p38 inhibition and not MK2 inhibition enhances the secretion of chemokines from TNF-α activated rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes.

OBJECTIVES: For many years the p38 MAP kinase (MAPK) has been a major anti-inflammatory target for the development of an oral therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, disappointing results from Phase II clinical studies suggest that adaptations may occur, which allow escape from blockade of the p38 pathway. In this study we investigated whether p38 inhibition mediated JNK activation represents such an escape mechanism. METHODS: Interaction between the JNK and p38 pathways was studied in TNF-α stimulated THP-1 monocytes, primary macrophages and fibroblast-like synoviocytes from OA and RA patients using pharmacological inhibitors and siRNAs. RESULTS: TNF-α induced phosphorylation of JNK and c-Jun was sustained by p38 inhibitors in monocytes, primary macrophages and FLS. Upregulation of Mip1α, Mip1ß and IL-8 mRNAs and protein were observed upon p38 inhibition. More importantly, inhibition of MK2, the substrate of p38 did not sustain JNK activation upon TNF-α activation and did not elevate Mip1α, Mip1ß and IL-8 chemokines as compared to TNF-α alone. In this study, TNF-α or IL-1ß induced JNK activation is sustained by p38 inhibition, resulting in enhanced chemokine secretion. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the suggested role of these chemokines in RA pathogenesis, the upregulation of these chemokines may provide an explanation for the lack of efficacy of p38 inhibitors in Phase II. The absence of any effect of MK2 inhibition in our models on this mechanism, while coming with similar efficacy on blocking p38, provides support for further investigations to reveal the potential of MK2 inhibition as a novel treatment of RA.

Superagonistic activation of ErbB-1 by EGF-related growth factors with enhanced association and dissociation rate constants.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-alpha (TGFalpha) are mitogenic hormones that exert their activity primarily by binding to the EGF receptor, also known as ErbB-1. We have recently characterized a set of EGF/TGFalpha chimeric molecules with similar high affinity for ErbB-1 as EGF and TGFalpha and shown that three of these chimeras induce mitogenic cell stimulation at already a 10-fold lower concentration than their wild-type counterparts (Lenferink, A. E., Kramer, R. H., van Vugt, M. J., Königswieser, M., DiFiore, P. P., van Zoelen, E. J., and van de Poll, M. L. (1997) Biochem. J. 327, 859-865). In the present study we show that these so-called superagonistic chimeras do not differ from EGF and TGFalpha in their ability to induce ErbB-1 tyrosine phosphorylation but are considerably more potent in activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation. Direct cell binding studies and analysis of ligand-receptor interaction by surface plasmon resonance measurements revealed that both the association rate constant (k(on)) and the dissociation rate constant (k(off)) of these superagonists is 3-5-fold higher in comparison with the wild-type ligands and nonsuperagonistic chimeras. These data indicate that the dynamic on and off rate constants for receptor binding may be more specific parameters for determining the mitogenic activity of peptide hormones than their constants for equilibrium receptor binding.

The FcgammaRIa (CD64) ligand binding chain triggers major histocompatibility complex class II antigen presentation independently of its associated FcR gamma-chain.

Within multi-subunit Ig receptors, the FcR gamma-chain immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) plays a crucial role in enabling antigen presentation. This process involves antigen-capture and targeting to specific degradation and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II loading compartments. Antigenic epitopes are then presented by MHC class II molecules to specific T cells. The high-affinity receptor for IgG, hFcgammaRIa, is exclusively expressed on myeloid lineage cells and depends on the FcR gamma-chain for surface expression, efficient ligand binding, and most phagocytic effector functions. However, we show in this report, using the IIA1.6 cell model, that hFcgammaRIa can potentiate MHC class II antigen presentation, independently of a functional FcR gamma-chain ITAM. Immunoelectron microscopic analyses documented hFcgammaRIa alpha-chain/rabbit IgG-Ovalbumin complexes to be internalized and to migrate via sorting endosomes to MHC class II-containing late endosomes. Radical deletion of the hFcgammaRIa alpha-chain cytoplasmic tail did not affect internalization of rabbit IgG-Ovalbumin complexes. Importantly, however, this resulted in diversion of receptor-ligand complexes to the recycling pathway and decreased antigen presentation. These results show the hFcgammaRIa cytoplasmic tail to contain autonomous targeting information for intracellular trafficking of receptor-antigen complexes, although deficient in canonical tyrosine- or dileucine-targeting motifs. This is the first documentation of autonomous targeting by a member of the multichain FcR family that may critically impact the immunoregulatory role proposed for hFcgammaRIa (CD64).

The alternatively spliced CD64 transcript FcgammaRIb2 does not specify a surface-expressed isoform.

Three highly homologous genes (A, B and C) and six transcripts have been identified for the class I human IgG receptor (CD64). The hFcgammaRIa1 isoform encodes the prototypic high-affinity receptor for IgG. The alternatively spliced hFcgammaRIb2 transcript was postulated to exist as a second surface-expressed CD64 isoform on myeloid cells. In this report we assessed this proposed role for hFcgammaRIb2 in detail. As CD64 monoclonal antibodies might not recognize hFcgammaRIb2, we tagged the receptor with an hemagglutinin tag and transfected hFcgammaRIb2tag in the presence of FcR gamma-chain into IIA1.6 cells. Both transcript and protein of hFcgammaRIb2tag were clearly present in transfectants. However, in contrast to the (control) hFcgammaRIa1tag, no surface expression of hFcgammaRIb2tag was detectable with a tag-specific monoclonal antibody. Confocal scan laser microscopy revealed hFcgammaRIb2tag to be retained in the endoplasmic reticulum, resulting in absent plasma membrane expression. These results show hFcgammaRIb2 neither to be surface expressed, nor to represent a separate CD64 isoform. This finding, furthermore, implicates that other FcR transcripts defined at the mRNA level may not represent true FcR isoforms either.

The p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase associates with the Fc receptor gamma-chain and linker for activitor of T cells (LAT) in platelets stimulated by collagen and convulxin.

There is extensive evidence to show that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase plays an important role in signaling by the immune family of receptors, which has recently been extended to include the platelet collagen receptor, glycoprotein VI. In this report we present two potential mechanisms for the regulation of this enzyme on stimulation of platelets by collagen. We show that on stimulation with collagen, the regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase associates with the tyrosine-phosphorylated form of the adapter protein linker for activator of T Cells (LAT) and the tyrosine-phosphorylated immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif of the Fc receptor gamma-chain (a component of the collagen receptor complex that includes glycoprotein VI). The associations of the Fc receptor gamma-chain and LAT with p85 are rapid and supported by the Src-homology 2 domains of the regulatory subunit. We did not obtain evidence to support previous observations that the regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase is regulated through association with the tyrosine kinase Syk. The present results provide a molecular basis for the regulation of the p85/110 form of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase by GPVI, the collagen receptor that underlies activation.

The linear C-terminal regions of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-alpha bind to different epitopes on the human EGF receptor.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-alpha (TGFalpha) bind with similar affinities in a competitive fashion to the human EGF receptor, and basically induce similar mitogenic responses. In spite of the fact that EGF and TGFalpha are structurally alike, it is still not clear if the two growth factors bind the receptor in an identical manner. The observation that the 13A9 antibody blocks binding of TGFalpha, but not that of EGF, to the human EGF receptor [Winkler, O'Connor, Winget and Fendly (1989) Biochemistry 28, 6373-6378] suggests that their binding characteristics are not identical. In the present study we have made use of a set of EGF/TGFalpha chimaeric molecules to show that the 13A9 antibody blocks receptor binding of ligands with TGFalpha sequences, but not of ligands with EGF sequences, in their C-terminal linear regions. Using HaCaT human keratinocyte cells in culture, it was determined that ligands that are able to bind the EGF receptor in the presence of 13A9 are also able to induce calcium release from intracellular stores in these cells, indicating that these ligands have the ability to activate the EGF receptor in the presence of the antibody. From these data it is concluded that the flexible C-terminal linear domains of EGF and TGFalpha bind to separate sequences on the EGF receptor, such that the binding domain of TGFalpha, but not that of EGF, overlaps with the binding epitope of the 13A9 antibody.

FcgammaRIa-gamma-chain complexes trigger antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) in CD5+ B cell/macrophage IIA1.6 cells.

Most receptors for immunoglobulins exist as multi-subunit complexes, with unique ligand binding alpha-chains, combined with accessory signalling (gamma-, beta-, or zeta-) chains. The myeloid class I receptor for IgG (FcgammaRIa) has been shown to be dependent on the FcR gamma-chain for surface expression in vivo. In this study we assess the capacity of FcgammaRIa-gamma-chain complexes expressed in IIA1.6 cells to trigger phagocytosis and ADCC. An intact immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) signalling motif proved essential for triggering of biological function via the FcgammaRIa receptor complex. Both the FcR gamma-chain and the FcgammaRIIa-ITAM proved active in directing phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus and ADCC of erythrocytes, triggered by the FcgammaRIa complex. The capacity of FcgammaRIa to trigger phagocytic and cytolytic activity by IIA1.6 cells, both considered 'professional phagocyte' functions, motivated us to re-evaluate the cell lineage and developmental stage of IIA1.6 cells. Although originally described as mouse B lymphocytes, the IIA1.6 cells proved positive for non-specific esterase activity and expressed the CD5 antigen. These combined characteristics place the IIA1.6 cells within a unique CD5+ B cell/macrophage lineage, optimally suited for cell biological analyses of phagocyte receptors.

Identification of the minimal requirements for binding to the human epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor using chimeras of human EGF and an EGF repeat of Drosophila Notch.

Many proteins contain so-called epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domains that share the characteristic spacing of cysteines and glycines with members of the EGF family. They are, however, functionally unrelated, despite the fact that the three-dimensional structure of these EGF-like domains, also, is often very similar to that of the EGF receptor agonists. In the present study, we linked an EGF-like repeat from the Drosophila Notch protein to the N- and C-terminal linear tail sequences of human EGF (hEGF), and we showed that this chimera (E1N6E) is unable to bind or activate the hEGF receptor. This recombinant protein was then used as a basic construct for identifying the minimal requirements for high affinity EGF receptor binding and activation. We selectively reintroduced a limited number of important hEGF-derived residues, and by using this unique approach, we were able to make hEGF/Notch chimeras that, compared with wild type hEGF, showed nearly 100% binding affinity and mitogenic activity on HER-14 cells expressing the hEGF receptor.

Differential endocytic routing of homo- and hetero-dimeric ErbB tyrosine kinases confers signaling superiority to receptor heterodimers.

Both homo- and hetero-dimers of ErbB receptor tyrosine kinases mediate signaling by a large group of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like ligands. However, some ligands are more potent than others, although they bind to the same direct receptor. In addition, signaling by receptor heterodimers is superior to homodimers. We addressed the mechanism underlying these two features of signal tuning by using three ligands: EGF; transforming growth factor alpha (TGFalpha); and their chimera, denoted E4T, which act on cells singly expressing ErbB-1 as a weak, a strong, and a very strong agonist, respectively. Co-expression of ErbB-2, a developmentally important co-receptor whose expression is frequently elevated in human cancers, specifically potentiated EGF signaling to the level achieved by TGFalpha, an effect that was partially mimicked by ErbB-3. Analysis of the mechanism underlying this trans-potentiation implied that EGF-driven homodimers of ErbB-1 are destined for intracellular degradation, whereas the corresponding heterodimers with ErbB-2 or with ErbB-3, dissociate in the early endosome. As a consequence, in the presence of either co-receptor, ErbB-1 is recycled to the cell surface and its signaling is enhanced. This latter route is followed by TGFalpha-driven homodimers of ErbB-1, and also by E4T-bound receptors, whose signaling is further enhanced by repeated cycles of binding and dissociation from the receptors. We conclude that alternative endocytic routes of homo- and hetero-dimeric receptor complexes may contribute to tuning and diversification of signal transduction. In addition, the ability of ErbB-2 to shunt ligand-activated receptors to recycling may explain, in part, its oncogenic potential.

Insertion of Argos sequences into the B-loop of epidermal growth factor results in a low-affinity ligand with strong agonistic activity.

Recently, it has been shown that the activation of the Drosophila EGF receptor (DER) by its natural ligand Spitz is inhibited by Argos [Schweitzer, R., et al. (1995) Nature 376, 699-702]. Argos and Spitz both have an EGF-like domain which in the case of Argos differs from that of Spitz and other EGF receptor agonists in that it has an extended B-loop of 20 amino acids instead of 10 amino acids which in addition contains an unusual cluster of charged residues. To investigate whether B-loop sequences are an important determinant for receptor activation and play a causal role in the antagonistic activity of Argos, three human (h)EGF mutants were constructed in which amino acids derived from the Argos B-loop were introduced. In one mutant (E3A4E/B10), replacement of four amino acids in the B-loop of hEGF (123, E24, D27, and K28) by the corresponding Argos residues neither altered the binding affinity of the growth factor for the hEGF receptor nor did it change its ability to induce a mitogenic response. Insertion of 2 additional Argos residues (E3A4E/B12) or extension of the B-loop by 10 amino acids (E3A4E/B20) resulted, however, in a significant loss of binding affinity. In spite of this, both E3A4E/B12 and E3A4E/B20 appeared to be strong agonists for the hEGF receptor with similar dose-response curves for mitogenic activity and MAPK activation as wild-type hEGF. These data show that several nonconservative substitutions in the hEGF B-loop are tolerated without affecting receptor binding or activation. Furthermore, they show that receptor binding and receptor signaling efficiency can be uncoupled which is a prerequisite for the development of receptor antagonists.

The Fc receptor gamma-chain and the tyrosine kinase Syk are essential for activation of mouse platelets by collagen.

Activation of mouse platelets by collagen is associated with tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple proteins including the Fc receptor gamma-chain, the tyrosine kinase Syk and phospholipase Cgamma2, suggesting that collagen signals in a manner similar to that of immune receptors. This hypothesis has been tested using platelets from mice lacking the Fc receptor gamma-chain or Syk. Tyrosine phosphorylation of Syk and phospholipase Cgamma2 by collagen stimulation is absent in mice lacking the Fc receptor gamma-chain. Tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase Cgamma2 by collagen stimulation is also absent in mice platelets which lack Syk, although phosphorylation of the Fc receptor gamma-chain is maintained. In contrast, tyrosine phosphorylation of platelet proteins by the G protein-coupled receptor agonist thrombin is maintained in mouse platelets deficient in Fc receptor gamma-chain or Syk. The absence of Fc receptor gamma-chain or Syk is accompanied by a loss of secretion and aggregation responses in collagen- but not thrombin-stimulated platelets. These observations provide the first direct evidence of an essential role for the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) in signalling by a non-immune receptor stimulus.

Superagonistic behaviour of epidermal growth factor/transforming growth factor-alpha chimaeras: correlation with receptor routing after ligand-induced internalization.

Human epidermal growth factor (EGF) and human transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) are structurally related polypeptide growth factors that exert their mitogenic activity through interaction with a common cell-surface receptor, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The biological effect induced by these two ligands is quantitatively similar in most cases; in some test systems, however, TGF-alpha functions as a more potent form of EGF. In this study, we have compared EGF, TGF-alpha and ten previously described chimaeras of these two ligands in terms of their ability to generate a mitogenic response in cells carrying the human EGFR, and observed that three of the mutant growth factors (E3T, E4T and T3E4T) are mitogenic at concentrations 10-fold lower than that of either wild-type EGF or TGF-alpha. No difference in tyrosine kinase activity of the receptor towards an external substrate was observed after binding of the various mutants. It has been established before [Ebner and Derynck (1991) Cell Regulation 2, 599-612] that EGF and TGF-alpha differ in the processing of the receptor-ligand complex after internalization, as a result of their different pH sensitivities of receptor binding. Similar measurements on our chimaeric mutants revealed that the above superagonists show an enhanced pH dependence of binding in comparison with EGF. Furthermore, induction of receptor recycling by these superagonists is largely comparable with that induced by TGF-alpha. No superagonistic behaviour was observed on a cell-line containing an EGFR/erbB-2 chimaera which does not show ligand-induced internalization. These data show that EGF/TGFalpha chimaeras can be more active than the naturally occurring ligands, and that receptor recycling after ligand-induced internalization seems to be a prerequisite for this phenomenon.

FcR gamma-chain is essential for both surface expression and function of human Fc gamma RI (CD64) in vivo.

Most Ig receptors exist as hetero-oligomeric complexes with separate ligand binding (alpha) and signal transducing (beta, gamma, or zeta) subunits. For Fc gamma RIIIa and Fc epsilon RI, association with the FcR gamma-chain is essential for surface expression. However, the human high affinity IgG receptor, hFc gamma RI, was found to be surface-expressed by itself in transient transfection models. We have now analyzed the integrity of hFc gamma RI expression in more detail in stable transfectants. In vitro we noted that, in the absence of FcR gamma-chain, surface expression of hFc gamma RI rapidly declined to background levels, in both IIA1.6 B cells and NIH3T3 fibroblasts. The effect of FcR gamma-chain on hFc gamma RI surface expression in vivo was evaluated by using two newly generated transgenic mouse lines, selectively expressing hFc gamma RI on myeloid cells. These transgenic mice were crossed with FcR gamma-chain-deficient mice. Analysis of blood monocytes and peritoneal macrophages showed that surface expression of hFc gamma RI was reduced by approximately 80%. The remaining approximately 20% of receptors were still capable of binding IgG-opsonized RBC, suggesting FcR gamma-chain not to be critical for hFc gamma RI ligand-binding capacity. Importantly, however, hFc gamma RI signaling capacity was lost in FcR gamma-chain-deficient cells. No phagocytosis could be observed using either ligand sensitized (EA-IgG2a) or CD64-targeted erythrocytes (using a bispecific antibody) in both hFc gamma RI transgenic lines. This documents the FcR gamma-chain to be indispensable for both surface membrane expression and function of human Fc gamma RI in vivo.

Antigen targeting to myeloid-specific human Fc gamma RI/CD64 triggers enhanced antibody responses in transgenic mice.

Besides their phagocytic effector functions, myeloid cells have an essential role as accessory cells in the induction of optimal humoral immune responses by presenting captured antigens and activating lymphocytes. Antigen presentation by human monocytes was recently found to be enhanced in vitro through the high-affinity Fc receptor for IgG (Fc gamma RI; CD64), which is exclusively present on myeloid cells. To evaluate a comparable role of Fc gamma RI in antigen presentation in vivo, we generated human Fc gamma RI transgenic mice. Under control of its endogenous promoter, human Fc gamma RI was selectively expressed on murine myeloid cells at physiological expression levels. As in humans, expression was properly regulated by the cytokines IFN-gamma, G-CSF, IL-4, and IL-10, and was up-regulated during inflammation. The human receptor expressed by murine macrophages bound monomeric human IgG and mediated particle phagocytosis and IgG complex internalization. To evaluate whether specific targeting of antigens to Fc gamma RI can induce enhanced antibody responses, mice were immunized with an anti-human Fc gamma RI antibody containing antigenic determinants. Transgenic mice produced antigen-specific antibody responses with high IgG1 titers and substantial IgG2a and IgG2b responses. These data demonstrate that human Fc gamma RI on myeloid cells is highly active in mediating enhanced antigen presentation in vivo, and show that anti-Fc gamma RI mAbs are promising vaccine adjuvants.

A single amino acid exchange, Arg-45 to Ala, generates an epidermal growth factor (EGF) mutant with high affinity for the chicken EGF receptor.

The finding that human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) and human transforming growth factor (hTGF) alpha bind with similar affinity to the human EGF receptor but differ in their affinity for the chicken EGF receptor was used as a model system to study ligand-receptor interaction of EGF receptor agonists. We previously constructed domain-exchange mutants of hEGF and hTGF alpha and found that the region COOH-terminal of the sixth cysteine residue in hTGF alpha is important for high affinity binding to the chicken EGF receptor (Kramer, R. H., Lenferink, A. E. G., Lammerts van Bueren-Koornneef, I., van der Meer, A., van de Poll, M. L. M., and van Zoelen, E. J. J. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 8708-8711). To analyze this domain in more detail, we now constructed four additional chimeras in which either the region between the sixth cysteine residue and the highly conserved Leu-47 was exchanged or the region COOH-terminal of Leu-47. A mutant in which the latter region in hEGF was replaced by hTGF alpha (designated E6ET) showed intermediate binding affinity, whereas replacement of the former region in hEGF by hTGF alpha was sufficient to generate a mutant (designated E6TE) with a similar high affinity for the chicken EGF receptor as wild type hTGF alpha. Furthermore, a deletion mutant of hEGF lacking three COOH-terminal amino acids, EGF50, showed intermediate binding affinity for the chicken EGF receptor similar to E6ET, but upon additional deletions (EGF49 and EGF48), this initial gain in affinity was lost. A systematic analysis of the region between the sixth cysteine residue and Leu-47 showed that the low affinity of hEGF for the chicken EGF receptor is mainly due to the presence of Arg-45. Replacement of the positively charged Arg-45 by Ala, the corresponding amino acid in hTGF alpha, was sufficient to generate a mutant growth factor with high affinity for the chicken EGF receptor. This indicates that in hEGF Arg-45 may play an important role in receptor binding. A model is proposed in which positively charged amino acids close to or within the receptor recognition site of hEGF prohibit high affinity binding to the chicken EGF receptor due to electrostatic repulsion of positively charged amino acids in the putative ligand binding domain of the chicken EGF receptor.

Differential expression of a new dominant agouti allele (Aiapy) is correlated with methylation state and is influenced by parental lineage.

The agouti gene normally confers the wild-type coat color of mice. Dominant mutations at the agouti locus result in a pleiotropic syndrome that is characterized by excessive amounts of yellow pigment in the coat, obesity, a non-insulin-dependent diabetic-like condition, and the propensity to form a variety of tumors. Here, we describe a new dominant mutation at the agouti locus in which an intracisternal A-particle (IAP) has integrated in an antisense orientation immediately 5' of the first coding exon of the gene. This mutation, which we have named Aiapy, results in the ectopic expression of the agouti gene through the utilization of a cryptic promoter within the IAP 5' long terminal repeat (LTR). The coat color of Aiapy/-mice ranges from solid yellow to a pigment pattern that is similar to wild type (pseudoagouti), and the expressivity of this mutant phenotype varies with parental inheritance. Those offspring with a yellow coat ectopically express agouti mRNA at high levels and exhibit marked obesity, whereas pseudoagouti mice express agouti mRNA at a very low level and their weights do not differ from wild-type littermates. Data are presented to show that the differential expressivity of the Aiapy allele is correlated with the methylation status of the inserted IAP 5' LTR. These data further support the hypothesis that in dominant yellow mutations at the agouti locus, it is the ubiquitous expression of the wild-type agouti coding sequence that is responsible for the yellow coat color, obesity, diabetes, and tumorigenesis.

A molecular model for the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of the mouse lethal yellow (Ay) mutation.

Lethal yellow (Ay) is a mutation at the mouse agouti locus in chromosome 2 that causes a number of dominant pleiotropic effects, including a completely yellow coat color, obesity, an insulin-resistant type II diabetic condition, and an increased propensity to develop a variety of spontaneous and induced tumors. Additionally, homozygosity for Ay results in preimplantation lethality, which terminates development by the blastocyst stage. The Ay mutation is the result of a 170-kb deletion that removes all but the promoter and noncoding first exon of another gene called Raly, which lies in the same transcriptional orientation as agouti and maps 280 kb proximal to the 3' end of the agouti gene. We present a model for the structure of the Ay allele that can explain the dominant pleiotropic effects associated with this mutation, as well as the recessive lethality, which is unrelated to the agouti gene.

Response of peritoneal solid tumours after intraperitoneal chemohyperthermia treatment with cisplatin or carboplatin.

The combination of heat and chemotherapy was studied in an intraperitoneal tumour model. Rats bearing peritoneal CC531 tumours (2-6 mm) were treated i.p. with cDDP or CBDCA [maximal tolerated dose (MTD)] in combination with regional hyperthermia (41.5 degrees C, 1 h) of the peritoneal cavity. The addition of hyperthermia to the i.p. treatment led to a decrease in the MTD of cDDP by 33.3% at 41.5 degrees C. This was due to increased nephrotoxicity. The MTD of CBDCA did not change as a result of hyperthermia treatment. The chemo-hyperthermia treatment resulted in more cDDP or CBDCA DNA adducts in peritoneal tumours after the combined treatment than after chemotherapy alone. The increased tumour platinum concentrations, rising from 1.3 micrograms Pt g-1 tumour at 37 degrees C to 5.4 micrograms Pt g-1 tumour at 41.5 degrees C for cDDP and from 0.2 microgram Pt g-1 tumor to 0.7 microgram Pt g-1 tumour at 41.5 degrees C for CBDCA, contributed considerably to the enhanced numbers of cDDP or CBDCA DNA adducts. As a result of the latter, i.p. chemotherapy combined with regional hyperthermia led to an increase in tumour growth delay (TGD) after increasing the temperature to 41.5 degrees C for cDDP and CBDCA (by 40 days for cDDP, 22 days for CBDCA). These data were in agreement with the in vitro findings, i.e. that higher temperatures led to increased cytotoxicity.