Evidence for different mechanisms of growth inhibition of T-cell lymphoma by phorbol esters and concanavalin A.

Stimuli that are mitogenic for mature T-cells induce cell cycle arrest in some T-cell tumors and T-cell hybridomas. The molecular mechanism of this growth inhibition is poorly understood. In this report, we show that in EL4, a murine T-lymphoma cell line, stimulation with concanavalin A or treatment with phorbol 13-myristate 12-acetate (PMA) inhibit growth, due to cell cycle arrest at both the G1 and the G2/M phases. The block at the G1 phase is accompanied by the appearance of a hypophosphorylated form of the retinoblastoma protein (pRb), due to the inhibition of G1 cyclin-Cdk complexes. However, the molecular mechanisms leading to this G1 cell cycle arrest differ between concanavalin A and PMA: concanavalin A inhibits both cyclin E-Cdk2 and cyclin D-Cdk4 complexes, while PMA inhibits only cyclin E-Cdk2. We demonstrate that concanavalin A inhibits cyclin D-Cdk4 activity by decreasing the amount of cyclin D. The inhibition of cyclin E-Cdk2 by both concanavalin A and PMA is due to increased binding of the Cdk inhibitor p21 to this complex. However, while stimulation of the cells with concanavalin A did not result in an evident increase of the total level of p21, treatment of the cells with PMA increased p21 levels significantly. Our results indicate, furthermore, that the G2/M block results from the inhibition of cyclin A- and cyclin B1-associated kinase activities. As for cyclin E-Cdk2, the inhibition of the cyclin A-Cdk2 complex is due to increased binding of the p21 inhibitor.

The phosphodiesterase inhibitor SQ 20006 selectively blocks mitogen activation of p70S6k and transition to S phase of the cell division cycle without affecting the steady state phosphorylation of eIF-4E.

In quiescent cells high levels of protein synthesis are required in order to re-enter the cell cycle upon stimulation. Initiation of polypeptide synthesis is the step most often subject to regulation, controlled in part by phosphorylation of 40 S ribosomal protein S6 and a number of initiation factors. The kinase responsible for S6 phosphorylation is p70S6k. We now show that the p70S6k pathway can be selectively blocked by the aminopurine analogue, SQ 20006. This agent is known to raise cAMP levels, resulting in activation of protein kinase A. We present evidence that the increase in cAMP is not responsible for the inhibitory effect observed. We also show that SQ 20006 can prevent the activation of p70S6k in a rapid and reversible manner. The compound does not exert its inhibitory activity on p70S6k but can inhibit in vitro two protein kinase C isozymes (alpha and gamma). In a B lymphoblastoid cell line, treatment with SQ 20006 results in inhibition of protein synthesis at the initiation stage. In contrast, when tested directly upon the translational machinery in the reticulocyte lysate, inhibition is manifest at both the level of initiation and elongation. The role of protein kinase A in the modulation of p70S6k and the rate of translation is discussed.

Rapamycin inhibition of the G1 to S transition is mediated by effects on cyclin D1 mRNA and protein stability.

The immunosuppressant rapamycin has been shown previously to inhibit the G1/S transition in several cell types by prolonging the G1 phase of the cell cycle. This process appears to be controlled, in part, by the rapamycin-sensitive FK506-binding protein-rapamycin-associated protein-p70 S6 kinase (p70(S6k)) pathway and the cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdk). We now show that in serum-stimulated NIH 3T3 cells, rapamycin treatment delays the accumulation of cyclin D1 mRNA during progression through G1. Rapamycin also appears to affect stability of the transcript. The combined transcriptional and post-transcriptional effects of the drug ultimately result in decreased levels of cyclin D1 protein. Moreover, degradation of newly synthesized cyclin D1 protein is accelerated by rapamycin, a process prevented by inclusion of the proteasome inhibitor, N-acetyl-Leu-Leu-norleucinal. The overall effect of rapamycin on cyclin D1 leads, in turn, to impaired formation of active complexes with Cdk4, a process which triggers retargeting of the p27(Kip1) inhibitor to cyclin E/Cdk2. In view of this novel experimental evidence, we discuss a possible mechanism for the rapamycin-induced cell cycle arrest at the G1/S transition.