Vasopressin induces selective desensitization of its mitogenic response in Swiss 3T3 cells

Studies on the expression of endothelin, its receptor subtypes, and converting enzymes in lung cancer and in human bronchial epithelium

Lung cancer, particularly small cell lung cancer (SCLC), is characterized by production of numerous peptides and their resulting clinical syndromes. Such peptides can act as autocrine growth factors for these tumors. In this study, we investigated the role of endothelin (ET)-1 in lung cancer. Using reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and immunocytochemistry, we screened a panel of lung cancer cell lines for ET-1, its receptors, and endothelin converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1), which generates the active form of ET-1. ET-1 messenger RNA was expressed in five of seven SCLC, four of four non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells. The intracellular isoform of ECE-1, important in processing ET-1 if an autocrine growth loop is to function, was downregulated in the lung cancer cell lines as compared with expression of the extracellular isoform. Endothelin A receptor (ETAR), which mediates the mitogenic effects of ET-1 in prostate and ovarian cancer, was upregulated in HBE cells compared with expression in three of seven SCLC and two of four NSCLC cell lines. Endothelin B receptor (ETBR) was more widespread, being expressed in seven of seven SCLC, four of four NSCLC, and the HBE cells. We used flow cytometry to measure mobilization of intracellular calcium as a functional assay for the ETAR. These data concurred with the RT-PCR results, indicating that the ETAR was downregulated or was involved in an alternative signal transduction pathway in lung cancer, and no evidence of functional receptor mediating an autocrine growth loop was found. From our study, the data do not support the putative functional autocrine growth role of ET-1 in lung cancer. We propose instead that ET-1 may act as a paracrine growth factor for surrounding epithelial and endothelial cells via alternative pathways, promoting angiogenesis and stromal growth.

Vasopressin accelerates protein synthesis in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) has been shown to promote vascular smooth muscle cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia of fibroblasts. The present study examines the effect of AVP and endothelin-1 (ET-1) on protein, DNA, and RNA synthesis in primary cultures of serum deprived neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (RC) as assessed by changes in [3H] phenylalanine, [3H] thymidine, and [14C] uridine incorporation respectively. Both AVP and ET-1 evoked significant increases in protein synthesis in RC of 36 +/- 12% (p < 0.05) and 53 +/- 22% (p < 0.01) respectively. The stimulating action of AVP on [3H] phenylalanine incorporation was abolished by pretreatment with 2-nitro-4carboxyphenyl-N, N-diphenylcarbamate (NCDC), a phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor. [14C] uridine incorporation was significantly higher in cells incubated with ET-1 (95 +/- 12%) but not AVP (9 +/- 11%). Neither AVP nor ET-1 significantly affected cell number or [3H]thymidine incorporation, suggesting a lack of a hyperplastic effect. AVP evoked an increase in [Ca2+]i levels (162 +/- 12 nmol/L from a basal value of 77 +/- 6 nmol/L) which was completely abolished by pretreatment with either NCDC or cyclopiazonic acid (sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ pump inhibitor) but unaffected by ryanodine (ryanodine sensitive SR Ca2+ store depletor). Taken together, these data suggest that AVP, in a PLC dependent manner, both stimulates protein synthesis and augments [Ca2+]i release in RC from ryanodine insensitive (IP3 sensitive) Ca2+ stores. Thus, AVP may promote cardiac hypertrophy via direct effects on cardiomyocyte protein synthesis secondary to IP3 mediated [Ca2+]i release.

Substance P-related antagonists inhibit vasopressin and bombesin but not 5'-3-O-(thio)triphosphate-stimulated inositol phosphate production in Swiss 3T3 cells

The substance P (SP) analogues [DArg1, DPhe5, DTrp7,9, Leu11] SP (AntD) and [Arg6, DTrp7,9, MePhe8] SP (6-11) (AntG) inhibit the action of many different neuropeptides including SP. These analogues might be useful in the treatment of small cell lung cancer but their mechanism of action is unclear. Here, we analyzed the effect of AntD and AntG on neuropeptide vs. guanosine 5'-3-O-(thio) triphosphate (GTP gamma S)-stimulated inositol phosphate generation in permeabilized Swiss 3T3 cells. AntD inhibited vasopressin and bombesin stimulated inositol phosphate formation (IC50 of 0.75 microM and 2 microM, respectively). Similarly, AntG inhibited vasopressin-stimulated inositol phosphate generation with an IC50 of 1 microM. Strikingly, neither AntD up to 10 microM nor AntG up to 20 microM was able to inhibit GTP gamma S-stimulated inositol phosphate generation. Dose-response curves of neuropeptide-induced inositol phosphate generation were dramatically displaced to the right by either 10 microM AntD or 20 microM AntG. However, neither antagonist affected the dose response of GTP gamma S-stimulated inositol phosphate generation. Furthermore, 20 microM AntD had no effect on AIF-4-induced inositol phosphates in COS-1 cells transfected with G alpha q. AntD inhibited [3H]vasopressin binding competitively in intact Swiss 3T3 cells and both AntD and AntG inhibited [3H]vasopressin binding in Swiss 3T3 and rat liver membranes. Scatchard analysis revealed that AntD inhibited vasopressin binding by reducing receptor affinity without affecting receptor number in both intact and membrane preparations of Swiss 3T3 cells. The results strongly suggest that SP analogues AntD and AntG block the action of the Ca2+ mobilizing neuropeptides at the receptor level, rather than inhibiting G protein-stimulated inositol phosphate production.

Down-regulation of bradykinin receptors and bradykinin-induced Ca2+ mobilization, tyrosine phosphorylation, and DNA synthesis by autocrine factors, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interferon beta in Swiss 3T3 cells

Preincubation of quiescent Swiss 3T3 cells in fresh synthetic medium caused a reduction of the lag period prior to bradykinin-stimulated DNA synthesis as well as a leftward shift in the dose-response curve (half-maximum effect at 2 nM and 8 nM for preincubated cells and control cells, respectively). These enhancing effects were selective for bradykinin since vasopressin-stimulated DNA synthesis was not affected by preincubation in synthetic medium. Preincubation in synthetic medium also caused a marked enhancement (five- to sixfold increase) of bradykinin-induced Ca2+ mobilization from intracellular stores. This enhancement was time-dependent, peaked after 12 h of preincubation, and was prevented by inhibition of RNA or protein synthesis. Furthermore, preincubation in synthetic medium did not enhance the Ca2+ mobilization by bombesin, vasopressin, or PDGF. Additionally, bradykinin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation was also enhanced by prior incubation in fresh medium. Scatchard analysis of [3H]bradykinin binding revealed a doubling of the number of bradykinin receptors without any significant change of affinity after preincubation, thus providing an explanation for the increased cellular responsiveness to bradykinin. This enhancement of responsiveness to bradykinin was caused by the removal of an inhibitory factor present in conditioned medium which is produced by the cells and accumulates gradually in the medium. Addition of tumor necrosis factor alpha or interferon beta to synthetic medium substituted for conditioned medium in preventing the increase in responsiveness to bradykinin. These findings demonstrate a novel mechanism that regulates cellular sensitivity to bradykinin via an autocrine factor(s).

Synergistic stimulation of DNA synthesis by bradykinin and vasopressin in Swiss 3T3 cells

Vasopressin and bradykinin bind to receptors coupled to GTP-binding proteins and rapidly induce polyphosphoinositide breakdown leading to Ca2+ mobilization and activation of protein kinase C. Both peptides are known to induce mitogenesis in the presence of growth factors that act through receptors with intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity. Surprisingly, addition of a combination of vasopressin and bradykinin to Swiss 3T3 cells synergistically stimulates DNA synthesis in the absence of any other growth factors. This effect is induced at nanomolar concentrations of the peptides and could be inhibited by addition of specific receptor antagonists or broad spectrum neuropeptide antagonists. Bradykinin, which stimulates transient activation of protein kinase C, induces DNA synthesis in synergy with substances that cause long-term activation of protein kinase C, like vasopressin or phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate. Down-regulation of protein kinase C inhibited the induction of mitogenesis by the combination of vasopressin and bradykinin, thus demonstrating the importance of long-term activation of this enzyme for DNA synthesis. Analysis of tyrosine phosphorylated proteins of M(r) = 110,000-130,000 and M(r) = 70,000-80,000 revealed a biphasic response after stimulation with bradykinin, whereas the response induced by vasopressin declined after the initial maximum. The combination of bradykinin with vasopressin caused an enhanced and prolonged increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of these proteins as compared with the individual peptides. Inhibition of tyrosine phosphorylation by tyrphostin was paralleled by inhibition of DNA synthesis. Together, these results demonstrate synergistic stimulation of DNA synthesis by bradykinin and vasopressin via prolonged stimulation of multiple signaling pathways and imply that the interactive effects of Ca(2+)-mobilizing peptides on mitogenesis may be more general than previously thought.

Homologous desensitization of bombesin-induced increases in intracellular Ca2+ in quiescent Swiss 3T3 cells involves a protein kinase C-independent mechanism

Addition of bombesin to Swiss 3T3 cells causes a rapid and transient increase in the intracellular concentration of Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i), which is followed by desensitization to a subsequent addition of the peptide. The concentrations of bombesin used to study this acute cellular desensitization (0.1-0.5 nM) did not deplete the intracellular pool of Ca2+ released by inositol(1,4,5)trisphosphate, as shown by addition of vasopressin after consecutive additions of bombesin. Two lines of evidence support the conclusion that activation of protein kinase C (PKC) does not mediate the acute homologous desensitization of Ca2+ responses induced by bombesin. First, long-term treatment (48 h) of Swiss 3T3 cells with phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDB) to deplete PKC did not prevent homologous desensitization. The responses to second additions of bombesin at 0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 nM were 42%, 26% and 11% of the initial responses, respectively. Second, the PKC inhibitor GF 109203X did not alter homologous desensitization at concentrations that completely prevented the inhibition of Ca2+ mobilization induced by PDB and blocked PDB-mediated phosphorylation of the prominent PKC substrate 80K/MARCKS. We conclude that acute homologous desensitization of Ca2+ responses induced by bombesin occurs through a PKC-independent mechanism.

Neurohypophyseal peptides as regulators of growth and development. A review

In addition to their classical hormonal role, the neurohypophyseal peptides vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) are also implicated as regulators of growth and development. Mitogenic actions of AVP are particularly well characterized and may underly the potential role of AVP as an autocrine regulator of tumor growth. Effects of AVP and OT on neural development are suggested by numerous studies, but definitive physiological evidence is lacking. Current studies on the molecular characterization of AVP and OT receptors, and on transgenic animals will provide insights into the developmental actions of neurohypophyseal peptides.

Bombesin, vasopressin, and endothelin rapidly stimulate tyrosine phosphorylation in intact Swiss 3T3 cells

The mitogenic neuropeptides bombesin and vasopressin markedly increased tyrosine and serine phosphorylation of multiple substrates in quiescent Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts, including two major bands of Mr 90,000 and 115,000. Tyrosine phosphorylation of these proteins was increased as judged by immunoprecipitation of 32Pi-labeled cells and immunoblotting of unlabeled cells with monoclonal antiphosphotyrosine antibodies, elution with phenyl phosphate, and phospho amino acid analysis. Phosphotyrosyl proteins generated by bombesin and vasopressin did not correspond either by apparent molecular weight or by immunological and biochemical criteria to several known tyrosine kinase substrates, including phospholipase C gamma, the microtubule-associated protein 2 kinase, GTPase-activating protein, or phosphatidylinositol kinase. The effect was rapid (within seconds), concentration dependent, and inhibited by specific receptor antagonists for both bombesin and vasopressin. The endothelin-related peptide, vasoactive intestinal contractor, also elicited a rapid and concentration-dependent tyrosine/serine phosphorylation of a similar set of substrates. These results demonstrate that neuropeptides, acting through receptors linked to GTP-binding proteins, stimulate tyrosine phosphorylation of a common set of substrates in quiescent Swiss 3T3 cells and suggest the existence of an additional signal transduction pathway in neuropeptide-induced mitogenesis.

Bombesin stimulation of fibroblast mitogenesis: specific receptors, signal transduction and early events

Quiescent cultures of Swiss 3T3 cells can be stimulated to recommence deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis by polypeptide growth factors, neuropeptides and various pharmacological agents that act via multiple signal transduction pathways. Neuropeptides of the bombesin family provide novel and potent mitogens to elucidate these pathways. The peptides bind to specific receptors that have been characterized by radioligand binding and sensitivity to antagonists and identified as glycoproteins of relative molecular mass (Mr) 75,000-85,000 by chemical cross-linking. After binding, bombesin elicits a cascade of early molecular events, including stimulation of phosphorylation of the acidic Mr 80,000 cellular protein (80,000) that is a major substrate of protein kinase C; Ca2+ mobilization mediated by Ins(1,4,5)P3; Na+ and K+ fluxes; transmodulation of (EGF) receptor; enhancement of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation and expression of the proto-oncogenes c-fos and c-myc. Studies using digitonin-permeabilized 3T3 cells show that a G protein plays a role in the transduction of the mitogenic signal triggered by the binding of bombesin to its receptor.

Vasopressin rapidly stimulates protein kinase C in digitonin-permeabilized Swiss 3T3 cells: involvement of a pertussis toxin-insensitive guanine nucleotide binding protein

Guanine nucleotides and pertussis toxin were used to test for the involvement of a guanine nucleotide binding protein in the vasopressin V1 receptor-mediated stimulation of protein kinase C activity in Swiss 3T3 cells. Addition of vasopressin in the presence of [gamma-32P]ATP and digitonin caused a marked and rapid increase (8 +/- 1-fold after 1 min) in the phosphorylation of an Mr = 80,000 cellular protein (80K), a specific marker for protein kinase C activation. This phosphorylation was selectively blocked by the V1 receptor antagonist Pmp1-0-Me-Tyr2 [Arg8] vasopressin, indicating that the effect was mediated through the vasopressin V1 receptor. Down regulation of protein kinase C by prior prolonged pretreatment of intact cells with phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PBt2) blocked the ability of vasopressin to stimulate the phosphorylation of 80K in digitonin-permeabilized cells. Addition of a submaximal concentration of vasopressin together with the GTP analogue GTP-gamma-S caused a synergistic stimulation of 80K phosphorylation. The GDP analogue GDP-beta-S caused a 50% inhibition of the phosphorylation of 80K induced by a saturating concentration of vasopressin and shifted the vasopressin dose-response curve to the right. GDP-beta-S had no effect on the dose-response for the stimulation of 80K phosphorylation induced by PBt2. Prior incubation of intact quiescent cultures of Swiss 3T3 cells with pertussis toxin did not impair either vasopressin-induced increase in cytosolic [Ca2+] or activation of protein kinase C. These findings provide functional evidence for the involvement of a pertussis toxin-insesitive G protein in the vasopressin V1 receptor-mediated stimulation of protein kinase C in Swiss 3T3 cells.

Heterologous desensitization of bombesin-induced mitogenesis by prolonged exposure to vasopressin: a post-receptor signal transduction block

Prolonged exposure of quiescent Swiss 3T3 cells to vasopressin prevents mitogenic stimulation on subsequent addition of bombesin. This heterologous desensitization is selective and can be mimicked by vasopressin agonists, including [Lys8]vasopressin and oxytocin but not by the V1-type-specific vasopressin receptor antagonist [Pmp1,O-Me-Tyr2,Arg8]vasopressin [where Pmp is 1-(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-cyclopenthamethylene propionic acid)]. Furthermore, vasopressin-induced loss of responsiveness to bombesin can be blocked by addition of this antagonist, indicating that heterologous desensitization is mediated through the vasopressin receptor. Desensitization requires prolonged incubation (half-maximal desensitization occurring after approximately 20 hr of pretreatment) and continuous protein synthesis. Bombesin responsiveness is restored by incubation in the absence of vasopressin. Pretreatment does not alter the number, affinity, or internalization capacity of the bombesin receptors. However, the induction of the protooncogene c-fos by bombesin is profoundly inhibited after vasopressin pretreatment. We suggest that the coupling of the activated bombesin receptor to the generation of its early signals is impaired in desensitized cells.

Bombesin and platelet-derived growth factor stimulate formation of inositol phosphates and Ca2+ mobilization in Swiss 3T3 cells by different mechanisms

Highly purified platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) or recombinant PDGF stimulate DNA synthesis in quiescent Swiss 3T3 cells. The dose-response curves for the natural and recombinant factors were similar, with half-maximal responses at 2-3 ng/ml and maximal responses at approx. 10 ng/ml. Over this dose range, both natural and recombinant PDGF stimulated a pronounced accumulation of [3H]inositol phosphates in cells labelled for 72 h with [3H]inositol. In addition, mitogenic concentrations of PDGF stimulated the release of 45Ca2+ from cells prelabelled with the radioisotope. However, in comparison with the response to the peptide mitogens bombesin and vasopressin, a pronounced lag was evident in both the generation of inositol phosphates and the stimulation of 45Ca2+ efflux in response to PDGF. Furthermore, although the bombesin-stimulated efflux of 45Ca2+ was independent of extracellular Ca2+, the PDGF-stimulated efflux was markedly inhibited by chelation of external Ca2+ by using EGTA. Neither the stimulation of formation of inositol phosphates nor the stimulation of 45Ca2+ efflux in response to PDGF were affected by tumour-promoting phorbol esters such as 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). In contrast, TPA inhibited phosphoinositide hydrolysis and 45Ca2+ efflux stimulated by either bombesin or vasopressin. Furthermore, whereas formation of inositol phosphates in response to both vasopressin and bombesin was increased in cells in which protein kinase C had been down-modulated by prolonged exposure to phorbol esters, the response to PDGF was decreased in these cells. These results suggest that, in Swiss 3T3 cells, PDGF receptors are coupled to phosphoinositidase activation by a mechanism that does not exhibit protein kinase C-mediated negative-feedback control and which appears to be fundamentally different from the coupling mechanism utilized by the receptors for bombesin and vasopressin.

Two classes of antagonist interact with receptors for the mitogenic neuropeptides bombesin, bradykinin, and vasopressin

While screening neuropeptides for activity as growth factors we have found that bradykinin is a mitogen for Swiss 3T3 cells. It acts synergistically with insulin, and maximal effect is obtained at 10 nM. It acts through a distinct receptor, characterized as a B2 subtype using bradykinin analogues. The neuropeptides bombesin and vasopressin are also potent mitogens for Swiss 3T3 cells. The substance P antagonists [DArg1, DPro2, DTrp7,9, Leu11] substance P and [DArg1, DPhe5, DTrp7,9, Leu11]substance P are inhibitors of DNA synthesis stimulated by both bombesin and vasopressin. In the present study they were found also to inhibit bradykinin-induced mitogenesis. In contrast, the ligand-specific antagonists [Leu13-psi(CH2NH)Leu14]bombesin, [Pmp1, OMeTyr2, Arg8]vasopressin and [DArg0, Hyp3, Thi5,8, DPhe7]bradykinin showed no cross-inhibition with each others receptors. We propose therefore that the receptors for the mitogenic neuropeptides bombesin, vasopressin, and bradykinin can interact with two classes of antagonist, one recognizing the ligand binding site (e.g., [Leu13-psi(CH2NH)Leu14]bombesin) and the other recognizing a common domain shared by the three receptors (e.g., [DArg1, DPhe5, DTrp7,9, Leu11]substance P).

Ca2+-mobilizing actions of platelet-derived growth factor differ from those of bombesin and vasopressin in Swiss 3T3 mouse cells

Addition of the mitogenic peptides bombesin and vasopressin to quiescent Swiss 3T3 mouse cells increased the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration without any measurable delay. In contrast, there was a significant lag period (16 +/- 1.2 s) before platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) increased cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. This lag was not diminished at high concentrations of either porcine or human PDGF. Similar results were obtained in 3T3 cells loaded with quin-2 or fura-2. The differences in the effects of bombesin, vasopressin, and PDGF on Ca2+ movements were also substantiated by measurements of 45Ca2+ efflux and of cellular 45Ca2+ content. Activation of protein kinase C by phorbol esters inhibited Ca2+ mobilization induced by either bombesin or vasopressin. In contrast, phorbol esters had no effect on PDGF-induced cytosolic Ca2+ concentration increase or acceleration of 45Ca2+ efflux. Finally, bombesin and vasopressin caused a rapid increase in the production of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate, whereas PDGF, even at a saturating concentration, exerted only a small effect. These results indicate that the signal transduction pathways activated by PDGF that lead to Ca2+ mobilization can be distinguished from those utilized by bombesin and vasopressin.

Protein kinase C activation enhances cAMP accumulation in Swiss 3T3 cells: inhibition by pertussis toxin

Addition of phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PBt2) in the presence of forskolin or cholera toxin caused marked (6- to 8-fold) and rapid accumulation of cAMP in Swiss 3T3 cells. The effect of PBt2 is mediated by protein kinase C because the synthetic diacylglycerol 1-oleoyl-2 acetylglycerol substitutes for PBt2 in enhancing cAMP accumulation and because the enhancing effect of either PBt2 or 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol was prevented by down-regulation of protein kinase C. Vasopressin, which activates protein kinase C but does not directly affect adenylate cyclase in 3T3 cells, also enhanced cAMP accumulation in cells treated with cholera toxin or forskolin. This effect was abolished by down-regulation of protein kinase C. Treatment with pertussis toxin blocked the enhancing effect of PBt2 in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Pertussis toxin neither prevented protein kinase C activation by PBt2 nor other biologic responses elicited by PBt2. The results presented here suggest an unusual function for a pertussis toxin substrate--namely, coupling protein kinase C activation to cAMP production.

Vasopressin rapidly stimulates protein kinase C in quiescent Swiss 3T3 cells

Addition of vasopressin to quiescent cultures of Swiss 3T3 cells caused a rapid increase in the phosphorylation of an acidic molecular weight 80,000 cellular protein (termed 80K). The effect was concentration- and time-dependent; enhancement in 80K phosphorylation could be detected as early as 30 sec after the addition of the hormone. Recently, a rapid increase in the phosphorylation of an 80K cellular protein following treatment with phorbol esters or diacylglycerol has been shown to reflect the activation of protein kinase C in intact Swiss 3T3 cells. Here we show that the 80K phosphoproteins generated in response to vasopressin and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PBt2) were identical as judged by one- and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and peptide mapping following partial proteolysis with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease. In addition, prolonged pretreatment of 3T3 cells with PBt2 which leads to the disappearance of protein kinase C activity blocked the ability of vasopressin to stimulate the phosphorylation of 80K. The effect of vasopressin on 80K phosphorylation and mitogenesis was selectively blocked by the vasopressin antagonist (Pmp1-O-Me-Tyr2-Arg8) vasopressin suggesting that these responses are mediated by its specific receptor in these cells. The removal of vasopressin leads to dephosphorylation (within minutes) of the 80K phosphoprotein. We conclude that vasopressin rapidly stimulates protein kinase C activity in intact 3T3 cells.

Reparative growth in the rat thyroid: effect of TSH suppression

Previous investigations have shown that thyroid incision leads to a dramatic burst of follicular cell mitotic activity in cells adjacent to the wound edge in both normal rats and rats made hypothyroid by chronic goitrogen administration. Wound-induced thyroid mitotic activity therefore, is seen in rats with either normal or supranormal levels of circulating thyrotropin (TSH). This study was designed to investigate the thyroid mitotic response to wounding in the absence of detectable levels of circulating TSH. Rats were injected with large doses of L-thyroxine twice daily to render circulating TSH undetectable. Thyroids were incised and follicular cell mitotic activity, in relation to distance from the incision, determined at 24, 48 and 72 hr after incision. A mitotic response to wounding was maintained in L-thyroxine treated rats, even though circulating TSH was undetectable. The peak of activity was at 48 hr, but was only 50% of that found in the incised normal rat thyroid. The spatial distribution of the response suggests that there are two components of the wound response in the normal thyroid, one dependent on the presence of circulating TSH, the other TSH-independent. The results are discussed in relation to current understanding of cellular growth control.

Diacylglycerol treatment rapidly decreases the affinity of the epidermal growth factor receptors of Swiss 3T3 cells

The synthetic diacylglycerol 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl glycerol (OAG) and phorbol esters activate protein kinase C in intact cells. We report here that OAG inhibits the binding of 125I-labelled epidermal growth factor (125I-EGF) to Swiss 3T3 cells. The inhibition was detected as early as 1 min after treatment at 37 degrees C and persisted for at least 120 min. The effect of OAG was reversed upon removal of this diacylglycerol. Detailed Scatchard analysis of 125I-EGF binding to Swiss 3T3 cells at 4 degrees C after a 1 h incubation with a saturating dose of OAG at 37 degrees C, demonstrates that this OAG pretreatment does not change the apparent number of EGF receptors but causes a marked decrease in their apparent affinity for the ligand. Prolonged treatment (40 h) of the cells with phorbol dibutyrate (PBt2) which causes a marked decrease in the number of phorbol ester binding sites and in the activity of protein kinase C, prevented the inhibition of 125I-EGF binding by both PBt2 and OAG. The results support the possibility that protein kinase C plays a role in the transmodulation of the EGF receptor in intact cells.

Apparent desensitization of Swiss 3T3 cells to the mitogens FGF and vasopressin

The growth factors FGF and vasopressin were found to have only a transient effect on confluent quiescent monolayers of Swiss 3T3 cells. Whether measured as cumulative entry into S-phase by autoradiography, or as cell division by time-lapse filming, the elevated rate of cell proliferation was maintained only over 10-15 hr. Several trivial or artifactual explanations for this transience were ruled out, including toxicity of 3H-thymidine; exhaustion or degradation of medium components, nutrients or growth factors (although some medium depletion was observed); and the generation during quiescence of cells incapable of division. We have also eliminated heritable variation in the capacity to respond to individual growth factors. However, unstable phenotypic heterogeneity in growth factor requirements between cells may play some part, as found elsewhere for the response to low concentrations of serum (Brooks et al, 1984). Cell populations that had ceased to respond to vasopressin recovered their sensitivity after 2-3 days' incubation in conditioned medium lacking vasopressin. The phenomenon thus resembles the mitogen-induced desensitization described by Collins and Rosengurt (1982, 1983). However, in our case, the loss of sensitivity was not selective for vasopressin but applied also to epidermal growth factor (EGF) and to prostaglandin F2 alpha. Furthermore, changes in responsiveness to vasopressin with time were associated with changes in cell density. Although some element of selective desensitization has not been ruled out, the transient response in our experiments can be accounted for in terms of unstable heterogeneity in growth factor requirements and/or in terms of density-dependent regulation of growth.

Apparent heterogeneity in the response of quiescent swiss 3T3 cells to serum growth factors: implications for the transition probability model and parallels with "cellular senescence" and "competence"

When subconfluent, Swiss 3T3 cells made quiescent by serum deprivation are stimulated with low concentrations of serum (ca. 1%), only a proportion of them (roughly 50%) enter S phase despite daily replacement with fresh, low-serum medium. The cells that fail to enter S phase are not incapable of doing so, since most of them initiate DNA synthesis after transfer to 10% serum. It would appear that individual cells vary in their growth factor requirements. Using time-lapse cinemicroscopy a few of the cells that respond to low serum were seen to give rise to several generations of progeny, while the majority of cells failed to divide at all, or divided once at most. Despite this, differences between cells in growth factor requirements do not seem to be heritable in the long term, since attempts to enrich for responding cells by prolonged culture in 1% serum have been unsuccessful. Rather, it would appear that the capacity to respond to low serum is an unstable property lost after a few generations in low serum. The loss of responsiveness shows parallels with "cellular senescence" and could conceivably result from decay of the platelet-derived growth factor-induced state of "competence." But regardless of why some cells respond to low serum while others do not, it is clear that the kinetics of entry into S phase after serum stimulation of quiescent 3T3 cells are not strictly first-order, since the labelling index plateaus after roughly 3 days at values substantially below 100%. As such, the kinetics, though not contradicting the transition probability model, cannot be taken to support it as was previously thought.

Vasopressin rapidly stimulates Ca2+ efflux from intracellular pool in quiescent Swiss 3T3 cells

Addition of the neurohypophysial nonapeptide [Arg8]vasopressin to 45Ca2+-loaded quiescent cultures of Swiss 3T3 cells or diploid mouse embryo fibroblasts causes a rapid increase (within seconds) in the rate of 45Ca2+ efflux from the cells. This reflects the release of 45Ca2+ from an intracellular store that is partly or entirely derived from mitochondria and leads to a marked decrease (52%) in the intracellular 45Ca2+ content of the cultures under equilibrium 45Ca2+ conditions. The effect is dose dependent, specific, and blocked by a vasopressor antagonist. Prolonged pretreatment with vasopressin that renders the cells unresponsive to the mitogenic effects of the hormone also blocks the Ca2+ response. The results suggest that Ca2+ fluxes may be involved in the mechanism of mitogenic action of vasopressin in Swiss 3T3 cells.

Diacylglycerol stimulates DNA synthesis and cell division in mouse 3T3 cells: role of Ca2+-sensitive phospholipid-dependent protein kinase

The synthetic diacylglycerol 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol competes directly with [3H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate for common binding sites in monolayer cultures of Swiss 3T3 cells and rapidly stimulates the phosphorylation of a Mr 80,000 cellular protein that has recently been shown to reflect the activation of protein kinase C in intact cells. Thus, this diacylglycerol provided a useful tool to determine whether exogenously added diacylglycerols can mimic the potent tumor promoter phorbol ester in eliciting DNA synthesis and cell division in quiescent cells. We found that OAG acts synergistically with insulin and other growth factors to stimulate reinitiation of cell proliferation, and several lines of evidence indicate that OAG shares with phorbol esters a common pathway of mitogenic action via stimulation of protein kinase C activity in intact 3T3 cells. The findings support the hypothesis that diacylglycerols represent endogenous analogs of phorbol esters and raise the possibility that diacylglycerols generated in the plasma membrane could act as a mitogenic signal for quiescent cells.

Cyclic AMP does not mediate inhibition of DNA synthesis by interferon in mouse Swiss 3T3 cells

The purpose of this study was to determine whether cyclic AMP (cAMP) plays any direct or indirect role in the antiproliferative effect of mouse L-cell interferon in Swiss 3T3 cells. Firstly, we found that interferon did not affect intracellular levels of cAMP in these cells in the absence or the presence of cAMP-elevating agents. Secondly, we examined the effect of interferon on the stimulation of DNA synthesis of quiescent 3T3 cells by a range of cyclic AMP-elevating agents, including cholera toxin, cAMP derivatives, and prostaglandin E, added in the presence of insulin or vasopressin. Interferon inhibited cyclic AMP-stimulated DNA synthesis as measured by incorporation of radioactive thymidine into acid-insoluble material and autoradiographic analysis of the fraction of labelled cells. Dose-response curves and kinetics of inhibition were identical to those obtained in cultures stimulated by combinations of growth factors that do not increase the intracellular level of cAMP. The inhibition by interferon of cAMP-stimulated DNA synthesis was also observed in secondary cultures of mouse embryo fibroblasts, where cAMP-elevating agents provide a mitogenic signal in the absence of other added growth factors. These results show that the inhibitory effect of interferon on DNA synthesis in Swiss 3T3 cells is not mediated by cyclic AMP.

Homologous and heterologous mitogenic desensitization of Swiss 3T3 cells to phorbol esters and vasopressin: role of receptor and postreceptor steps

Prolonged treatment of Swiss 3T3 cells with phorbol 12,13 dibutyrate (PDB) rendered the cells refractory to subsequent mitogenic stimulation by both PDB and vasopressin. In contrast, the cells retained full responsiveness to a wide variety of other mitogens. An early response to vasopressin and phorbol esters, inhibition of (125I)-labeled epidermal growth factor [(125I)-EGF] binding, was also substantially decreased in PDB pretreated cells. The cross desensitization was not produced by vasopressin; this ligand induced homologous but not heterologous desensitization. Exposure of Swiss 3T3 cells to PDB caused a down regulation of (3H)-PDB receptors but did not reduce the binding of vasopressin to refractory cells. The time-course (t1/2 = 7 h) and dependence on PDB concentration (half maximal at 20 nM) for this phorbol ester receptor loss paralleled the induction of the mitogenic desensitizations to both PDB and vasopressin. However, the time-course of recovery revealed an important dissociation between receptor presence and mitogenic response. When Swiss 3T3 cultures, which had been pretreated with PDB, were washed to remove this ligand and incubated in its absence for 24 h, both (3H)-PDB receptors and PDB or vasopressin inhibition of (125I)-EGF binding were almost completely restored to control levels. However the homologous and heterologous mitogenic desensitizations showed a very different reversal time. After a 24-h recovery period PDB-treated refractory cells were still unable to synthesize DNA in response to PDB or vasopressin. The mitogenic desensitizations were however completely reversible; after a 48-h incubation in the absence of PDB the cells responded fully to the mitogenic actions of PDB or vasopressin. This finding suggests that a further postreceptor step was also desensitized by prolonged PDB treatment. The presence of a low level of cycloheximide during the PDB pretreatment blocked induction of this postreceptor refractoriness. We propose that this refractory postreceptor step selectively blocks both PDB and vasopressin stimulation of DNA synthesis and may represent the point at which the mitogenic pathways of phorbol esters and vasopressin converge.