Insulin-mediated alterations in S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase expression in H-ras transformed cells of varying degrees of malignancy

HSG cells differentiated by culture on extracellular matrix involves induction of S-adenosylmethione decarboxylase and ornithine decarboxylase

The human salivary gland (HSG) epithelial cell line can differentiate when cultured on extracellular matrix preparations. We previously identified >30 genes upregulated by adhesion of HSG cells to extracellular matrix. In the current studies, we examined the role of one of these genes, the polyamine pathway biosynthetic enzyme S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAM-DC) and the related enzyme, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), on HSG cell differentiation during culture on extracellular matrix. HSG cells cultured on fibronectin-, collagen I gel-, and Matrigel-coated substrates for 12-24 h upregulated SAM-DC and ODC mRNA expression and enzyme activity compared to cells cultured on non-precoated substrates. After 3-5 days, HSG cells grown on Matrigel- or collagen I gel-coated substrates acquired a differentiated phenotype: the cells showed changes in culture morphology and increased expression of salivary gland differentiation markers (vimentin, SN-cystatin, and alpha-amylase). Further, culturing the cells on substrates precoated with an anti-beta1-integrin-antibody promoted differentiation-like changes. HSG cells cultured on collagen I- or Matrigel-coated substrates rapidly entered the cell cycle but showed decreased cell proliferation at longer times. In contrast, cell proliferation was enhanced on fibronectin-coated substrates compared to cells on non-precoated substrates. Treatment with the polyamine synthesis inhibitors, difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), and methylglyoxal bis-(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG), inhibited cell proliferation and delayed (3)H-thymidine incorporation in HSG cells cultured on all of the substrates. Further, inclusion of DFMO and MGBG inhibited or delayed acquisition of the differentiated phenotype in HSG cells cultured on Matrigel- or collagen I gel-coated substrates. This suggests that the adhesion-dependent expression of SAM-DC and ODC contributes to extracellular matrix-dependent HSG cell differentiation.

Growth factor-mediated altered expression and regulation of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase in a H-ras transformed cell line capable of malignant progression

Mammalian S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC) is a regulatory activity, which is involved in the biosynthesis of polyamines. The polyamines, namely putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, are essential for mammalian cell proliferation. SAMDC expression was examined in a H-ras transformed cell capable of metastasis formation. Serum stimulation of these cells resulted in increased SAMDC mRNA and enzyme activity expression. The effect of several physiologically relevant growth factors on SAMDC expression was also determined. SAMDC mRNA expression was increased in response to epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) stimulation but was unaffected by transforming growth factor beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)) and platelet derived growth factor (PDGF). Increased SAMDC enzyme activity occurred in response to exposure to EGF, bFGF, TGF-beta(1), and PDGF. The EGF and bFGF mediated alterations in SAMDC mRNA expression were apparently not due to alterations in the transcriptional apparatus but occurred partly through post-transcriptional mechanisms involving increased SAMDC message stability. EGF and bFGF were able both to cooperate with cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, to augment the expression of SAMDC mRNA. Furthermore, studies with NIH-3T3 fibroblasts transfected with either the normal basic fibroblast growth factor coding sequence that lacks a known secretory signal sequence or a chimeric bFGF sequence that targets the growth factor to the secretory pathway revealed that increased SAMDC expression occurred only in those cells which contained the chimeric bFGF sequence that targets the growth factor to the secretory pathway suggesting that the increase in expression of SAMDC occurs through an autocrine mechanism. Increased ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) expression was found to occur in both types of bFGF transfected cells suggesting that altered ODC expression in response to bFGF stimulation may occur through both autocrine and intracrine mechanisms. In addition, a correlation was found to exist between SAMDC expression and regulation in response to growth factor stimulation and malignant potential. This correlation supports the view that growth factor induced alterations in SAMDC expression, although not sufficient on their own to induce metastasis, are important in the promotion and establishment of events important to the phenotype expressed by H-ras transformed cells capable of malignant progression.

Tumour promoter mediated altered expression and regulation of ornithine decarboxylase and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase in H-ras-transformed fibrosarcoma cell lines

Alterations in cellular growth are important in the progression of malignant disease. Cell growth regulation by tumour promoters can be complex. The present study demonstrates a novel link between alterations in phorbol ester tumour promoter mediated regulation during malignant conversion and the expression of ornithine decarboxylase and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, key rate-limiting and regulatory activities in the biosynthesis of polyamines. H-ras-transformed mouse 10 T 1/2 cell lines exhibiting increasing malignant potential were investigated for possible phorbol ester tumour promoter mediated changes in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC) gene expression. Selective induction of ODC and SAMDC gene expression was observed, since in contrast to nontransformed parental 10 T1/2 cells, ras-transformed cells capable of benign tumour formation (NR3 cells) and ras-transformed cells capable of metastasis formation (C2 cells) exhibited marked alterations in the levels of ODC and SAMDC gene expression. Increased ODC gene and SAMDC gene expression in response to phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) treatment was found to involve transcriptional events in both NR3 cells and in C2 cells. Post-transcriptional events also played a role in the regulation of ODC gene expression in NR3 cells and in C2 cells, and in the regulation of SAMDC gene expression in C2 cells but not in NR3 cells. In NR3 cells, alterations in ODC and in SAMDC gene expression was an event requiring de novo protein synthesis, whereas in highly malignant C2 cells, protein synthesis inhibition following cycloheximide treatment in cooperation with PMA resulted in an augmentation of both ODC and SAMDC gene expression. Evidence is presented to suggest that the PMA-mediated alterations in ODC and in SAMDC gene expression in NR3 cells and in C2 cells involved protein kinase C - mediated events. The status of the cellular polyamine levels was also an important determinant of the PMA-mediated alterations that occurred in ODC and in SAMDC expression in these H-ras transformed cells. Collectively, these results suggest that PMA can modulate ODC and SAMDC expression in H-ras transformed cells and that the mechanisms involved in the PMA- mediated regulation of ODC and SAMDC gene expression changes as a function of H-ras mediated cellular transformation and malignant progression. This study further suggests a mechanism of PMA stimulation of transformed cells wherein early alterations in the regulatory control of ODC and SAMDC gene expression are important and critical.Key words: PMA, ornithine decarboxylase, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, malignant progression.