Control of tyrosine aminotransferase synthesis in tissue culture by a factor in serum

Time course study of L-tyrosine aminotransferase induction in rat liver cell lines

The enhancement of L-tyrosine aminotransferase activity by dexamethasone, an exclusive function of the liver, was serially measured at different passages of eight rat liver epithelial cell lines initiated and continuously grown in either a serum-supplemented medium or a serum-free medium. The enzyme basal activity was found to be 5.4 +/- 1.8 mU for cell lines in serum and 6.8 +/- 3.4 mU for cell lines without serum. Under the influence of dexamethasone (10(-6) mol/l for 5 hours) this basal level could be increased up to 2.9 fold in the presence of serum and 2.5 fold in its absence when investigations were carried out at early passages. During the following subcultures the induction ratio gradually declined and scarcely any induction could be detected after the 15th passage for cells grown in serum and after the 25th passage for cell lines grown without serum.

Decreased protein-synthetic activity is an early consequence of spermidine depletion in rat hepatoma tissue-culture cells

Hepatoma tissue-culture (HTC) cells were exposed to DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMeOrn), a specific irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase. Concomitantly with the decrease in spermidine, a decrease in the amount of ribosomes in polyribosomes was observed. Spermine concentrations remained essentially comparable with those in cells not exposed to this inhibitor. Exposure of putrescine- and spermidine-depleted HTC cells to spermidine or spermine rapidly reversed the effect of DFMeOrn on polyribosome profiles, whereas addition of putrescine to the cell culture medium had an effect only after its transformation into spermidine and spermine. The results show that the perturbation of polyribosome formation in DFMeOrn-treated HTC cells is due to spermidine deficiency and that a normal polyamine complement is required for optimal protein-synthetic activity in these cells. The results also indicate that protein synthesis is perturbed before DNA synthesis during depletion of putrescine and spermidine in HTC cells.

Inhibition of hormonal induction of tyrosine aminotransferase by polyamines in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes

We have analysed the effects of natural aliphatic polyamines on hormonal induction of tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) in suspensions of hepatocytes isolated from adult fed rats. Glucagon or cyclic AMP derivatives (dibutyryl and 8-bromo) used alone caused a 4-5 fold increase in enzyme activity within 4h. This effect was independent of glucocorticoids, which also increased TAT activity (2.5-fold); when combined, the effects of the two inducers were additive. Spermine and putrescine totally inhibited the hormonally-mediated increase in enzyme activity when added at the onset of incubation with the inducers. Furthermore, polyamines could block the hormonal effect at any time during the course of TAT induction, with, however, a 30 min lag period, suggesting that they must enter the cells. Hepatocytes were indeed shown to take up spermine. At low external concentrations (less than 50 microM), an Na+-dependent, saturable and concentrative mechanism was predominant; at high concentrations (greater than 0.5 mM) transport occurred mainly through a non-saturable, Na+-independent mechanism, building up intracellular concentrations slightly lower than those in the medium. Dose-dependence analysis of the polyamine effect on enzyme induction indicated that half-maximal and maximal inhibition occurred with 0.75 mM- and 2.5 mM-spermine respectively, whereas 2.5mM- and 7.5 mM-putrescine were required respectively to obtain similar effects. Spermidine was much less effective and cadaverine had virtually no effect. None of the polyamines affected the rate of decay of TAT, nor did they directly or indirectly cause enzyme inactivation, indicating that a post-translational modification was unlikely to account for the polyamine effects. Similarly, these effects could not be ascribed to a non-specific inhibition of overall protein synthesis. We conclude that, in hepatocytes, polyamines (or their metabolites) directly interfere with one or several steps controlled by hormones in the synthesis of tyrosine aminotransferase.

Antisera inhibiting mammalian cell spreading and possible cell surface antigens involved

Antiserum against a rat neuronal tumor cell line (B103) has been prepared in rabbit by intravenous injection of live cells. This immune serum (anti-B103) precipitates a few cell surface proteins recognizable by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis as common radioiodinatable spots in 15 different rat neural cell lines and in mouse and rat fibroblast cell lines. The apparent molecular weight of one major common protein (II4) is estimated by SDS gel electrophoresis to be somewhere between 80,000 and 90,000 and another protein (I3) to be 120,000. These two proteins are consistently recognized in various cell lines by this antiserum. Furthermore, at a 1:20 dilution, this serum causes monolayer cells to round up usually within 0.5 h and detach from the plate within 3 h. It also inhibits spreading of freshly plated cells. These effects of the antiserum are reversible. Upon absorption of the antiserum with cells (e.g., absorbed with a glial cell line, B27), the serum no longer causes the rounding up of the monolayer cells, it does not inhibit cell spreading, and it does not immune-precipitate the two common proteins from the cell surface of various cell lines. Antisera against several other rat cell lines also precipitate the same common proteins (II4 and I3) from the cell surface and prevent cell spreading. These data suggest that the antibody acts first at the cell surface and then inhibits cell spreading or rounding up of spread cells. The consistent pattern of the immunoprecipitated cell surface proteins on the two-dimensional gel electrophoresis makes these two common surface proteins (II4 or I3 or both) possible candidates for target proteins to which the antibody binds. Thus, they may play a critical role in cell spreading.

Syneristic and antagonistic effects of glucocorticoids on insulin action

HTC cells, an established line of rat hepatoma cells in tissue culture, provide a useful experimental model system for studying the interaction of glucocorticoids and insulin in the regulation of protein metabolism. The actions of insulin and glucocorticoids on amino acid transport and protein degradation are antagonistic in this cell line. In contrast, the actions of these two hormones are additive with regard to the induction of tyrosine aminotransferase. The addition of insulin to HTC cells previously incubated with dexamethasone causes a rapid further doubling in the cellular concentration of this enzyme. The properties of the induction by insulin differ in several respects from the induction by glucocorticoids. The former occurs immediately, without the characteristic lag observed during induction by steroids. Insulin induction of transaminase does not require concomitant RNA synthesis, and does not cause the accumulation of specific mRNA for this enzyme as do glucocorticoids. Using specific immunoprecipitation techniques, we have demonstrated that insulin stimulates a nonselective increase in the rate of total protein synthesis in HTC cells, and a selective decrease in the rate of degradation of tyrosine aminotransferase relative to total protein. Thus the induction of transaminase by insulin involves two distinct actions of the hormone, affecting both synthesis and degradation of protein.

Posttranscriptional regulation of glucocorticoid-regulated functions

Relying heavily on studies of TAT regulation in cultured rat hepatoma cell lines, we have attempted in this brief review to discuss possible mechanisms for posttranscriptional regulation of glucocorticoid-sensitive enzymes and to chronicle the evidence for and against posttranscriptional mechanisms for specific enzyme induction by glucocorticoids. Initially, mechanisms were considered that would reconcile results showing sensitivity of both induction and deinduction of TAT to inhibitors of RNA synthesis with studies demonstrating first that glucocorticoids regulate the rates of specific enzyme synthesis and, then, that glucocorticoids regulate levels of enzyme-specific mRNA. Such reconciliation proved unnecessary when it was demonstrated that inhibitors of RNA synthesis such as actinomycin D were not specific for RNA synthesis, but also had effects on mRNA turnover and protein metabolism. The bulk of evidence to date establishes that glucocorticoids promote the production of enzyme-specific mRNA for the proteins whose synthesis is regulated by thses steroids. Nevertheless, there is still very little direct evidence that steroids can modulate rates of specific gene transcription. The glucocorticoid stimulation of mouse mammary tumor virus RNA production in cultured cell lines is the only example to date where such a mechanism is supported by RNA-DNA hybridization studies. Posttranscriptional actions of steroids on the turnover, processing, or extranuclear transport of specific mRNA precursors remain potential steps at which glucocorticoids might function. The rapid turnover of some glucocorticoid-regulated enzymes and their mRNAs not only ensures a rapid response to steroid addition or withdrawal, but also subjects these proteins to relatively large fluctuations upon alterations in overall protein or mRNA metabolism. Thus many of the inductions and repressions of hepatic TAT and TO by mediators other than the glucocorticoids may be attributable entirely to nonspecific mechanisms.

Fluctuations in the production of specific cellular peptides during the growth of animal cells

Patterns of newly synthesized proteins of Vero cells in different growth states were obtained using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The 240 most prevalent peptide spots were then compared. Cells in exponential growth and in the stationary phase were found to have patterns of peptide spots characteristic of their state of growth. The transition between these patterns is progressive, and the cells acquire a pattern characteristic of quiescent cells by the late exponential phase. These observations suggest that a series of modulations in gene expression occurs during the transition of growth states in animal cells that leads to the specific appearance or disappearance of certain cellular peptides.

Coordinate regulation of protein synthesis and messenger RNA content during growth arrest of suspension Chinese hamster ovary cells

We have found Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, cultured in suspension, are subject to growth control by serum. When suspended in medium containing 0.5% serum the cells becomes reversibly arrested in the beginning of the G1 phase of the cell cycle and can be maintained in this viable, nonproliferating state for several days. This system was used to examine the regulation of protein synthesis with growth rate. In particular, the experiments addressed the question whether mRNA content is the principal controlling factor determining the rate of protein synthesis. The rate of leucine incorporation in resting cells in low serum is 2-to 2.5-fold lower than that of cells growing in 10% serum. The steady-state number of cytoplasmic poly A (+) RNA molecules shows a proportional decrease, consistent with it being a determining factor controlling the rate of protein synthesis. Furthermore, the rate of production of poly A (+) and poly A (-) RNA appears to be regulated coordinately. Regulation of the rate of initiation of translation would result in fewer ribosomes bound per active message and/or a lower proportion of total mRNA's being active. Our measurements indicate that the fraction of cytoplasmic poly A (+) mRNA in polyribosomes and the relative degree of loading of each active poly A(+) mRNA with ribosomes is the same in resting and growing cells. Thus these cells resemble 3T6 and translational control does not appear to be an important part of the change in protein synthetic rate with teh state of growth.

Control of phenylalanine hydroxylase synthesis in tissue culture by serum and insulin

Stationary-phase, minimal deviation hepatoma H4-II-E-C3 cell cultures that are serum-deprived respond with a biphasic time course of phenylalanine hydroxylase induction when dialyzed fetal calf serum or insulin is added. These two agents induce phenylalanine hydroxylase additively, during both the initial 3-hour and the delayed 24-hour phases. The initial phase of induction by insulin is inhibited by cycloheximide but not by actinomycin D. The delayed induction by both dialyzed fetal calf serum and insulin is inhibited by 10(-6) M cycloheximide and 0.20 mug/ml actinomycin D. H4-II-E-C3 cells in culture do not synthesize the factor(s) in serum that induce phenylalanine hydroxylase.

Serum-free growth of HTC cells containing glucocorticoid- and insulin-inducible tyrosine aminotransferase and cytoplasmic glucocorticoid receptors

HTC cells have been made to grow in chemically defined medium without any macromolecular supplements whatsoever. Initial estimates of their relative amino acid requirements have been made. The cells grown in the defined medium retain many of the differentiated features which have been the focus of investigation in their serum-grown counterparts. Thus, the cells in defined medium contain cytoplasmic glucocorticoid receptors and have tyrosine aminotransferase which can be induced by glucocorticoids, serum or insulin. These cells also produce, in small amounts, an as yet undefined rat serum protein.

Kinetics of steroid induction and deinduction of tyrosine aminotransferase synthesis in cultured hepatoma cells

The specific rate of synthesis of tyrosine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.5; L-tyrosine:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase) is used as a measure of the level of functional, cytoplasmic, tyrosine aminotransferase-specific mRNA in cultured rat hepatoma cells. An analysis of the kinetics of change in this rate after the addition or withdrawal of glucocorticosteroids sets an upper limit on the half-life of the enzyme-specific mRNA of 1-1.5 hr, whether or not steroid is present. The inactivation rate of the enzyme mRNA is independent of the growth condition of the cells, occuring equally rapidly in the presence or absence of serum or insulin, both of which induce tyrosine aminotransferase in these cells. The implications of these results for the mechanism of steroid induction are discussed.

Suppression of DNA synthesis in hepatoma cells exposed to glucocorticoid hormone in vitro

Glucocorticoid hormone is shown to markedly suppress DNA synthesis in a line of rat hepatoma cells in vitro. In the presence of 300 nM hydrocortisone or 30 nM dexamethasone the incorporation of radioactive thymidine falls to 50% of control levels by 36 hr, and at higher concentrations of hormone inhibition can be noted as early as 12 hr and is nearly complete by 24 hr. This inhibition of radioactive thymidine incorporation reflects a true suppression of DNA synthesis, is accompanied by a corresponding inhibition of cell proliferation, and is readily reversible upon subsequent removal of hormone. In contrast to previously described effects of the glucocorticoid hormones on various cells of lymphoid origin, the inhibition of DNA synthesis in these hepatoma cells is not accompanied by appreciable cell lysis or by degradation of preformed DNA, and even when [(3)H]thymidine incorporation into DNA is inhibited by 90% or more, incorporation of [(14)C]uridine into RNA proceeds with little change. These findings all parallel previous observations on the effects of glucocorticoid hormone on the livers of intact animals and suggest that studies on the mechanism of the inhibition of DNA synthesis in the present more isolated system may lead to a better understanding of the means by which these compounds inhibit liver growth in vivo. Despite the ready suppressibility of DNA synthesis in these hepatoma cells and in two other cell lines of liver origin, none of these cell lines was found to be inducible for tyrosine aminotransferase. The apparent dissociation between two "steroid-sensitive" phenomena is of interest and warrants further investigation.

Expression of differentiated functions in hepatoma cell hybrids: reappearance of tyrosine aminotransferase inducibility after the loss of chromosomes

HYBRIDS FROM A CROSS OF RAT HEPATOMA CELLS WITH DIPLOID EPITHELIAL CELLS FROM RAT LIVER HAVE BEEN STUDIED WITH RESPECT TO KARYOTYPE AND EXPRESSION OF TWO FUNCTIONS LIMITED TO THE HEPATOMA PARENT: high level of the enzyme tyrosine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.5; L-tyrosine:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase) and its inducibility with steroid hormones. The hybrids that contain the complete chromosomal complements from both parents show low enzyme activity and no inducibility. One hybrid clone, and all of its derivatives, which have lost 30-40% of the chromosomes initially present, show enzyme inducibility. Induction of tyrosine aminotransferase in the hepatoma and hybrid cells responds similarly to inhibition by cycloheximide and actinomycin D, and to steroid concentration. The enzymes from induced and noninduced hepatoma cells and from induced hybrid cells are similar in heat sensitivity and intracellular distribution; those from noninduced hybrid and diploid rat epithelial cells are different.

Expression of differentiated functions in hepatoma cell hybrids. I. Tyrosine aminotransferase in hepatoma-fibroblast hybrids

The inducible enzyme tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) has been investigated in hybrids between rat hepatoma cells and mouse fibroblasts. In the latter the TAT baseline activity is low, and in the presence of steroids does not change. By contrast, the hepatoma cells have high TAT activity, and this activity increases by a factor of 4-6 in the presence of steroids. The hybrid cells, like the fibroblasts, have low TAT activity and are not inducible. Heat inactivation curves demonstrate that the hybrid cells contain both parental forms of TAT, and therefore contain the parental genes specifying the enzyme. The presence in the hybrids of detectable rat TAT and the total absence of its inducibility suggest that a second gene is involved in the regulation of TAT inducibility, and that this gene is not expressed in the hybrids.

Posttranscriptional control of tyrosine aminotransferase synthesis by insulin

Adrenal steroid hormones induce the synthesis of tyrosine amino-transferase (TAT) in HTC cells, an established line of rat hepatoma cells in tissue culture. The addition of insulin to cells previously induced in a serum-free medium results in a rapid two- to threefold further increase in the rate of synthesis of TAT and a small increase in total amino acid incorporation. These changes do not require concomitant RNA synthesis, suggesting that insulin acts at a step in protein synthesis beyond that of gene transcription. Although the effects of insulin on HTC cells are similar to those caused by dialyzed bovine serum, evidence is presented that insulin and serum affect different aspects of TAT synthesis. Unlike the glucocorticoids, insulin does not cause the accumulation of TAT mRNA, nor the sustained induction of TAT. The continued presence of the inducing steroid is required to permit maximal expression of the insulin effect.