Induction of alkaline phosphatase activity by dibutyryl adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate in aneuploid rat liver cells

Mitochondrial alkaline phosphatase as an intracellular signal in the synthesis of 1,25(OH)2D3 and 24,25(OH)2D3 in LLC-PK1 cells

In previous works we have found a mitochondrial alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity in LLC-PK1. The aim of this work has been to study the possible involvement of mitochondrial AP activity in the synthesis of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (24,25(OH)2D3) from the substrate 25(OH)D3. Renal phenotype LLC-PK1 cells were incubated with 25(OH)D3 as substrate and treated with or without 1,25(OH)2D3, forskolin, 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) and 1,25(OH)2D3 in conjunction with PMA. Incubation of LLC-PK1 cells with forskolin (adenylate cyclase activator) not only stimulated the 1-hydroxylase and inhibited the 24-hydroxylase activities but also increased the mitochondrial AP activity. The addition of 1,25(OH)2D3, the main activator of 24-hydroxylase, produced a decrease of mitochondrial AP activity, a decrease of 1,25(OH)2D3 synthesis and an increase of the 24,25(OH)2D3 synthesis. Incubation with PMA, a potent activator of protein kinase C, did not produce any changes in mitochondrial AP activity, but an inhibition of 1,25(OH)2D3 and an activation of 24,25(OH)2D3 synthesis were found. Moreover, incubation of LLC-PK1 cells with PMA in conjunction with 1,25(OH)2D3 produced an additive effect in the decrease of 1,25(OH)2D3 and an increase of 24,25(OH)2D3 synthesis remaining mitochondrial AP activity as cells treated only with 1,25(OH)2D3. Our results suggest that mitochondrial AP activity could be involved as an intracellular signal in the regulation of 25(OH)D3 metabolism to the synthesis of 1,25(OH)2D3 and 24,25(OH)2D3 in renal phenotype LLC-PK1 cells through cAMP protein kinase system.

Differentiation of Dunn osteosarcoma cells in response to dibutyryl cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate

We investigated the effects of dibutyryl cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (Bt2cAMP) on the differentiation of Dunn osteosarcoma cells. Flow-cytometric analysis and DNA synthesis assay showed that Bt2cAMP decreased the cell population in the S phase in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Also, the cells showed distinct morphological and functional alterations; the cell morphology changed to a fibroblast-like appearance with long and thin protoplasmic processes, the knobs or blebs on both the cell membrane and nuclear membrane disappeared and the intracellular alkaline phosphatase activity increased. Moreover, Bt2cAMP-treated cells secreted a large quantity of fibronectin, which was deposited on the extended cell surface in the culture medium. Thus, Dunn osteosarcoma cells are differentiated morphologically and functionally by Bt2cAMP, and might be transformed to benign precursor cells.

Inhibitory effect of dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate on the induction of alkaline phosphatase in human fetal liver cell line

When human fetal liver cells (HuL-1-317), cultured continuously in a serum-free medium, were incubated with a combination of prednisolone, butyrate and a hypertonic concentration of NaCl at 37 degrees C, alkaline phosphatase activity increased. However, the addition of dibutyryl adenosine cyclic monophosphate (Bt2cAMP) to these agents inhibited the increase in alkaline phosphatase activity in a dose-dependent manner: the inhibitory effect of Bt2cAMP was significant at 0.05 mM, but disappeared at 0.01 mM. Both cycloheximide and actinomycin D inhibited the increase in alkaline phosphatase activity with the combination described above. Western blotting showed that this enzyme activity increase was a consequence of greater biosynthesis of enzyme molecules in HuL-1-317 cells, and that Bt2cAMP regulated the synthesis of enzyme molecules. We conclude that the changes in alkaline phosphatase activity under various conditions are based on the changes in the number of enzyme molecules in HuL-1-317 cells.

Induction of alkaline phosphatase activity by synergistic action of dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate, prednisolone, butyrate and sodium chloride in cultured cells

Human urinary bladder carcinoma cells (JTC-32) retain a low alkaline phosphatase activity. Prednisolone or a hypertonic concentration of NaCl caused a moderate increase in the activity (10- to 15-fold of control), but dibutyryl cAMP or butyrate did not. Examination of the combined effect of these four agents revealed that they acted synergistically in any combination. When the cells were incubated with the four agents together, the enzyme activity increased 60- to 250-fold. Serum also contributed to this synergistic increase. These agents slightly inhibited cell growth and protein synthesis. The enzyme induction was completely inhibited by cycloheximide or actinomycin D. The synergistic effect of the four agents on the enzyme activity was also observed in other strains of carcinoma cells, human urinary bladder carcinoma cells (JTC-30) and monkey hepatocarcinoma cells (NCLP-6E). Thus, it is concluded that the coexistence of the four agents provides general and superior conditions for the induction of alkaline phosphatase in cultured carcinoma cells.

Regulation of alkaline phosphatase activity in rat hepatoma cells. Effects of serum proteins, cycloheximide, actinomycin D, chloroquine, dinitrophenol and potassium cyanide

Alkaline phosphatase activity in rat hepatoma cells (R-Y121B) cultured in a monolayer at 0.5% serum was enhanced by serum, bovine serum albumin, casein and gamma-globulin, but ovalbumin, polyvinylpyrrolidone, dexamethasone, insulin and dibutyrylcyclic AMP showed little effect on alkaline phosphatase activity. In addition, cycloheximide, actinomycin D, chloroquine, dinitrophenol and potassium cyanide also increased the enzyme activity, although the incorporation of [14C]leucine into cellular proteins was almost completely inhibited in the presence of these cytotoxic substances. When R-Y121B cell homogenates were incubated at 37 degrees C, alkaline phosphatase activity increased in a pH-dependent manner: the maximal increase was observed at pH 7.1. The magnitudes of the increase differed among cell homogenates and a 4- to 10-fold increase was observed. Alkaline phosphatase in R-Y121B cells was apparently heat-stable, but that in the cells obtained from various treatments was heat labile and the latter activity decreased to less than 50% of the initial activity after 15 min of incubation at 56 degrees C. Alkaline phosphatase in the control and also in the treated cells was more sensitive to L-homoarginine than L-phenylalanine. The Lineweaver-Burk plot showed that the increases in the enzyme activity were accompanied by changes not only in V but also in Km for alkaline phosphatase reaction. Finally, it has been suggested that the increases in alkaline phosphatase activity under various conditions are due to the conversion of the molecule with a low enzyme activity to the molecule with a high enzyme activity in R-Y121B cells.

Stimulation of alkaline phosphatase activity in cultured neonatal mouse calvarial bone cells by parathyroid hormone

The effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on alkaline phosphatase activity was examined in confluent, serum-free primary cultures of neonatal mouse calvarial cells. It was found that synthetic bPTH-(1-34) caused an increase in the specific activity of skeletal alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme by 18 hours. Between 10 and 500 ng/ml, the magnitude of the change was directly related to peptide concentration. The change occurred in the absence of any effect on cell number, total cell protein, or DNA and was not the result of an effect on either proliferation or survival of a specific cell population. Results of histochemical studies indicate that bPTH-(1-34) caused an increase in the proportion of cells containing enzyme activity. The response was duplicated by intact bPTH-(1-84) and DBcAMP, but not by oxidized bPTH-(1-34) or insulin and did not require prostaglandin synthesis or hydroxylation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. These results demonstrate that bPTH has a direct effect on osteoblast maturation in vitro, that the effect is specific for PTH, and suggest that it is mediated by cAMP.

Observation of cytochemical alkaline phosphatase activity on the plasma membrane of cultured rat hepatocytes by backscattered electron imaging

Distribution of alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) activity on the plasma membrane of rat hepatocytes in primary monolayer culture was observed using the backscattered electron image (BEI) mode. Apparent reaction product was seen in hepatocytes cultured for 48 or 72 hours in a concentration of 8 X 10(5) cells per ml, and those cultured for 72 or 96 hours in a concentration of 6 or 4 X 10(5) cells per ml. The reaction product was observed as scattered fine dots, as spots, and as bands along the cell edge, with high contrast in flattened polyhedral hepatocytes forming cell trabeculae. The deposition of the reaction product was generally more abundant at the periphery of the cell trabeculae. X-ray microanalysis revealed that the reaction product contains both lead and phosphorus as real ALPase reaction product. In transmission electron microscopy, the reaction product was exclusively localized on the external surface of the plasma membrane. However, the plasma membrane adjoining the culture substratum was devoid of the reaction product. Further, the highest biochemical ALPase activity appeared in earlier culture stages when the density of cultured cells was larger. Thus, during a few days of culture, ALPase activity increases on the plasma membrane predominantly at the periphery of the hepatocyte trabeculae. This increase in the activity might be related to the mechanism of preserving the cell shape.

The enhanced production of hyaluronic acid by cultured rat fibroblast cells treated with cyclic AMP and its dibutyryl derivative

Cells of a newly established rat fibroblast line (SEN) in culture synthesize mucopolysaccharides, which have been identified as hyaluronic acid, chondroitin-4-sulfate and heparan sulfate. Treatment of the cells with adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate resulted in a marked stimulation of production of hyaluronic acid, but not of the other mucopolysaccharides. Treated cells also showed increased activity of hyaluronic acid synthetase, a reduction in growth rate, and morphological alteration. In addition, 5-bromodeoxyuridine was found to counteract greatly the cyclic AMP effect.

Isolation and characterization of alkaline phosphatase-constitutive variants from Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-k1)

Pure clones with high alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity were isolated from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells which showed no detectable ALP activity. ALP-positive cells appeared at the frequency of 10(-4) in the N-methyl-N'-nitrosoguanidine-treated cell population. With respect for cellular morphology, plating efficiency and several other enzymatic activities, no distinct difference was found between the original CHO-K1 cells and its ALP-positive variants, although some alterations in karyotype were found. Levels of ALP activity in these clones was stably maintained during serial cultivation. Some of the enzymological properties of ALP in the isolated clones were similar to those in bone or kidney.