Stimulation of sialidase activity during cell differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60

Aberrant expression of sialidase and cancer progression

Aberrant sialylation is closely associated with the malignant phenotype of cancer cells including metastatic potential and invasiveness. However, its biological significance and molecular mechanisms have yet to be fully elucidated. To determine causes and consequences, we have focused attention on mammalian sialidases, which cleave sialic acids from gangliosides and glycoproteins. The four types of human sialidases identified to date behave in different manners during carcinogenesis. One, found in the lysosomes, shows down-regulation in cancers, promoting anchorage-independent growth and contributing to metastatic ability, while another, found in the plasma membranes, exhibits marked up-regulation, resulting in suppression of apoptosis. The present review summarizes mostly our results on aberrant expression of sialidases and their possible roles in cancer progression.

Some aspects of the recombinantly expressed humanised superagonist anti-CD28 mAb, TGN1412 trial catastrophe lessons to safeguard mAbs and vaccine trials

We consider essential, still ignored, basic research aspects of the failed clinical trial (13 March 2006) of a recombinantly expressed humanised superagonist anti-CD28 mAb, TGN14122. Without hindsight, if for approval of the first ever recombinantly expressed anti-CD28 mAb use in humans attention had been paid to the physico-chemical factors and receptor saturation, the possible catastrophe will have been predictable and preventable. To understand what went wrong and, crucially, to prevent any future disasters to safeguard human health, safety and welfare, the information provided is likely to be of wide interest. We present calculations to show CD28 receptors on T cells of the six healthy volunteers by the anti-CD28 mAb superagonist, TGN1412. This led to the over activation of T cells and the violent cytokine storm precipitating the cascade and the release of endogenous molecules affecting other cells. Monocytes and plasma cells are likely to have been affected. We discuss briefly the role of neutrophils and activation releasing the surface-located sialidase affecting cell coats, such as, of T lymphocytes exposing galactose receptors that could have been involved in antigen presenting cell interactions. The role of the cell surface thiols of lymphocytes in forming mixed disulphides with endogenous ligands and in the REDOX system are briefly mentioned. Consideration of these various factors and a critical evaluation of the receptor occupancy data before injecting 0.1 mg/kg TGN1412 will have rung alarm bells about possible serious side effects and the catastrophe will have been averted.

Sialidase and malignancy: a minireview

Aberrant sialylation in cancer cells is thought to be a characteristic feature associated with malignant properties including invasiveness and metastatic potential. Sialidase which catalyzes the removal of sialic acid residues from glycoproteins and glycolipids, has been suggested to play important roles in many biological processes through regulation of cellular sialic acid contents. The altered expression of sialidase observed in cancer would, therefore, suggest its involvement in the malignant process. In mammalian cells, three types of sialidase cloned and characterized to date were found to behave in different manners during carcinogenesis. Recent progress in molecular cloning of these sialidases has facilitated elucidation of the molecular mechanisms and significance of these alterations. Herein we briefly describe our own studies on sialidase changes associated with malignant transformation and summarize the topic from both a retrospective and a prospective viewpoint. Sialidases are indeed closely related to malignancy and are thus potential targets for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Isoproterenol produces a rapid increase in sialidase activity in rat heart tissue and cardiomyocyte-derived H9c2 cells in culture

The effects of isoproterenol on sialidase activity in rat cardiomyocytes were examined. Administration of isoproterenol to rats (0.2 or 2 mg/kg body weight) produced an increase in sialidase activity in total membrane fraction of heart tissue within 120 min (121+/-13% of the control at 120 min after administration of 0.2 mg isoproterenol/kg, n=5, P<0.05). Sialidase activity in cardiomyocyte-derived H9c2 cells was also increased by treatment with isoproterenol (10 microM) for 60 min. The effect of isoproterenol on sialidase activity was amplified by the addition of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). Sialidase activity in H9c2 cells was elevated by treatment with dibutyryl cAMP plus IBMX without isoproterenol. The content of N-acetylneuraminic acid in cells decreased by 22% after treatment with isoproterenol plus IBMX. These results suggest that sialidase activity in rat cardiomyocytes is regulated by beta-adrenergic stimulators via a cAMP-dependent process. The increased activity of sialidase may account for the reduction of sialic acid content of cells.

Decrease in cell surface sialic acid in etoposide-treated Jurkat cells and the role of cell surface sialidase

The present study investigated the mechanism underlying alterations of cell surface sugar chains of Jurkat cells by inducing apoptosis with etoposide, an inhibitor of topoisomerase II. Within 3 h of etoposide treatment, flowcytometric analysis revealed a decrease in Maackia amurensis agglutinin recognized alpha2,3-linked sialic acid moieties and an increase in Ricinus communis agglutinin recognized galactose. The results suggested that asialo-sugar chains on glycoconjugates were rapidly induced on the etoposide-treated cell surface. To clarify the desialylation mechanism, we studied alpha2,3-sialyltransferase mRNA expression and the activity of sialidase on the cell surface during etoposide-induced apoptosis. The expression of hST3Gal III and hST3Gal IV mRNAs were down-regulated and sialidase activity on the cell surface increased threefold within 2 h of etoposide treatment. Moreover, the decrease in alpha2,3-linked sialic acid levels was significantly suppressed in the presence of 2,3-dehydro-2-deoxy-N-acetylneuraminic acid, an inhibitor of sialidase. These results suggested that activation or exposure of sialidase on the cell surface was induced by etoposide treatment and was the main cause of the decrease in sialic acids.

Initial characterization of human thymocyte sialidase activity: evidence that this enzymatic system is not altered during the course of T-cell maturation

1. The sialidase activity of human thymocyte was examined by a fluorogenic assay. 2. These studies revealed that human thymocyte sialidase activity is essentially acid-active and membrane-bound since 59.6% and 33% of the total activity was recovered in the lysosome-enriched and microsomal fractions, respectively. 3. A weak activity was also detected in the cytosolic fraction. 4. However, the acidic optimum pH of this soluble sialidase was at variance with the general concept of mammalian soluble sialidases which are known to be optimally active at more neutral pH. 5. This acidic soluble sialidase seems to be a general characteristic of the human T-cell lineage since examination of mature circulating T-cells revealed that they contain a soluble sialidase activity similar to that observed in thymocytes. 6. Analysis of mature and immature thymocyte subpopulation obtained by differential PNA agglutination indicated that this enzymatic system was not altered during the course of thymic maturation. 7. These results suggest that unlike in T-cell activation where changes in the level of sialidase activity were shown to influence the extent of cell surface sialylation and thereby the cell physiology, this enzymatic system seems not to be involved in the fluctuation of cell surface sialic acid content observed during thymic maturation.

Mobilization of sialidase from intracellular stores to the surface of human neutrophils and its role in stimulated adhesion responses of these cells

Desialation of cell surfaces has been associated with the initiation or modification of diverse cellular functions. In these studies we have examined the subcellular distribution of sialidase (SE) in human neutrophils as well as the mobilization of this enzyme following neutrophil activation. Separation of subcellular fractions by density gradient centrifugation showed that SE is present not only in neutrophil primary and secondary granule populations, like lysozyme, but also in plasma membrane fractions. Neutrophil activation was associated with a redistribution of SE from secondary granule-enriched fractions to the plasma membrane. Furthermore, SE activity detected on the surface of intact neutrophils with a fluorescent SE substrate increased rapidly after activation with kinetics that matched both the loss of total cell-associated sialic acid and release of free sialic acid from the cells. These activation-dependent events were in each case blocked by incubation of neutrophils with the SE inhibitor, 2-deoxy-N-acetyl-neuraminic acid. Aggregation responses of neutrophils as well as adhesion responses to nylon and plastic surfaces were also inhibited by 2-deoxyNANA. Our findings indicate that the activation-dependent desialation of the neutrophil surface is associated with mobilization of an endogenous SE to the plasma membrane and has a role in stimulated adhesion responses of these cells.

An acidic glycosphingolipid, monosialo-ganglioside GM3, is a potent physiological inducer for monocytic differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60 cells

A remarkable increase in monosialo-ganglioside GM3 was observed during the monocytic differentiation of HL-60 cells induced by 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate(TPA). On the other hand, when the cells were cultured with exogenously-added ganglioside GM3 in serum-free conditions, their differentiation along a monocytic lineage was demonstrated with simultaneous complete growth inhibition. Other gangliosides such as ganglioside GM1 showed no effects on cell differentiation, exhibiting instead stimulatory actions on the cell growth. These results indicate that a physiologically-existent, membranous ganglioside GM3, which specifically increases during monocytic cell differentiation, might play a primary role as a trigger in the monocytic cell differentiation.

Enhancement of colony-stimulating-factor--dependent clonal growth of murine macrophage progenitors and their phagocytic activity by retinoic acid

The effect of retinoic acid (RA) on the colony-stimulating-factor-dependent clonal growth of myeloid progenitors was assessed in semisolid agar cultures of mouse bone marrow cells using L-cell-conditioned medium that gave rise to macrophage colonies, granulocyte colonies, and mixed macrophage-granulocyte colonies and clusters. RA was found to enhance the overall formation of myeloid colonies (about 50%) and clusters in 7-day cultures. The increase was due to an enhanced formation of macrophage colonies (70-250%) and clusters which reached a maximal value at about 3 microM RA. In 4-day cultures, the effect of RA on macrophage colony formation was biphasic with a maximal enhancement at 10 nM. RA suppressed granulocyte-colony formation in 4-day cultures. RA increased the phagocytic activity of bone-marrow-derived macrophages at all stages of differentiation and/or maturation in culture. The Fc-receptor-mediated erythrophagocytosis as well as the phagocytosis of heat-killed yeast cells (HK-yeast) and starch particles increased by RA treatment in a dose-dependent manner, reaching an increase of 100-200% of the activity expressed in the absence of RA. Peritoneal exudate macrophages likewise exhibited an increased phagocytic response to a variety of particles, at both physiological and pharmacological concentrations of RA. Expression of an RA-mediated increase in phagocytic activity required a prolonged incubation with RA (greater than 19 hr). The data suggest that RA may be of physiological relevance in the regulation of proliferation and function of hemopoietic cells. Therapeutic doses of RA may potentiate macrophage proliferation and function, elements that are crucial at all phases of the various defense mechanisms that the organism possesses.

Cytostasis of tumor cell lines by promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL60 differentiated to granulocyte lineage

The human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL60, when cultured in medium containing dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), stopped dividing and differentiated into cells with granulocyte characteristics. We found that differentiated HL60 cells have no detectable cytolytic activity against cultured human bladder cell line (T24 cell), as measured by release of (3H) thymidine, or against K562 cells, as measured by release of chromium-51. Differentiated HL60 cells inhibited incorporation of (3H) thymidine into the DNA of adherent T24 cells. Decreased incorporation was not caused by detachment of the target T24 cells from the culture wells. The degree of cytostasis was dependent on the E/T ratio, with a 70%-80% inhibition usually reached at the E/T ratio of 200:1. A wide variety of target cells was also shown to be sensitive to differentiated HL60 cell-mediated cytostasis.

Glycosidases in normal and regenerating chicken liver, hepatoma Mc-29, Rous sarcoma, in turkey poult liver and hemocytoblastomes, provoked by the leukosis virus strain Mc-31

Four glycosidases (beta-galactosidase, alpha-mannosidase, alpha-fucosidase and beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase) were studied in chicken normal and regenerating liver, in turkey poult liver and in virus induced avian tumors--chicken hepatoma (strain Mc-29), Rous sarcoma (strain Schmidt-Ruppin) and turkey poult hemocytoblastoma nodules (strain Mc-31). The multiple forms of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase were assayed as well. A particular enzyme pattern was found in the tumor lines under investigation. A characteristic property of hepatoma cells was the elevation of beta-galactosidase activity and of the former enzyme and that of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase for the hemocytoblastoma. In Rous sarcoma the glycosidase activities (except that of alpha-fucosidase) were much lower, compared to the other two solid tumors. All enzyme activities were compared with those in the normal liver of the corresponding avian species, and with the liver of tumor bearing fowls and with regenerating chicken liver. Unlike the rat liver in the avian normal and tumor tissues the percentual ratio between the multiple forms A and B of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase was found to be 30:70%.

Regeneration of membrane sialic acid after neuraminidase treatment of leukemic granulocytes

Granulocytes from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) were studied for their ability to regenerate surface sialic acid following treatment with Vibrio cholera neuraminidase (VCN) in vitro. Immediately after neuraminidase treatment, CML and normal granulocytes showed similar incorporation of radioactivity after surface labelling with sodium periodate/potassium-H3-borohydride (PI/BH3(4)). CML granulocytes treated with neuraminidase then incubated for 18 h in nutrient medium showed strikingly increased PI/BH3(4) labelling, usually greater than initial pretreatment values, consistent with a rapid reappearance of sialic acid in the cell membrane. This pattern was not seen in normal granulocytes. The aberrant regeneration of sialic acid in CML granulocytes in vitro could be inhibited by addition of 3 X 10(-6) M retinoic acid, suggesting either a direct effect on membrane glycoconjugate synthesis or an association with granulocyte differentiation.

Effect of retinoic acid on the proliferation and phagocytic capability of murine macrophage-like cell lines

Retinoic acid (RA) exerted a variable degree of growth inhibitory activity on the macrophage-like cell lines P388D1, J774.2, WEHI-265, WEHI-3, and PU-5. Comparison of cell proliferation and clonal growth suggests that at concentrations of 10(-9)-10(-6) M the inhibitory activity stems from processes leading to elongation of cell cycle time and not from terminal differentiation processes. RA was shown to be a potent inducer of the development of high-phagocytic phenotypes (assessed by phagocytosis of heat-killed yeast cells) in the P388D1, J774.2, and WEHI-265 cell lines which differ substantially in their proliferative and adherence characteristics. The PU-5 and WEHI-3 cell lines were not induced by RA to express an enhanced phagocytic activity toward heat-killed yeast cells. The augmented phagocytic capability was dose dependent over a wide range of RA concentrations. In P388D1 cells, 2 X 10(-12) M RA already exerted significant phagocytosis augmentation effects, which progressively increased up to 2 X 10(-5) M RA, the highest concentration tested. Retinal, retinyl acetate, and retinol had similar effects to those of RA on both cell adherence and phagocytosis in P388D1 cells, albeit at concentrations four to six orders of magnitude higher. Optimal development of the high-phagocytic phenotype in P388D1, J774.2, and WEHI-265 cells required at least 96 hr of culture in the presence of RA; at 48 hr and 23 hr the effects were already substantial, whereas at 4 hr of exposure to RA no significant enhancement of phagocytosis could be detected. Thus both extended periods of culture in the presence of RA (more than two to three cell cycles) and high concentrations were needed for induction, in more than 90% of the cells, of the expression of a high-phagocytic phenotype. The reversion to a low-phagocytic phenotype upon removal of RA was also rather slow and required several cell cycles. In P388D1 cells RA also enhanced the phagocytosis of latex beads but had no effect on the phagocytosis of starch particles, or the extent of binding of immunoglobulin G-coated sheep red blood cells (SRBC). The expression of receptors for concanavalin A and for nonopsonized SRBC remarkably increased in RA-treated cells, as was the ability to perform Fc-receptor mediated erythrophagocytosis. Both P388D1 cells and WEHI-265 cells were induced by RA to express nitroblue tetrazolium reducing activity. The data suggest that RA induces profound changes in the functional capabilities of macrophage-like cell lines which are apparently not dependent on cessation of growth and terminal differentiation processes.

Isolation and characterization of an oligosaccharide- and glycoprotein-specific sialidase from human leucocytes

A sialidase was solubilized with the aid of Triton X-100 from the insoluble material of a leucocyte homogenate. The enzyme was purified almost to homogeneity by chromatography on Sephadex G-75, equine submandibular gland mucin bound to Sepharose 4B and on Sephacryl S-200. The purification factor was 40 based on an increase of the specific enzyme activity from the Triton X-100 extract (pure enzyme: 40 mU/mg protein). Isolation of the active enzyme required the presence of a proteinase inhibitor. The sialidase is monomeric and has an average molecular mass of 48500 Da, a pH optimum of 4.6, hydrolyses preferably glycoprotein (fetuin) and sialyllactose, is activated by Ca2 and inhibited by N-acetyl-2,3-dehydro-2- deoxyneuraminic acid ( Neu5Ac2en ), Hg2 and N-(4-nitrophenyl) oxamic acid. The relatively stable enzyme shows only low activity with gangliosides and no activity with 4-O-acetylated sialic acid bound glycosidically.

Functional maturation of membrane potential changes and superoxide-producing capacity during differentiation of human granulocytes

The alterations of stimulus-induced membrane potential changes, superoxide (O2-)-producing capacity and phagocytic activity during differentiation of human granulocytes were investigated in the human leukemia cell lines HL-60 and KG-1 differentiating in vitro and in human leukemic granulocytes obtained from chronic myelogenous leukemia patients. HL-60 cells incubated with dimethyl sulfoxide or with retinoic acid showed progressively increasing O2- production as well as membrane potential changes (depolarization) on contact with phorbol myristate acetate or the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, with a concomitant increase in the proportion of mature cells of the granulocytic type. Phagocytosis of latex particles, yeast, and oil droplets appeared 24 h after incubation with dimethyl sulfoxide and anteceded the increment of O2- production and membrane potential changes, both of which appeared concomitantly 3 d after incubation with dimethyl sulfoxide. Similar findings were observed when immature and mature granulocytes obtained from chronic myelogenous leukemia patients were stimulated by phorbol ester, the chemotactic peptide, or calcium ionophore A23187, and the amount of O2- production was parallel to the magnitude of membrane potential changes. HL-60 and KG-1 cells incubated for 1-6 d with phorbol myristate acetate showed neither O2- production nor membrane potential changes on contact with phorbol ester, chemotactic peptide, or A23187, although such cells resembled macrophages morphologically, and their phagocytic activity was significantly increased. O2- production and membrane potential changes in normal granulocytes induced by phorbol ester, chemotactic peptide and A23187 were inhibited by 2-deoxyglucose. These findings indicate that the O2--producing system and the system provoking membrane potential changes may develop concomitantly as human granulocytes mature and differentiate, and that the development of these systems and of phagocytic activity may be independently regulated.

Glycosyltransferase activities and the differentiation of human promyelocytic (HL60) cells by retinoic acid and a phorbol ester

The activities of five glycosyltransferases were measured following the induction of HL60 cells to differentiate to mature myeloid forms or to macrophages by the addition of retinoic acid or a phorbol ester, respectively. Gal-T-II, Fuc-T-I and (NeuAc-T-I) are all increased and Fuc-T-II decreased in activity upon treatment with RA. Gal-T-I and Fuc-T-II are decreased and Gal-T-II increased in activity upon with TPA treatment. The increases in enzyme activities with RA are measurable as early as 1 day but while Fuc-T-I and NeuAc-T-I are fully elevated at 2 days, Gal-T-II shows a biphasic rise with initial elevation by day 2 and a further rise at days 3 to 5. The rises in Gal-T-II are due to increases in the enzyme form present in uninduced cells.