell extracts. IOA decreased TPMET activity to 47% of control activity concomitant with a decrease in the NADH/NAD(+) ratio to 34% of the control level, without a significant change in the NADPH/NADP(+) ratio. 2-DG decreased TPMET activity to 53% of control and decreased both NADH/NAD(+) and NADPH/NADP(+) ratios to 51% and 55%, respectively, of control levels. When lactate was included in the medium along with the inhibitors, the effects of IOA and 2-DG on both TPMET activity and the NADPH/NADP(+) ratios were prevented. The results suggest that cellular redox status is a determinant of pulmonary arterial endothelial cell TPMET activity, with TPMET activity more highly correlated with the poise of the NADH/NAD(+) redox pair.

Plasma membrane NADH-oxidoreductase system: a critical review of the structural and functional data

The observation in the early 1970s that ferricyanide can replace transferrin as a growth factor highlighted the major role plasma membrane proteins can play within a mammalian cell. Ferricyanide, being impermeant to the cell, was assumed to act at the level of the plasma membrane. Since that time, several enzymes isolated from the plasma membrane have been described, which, using NADH as the intracellular electron donor, are capable of reducing ferricyanide. However, their exact modes of action, and their physiological substrates and functions have not been solved to date. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed for the role of such redox enzymes within the plasma membrane. Examples include the regulation of cell signaling, cell growth, apoptosis, proton pumping, and ion channels. All of these roles may be a result of the function of these enzymes as cellular redox sensors. The emergence of many diverse roles for ferricyanide utilizing redox enzymes present in the plasma membrane might also, in part, be due to the numerous redox enzymes present within the membrane; the poor molecular characterization of the enzymes may be the reason for some of the diverging results reported in the literature as various researchers may be working on different enzymes. Here we review the diverse proposals given for structure and function to the plasma membrane NADH-oxidoreductase system(s) with a specific focus on those enzyme activities which can couple ferricyanide and NADH. Although they are still ill-defined enzymes, evidence is rising that they are of utmost significance for cellular regulation.

Role of ascorbic acid in transferrin-independent reduction and uptake of iron by U-937 cells

The role of ascorbic acid in transferrin-independent ferric iron reduction and uptake was evaluated in cultured U-937 monocytic cells. Uptake of 55Fe by U-937 cells was doubled by 100 microM extracellular ascorbate, and by pre-incubation of cells with 100 microM dehydroascorbic acid, the two-electron-oxidized form of ascorbate. Reduction of extracellular ferric citrate also was enhanced by loading the cells with dehydroascorbic acid. Dehydroascorbic acid was taken up rapidly by the cells and reduced to ascorbate, such that the latter reached intracellular concentrations as high as 6 mM. However, some ascorbate did escape the cells and could be detected at concentrations of up to 1 microM in the incubation medium. Further, addition of ascorbate oxidase almost reversed the effects of dehydroascorbic acid on both 55Fe uptake and ferric citrate reduction. Thus, it is likely that extracellular ascorbate reduced ferric to ferrous iron, which was then taken up by the cells. This hypothesis also was supported by the finding that during loading with ferric citrate, only extracellular ascorbate increased the pool of intracellular ferrous iron that could be chelated with cell-penetrant ferrous iron chelators. In contrast to its inhibition of ascorbate-dependent ferric iron reduction, ascorbate oxidase was without effect on ascorbate-dependent reduction of extracellular ferricyanide. This indicates that the cells use different mechanisms for reduction of ferric iron and ferricyanide. Therefore, extracellular ascorbate derived from cells can enhance transferrin-independent iron uptake by reducing ferric to ferrous iron, but intracellular ascorbate neither contributes to this reduction nor modifies the redox status of intracellular free iron.

Putrescine and chlorpheniramine inhibit Ehrlich ascites tumor cell plasma membrane ferricyanide reductase activity

The presence of putrescine or chlorpheniramine in the incubation medium of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells starved for 1 h significantly inhibits the rate of ferricyanide reduction by their plasma membrane redox system. Freshly harvested cells, without depletion of their intracellular pools of polyamines, and cells preincubated under conditions arranged to increase ornithine decarboxylase activity also reduced externally added ferricyanide at a lower rate than those cells starved for 1 h. All these data seems to indicate that the presence of putrescine is enough to significantly inhibit Ehrlich cell plasma membrane redox system activity.

Multifunctional plasma membrane redox systems

All the biological membranes contain oxidoreduction systems actively involved in their bioenergetics. Plasma membrane redox systems seem to be ubiquitous and they have been related to several important functions, including not only their role in cell bioenergetics, but also in cell defense through the generation of reactive oxygen species, in iron uptake, in the control of cell growth and proliferation and in signal transduction. In the last few years, an increasing number of mechanistic and molecular studies have deeply widened our knowledge on the function of these plasma membrane redox systems. The aim of this review is to summarize what is currently known about the components and physiological roles of these systems.

Effects of protein kinase C and phosphoprotein phosphatase modulators on Ehrlich cell plasma membrane redox system activity

Diacyl glycerols and phorbol esters, which activate protein kinases C, stimulated Ehrlich ascites tumor cell ferricyanide reductase activity. On the contrary, selective inhibition of active protein kinases C with bis-indolyl maleimide did not change the rate of ferricyanide reduction by Ehrlich cells. Selective inhibitors of phosphoprotein phosphatases, okadaic acid and cyclosporin A, also stimulated plasma membrane redox system. Taking all these data together, protein kinases or phosphoprotein phosphatases seemed to be involved in the multiple and complex regulation of Ehrlich cell plasma membrane redox system.

Ehrlich cell plasma membrane redox system is modulated through signal transduction pathways involving cGMP and Ca2+ as second messengers

Ehrlich cell plasma membrane ferricyanide reductase activity increased in the presence of mastoparan, a generic activator of G proteins, using either whole cells or isolated plasma membrane-fractions. Agents that increase intracellular cAMP also increased the rate of ferricyanide reduction by Ehrlich cells. For the first time, evidence is shown on a modulation of plasma membrane redox system by cGMP. In fact, permeant analogs of cGMP, dibutyryl cGMP, and 8-bromo-cGMP increased the rate of ferricyanide reduction by the Ehrlich cell plasma membrane redox system. Furthermore, specific inhibition of cGMP-phosphodiesterases by dipyridamole was also accompanied by an enhancement in the rate of ferricyanide reduction. On the other hand, treatments expected to increase cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentrations were accompanied by a remarkable stimulation of the reductase activity. Taking all these data together, it seems that the Ehrlich cell plasma membrane redox system is under a multiple and complex regulation by different signal transduction pathways involving G proteins, cyclic nucleotides, and Ca2+ ions.

Extracellular ascorbate stabilization: enzymatic or chemical process?

Ascorbate is stabilized in the presence of HL-60 cells. This stabilization has been questioned as a simple chemical effect. Further properties and controls about the enzymatic nature of this stabilization are described and discussed. Our results showed that cAMP derivatives and cAMP-increasing agents stimulated the ability of HL-60 cells to stabilize ascorbate. On the other hand, tunicamycin, a glycosylation-interfering agent, inhibited this ability. These data, together with hormonal regulation, support the hypothesis of an enzymatic redox system located at the plasma membrane as being responsible for the extracellular ascorbate stabilization by HL-60 cells.

Characterization of plasma membrane redox activity from Ehrlich cells

Ferricyanide reductase activity of plasma membranes isolated from Ehrlich ascites tumour cells was very sensitive to trypsin treatment. The decreases of activity observed after treatment with different glycosidases suggests that ferricyanide reductase is a glycoprotein. The opposite effects of phospholipase A2 and phospholipase C on the redox activity indicate that the phospholipidic environment plays an important role in the function of ferricyanide reductase. Sodium ions at millimolar concentrations, and some divalent cations at micromolar concentrations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Sr2+, and Mn2+) behaved as stimulators of ferricyanide reductase activity.

Involvement of essential histidine residue(s) in the activity of Ehrlich cell plasma membrane NADH-ferricyanide oxidoreductase

The existence of histidine residue(s) implicated in the active site of NADH-ferricyanide oxidoreductase in plasma membrane vesicles isolated from Ehrlich ascites tumour cells is investigated. The shape of the pH-dependence curve of the enzyme activity suggests that one or more histidine residues are located at (or near) the active site of the enzyme. This hypothesis is supported by the following experimental data: the loss of activity after treatment with diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC) or photooxidation by using Rose bengal, and the strong inhibition caused by Zn2+ ions at micromolar concentrations. The combined arguments support the statement that histidine plays an essential role in the catalytic activity of NADH-ferricyanide oxidoreductase from Ehrlich ascites tumour cells.

Diferric transferrin reduction by K562 cells. A critical study

This paper critically examines the redox activity of K562 cells (chronic myelogenous leukemia cells) and normal peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). Ferricyanide reduction, diferric transferrin reduction, and ferric ion reduction were measured spectrophotometrically by following the time-dependent changes of absorbance difference characteristic for ferricyanide disappearance and for the formation of ferrous ion:chelator complexes. Bathophenanthroline disulfonate (BPS) and ferrozine (FZ) were used to detect the appearance of ferrous ions in the reaction mixtures when diferric transferrin or ferric reduction was studied. Special attention was devoted to the analysis of time-dependent absorbance changes in the presence and absence of cells under different assay conditions. It was observed and concluded that: (i) FZ was far less sensitive and more sluggish than BPS for detecting ferrous ions at concentrations commonly used for BPS; (ii) FZ, at concentrations of at least 10-times the commonly used BPS concentrations, seemed to verify the results obtained with BPS; (iii) ferricyanide reduction, diferric transferrin reduction and ferric ion reduction by both K562 cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes did not differ significantly; and (iv) earlier values published for the redox activities of different cells might be overestimated, partly because of the observation published in 1988 that diferric transferrin might have loosely bound extra iron which is easily reduced. It is suggested that the specific diferric transferrin reduction by cells might be considered as a consequence of (i) changing the steady-state equilibrium in the diferric transferrin-containing solution by addition of ferrous ion chelators which effectively raised the redox potential of the iron bound in holotransferrin, and (ii) changing the steady-state equilibrium by addition of cells which would introduce, via their large and mostly negatively charged plasma membrane surface, a new phase which would favor release and reduction of the iron in diferric transferrin by a ferric ion oxidoreductase. The reduction of ferricyanide is also much slower than activities reported for other cells which may indicate reduced plasma membrane redox activity in these cells.

Mitoxantrone toxicity on Ehrlich ascites tumour cells: inhibition of the transplasma membrane redox activity

This study focused on the potent cytotoxic effect that mitoxantrone produces on Ehrlich ascites tumour cells. Host mice treated with mitoxantrone showed a life span three times higher than control non-treated host mice. Mitoxantrone also showed a potent cytotoxic effect on Ehrlich cells incubated in vitro for only a few hours. Studies on the effect of mitoxantrone on a plasma membrane redox system showed that mitoxantrone inhibits this activity, which is apparently related to cell proliferation.

Ascorbate is regenerated by HL-60 cells through the transplasmalemma redox system

Ascorbate was maintained in the media during a long-term culture by HL-60 cells. The chemical oxidation of ascorbate was reversed in vitro by living HL-60 cells and was related to the amount of cells added. The increase of NADH concentration by lactate addition to cells was accompanied by an increase of both ascorbate regeneration and ferricyanide reduction. Further, plasma membrane enriched fractions from HL-60 cells revealed enhancement of both ascorbate regeneration and ferricyanide reduction in the presence of NADH when previously treated with detergent. The blockage of cell surface carbohydrates by wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and Concanavalina ensiformis (Con A) lectins significantly inhibited the regeneration of ascorbate caused by the cells. These results support the idea that ascorbate is externally regenerated by the NADH-ascorbate free radical reductase as a part of the transplasma membrane redox system.