Radiation-induced cell cycle delays and p53 status of early passage melanoma cell lines.

Cell cultures exposed to DNA-damaging agents such as gamma radiation respond by arresting at cell cycle checkpoints, and the p53 tumor suppressor protein is strongly implicated in this behavior. We have investigated the TP53 status and cell cycle response to ionizing radiation of a series of early passage cell lines (designated NZM1 to NZM15) previously developed from patients with metastatic melanoma. The TP53 status of each of the cell lines was determined by single-strand conformation polymorphism and DNA sequence analysis. The majority of the lines appeared to have a wild-type TP53 gene sequence, consistent with published studies. Two lines (NZM4 and NZM7.2) were found to have an identical T-->C transition mutation in nucleotide 721 (exon 7) of the coding region. NZM7.2 (mutant) and NZM7.4 (wild-type) were clonally derived from the same line (NZM7). The existence of radiation-induced cell cycle arrest in G and/or G2M phase was determined 16 h after irradiation (6.3 Gy) by DNA staining and flow cytometric analysis. The mitotic inhibitor paclitaxel was used as a reference compound, with or without irradiation, to assess the efficiency of radiation-induced cell cycle arrest. G1 phase arrest was associated only with the presence of the wild-type TP53 gene, but the efficiency of induced arrest varied among the cell lines and the period of G phase arrest appeared to be short. A significant difference (P < 0.002) was also found between the efficiency of induction of G2 phase arrest and the presence of wild-type TP53 gene. The results provide evidence that although the melanoma cell lines generally had an intact TP53 gene, the efficiency of p53-mediated cycle arrest might be deficient and contribute to the resistance of this tumor to treatment.

Inhibition of growth of primary human tumour cell cultures by a 4-anilinoquinazoline inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor family of tyrosine kinases.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is thought to mediate the action of the mitogens EGF and tumour growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) in a variety of cancers, including those of the lung, breast and ovary. A number of new selective inhibitors of EGFR tyrosine kinase have now been developed as potential new antitumour agents. We used a potent inhibitor of this tyrosine kinase, 6-amino-4-[(3-bromophenyl)amino]-7-(methylamino)quinazoline (SN 25531; PD 156273), to determine the responses of primary cultures derived from patients with cancer of the lung, ovary, breast, cervix and endometrium. Cells were cultured in 96-well plates and proliferation assessed by incorporation of 3H-thymidine. Measured growth inhibitory concentrations IC50 values) varied from 1 nM to 14 microM with a 1000-fold differential between sensitive and resistant cultures. Results were compared with rates of proliferation, estimated using a paclitaxel-based method. We also measured the IC50 values for the tyrosine kinase inhibitor using a number of established human cell lines, and compared them with EGFR content using fluorescent antibody staining and flow cytometry. The presence of EGFR was found to be necessary, but not sufficient, for in vitro response. Only a small number of cell lines (3 of 7 for lung, 1 of 7 for ovarian, 2 of 3 squamous cell and 0 of 12 for melanoma) were sensitive to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor. In contrast, 40 of the 50 primary cultures (including 14 of 15 lung cancer samples and 14 of 19 ovarian cancer samples) were sensitive.

Cellular responses to methyl-N-[4-9-acridinylamino)-2-methoxyphenyl] carbamate hydrochloride, an analogue of amsacrine active against non-proliferating cells.

The acridine derivative m-AMCA (methyl-N-[4-(9-acridinylamino)-2-methoxyphenyl]carbamate hydrochloride), a carbamate analogue of the topoisomerase II poison amsacrine, is distinguished by its high cytotoxicity against non-cycling tumour cells. We compared the response of cultured Lewis lung carcinoma cells to m-AMCA, amsacrine and the topoisomerase I poison camptothecin. The DNA polymerase inhibitor aphidicolin reversed the cytotoxicity of camptothecin fully, that of amsacrine partially, and that of m-AMCA minimally. The ability of m-AMCA to induce the enzyme poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) was markedly lower than that of camptothecin or amsacrine. Cell cycle responses to m-AMCA and amsacrine were similar, with slowing of progress through S-phase and arrest in G2-phase. These cell cycle changes were also observed when plateau phase cultures were exposed to drug for 1 h, washed free of drug and cultured in fresh medium, with m-AMCA having a more pronounced effect than amsacrine and camptothecin having no effect. We also examined the role of p53 protein in the response using cultured human H460 cells. Both m-AMCA and amsacrine induced p53 protein expression in proliferating but not in non-proliferating H460 cells, and induced p21WAF1 regardless of proliferation status. Both induced G1-phase cell cycle arrest. It is suggested that two cytotoxicity mechanisms can be distinguished using these drugs. The first is specific for S-phase cells, is reversed by aphidicolin and induces PARP activity. The second is cell cycle non-specific, does not induce PARP and is unaffected by aphidicolin. Camptothecin activates only the first, m-AMCA primarily the second and amsacrine activates both.

Annexin-V and TUNEL use in monitoring the progression of apoptosis in plants.

An early indicator of apoptosis in mammalian cells is the loss of the phospholipid membrane asymmetry of the cell. This results in exposure of phosphatidylserine on the outer surface of the plasma membrane. This change in membrane asymmetry can be analysed using annexin V. A further feature of apoptosis, DNA breaks, can be measured by the TUNEL assay. Using flow cytometry, we have identified both of these features in HL-60 cells and by modifying the techniques for plants, we have verified that these features also occur in plant cells undergoing apoptosis. In both plant and HL-60 cells, apoptosis was induced by treatment with camptothecin (1 microM). Annexin V binding was found to be an early indicator of apoptosis, occurring prior to the detection of DNA strand breaks as monitored by the TUNEL assay. In plant cells, chromatin condensation was detected prior to the detection of annexin V. No loss in membrane integrity occurred with apoptotic cells in comparison with necrotic cells. Our findings indicate that a form of apoptosis occurs in plants, with flow cytometric characteristics similar to those of apoptosis in HL-60 cells.

Application of fluorescence in situ hybridisation to study the relationship between cytotoxicity, chromosome aberrations, and changes in chromosome number after treatment with the topoisomerase II inhibitor amsacrine.

Amsacrine (4'-(9-acridinylamino)methanesulphon-m-anisidide) is an antileukemic drug which inhibits topoisomerase II (topo II) enzymes. We studied effects of two concentrations of amsacrine on the GM10115A cell line. This is a Chinese hamster line containing a single human chromosome 4, which can be readily visualised using fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH). The low amsacrine concentration slowed cell growth but did not cause significant arrest in the G2 phase of the cell cycle, while a higher concentration caused more long-term effects on the growth of the cells and caused G2 arrest. Either concentration led to chromosomal fragments which were lost with increasing time after treatment, and chromosomal translocations which appeared stable for at least 8 days after treatment. At the low concentration, the loss or gain of a single chromosome was a common event. The higher concentration led to polyploid cells, usually containing an uneven number of chromosome 4. We propose two mechanisms for aneuploidy by amsacrine (or related topo II poisons), either of which can be readily detected using FISH. At low drug concentrations, aneuploidy may occur directly through, for example, a failure to resolve catenated chromatids prior to anaphase. However, there has been considerable interest in the role of the cell division control (cdc) kinase and cyclins in regulating the mammalian cell cycle, and these may also be involved in the response of cells to high concentrations of topo II poisons. Cdc2 proteins and cyclins are involved in coordinating diverse activities during the M phase of the cell cycle, including catalysis of chromosome condensation and reorganisation of microtubules to allow chromosome separation during mitosis. Chromosome damage by topo II poisons will lead to G2 arrest, which allows the cells time to repair the damage. During this time, cyclin A and cdc2 levels will fall, preventing the cell from entering mitosis and effectively resetting the clock to G1 and the ploidy to tetraploid. Aneuploid cells will derive from polyploid cells through loss of extra chromosomes.

Diagnostic use of microsatellite instability in hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer.

50 families with a history of colorectal cancer were divided according to whether criteria for hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) were fulfilled totally (A, n = 19) or partly (B, n = 31) and stratified by the demonstration that at least half the cancers tested per family were positive for DNA replication errors (RER+). Accepted clinical and pathological characteristics of HNPCC were found to cluster within 12 A/RER+ families in which the mean number of affected individuals per family was 10.1. Reliance upon clinical data alone may result in over-diagnosis of HNPCC, in small families who just meet the minimum criteria, whereas underdiagnosis is rare. The criteria could be refined by inclusion of RER status.

Resistance mechanisms determining the in vitro sensitivity to paclitaxel of tumour cells cultured from patients with ovarian cancer.

Paclitaxel, a drug which stabilises microtubules, demonstrates marked activity against ovarian cancer. We investigated the sensitivity to paclitaxel of tumour cells from disaggregated solid tumours or tumour-bearing ascites from 7 ovarian cancer patients, and 21 established tumour cell lines (ovarian, melanoma and lung). Response was quantitated by [3H]-thymidine incorporation in 96-well plates or by colony growth. Dose-response curves to paclitaxel were biphasic with a dose-dependent phase providing an IC50 value (50% reduction in incorporation) and dose-dependent "plateau" phase where the effect was independent of paclitaxel concentration. IC50 values ranged from 2.5 to 110 nM with evidence of multidrug resistance in the two most resistant cell lines. The "plateau" killing values varied from 0.1 log10 to > 3.4 log10 units reduction, and were found to be significantly correlated (r = 0.86; P < 0.0001) with logarithmic culture doubling times of the cell lines. Cellular glutathione levels were measured and found not to be significantly associated with response to paclitaxel. The results suggest that the ratio of paclitaxel exposure time to the culture doubling time is a major factor in paclitaxel cytotoxicity. The relationship between tumour cell cytokinetics and paclitaxel pharmacokinetics in vivo may therefore be crucial in determining clinical paclitaxel response.

Novel carbamate analogues of amsacrine with activity against non-cycling murine and human tumour cells.

The cytotoxicity of a class of compounds related to the topoisomerase-II poison amsacrine was investigated against plateau-phase murine Lewis lung carcinoma cells (LLTC), HCT-8 human colon carcinoma cells and other cell lines. Methyl N-[4-(9-acridinylamino)-2-methoxy-phenyl]carbamate hydrochloride and the corresponding demethoxy compound, which contain a methylcarbamate instead of the methylsulphonylamino group, manifested relatively high cytotoxic activity against plateau-phase cells as measured by clonogenic survival. The concentration of drug required for a given cytotoxic effect on plateau-phase cells was about 2 times higher than that required for an equitoxic effect on actively proliferating cells. In contrast, at least 5 times more amsacrine, doxorubicin or etoposide was needed for an equitoxic effect on plateau-phase cells. Cells taken directly from subcutaneous LLTC tumours and exposed to drugs displayed the same differential drug sensitivity to the carbamate compounds, suggesting that the plateau-phase cells provide an appropriate model for cells growing in vivo. The greater cytotoxicity of the carbamate drugs was shown to depend critically on the provision of an energy source such as glucose, suggesting that nutrient starvation both in plateau-phase cells and in tumours induced a glucose-sensitive resistance mechanism. It is suggested that the carbamate analogues of amsacrine recognize a form of topoisomerase II, possibly topoisomerase II beta, the activity of which increases relative to that of topoisomerase II alpha in non-cycling cells, and might be used to devise new strategies for the treatment of solid tumours.

Radiosensitivity of new and established human melanoma cell lines: comparison of [3H]thymidine incorporation and soft agar clonogenic assays.

Seven new low-passage melanoma lines were developed in this laboratory from clinical melanoma specimens and characterised for chromosome complement, DNA ploidy and S-phase content. The radiosensitivity of these lines was compared with that of eight established melanoma cell lines, FME, MM-96, SK-MEL-5, SK-MEL-28, SK-MEL-2, MALME-3M, M19-MEL and LOX-IMVI, using a 96-well microculture assay technique. Dose-response curves were determined using a 5-day incubation period and 6-h terminal [3H]thymidine-labelling period. Radiation (60Co source) was carried out under a lead wedge to provide a radiation dose range of 0-10 Gy, or by irradiating part of the plate (radiation dose 0 or 2 Gy). Data for a range of cell densities in a single 96-well plate were combined into a single regression equation incorporating linear quadratic terms for radiation dose and cell density. SF2 values were defined as the amount of thymidine incorporated following a radiation dose of 2 Gy, expressed as a fraction of that of unirradiated cells, and varied from 0.36 to 0.93. The reproducibility in repeat assays, as defined by the standard error of determinations at different passage numbers, was +/- 0.04. The newly developed lines exhibited a similar range of radiosensitivity to that of the established lines, and melanin content did not correlate with resistance. For nine of the lines, radiation parameters were also determined using a modified Courtenay clonogenic soft agar assay technique, and the results compared with the thymidine incorporation results, and a significant linear correlation was found between SF2 and SF2' (r = 0.89). The linear (alpha) and quadratic (beta) terms of the best-fit linear quadratic dose-response curves, were significantly correlated between the two assays. It is concluded for this series of human melanoma lines that proliferation assays in 96-well plates provide radiosensitivity parameters comparable to those using clonogenic assays.

Comparison of the effects of genistein and amsacrine on leukemia cell proliferation.

Genistein is an inhibitor of the enzymes protein tyrosine kinase and topoisomerase-II. It induces G2-phase arrest in human Jurkat and murine P388 leukemia cells at concentrations at which it is also cytotoxic. The effects of genistein have been investigated on Jurkat and P388 leukemia sublines that manifest multidrug resistance. Cells that possess altered topoisomerase-II activity ("atypical" multidrug resistance) are resistant to both the G2 phase-arresting and cytotoxic effects of genistein. The ability of genistein to impede progression through the cell cycle and kill cells is similar to that of amsacrine, a classical topoisomerase-II poison. This result identifies topoisomerase-II rather than tyrosine kinase activity as the target of genistein-mediated cytotoxicity and G2-phase arrest.

Anticancer drug sensitivity profiles of new and established melanoma cell lines.

Metastatic melanoma is notable for its resistance to chemotherapy, and methods for determining resistance in cultures would be advantageous. We investigated the chemosensitivities of seven newly derived low passage lines and eight established melanoma lines. A 96-well microculture system utilising [3H]-thymidine incorporation was used to determine IC50 values (50% inhibitory concentrations) for lomustine, mitomycin C, 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide, cisplatinum, 5-fluorouracil, vincristine, doxorubicin, etoposide, amsacrine and the amsacrine analogue CI-921. Cytokinetic parameters were determined using 5-bromodeoxyuridine and flow cytometry. The presence of "transport" and "atypical" multidrug resistance was investigated with an IC50 ratio method, using pairs of drugs with differing sensitivity to these multidrug resistance mechanisms. A wide range of chemosensitivity for each of the antitumor agents was observed, and a spectrum of activity was observed in each of the assays for multidrug resistance. Unexpectedly, a number of cell lines displayed coordinate sensitivity or resistance to cytotoxic agents with unrelated mechanisms of action. Resistance mechanisms apart from "transport" and "atypical" multidrug resistance may be required to account for the observed 40-fold range in overall chemosensitivity of the melanoma lines.

Cytokinetic differences in the action of N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide as compared with that of amsacrine and doxorubicin.

N-[2-(Dimethylamino)ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide dihydrochloride (DACA) is a topoisomerase II-directed DNA intercalator with high experimental solid-tumour activity. The effect of DACA on the cytokinetics of cultured Lewis lung adenocarcinoma cells was compared with those of two clinical drugs of this class, doxorubicin and amsacrine. Cells were exposed to drugs for a 1-h period at concentrations that reduced viability by approximately 99% as measured by clonogenic assays. Subsequent progress through the cell cycle was monitored by propidium staining of fixed cells and flow cytometry. DACA, amsacrine and doxorubicin did not inhibit the G1- to S-phase transition but did delay progression through the S-phase. The effect was maximal in the late S-phase and, because of the differential rates of progress of cells in various cycle positions, led to the development of a synchronous S-phase peak. This peak moved to the G2/M-phase position at 11 h after the removal of DACA or at 14 h after the removal of amsacrine or doxorubicin. The effects of the drugs on cells initially in the G2-phase was measured by scoring mitotic cells in the presence and absence of colchicine. DACA had an immediate inhibitory effect on the progression of cells from the G2-phase to mitosis. This effect was much greater for DACA than for the other two drugs, consistent with the greater effect of DACA on the G2/M-phase to G1-phase transition. The results suggest that DACA causes cell-cycle changes expected for a DNA-damaging drug but differs from doxorubicin and amsacrine mainly by its effect on the transition of G2-phase cells to mitosis and the G1-phase.

Relationship of cell cycle parameters to in vitro and in vivo chemosensitivity for a series of Lewis lung carcinoma lines.

The sensitivity of three Lewis lung carcinoma sublines, which grow in culture and in vivo, and vary in in vivo drug sensitivity, have been compared using topoisomerase II poisons amsacrine, amsacrine analogue CI-921, doxorubicin and etoposide. D10 (drug concentration for 10% clonogenic survival) values were determined in vitro for low and high density cultures, and ex vivo for cells from subcutaneous tumours. The cytokinetic parameters of these populations were obtained by flow cytometric analysis of bromodeoxyuridine-labelled cells. Regression analysis showed that logarithmic D10 values were significantly correlated (r greater than 0.95) with G1- and S-phase proportions and highly correlated (r = 0.99) with calculated G1 transit times. The slopes of the regression lines were similar for all topoisomerase II poisons tested and it is suggested that this slope reflects the disappearance of topoisomerase II during G1 phase.

The role of immune effector cells in flavone acetic acid-induced injury to tumor cells in EMT6 spheroids.

Inhibition of tumor blood flow appears to a major antitumor mechanism of flavone acetic acid (FAA), although non-ischemic processes may also be a significant role. To distinguish between direct and immune effector cell-mediated cytotoxicity as the basis for non-ischemic killing, effects of FAA were compared in EMT6 spheroids grown entirely in vitro and spheroids recovered from the peritoneal cavities of mice after six days of in vivo growth (ex vivo spheroids). Approximately 50% of the cells in the latter case were of host origin (macrophages and lymphocytes). Ex vivo spheroids showed specific histological changes when exposed to FAA, including tumor cell rounding, apoptosis, depression of mitotic activity and dissolution of necrotic debris in the spheroid core. Quantitation of histological changes indicated these effects to be significantly greater in ex vivo than in vitro spheroids. The histological changes in FAA treated ex vivo spheroids were partially inhibited by dexamethasone. Oxygen tension did not influence the response of spheroids to FAA. The results suggest that immune effector cells, probably macrophages, mediate blood flow-independent antitumor effects of FAA.

Inhibition of growth of colon 38 adenocarcinoma by vinblastine and colchicine: evidence for a vascular mechanism.

Vinblastine or colchicine, administered intraperitoneally to B6D2F1 mice with advanced subcutaneous colon 38 tumours, induced substantial tumour growth delays with progressive development of haemorrhagic necrosis beginning within 8 hours of treatment. Two multidrug-resistant P388 leukaemia sublines, refractory to vinblastine and vincristine when grown as intraperitoneal ascites, were sensitive to necrosis induction when grown as subcutaneous tumours. Vascular labelling with two fluorescent markers indicated that vincristine substantially reduced tumour blood flow within 4 hours after treatment. The effects of vinblastine, vincristine and colchicine were similar to those of tumour necrosis factor alpha in that: (a) similar tumour necrosis and blood flow changes were induced, (b) coadministration of the serotonin antagonist cyproheptidine prevented tumour necrosis and (c) plasma nitrate levels were elevated, indicative of the stimulation of oxidation of L-arginine to nitric oxide. The results suggest that vinca alkaloids and colchicine act on solid tumours by host cell-mediated vascular effects as well as by direct tubulin-mediated cytotoxicity.

Design of DNA intercalators to overcome topoisomerase II-mediated multidrug resistance.

Murine P388 (P) leukemia cell lines resistant to amsacrine (P/AMSA), dactinomycin (P/DACT), and doxorubicin (P/DOX) were compared with the parental strain in their sensitivity to a number of derivatives of amsacrine. The P/DACT cell line, which shows the characteristics of a transport-mediated multidrug-resistant cell line, was cross-resistant to vincristine, doxorubicin, etoposide, and a number of acridine-substituted amsacrine derivatives, but was sensitive in vitro and in vivo to amsacrine and its analog CI-921. The P/DOX cell line was cross-resistant to amsacrine but showed a similar pattern of cross-resistance to that of P/DACT in its in vitro response to amsacrine derivatives. In contrast, the P/AMSA line was substantially cross-resistant (from 27- to 146-fold) to all acridine-substituted amsacrine derivatives. However, when the substituents on the anilino side chain of amsacrine were changed, the in vitro cross-resistance of the P/AMSA line could be substantially reduced and even overcome. Derivatives with low cross-resistance ratios were tested in vivo against the P/AMSA leukemia and, in contrast to amsacrine and CI-921, were found to be active. Since the target enzyme for amsacrine action, topoisomerase II, is thought to be structurally modified in the P/AMSA line as well as in some other multidrug-resistant lines, these results suggest the feasibility of tailoring topoisomerase II-directed drugs specifically for the altered enzymes in resistant cells. New drug design approaches are therefore available for overcoming two major types of multidrug resistance.