Response to labeled precursor amino acids, varying cell density, and graded amino acid complement for protein synthesis in mammary cell culture

Nutrient availability and lactogenic hormones regulate mammary protein synthesis through the mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway

The nutritional and endocrine factors affecting protein translation in the bovine mammary gland, and the molecular mechanisms mediating their effects, are not well understood. The objective of this study was to assess the role of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway in the regulation of mammary protein synthesis by nutrients and hormones. Mammary epithelial acini isolated from lactating dairy cows were treated in medium containing, alone or in combination, a mixture of AA or glucose and acetate (GA) as energy substrates, or a combination of the lactogenic hormones hydrocortisone, insulin, and prolactin (HIP). Changes in the rate of mammary protein synthesis and the phosphorylation state of components of the mTOR signaling pathway were measured. Mammary protein synthesis was 50% higher with increased availability of AA in medium. The presence of GA or treatment of mammary acini with HIP alone did not affect mammary protein synthesis. The stimulation of mammary protein synthesis by AA was enhanced by HIP treatment, but not by the presence of GA in medium. Treatment of mammary acini with HIP induced the phosphorylation of protein kinase B. This effect was augmented in the presence of either AA or GA in medium. The stimulation of mammary protein synthesis by AA and its enhancement by HIP were associated with increased phosphorylation of the mTOR substrates, p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase-1, and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E)-binding protein-1 (4E-BP1), and dissociation of 4E-BP1 from eIF4E. The results suggest that nutrients and hormones may modulate mammary protein synthesis through the mTOR signaling pathway.

Amino acids supply in culture media is not a limiting factor in the matrix synthesis of engineered cartilage tissue

Increased amino acid supplementation (0.5 x, 1.0 x, and 5.0 x recommended concentrations or additional proline) was hypothesized to increase the collagen content in engineered cartilage. No significant differences were found between groups in matrix content or dynamic modulus. Control constructs possessed the highest compressive Young's modulus on day 42. On day 42, compared to controls, decreased type II collagen was found with 0.5 x, 1.0 x, and 5.0 x supplementation and significantly increased DNA content found in 1.0 x and 5.0 x. No effects were observed on these measures with added proline. These results lead us to reject our hypothesis and indicate that the low collagen synthesis in engineered cartilage is not due to a limited supply of amino acids in media but may require a further stimulatory signal. The results of this study also highlight the impact that culture environment can play on the development of engineered cartilage.

In vitro culture of cryopreserved bovine mammary cells on collagen gels: synthesis and secretion of casein and lactoferrin

The preparation, cryopreservation, and culture on type I collagen gels of lactating bovine mammary cells with prolonged milk protein synthesis and secretion in vitro is described. Cryopreserved cells prepared as acinar fragments from either lactating or developing mammary glands attached to the collagen substratum within 24-48 hr after plating in serum and hormone supplemented medium. During continued culture in hormone-supplemented (insulin, cortisol, and prolactin) serum-free medium outgrowth of cells from the attached acinar fragments was observed beginning on day 2, with continued outgrowth to near confluence by day 6. Two morphologically distinct cell types were evident; initial outgrowth was by large polygonal cells that were subsequently overlain by spindle-shaped cells. Cells from both lactating and developing mammary glands sustained substantial milk protein secretion for at least 14 days in culture. Alpha S1-casein synthesis and secretion in cultures of lactating mammary cells was dependent on a critical minimum cell population density, below which alpha S1-casein was not secreted. In contrast, lactoferrin (LF) secretion into the medium increased linearly with the increase in cell population density. Cells cryopreserved up to 16 months secreted LF at levels comparable to fresh cultures of the same cells.

Effects of propionate and methylmalonate on conversions of acetate, butyrate, and D(-)-3-hydroxybutyrate to fatty acids and carbon dioxide by mammary tissue slices of goats

Incorporations of [1-carbon-14] acetate, [1-carbon-14] propionate, n-[1-carbon-14] butyrate, and D(-)-3-hydroxy[3-carbon-14] butyrate into individual milk fatty acids and their conversion to carbon dioxide were studied in vitro with caprine mammary tissue slices in the presence and absence of propionate and methylmalonate. Neither propionate nor methylmalonate affected incorporation of these substances into fatty acids. In a decreasing order butyrate, acetate, propionate, and D(-)-3-hydroxybutyrate were converted to carbon dioxide. Acetate had the highest incorporation rate into fatty acids followed by D(-)-3-hydroxybutyrate, butyrate, and propionate. Labeled propionate was incorporated mainly into odd-numbered fatty acids. Results do not support the theory that either propionate or its metabolite, methylmalonate, inhibit de novo synthesis of fatty acids in the mammary gland in relation to the etiology of low milk fat syndrome.

Extracellular amino acid effects on milk protein synthesis and intracellular amino acid pools with bovine mammary cells in culture

Increases in free intracellular amino acids are associated with increased protein synthesis. Responses in synthesis of beta-casein and beta-lactoglobulin and of intracellular amino acid pools to graded concentrations of amino acids in the medium were observed. Mammary tissue from two Holstein cows was dispersed and cultured for 18 h with Eagle's minimal essential medium containing 1, 3, 5, or 7 times the basic concentration of amino acids. Synthesis of beta-casein and beta-lactoglobulin increased with concentration of amino acids in the medium. Intracellular pools of amino acids not provided by the medium (serine, proline, alanine, glycine, glutamic acid, ornithine) generally decreased with increased concentrations of amino acids in the medium, the exception being ornithine which increased with extracellular amino acids. Lysine, histidine, tyrosine, leucine, valine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, arginine, and threonine intracellular pools increased with increased amino acids in medium. Intracellular cystine responded with a small linear increase to increased amino acids in the medium, while intracellular tryptophan and methionine did not respond, indicating potential limitations from these amino acids.

Isolation of functionally active acini from bovine mammary gland

Conditions to obtain high yields of intact acini from lactating bovine mammary glands and certain structural and functional characteristics of isolated acini were investigated. A two-factor experiment with three collagenase concentrations (100, 150, and 200 mg/100 ml) and incubation periods (40, 60, and 90 min) demonstrated that increases in both factors significantly increased net acini yield. Largest amounts of acini obtained, based on content of deoxyribonucleic acid, were 10.3% of the original tissue. Morphologically, fractions consisted primarily of acini or large cell clumps, and nearly all cells excluded trypan blue. Acini cultured in complete nutrient medium incorporated radioactive leucine into proteins. When acini were incubated in medium without supplemental amino acids, specific activity of synthesized proteins was correlated negatively with incubation time. During pulse labeling with radioactive L-leucine over 16 min, true labeling of acinar proteins occurred after 4 min. Sequential kinetics of pulse-chase labeling demonstrated a response pattern unique to the in vitro acinar system. Acinar protein synthesis was inhibited by cycloheximide and strongly stimulated by by 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate.

Limiting amino acids for milk protein synthesis by bovine mammary cells in culture

Experiments are presented to determine the effect of labeled precursor amino acid on synthesis of beta-lactoglobulin and beta-casein and to identify the most limiting amino acids in Eagle's minimal essential medium for synthesis of milk protein. Protein synthesis was measured by incorporation of carbon-14 labeled amino acids into milk protein from bovine mammary cell culture. Mammary tissue from 13 Holsteins (12.7 kg milk/day) was dispersed and cultured for 18 h. In Experiment 1, three replications (cows) with three amino acid mixtures, utilizing labeled lysine or leucine as the marker amino acid, showed that labeled lysine overestimated the effect of medium lysine, and labeled leucine overstimated the effect of leucine on beta-lactoglobulin and beta-casein synthesis. Subsequently Experiment 2 utilized 10 replications (cows) to determine the effect of a three-fold increase of each of 13 amino acids in Eagle's medium. Increased threonine or methionine improved beta-lactoglobulin synthesis and cystine increased beta-casein. Second and third best response in beta-casein were from addition of methionine and threonine. Combined analysis from 10 cows and two protein responses by multivariate procedures identified, in order of decreasing magnitude, cystine, threonine, and methionine as limiting amino acids in the dispersed cell culture.

Comparative production of beta-lactoglobulin and orotic acid with lactose in bovine mammary cell cultures: effects of cell density and constituent inhibition

Abilities to accumulate beta-lactoglobulin and ortic acid were compared to lactose in dispersed cell cultures of lactating bovine mammary tissue. The inverse of the amount accumulated of each milk constituent at a given time in the culture medium was a linear function of the inverse of the cell density. The amount of lactose had no effect on its own subsequent accumulation, but added orotic acid and beta-lactoglobulin inhibited their own production. The accumulation of certain milk constituents in the culture medium is a factor in the expression and loss of normal function in the in vitro cultures which may be related to the observed effects of milk accumulation in vivo on the rate of milk synthesis and mammary involution.

Optimum amino acid complement for protein synthesis by rat mammary cells in tissue culture

The amino acid requirement of rat mammary cells for milk protein synthesis was investigated in dispersed cell culture. A three-dimensional central composite design utilizing three variables (X1 = lysine; X2= methionine, valine, and arginine; X3 = isoleucine, tryptophan, threonine, phenylalanine, and histidine) at five concentrations each, was duplicated twice with mammary cells from lactating Sprague-Dawley rats. The optimum combination of amino acids for maximum milk protein synthesis from multiple regression models was X1 15.0-, X2 4.5-, and X3 1.5-fold their quantities in Eagle's minimal essential medium with leucine, tyrosine, cystine, and glutamine at the base 1-fold in the medium.

Limiting amino acid for protein synthesis with mammary cells in tissue culture

To identify the limiting amino acid in the minimal essential medium as published by Eagle (Science 130:432, 1959) for milk protein synthesis in rat mammary cells in tissue culture, two different experimental approaches were used. The first study involved the reduction of amino acids singly from the total amino acid complement of the medium for milk protein synthesis. The second study was to investigate the effect on milk protein synthesis of single amino acid addition to the basic complement of amino acids. Order of limiting amino acids was lysine (first) and possible methionine, valine, or arginine (second).