Differential expression of human metallothionein isoform I mRNA in human proximal tubule cells exposed to metals

Chronic Arsenic Exposure Upregulates the Expression of Basal Transcriptional Factors and Increases Invasiveness of the Non-Muscle Invasive Papillary Bladder Cancer Line RT4

The bladder is a target organ for inorganic arsenic, a carcinogen and common environmental contaminant found in soil and water. Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is the most common type of bladder cancer (BC) that develops into papillary or non-papillary tumors. Papillary tumors are mostly non-muscle invasive (NMIUC), easier treated, and have a better prognosis. Urothelial carcinoma can be molecularly sub-typed as luminal or basal, with papillary tumors generally falling into the luminal category and basal tumors exclusively forming muscle invasive urothelial carcinomas (MIUC). It is unclear why some UCs develop more aggressive basal phenotypes. We hypothesized that chronic arsenic exposure of a papillary luminal bladder cancer would lead to the development of basal characteristics and increase in invasiveness. We treated the human papillary bladder cancer cell line RT4 with 1 µM arsenite (As³⁺) for twenty passages. Throughout the study, key luminal and basal gene/protein markers in the exposed cells were evaluated and at passage twenty, the cells were injected into athymic mice to evaluate tumor histology and measure protein markers using immunohistochemistry. Our data indicates that chronic As³⁺- treatment altered cellular morphology and decreased several luminal markers in cell culture. The histology of the tumors generated from the As³⁺-exposed cells was similar to the parent (non-treated) however, they appeared to be more invasive in the liver and displayed elevated levels of some basal markers. Our study demonstrates that chronic As³⁺ exposure is able to convert a non-invasive papillary bladder cancer to an invasive form that acquires some basal characteristics.

Activation of PPARγ and inhibition of cell proliferation reduces key proteins associated with the basal subtype of bladder cancer in As3+-transformed UROtsa cells

Environmental exposure to arsenite (As³⁺) has a strong association with the development of human urothelial cancer (UC) and is the 5^th most common cancer in men and the 12^th most common cancer in women. Muscle invasive urothelial cancer (MIUC) are grouped into basal or luminal molecular subtypes based on their gene expression profile. The basal subtype is more aggressive and can be associated with squamous differentiation, characterized by high expression of keratins (KRT1, 5, 6, 14, and 16) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) within the tumors. The luminal subtype is less aggressive and is predominately characterized by elevated gene expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor- gamma (PPARγ) and forkhead box protein A1 (FOXA1). We have previously shown that As³⁺-transformed urothelial cells (As-T) exhibit a basal subtype of UC expressing genes associated with squamous differentiation. We hypothesized that the molecular subtype of the As-T cells could be altered by inducing the expression of PPARγ and/or inhibiting the proliferation of the cells. Non-transformed and As-T cells were treated with Troglitazone (TG, PPARG agonist, 10 μM), PD153035 (PD, an EGFR inhibitor, 1 μM) or a combination of TG and PD for 3 days. The results obtained demonstrate that treatment of the As-T cells with TG upregulated the expression of PPARγ and FOXA1 whereas treatment with PD decreased the expression of some of the basal keratins. However, a combined treatment of TG and PD resulted in a consistent decrease of several proteins associated with the basal subtype of bladder cancers (KRT1, KRT14, KRT16, P63, and TFAP2A). Our data suggests that activation of PPARγ while inhibiting cell proliferation facilitates the regulation of genes involved in maintaining the luminal subtype of UC. In vivo animal studies are needed to address the efficacy of using PPARγ agonists and/or proliferation inhibitors to reduce tumor grade/stage of MIUC.

The urothelial cell line UROtsa transformed by arsenite and cadmium display basal characteristics associated with muscle invasive urothelial cancers

Muscle invasive urothelial carcinomas are divided into various molecular subtypes with basal and luminal subtypes being the prominent ones. The basal muscle-invasive urothelial carcinomas are generally more aggressive at presentation and significantly enriched with squamous features. Our laboratory has developed an in-vitro model of urothelial cancer by transforming the immortalized cell line UROtsa with arsenite (As³⁺) and cadmium (Cd²⁺). In this study, we characterized the tumors formed by these transformed cell lines as more basal-like based on their gene expression patterns with increased expression of KRT1, KRT5, KRT6, KRT14, KRT16, KRT17 and CD44. In addition, histological examination of these tumor transplants showed squamous features enriched in basal muscle invasive urothelial carcinomas. The expression of these genes increased in the transformed cell lines as well as in the urospheres, which are putative cancer initiating cells/stem cells derived from the cell lines. There was also increased expression of these genes in the urospheres derived from the parent UROtsa cell line. Thus, our data shows that the As³⁺ and Cd²⁺-transformed cell lines and their derived tumor transplants have gene expression profiles similar to the basal subtype of muscle invasive bladder carcinomas with tumors having enriched squamous features. The increased expression of basal markers in the urospheres suggests that stem cells may be involved in the development of squamous differentiation seen in some of the muscle invasive bladder carcinomas.

Multigenerational study of chemically induced cytotoxicity and proliferation in cultures of human proximal tubular cells

Primary cultures of human proximal tubular (hPT) cells are a useful experimental model to study transport, metabolism, cytotoxicity, and effects on gene expression of a diverse array of drugs and environmental chemicals because they are derived directly from the in vivo human kidney. To extend the model to investigate longer-term processes, primary cultures (P0) were passaged for up to four generations (P1-P4). hPT cells retained epithelial morphology and stained positively for cytokeratins through P4, although cell growth and proliferation successively slowed with each passage. Necrotic cell death due to the model oxidants tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBH) and methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) increased with increasing passage number, whereas that due to the selective nephrotoxicant S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-l-cysteine (DCVC) was modest and did not change with passage number. Mitochondrial activity was lower in P2-P4 cells than in either P0 or P1 cells. P1 and P2 cells were most sensitive to DCVC-induced apoptosis. DCVC also increased cell proliferation most prominently in P1 and P2 cells. Modest differences with respect to passage number and response to DCVC exposure were observed in expression of three key proteins (Hsp27, GADD153, p53) involved in stress response. Hence, although there are some modest differences in function with passage, these results support the use of multiple generations of hPT cells as an experimental model.

Quantitation of human metallothionein isoforms: a family of small, highly conserved, cysteine-rich proteins

Human metallothioneins (MTs) are important regulators of metal homeostasis and protectors against oxidative damage. Their altered mRNA expression has been correlated with metal toxicity and a variety of cancers. Current immunodetection methods lack the specificity to distinguish all 12 human isoforms. Each, however, can be distinguished by the mass of its acetylated, cysteine-rich, hydrophilic N-terminal tryptic peptides. These properties were exploited to develop a bottom-up MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS-based method for their simultaneous quantitation. Key features included enrichment of N-terminal acetylated peptides by strong cation exchange chromatography, optimization of C18 reversed-phase chromatography, and control of methionine oxidation. Combinations of nine isoforms were identified in seven cell lines and two tissues. Relative quantitation was accomplished by comparing peak intensities of peptides generated from pooled cytosolic proteins alkylated with ¹⁴N- or ¹⁵N-iodoacetamide. Absolute quantitation was achieved using ¹⁵N-iodoacetamide-labeled synthetic peptides as internal standards. The method was applied to the cadmium induction of MTs in human kidney HK-2 epithelial cells expressing recombinant MT-3. Seven isoforms were detected with abundances spanning almost 2 orders of magnitude and inductions up to 12-fold. The protein-to-mRNA ratio for MT-1E was one-tenth that of other MTs, suggesting isoform-specific differences in protein expression efficiency. Differential expression of MT-1G1 and MT-1G2 suggested tissue- and cell-specific alternative splicing for the MT-1G isoform. Protein expression of MT isoforms was also evaluated in human breast epithelial cancer cell lines. Estrogen-receptor-positive cell lines expressed only MT-2 and MT-1X, whereas estrogen-receptor-negative cell lines additionally expressed MT-1E. The combined expression of MT isoforms was 38-fold greater in estrogen-receptor-negative cell lines than in estrogen-receptor-positive cells. These findings demonstrate that individual human MT isoforms can be accurately quantified in cells and tissues at the protein level, complementing and expanding mRNA measurement as a means for evaluating MTs as potential biomarkers for cancers or heavy metal toxicity.

Microarray analysis of gene expression patterns in human proximal tubule cells over a short and long time course of cadmium exposure

Numerous studies showed that renal proximal tubules cells are the cell type critically affected by chronic exposure to cadmium (Cd(2+)). The aim of the present study was to apply global gene expression technology and a human renal epithelial cell culture model (HPT) to determine whether time of exposure to Cd(2+) exerts a major influence on the resulting pattern of global gene expression. HPT cells were exposed to Cd(2+) for a short, 1-d, period of exposure (9, 27, and 45 μM) versus a longer, 13-d, period (4.5, 9, and 27 μM), with the hypothesis being that the stress response of the cells would be more active during the short time of exposure. The results showed that the differential expression of genes was very extensive for HPT cells exposed to Cd(2+) for 1 d, with more than 1848 genes displaying alterations compared to control and with the major categories of genes being involved in stress responses; cell death; checkpoint arrest, DNA repair, and the cell cycle; inflammatory responses; and cell adhesion, motion and differentiation. In contrast, HPT cells exposed to Cd(2+) for 13 d showed 923 genes to be differentially expressed, with a marked reduction in the number of differentially expressed stress response genes and a significant increase in the number of genes involved in development and differentiation. There were 387 differentially expressed genes common to both times of exposure. Data suggest that unless one is actively seeking to study the acute stress response, global gene expression technology should not be applied within an early time course of toxicant exposure.

Metallothionein I Isoform mRNA Expression in Peripheral Lymphocytes as a Biomarker for Occupational Cadmium Exposure

It is reported that metallothionein (MT) mRNA expression in human peripheral blood lymphocytes (HPBLs) could be used as exposure biomarkers in occupationally cadmium-exposed workers. Several MT isoforms have been identified in humans. The relationship between MT isoforms and cadmium toxicity has not been fully elucidated in occupational settings. In this study, the MT-IA, IE, IF, IX mRNA expressions in HPBLs were tested by RT-PCR technique, and the relationship between MT isoforms mRNA expression and cadmium-induced renal dysfunction was evaluated in cadmium-exposed workers. The MT-IE, IF, IX mRNA levels were found to increase with increasing blood cadmium (BCd) levels and MT-IA mRNA levels increased with increased urinary cadmium (UCd) levels. The MT-IE, IF, IX mRNA levels were significantly correlated with the BCd levels ( P < 0.05), and MT-IA mRNA levels were significantly correlated with the UCd levels. This confirmed that MT-I isoforms mRNA expression in HPBLs is a biomarker of cadmium exposure and internal dose. The MT-IA mRNA levels were significantly correlated with renal dysfunction biomarkers, such as urinary β2-microglobulin (Uβ2-MG) ( r = 0.294, P < 0.01) and urinary albumin (UALB) ( r = 0.305, P < 0.01). The latter finding indicates that MT-IA mRNA expression in HPBLs may be used as a biomarker for renal dysfunction in occupational cadmium exposure.

Impact of overexpression of metallothionein-1 on cell cycle progression and zinc toxicity

Metallothioneins (MTs) have an important role in zinc homeostasis and may counteract the impact of oversupply. Both intracellular zinc and MT expression have been implicated in proliferation control and resistance to cellular stress, although the interdependency is unclear. The study addresses the consequences of a steady-state overexpression of MT-1 for intracellular zinc levels, cell cycle progression, and protection from zinc toxicity using a panel of cell lines with differential expression of MT-1. The panel comprised parental Chinese hamster ovary-K1 cells with low endogenous expression of MT and transfectants with enhanced expression of mouse MT-1 on an autonomously replicating expression vector with a noninducible promoter. Cell cycle progression, determined by flow cytometry and time-lapse microscopy, revealed that enhanced cytoplasmic expression of MT-1 does not impact on normal cell cycle operation, suggesting that basal levels of MT-1 expression are not limiting for background levels of oxidative stress. MT-1 overexpression correlated with a steady-state increase in cytoplasmic free Zn(2+), assessed using the fluorescent zinc-sensor Zinquin, particularly at high levels of overexpression, further suggesting that zinc availability is normally not limiting for cell cycle progression. Enhanced MT-1 expression, over a 10-fold range, had a clear impact on resistance to Cd(2+) and Zn(2+) toxicity. In the case of Zn(2+), the degree of protection afforded was less, indicating that MT-1 has a limited range and saturable capacity for effecting resistance. The results have implications for the use of cellular stress responses to exogenously supplied zinc and zinc-based systemic therapies.

Cadmium regulation of apoptotic and stress response genes in tumoral and immortalized epithelial cells of the human breast

Cadmium (Cd) is a widely-disseminated metal which can be imported and accumulated in living cells thereby drastically interfering with their biological mechanisms. Increasing interest has been recently focused on the elucidation of the cellular and molecular aspects of Cd-dependent regulation of gene expression and signal transduction pathways in different model system. Concerning breast cancer, very limited studies have been produced so far on the role played by Cd on estrogen receptor-negative human breast cancer cells, that are expected to be insensitive to the already-proven metallo-estrogenic effect exerted by Cd on the estrogen receptor-positive cell counterparts. Here, we have examined the effects of long-term (96 h) exposure of estrogen receptor-negative MDA-MB231 malignant adenocarcinoma cells to CdCl(2) at 5 microM concentration, corresponding to the IC(50) for this time of incubation, by evaluating the expression levels of genes coding for stress response factors (e.g. heat shock proteins and metallothioneins), and for apoptosis-related factors and enzymes. In parallel, we tested the gene expression pattern of immortalized HB2 breast epithelial cells, taken as non-tumoral counterpart, after the same exposure to the metal which instead did not exert any change in their cell number with respect to controls. Our cumulative results indicate that, whilst HB2 cells appear to activate defense mechanisms against metal stress principally via metallothionein massive up-regulation and appearance of the spliced form of XBP-1 message, MDA-MB231 cells seem to couple the onset of a protective reaction (e.g. up-regulation of hsp27 and metallothioneins) to the switching-on of new intracellular pathways directing cells to a kind of death which shares several aspects with the apoptotic program, such as down-regulation of Bcl-2 and over-expression of Dap kinase and several caspases.

Simple method for identification of metallothionein isoforms in cultured human prostate cells by MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry

The present paper describes a rapid method for identification and characterization of human metallothionein (MT) isoforms in complex cell cultures using high-resolution matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF). In the proposed method, the sample preparation of MTs from cultured cells is both simple and fast. It is accomplished by trypsin cleavage of cell proteins into small peptide species, the majority of which are subsequently removed by gel filtration using beads with an exclusion limit of 4000 Da. In contrast to most cell proteins, MTs remain intact (undigested) upon being treated with trypsin, being excluded by the gel beads and thus recovered by low-speed centrifugation. To identify the protein constitutes of the MT preparation, the MT sample is divided into two parts, one for intact protein accurate mass measurement, the other for tryptic digestion followed by MS and MS/MS analyses. In the latter case, the MT proteins are denatured by the addition of EDTA which strips heavy metals from MTs and renders them susceptible to tryptic digestion. The obtained accurate mass with the unique peptide sequences of each MT isoform allows for unambiguous identification of MT isoforms in the prepared mixture. The method has been applied to RWPE-1 cells derived from normal human prostate epithelium. Four MT isoforms, 1E, 1G, 1X, and 2A, have been confidently identified, being primarily acetylated at N-termini. These results are in agreement with the expression of MT mRNAs in RWPE-1 cells determined by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Induction of functional MT1 and MT2 isoforms by calcium in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells

Metallothionein (MT) expression in carcinogenesis of thyrocytes is unknown. We demonstrated that cadmium induced transcription of all functional MT-1 and MT-2 isoforms and promoted the cell cycle from the G1 to the S phase in thyroid cancer cells, which can be suppressed by the ERK inhibitor. Cadmium exposure stimulated intracellular calcium and the phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Therefore, a common pathway initiated by a rapid rise in calcium and followed by calcium-mediated activation of ERK is involved in the transcriptional induction of functional MT1 and MT2 isoforms and in the progression of the cell cycle in thyroid cancer cells exposed to cadmium.

Metallothionein in human thrombocyte precursors, CD61+ megakaryocytes

The in vitro biosynthesis of metallothionein (MT) was investigated in thrombocyte precursors (megakaryocytes) isolated from human cord blood. Biosynthesis and induction of MT in magnetic cell sorting-separated CD61(+) megakaryocytes was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal mouse anti-MT. The presence of MT was detected both in the nuclear and in the cytoplasmic area. Using RT-PCR, in vitro upregulation/induction of total MT transcripts was observed in CD61(+) cells at 48 h post-treatment with 100 micromol/L of zinc supplement. Seven isoform-specific mRNAs namely, MT-1A, MT-1B, MT-1E, MT-1G, MT-1H, MT-1X, and MT-2A were detected in the similar cell populations left untreated with zinc.

BjMT2, a metallothionein type-2 from Brassica juncea, may effectively remove excess lead from erythrocytes and kidneys of rats

The remedial effects of a plant metallothionein type-2 were observed from lead (Pb) injured rats. BjMT2 from Brassica juncea was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity chromatography, a purified BjMT2 protein was obtained which strongly reacted with the thiol reagent MBB (monobromobimane). The profiles of erythrocytes, renal tubules and glomerulus of kidney of rats suffered pathological changes from excess Pb were evidently improved by supplying the BjMT2. Quantitative analysis showed that the content of Pb and the amount of leukocytes in blood were significantly declined after supplying BjMT2 to rats. The results indicated that the BjMT2 may have the potential function to decrease Pb toxicification in rate organs and tissues.

Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Metallothionein Isoform 1 and 2 Expression in the Human Breast and the MCF-10A Cell Line

Studies have shown, using immunohistochemical staining, that the MT-1 and MT-2 proteins (MT-1/2) are overexpressed in a substantial subset of ductal breast cancers, that overexpression occurs early in the disease process, and that this overexpression is indicative of a poor prognosis. Normal ductal breast epithelium fails to immunostain for the MT-1/2 protein, whereas the myoepithelial cells of the ducts stain intensely. There is no information regarding the expression of the mRNAs for the eight active MT-1 and MT-2 genes in normal breast duct epithelium. Microdissection of normal breast samples was used to obtain total RNA from enriched populations of ductal epithelium and myoepithelium. Analysis by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) demonstrated that the identity of the MT isoform-specific genes expressed (MT-2A and MT-1X) and their relative levels of expression were similar between the myoepithelial and ductal components. These findings indicate that the ductal and myoepithelial components express similar amounts of MT-2A and MT-1X mRNAs, but that they have distinctly different expression of the MT-1/2 protein. Confluent cultures of MCF-10A breast epithelial cells were exposed to Cd(+2) to test for evidence of post-transcriptional regulation of MT-1/2 protein accumulation in ductal epithelium. It was demonstrated that Cd(+2) elicited only a marginal induction of MT-1E, MT-1X, or MT-2A mRNAs, whereas, there was a marked increase in MT-1/2 protein, reaching levels of 6% of total cell protein under conditions of extended exposure. This study suggests that the mechanism underlying the finding of increased MT-1/2 protein expression in ductal breast cancer may involve, to some degree, the post-transcriptional regulation of MT-1/2 protein expression.

Copper homoeostasis in Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells

Copper homoeostasis was investigated in the Drosophila melanogaster S2 cell line to develop an insect model for the study of copper regulation. Real-time PCR studies have demonstrated expression in S2 cells of putative orthologues of human Cu regulatory genes involved in the uptake, transport, sequestration and efflux of Cu. Drosophila orthologues of the mammalian Cu chaperones, ATOX1 (a human orthologue of yeast ATX1), CCS (copper chaperone for superoxide dismutase), COX17 (a human orthologue of yeast COX17), and SCO1 and SCO2, did not significantly respond transcriptionally to increased Cu levels, whereas MtnA, MtnB and MtnD (Drosophila orthologues of human metallothioneins) were up-regulated by Cu in a time- and dose-dependent manner. To examine the effect on Cu homoeostasis, expression of several key copper homoeostasis genes was suppressed using double-stranded RNA interference. Suppression of the MTF-1 (metal-regulatory transcription factor 1), reduced both basal and Cu-induced gene expressions of MtnA, MtnB and MtnD, significantly reducing the tolerance of these cells to increased Cu. Suppression of either Ctr1A (a Drosophila orthologue of yeast CTR1) or Ctr1B significantly reduced Cu uptake from media, demonstrating that both these proteins function to transport Cu into S2 cells. Significantly, Cu induced Ctr1B gene expression, and this could be prevented by suppressing MTF-1, suggesting that Ctr1B might be involved in Cu detoxification. Suppression of DmATP7, the putative homologue of human Cu transporter genes ATP7A and ATP7B, significantly increased Cu accumulation, demonstrating that DmATP7 is essential for efflux of excess Cu. This work is consistent with previous studies in mammalian cells, validating S2 cells as a model system for studying Cu transport and identifying novel Cu regulatory mechanisms.

Clinicopathological significance of metallothioneins in breast cancer

Metallothioneins (MTs) are a family of metal binding proteins that play an important role in maintaining transition metal ion homoeostasis, redox balance in the cell and fundamental cellular processes such as proliferation and apoptosis. In humans, there are 4 groups of MT proteins which are encoded by 10 functional MT isoforms. In breast tissues, MT is primarily expressed in myoepithelial and malignant epithelial cells. Immunohistochemical studies have revealed that 26% to 100% of invasive ductal breast cancers express the MT protein. The MT-1F and MT-2A isoforms have been reported to be associated with higher histological grade in breast cancer, whereas higher MT-1E mRNA expression was found in estrogen receptor-negative tumors compared to their estrogen receptor-positive counterparts. A number of studies have shown that MT expression in breast cancer is associated with poorer prognosis. In addition, metallothionein expression may have a potential role in protecting the breast cancer cell from chemotherapeutic threats to survival.

Differential expression of metallothionein 1 and 2 isoforms in breast cancer lines with different invasive potential: identification of a novel nonsilent metallothionein-1H mutant variant

Metallothionein (MT), a low-molecular weight protein with pleiotropic functions, is believed to play an important role in tumorigenesis. The aim of this study was to compare the expression of functional MT-1 and MT-2 mRNA isoforms in five breast cancer cell lines ranging from noninvasive MCF7 breast cancer cells to highly aggressive MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells together with breast myoepithelial cells in vitro by conventional semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative real-time RT-PCR. The MT-2A isoform was observed to be differentially upregulated in the invasive phenotype. The MT-1E isoform was found to be present in estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T) but not detectable in the estrogen receptor-positive cell lines (T47D, MCF7, and ZR75-1 cells). Only the myoepithelial cells exhibited the presence of the MT-1G transcript. Direct sequencing of the RT-PCR products revealed the occurrence of a variant MT-1H isoform with changes in amino acid residues in the protein sequence and notable differences in the predicted secondary protein structure. The observations in this study are relevant to the development of novel approaches to metastatic breast cancer disease, and may herald the search for novel MT mutants and the elucidation of their biological roles.

Metallothionein isoform 3 and proximal tubule vectorial active transport

BACKGROUND

Metallothionein isoform 3 (MT-3) is expressed in the proximal tubule cells of the human kidney. The goal of the present study was to further characterize the basal expression of MT-3 in the proximal tubule and to determine if MT-3 participates in the maintenance of proximal tubule cell function.

METHODS

Expression of MT-3 mRNA was determined in the intact proximal tubule using microdissection and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Basal expression of MT-3 mRNA and protein was determined in cultured human proximal tubule (HPT) cells and an immortalized proximal tubular cell line, HK-2 cells, using RT-PCR and immunoblotting. The MT-3 gene was stably transfected into the HK-2 cell line using the pcDNA3.1/Hygro (+) vector.

RESULTS

MT-3 mRNA was detected in the proximal tubule of the in situ kidney with relative expression in excess to that of the beta-actin housekeeping gene. The mortal HPT cells were shown to express both MT-3 mRNA and protein and to form domes, while immortal HK-2 cells were shown to have no expression of MT-3 mRNA and protein nor to form domes. The stable transfection of MT-3 in HK-2 restored MT-3 expression and dome formation to the HK-2 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

MT-3 mRNA is present in the human proximal tubule, and MT-3 expression is involved in the transport function of a human renal cell line that retains properties of the proximal tubule.

Transient induction of metallothionein isoform 3 (MT-3), c-fos, c-jun and c-myc in human proximal tubule cells exposed to cadmium

Cadmium (Cd(+2)) has been shown to transiently increase the expression of mRNA for the third isoform of the metallothionein (MT-3) gene family in cultured human proximal tubule (HPT) cells. The goal of the present study was to further define the expression of MT-3 in mortal (HPT) and immortal (HK-2) cultures of HPT cells when exposed to lethal and sub-lethal concentrations of Cd(+2) under both acute and chronic time periods of exposure. Expression of MT-3 mRNA and protein was determined in cultured HPT cells and HK-2 cells using reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immuno-blotting, and expression of c-fos, c-jun and c-myc mRNA by RT-PCR. The results confirmed that exposure of the HPT cells to Cd(+2) induced a transient increase in MT-3 mRNA and extended the induction to include a subsequent transient increase in the level of the MT-3 protein. The induction of MT-3 was rapid and returned to control values within 48 h of exposure despite the continued presence of lethal and sublethal concentrations of Cd(+2). It was also demonstrated that the pattern of expression of MT-3 mRNA was similar to that of the early response genes, c-fos, c-jun and c-myc. It was shown that the HK-2 cells did not express MT-3 when exposed to Cd(+2), but had similar expression of the c-fos, c-jun and c-myc genes. The results demonstrate that MT-3 expression is metal responsive in HPT cells.

The immortalized UROtsa cell line as a potential cell culture model of human urothelium

The UROtsa cell line was isolated from a primary culture of normal human urothelium through immortalization with a construct containing the SV40 large T antigen. It proliferates in serum-containing growth medium as a cell monolayer with little evidence of uroepithelial differentiation. The working hypothesis in the present study was that this cell line could be induced to differentiate and express known features of in situ urothelium if the original serum-containing growth medium was changed to a serum-free formulation. We demonstrated that the UROtsa cells could be successfully placed into a serum-free growth medium consisting of a 1:1 mixture of Dulbeco's modified Eagle's medium and Ham's F-12 supplemented with selenium (5 ng/mL), insulin (5 microg/mL), transferrin (5 microg/mL), hydrocortisone (36 ng/mL), triiodothyronine (4 pg/mL), and epidermal growth factor (10 ng/mL). Under serum-free growth conditions, confluent UROtsa cells were shown by light microscopy to produce raised, three-dimensional structures. Routine ultrastructural examination disclosed these three-dimensional areas to consist of a stratified layer of cells that strongly resembled in situ urothelium. The cells displayed numerous desmosomal connections, complex interactions of the lateral membranes, and abundant intermediate filaments within the cytoplasm. Freeze fracture analysis demonstrated that the cells possessed tight-junction sealing strands and gap junctions. The overall morphology was most consistent with that found in the intermediate layers of in situ urothelium. The basal expression patterns of the metallothionein (MT) and heat shock proteins 27, 60, and 70 were determined in these cells, and expression was in agreement with that known to occur for in situ urothelium. The cells were also successfully tested for their ability to be stably transfected using expression vectors containing the MT-3 or MT-2A genes. The findings suggest that the UROtsa cells grown with a serum-free medium could be a valuable adjunct for studying environmental insult to the human urothelium in general and for the stress response in particular.

Metallothionein isoform expression by breast cancer cells

Expression of metallothionein (MT) isoforms by a human breast cancer cell line, PMC42, which retains many characteristics of normal breast epithelial cells and expresses functional estrogen receptors, was examined because it has been proposed that human breast cancer cells which are estrogen receptor positive can be differentiated from those which are estrogen receptor negative, by failure to express MT-1E [J.A. Friedline, S.H. Garrett, S. Somji, J.H. Todd, D. A. Sens, Differential expression of the MT-1E gene in estrogen-receptor positive and -negative breast cancer cell lines, Am. J. Pathol. 152 (1998) 23-27]. Using RT-PCR, PMC42 cells were found to transcribe genes for the MT isoforms IE, IX and 2A but not 1A or 1H. In order to examine which of the expressed isoforms might protect against metal toxicity, the cells were challenged with high concentrations of zinc and copper. Using competitive RT-PCR, cells resistant to 500 microM zinc showed 7+/-2 fold (SD, n=3) increases in expression of MT-1X and 6+/-3 fold increases in expression of MT-2A compared to control cells in normal media. For cells resistant to 250 microM copper the corresponding increases were 37+/-13 and 60+/-20 fold, whilst for control cells treated with 250 microM copper for only 6 h, increases were 10+/-3 and 6+/-3 fold. There was only a low level of expression of MT-1E in untreated cells and but a >120 fold increase in copper- resistant cells. Thus estrogen receptor positive cells cannot, in general, be differentiated from estrogen receptor negative cells by failure to express MT-1E, as suggested by Friedline et al. (1998). Increased expression of MT-1E, as well as MT-1X and MT-2A, protects against metal toxicity in PMC42 breast cancer cells.

Induction, regulation, degradation, and biological significance of mammalian metallothioneins

MTs are small cysteine-rich metal-binding proteins found in many species and, although there are differences between them, it is of note that they have a great deal of sequence and structural homology. Mammalian MTs are 61 or 62 amino acid polypeptides containing 20 conserved cysteine residues that underpin the binding of metals. The existence of MT across species is indicative of its biological demand, while the conservation of cysteines indicates that these are undoubtedly central to the function of this protein. Four MT isoforms have been found so far, MT-1, MT-2, MT-3, and MT-4, but these also have subtypes with 17 MT genes identified in man, of which 10 are known to be functional. Different cells express different MT isoforms with varying levels of expression perhaps as a result of the different function of each isoform. Even different metals induce and bind to MTs to different extents. Over 40 years of research into MT have yielded much information on this protein, but have failed to assign to it a definitive biological role. The fact that multiple MT isoforms exist, and the great variety of substances and agents that act as inducers, further complicates the search for the biological role of MTs. This article reviews the current knowledge on the biochemistry, induction, regulation, and degradation of this protein in mammals, with a particular emphasis on human MTs. It also considers the possible biological roles of this protein, which include participation in cell proliferation and apoptosis, homeostasis of essential metals, cellular free radical scavenging, and metal detoxification.

Expression of heat shock protein 60 in human proximal tubule cells exposed to heat, sodium arsenite and CdCl(2)

The expression of hsp 60 mRNA and protein were determined in human proximal tubule cells (HPT) exposed to lethal and sub-lethal concentrations of Cd(2+) under both acute and extended conditions of exposure. It was demonstrated that HPT cells exhibited the classic heat shock response when subjected to a physical (heat) or chemical stress (sodium arsenite). Heat stress, elevated temperature at 42.5 degrees C for 1 h, caused an increase in both hsp 60 mRNA and protein following removal of the stress. Similar results were obtained when the cells were subjected to a classic chemical stress of exposure to 100 microM sodium arsenite for 4 h. Acute exposure of HPT cells to 53.4 microM CdCl(2) for 4 h also resulted in an increase in hsp 60 mRNA and protein following removal of the metal. An extended exposure to Cd(2+) was modeled by treating the cells continuously with Cd(2+) at both lethal and sub-lethal levels over a 16-day time course. It was demonstrated that chronic exposure to Cd(2+) failed to increase either hsp 60 mRNA or protein expression in HPT cells, even at concentrations of Cd(2+) that were lethal to the cells during the time course. In fact, hsp 60 protein levels were decreased compared to controls at lethal levels of Cd(2+) exposure. These findings suggest that hsp 60 expression may have two distinct roles when the human proximal tubule cell is exposed to Cd(2+). A protective role through hsp 60 induction when the proximal tubule cell is acutely exposed to Cd(2+) and a deleterious role when hsp 60 protein is down-regulated during extended exposure to Cd(2+).

Metallothionein isoform 1 and 2 gene expression in the human prostate: downregulation of MT-1X in advanced prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Studies have shown an association of metallothionein (MT) overexpression with tumor type and grade. However, a family of genes underlies the expression of these proteins. The goals of this study were to define the expression of MT genes and protein in normal human prostate and to provide evidence that the expression of the MT isoforms is altered in prostate cancer.

METHODS

Immunohistochemistry was used to localize MT protein, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to determine the MT isoform-specific mRNAs, and immunoblot analysis to determine MT protein levels.

RESULTS

The localization of MT in the prostate was further defined using the E9 antibody. Using normal prostate tissue dissected from glands removed for prostate cancer, it was demonstrated that MT protein expression in the normal prostate is supported by mRNA from the MT-1A, MT-1E, MT-1X, and MT-2A genes. No expression of the MT-1X gene was demonstrated in cases of advanced prostate cancer. The expression of MT-1 and MT-2 isoform-specific mRNA varied among three commonly utilized prostate cancer cell lines.

CONCLUSIONS

MT protein in the normal human prostate is supported by transcription of mRNA from the MT-1A, MT-1E, MT-1X, and MT-2A genes. Expression of MT-1X mRNA is downregulated in advanced prostate cancer. Variable expression of MT mRNA in prostate cell lines provides evidence that MT gene expression may be altered among individual prostate cancers.

Expression of the constitutive and inducible forms of heat shock protein 70 in human proximal tubule cells exposed to heat, sodium arsenite, and CdCl(2)

We determined the expression of the constitutive (hsc 70) and inducible (hsp 70) forms of heat shock protein 70 mRNA and protein in human proximal tubule (HPT) cells exposed to lethal and sublethal concentrations of Cd(+2) under both acute and extended conditions of exposure. The HPT cells exhibited the classic heat shock response when subjected to a physical (heat) or chemical stress (sodium arsenite); hsc 70 mRNA and protein levels were constant or slightly increased, whereas hsp 70 mRNA and protein were greatly elevated. Acute exposure to 53.4 microM CdCl(2) for 4 hr failed to increase either hsc 70 mRNA or protein, a finding similar to that observed under classic conditions of stress. However, under identical conditions of acute exposure to Cd(2+), the expected increase in hsp 70 protein level was suppressed as compared to that found under classic conditions of physical or chemical stress. The decrease in hsp 70 protein level correlated to the reduced expression of mRNA from the hsp 70B gene. The expression of mRNA from the hsp 70A and hsp 70C genes was similar to that found when the cells were treated with heat shock or sodium arsenite. We modeled an extended exposure to Cd(2+) by treating the cells continuously with Cd(2+) at both lethal and sublethal levels over a 16-day time course. Chronic exposure to Cd(2+) failed to increase either hsc 70 mRNA or protein levels in the HPT cells at a nonlethal dosage level and decreased hsc 70 mRNA and protein levels late in the time course of lethal exposure. Under identical conditions, the expression of hsp 70 protein remained at basal levels that were only marginally detectable throughout the time course. Hsp 70A and hsp 70C mRNA levels were unaltered by extended exposure to Cd(2+), and hsp 70B mRNA was not detected during the 16-day time course. Cd(2+) is a poor inducer of hsc 70 and hsp 70 in the proximal tubule under both acute and long-term exposure. These results reinforce the fact that the expression of hsp 70 protein does not result from the transcription of a single gene, but is derived from what may be a complex interplay of several underlying genes.

Metallothionein isoform 3 expression in the human prostate and cancer-derived cell lines

BACKGROUND

Expression of metallothionein isoform 3 (MT-3) was initially reported to be confined to neural tissues. However, it was recently demonstrated that MT-3 is expressed in epithelial cells of the human kidney. This motivated the current examination of the expression of MT-3 in the human prostate.

METHODS

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to localize the expression of MT-3, RT-PCR to determine the expression of MT-3 mRNA, and Western blot analysis to determine the level of MT-3 protein.

RESULTS

Selected epithelial and stromal cells of the normal human prostate were shown to have low levels of MT-3 expression. MT-3 was increased in prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) lesions and further increased in a highly variable fashion in prostatic adenocarcinoma. In some adenocarcinomas, MT-3 expression exceeded that of nerve. Three cell culture models of prostate cancer were also shown to variably express MT-3. Restriction enzyme analysis confirmed the expression of MT-3 in the cells and tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

MT-3 is expressed in the normal human prostate, and expression is enhanced and highly variable in PIN lesions and primary prostate cancer cells. The variable nature of MT-3 expression was also noted in commonly utilized prostate cancer cell lines.

Heat shock protein 27 expression in human proximal tubule cells exposed to lethal and sublethal concentrations of CdCl2

The expression of hsp 27 mRNA and protein was determined in cultured human proximal tubule (HPT) cells exposed to lethal and sublethal concentrations of Cd2+ under both acute and extended conditions. Initial procedures demonstrated that HPT cells display the classic stress response following physical and chemical stress. Heat stress (42.5 degrees C for 1 hr) caused an increase in both hsp 27 mRNA and protein as well as a shift in the protein to a more phosphorylated state. Results were similar when the cells were subjected to chemical stress (exposure to 100 microM sodium arsenite for 4 hr). Acute exposure to 53 microM CdCl2 for 4 hr also resulted in an increase in hsp 27 mRNA and protein and a shift to the more phosphorylated protein isoform. Extended Cd2+ exposure involved continuous treatment with Cd2+ at both lethal and sublethal levels over a 16-day time course. The results of this treatment showed that chronic exposure to Cd2+ failed to increase either hsp 27 mRNA or protein expression in HPT cells, even at lethal Cd2+ concentrations. In fact, hsp 27 protein levels decreased as compared to controls at both lethal and sub-lethal exposure to Cd2+. These findings imply that hsp 27 expression in human proximal tubule cells may have two distinct modes depending on the nature (acute vs. chronic) of the stress.