Regulation of p53 expression in HeLa cells

Incubation of Hela cells in the presence of insulin results in suppression of p53 expression. Treatment of cells with vanadate, an inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatase, likewise led to a dramatic reduction in the level of p53 transcript. On the other hand, significant induction of p53 message was demonstrated when Hela cells were exposed to genistein, a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor. When cells were cultured in the presence of phosphotyrosine, there was a marked decrease in p53 expression. Neither phosphoserine nor phosphothreonine had an effect on p53 expression. Furthermore, simultaneous presence of both insulin and phosphotyrosine did not result in a greater suppression of the p53 message than when either of the agents was acting singly.

Insulin induction of c-Ki-ras in rat liver and in cultured normal rat hepatocytes

1. Insulin administration in neonatal rats causes a dramatic accumulation of the major c-Ki-ras transcript. 2. The level of c-Ki-ras transcript is greatly reduced in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. 3. Injection of insulin in alloxan-induced diabetic rats is able to restore almost completely the level of c-Ki-ras transcript found in insulin-induced normal rats. 4. Results from nuclear run-off experiments reveal that the inductive effect of insulin is at the level of transcription of the c-Ki-ras gene. 5. As in whole animals, insulin is also able to induce the expression of c-Ki-ras in cultured normal hepatocytes. 6. This inductive effect of insulin is markedly reduced in hepatocytes which have been previously treated with the tumour promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13 acetate for 24 hr, a result suggesting that at least part of the effect of insulin is mediated via protein kinase C.

Transcription induction of c-Ki-ras with the tumour promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in normal and transformed liver cells

Results from nuclear run-off assays show that exposure of hepatocytes and Reuber H35B hepatoma cells to the tumour promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), leads to enhanced transcription of c-Ki-ras gene. This increase in transcription in turn results in an accumulation of the functionally active c-Ki-ras message. The half life of c-Ki-ras message in both normal and transformed livers cells is not altered by TPA and is determined to be 3.5 hr. The induction of c-Ki-ras message is accompanied by an increase in the level of c-Ki-ras protein.

Expression of c-Ki-ras in developing rat liver

1. Two major c-Ki-ras transcripts are present in rat liver throughout development. 2. Both transcripts are functional, i.e. translatable into ras protein. 3. They exhibit low levels in early foetuses and increase gradually towards term. 4. Peak levels of transcripts are detected on the fourth day of postnatal life. 5. Results from nuclear run-off assays demonstrate that the rise in level of transcripts is a result of increase in rate of transcription with the highest rate detected on the fourth day of postnatal life. 6. Western blot analysis reveals that the accumulation of c-Ki-ras protein clearly follows the pattern of changes in transcription of c-Ki-ras gene.

Regulation of Ki-ras expression in Reuber H35 cells

Glucagon at a low concentration has a stimulatory effect on Ki-ras expression, whereas, at high concentrations the hormone suppresses the level of the Ki-ras transcripts. Incubation of the hepatoma cells with 10 microM dibutyryl cyclic AMP results in suppression of Ki-ras expression but the phorbol ester, 21-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) causes an increase. Down regulation of protein kinase C by prolonged exposure of hepatoma cells to TPA causes a dramatic decrease in the glucagon-stimulated effect on Ki-ras expression. The presence of diacylglycerol for 2 h in the culture medium results in a significant increase in Ki-ras expression, while treatment of the cells with 1-(5-isoquinolinylsulphonyl)-2-methylpiperazine, a potent inhibitor of protein kinase C, leads to a dramatic reduction. The calcium ionophore, A23187 is able to stimulate Ki-ras expression, whereas, addition of verapamil or EGTA results in its suppression. The present findings suggest that the inductive effect of glucagon on Ki-ras expression at low concentrations is via the activation of protein kinase C which causes phosphorylation of some regulatory proteins that may eventually affect the level of Ki-ras mRNA. The suppressive effect of glucagon at higher concentrations is via an increase in cAMP through activation of adenylate cyclase.

Identification and subcellular localization of proteins that are rapidly phosphorylated in tyrosine in response to colony-stimulating factor 1

To investigate growth factor-mediated signal transduction, we have studied phosphorylation events that take place within seconds of the binding of colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) to its cell-surface receptor. CSF-1 stimulated rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins in murine BAC1.2F5 macrophages at 37 degrees C and 4 degrees C. The pattern of CSF-1-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of at least 15 different proteins at both temperatures was similar and unchanged by treatment of the lysate with reducing agent. With the exception of the 185-kDa CSF-1 receptor, a 260-kDa protein and a 133-kDa protein, the proteins were predominantly cytoplasmic. At 37 degrees C, all the proteins were phosphorylated within 30 sec of addition of growth factor. At 4 degrees C, CSF-1 receptor sites were saturated after 2 min of incubation in the presence of high concentrations of CSF-1 and differences in the order of appearance of phosphorylated proteins were observed: 185 kDa (CSF-1 receptor) (by 2 min); 99 kDa (by 4 min); 125 kDa (by 10 min); 61 kDa (by 30 min); and 260 kDa, 84 kDa, and 41 kDa (by 180 min). In addition to stimulating the phosphorylation of these proteins in tyrosine, CSF-1 caused dephosphorylation of phosphorylated serine residues on the receptor. As neither CSF-1 nor its receptor is internalized at 4 degrees C, analysis of these early reactions and the phosphotyrosine-containing proteins in intact cells under these conditions should lead to an understanding of the early events in growth factor receptor-mediated signal transduction.

Regulation of pyruvate kinase in Reuber H35 hepatoma cells by insulin and fructose

1. Kinetic and immunological studies as well as electrophoretic behaviour indicated that pyruvate kinase in Reuber H35 hepatoma cells is of the M2-type. 2. Addition of 0.1 microM insulin or 2 mM fructose to the incubation medium for 72 hr increased the activity of the M2-type pyruvate kinase in Reuber H35 hepatoma cells by 103 and 25% respectively. 3. Incorporation studies with [3H]leucine followed by immunoprecipitation showed that the apparent rate of synthesis of the M2-type pyruvate kinase was increased by both insulin and fructose. 4. Degradation studies indicated that the addition of insulin and fructose to the incubation medium increased the half-life of the M2-type pyruvate kinase from 4.8 to 8.6 and 6.8 hr respectively.

Purification of the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor and demonstration of its tyrosine kinase activity

Colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) regulates the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of mononuclear phagocytes. The CSF-1 receptor was purified from cell membranes of the J774.2 mouse macrophage cell line by solubilization with Triton X-100, CSF-1 affinity chromatography, and gel filtration. The purified receptor is a protein or glycoprotein of 165 kDa comprising a single polypeptide chain that is not covalently associated, either as a homopolymer, or with any other protein. CSF-1 stimulated autophosphorylation of the purified receptor in tyrosine residues. Casein but not histone was shown to act as a substrate for the tyrosine protein kinase activity of purified receptor.

Studies on the regulation of hepatic pyruvate kinase synthesis in neonatal rats

The L- and M2-type pyruvate kinase from the liver of 1-day old rats demonstrated no significant activation nor inhibition by treatment with cyclic AMP, glucagon or insulin. Neither was there any change in their isozymic composition. By means of incorporation with [3H]leucine followed by immunoprecipitation, the rates of synthesis of both the L- and M2-type pyruvate kinase were not considerably affected by all three modulators. Insulin and glucagon do not direct an immediate change in the synthesis of liver pyruvate kinase and a fluctuation in the insulin/glucagon ratio is not a probable signal for regulating the isozymic expression in the neonatal period.

Biosynthesis of pyruvate kinase isozymes in rat liver

1. The L and M1 isozymes of pyruvate kinase were purified to homogeneity from rat liver and muscle respectively and their specific antibodies were employed to quantify the isozyme concentration in rat liver during development. 2. Total enzyme activity decreases towards birth and reaches a minimum on the 3rd postnatal day, but the activity increases dramatically after weaning. 3. Immunoprecipitation revealed that the M2 type predominates in the prenatal period but decreases sharply just before birth. 4. The L isozyme contribution is augmented upon weaning and is sustained until the rat is adult and a L/M ratio of 9:1 is maintained. 5. By means of incorporation studies with [3H]leucine followed by immunoprecipitation, the increase in L-type activity when approaching term and after weaning is explained by a twofold increase in its rate of synthesis coupled with a concomitant reduction of the M2-type synthesis.

Synthesis of threonine dehydratase in neonatal rat liver

Antiserum against rat threonine dehydratase has been raised in rabbits. The rate of incorporation of [3H]leucine into threonine dehydratase was found to increase dramatically after birth. Actinomycin D suppressed the rate of the synthesis of the enzyme in the postnatal rat liver, although the antibiotic was without effect on the incorporation of leucine into total cytosolic protein. The administration of dibutyryl-adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate to foetal rats in utero or postnatal rats resulted in a marked enhancement of the rates of synthesis of threonine dehydratase.