Gllcocorticoid inhibition of amino acid transport in rat hepatoma cells

Inhibition of hexose transport in adipocytes by dexamethasone: role of protein synthesis

The ability of the synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone, to alter 3-O-methylglucose transport was investigated using isolated rat adipocytes. A maximally effective dose of dexamethasone (10(-7) M) inhibited transport up to 80% within 60-90 min. Inhibition of transport was evident as early as 15-30 min after addition of steroid, and was prevented by both actinomycin D and cycloheximide. When added within 45 or 60 min after dexamethasone, actinomycin D interfered with the cells' ability to respond to the steroid but had no effect when added between 60 and 90 min or longer after the steroid. Cycloheximide interfered with steroid-induced inhibition of transport when added at any time before the 15- to 30-min period immediately preceding the transport assay. This interference with hormone action appeared to be independent of the length of time cells were exposed to dexamethasone before addition of cycloheximide. Thus cells that were maximally inhibited by dexamethasone by 90 min became only partially inhibited when cycloheximide was added at 90 or 120 min, and cells were incubated for an additional 60 or 30 min, respectively. These findings are consistent with the following: dexamethasone inhibits glucose oxidation as a result of inhibiting hexose transport; inhibition of transport by dexamethasone requires the synthesis of RNA during the first 45-60 min after steroid addition and requires protein synthesis during the entire incubation period with dexamethasone; and transport is inhibited within minutes after protein synthesis is initiated.

Effectors of amino acid transport processes in animal cell membranes

Various effectors, which act upon ion gradients, protein synthesis, membrane components or cellular functional groups, have been employed to provide insights into the nature of amino acid-membrane transport processes in animal cells. Such effectors, for example, include ions, hormones, metabolites and various organic reagents and their judicious use has allowed the following list of conclusions. Sodium ion has been found to stimulate amino acid transport in a wide variety of cell systems, although depending on the tissue and/or substrate, this ion may have no effect on such transport, or even inhibit it. Amino acid transport can be stimulated in some cell systems by other ions such as K+, Li+, H+ or Cl-. Both H+ and K+ have been found to be inhibitory in other systems. Amino acid transport is dependent in many cell systems upon an inwardly directed Na+ gradient and is stimulated by a membrane potential (negative cell interior). In some cell systems an inwardly directed Cl- and H+ gradient or an outwardly directed K+ gradient can energize transport. Structurally dissimilar effectors such as ouabain, Clostridium enterotoxin, aspirin and amiloride inhibit amino acid transport presumably through dissipation of the Na+ gradient. Inhibition by certain sugars or metabolic intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle may compete with the substrate for the energy of the Na+ gradient or interact with the substrate at the carrier level either allosterically or at a common site. Stimulation of transport by other sugars or intermediates may result from their catabolism to furnish energy for transport. Insulin and glucagon stimulate transport of amino acids in a variety of cell systems by a mechanism which involves protein synthesis. Microtubules may be involved in the regulation of transport by insulin or glucagon. Some reports also suggest that insulin has a direct effect on membranes. In addition, a number of growth hormones and factors have stimulatory effects on amino acid transport which are also mediated by protein synthesis. Steroid hormones have been noted to enhance or diminish transport of amino acids depending on the nature of the hormone. These agents appear to function at the level of protein synthesis. While stimulation may involve increased carrier synthesis, inhibition probably involves synthesis of a labile protein which either decreases the rate of synthesis or increases the rate of degradation of a component of the transport system.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Glucocorticoid regulation of amino acid transport in anucleate rat hepatoma (HTC) cells

The transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) by rat hepatoma tissue culture (HTC) cells is rapidly and reversibly inhibited by dexamethasone and other glucocorticoids. To investigate the role of the nucleus in the regulation of transport and to determine whether steroid hormones or steroid-receptor complexes may have direct effects on cytoplasmic or membrane functions, we have examined the regulation of transport by dexamethasone in anucleate HTC cells. Cytoplasts prepared from suspension cultures of HTC cells fully retain active transport of AIB with the same kinetic properties as intact cells. However, the uptake of AIB is not inhibited by dexamethasone or other corticosteroids. Neither is the inhibited rate of transport, manifested by cytoplasts prepared from dexamethasone-treated cells, restored to normal upon removal of the hormone. Anucleate cells exhibit specific, saturable binding of [3H]dexamethasone; however, the binding is reduced compared with that of intact cells. The nucleus is thus required for the glucocorticoid regulation of amino acid transport in HTC cells.

Dexamethasone regulates the program of secretory glycoprotein synthesis in hepatoma tissue culture cells

The secretory glycoproteins synthesized by hepatoma tissue culture (HTC) cells were resolved by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of media from cells that were grown in the presence of [(3)H]fucose. These cells synthesize and secrete a complex set of fucose-containing glycoproteins. These secretory glycoproteins are distinct from those glycoproteins present in the plasma membrane of HTC cells. Incubation of HTC cells with dexamethasone has a pronounced effect on the quality and quantity (denoted here as the program) of secretory protein synthesis, as assayed by the short-term incorporation of labeled mannose, fucose, or methionine. The synthesis of two mannose- and fucose- containing glycoprotein series, one of 50,000 mol wt and a more heterogeneous series with mol wt of 35,000-50,000, is increased to a high level by the hormone; conversely, the synthesis of other secretory proteins, particularly one with mol wt of 70,000, is decreased or stopped completely. The synthesis of some major secretory proteins is not affected by the hormone. Dexamethasone has less of an effect on the composition of either total cell membrane glycoprotein or plasma membrane glycoprotein. But there is a decrease in the synthesis of a major membrane glycoprotein series with mol wt of 140,000. These effects of dexamethasone are relatively specific to HTC cells. Neither Reuber H-35 cells nor primary cultures of rat hepatocytes show the same response to the steroid. Two variant HTC cell lines, which were selected for their resistance to dexamethasone inhibition of extracellular plasminogen activator activity, respond only partially to the steroid-induced regulation of the secretory and membrane glycoproteins.

Unlinked control of multiple glucocorticoid-induced processes in HTC cells

HTC cell variants chosen for their lack of tyrosine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.5) (TAT) induction by glucocorticoids were tested for interrelated effects on other glucocorticoid responses: TAT induction by dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dBcAMP) +/- dexamethasone, glutamine synthetase (GS) induction, cyclic nucleotide phosphodieterase (PDE) suppression, inhibition of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) uptake, inhibition of plasminogen activator (PA), and induction of mouse mammary tumor virus (MTV). Loss of TAT induction by steroid was accompanied by loss of TAT induction by dBcAMP and of PDE suppression by steroid. In addition, subclones of MTV-infected cells were examined for the effect of the virus on glutamine synthetase (GS) and TAT induction. The virus had no effect on their induction in wild-type cells and no effect on GS induction in the variants. One MTV-infected subclone from a TAT variant, however, showed significant return of TAT induction.

Isolation of rat hepatoma cell variants selectively resistant to dexamethasone inhibition of plasminogen activator

Glucocorticoids induce several phenotypic changes in rat hepatoma cells in tissue culture, including the inhibition of plasminogen activator activity. Variant cell lines resistant to dexamethasone inhibition of plasminogen activator activity have been isolated using an agar-fibrin overlay technique to identify colonies with fibrinolytic (plasminogen activator) activity. The variants are resistant to concentrations of dexamethasone 1,000 times that necessary to completely inhibit plasminogen activator activity in wild-type cells. The variant phenotype has been inherited in a stable manner for more than 300 generations in continuous culture in the absence of dexamethasone. These variants are unique in that the resistance is not secondary to defective or absent glucocorticoid receptors but is due to a lesion specific for regulation of plasminogen activator. Fluctuation analyses support the hypothesis that resistance to dexamethasone arises randomly and is not induced by dexamethasone. Because HTC cells are heteroploid and karyotypically highly variable, variants are thought to arise primarily by chromosomal segregation events. These variants provide a valuable tool for studying the mechanism of hormonal regulation of plasminogen activator as well as the role of proteases in hormonal regulation of membrane functions.

Syneristic and antagonistic effects of glucocorticoids on insulin action

HTC cells, an established line of rat hepatoma cells in tissue culture, provide a useful experimental model system for studying the interaction of glucocorticoids and insulin in the regulation of protein metabolism. The actions of insulin and glucocorticoids on amino acid transport and protein degradation are antagonistic in this cell line. In contrast, the actions of these two hormones are additive with regard to the induction of tyrosine aminotransferase. The addition of insulin to HTC cells previously incubated with dexamethasone causes a rapid further doubling in the cellular concentration of this enzyme. The properties of the induction by insulin differ in several respects from the induction by glucocorticoids. The former occurs immediately, without the characteristic lag observed during induction by steroids. Insulin induction of transaminase does not require concomitant RNA synthesis, and does not cause the accumulation of specific mRNA for this enzyme as do glucocorticoids. Using specific immunoprecipitation techniques, we have demonstrated that insulin stimulates a nonselective increase in the rate of total protein synthesis in HTC cells, and a selective decrease in the rate of degradation of tyrosine aminotransferase relative to total protein. Thus the induction of transaminase by insulin involves two distinct actions of the hormone, affecting both synthesis and degradation of protein.

Glucocorticoids and the plasma membrane

Glucocorticoids affect the composition and function of the plasma membrane in a variety of cell types. Cultured rat hepatoma (HTC) cells in tissue culture provide an excellent model system for analysis of such effects. In these cells, dexamethasone rapidly and dramatically inhibits the influx of amino acids sharing the A or alanine-preferring transport system. Inhibition is half-maximal within 2 h, and maximal after 6 h incubation with the hormone. The inhibition is rapidly reversed by insulin, and more slowly by removing the steroid. Microtubules and microfilaments are not apparently involved in this hormonal effect, but continuous protein synthesis is required for the glucocorticoid inhibition of transport. Dexamethasone also decreases the number of microvilli on the surface of HTC cells, increases their adhesiveness to a substratum, and dramatically decreases the production of plasminogen activator, but it does not affect the growth rate or plating efficiency of the cells. Variant cell lines stably resistant to dexamethasone inhibition of plasminogen activator production have been isolated using an agar-fibrin overlay technique to detect protease production by individual colonies of HTC cells. The hormonal resistance to inhibition of protease production is associated witha maintenance of inducibility of other glucocorticoid-regulated functions and therefore is not apparently secondary to abnormal or absent glucocorticoid receptor, but due to a lesion in a later step in hormone action specific for plasminogen activator. Combined genetic and biochemical analysis of such dexamethasone-resistant variants should facilitate study of the hormonal regulation of specific membrane phenotypes and of the role of proteases in this regulation.