Glucocorticoids increase the length of the G2 and M phases of the HeLa S3 cell cycle

Prenatal stress and elevated seizure susceptibility: Molecular inheritable changes

Stressful episodes are common during early-life and may have a wide range of negative effects on both physical and mental status of the offspring. In addition to various neurobehavioral complications induced by prenatal stress (PS), seizure is a common complication with no fully explained cause. In this study, the association between PS and seizure susceptibility was reviewed focusing on sex differences and various underlying mechanisms. The role of drugs in the initiation of seizure and the effects of PS on the nervous system that prone the brain for seizure, especially the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, are also discussed in detail by reviewing the papers studying the effect of PS on glutamatergic, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic, and adrenergic systems in the context of seizure and epilepsy. Finally, epigenetic changes in epilepsy are described, and the underlying mechanisms of this change are expanded. As the effects of PS may be life-lasting, it is possible to prevent future psychiatric and behavioral disorders including epilepsy by preventing avoidable PS risk factors.

Modulation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis by Early Life Stress Exposure

Exposure to stress during critical periods in development can have severe long-term consequences, increasing overall risk on psychopathology. One of the key stress response systems mediating these long-term effects of stress is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis; a cascade of central and peripheral events resulting in the release of corticosteroids from the adrenal glands. Activation of the HPA-axis affects brain functioning to ensure a proper behavioral response to the stressor, but stress-induced (mal)adaptation of the HPA-axis' functional maturation may provide a mechanistic basis for the altered stress susceptibility later in life. Development of the HPA-axis and the brain regions involved in its regulation starts prenatally and continues after birth, and is protected by several mechanisms preventing corticosteroid over-exposure to the maturing brain. Nevertheless, early life stress (ELS) exposure has been reported to have numerous consequences on HPA-axis function in adulthood, affecting both its basal and stress-induced activity. According to the match/mismatch theory, encountering ELS prepares an organism for similar ("matching") adversities during adulthood, while a mismatching environment results in an increased susceptibility to psychopathology, indicating that ELS can exert either beneficial or disadvantageous effects depending on the environmental context. Here, we review studies investigating the mechanistic underpinnings of the ELS-induced alterations in the structural and functional development of the HPA-axis and its key external regulators (amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex). The effects of ELS appear highly dependent on the developmental time window affected, the sex of the offspring, and the developmental stage at which effects are assessed. Albeit by distinct mechanisms, ELS induced by prenatal stressors, maternal separation, or the limited nesting model inducing fragmented maternal care, typically results in HPA-axis hyper-reactivity in adulthood, as also found in major depression. This hyper-activity is related to increased corticotrophin-releasing hormone signaling and impaired glucocorticoid receptor-mediated negative feedback. In contrast, initial evidence for HPA-axis hypo-reactivity is observed for early social deprivation, potentially reflecting the abnormal HPA-axis function as observed in post-traumatic stress disorder, and future studies should investigate its neural/neuroendocrine foundation in further detail. Interestingly, experiencing additional (chronic) stress in adulthood seems to normalize these alterations in HPA-axis function, supporting the match/mismatch theory.

CDK2 is involved in the S-phase lengthening induced by glucocorticoids in normal human lymphocytes

Involvement of CDK2 in glucocorticoid-mediated S-phase lengthening was analyzed in this work. Dexamethasone (DXM) treatment of PHA-stimulated lymphocytes induced a decrease in CDK2 mRNA expression without any change in mRNA stability. This glucocorticoid-induced decrease in CDK2 mRNA expression could be suppressed by cycloheximide treatment. These results support the hypothesis of an indirect effect of DXM at the transcriptional level. Furthermore, CDK2 protein expression also decreased while the rate of protein synthesis and stability remained unchanged, suggesting a second post-translational level of regulation with the preferential degradation of a CDK2 protein stock fraction. The analysis of co-precipitated proteins showed that glucocorticoids induced modifications of protein complex composition. We found i) a preservation of the linkage capability of CDK2 for cyclin E and A, ii) a relative increase in p27kip1 linkage, and iii) a decrease in p21waf1 complexed with CDK2. As a consequence of CDK2 decrease and modifications of protein complex composition, pRb and histone H1 kinase activity of CDK2 was profoundly decreased. All these results pinpoint the role of CDK2 in glucocorticoid-induced S-phase lengthening and the potential activator role of p21waf1 for CDK2 in human lymphocytes.

Expression of prolactin receptors and regulation of cell proliferation by prolactin, corticotropin-releasing factor, and corticosterone in a neuroblastoma cell line

The aetiology of neuroblastoma remains obscure, although a number of neuropeptides have been implicated in its pathogenesis. Using the mouse neuroblastoma cell line Neuro2a as a model, we have investigated the mitogenic actions of prolactin (PRL) and two hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal stress axis hormones, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and corticosterone. Using established polyclonal PRL receptor antisera with immunofluorescence cytochemistry, we show that the Neuro2a cells possess immunoreactive forms of both the long and short forms of the receptor. PRL and CRF were effective as mitogens in Neuro2a cell cultures, where a 10(-7) M concentration of PRL or CRF elicited a two-fold increase in the numbers of cells after 72 h (p < 0.0001). Corticosterone, however, attenuated their proliferation. These data suggest that prolactin may act to increase the proliferation and regulation of neuroblastomas and that the effects of PRL may be modified by hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal hormones.

Role of BCL-2 and cell cycle regulatory proteins for corticosensitivity assessment in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Results of treatment in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) remain unsatisfactory because relapses occur even after high-dose chemotherapy. Corticosensitivity is used in numerous therapeutic trials as a prognostic factor for treatment choice. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of cell cycle regulatory protein expression before and during the first 48 h of corticotherapy for predicting corticosensitivity. Fifty-two children presenting with ALL were studied at diagnosis and during the first 48 h of treatment for cell proliferation and apoptosis level by measurement of DNA content, and for expression of several cell proliferation regulatory proteins by means of Western blot. Glucocorticoids induced a significant decrease in the percentage of cells in S-phase and in CDK1, CDK4 and CDK6 expression and an increase in the percentage of cells in subG1 peak. Two criteria for corticosensitivity were used: (i) the number of blast cells after 7 d of treatment with a threshold at 1 x 109/l (usual criterion), (ii) the J8/J1 blast cell ratio, which is independent from initial leucocytosis. Bcl-2 expression at diagnosis was the best predictive variable for the usual corticosensitivity criterion in B- and T-cell ALL. For the second criterion, in B-cell ALL, p21waf1 expression at diagnosis was the sole (albeit poorly) predictive variable, whereas bcl-2 remained of high interest in T-cell ALL. Interestingly, these proteins, bcl-2 and p21waf1, are associated with prolonged cell lifespan and their increased expression is often linked to poor response to cytotoxic drugs. Such preliminary results call for subsequent studies on large independent sets of T-cell and B-cell lineage ALL in order to confirm the J8/J1 blast cell ratio value as well as the role of bcl-2 and p21waf1 expression in predicting corticosensitivity.

p57Kip2, a glucocorticoid-induced inhibitor of cell cycle progression in HeLa cells

Glucocorticoids exert antiproliferative effects on a number of cell types, including the HeLa cervical carcinoma cell line. However, the mechanism responsible for the antiproliferative effect is poorly understood. In this report we have investigated the role of the recently identified cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDI) p57Kip2 in the antiproliferative effect conferred by glucocorticoids. When HeLa cells were treated with the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX), the doubling time of exponentially growing cells increased 2-fold. Within 11 h of DEX treatment, this was accompanied by an accumulation of cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle with a corresponding decreased proportion of cells in the S phase and decreased CDK2 activity. DEX treatment of the HeLa cells dramatically induced the protein and mRNA expression of the CDI p57Kip2. This induction was seen within 4 h of DEX treatment, preceding a major DEX-induced accumulation of cells in the G1 phase. DEX-induced mRNA expression of p57Kip2 did not require de novo protein synthesis, and the transcription of the p57Kip2 gene was increased as determined by a run-on transcription assay. Furthermore, DEX induction of p57Kip2 was not a consequence of the cell cycle arrest, since other growth inhibition signals did not result in strong p57Kip2 induction. Overexpression of p57Kip2 using HeLa cells stably transfected with a tetracycline-inducible vector showed that p57Kip2 is sufficient to reconstitute an antiproliferative effect similar to that seen in DEX-treated cells. Selective p57Kip2 expression by the tetracycline analog doxycycline to levels comparable to those observed on DEX induction resulted in a 1.7-fold increase in the doubling time and a shift of HeLa cells to the G1 phase as well as a decrease in CDK2 activity. Taken together, these results suggest that glucocorticoid treatment directly induces transcription of the p57Kip2 gene and that the p57Kip2 protein is involved in the glucocorticoid-induced antiproliferative effect.

Glucocorticoids induce G1 as well as S-phase lengthening in normal human stimulated lymphocytes: differential effects on cell cycle regulatory proteins

In order to analyze dexamethasone effects on peripheral blood lymphocyte proliferation, we defined various experimental conditions: dexamethasone introduced (i) at the time of phytohemagglutinin stimulation, (ii) 48 h after the beginning of phytohemagglutinin stimulation, and (iii) on unstimulated lymphocytes. In stimulated lymphocytes, we observed an early G1 accumulation (P < 0.005), a delayed increase in the duration of S-phase (P < 0.03), and a consequent increase in cell-cycle duration. The expression of several cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and CDK inhibitors (CKIs) was modified. Cyclin D3, CDK4, and CDK6 involved in G1-phase control were significantly decreased under dexamethasone treatment whatever the level of stimulation of lymphocytes (stimulated or unstimulated PBL). Cyclin E and CDK2, acting in G1/ S-phase transition and S-phase regulation, decreased in stimulated lymphocytes before any modification of S-phase (P < 0.002). The expression of CKIs, mainly of p27Kip1, appeared to vary with the degree of cell stimulation: a decrease was observed on treated unstimulated lymphocytes, while p27Kip1 increased in dexamethasone-treated cells during stimulation. Our results indicate sequential modifications of the cell-cycle regulation by dexamethasone starting with an action on G1 followed by S-phase control modifications. The protein analysis pinpoints the major complexes concerned: CDK4 and CDK6/cyclin D are mainly involved in G1-phase modifications, while CDK2 and its partner, cyclin E, might be specifically involved in the lengthening of S-phase. The variations observed for p27Kip1 might amplify the functional effects of dexamethasone on kinasic complexes.

Distinct ontogeny of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptor and 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase types I and II mRNAs in the fetal rat brain suggest a complex control of glucocorticoid actions

Glucocorticoids (GCs) act via intracellular mineralocorticoid (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR). However, it has recently been recognized that GC access to receptors is determined by the presence of tissue-specific 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (11beta-HSDs) that catalyze the interconversion of active corticosterone and inert 11-dehydrocorticosterone. 11beta-HSD type 1 (11beta-HSD1) is a bidirectional enzyme in vitro that acts predominantly as a reductase (regenerating corticosterone) in intact neurons. In contrast, 11beta-HSD type 2 (11beta-HSD2) is a higher affinity exclusive dehydrogenase that excludes GCs from MR in the kidney, producing aldosterone-selectivity in vivo. We have examined the ontogeny of 11beta-HSD mRNAs and enzyme activity during prenatal brain development and correlated this with GR and MR mRNA development. These data reveal that (1) 11beta-HSD2 mRNA is highly expressed in all CNS regions during midgestation, but expression is dramatically reduced during the third trimester except in the thalamus and cerebellum; (2) 11beta-HSD2-like activity parallels closely the pattern of mRNA expression; (3) 11beta-HSD1 mRNA is absent from the CNS until the the third trimester, and activity is low or undectectable; and (4) GR mRNA is highly expressed throughout the brain from midgestation, but MR gene expression is absent until the last few days of gestation. High 11beta-HSD2 at midgestation may protect the developing brain from activation of GR by GCs. Late in gestation, repression of 11beta-HSD2 gene expression may allow increasing GC activation of GR and MR, permitting key GC-dependent neuronal and glial maturational events.

Effect of increased glucocorticoid responsiveness in transformed mouse lung cells

Many transformed mouse lung cells, including LM2 cells, contain activating mutations in the Ki-ras gene and show reduced responsiveness to growth inhibition by glucocorticoids. LM2GR cells, which are LM2 cells stably transfected with a rat glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene, were used to determine whether increasing glucocorticoid responsiveness can influence aspects of the transformed phenotype. LM2GR cells grew slower and had a lower final saturation density than the parental LM2 cells. Expression of growth-related genes was examined by northern blot analysis. The cells were serum-deprived and treated with fetal bovine serum (FBS), steroid-stripped FBS (ssFBS), dexamethasone, or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. The level and pattern of Ki-ras mRNA expression was similar in both LM2 and LM2GR cells, but histone H4 mRNA was expressed in a more regulated fashion in LM2GR cells. The induction of c-jun and c-fos mRNA expression lasted longer in the LM2GR cells treated with ssFBS; however, the maximal induction was greater in the LM2 cells treated with FBS. LM2GR cells demonstrated similar activator protein-1 (AP-1) activity but higher GR activity than LM2 cells as determined by using AP-1-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) and mouse mammary tumor virus-CAT transient transfection assays, consistent with the higher level of GR mRNA in LM2GR cells. Both cell lines exhibited the ability to grow in soft agar and to form tumors in nude mice. These results indicate that introduction of a functional GR transgene into LM2 cells can increase glucocorticoid responsiveness and alter the expression of genes involved in growth regulation but cannot overcome anchorage-independent cell growth or tumorigenicity, apparently because of the presence of an activated Ki-ras gene.

Adult neurogenesis is regulated by adrenal steroids in the dentate gyrus

The dentate gyrus of the rat produces new granule neurons well into adulthood. In the adult, newly born granule neurons migrate from the hilus to the granule cell layer, receive synaptic input, extend axons into the mossy fiber pathway, and express a neuronal marker. No previous studies have identified factors that regulate neuronal birth in the adult dentate gyrus. In order to determine whether glucocorticoids control neurogenesis in the adult dentate gyrus, the effects of adrenal steroid manipulations on neuronal birth were assessed using [3H]thymidine autoradiography and immunohistochemistry for the neuronal marker neuron specific enolase. Acute treatment with corticosterone produced a significant decrease in the density of [3H]thymidine-labeled cells in the hilus of the dentate gyrus. In contrast, removal of endogenous adrenal steroids stimulated increased neuronal birth; adrenalectomy resulted in a significant increase in the number of neuron specific enolase-immunoreactive [3H]thymidine labeled cells in the granule cell layer compared to sham operation. Replacement of corticosterone to adrenalectomized rats after [3H]thymidine injection did not substantially alter the increase in neurogenesis observed following adrenalectomy, even though this replacement protects cells from adrenalectomy-induced cell death. These results indicate that the rate of neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of the adult rat is dependent upon the levels of circulating adrenal steroids.

Role played by vasopressin (and of an adrenalpostpituitary imbalance) in the development of cancerous diseases

Several authors have demonstrated that vasopressin (VP) plays a role in the metabolism of various cell lines, cancerous or not, and in particular acts upon the growth and the multiplication of cell cultures. Less known are the data concerning the existence of an adrenal-postpituitary imbalance in favour of VP in cancerous patients. Seeing that adreno-cortical hormones (ACH) are able to exert an inhibiting action on cell multiplication in vitor, a similar effect being very moderate or even absent in vivo, one can see the advantage of taking such effects into account. They allowed us to explain the discrepancy between the in vivo and in vitro effects of ACH, since VP is able to counteract the expected effects of ACH. A model, first empirical, then mathematical, of the so-called adrenal-postpituitary system, was proposed for this purpose. It enables us to propose some hypotheses in the fight to escape the action of ACH in cancer. Paradoxically, it seems that a bipolar therapy, using ACH and VP, would be useful in reaching this goal.

Adrenal steroids regulate postnatal development of the rat dentate gyrus: II. Effects of glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids on cell birth

Unlike the majority of mammalian brain regions, the rat dentate gyrus undergoes maximal cell birth and cell death during the same developmental time period. Granule cell birth and death peak at the end of the first postnatal week. We have found that manipulations of glucocorticoid levels during the stress hyporesponsive period profoundly influence the density of pyknotic cells in the dentate gyrus while apparently not affecting the density of healthy cells. This raises the possibility that glucocorticoids are regulating processes in addition to cell death, i.e., cell birth. In order to determine whether increases in circulating glucocorticoids or mineralocorticoids affect the birth of cells in the developing dentate gyrus, 3H-thymidine autoradiography was performed on brains of rat pups treated with either corticosterone or aldosterone during the first postnatal week. Quantitative analysis of 3H-thymidine-labelled cells revealed significant decreases in the density of labelled cells in the granule cell layers with both corticosterone and aldosterone treatment. In these same brains, significant decreases in the density of pyknotic cells were also observed in the granule cell layers. However, no changes in the numbers of 3H-thymidine-labelled pyknotic cells were observed with any treatment. Increases in circulating corticosterone or aldosterone resulted in significant increases in the density of both 3H-thymidine-labelled and pyknotic cells in the hilus. These results suggest that dentate gyrus cell birth and cell death are related and that these processes are regulated by adrenal steroids.

Dexamethasone inhibition of rat hepatoma cell growth and cell cycle traverse is reversed by insulin

(1) The growth of 7800 C1 Morris hepatoma cells was inhibited by dexamethasone. The inhibition was detectable at 1 nM and half-maximal effect was obtained with approx. 13 nM dexamethasone. About 80% growth inhibition was obtained with 250 nM of the hormone and the growth rate was normalized on cessation of treatment. (2) These hepatoma cells contain dexamethasone receptors with equilibrium dissociation constant of 0.24 nM and a capacity of 24 fmol/mg cell protein. Treatment of the cells with insulin did not change these dexamethasone binding properties. Binding experiments showed that 2, 10 and 100% of the receptors were occupied when the cells were incubated with 1 nM, 7 nM and 250 nM dexamethasone, respectively. (3) Insulin completely counteracted the growth inhibition by dexamethasone and antagonized the induction of peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase and tyrosine aminotransferase caused by the glucocorticoid. (4) Micro-flow fluorometry showed that the cultures had a major diploid DNA stem line and a minor tetraploid stem line. Changes in diploid, tetraploid and S phase cells of the diploid stem line were scored. Dexamethasone reduced the proportion of cells in S phase and of tetraploid cells. Insulin partly reversed the action of dexamethasone in S phase, but prevented the reduction in tetraploid cells caused by dexamethasone. (5) The mitotic rate was significantly reduced by dexamethasone and this effect was reversed by insulin. (6) Continuous [3H]methyl-thymidine labelling showed a growth fraction of unity in all treatment groups. (7) It is concluded that dexamethasone induces growth inhibition by reducing the G1-S transition. Insulin is able to counteract this effect and increase the rate of DNA synthesis.

Enhanced brain cell proliferation following early adrenalectomy in rats

We have previously demonstrated an increase in adult brain DNA content in rats adrenalectomized on postnatal day 11. The present studies examined cell proliferation in cerebral cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus, and midbrain-diencephalon following adrenalectomy at this age. Compared to sham-operated controls, adrenalectomized animals showed increased [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA (measured at 1 h following a pulse injection) in all brain regions at 7 and 14 days postsurgery. In some areas, the effect was already present as early as 2 days following adrenalectomy. Chronic replacement with corticosterone prevented this increase in DNA labelling in a dose-dependent manner. When cell proliferation in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum was independently assessed by measuring changes in thymidine kinase activity, enzyme activity was significantly elevated in both areas at 7 and 14 days postsurgery. Finally, histological examination of the cerebellar cortex suggested a delayed disappearance of the external granular layer in several cerebellar lobules of adrenalectomized animals. Overall, these findings indicate that day-11 adrenalectomy leads to a prolonged stimulation of mitotic activity in areas where cell formation at this time is exclusively glial (i.e., cerebral cortex and mid-brain-diencephalon) as well as in areas where postnatal neurogenesis is also occurring (cerebellum and hippocampus). It is hypothesized that this stimulation results from the removal of a tonic inhibitory effect exerted by circulating glucocorticoids in the normal intact animal.

Action of cortisol on the proliferation of rainbow trout fibroblasts

The effect of cortisol on the proliferation of the rainbow trout fibroblast cell line, RTG-2, was examined in synchronous and asynchronous cultures. When the transition from G1 to S was synchronized by restoring serum to serum-deprived cultures, the addition of cortisol at the time of serum restoration delayed the entry of cells into S phase. However, if cortisol was added 24 h after serum restoration, at the G1/S transition point, the subsequent peak of DNA synthesis was unaffected. In asynchronous cultures cortisol inhibited [3H]-thymidine and [3H]-uridine but not [3H]-leucine incorporation into acid-insoluble material. If the exogenous nucleoside concentration was raised, [3H]-thymidine but not [3H]-uridine incorporation continued to be inhibited by cortisol. This suggested that cortisol's effect on [3H]-thymidine incorporation reflected a change in entry into S phase and not just on thymidine uptake and metabolism. Cortisol inhibited the proliferation of RTG-2 in asynchronous cultures. At 1000 ng/ml of cortisol a reduction in cell number became apparent before the RTG-2 cultures were confluent, whereas at 100 ng/ml the reduction only became evident in confluent cultures. The synthetic antiglucocorticoid, RU 486, which acts at the level of the corticosteroid receptor, blocked the growth inhibition by cortisol. These results suggest that cortisol regulates rainbow trout fibroblast proliferation via the corticosteroid receptor and that the G1/S transition is one point at which this regulation occurs.