Nisin variants from Streptococcus and Staphylococcus successfully express in NZ9800.

AIMS: Increases in antimicrobial resistance have meant that the antimicrobial potential of lantibiotics is now being investigated irrespective of the nature of the producing organism. The aim of this study was to investigate whether natural nisin variants produced by non-Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) strains, such as nisin H, nisin J and nisin P, could be expressed in a well-characterized GRAS host. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study involved cloning the nisin A promoter and leader sequence fused to nisin H, nisin J or nisin P structural gene sequences originally produced by Streptococcus hyointestinalis DPC 6484, Staphylococcus capitis APC 2923 and Streptococcus agalactiae DPC 7040, respectively. This resulted in their expression in Lactococcus lactis NZ9800, a genetically modified strain that does not produce nisin A. CONCLUSIONS: Induction of the nisin controlled gene expression system demonstrates that these three nisin variants could be acted on by nisin A machinery provided by the host strain. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Describes the first successful heterologous production of three natural nisin variants by a GRAS strain, and demonstrates how such systems could be harnessed not only for lantibiotic production but also in the expansion of their structural diversity and development for use as future biotherapeutics.

A Multibacteriocin Cheese Starter System, Comprising Nisin and Lacticin 3147 in Lactococcus lactis, in Combination with Plantaricin from Lactobacillus plantarum.

Functional starter cultures demonstrating superior technological and food safety properties are advantageous to the food fermentation industry. We evaluated the efficacies of single- and double-bacteriocin-producing starters of Lactococcus lactis capable of producing the class I bacteriocins nisin A and/or lacticin 3147 in terms of starter performance. Single producers were generated by mobilizing the conjugative bacteriophage resistance plasmid pMRC01, carrying lacticin genetic determinants, or the conjugative transposon Tn5276, carrying nisin genetic determinants, to the commercial starter L. lactis CSK2775. The effect of bacteriocin coproduction was examined by superimposing pMRC01 into the newly constructed nisin transconjugant. Transconjugants were improved with regard to antimicrobial activity and bacteriophage insensitivity compared to the recipient strain, and the double producer was immune to both bacteriocins. Bacteriocin production in the starter was stable, although the recipient strain proved to be a more efficient acidifier than transconjugant derivatives. Overall, combinations of class I bacteriocins (the double producer or a combination of single producers) proved to be as effective as individual bacteriocins for controlling Listeria innocua growth in laboratory-scale cheeses. However, using the double producer in combination with the class II bacteriocin producer Lactobacillus plantarum or using the lacticin producer with the class II producer proved to be most effective for reducing bacterial load. As emergence of bacteriocin tolerance was reduced 10-fold in the presence of nisin and lacticin, we suggest that the double producer in conjunction with the class II producer could serve as a protective culture providing a food-grade, multihurdle approach to control pathogenic growth in a variety of industrial applications.IMPORTANCE We generated a suite of single- and double-bacteriocin-producing starter cultures capable of generating the class I bacteriocin lacticin 3147 or nisin or both bacteriocins simultaneously via conjugation. The transconjugants exhibited improved bacteriophage resistance and antimicrobial activity. The single producers proved to be as effective as the double-bacteriocin producer at reducing Listeria numbers in laboratory-scale cheese. However, combining the double producer or the lacticin-producing starter with a class II bacteriocin producer, Lactobacillus plantarum LMG P-26358, proved to be most effective at reducing Listeria numbers and was significantly better than a combination of the three bacteriocin-producing strains, as the double producer is not inhibited by either of the class I bacteriocins. Since the simultaneous use of lacticin and nisin should reduce the emergence of bacteriocin-tolerant derivatives, this study suggests that a protective starter system produced by bacteriocin stacking is a worthwhile multihurdle approach for food safety applications.

Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes biofilms by bacteriocin-producing bacteria isolated from mushroom substrate.

AIMS: This study was designed to investigate the ability of naturally occurring bacteria isolated from mushroom substrate to prevent biofilm formation by Listeria monocytogenes or to remove existing biofilms in mushroom production facilities. METHODS AND RESULTS: It is generally recognized that L. monocytogenes forms biofilms that can facilitate its survival in food-processing environments. Eleven bacteriocin-producing isolates were identified and the bacteriocins characterized based on heat and enzyme inactivation studies. Further characterization was undertaken by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, PCR and sequencing. Production of nisin Z (by Lactococcus lactis isolates), subtilomycin (by Bacillus subtilis isolates) and lichenicidin (by Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus sonorensis isolates) was detected. In co-culture with L. monocytogenes, the bacteriocin-producing strains could prevent biofilm formation and reduce pre-formed biofilms. CONCLUSIONS: Mushroom substrate can be a source of bacteriocin-producing bacteria that can antagonize L. monocytogenes. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The results highlight the potential of bacteriocin-producing strains from mushroom substrate to reduce L. monocytogenes biofilm in food production environments, contributing to a reduction in the risk of food contamination from the environment.

Prediction of individual milk proteins including free amino acids in bovine milk using mid-infrared spectroscopy and their correlations with milk processing characteristics.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of mid-infrared spectroscopy in predicting milk protein and free amino acid (FAA) composition in bovine milk. Milk samples were collected from 7 Irish research herds and represented cows from a range of breeds, parities, and stages of lactation. Mid-infrared spectral data in the range of 900 to 5,000 cm(-1) were available for 730 milk samples; gold standard methods were used to quantify individual protein fractions and FAA of these samples with a view to predicting these gold standard protein fractions and FAA levels with available mid-infrared spectroscopy data. Separate prediction equations were developed for each trait using partial least squares regression; accuracy of prediction was assessed using both cross validation on a calibration data set (n=400 to 591 samples) and external validation on an independent data set (n=143 to 294 samples). The accuracy of prediction in external validation was the same irrespective of whether undertaken on the entire external validation data set or just within the Holstein-Friesian breed. The strongest coefficient of correlation obtained for protein fractions in external validation was 0.74, 0.69, and 0.67 for total casein, total ß-lactoglobulin, and ß-casein, respectively. Total proteins (i.e., total casein, total whey, and total lactoglobulin) were predicted with greater accuracy then their respective component traits; prediction accuracy using the infrared spectrum was superior to prediction using just milk protein concentration. Weak to moderate prediction accuracies were observed for FAA. The greatest coefficient of correlation in both cross validation and external validation was for Gly (0.75), indicating a moderate accuracy of prediction. Overall, the FAA prediction models overpredicted the gold standard values. Near-unity correlations existed between total casein and ß-casein irrespective of whether the traits were based on the gold standard (0.92) or mid-infrared spectroscopy predictions (0.95). Weaker correlations among FAA were observed than the correlations among the protein fractions. Pearson correlations between gold standard protein fractions and the milk processing characteristics of rennet coagulation time, curd firming time, curd firmness, heat coagulating time, pH, and casein micelle size were weak to moderate and ranged from -0.48 (protein and pH) to 0.50 (total casein and a30). Pearson correlations between gold standard FAA and these milk processing characteristics were also weak to moderate and ranged from -0.60 (Val and pH) to 0.49 (Val and K20). Results from this study indicate that mid-infrared spectroscopy has the potential to predict protein fractions and some FAA in milk at a population level.

Comparison of fidaxomicin, thuricin CD, vancomycin and nisin highlights the narrow spectrum nature of thuricin CD.

Vancomycin and metronidazole are commonly used treatments for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). However, these antibiotics have been associated with high levels of relapse in patients. Fidaxomicin is a new treatment for CDI that is described as a narrow spectrum antibiotic that is minimally active on the commensal bacteria of the gut microbiome. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of fidaxomicin on the human gut microbiome with a number of narrow (thuricin CD) and broad spectrum (vancomycin and nisin) antimicrobials. The spectrum of activity of each antimicrobial was tested against 47 bacterial strains by well-diffusion assay. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were calculated against a select number of these strains. Further, a pooled fecal slurry of 6 donors was prepared and incubated for 24 h with 100 µM of each antimicrobial in a mini-fermentation system together with a no-treatment control. Fidaxomicin, vancomycin, and nisin were active against most gram positive bacteria tested in vitro, although fidaxomicin and vancomycin produced larger zones of inhibition compared to nisin. In contrast, the antimicrobial activity of thuricin CD was specific to C. difficile and some Bacillus spp. The MICs showed similar results. Thuricin CD exhibited low MICs (<3.1 µg/mL) for C. difficile and Bacillus firmus, whereas fidaxomicin, vancomycin, and nisin demonstrated lower MICs for all other strains tested when compared to thuricin CD. The narrow spectrum of thuricin CD was also observed in the gut model system. We conclude that the spectrum of activity of fidaxomicin is comparable to that of the broad-spectrum antibiotic vancomycin in vitro and the broad spectrum bacteriocin nisin in a complex community.

Isolation and characterization of bacteriocin-producing bacteria from the intestinal microbiota of elderly Irish subjects.

AIMS: To isolate and characterize bacteriocins produced by predominant species of lactic acid bacteria from faeces of elderly subjects. METHODS AND RESULTS: Screening over 70,000 colonies, from faecal samples collected from 266 subjects, using the indicator organisms Lactobacillus bulgaricus LMG 6901 and Listeria innocua DPC 3572, identified 55 antimicrobial-producing bacteria. Genomic fingerprinting following ApaI digestion revealed 15 distinct strains. The antimicrobial activities associated with 13 of the 15 strains were sensitive to protease treatment. The predominant antimicrobial-producing species were identified as Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus crispatus and Enterococcus spp. A number of previously characterized bacteriocins, including ABP-118 and salivaricin B (from Lact. salivarius), enterocin B (Enterococcus faecium), lactacin B (Lact. acidophilus), gassericin T and a variant of gassericin A (Lact. gasseri), were identified. Interestingly, two antimicrobial-producing species, not generally associated with intestinally derived microorganisms were also isolated: Lactococcus lactis producing nisin Z and Streptococcus mutans producing mutacin II. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that bacteriocin production by intestinal isolates against our chosen targets under the screening conditions used was not frequent (0.08%). SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The results presented are important due to growing evidence indicating bacteriocin production as a potential probiotic trait by virtue of strain dominance and/or pathogen inhibition in the mammalian intestine.

Production of the antimicrobial peptides Caseicin A and B by Bacillus isolates growing on sodium caseinate.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to identify Bacillus isolates capable of degrading sodium caseinate and subsequently to generate bioactive peptides with antimicrobial activity. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sodium caseinate (2.5% w/v) was inoculated separately with 16 Bacillus isolates and allowed to ferment overnight. Protein breakdown in the fermentates was analysed using gel permeation-HPLC (GP-HPLC) and screened for peptides (<3-kDa) with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Caseicin A (IKHQGLPQE) and caseicin B (VLNENLLR), two previously characterized antimicrobial peptides, were identified in the fermentates of both Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis isolates. The caseicin peptides were subsequently purified by RP-HPLC and antimicrobial assays indicated that the peptides maintained the previously identified inhibitory activity against the infant formula pathogen Cronobacter sakazakii. CONCLUSIONS: We report a new method using Bacillus sp. to generate two previously characterized antimicrobial peptides from casein. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study highlights the potential to exploit Bacillus sp. or the enzymes they produce for the generation of bioactive antimicrobial peptides from bovine casein.

Impact of the broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide, lacticin 3147, on Streptococcus mutans growing in a biofilm and in human saliva.

AIMS: To evaluate the ability of the broad-spectrum lantibiotic, lacticin 3147, to prevent Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation and disrupt existing biofilms. METHODS AND RESULTS: Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum biofilm inhibitory concentrations of purified lacticin 3147 were determined using a microdilution method. Lacticin 3147 effectively inhibited planktonic Strep. mutans, with MIC of 1.9-3.8 µmol l(-1). Time-kill kinetic studies confirmed that lacticin 3147 exhibited bactericidal activity against Strep. mutans at 38 µmol l(-1) (or 10× MIC). The effect of lacticin 3147 on biofilm formation and reduction was also determined. Exposure to 6.3-µmol l(-1) lacticin 3147 (2× MIC) resulted in substantial reductions in Strep. mutans biofilm formation while lacticin 3147 was less effective against 1-day-old biofilms. Culture-based analyses revealed that lacticin 3147 (50 µmol l(-1)) significantly inhibited Streptococcus spp. present in human saliva (P < 0.05) with an approximate 4-log reduction in viability compared with the control. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that lacticin 3147 may be an effective therapy against Strep. mutans and was shown to substantially attenuate its ability to form a biofilm. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Lacticin 3147 has the potential to be a useful adjunct to traditional oral therapeutic approaches in addition to its use as a bioactive ingredient for food applications.

Interaction of the p53-regulated protein Gadd45 with proliferating cell nuclear antigen.

GADD45 is a ubiquitously expressed mammalian gene that is induced by DNA damage and certain other stresses. Like another p53-regulated gene, p21WAF1/CIP1, whose product binds to cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdk's) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), GADD45 has been associated with growth suppression. Gadd45 was found to bind to PCNA, a normal component of Cdk complexes and a protein involved in DNA replication and repair. Gadd45 stimulated DNA excision repair in vitro and inhibited entry of cells into S phase. These results establish GADD45 as a link between the p53-dependent cell cycle checkpoint and DNA repair.

An information-intensive approach to the molecular pharmacology of cancer.

Since 1990, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has screened more than 60,000 compounds against a panel of 60 human cancer cell lines. The 50-percent growth-inhibitory concentration (GI50) for any single cell line is simply an index of cytotoxicity or cytostasis, but the patterns of 60 such GI50 values encode unexpectedly rich, detailed information on mechanisms of drug action and drug resistance. Each compound's pattern is like a fingerprint, essentially unique among the many billions of distinguishable possibilities. These activity patterns are being used in conjunction with molecular structural features of the tested agents to explore the NCI's database of more than 460,000 compounds, and they are providing insight into potential target molecules and modulators of activity in the 60 cell lines. For example, the information is being used to search for candidate anticancer drugs that are not dependent on intact p53 suppressor gene function for their activity. It remains to be seen how effective this information-intensive strategy will be at generating new clinically active agents.

Increased gene-specific repair of cisplatin interstrand cross-links in cisplatin-resistant human ovarian cancer cell lines.

We have studied several aspects of DNA damage formation and repair in human ovarian cancer cell lines which have become resistant to cisplatin through continued exposure to the anticancer drug. The resistant cell lines A2780/cp70 and 2008/c13*5.25 were compared with their respective parental cell lines, A2780 and 2008. Cells in culture were treated with cisplatin, and the two main DNA lesions formed, intrastrand adducts and interstrand cross-links, were quantitated before and after repair incubation. This quantitation was done for total genomic lesions and at the level of individual genes. In the overall genome, the initial frequency of both cisplatin lesions assayed was higher in the parental than in the derivative resistant cell lines. Nonetheless, the total genomic repair of each of these lesions was not increased in the resistant cells. These differences in initial lesion frequency between parental and resistant cell lines were not observed at the gene level. Resistant and parental cells had similar initial frequencies of intrastrand adducts and interstrand cross-links in the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene and in several other genes after cisplatin treatment of the cells. There was no increase in the repair efficiency of intrastrand adducts in the DHFR gene in resistant cell lines compared with the parental partners. However, a marked and consistent repair difference between parental and resistant cells was observed for the gene-specific repair of cisplatin interstrand cross-links. DNA interstrand cross-links were removed from three genes, the DHFR, multidrug resistance (MDR1), and delta-globin genes, much more efficiently in the resistant cell lines than in the parental cell lines. Our findings suggest that acquired cellular resistance to cisplatin may be associated with increased gene-specific DNA repair efficiency of a specific lesion, the interstrand cross-link.

Molecular surveillance of measles and rubella in the WHO European Region: new challenges in the elimination phase.

BACKGROUND: The WHO European Region (EUR) has adopted the goal of eliminating measles and rubella but individual countries perform differently in achieving this goal. Measles virus spread across the EUR by mobile groups has recently led to large outbreaks in the insufficiently vaccinated resident population. As an instrument for monitoring the elimination process and verifying the interruption of endemic virus transmission, molecular surveillance has to provide valid and representative data. Irrespective of the country's specific situation, it is required to ensure the functionality of the laboratory surveillance that is supported by the WHO Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network. AIMS: To investigate whether the molecular surveillance in the EUR is adequate for the challenges in the elimination phase, we addressed the quality assurance of molecular data, the continuity and intensity of molecular monitoring, and the analysis of transmission chains. SOURCES: Published articles, the molecular External Quality Assessment Programme of the WHO, the Centralized Information System for Infectious Diseases of the WHO EUR and the WHO Measles and Rubella Nucleotide Surveillance databases served as information sources. CONTENT: Molecular proficiency testing conducted by the WHO in 2016 has shown that the expertise for measles and rubella virus genotyping exists in all parts of the EUR. The analysis of surveillance data reported nationally to the WHO in 2013-2016 has revealed some countries with outbreaks but not sufficiently representative molecular data. Long-lasting supranational MV transmission chains were identified. IMPLICATIONS: A more systematic molecular monitoring and recording of the transmission pattern for the whole EUR could help to create a meaningful picture of the elimination process.

Effects of c-erbB2 overexpression on the drug sensitivities of normal human mammary epithelial cells.

BACKGROUND: Overexpression of the gene c-erbB2, which encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase, in breast tumors has been linked with either increased or decreased response of breast cancer patients to various therapies. In breast cancer cell lines, overexpression of exogenous c-erbB2 sometimes alters drug sensitivities but sometimes has no effect. To avoid the genetic complexities associated with established cancer cell lines, normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) were studied to determine whether c-erbB2 overexpression by itself would alter chemosensitivity. METHODS: HMECs were designed to overexpress c-erbB2, and these cells were then evaluated for alterations in chemosensitivity. RESULTS: HMECs overexpressing c-erbB2 failed to show any alterations in chemosensitivity to a panel of chemotherapeutic agents, as indicated by 95% confidence intervals on growth curves of cells treated with or without the agent of interest. With the use of fluorescence-activated cell sorting to enrich for HMECs overexpressing c-erbB2 on their surface, an 85% pure population of cells was isolated and their chemosensitivity was evaluated. Again, the cells failed to display any alterations in chemosensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that overexpression of c-erbB2 is not sufficient by itself to induce changes in chemosensitivity. Cellular studies using normal human cells in which the complexity of the system can be carefully controlled by the addition of one, two, or even more genes associated with cancer development may provide valuable information about how the products of the genes interact with each other and which combinations are critical in regulating chemosensitivity.

UCN-01: a potent abrogator of G2 checkpoint function in cancer cells with disrupted p53.

BACKGROUND: Arrest of the cell cycle in G2 phase following DNA damage helps protect cell viability by allowing time for DNA repair before entry into mitosis (M phase). Abrogation of G2 arrest sensitizes cells to the effects of DNA-damaging agents. UCN-01 (7-hydroxystaurosporine), a protein kinase C inhibitor that may block G2 checkpoint regulation, has been reported to enhance the cytotoxicity of mitomycin C, a known DNA-damaging agent. PURPOSE: We studied the effect of UCN-01 on G2 checkpoint control in human lymphoma CA46 cells, whose sensitivity to various DNA-damaging agents and G2 response to DNA damage have been characterized. We also assessed the ability of UCN-01 to enhance the cytotoxicity of gamma irradiation in CA46 cells and human colon carcinoma HT-29 cells, both of which are mutant for p53 function. The influence of p53 function on UCN-01-mediated abrogation of the G2 checkpoint and enhancement of DNA-damaging agent cytotoxicity was studied in transfected human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells that either expressed or did not express the human papillomavirus type-16 E6 protein. MCF-7 cells have normal p53 function, and the E6 protein binds p53 protein and promotes its destruction. METHODS: The effect of UCN-01 on cell cycle arrest induced by gamma irradiation was studied in CA46 cells and in transfected MCF-7 cells by use of flow cytometry. A histone H1 phosphorylation assay was employed to measure cyclin B1/Cdc2 kinase activity in extracts derived from irradiated and nonirradiated CA46 cells that had been either treated or not treated with UCN-01; the phosphorylation status of Cdc2 kinase protein in the same extracts was determined by use of western blotting. The effect of UCN-01 on the cytotoxicity of gamma irradiation in CA46 and HT-29 cells was determined by use of MTT (thiazolyl blue) and clonogenic (colony-forming) assays, respectively; a clonogenic assay was also used to measure the effect of UCN-01 on the cytotoxicity of cisplatin in transfected and nontransfected MCF-7 cells. RESULTS: G2 arrest induced in CA46 cells by gamma irradiation was minibited by treatment with UCN-01 in a dose-dependent manner; arrest in G2 was completely abrogated by exposure to 300 nM UCN-01. Biochemical markers indicative of the G2/M transition, including the activation of cyclin B1/Cdc2 kinase and the suppression of Cdc2 threonine-14 and tyrosine-15 phosphorylation, were detected in irradiated cells treated with UCN-01. UCN-01 enhanced the cytotoxicity of gamma irradiation in CA46 and HT-29 cells. MCF-7 cells with functional p53 protein were more resistant to G2 checkpoint abrogation by UCN-01 than MCF-7 cells with disrupted p53 function. UCN-01 markedly enhanced the cell-killing activity of cisplatin in MCF-7 cells defective for p53 function. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: UCN-01 is a potent abrogator of G2 checkpoint control in cancer cells with disrupted p53 function. UCN-01 might be capable of enhancing the effectiveness of DNA-damaging agents in the treatment of tumors with cells lacking normal p53 function.

Unscheduled activation of cyclin B1/Cdc2 kinase in human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL60 cells undergoing apoptosis induced by DNA damage.

We have studied changes in cyclin A- and B1-dependent kinases during apoptosis induced in human promyelocytic leukemia (HL60) cells treated with the topoisomerase I inhibitor camptothecin. We found that cyclin B1/Cdc2 kinase activity transiently increases within 30 min after camptothecin treatment. This increase is followed by a rapid inactivation of the cyclin B1/Cdc2 kinase that is associated with Cdc2 tyrosine phosphorylation without any change in Cdc2 or cyclin B1 protein levels. The DNA polymerase inhibitor aphidicolin abrogates camptothecin-induced changes in cyclin B1/Cdc2 kinase activity, indicating that DNA replication-induced DNA damage is essential for both Cdc2 alterations and apoptosis activation. Apoptosis and the initial cyclin B1/Cdc2 kinase activation were amplified using synchronized S-phase cells, and cyclin A/cdk2 kinase did not change under these conditions. The same transient activation and subsequent inactivation of cyclin B1/Cdc2 kinase were observed after DNA damage by etoposide or bis-(2-chloroethyl)methylamine hydrochloride. These observations suggest that DNA damage promotes the transient and unscheduled stimulation of cyclin B1/Cdc2 kinase activity in HL60 cells prior to apoptosis.

A mutant p21 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor isolated from a Burkitt's lymphoma.

The growth arrest mediated by p53 is caused at least in part by the p53 mediated expression of p21 (p21waf1/Cip1). Since only one-third of primary Burkitt's lymphomas (BL) demonstrate mutations in the p53 gene, we examined the structural integrity of the p21 coding region by single-strand conformational polymorphism and DNA sequence analysis to determine the extent to which this gene is mutated in BL. Of 34 BLs analyzed, a frequent change (38%) at codon 31 that replaced Ser with Arg was found in 13 samples, 10 of which were from Africa. This change at codon 31 is also detected in peripheral blood DNA from normal subjects and may thus represent a polymorphism. One BL cell line, DH978, carried a change at codon 63: Phe to Leu. This mutation was heterozygous, and both the wild-type and the mutated p21 mRNA were expressed in the tumor cell line. By transfection experiments, the mutant p21 was less efficient in suppressing clonogenicity than wild-type p21. To our knowledge, this is the only mutation described in p21. The availability of this mutant p21 should further help in functional studies of p21.

Role of the p53 tumor suppressor gene in cell cycle arrest and radiosensitivity of Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines.

We have assessed the role of the p53 tumor suppressor gene in cell cycle arrest and cytotoxicity of ionizing radiation in 17 Burkitt's lymphoma and lymphoblastoid cell lines. Cell cycle arrest was assessed by flow cytometry of cells 16 h following irradiation. In addition to the usual G2 arrest, the cell lines exhibited three types of responses in G1: Class I, strong arrest in G1 following radiation; Class II, minimal arrest; and Class III, an intermediate response. All Class I cells contained normal p53 genes. Of the ten lines that showed minimal G1 arrest, eight had mutant p53 alleles, and two lines were heterozygous for p53 mutations. Both of the lines showing an intermediate response contained wild-type p53. Our results are consistent with the view that mutations abrogate the ability of p53 to induce G1 arrest following radiation. Studies with the heterozygotes showed that the mutant protein can have a dominant negative influence upon wild-type p53, and the reduced ability of two normal p53 lines to arrest in G1 indicated that p53 function can be impaired by other mechanisms. The radiosensitivity of most of the lines appeared to depend on the ability of p53 to induce a G1 arrest. The mean radiation dose that inhibited proliferation of the Class I lines by 50% was 0.98 Gy. Of the eight p53 mutant cell lines tested, five lines required approximately 2.9 Gy to cause a 50% inhibition of cell proliferation. The two heterozygotes were also more resistant to radiation than the Class I cells (50% inhibitory dose, 2.1 and 2.9 Gy). Our results suggest that radioresistance is afforded by a loss of function of wild-type p53, which would normally induce a G1 arrest and promote cell death in the presence of DNA damage.

Constitutive expression of human Bcl-2 modulates nitrogen mustard and camptothecin induced apoptosis.

Bcl-2 is a novel protooncogene which prolongs cell survival and suppresses apoptosis. We examined whether constitutive expression of transfected human bcl-2 conferred resistance to two different DNA damaging drugs, nitrogen mustard (HN2) and camptothecin (CPT) in a murine, IL-3 dependent cell line (FL5.12). HN2 treatment produced 2-fold less cell death and DNA degradation in cells overexpressing bcl-2 relative to control cells transfected with a construct bearing only the neoR gene. DNA degradation was characterized by oligonucleosomal length fragments indicating that programmed cell death or apoptosis had occurred. Equimolar HN2 produced similar extents of interstrand cross-link formation and repair in each cell line. Cell cycle characteristics were similar for both cell lines following equimolar HN2 treatment, exhibiting a brief S phase delay followed by a longer G2 arrest. Time course studies indicated that DNA fragmentation occurred following peak G2 arrest in control cells and 12 h later in bcl-2 transfected cells. Equimolar CPT exposure also induced 2-fold less death and apoptotic DNA fragmentation in bcl-2 transfected compared to control cells. DNA single strand break formation and resealing kinetics were comparable in both cell lines following equimolar CPT treatment. CPT caused similar cell cycle perturbations in both cell lines, with a brief S phase block detectable 12 h after an equimolar drug dose. Kinetic studies showed apoptosis occurred following maximal S phase arrest in control and 12 h later in bcl-2 transfected cells. By contrast, IL-3 withdrawal produced rapid and extensive DNA degradation and apoptosis in controls 24 h postwithdrawal, and this process was inhibited 3-4-fold in bcl-2 transfectants. Cell cycle analysis showed both cell lines arrested in G0/G1 following IL-3 removal. In summary, bcl-2 transfection affords a 2-fold protection from HN2 and CPT cytotoxicity and decreases drug induced apoptosis in FL5.12 cells, despite the different mechanisms of action and cell cycle effects of each agent. Bcl-2 overexpression appears to represent a novel drug resistance mechanism of potential clinical significance.

Relationships between G1 arrest and stability of the p53 and p21Cip1/Waf1 proteins following gamma-irradiation of human lymphoma cells.

We investigated temporal relationships between ionizing radiation-induced G1 arrest and induction of the p53-regulated genes GADD45, CIP1/WAF1, and MDM2 in a series of Burkitt's lymphoma and lymphoblastoid cell lines that differed in p53 gene status. Emphasis was placed on characterization of the EW36 cell line, which despite expressing wild-type p53 genes, is defective in G1 arrest following gamma-irradiation (P. M. O'Connor et al., Cancer Res., 53: 4776-4780, 1993). Induction of CIP1/WAF1, GADD45, and to a lesser extent MDM2 mRNA was observed in all wild-type p53 lines that arrested in G1. Cell lines that contained only mutant p53 genes or were heterozygous for p53 mutations failed to induce appreciable levels of these p53-regulated transcripts and did not arrest in G1. G1 arrest in the wild-type p53 cell line WMN was more prolonged than elevation of CIP1/WAF1, GADD45, or MDM2 transcripts, suggesting that G1 arrest duration must be dependent upon stability of these newly synthesized proteins. In agreement, we found that p21Cip1/Waf1, a potent inhibitor of G1-S phase cyclin-dependent kinases, was maintained at elevated levels throughout the period that WMN cells remained arrested in G1. EW36 cells exhibited normal induction of CIP1/WAF1, GADD45, and MDM2 mRNA following gamma-irradiation, suggesting that the defect in G1 arrest must reside downstream of p53 transactivation. Investigations into the stability of p53 and p21Cip1/Waf1 revealed that EW36 cells failed to maintain elevated levels of these proteins following irradiation. p53 levels decreased within 4 h of irradiation, and p21Cip1/Waf1 levels decreased shortly after the normal decline of CIP1/WAF1 mRNA levels. Degradation of p21Cip1/Waf1 coincided with the escape of EW36 cells from G1 arrest. Our studies suggest that p21Cip1/Waf1 stability may determine G1 arrest duration and that premature degradation of this protein could provide an alternative route to subversion of the G1 checkpoint in cancer cells.

Correlations between S and G2 arrest and the cytotoxicity of camptothecin in human colon carcinoma cells.

Previous cell line comparisons indicated that neither S-phase fraction nor topoisomerase I (top1) levels are sufficient to predict camptothecin (CPT) cytotoxicity (F. Goldwasser el al., Cancer Res., 55: 2116-2121, 1995.). To identify new determinants for CPT activity, two mutant p53 human colon cancer cell lines, SW620 and KM12, that were previously reported to have similar top1 levels and differential sensitivity to CPT were studied. No difference in the kinetics of top1-mediated DNA single-strand breaks or DNA synthesis inhibition were observed after 1 h exposure to 1 microM CPT. Pulse-labeling alkaline elution showed deficiency of damaged replicon elongation in the more sensitive SW620 cells. Consistentiy, flow cytometry analyses showed that KM12 was arrested in G2, whereas SW620 cells were irreversibly blocked in S phase. Aphidicolin protection was minimal in KM12 and more pronounced in the more sensitive SW620 cells. Thus, CPT appears to have two cytotoxic mechanisms, one protectable by aphidicolin and present in SW620 and the other not protectable by aphidicolin and common to both cell lines. SW620 exhibited also a greater capacity to break through the G2 checkpoint after DNA damage. Consistently, SW620 cells failed to down-regulate cyclin B-cdc2 kinase activity, whereas KM12 cells down-regulated cyclin B/cdc2 kinase activity within 30 min to 20 % of control level after CPT treatment. Analysis of the 7 human colon carcinoma cell lines of the NCI Anticancer Drug Screen showed that defects in replicon elongation and G2 breakthrough capability correlate with sensitivity to CPT. Our results suggest that misrepair of damaged replicons and/or alterations in DNA damage checkpoints is critical to defining chemosensitivity to CPT-induced top1-cleavable complexes and that CPT appears to have two cytotoxic mechanisms, one protectable by aphidicolin, and the other not.