Biosynthesis of calcitonin by a rat medullary thyroid carcinoma cell line

Histological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural features of a rat medullary thyroid carcinoma transfected with a corticotropin-releasing hormone cDNA expression vector

Clonal cell lines producing corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) have been generated by transfection of the W2 rat medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) cell with a CRH-encoding CMV/ SV40 expression vector. Here, we report the morphological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural features of rat tumors derived by implantation of CRH-producing W2CRH-7 cells and compare them with non-CRH-producing W2 MTCs. Both types of tumors grew rapidly and consisted of sheets and nests of pleomorphic cells infiltrating adjacent adipose tissue. Immunohistochemistry revealed CRH in only W2CRH-7 tumors; scattered cells in these tumors also were immunoreactive for chromogranin and for vasoactive intestinal peptide. Otherwise, the two tumor types exhibited similar profiles of various neuroendocrine markers, including neuron-specific enolase, synaptophysin, calcitonin, and somatostatin. Ultrastructurally, the tumors contained abundant dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum, a prominent Golgi apparatus, and numerous lysosomes. Very few secretory granules were noted in the W2 tumors; by contrast, secretory granules, although still not numerous in the majority of W2CRH-7 cells, were more abundant in scattered cells of those tumors. The positive immunostaining for CRH is consistent with the observations of increased plasma CRH and pituitary-adrenal activation induced by these transplanted tumors. This system provides a valuable model for CRH excess mimicking tumoral CRH-dependent Cushing's syndrome in human patients.

Glucocorticoid regulation of amidating enzyme in a neoplastic C-cell line

Posttranslational carboxyl-terminal amidation of many peptides is accomplished by peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase. We have previously demonstrated that glucocorticoids stimulate production of amidated products by the CA-77 rat medullary thyroid carcinoma cell line. The present investigation was undertaken to determine whether amidation enzyme activity changes in parallel. Enzyme activity, similar to that found in other tissues, was readily detected in cell extracts and conditioned cultured medium. Stimulation with the calcitonin secretagogue calcium increased secretion of enzyme activity and lowered cell extract activity. Treatment of cultures with dexamethasone, but no other steroid, decreased by 50-70% the basal amidation enzyme activity secreted. There was no associated change in cellular activity. The decrease in medium activity was partially reversible and steroid-dose dependent. The glucocorticoid-induced change in medium activity was due to a decreased Vm. These experiments demonstrate that the alpha-amidating activity of the CA-77 cells can be hormonally regulated.

Purification of a peptidylglycine alpha-amidating enzyme from transplantable rat medullary thyroid carcinomas

A peptidyl glycine alpha-amidating activity has been isolated from total tissue extracts of rat medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Purification of the activity by ammonium sulfate fractionation, Sephacryl S-300 chromatography, and strong anion-exchange chromatography at pH 6.0 has resolved at least four peaks of activity. The activity associated with peak III has been further purified to apparent homogeneity by strong anion-exchange chromatography at pH 8.0. The purified peak III enzyme has an apparent molecular mass of 75,000 Da as measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The identity of the 75,000-Da band as the alpha-amidating enzyme has been confirmed by recovery of activity from a nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel. The enzyme is catalytically active as a monomer, exhibits a pH optimum between 5.0 and 5.5, and has a turnover number of 300 min-1 for N-dansyl-Tyr-Val-Gly amidation at pH 5.5. The larger size, more acidic pH optimum, and higher specific activity distinguish the purified peak III rat MTC enzyme from the enzymes isolated from bovine and porcine pituitary or from frog skin.

Evidence for precursors of calcitonin/PDN 21 in human milk

Large amounts of immunoreactive PDN-21 (iPDN -21) were found in human milk in concentrations similar to those of immunoreactive calcitonin (iCT): 187 +/- 73 pM (mean +/- S.D.) vs 210 +/- 83 pM. (n = 17). Calcitonin (CT) was immunoextracted from milk by means of CT antibodies coupled to Sepharose 4B, and the extracts were gel-chromatographed on Sephadex G-75 after treatment with 6 M guanidine HCl. iCT and iPDN-21 in the fractions were determined with radioimmunoassay. The main part of iCT eluted as high molecular weight forms and these fractions also contained iPDN-21. Enzymatic cleavage of immunoextracted milk CT by trypsin demonstrated that iPDN-21 could be split apart from the high molecular weight forms and be recovered at the position of synthetic human PDN-21 on gel chromatography. iCT was eluted in the region of monomeric CT and as larger forms. Since PDN-21 constitutes the carboxyterminal of preprocalcitonin, our results indicate that human milk contains precursors of calcitonin.

Large forms of immunoreactive calcitonin in human seminal fluid exhibit PDN-21 immunoreactivity

Semen samples were obtained from 4 healthy males on two occasions. One of the samples was liquefied at room temperature for 20 min while the other was diluted immediately with buffer to suppress proteolysis. A pool of immunoextracted calcitonin from liquefied and diluted samples, respectively, was subjected to gel chromatography in a separate experiment. In lyophilized samples the majority of immunoreactive calcitonin (CT) had an approximate molecular weight (Mr) of 10 kilodaltons (Kd) and immunoreactive PDN-21 was also present in the fractions. In diluted ejaculates CT was composed of larger species as well as the 10 Kd form. PDN-21 was present in fractions containing the 10 Kd form but could not be detected in the peaks of larger molecular weight, probably because of lower sensitivity of the PDN-21 assay compared to the CT assay. Our finding of CT and PDN-21 in the same fractions after immunoextraction with CT antibodies suggests the presence of proforms of CT in human seminal fluid.

Biosynthesis of an asparagine-linked oligosaccharide-containing calcitonin by a rat medullary thyroid carcinoma cell line

Calcitonin contains an amino acid sequence that provides a potential site for glycosylation of the peptide at the asparagine at position 3. Preliminary evidence has suggested that there are glycosylated forms of calcitonin and its precursor, procalcitonin. The CA-77 rat medullary thyroid carcinoma cell line, recently developed to study calcitonin biosynthesis, was used to demonstrate the synthesis of glycosylated forms of this hormone by intact cells. Cultures were incubated in medium containing either [3H]mannose or [35S]methionine. Two species incorporating both labels were specifically immunoprecipitated when cell extracts were treated with calcitonin antibodies. Gel filtration chromatography in 6 M guanidine hydrochloride indicated that one peptide had a molecular weight of 5500, approximately 2000 daltons larger than calcitonin, while the second peptide had a molecular weight of 14 400, the approximate size of procalcitonin. Treatment of the [3H]mannose-labeled cell extract with endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H before immunoprecipitation removed the labeled sugar from the calcitonin species. Microsequence analysis of the radiolabeled immunoreactive 5500-dalton calcitonin species showed methionine at cycle 8 and mannose at cycle 3, suggesting that this peptide is calcitonin containing an N-linked oligosaccharide at Asn-3. These results suggest that in this cell line a minor but significant biosynthetic pathway exists for the production of glycosylated calcitonin from glycosylated procalcitonin.