Serum amyloid A induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and proliferation of fibroblast.

Serum amyloid A (SAA) levels are elevated highly in acute phase response and elevated slightly and persistently in chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes. Given that fibroblasts exert profound effects on progression of inflammatory chronic diseases, the aim of this study was to investigate the response of fibroblasts to SAA. A dose-dependent increase in O(2) (-) levels was observed by treatment of fibroblasts with SAA (r = 0·99 and P ≤ 0·001). In addition, the expression of p47-phox was up-regulated by SAA (P < 0·001) and diphenyliodonium (DPI), a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase inhibitor, reduced the release of O(2) (-) by 50%. Also, SAA raised fibroblast proliferation (P < 0·001) and this effect was completely abolished by the addition of anti-oxidants (P < 0·001). These findings support the notion that, in chronic inflammatory sites, SAA activated fibroblast proliferation and ROS production.

Glucocorticoid hormone modulation of both cell surface and cytoskeleton related to growth control of rat glioma cells.

We have shown that glucocorticoids reversibly change the growth control of rat C6 glioma cells from a transformed to a normal pattern. Here we report that the glucocorticoid hormone hydrocortisone (Hy) modulates structure and function of cell surface and cytoskeleton. The hormone is shown to cause: (a) increased flattening and adhesion to solid substrates and to fibrin layers, (b) inhibition of the cell shape change triggered by catecholamines and cAMP, (c) extensive fibronectin deposition on normally fibronectinless cells' surface, and (d) microtubule rearrangement. Comparison of Hy-hypersensitive and Hy-resistant variants showed that microtubule rearrangements correlate with the growth control change induced by Hy, whereas fibronectin deposition does not.

Control of rat C6 glioma cell proliferation: uncoupling of the inhibitory effects of hydrocortisone hormone in suspension and monolayer cultures.

We undertook a comparative study of the effects of the hormone hydrocortisone (Hy) on C6 glioma cells grown in monolayer and in suspension in cultures. We found Hy reversibly renders C6 cells anchorage- and serum-dependent for their growth. In monolayer cultures, Hy was found to inhibit cell cycle traversing exclusively at G1 phase. In agarose suspension, Hy was found to block colony development. Hy-resistant variants were selected and isolated in agarose suspension. Examination of these variants showed that cells selected for Hy-resistance in suspension can be Hy sensitive when anchored to a solid substrate. We conclude that resistance to Hy in suspension and resistance to it in monolayer culture are two independent phenotypes.

Where do we aspire to publish? A position paper on scientific communication in biochemistry and molecular biology.

The scientific publication landscape is changing quickly, with an enormous increase in options and models. Articles can be published in a complex variety of journals that differ in their presentation format (online-only or in-print), editorial organizations that maintain them (commercial and/or society-based), editorial handling (academic or professional editors), editorial board composition (academic or professional), payment options to cover editorial costs (open access or pay-to-read), indexation, visibility, branding, and other aspects. Additionally, online submissions of non-revised versions of manuscripts prior to seeking publication in a peer-reviewed journal (a practice known as pre-printing) are a growing trend in biological sciences. In this changing landscape, researchers in biochemistry and molecular biology must re-think their priorities in terms of scientific output dissemination. The evaluation processes and institutional funding for scientific publications should also be revised accordingly. This article presents the results of discussions within the Department of Biochemistry, University of São Paulo, on this subject.

Turnover, change of composition with rate of cell growth and effect of phenylxyloside on synthesis and structure of cell surface sulfated glycosaminoglycans of normal and transformed cells.

The synthesis of sulfated glycosaminoglycans was analysed in mouse fibroblasts during the transition from exponential growth to quiescent monolayers. 'Normal' Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts were compared with SV40 transformed 3T3, C6, ST1 and HeLa cells. p-Nitrophenyl-beta-D-xyloside, an artificial acceptor for glycosaminoglycans synthesis, was used as a probe. Exponentially growing 'normal' 3T3 cells synthesized both dermatan sulfate and chondroitin 4-sulfate, retaining the latter and releasing the former to the medium. Upon reaching quiescence these cells switched to retention of dermatan sulfate and release of chondroitin 4-sulfate. SV3T3 cells synthesized several fold less sulfated glycosaminoglycans than 'normal' 3T3. Even though SV3T3 cells are able to synthesize dermatan sulfate, they only retained chondroitin 4-sulfate, never switching to retention of dermatan sulfate. These results indicated that the transition from rapidly proliferating to resting G0 state in normal cells is accompanied by a switch from chondroitin-sulfate rich to dermatan-sulfate-rich cells. This switching was not observed with transformed cells, which are unable to enter the G0 state. Phenylxyloside caused a several fold increase in glycosaminoglycans released to the medium in both cell types, but it did not interfere with either growth rate or cell morphology. Particularly the phenylxyloside treatment led to an increase of more than 10-fold in production of dermatan and chondroitin sulfate by SV3T3, C6, ST1 and HeLa cells. This demonstrated that transformed cells have a high capacity for glycosaminoglycan synthesis. Analysis of enzymatic degradation products of glycosaminoglycans, synthesized in the presence of phenylxyloside, by normal and transformed cells, led to the finding of 4- and 6-sulfated iduronic and glucuronic acid-containing disaccharides. This result indicated that the xyloside causes the synthesis of a peculiar chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate, in both normal and transformed cells.

Induction of FOS and JUN proteins by adrenocorticotropin and phorbol ester but not by 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate derivatives.

We report the results of an extensive kinetic analysis of the effects of ACTH, cAMP derivatives (dibutyryl cAMP and 8-bromo-cAMP) and phorbol ester (phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate) on the expression of fos and jun gene family members at the mRNA (Northern hybridization) and protein levels (immunoprecipitation and indirect immunofluorescence) in the mouse Y-1 adrenocortical cell line. FOS and JUN proteins are induced by ACTH independently of cell cycle stage. c-Fos, fos-B, fra-1, fra-2, c-jun, and jun-B genes are induced by ACTH, the kinetic profiles for mRNAs and respective protein products being similar, except for a 1-h protein delay. Jun-D mRNA is an exception, being constitutively expressed. However, JUN D protein is induced by ACTH. phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate closely mimics these inductive effects of ACTH. On the other hand, cAMP derivatives are not effective in inducing the fos and jun genes, except for fra-2 mRNA, JUN D protein, and to some extent JUN B protein. Clearly, ACTH is endowed with the versatile capability of modulating fos and jun gene expression, suggesting that AP-1 transcription factors play a role in ACTH mechanisms of action. ACTH receptors are likely to activate signaling routes other than the classical cAMP/protein kinase A in order to induce FOS and JUN proteins.

Intratumoral heterogeneity of ADAM23 promotes tumor growth and metastasis through LGI4 and nitric oxide signals.

Intratumoral heterogeneity (ITH) represents an obstacle for cancer diagnosis and treatment, but little is known about its functional role in cancer progression. The A Desintegrin And Metalloproteinase 23 (ADAM23) gene is epigenetically silenced in different types of tumors, and silencing is often associated with advanced disease and metastasis. Here, we show that invasive breast tumors exhibit significant ADAM23-ITH and that this heterogeneity is critical for tumor growth and metastasis. We demonstrate that while loss of ADAM23 expression enhances invasion, it causes a severe proliferative deficiency and is not itself sufficient to trigger metastasis. Rather, we observed that, in ADAM23-heterotypic environments, ADAM23-negative cells promote tumor growth and metastasis by enhancing the proliferation and invasion of adjacent A23-positive cells through the production of LGI4 (Leucine-rich Glioma Inactivated 4) and nitric oxide (NO). Ablation of LGI4 and NO in A23-negative cells significantly attenuates A23-positive cell proliferation and invasion. Our work denotes a driving role of ADAM23-ITH during disease progression, shifting the malignant phenotype from the cellular to the tissue level. Our findings also provide insights for therapeutic intervention, enforcing the need to ascertain ITH to improve cancer diagnosis and therapy.

cfos and cjun antisense oligonucleotides block mitogenesis triggered by fibroblast growth factor-2 and ACTH in mouse Y1 adrenocortical cells.

In G(0)/G(1) cell cycle-arrested mouse Y1 adrenocortical cells, short pulses (30 min to 2 h) of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) (5 pM to 1 nM) caused induction of cFos protein by 2 h and onset of DNA synthesis stimulation by 8-9 h. FGF2 dose-response curves for cFos induction (percent labeled nuclei with a specific anti-cFos antibody) and DNA synthesis stimulation (bromodeoxyuridine labeling index) were linearly correlated with a correlation coefficient of 0.969. Inhibition of cFos and cJun protein induction with antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) to cfos and cjun mRNAs blocked DNA synthesis stimulation by FGF2. Pulses (up to 2 h) of synthetic ACTH(39) (1 pM to 1 nM) and natural porcine corticotropin A (10 pg/ml to 1 microg/ml) also induced cFos protein and DNA synthesis in G(0)/G(1)-arrested Y1 adrenal cells. ACTH dose-response curves for cFos induction and DNA synthesis stimulation were not correlated. But cfos and/or cjun antisense ODNs blocked DNA synthesis stimulation by ACTH. Thus, signals initiated in FGF2 and ACTH receptors appear to converge to the induction of cfos and cjun genes to trigger DNA synthesis stimulation.

Peptide growth factors and cell cycle control.

Research on mammalian cell cycle control focuses on the points discussed below. Peptide growth factors are multifunctional regulators of growth and differentiation that act by autocrine and paracrine mechanisms. Gene transcription changes are key steps in the control of the G0 in equilibrium with G1----S transition of the cell cycle. Both peptide growth factors and classical tropic hormones, are capable of rapidly modulating transcription through the induction of genes (fos/jun) that encode nuclear transregulator proteins.

Role of proto-oncogene c-Ki-ras amplification and overexpression in the malignancy of Y-1 adrenocortical tumor cells.

1. The proto-oncogene c-Ki-ras has been reported by others to be amplified and overexpressed in malignant Y-1 mouse adrenal cells. However, the role of this amplification in the origin and/or maintenance of malignancy in these cells has not been established. This question is addressed here by comparing the Y-1 cell line with its normal revertants. 2. In Y-1 cells, amplified c-Ki-ras is found in either double minute (DM) or in homogeneously stained region (HSR) chromosomes. Elimination of HSR containing Y-1 marker chromosomes m1 and m2 was demonstrated in the normal revertants by cytogenetic analysis and in situ hybridization. Southern and Northern hybridization did not reveal amplification or expression of c-Ki-ras in the normal revertants. 3. In contrast with c-Ki-ras, the proto-oncogene c-fos was not amplified in either malignant or normal revertant adrenal cells. Only a 5.4 Kbp Eco R1 restriction fragment typical of the normal mouse genome was found. 4. Highly abundant poly A+ RNA homologous to viral sequences was detected in both Y-1 cells and the normal revertants using probes derived from the pFBJ-2 provirus. 5. Spontaneous retransformation of Y-1 normal revertants yielded anchorage-independent non-tumorigenic cells in which c-Ki-ras is neither amplified nor overexpressed. 6. We propose that c-Ki-ras overexpression by way of amplification is necessary for the malignancy displayed by the Y-1 cell line.

Pituitary fibroblast growth factors: partial purification and characterization.

1. Isoelectric focusing of fractions derived from pH 7.0 extracts of bovine pituitary glands has been used to separate acidic and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGD) activity. FGF activity was assayed by measuring the initiation of DNA synthesis in Swiss mouse 3T3 fibroblasts. 2. Acidic and basic FGF activity present in crude extracts were not separated by chromatography on CM-Sephadex presumably because of association between acidic FGF and basic proteins. 3. Isoelectric focusing was used to separate acidic (pl 4-5) and basic (pI 8-9)FGF. The activity of acidic FGF was stable in urea and beta-mercaptoethanol, whereas basic FGF was inactivated. The activity of acidic FGF precipitated at pH 4.5 and was recovered when the precipitate was solubilized at pH 8, whereas basic FGF was soluble and stable at pH 4.5. 4. Acidic FGF at 10 ng/ml was as active as 1% fetal calf serum for the initiation of DNA synthesis. This potency is comparable with homogeneous preparations of basic FGF described in the literature.

Patterns of long-term steroidogenesis stimulation by ACTH and phorbol ester.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) triggers well-defined responses in Y-1 cells. Among them is steroidogenesis stimulation. We have previously shown that phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), an activator of the calcium- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (PKC) is able to mimic all the responses triggered by ACTH in these cells, including steroidogenesis stimulation. Short (2 h) treatment with PMA leads to only 20-30% of the maximal steroidogenesis stimulation obtained with ACTH. However, the steroid secretion in the 2 h that follows the short-term (2 h) PMA treatment reaches the same levels as observed with ACTH, i.e., a 12- to 15-fold increase. We also show that this effect is restricted to cells treated with PMA for up to 4 h, while treatment for longer periods of time causes a reduction of the steroid biosynthesis rate, an effect that is not observed in cells treated with ACTH or N6,2'-0-dibutyryladenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (dcAMP). These results suggest that activation of PKC can elicit the first phase of ACTH steroidogenesis stimulation, but not the second one, which strictly depends on activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

Glucocorticoid hormone renders a rat glioma cell line sensitive to a G1 phase block by microtubule disrupting agents.

1. Hydrocortisone, a glucocorticoid hormone, renders C6 rat glioma cells (clone ST1) sensitive to a block by colchicine or nocodazole (microtubule disrupters) at the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Restimulation of DNA synthesis in hydrocortisone-treated glioma cells arrested at G0/G1 phase by serum step-down is inhibited (85%) by colchicine (0.4 microgram/ml) added during the first 6 h of restimulation by serum step-up. 2. Exponentially growing, hydrocortisone-treated glioma cell cultures when subjected to colchicine treatment accumulated mitoses for 16.5 h, resulting in two types of cell cycle blocked cells: mitotic (round, detached or poorly attached) and G1 phase cells (flat and well attached to the solid substrate). The latter reinitiated DNA synthesis 15 h after colchicine withdrawal. Plating efficiency assays showed that while the colchicine block was highly toxic for mitotic cells, the survival of G1 phase arrested cells was not affected. In conclusion, in these rat glioma cells, hydrocortisone reversibly makes G1 phase progress dependent on microtubule integrity. 3. Restimulation of DNA synthesis in "normal" 3T3 fibroblasts arrested at the G0/G1 phase by serum deprivation was not inhibited by colchicine when the drug was added at the time of serum step-up. However, 70% inhibition occurred when colchicine was added at 10 h of serum stimulation.

Control of the adrenocortical cell cycle: interaction between FGF2 and ACTH.

FGF2 elicits a strong mitogenic response in the mouse Y-1 adrenocortical tumor cell line, that includes a rapid and transient activation of the ERK-MAPK cascade and induction of the c-Fos protein. ACTH, itself a very weak mitogen, blocks the mitogenic response effect of FGF2 in the early and middle G1 phase, keeping both ERK-MAPK activation and c-Fos induction at maximal levels. Probing the mitogenic response of Y-1 cells to FGF2 with ACTH is likely to uncover reactions underlying the effects of this hormone on adrenocortical cell growth.

Neoplastic transformation of 3T3 mouse embryo cells with c-myc- and c-Ha-ras-1 oncogenes.

1. Peptide growth factors and products of some oncogenes are likely to be active in common regulatory pathways that control the cell cycle. 2. Cell transformation by DNA-mediated transfections with cloned oncogenes is an approach that can provide insight into the mechanisms of both growth factor action and cell cycle regulation. 3. This paper deals with this approach, summarizing and discussing transfection experiments of mouse c-myc and human c-Ha-ras-1 cloned oncogenes into mouse embryo Balb-3T3 cells.

Bovine pituitary heparin-binding fibroblast growth factors: acidic and basic forms.

1. Bovine pituitaries contain both acidic and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF). Both forms can be prepared by heparin-affinity chromatography. The complete separation of acidic FGF from basic contaminants requires an additional isoelectric focusing step. In contrast, heparin-affinity chromatography provides basic FGF free of acidic FGF. 2. Acidic FGF was characterized by its isoelectric point (4.5-6.4) molecular weight (15-18 kDa), chromatographic behavior and reaction with antisera specific for brain acidic FGF. The results suggest that there is a close relationship between pituitary and brain acidic FGF. They also confirm our previous results obtained by preparing acidic FGF through several isoelectric focusing steps and establish that bovine pituitary indeed contains acidic FGF. 3. Basic FGF was characterized by its molecular weight (15-17 kDa), pI (9.0-10), chromatographic behavior, electrophoretic mobility and reaction with specific antiserum. It seems to be similar to the material already described by other groups.

Proliferative signaling initiated in ACTH receptors.

This article reviews recent results of studies aiming to elucidate modes of integrating signals initiated in ACTH receptors and FGF2 receptors, within the network system of signal transduction found in Y1 adrenocortical cells. These modes of signal integration should be central to the mechanisms underlying the regulation of the G0-->G1-->S transition in the adrenal cell cycle. FGF2 elicits a strong mitogenic response in G0/G1-arrested Y1 adrenocortical cells, that includes a) rapid and transient activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases-mitogen-activated protein kinases (ERK-MAPK) (2 to 10 min), b) transcription activation of c-fos, c-jun and c-myc genes (10 to 30 min), c) induction of c-Fos and c-Myc proteins by 1 h and cyclin D1 protein by 5 h, and d) onset of DNA synthesis stimulation within 8 h. ACTH, itself a weak mitogen, interacts with FGF2 in a complex manner, blocking the FGF2 mitogenic response during the early and middle G1 phase, keeping ERK-MAPK activation and c-Fos and cyclin D1 induction at maximal levels, but post-transcriptionally inhibiting c-Myc expression. c-Fos and c-Jun proteins are mediators in both the strong and the weak mitogenic responses respectively triggered by FGF2 and ACTH. Induction of c-Fos and stimulation of DNA synthesis by ACTH are independent of PKA and are inhibited by the PKC inhibitor GF109203X. In addition, ACTH is a poor activator of ERK-MAPK, but c-Fos induction and DNA synthesis stimulation by ACTH are strongly inhibited by the inhibitor of MEK1 PD98059.

Where do we aspire to publish? A position paper on scientific communication in biochemistry and molecular biology

The scientific publication landscape is changing quickly, with an enormous increase in options and models. Articles can be published in a complex variety of journals that differ in their presentation format (online-only or in-print), editorial organizations that maintain them (commercial and/or society-based), editorial handling (academic or professional editors), editorial board composition (academic or professional), payment options to cover editorial costs (open access or pay-to-read), indexation, visibility, branding, and other aspects. Additionally, online submissions of non-revised versions of manuscripts prior to seeking publication in a peer-reviewed journal (a practice known as pre-printing) are a growing trend in biological sciences. In this changing landscape, researchers in biochemistry and molecular biology must re-think their priorities in terms of scientific output dissemination. The evaluation processes and institutional funding for scientific publications should also be revised accordingly. This article presents the results of discussions within the Department of Biochemistry, University of São Paulo, on this subject.