Opposing effects of tumor promoters on erythroid differentiation

Possible involvement of protein kinase C-epsilon in phorbol ester-induced growth inhibition of human lymphoblastic cells

Sustained activation of members of the protein kinase C (PKC) family is known to influence the growth and differentiation of various cell types, however, the specific roles for individual isoforms mediating these cellular events have yet to be elucidated. Activation of PKC by phorbol esters leads to growth inhibition in certain cell lines. The HT58 human B lymphoblastic cell may serve as a cellular model system to investigate the participation of individual isoforms in the initial events of growth arrest induced by phorbol ester. Determination of cell cycle and investigation of apoptosis were performed by flow cytometric measurements. Phorbol ester-induced translocation and down-regulation of the conventional alpha, beta and the novel epsilon isoforms of PKC were demonstrated by Western blot analysis. At lower concentrations (o.5 ng/ml) phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) stimulated a G1 arrest with retention of viability in the human HT58 B lymphoblastic cell. The protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine at a concentration of 25 nM did not significantly alter HT58 cell viability. However, staurosporine (25 nM) induced apoptosis in cells preincubated for 4 hr with 0.5-1.0 ng/ml PMA. The translocation of PKC-epsilon was observed within 39 min exposure to 0.5 ng/ml PMA. After a 4 hr treatment, evidence for down-regulation and and altered phosphorylation state of PKC-epsilon was seen. In contrast, the conventional alpha and beta isoforms were practically uneffected by this PMA treatment. At higher PMA concentrations (50 ng/ml) the alpha and beta isoforms showed a significant down-regulation. The preferential alterations in PKC-epsilon observed under the conditions required for PMA to influence the growth and survival of HT58 cells suggest a role for the Ca(2+)-independent epsilon isoform in mediating the initial events of the phorbol ester stimulated cellular responses.

Partial down-regulation of protein kinase C reverses the growth inhibitory effect of phorbol esters on HepG2 cells

Phorbol ester treatment of HepG2, a human tumorigenic cell line, caused rapid morphological changes characterized by a flattening and spreading of the cells that coincided with a rapid inhibition of thymidine incorporation. Within 24 h, cell division was completely inhibited, suggesting the cells had entered a quiescent state. Continued incubation in the presence of phorbol esters resulted in the resumption of thymidine incorporation and cell division, but this coincided with only a partial down-regulation of PKC activity. Seventy-two hours of treatment was required to obtain down-regulation of greater than 80% of the PKC activity, but reversal of the inhibitory effects occurred between 24 and 48 h after the addition of phorbol esters, when a large proportion of the PKC activity was still present. Northern blot analysis of a number of transcripts showed that the steady-state levels of c-myc and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) messages increased only after 3 h of phorbol ester treatment and returned to normal levels after 24 h. C-fos, albumin, and alphafetoprotein messages were not affected, suggesting the differentiation state of the cells was not altered. Therefore, phorbol ester activation of PKC causes an inhibition of HepG2 cell growth initially, but this is unlike the promotion of differentiation seen in other systems. Partial down-regulation of PKC activity causes a reversal of the growth inhibition and the cells return to a normal growth rate. This effect is also clearly different from systems in which phorbol esters have been shown to have a mitogenic effect on cells.

Regulation of gene expression by tumor promoters

Tumor promoters change the program of genes expressed in cells in culture and in the multicellular organism. The growing list of genes that are induced or repressed includes protooncogenes, transcription factors, secreted proteases and viruses. Most of the regulation is at the level of transcription. Several of the cis-acting promoter elements mediating regulation, the transcription factors binding to these elements and their post-translational activation, as well as some of the initial steps of the interaction of cells with tumor promoters have been characterized. The components of the signal transduction chain to the nucleus are, however, still unknown. Mutant and inhibitor studies suggest that the activation or inactivation of certain genes constitute the basis for the development of the tumor promotion phenotype.

Effect of alpha tocopheryl succinate on adenylate cyclase activity in murine neuroblastoma cells in culture

Alpha tocopheryl succinate treatment (6-8 micrograms/ml), which inhibited the growth of murine neuroblastoma (NBP2) cells (46 +/- 3%), reduced basal and prostaglandin (PG)E1- and PGA2-stimulated adenylate cyclase (AC) activity in vitro. It also inhibited sodium fluoride (NaF)- and forskolin-stimulated AC activity, suggesting that the effect of vitamin E succinate on AC activity is mediated via stimulatory GTP-binding protein (Gs) and catalytic subunit. Vitamin E succinate-induced reduction of AC activity is not strictly related to inhibition of cell growth. This is substantiated by the finding that, although retinoic acid and butylated hydroxyanisole reduced the growth by over 50%, they did not inhibit AC activity. On the other hand, 4-(3-butoxy-4-methoxybenzyl)-2-imidazolidinone (R020-1724, 200 micrograms/ml), which inhibited growth (73 +/- 3%) and induced differentiation in NB cells, increased basal and PGE1-stimulated AC activity. Vitamin E succinate treatment also reduced PGE1- and PGA2-AC activity in murine fibroblasts (L-cells) without inhibiting growth.

Dimethyl sulfoxide-inducible cytoplasmic factor involved in erythroid differentiation in mouse erythroleukemia (Friend) cells

A previous report described an intracellular factor (differentiation-inducing factor I, or DIF-I) that seems to play a role in erythroid differentiation in mouse erythroleukemia (MEL) cells. We have detected another erythroid-inducing factor in cell-free extracts from dimethyl sulfoxide- or hexamethylenebis(acetamide)-treated MEL cells, which acts synergistically with DIF-I. The partially purified factor (termed DIF-II) triggered erythroid differentiation when introduced into undifferentiated MEL cells that had been potentiated by the induction of DIF-I. The activity in the extracts appeared in an inducible manner after addition of dimethyl sulfoxide or hexamethylenebis(acetamide), reached a maximum at 6 hr, and then rapidly decreased. The induction was inhibited by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and also by cycloheximide. No induction was observed in a mutant MEL cell line defective in erythroid differentiation. These characteristics are consistent with the supposition that DIF-II is one of the putative dimethyl sulfoxide-inducible factors detected in previously reported cell-fusion and cytoplast-fusion experiments. The role of DIF-II in MEL-cell differentiation and in vitro differentiation in general is discussed.

Induction of cells with acinar cell phenotype including presence of intracellular amylase. Treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate in a neoplastic human salivary intercalated duct cell line grown in athymic nude mice

The adenocarcinoma produced by transplantation into nude mice of a neoplastic human salivary intercalated duct cell line was treated with 0.1 ml of minimal essential medium (MEM) containing 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) at a final concentration of 10(-7) mol/l daily for 28 days and examined morphologically and immunohistochemically. The TPA treatment resulted in an enhancement of tumor growth. In addition, tumor cells containing secretory granules positively reactive to antiamylase serum were observed in the treated tumors, but not in untreated controls. These findings lead us to suggest that neoplastic intercalated duct cells treated with TPA can be induced to differentiate into acinar cells in heterotransplanted athymic nude mice.

Differential effects of the tumor promoter phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate on the morphological and biochemical differentiation of N-18 mouse neuroblastoma cells

The phorbol ester tumor promoter phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) was found to have differential inhibitory effects on the expression of morphological and biochemical differentiation of N-18 mouse neuroblastoma cells. PMA completely inhibited neurite extension and associated growth characteristics and partially inhibited the increased expression of R1 cAMP-binding protein; PMA had no effect on the induction of acetylcholinesterase activity in cells prompted to differentiate either by treatment with 1 mM dibutyryl cAMP or by serum deprivation. 4-alpha-Phorbol-12, 13-didecanoate, an inactive analogue of phorbol ester tumor promoter, was without effect. The implications of these findings concerning the mechanism of action of phorbol ester tumor promoters in the control of cell differentiation are discussed.

Transcriptional regulation of a tumor promoter and mitogen-inducible gene in human lymphocytes

Tumor-promoting phorbol esters affect a variety of cellular functions which may underlie tumor promotion. We isolated from human lymphocytes a cDNA clone whose gene is inducible by the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate as well as by the T-cell mitogen phytohemagglutinin. Nuclear transcription experiments suggested that this induction is primarily caused by the increased transcription of the gene. It is interesting that this gene is expressed constitutively in human T-cell leukemia virus-infected mature T cells. The results support the notion that 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate can affect cellular functions by causing transcriptional activation of specific genes.

Inhibition of phorbol-ester-induced adhesion of differentiating human myeloid leukemic cells by pentamidine-isethionate

Human myeloid leukemia cells can be induced to differentiate into macrophage-like cells by various phorbol esters, particularly 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-14-acetate (TPA). In this study, the effect of several known protease inhibitors on TPA-induced differentiation of human acute promyelocytic leukemia cells (line HL-60) was tested. Among the test compounds, only pentamidine-isethionate (PI), an inhibitor of trypsin-like enzymes, prevented one early marker of differentiation, e.g. cell adherence to plastic and glass surfaces. However, PI failed to affect other markers of differentiation and did not inhibit readherence of scraped and resuspended TPA-treated cells. Exposure to TPA resulted in a decrease in the cellular alkaline proteolytic activity and an increase in the acid proteolytic activity. PI further inhibited the residual activity of the alkaline protease in the 36,000 g pellet fraction of the TPA-treated cells, but did not reduce this activity in control cells. The present results indicate, on the basis of the differential effects of PI, that the emergence of differentiation markers in HL-60 cells following exposure to TPA is independent of the induction of adherence.

Transcriptional regulation of a tumor promoter and mitogen-inducible gene in human lymphocytes

Tumor-promoting phorbol esters affect a variety of cellular functions which may underlie tumor promotion. We isolated from human lymphocytes a cDNA clone whose gene is inducible by the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate as well as by the T-cell mitogen phytohemagglutinin. Nuclear transcription experiments suggested that this induction is primarily caused by the increased transcription of the gene. It is interesting that this gene is expressed constitutively in human T-cell leukemia virus-infected mature T cells. The results support the notion that 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate can affect cellular functions by causing transcriptional activation of specific genes.

Selective loss of the expression of OKT-4 or Leu-3A defined antigen by 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in human lymphoid cells

In ten human malignant T-cell lines (HPB-ALL, HPB-MLT, CCRF-CEM, RPMI-8402, MOLT-4, JM, P12/Ichikawa, TALL-1, SKW-3, HUT-102), the expression of the antigen defined by OKT-4 or Leu-3A monoclonal antibody was remarkably decreased after a short incubation (1 hr) with 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) (1.6 nM). This phenomenon was also observed in all types of cells tested, including two lymphoblastoid cell lines with B-cell properties (RPMI-6410 and RPMI-8392), thymus cells from three children, peripheral blood lymphocytes from four normal individuals, and fresh neoplastic T cells from a case of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and a case of T-cell lymphoma. The presence of puromycin (10 microM), cycloheximide (35 microM), or retinoic acid (1.0 microM) had no effect on the TPA-induced loss of OKT-4 defined antigen. Incubation at 4 degrees C or with lidocaine (4 mM) partially prevented this effect of TPA, and the presence of sodium azide (150 mM) did so totally. Recovery of antigen expression occurred 24 hours after cessation of TPA treatment. Comparative study using several phorbols other than TPA showed that this effect accorded with the tumor promotor activity of the compounds, but the phenomenon appears to be at the membrane level, not necessarily as a result of TPA-induced cellular differentiation.

Effects of n-butyrate and phorbol ester (TPA) on induction of Epstein-Barr virus antigens and cell differentiation

N-Butyrate, an effective inducer of synthesis of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antigens in virus-producer P3HR-1 cells, has recently been shown (2) to induce morphological differentiation towards plasma cell in nonproducer Raji cells. The effects of n-butyrate and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) on both EBV-antigen induction and cell differentiation in two virus-nonproducer lymphoblastoid cell lines, Raji and NC37, were now studied. The following observations were made (1). On its own either drug induced 1-2 per cent of cells to EBV-early-antigen positivity in both lines; their mixture induced 35 and 15 per cent positive cells in Raji and NC37 respectively (2). In Raji, n-butyrate induced about 80 per cent of cells to differentiate to plasmablast or plasma cell morphology, whereas TPA only induced the early stages of differentiation in 8 per cent of cells; a mixture of both inducers produced a similar effect as TPA alone. The addition of TPA alone or butyrate-TPA mixture led to some cellular alterations resembling virus-specific changes in virus-producer cell lines. In NC37, either drug alone or their mixture drove 13 per cent of cells to differentiate into plasmablasts or earlier stages of differentiation. In the presence of TPA protrusions and "loops" were seen on cell surfaces. Evidently, the stage of differentiation at which B-lymphoblastoid cell lines have been arrested can be changed in vitro. However, cell-line dependent and inducer-dependent differences in the differentiation response were apparent.

Functional studies on B-cell hybridomas with B-cell surface antigens. III. Differentiative response to phorbol esters

Phorbol esters have been shown to induce differentiation of human lymphoid cells into the mature stage. Murine lymphocytes, however, have not been found to be induced the terminal differentiation by these products. In this study, TH2.52, a subclone of B-cell hybridomas between M12.4.1 B lymphoma of BALB/c mice and normal B cells of C57BL/6 (B6) mice was treated with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and the differentiative effect of TPA was examined. TPA treatment inhibited the spontaneous proliferation of TH2.52 and induced significant IgM secretion by the hybrid. In contrast, M12.4.1 did not develop any IgM secretion when treated with TPA. The differentiative effect of phorbol esters on TH2.52 closely correlated with their tumor-promoting activity. In addition, the differentiative response of TH2.52 to TPA was completely blocked by retinoic acid (RA). Moreover, TH2.52 cells treated with TPA were demonstrated to decrease the expression of Iab, Iad molecules as well as IgM molecules on the cell membrane by analyses of flow microfluorometry (FMF) and quantitative absorption tests. On the other hand, Iad expression of M12.4.1 did not change under the same conditions. The result clearly demonstrates that TH2.52 cells can be induced to differentiate into IgM-secreting cells after treatment with TPA, followed by the decrease in the expression of B-cell surface antigens on the cell membrane.

Restoration by parathyroid hormone and dibutyryl cyclic AMP of expression of the differentiated phenotype of chondrocytes inhibited by a tumor promoter, 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate

12-0-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) inhibited expression of the differentiated phenotype of chondrocytes in rabbit costal chondrocytes in culture. TPA transformed typical polygonal chondrocytes into multilayered, fibroblastic cells and also inhibited the rate of [35S]sulfate incorporation into glycosaminoglycan (GAG), a differentiated phenotype of chondrocytes. These changes were apparent within 24 h and reached a plateau at 48 h after the addition of TPA. Phorbol didecanoate and phorbol dibenzoate also inhibited sulfation of GAG, even though the effect was weaker than that of TPA. Phorbol diacetate and 4-0-methyl TPA did not inhibit sulfation of GAG. Addition of parathyroid hormone (PTH) or dibutyryl cyclic AMP simultaneously with TPA overcame the inhibition caused by TPA. PTH and dibutyryl cyclic AMP also reversed the inhibition and stimulated expression of the differentiated phenotype of chondrocytes even in de-differentiated cells which had been pretreated for 3 days with TPA. These findings suggest that cyclic AMP plays an important role in the restoration of the differentiated phenotype of chondrocytes in TPA-treated chondrocytes, and that the TPA-treated cells retain some of the differentiated phenotype of the original cells, such as responsiveness to PTH.

Phorbol ester-stimulated murine myelopoiesis: role of colony-stimulating factors

Tumor promoting phorbol esters, such as 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), stimulate colony formation in vitro by murine granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (GM-CFC) without added colony stimulating factors (CSF). To determine whether TPA induces CSF production in vitro, marrow cells were cultured for 1 to 7 days in liquid medium with or without TPA. No CSF was detected in any sample by a double antibody radioimmunoassay (sensitivity = 2 units/0.1 ml), however, colony-stimulating activity was detected in supernatant fluid from all TPA containing cultures by bioassay. This activity appeared to result from a direct effect of TPA rather than from production of CSF, as equivalent activity was found in TPA-containing medium incubated in the absence of marrow cells. Rabbit antiserum to purified L-cell CSF inhibited colony formation stimulated by L-cell CSF and WEHI-3 CSF, but had no effect on colony formation induced by TPA. Cells from long-term marrow cultures responded to TPA with colony formation, despite culture conditions and cell fractionation procedures that reduced the frequency of CSF-producing macrophages to less than 1.0%. TPA inhibited binding of radioiodinated L-cell CSF to marrow cells, especially if the cells were first exposed to TPA. These results do not support induction of CSF production as the major mechanism of phorbol ester stimulation of myelopoiesis. Phorbol esters may directly stimulate GM-CFC and/or enhance their response to CSF by a mechanism involving CSF binding sites.

Tumour promoter-mediated reversible inhibition of cell-cell communication (electrical coupling). Relationship with phorbol ester binding and de novo macromolecule synthesis

A tumour promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), reversibly inhibits the onset and maintenance of cell-cell communication measured by electrophysiological method. We have now studied the mechanism by which TPA inhibits communication of human cells (FL) in culture. Using [3H]phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate [( 3H]PDBu), we found a class of specific, high-affinity, saturable binding sites in intact FL cells; they have a dissociation constant of 15.4 nM, and at saturation about 3 X 10(5) PDBu molecules were bound to each cell. The binding of [3H]PDBu to FL cells was inhibited by TPA, phorbol-12-13-didecanoate and mezerein, whereas phorbol and 4 alpha-phorbol-12-13-didecanoate had no effect. There is a close correlation between the ability of the former compounds to inhibit [3H]PDBu binding and their capacity to inhibit cell-cell communication. When FL cells are dispersed with EDTA and plated onto a culture dish, they start to couple electrically within 2 h; such cell coupling was not affected by the presence of cycloheximide or actinomycin D. TPA inhibits the formation of electrical cell coupling as well as its maintenance, even in the presence of cycloheximide; the recovery of cell-cell communication after the removal of TPA was not significantly affected by the addition of cycloheximide or actinomycin D. Taken together, these results suggest that TPA-mediated reversible inhibition of intercellular communication is mediated by specific binding of TPA to cellular receptors and that macromolecular synthesis is not necessary.

Effects of dexamethasone and phorbol myristate acetate on the induction of differentiation in mouse erythroleukemic cells by dimethyl sulfoxide, proteases, and other compounds

Lines DS-19 and 5-86, each derived from line 745, when tested for their responses to various inducers and inhibitors of differentiation, shared some characteristics, but differed in others. In particular, DS-19 was markedly induced to differentiate by actinomycin D whereas 5-86 was only slightly affected. The patterns of the ability of PMA to influence induction and cell multiplication by various inducing agents differed in the two lines. The pattern of DEX inhibition of differentiation was similar in the two lines. Notably, DEX markedly inhibited induction due to all of the inducers tested except protease V8, actinomycin D, PGE1, and butyrate and its fatty acid analogues that were tested. DEX stimulated growth during its inhibition of induction by DMSO and many other inducers, but reduced cell multiplication in the presence of butyrate. PMA inhibited induction by most of the inducers tested in DS-19 cells except for some of the fatty acids. The inhibition by PMA generally was accompanied by cytotoxicity in DS-19 cells, but not in 5-86 cells. PMA markedly inhibited differentiation by only 5 of the inducing agents tested in 5-86 cells, but was not as cytotoxic in this line. Proteases, which have been shown to stimulate both MEL cell differentiation and growth, are inhibited with respect to their effects on differentiation, but not with respect to those on growth by DEX and/or PMA. DEX did not have the same effect on induction stimulated by the two proteases studied. Many of these findings indicate that at least some effects by inducers on cell multiplication in this system are not inextricably linked to differentiation. It is hoped that the further study of induction by proteases, which have known enzymatic activities, as well as of inhibitors of induction, will shed light on the molecular mechanism(s) of action of DMSO and other low molecular weight inducers.

Opposing effects of interferon produced in bacteria and of tumor promoters on myogenesis in human myoblast cultures

We have studied the effects of human leukocyte interferon produced in bacteria and diterpene phorbol ester tumor promoters on differentiation of normal human myoblast cultures derived from mature skeletal muscle. Interferon (100-5,000 units/ml) induced an acceleration of myotube formation and creatine kinase (CK; EC 2.7.3.2) isoenzyme transition from CK-BB to CK-MM. Heat-inactivated or trypsin-treated interferon did not affect the differentiation process. In contrast, the potent tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA), but not its inactive structural analogues phorbol and 4 alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, caused a dose-dependent (0.01-100 ng/ml) inhibition of myotube formation and CK isoenzyme transition. Neither interferon nor TPA had a significant effect on myoblast proliferation prior to fusion, and the cloning efficiencies were similar as well. Opposing effects of interferon and TPA were also demonstrated by simultaneous application of these agents to the cultures. These studies suggest that some of the antitumor effects of interferon may relate to its capacity to modulate cellular differentiation.

Induction of human T colony formation by phorbol myristate acetate

Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) is a potent inducer of T colony formation by peripheral blood lymphocytes. A mean cloning efficiency of 0.3% (0.05-0.5%) is obtained with PMA concentrations of 100-1000 ng/ml. PMA-induced T colony formation does not require the presence of monocytes and therefore differs from other mitogens in this respect. Purified T-colony-promoting activity (TCPA) (devoid of phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)) increases PMA-induced T colony numbers and induces T colony formation at low PMA doses (0.01 to 1 ng), concentrations at which no T colonies are detected in the absence of added TCPA. PMA-induced colonies are mainly composed of cells bearing Fc receptors for IgM (54%), which is not the case for colonies obtained with PHA (11%). PMA-induced colony cells do not bind OKT3 and OKT4 monoclonal antibodies, whereas 23% are able to bind OKT8 antibody. These results demonstrate that PMA is a potent inducer of T colony formation and may therefore serve as a useful tool for the study of T-cell differentiation.

Influence of the tumour promoter TPA upon erythroid burst formation in vitro

A dose dependent effect of the tumour promoter TPA on burst formation by rabbit erythroid progenitors (BFU-e) was demonstrated in cultures deficient in the early erythroid regulator burst-promoting activity (BPA). In these culture conditions the burst number was highest (193% of controls) at 10(-9)M TPA and concentrations higher than 3 x 10(-9)M TPA were inhibitory. The degree of burst enhancement by TPA and bone marrow conditioned medium as a source of BPA was similar. The addition of optimal concentrations of both TPA and BPA simultaneously to cultures resulted in no further increase in burst number. Short-term incubation of bone marrow cells with TPA failed to enhance the percentage of S-phase BFU-e under conditions in which BPA significantly increases the number of BFU-e in the cell cycle. These results indicate that the same population of BFU-e responds to TPA and BPA, but TPA does not mimic the mitogenic effect of BPA upon BFU-e.

Serological analysis of cell surface antigens of HL-60 cells before and after treatment with a phorbol ester tumor promoter

The human HL-60 cell line derived from acute promyelocytic leukemia, consisting of promyelocytic type of cells, was able to differentiate into adherent cells with monocytemacrophage features by the treatment with 12-0-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Cell surface antigens of HL-60 cells before and after TPA treatment were studied with monoclonal antibodies and four hybridoma clones producing IgM antibodies were established. Two antibodies (HL-21 and HL-47) reacted only with the immunizing TPA-treated HL-60 cells, and HL-1 antibody produced against untreated cells was reactive with both TPA-treated and untreated cells, but HL-5 antibody reacted predominantly with the immunizing untreated cells. Serological reactivity against various types of normal hematopoietic cells and acute leukemias (diagnosed by the French-American-British classification) was studied by immune adherence assay and immuno-electron microscopy. HL-21 antibody was reactive with monocytes and most cases of M4 and M5 types of acute non-lymphocytic leukemia cells. HL-47 antibody did not react with the cells of myelocyte-monocyte lineage or mature lymphocytes, but it did react with one-third of acute lymphocytic leukemia (L1 and L2) cases. Since all HL-47+ cases were included in the group of common ALL antigen positive cases, it was estimated that HL-47 is a differentiation antigen present on lymphocyte precursors, from which null-cell type acute lymphocytic leukemia cells generally originate. HL-1 antibody reacted with the cells of myelocyte-monocyte lineage as well as those of most acute non-lymphocytic leukemias. HL-5 antibody reacted with granulocytes and M2 type of acute myelocytic leukemia cases, and also with M5 type of acute monocytic leukemia cases. Serological studies of these antibodies revealed that TPA can induce to differentiate HL-60 cells not only into HL-21+ macrophage-like cells, but also into HL-47+ lymphoid stem cells. In addition, these antibodies were demonstrated to be very valuable for differential diagnosis of acute leukemias.

Differentiation of human leukemia cells and its usefulness for clinical diagnosis

Various chemical inducers have effects on the induction of terminal differentiation of human myelogenous leukemia cell lines. We studied morphological and functional changes of human leukemia cells freshly obtained from patients using 12-0-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), retinoic acid (RA) or dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO). The myeloid leukemia cells cultured with TPA became adherent to plastic culture dishes, and then developed macrophage-like morphology with long filamentous pseudopods within 48 h incubation. They showed marked enhancement of the ability to phagocytose latex particles. But these acquired properties did not always parallel each other, suggesting that the mechanism of functional maturation of leukemic cells induced by chemical agents was not identical with that of morphological changes. On the other hand, the lymphoid leukemia cells did not show morphological and functional changes when cultured with the above inducers. It is suggested that exposure of leukemic cells to TPA for relatively short times (12-24 h) may be useful for determining whether they are of myeloid or lymphoid origin. These characteristic changes were also observed in leukemic cells from the myeloid or lymphoid crisis of chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Effect of phorbol ester on differentiation of human myeloid colony forming cells (CFU-C)

The effects of 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) on CFU-C were investigated. Exposure of normal bone marrow cells or peripheral blood cells from chronic myeloid leukemia patients to TPA stimulated cluster formation in agar in the absence of added colony-stimulating factors (CSF). In the presence of CSF, TPA inhibited colony and cluster formation. After enrichment of CFU-C approx. 50-fold by an immune rosette technique, TPA-induced stimulation of cluster formation in the absence of CSF was markedly diminished, while the inhibitory effect in the presence of CSF was unchanged. These results suggest that TPA may have complex effects on CFU-C; indirectly promoting colony formation by inducing other cells to secrete CSF, and directly inhibiting CFU-C proliferation.

Induction of supermelanin synthesis and morphological changes in interspecific reconstituted cells and its reversal by tumor promoter

Chloramphenicol-resistant (CAPr) reconstituted cells and cybrids were isolated by fusion of karyoplasts (or intact cells) of mouse amelanotic melanoma B16 cells with cytoplasts of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) -deficient, CAPr rat myoblastic cells, L6TG.CAPr, and double selection in HAT medium containing CAP. Reconstituted cells or cybrids exhibited unique cellular arrangement, and about one third of the isolated clones expressed high tyrosinase activity and marked melanin synthesis, although the parental mouse cells expressed low tyrosinase activity and the parental rat cells did not express tyrosinase activity. These phenotypic changes have been stable for more than a year. The phenotypic reversions of these clonal cells were induced by treatment with a tumor promoter. There were changes in the morphology of the treated cells to that of the mouse B16 cells and extinction of tyrosinase activity and melanin synthesis in pigmented clonal cells. These phenotypic changes and reversions induced by a promoter were repeatedly reversible.

Induction of differentiation in human promyelocytic leukemia cells by tumor promoters

12-)-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), the prototype polyfunctional diterpene ester tumor promoter of two-step carcinogenesis in mouse skin, induced differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60) in culture. Differentiation of HL-60 cells was characterized by increased phagocytosis, increased lysozyme activity (EC 3.2.1.17) in the growth medium, and changes in morphology to those characteristics of more mature cells resembling macrophages. Many of the cells treated with TPA became aggregated, attaching firmly to culture flasks. The average intracellular myeloperoxidase activity (EC 1.11.1.7) per cell decreased during induction of differentiation by TPA. It was also found that TPA enhanced, rather than inhibited, differentiation of HL-60 cells induced by DMSO. In addition to TPA, several polyfunctional diterpene esters of the tigliane, ingenane, and daphnane type have been tested for their ability to induce morphological and functional changes of HL-60 cells. The activities of the compounds to induce these changes correlated well with their activities as tumor promoters in two-step carcinogenesis in mouse skin. In particular, half the concentrations required for induction of adhesion of the cells to flasks were roughly correlated to the potency of these compounds as tumor promoters. Among the compounds tested, phorbol-12,13-didecanoate (PDD), ingenol-3-hexadecanoate, Pimelea factor P1 and Pimelea factor P2 were as active as TPA, while 4-O-methyl-TPA and 4 alpha-PDD were much less active. Phorbol and ingenol were totally inactive up to a concentrations 10,000-fold higher than that of TPA.

Inhibition of differentiation of mouse myeloid leukemia cells by heat-stable calf serum components of very high molecular weight

Mouse myeloid leukemia cells (Ml) were induced to differentiate into macrophages and granulocytes by various inducers including glucocorticoid. The tumour promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) inhibited the induction of differentiation of Ml cells in medium containing calf serum, but enhanced the induction in medium containing fetal calf serum and several inducers. For elucidation of the factor(s) in serum affecting the response of Ml cells to tumour promoters, calf serum was fractionated by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration. Differentiation of Ml cells induced by dexamethasone was markedly inhibited by TPA and high mol. wt fractions of calf serum eluted in the void volume and low mol. wt fractions that co-migrated with bovine serum albumin. High mol. wt fractions alone inhibited the differentiation of Ml cells induced by dexamethasone, and also acted additively with TPA in inhibiting the differentiation. The inhibition by high mol. wt fractions was not related to cytotoxicity and was reversible. The differentiation of Ml cells induced by proteinous inducer or lipopolysaccharide was also inhibited by high mol. wt fractions. The inhibitory factor was heat stable (70 degrees C for 20 min or 90 degrees C for 10 min). These results suggest that the tumour promoter and calf serum components cooperate in inhibiting differentiation of mouse myeloid leukemia cells induced by various inducers.

The role of inhibited cell-cell communication in teratogenesis

A mechanistic link between teratogenesis and carcinogenesis has been suggested by a wide variety of scientific observations. This report attempts to provide a theoretical explanation for one of the several possible mechanisms which might be shared during carcinogenesis and teratogenesis. The initiation and promotion concept of carcinogenesis was briefly reviewed and the role of intercellular communication during the complex tumor promotion phase was discussed. Inhibition of intercellular communication by a wide variety of physical, chemical and biological factors was speculated to disrupt the regulation of proliferation and differentiation in stem cells. Chemicals, which interfered with intercellular communication during early organogenesis, have the potential of being teratogens, while if they are present in the developed, initiated organisms have the potential of being tumor promoters. Evidence was presented showing that known tumor promoters which inhibited intercellular communication also had been shown to be teratogens. It was concluded that in vitro assays, designed to measure intercellular communication, although having known limitations, might be used as an in vitro means to screen for potential teratogens.

Induction of human malignant T-lymphoblastic cell lines MOLT-3 and jurkat by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate: biochemical, physical, and morphological characterization

The process of induction of human malignant T-lymphoblastic cell line MOLT-3 by the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) was examined. It was found that the induction process by TPA, which included increase in cells with receptors to sheep red blood cells (E--rosette positive--E+) and decrease in the levels of the marker enzyme terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) was not affected by the presence of DNA synthesis inhibitor arabinofuranosylcytosine (Ara-C). The exposure time to TPA required to elicit these changes was found to be short, in the order of 1 hour or less. The kinetics of the increased in E+ cells, decrease in the levels of TdT in these cells, or decrease in the ability to proliferate as measured by colony formation were similar with exposure to TPA for 1, 6, 24, or 96 hours. We have examined the effect of antitumor promoter compounds on their ability to block induction of MOLT-3 cells by TPA. Results indicated that none of these compounds, dexamethasone, antipain, retinoic acid, and L-1-tosylamide-2-phenylethylchloromethyl ketone (TPCK), was effective in reducing the number of E+ cells induced by TPA. Examination of three other leukemic T-cell lines indicated that, in addition to MOLT-3, the leukemic T-cell line Jurkat also responded to TPA, whereas two other leukemic T-cells lines CCRF-CEM and CCRF-HSB-2 did not. Certain physical and morphological changes were also observed after stimulation of MOLT-3 cells and Jurkat cells by TPA. We found that, following the addition of TPA, the cell volumes of MOLT-3 cells decreased from an average of 1150 micrometers3 to about 500 micrometers3, whereas those of Jurkat were reduced to about 700 micrometers3 from 1100 micrometers3. Electron microscopic studies of these lymphoblasts also revealed that after treatment with TPA the induced cells were generally smaller in size with increase in the density of the nuclear materials and condensation of the chromatin structures.

On the possibility of metabolic control of replicon "misfiring": relationship to emergence of malignant phenotypes in mammalian cell lineages

Constraints of a multireplicon chromosomal organization and of the necessity to maintain constant gene dosages demand that each origin of replication in a eukaryotic cell "fire" (initiate replication) only once per cell cycle. The central idea of this work is that a low probability of an extra ("illegitimate") round of DNA replication (called below "replicon misfiring") within any given chromosomal domain could be increased by certain substances of either intra- or extracellular origin. The term " "firone" is proposed for such a substance. It is shown that existence of firones could greatly speed up evolution of cellular systems under selection pressure, a developing tumor being one example of such a system. Experimentally testable predictions of the firone hypothesis are discussed.

Cell cycle dependency of tumor promoter on murine erythroleukemic cells

The tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) affected the cell cycle of murine erythroleukemic cells. In logarithmically growing cells a transient G1 block lasting approximately 6 hr developed after the addition of TPA. To investigate this cell cycle effect of TPA, cells were synchronized either by a double thymidine block or by centrifugal elutriation and were analyzed by flow cytometry and electronic nuclear volume. Using double thymidine blocked synchronized cells or elutriated separated fractions containing cells other than G1, a transient G1 block occurred as the cells entered early G1. The G1 elutriated cell population was blocked in the G1 period by TPA before cell cycle traverse. This transient block in G1 was not observed after the next cell cycle traverse. Addition of TPA to butyric acid or dimethylsulfoxide induced-cells resulted in a transient G1 block in addition to inhibition of differentiation. TPA was more inhibiting on dimethylsulfoxide-induced cells than butyric acid-cells.

Modulation of globin gene expression by a tumor promoter during induced differentiation of Friend erythroleukemic cells

Friend erythroleukemic cells were induced to differentiate by dimethylsulfoxide (Me2SO) in the absence or presence of the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol 13-acetate. The effects of the latter on the molecular parameters related to globin mRNA metabolism were examined. When differentiation was scored by benzidine staining, it had an inhibitory effect on Me2SO-treated cells. On the other hand, when differentiation was followed by determination of globin mRNA accumulation, it had a pleiotropic effect on Me2SO-treated cells. At the early phase of differentiation (2--3 days) the rate of globin mRNA accumulation was higher in the promoter-treated cells than in the control. This unexpectedly high level of accumulation was followed by a sharp reduction and most of the globin RNA sequences disappeared at later stages of differentiation (days 4--5). The reduction can be related to the effect of the promoter on the stability of globin RNA in the cytoplasm which was reduced from a half-life of 16 h to that of 8 h only. Other parameters, such as the rate of globin mRNA synthesis and its capability to serve as a template for cell-free protein synthesis were not affected by treatment with the promoter throughout the differentiation process.

Down regulation of specific binding of [20-3H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate and phorbol ester-induced differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cells

Binding of [20-3H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate ([3H]PDB) to intact human promyelocytic leukemia cells susceptible (HL-60) or resistant (R-35) to phorbol ester-induced differentiation was characterized. Specific binding of [3H]PDB to both HL-60 and R-35 cells at 37 degrees C reached a maximum within 15-20 min. Maximal specific [3H]PDB binding to HL-60 cells was followed by a decline (down regulation) of radioactivity. This down regulation was temperature dependent, because no loss of radiolabel occurred by 1 hr at 4 degrees C. The down regulation of bound [3H]PDB seen in HL-60 cells at 37 degrees C was not observed with R-35 cells. Prior exposure of the HL-60 cells but not of R-35 cells to 1 microM phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate for 90 min at 37 degrees C caused a marked reduction in the specific binding of [3H]PDB. When [3H]PDB binding was carried out at 4 degrees C, [3H]PDB bound to both cell types in a rapid, specific, and reversible manner. At equilibrium, HL-60 and R-35 cells were found to contain almost the same number of binding sites, which had dissociation constants of about 50 nM, indicating that the failure of R-35 cells to undergo PDB-induced differentiation was not associated with any change in the affinity or in the number of [3H]PDB binding sites. These results indicate that the down regulation of specific [3H]PDB binding may be a crucial early event in the control of phorbol ester-induced terminal differentiation in HL-60 cells. Furthermore, we suggest that such down regulation may be involved in other cellular and biochemical effects of phorbol diester tumor promoters.

Alterations in polyamine levels induced by phorbol diesters and other agents that promote differentiation in human promyelocytic leukemia cells

Polyamine levels were evaluated in human HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells after treatment with inducers of terminal differentiation. Differentiation in these cells was determined by increases in the percentage of morphologically mature cells and in lysozyme activity. Treatment of the HL-60 cells with phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), phorbol 12,13-didecanoate or other inducers of terminal differentiation such as dimethylsulfoxide and retinoic acid resulted in increased levels of putrescine. However, no increase in putrescine could be detected after PMA treatment of a HL-60 cell variant that exhibited a decreased susceptibility to PMA-induced terminal differentiation. Similarly, no increase in putrescine was observed with two non-tumor-promoters (phorbol 12,13-diacetate and 4-O-methyl-PMA) or with anthralin, a non-phorbol tumor promoter. In addition to enhancing putrescine levels, PMA also increased the amount of spermidine and decreased the amount of spermine. The increase in putrescine and spermidine preceded the expression of the various differentiation markers. Unlike the changes observed in the polyamine levels after PMA treatment, the activities of ornithine and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylases, which are polyamine biosynthetic enzymes, did not significantly change. alpha-Methylornithine and alpha-difluoromethylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), which are inhibitors of the polyamine biosynthetic enzymes, did not affect differentiation in control or PMA-treated cells. Because of these observations, we suggest that the change in polyamine levels involve biochemical pathways other than the known biosynthetic ones. By-products of these pathways may perhaps be the controlling factors involved in the induction of terminal differentiation in the HL-60 and other cell types as well.

Tumour promoters induce macrophage differentiation in human myeloid cells from patients with acute and chronic myelogenous leukaemia

Twelve-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and other tumour promoter plant diterpenes transformed myeloid cells from peripheral blood, bone marrow and spleen from patients with chronic and acute myeloid leukaemia and acute myelomonocytic leukaemia into macrophage-like cells. This transformation resulted in cessation of cell multiplication, adherence of the cells to the surface of the culture dish, and acquisition of phagocytic activity, Fc receptors and enzymatic content characteristic of the monocyte-macrophage pathway of differentiation. The fact that tumour promoters induce differentiation in human myeloid leukaemia cells and not in similar cells from non-leukaemic conditions suggest their possible application in diagnosis and chemotherapy.