Induction of DNA synthesis in isolated nuclei by cytoplasmic factors: inhibition by protease inhibitors

Differences in DNA synthesis in vitro using isolated nuclei from regenerating livers of young and aged rats

To detect changes in DNA synthesis during ageing, we compare DNA synthesis in the livers of young and aged rats. As an intermediate between an in vivo system using intact cells and an in vitro system using purified DNA polymerases, isolated nuclei were prepared and used as the machinery for DNA synthesis. The DNA synthesizing capacity of nuclei from regenerating liver was higher than that of nuclei from normal liver and these capacities from liver and regenerating liver were lower in nuclear preparations from aged rats. DNA synthesis using isolated nuclei was stimulated by ATP and the cytoplasmic preparation. The cytoplasmic preparation from regenerating rat liver was found to stimulate DNA synthesis more than the preparation from normal liver. The activity in regenerating liver from young rats was also greater than in that from aged rats. It is well known that DNA replication is inhibited by aphidicolin and DNA repair by ddTTP. We examined the effects of aphidicolin and ddTTP on DNA synthesis using the nuclear system. Surprisingly, the inhibition by aphidicolin was 30% of total DNA synthesis using the nuclear system from young rats. On the other hand, the inhibition by ddTTP was approximately 80%. We measured the sizes of the DNA synthesized in the presence of both inhibitors. DNA synthesis was allowed to proceed for 10 min using isolated nuclei from regenerating liver of young rats and the size of the DNA was determined by sucrose density gradient centrifugation analysis. DNA products appeared in two fractions. Following a chase of 50 min in the presence or absence of aphidicolin, the short DNA product grew larger in both cases, although the amount of DNA in the presence of aphidicolin was approximately 90% that in its absence. In the same experiment using nuclei from aged rats, the amount in the presence of aphidicolin was approximately 60% that in its absence. These results suggest that DNA polymerase beta is closely related to abnormal replication when DNA polymerases alpha and delta are inhibited and that the effect of cytosol on DNA synthesis, as well as the DNA synthetic capacity of isolated nuclei, becomes lower in regenerating rat liver during ageing.

Extracellular serine-proteinases isolated from Streptomyces alboniger: partial characterization and effect of aprotinin on cellular structure

Streptomyces alboniger ATCC 12461 grown in brain heart infusion (BHI) medium produced two extracellular serine-proteinases, denoted SP I and SP II, which were purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and aprotinin-agarose affinity chromatography. SP I was purified 88,9-fold and SP II 66,7- fold, with 33.4% and 10.4% yield, respectively. The optimum pH for the proteinases activity, using a-N-p-tosyl-L-arginine-methyl ester (TAME) as substrate, was 9-10 and the optimum temperature was 37 degrees C. The proteolytic activity of SP I and SP II was inhibited by aprotinin and SP I was partially inhibited by leupeptin, both serine-proteinase inhibitors. S. alboniger growth in BHI-liquid medium decreased when 5 mg/ml, 10 mg/ml of aprotinin was used, being completely inhibited with 20 mg/ml and 40 mg/ml. At the ultrastructural level, aprotinin-treated S. alboniger cells showed swelling of the bacterial body and condensation of the genetic material, probably related to the inhibition of its growth.

Estrogenic xenobiotics affect the intracellular activation signal in mitogen-induced human peripheral blood lymphocytes: immunotoxicological impact

The present study was an attempt to elucidate the effect of estrogenic xenobiotics on the proliferation of mitogen-stimulated human peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL). Our findings follow: (a) the proliferation of PBL in response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was mediated by protein kinase C activity, but estrogenic xenobiotics had a strong inhibitory effect on protein kinase C activity of PHA-stimulated PBL; (b) cytoplasmic extracts from PHA-stimulated PBL greatly activated DNA replication, but estrogenic xenobiotics had a strong inhibitory effect on these activities. The results suggest that the cytoplasmic signal-generating system in mitogen-treated PBL is inhibited by estrogenic xenobiotics, and that the defect occurs at all stages in the sequence of events leading to DNA synthesis and cell proliferation.

A comparative study of inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, trypsin, neuropathy target esterase, and spleen cell activation by structurally related organophosphorus compounds

Organophosphorus (OP) compounds can bind to and inactivate several target molecules other than acetylcholinesterase (AChE). In the present study, five sets of structurally related organophosphorus compounds were used to evaluate the relationships between organophosphorus binding sites of AChE, neuropathy target esterase (NTE), trypsin, and the target molecule(s) involved in inhibition of splenocyte activation by OP compounds. The concentration of each OP compound required to inhibit enzyme activity or splenocyte activation by concanavalin A by 50% was determined. The pattern of IC50 values indicated that AChE, trypsin, NTE, and the molecule(s) involved in inhibition of splenocyte activation are distinct with regard to patterns of inhibition by OP compounds. However, there was a striking similarity in the patterns of inhibition for trypsin and NTE with substantial differences for only 2 of 20 compounds. This pattern suggests similarity in the active sites of these molecules. There were also similarities in the IC50 patterns for lymphocyte activation and trypsin or NTE activity. However, the correlation was not as strong as between NTE and trypsin, and the data suggested the possibility of multiple target molecules for inhibition of splenocyte activation by OP compounds. More importantly, there was essentially no correlation between the pattern of IC50 values for AChE and splenocyte activation. This strongly suggests that acetylcholine and AChE of the type found in the brain are not important in the regulation of splenocyte activation by concanavalin A.

Inhibition of interleukin 2 driven proliferation of mouse CTLL2 cells, by selected carbamate and organophosphate insecticides and congeners of carbaryl

The anticholinesterase (antiCHE) insecticides, a large family of pesticides used extensively throughout the world, inhibit serine hydrolases by carbamylating or phosphorylating a serine residue at the catalytic site. These insecticides are viewed as potential inhibitors of serine hydrolase-dependent immune functions including interleukin 2 (IL2) signalling. Previous studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that carbaryl (an antiCHE insecticide) produces a marked concentration-dependent inhibition of IL2 driven 1) proliferation of mouse CTLL2 cells, 2) proliferation of human natural killer (NK) cells, and 3) enhancement of target cell killing by human NK cells. In the present study, we examined the potential of 8 antiCHE insecticides (4 carbamates and 4 organophosphates) to inhibit IL2-dependent proliferation of mouse CTLL2 cells. The order of potency for T cell inhibition was carbaryl = dichlorvos > methiocarb > carbofuran > paraoxon > mevinphos > aldicarb = monocrotophos. In view of the relatively high inhibitory potency of carbaryl (a carbamate with low cholinergic toxicity), 3 metabolites and 5 congeners of carbaryl were tested for potency to inhibit CTLL2 proliferation. The data indicate a significant contribution of the 1-naphthol leaving group to inhibition of T cell proliferation by carbaryl, and are consistent with inhibition of a serine hydrolase(s) as a mechanism contributing to the observed inhibition of IL2-dependent proliferation.

Characteristics of DNA replication in isolated nuclei initiated by an aprotinin-binding protein

Isolated cell nuclei were used as the source of template DNA to investigate the role of a cytosolic aprotinin-binding protein (ADR) in the initiation of eukaryotic DNA replication. Computerized image cytometry demonstrated that the DNA content of individual nuclei increased significantly following incubation with ADR-containing preparations, and the extent of DNA synthesis is consistent with that allowed by the limiting concentration of dTTP. Thus, dTTP incorporation into isolated nuclei represents DNA synthesis and not parent strand repair. We found that dTTP incorporation into the isolated nuclei is dependent on DNA polymerase alpha (a principal polymerase in DNA replication) but that DNA polymerase beta (a principal polymerase in DNA repair processes) does not play a significant role in this system. Finally, neither aprotinin nor a previously described cytosolic ADR inhibitor can block the replication of nuclease-treated calf thymus DNA, while both strongly inhibit replication of DNA in isolated nuclei. This result, coupled with the relative ineffectiveness of nuclease-treated DNA compared with nuclear DNA to serve as a replicative template in this assay, argues against a significant contribution from repair or synthesis which initiates at a site of DNA damage. These data indicate that ADR-mediated incorporation of 3H-dTTP into isolated nuclei results from DNA replicative processes that are directly relevant to in vivo S phase events.

Initiation of lymphocyte DNA synthesis

The initiation of DNA replication in T lymphocytes appears to be regulated by two distinct activities: one associated with proliferation which mediates initiation, and another associated with quiescence which blocks initiation. Activated lymphocytes and proliferating lymphoid cell lines produce an activity, termed ADR, which can initiate DNA replication in isolated, quiescent nuclei. ADR is heat-labile, has protease activity or interacts closely with a protease, and is distinct from the DNA polymerases. ADR activity is absent in quiescent lymphocytes and appears in mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes after IL-2 binding. The generation of active ADR appears to be mediated by phosphorylation of a precursor which is present in resting cells. Nuclei from mitogen-unresponsive lymphocytes fail to initiate DNA replication in response to ADR, of potential importance in the age-related decline of immunity. Quiescent lymphocytes lack ADR and synthesize an ADR-inhibitory activity. The ADR inhibitor is a heat-stable protein which suppresses the initiation of DNA synthesis, but is ineffective at suppressing elongation once DNA strand replication has begun. Nuclei from several neoplastic cell lines fail to respond to the ADR inhibitor, which may play a role in the continuous proliferation of these cells. At least one of these neoplastic cell lines produces both ADR and an inhibitory factor. These findings suggest that the regulation of proliferation is dependent on the balance between activating and inhibitory pathways.

Induction of a cytoplasmic activator of DNA synthesis in lymphocytes is mediated through a membrane-associated protein kinase

We have shown previously that cytoplasmic extracts from actively dividing lymphoid cells are capable of inducing DNA synthesis in isolated nuclei. One of the factors involved in this activity, ADR, appears to be a greater than 90 kDa heat-labile protease. Cytoplasmic extracts prepared from nonproliferating lymphocytes express little to no ADR activity. However, ADR activity can be generated in these extracts by brief exposure to a membrane-enriched fraction of spontaneously proliferating, leukemic human T lymphoblastoid (MOLT-4) cells. This suggests that ADR activity is present in the resting cytoplasm in an inactive or precursor form. This in vitro generation of ADR activity can be inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by the isoquinolinesulfonamide derivative, H-7 (1-(5-isoquinoline-sulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine dihydrochloride), an inhibitor of both cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinases and protein kinase C (PKC). However, more specific inhibitors of cAMP-dependent protein kinases, including N-[( 2-methylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide dihydrochloride (H8) and N-(2-gua-nidinoethyl)-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide (HA-1004), had little to no effect on the in vitro generation of ADR activity. Furthermore, membranes from MOLT-4 cells depleted of PKC by long-term exposure (24 h) to phorbol esters and calcium ionophores were unable to induce ADR activity in resting peripheral blood lymphocytes extracts. The results of these studies suggest 1) ADR activity is present in resting cell cytoplasm in an inactive or precursor form; and 2) ADR activity can be induced in this resting cytoplasm through a mechanism involving a membrane-associated protein kinase, possibly PKC. The ability of alkaline phosphatase to deplete the activity of preformed ADR suggests the possibility that ADR itself is phosphoprotein.

Lysosomal inhibitors stimulate resting NIH 3T3 cells to proliferate

Lysosomal inhibitors (amino acid methyl esters) and platelet-derived growth factor stimulate resting NIH 3T3 cells to enter the S period. Incubation of cells in medium containing lysosomal inhibitors causes an increase in protein accumulation and does not disrupt lysosomes. The results indicate that proliferative homeostasis depends partially on the metabolic status of the cell and that catabolic processes activated in resting cells negatively influence prereplicative reactions.

Abnormally high expression of proteasomes in human leukemic cells

Proteasomes are eukaryotic ring-shaped or cylindrical particles with multicatalytic protease activities. To clarify the involvement of proteasomes in tumorigenesis of human blood cells, we compared their expression in human hematopoietic malignant tumor cells with that in normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Immunohistochemical staining showed considerably increased concentrations of proteasomes in leukemic cells from the bone marrow of patients with various types of leukemia and the predominant localization of these proteasomes in the nuclei. Moreover, enzyme immunoassay and Northern blot analysis indicated that the concentrations of proteasomes and their mRNA levels were consistently much higher in a variety of malignant human hematopoietic cell lines than in resting peripheral lymphocytes and monocytes from healthy adults. Proteasome expression was also greatly increased in normal blood mononuclear cells during blastogenic transformation induced by phytohemagglutinin; their expression increased in parallel with induction of DNA synthesis and returned to the basal level with progress of the cell cycle. Thus, abnormally high expression of proteasomes may play an important role in transformation and proliferation of blood cells and in specific functions of hematopoietic tumor cells.

A chymotryptic-type serine protease is required for IL-2 production by Jurkat T cells

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) production by activated Jurkat T cells was markedly delayed when these cells were treated with low concentrations of the chymotryptic-type protease inhibitor N-alpha-p-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethylketone (TPCK). This increased lag time observed in the presence of TPCK directly correlates with the interaction of the inhibitor with a unique 42,000 molecular weight (MW) serine protease, which can be labelled with [3H]DFP, and was not due to an intracellular accumulation of a non-mature form of IL-2 nor to a non-specific inhibition of overall protein synthesis. The results presented in this report indicate that a 42,000 MW chymotryptic-like serine protease is required for IL-2 production by activated Jurkat T cells.

A novel leupeptin-sensitive serine endopeptidase present in normal and malignant rat mammary tissues

N-Methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced rat mammary adenocarcinomas contain high levels of a novel leupeptin-sensitive serine endopeptidase. Its properties apparently differ from those of other similar endopeptidases reported to be present in various normal and malignant mammalian tissues. The same leupeptinsensitive serine endopeptidase was also detected in normal rat mammary tissues, but at levels approximately 20 times lower than those in MNU-induced mammary tumors. This enzyme, which is a trypsin-like serine endopeptidase, preferentially hydrolyzes various synthetic endopeptidase substrates at the carboxyl side of an arginyl residue. It has an apparent Mr of approximately 160,000 and a Stokes radius of 49 A, as determined by gel filtration. Its isoelectric points range from 4.5 to 4.8, and it has a pH optimum of approximately 7.0. The enzyme is stable from pH 4.0 to 7.0, but is extremely unstable above pH 7.0. Besides leupeptin, its activity is inhibited by antipain, aprotinin, N alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, but is not inhibited by soybean trypsin inhibitor. Many other potential inhibitors or activators such as 2-mercaptoethanol, p-hydroxymercuribenzoic acid and EDTA have no effect on its activity. The enzyme is adsorbed to p-aminobenzamidine agarose affinity beads at pH 6.5 and elutes at pH 4.0.

Inhibitors of chymotrypsin-like activities selectively block the mitotic pathway in rat hepatoma cells

We provide evidence that both covalent and non-covalent inhibitors of chymotrypsin-like activities inhibit the insulin-induced DNA replication, while the hormonal metabolic effects such as induction of tyrosine aminotransferase activity or increase of amino-acid transport remain unchanged. Besides, the protease inhibitors that we tested were without any effect on both the autocatalytic phosphorylation of insulin receptors and the tyrosine kinase activity towards poly(glutamate/tyrosine). The inhibitory effect of protease inhibitors on DNA synthesis was also visible when fibroblast growth factor (FGF) was used to commit cells in the proliferative cycle. This observation proves that the involvement of a putative protease is not restricted to the insulin mitogenic pathway. Finally, we observed that Fao cells totally escaped the inhibitory action of a covalent inhibitor of chymotrypsin after having been exposed to insulin for 10 h. We propose that a chymotrypsin-like activity is involved in the intracellular signalling leading to the proliferation of rat hepatoma cells up to a non-return point situated in the middle of G1 (6-8 h).

Nuclear DNA synthesis in vitro is mediated via stable replication forks assembled in a temporally specific fashion in vivo

A cell-free nuclear replication system that is S-phase specific, that requires the activity of DNA polymerase alpha, and that is stimulated three- to eightfold by cytoplasmic factors from S-phase cells was used to examine the temporal specificity of chromosomal DNA synthesis in vitro. Temporal specificity of DNA synthesis in isolated nuclei was assessed directly by examining the replication of restriction fragments derived from the amplified 200-kilobase dihydrofolate reductase domain of methotrexate-resistant CHOC 400 cells as a function of the cell cycle. In nuclei prepared from cells collected at the G1/S boundary of the cell cycle, synthesis of amplified sequences commenced within the immediate dihydrofolate reductase origin region and elongation continued for 60 to 80 min. The order of synthesis of amplified restriction fragments in nuclei from early S-phase cells in vitro appeared to be indistinguishable from that in vivo. Nuclei prepared from CHOC 400 cells poised at later times in the S phase synthesized characteristic subsets of other amplified fragments. The specificity of fragment labeling patterns was stable to short-term storage at 4 degrees C. The occurrence of stimulatory factors in cytosol extracts was cell cycle dependent in that minimal stimulation was observed with early G1-phase extracts, whereas maximal stimulation was observed with cytosol extracts from S-phase cells. Chromosomal synthesis was not observed in nuclei from G1 cells, nor did cytosol extracts from S-phase cells induce chromosomal replication in G1 nuclei. In contrast to chromosomal DNA synthesis, mitochondrial DNA replication in vitro was not stimulated by cytoplasmic factors and occurred at equivalent rates throughout the G1 and S phases. These studies show that chromosomal DNA replication in isolated nuclei is mediated by stable replication forks that are assembled in a temporally specific fashion in vivo and indicate that the synthetic mechanisms observed in vitro accurately reflect those operative in vivo.

Nuclear DNA synthesis in vitro is mediated via stable replication forks assembled in a temporally specific fashion in vivo

A cell-free nuclear replication system that is S-phase specific, that requires the activity of DNA polymerase alpha, and that is stimulated three- to eightfold by cytoplasmic factors from S-phase cells was used to examine the temporal specificity of chromosomal DNA synthesis in vitro. Temporal specificity of DNA synthesis in isolated nuclei was assessed directly by examining the replication of restriction fragments derived from the amplified 200-kilobase dihydrofolate reductase domain of methotrexate-resistant CHOC 400 cells as a function of the cell cycle. In nuclei prepared from cells collected at the G1/S boundary of the cell cycle, synthesis of amplified sequences commenced within the immediate dihydrofolate reductase origin region and elongation continued for 60 to 80 min. The order of synthesis of amplified restriction fragments in nuclei from early S-phase cells in vitro appeared to be indistinguishable from that in vivo. Nuclei prepared from CHOC 400 cells poised at later times in the S phase synthesized characteristic subsets of other amplified fragments. The specificity of fragment labeling patterns was stable to short-term storage at 4 degrees C. The occurrence of stimulatory factors in cytosol extracts was cell cycle dependent in that minimal stimulation was observed with early G1-phase extracts, whereas maximal stimulation was observed with cytosol extracts from S-phase cells. Chromosomal synthesis was not observed in nuclei from G1 cells, nor did cytosol extracts from S-phase cells induce chromosomal replication in G1 nuclei. In contrast to chromosomal DNA synthesis, mitochondrial DNA replication in vitro was not stimulated by cytoplasmic factors and occurred at equivalent rates throughout the G1 and S phases. These studies show that chromosomal DNA replication in isolated nuclei is mediated by stable replication forks that are assembled in a temporally specific fashion in vivo and indicate that the synthetic mechanisms observed in vitro accurately reflect those operative in vivo.

Inhibition of RNA synthesis in embryo of Xenopus laevis by protease inhibitor

We have studied the role of proteases during the development of Xenopus laevis embryos with the aid of protease inhibitors. The activity of proteases was found to be only minimal in the unfertilized egg and during the initiation of development, but activity began to increase at the morula stage. When the activity of proteases was inhibited by antipain, an inhibitor of endopeptidase activity, RNA synthesis in the embryo was inhibited. To examine the relationship between the inhibitory effect of antipain on protease activity and its effect on RNA synthesis, antipain was reduced with NaBH4 to inactivate its protease inhibitory activity. The reduced antipain did not inhibit RNA synthesis in the embryo. Antipain effectively inhibited synthesis of both rRNA and poly(A)+RNA but not 4S RNA. We therefore suggest that protease activity plays an important role in the initiation and/or continuation of RNA synthesis.