Identification and characterization of a novel HIV-1 nucleotide-competing reverse transcriptase inhibitor series.

Several groups have recently reported on the identification of nucleotide-competing reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NcRTIs), a new class of RT inhibitors. NcRTIs reversibly inhibit binding of the incoming nucleotide to the RT active site but do not act as chain terminators, unlike the nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) class. We identified a novel benzo[4,5]furo[3,2,d]pyrimidin-2-one NcRTI chemical series. Structure-activity relationship evaluation of this series with both RT and viral replication assays led to the identification of compound A, a new NcRTI. Compound A inhibited HIV-1 RT in a primer extension assay (50% inhibitory concentration, 2.6 nM) but had no measurable activity against human DNA polymerase γ at 10 µM. It potently inhibited HIV-1 replication in vitro (50% effective concentration, 1.5 nM). The antiviral potency of compound A was unaffected by the presence of nonnucleotide RT inhibitor (NNRTI) mutations tested (L100I, K103N/Y181C, V106A, or Y188L). Notably, viruses encoding K65R were hypersusceptible to inhibition by compound A. Compound A also retained full activity against viruses encoding M184V. In vitro selection for resistant virus to compound A led to the selection of a single substitution within RT: W153L. A recombinant virus encoding the RT W153L was highly resistant to compound A (fold change, 160). W153 is a highly conserved residue in HIV RT and has not been previously associated with drug resistance. In summary, a novel NcRTI series with optimized antiviral activity, minimal cross-resistance to existing RT inhibitor classes, and a distinct resistance profile has been discovered. These results further establish NcRTIs as an emerging class of antiretroviral agents.

Crucial role of the residue R280 at the F'-G' loop of the human granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor alpha chain for ligand recognition.

The receptor for granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is composed of two chains, alpha and betac. Both chains belong to the superfamily of cytokine receptors characterized by a common structural feature, i.e., the presence of at least two fibronectin-like folds in the extracellular domain, which was first identified in the growth hormone receptor. The GM-CSF receptor (GMR)-alpha chain confers low affinity binding only (5-10 nM), whereas the other chain, betac, does not bind GM-CSF by itself but confers high affinity binding when associated with GMR-alpha (25-100 pM). The present study was designed to define the assembly of the GMR complex at the molecular level through site-directed mutagenesis guided by homology modeling with the growth hormone receptor complex. In our three-dimensional model, R280 of GMR-alpha, located in the F'-G' loop and close to the WSSWS motif, is in the vicinity of the ligand Asp112, suggesting the possibility of electrostatic interaction between these two residues. Through site directed mutagenesis, we provide several lines of evidence indicating the importance of electrostatic interaction in ligand-receptor recognition. First, mutagenesis of GMR-alphaR280 strikingly ablated ligand binding in the absence of beta common (betac); ligand binding was restored in the presence of betac with, nonetheless, a significant shift from high (26 pM) toward low affinity (from 2 to 13 nM). The rank order of the dissociation constant for the different GMR-alphaR280 mutations where Lys > Gln > Met > Asp, suggesting the importance of the charge at this position. Second, a mutant GM-CSF with charge reversal mutation at position Asp112 exhibited a 1,000-fold decrease in affinity in receptor binding, whereas charge ablation or conservative mutations were the least affected (10-20-fold). Third, removal of the charge at position R280 of GMR-alpha introduced a 10-fold decrease in the association rate constant and only a 2-fold change in the dissociation rate constant, suggesting that R280 is implicated in ligand recognition, possibly through interaction with Asp112 of GM-CSF. For all R280 mutants, the half-efficient concentrations of GM-CSF required for membrane (receptor binding) to nuclear events (c-fos promoter activation) and cell proliferation (thymidine incorporation) were in the same range, indicating that the threshold for biologic activity is governed mainly by the affinity of ligand-receptor interaction. Furthermore, mutation of other residues in the immediate vicinity of R280 was less drastic. Sequence alignment and modeling of interleukin (IL)-3R and IL-5R identified an arginine residue at the tip of a beta turn in a highly divergent context at the F'-G' loop, close to a conserved structural element, the WSXWS motif, suggesting the possibility of a ligand association mechanism similar to the one described herein for GMR.

Molecular heterogeneity of the vascular endothelium revealed by in vivo phage display.

Vascular beds are known to differ in structure and metabolic function, but less is known about their molecular diversity. We have studied organ-specific molecular differences of the endothelium in various tissues by using in vivo screening of peptide libraries expressed on the surface of a bacteriophage. We report here that targeting of a large number of tissues with this method yielded, in each case, phage that homed selectively to the targeted organ. Different peptide motifs were recovered from each of these tissues. The enrichment in homing to the target organs relative to an unselected phage was 3-35-fold. Peptide sequences that conferred selective phage homing to the vasculature of lung, skin, and pancreas were characterized in detail. Immunohistochemistry showed that the phage localized in the blood vessels of their target organ. When tested, the phage homing was blocked in the presence of the cognate peptide. By targeting several tissues and by showing that specific homing could be achieved in each case, we provide evidence that organ- and tissue-specific molecular heterogeneity of the vasculature is a general, perhaps even universal, phenomenon. Our results also show that these molecular differences can serve as molecular addresses.

Identification of receptor ligands with phage display peptide libraries.

With the development and maturation of the technology of displaying peptides on bacteriophage, it has become possible to isolate peptide ligands to various targets. In the phage display strategy, up to 10(9) peptides of different permutations are expressed on the surface of filamentous phage. Thus, peptides capable of binding target molecules in vitro and even target tissues in vivo can be identified. In recent years, a series of libraries that display degenerate peptides of different lengths have been constructed, and specific ligands to cell surface receptors, such as integrins, have been isolated. In the in vivo biopanning, peptides targeting distinct organs or tumors have been rescued after intravenous administration of phage libraries into mice. In one application, the isolated peptide ligands have been used to direct a cytotoxic drug to tumor vasculature in mice. Further applications in radioimaging and radiotherapy are being investigated.

Effect of exercise on the onset of puberty, gonadotropins, and ovarian inhibin.

Swimming 6 h/day from 11 days of age led to a significant delay of the onset of puberty of female rats compared with the sedentary group. Rats who were in contact with water but without the energy expenditure due to exercise (paddlers) had their vaginal opening in a middle point between control and exercising rats. Vaginal opening occurred at different ages but at a same body weight. Exercise and stress led to a marked decrease of the body weights between 19 and 40 days of age. Serum luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone were increased with the exercise program at 30 days of age, whereas no significant differences between groups in serum gonadotropins were observed at 50 days of age. Only the anterior pituitary luteinizing hormone content was increased by exercise in adult rats. Total ovarian proteins were significantly reduced by stress and to a greater degree by exercise. Ovarian inhibin activity is not modified by exercise at 30 days of age, whereas it increased significantly in the exercising group at 50 days of age and to a lesser degree in paddlers. It is therefore suggested that the onset of puberty in rats is dependent on a critical weight and that exercise and stress can delay the onset of puberty. This delay could be explained by a deficiency of hormonal maturational process while exercising until sexual maturity alters the inhibin activity, which suggests that inhibin could play a major role for the normal reproductive function and this could possibly explain the menstrual disturbances in the female athlete.

An address system in the vasculature of normal tissues and tumors.

The vasculature of individual tissues is highly specialized. The endothelium in lymphoid tissues expresses tissue-specific receptors for lymphocyte homing, and recent work utilizing phage homing has revealed an unprecedented degree of specialization in the vasculature of other normal tissues. In vivo screening of libraries of phage that displace random peptide sequences on their surfaces has yielded specific homing peptides for a large number of normal tissues. The tissue-specific endothelial molecules to which the phage peptides home may serve as receptors for metastasizing malignant cells. Probing of tumor vasculature has yielded peptides that home to endothelial receptors expressed selectively in angiogenic neovasculature. These receptors, and those specific for the vasculature of individual normal tissues, are likely to be useful in targeting therapies to specific sites.

Membrane dipeptidase is the receptor for a lung-targeting peptide identified by in vivo phage display.

In vivo phage display is a powerful method to study organ- and tissue-specific vascular addresses. Using this approach, peptides capable of tissue-specific homing can be identified by performing a selection for that trait in vivo. We recently showed that the CGFECVRQCPERC (termed GFE-1) peptide can selectively bind to mouse lung vasculature after an intravenous injection. Our aim in the present study was to identify the receptor for this lung-homing peptide. By using affinity chromatography, we isolated a 55-kDa lung cell-surface protein that selectively binds to the GFE-1 peptide. Protein sequencing established the identity of the receptor as membrane dipeptidase (MDP), a cell-surface zinc metalloprotease involved in the metabolism of glutathione, leukotriene D4, and certain beta-lactam antibiotics. Phage particles displaying the GFE-1 peptide selectively bind to COS-1 cells transfected with the murine MDP cDNA. Moreover, the synthetic GFE-1 peptide could inhibit MDP activity. By establishing MDP as the receptor for the GFE-1 peptide, our results suggest potential applications for both MDP and the GFE-1 peptide in delivery of compounds to the lungs. This work also demonstrates that cell-surface proteases can be involved in tissue-specific homing.

Use of brook char (Salvelinus fontinalis) physiological responses to stress as a teaching exercise.

Fish hematological changes during osmotic and cold stress are used to introduce the physiological reactions of the animal to an acute stress. Brook char (Salvelinus fontinalis) were subjected to 1 h of stress before being anesthetized and having blood taken from their caudal vein. Glucose, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and osmolarity were determined in the blood samples. Analyses showed that glucose concentration tends to increase and hematocrit tends to decrease in stressed fish. Changes in hemoglobin concentration occurred only in cold-stressed fish. A rise in blood glucose concentration is the result of cortisol secreted by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. The glucose produced is used as an osmolyte or energy source to resist or combat the stress. In stressed fish, changes in hematocrit could be the result of the osmoconcentration of the blood plasma, as shown by the increase in osmolarity for the same group. In cold-stressed fish, a decrease in hemoglobin concentration could be the result of hemodilution by body cell water.

A dominant negative granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor alpha chain reveals the multimeric structure of the receptor complex.

The receptor for the hemopoietic growth factor granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is composed of two chains, both of which belong to the superfamily of cytokine receptors. The alpha chain confers low affinity binding only, whereas the beta chain (betac) confers high affinity binding when associated with alpha. Ectopic expression of both chains of the receptor in murine NIH-3T3 fibroblasts results in signal transduction, mitogenesis, and morphologic transformation. The cytoplasmic domain of the GM-CSF receptor alpha subunit (GMR-alpha) comprises 54 amino acids that have been shown to be important for signal transduction through the beta chain. The present study was designed to address the possibility of receptor oligomerization and its functional implication. Cross-linking studies with 125I-GM-CSF on NIH-3T3 transfectants is consistent with the presence of alpha and betac dimers and of receptor oligomers. We have, therefore, generated an inert alpha chain through polymerase chain reaction-mediated truncation of 47 amino acids of the COOH-terminal domain of alpha (alphat), and coexpressed alphat, alpha, and betac in NIH-3T3. In cells in which alphat and alpha are present in stoichiometric proportion within the GM-CSF-binding complex, we provide evidence that alphat is dominant negative over wild type alpha on the basis of two different functional assays: cell proliferation and foci formation. Hence, our results suggest the requirement for at least two functional alpha chains for signal transduction. Together with the cross-linking studies, our data indicate that the functional GMR is an oligomer that contains at least two alpha chains.

Role of protein kinase C and the Na+/H+ antiporter in suppression of apoptosis by granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-3.

Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or interleukin-3 (IL-3) suppress apoptosis in hemopoietic cells, a process of active cell death characterized by the degradation of genomic DNA into oligonucleosomic fragments. The present study was therefore initiated with the view that the two growth factors may trigger the same early events in the cell, leading to suppression of apoptosis. We provide evidence here for a role of protein kinase C and of the Na+/H+ antiporter in the signal transduction pathways activated by binding of GM-CSF or IL-3 to their respective receptors, resulting in suppression of apoptosis in target cells. First, kinetic studies indicate that the process is irreversible after two hours of deprivation. The suppression of apoptosis by GM-CSF and IL-3 is dose-dependent, with half-efficient concentrations that are in the range of the dissociation constants of the high affinity GM-CSF or IL-3 receptor, respectively. Second, the use of three inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC), H7, staurosporine, and sphingosine, in concentrations that are below their toxicity limits, revert the suppression of apoptosis by IL-3 and GM-CSF. Conversely, the use of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a PKC activator, allows a bypass of receptor activation in suppression of apoptosis. Western blotting of cytosolic and membrane proteins indicate that exposure of the cells to GM-CSF, IL-3, or TPA results in translocation of PKC to the cell membrane. Our data, therefore, indicate that the activation of PKC is important in suppression of apoptosis by GM-CSF and IL-3. Third, the two amiloride derivatives 5-(N,N-hexamethylene) and 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl)amiloride that specifically block the function of the Na+/H+ antiport also revert the protective effect of GM-CSF, IL-3, and TPA on MO7-E cells. Further, exposure of the cells to GM-CSF, IL-3, or TPA results in sustained pHi alkalinizatio, which is abrogated when the cells are preincubated with 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl)amiloride, a specific inhibitor of the antiport. Preincubation of the cells with staurosporine, a PKC inhibitor, also significantly reduces the effect of GM-CSF or IL-3 on pHi. Taken together, our data indicate that a functional antiport is required in suppression of apoptosis by GM-CSF, IL-3, or TPA. Furthermore, our results are consistent with the view that GM-CSF or IL-3 receptor activation initiates the sequential activation of PKC and of the Na+/H+ antiporter, resulting in suppression of apoptosis in target cells.

Product of the steel locus suppresses apoptosis in hemopoietic cells. Comparison with pathways activated by granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor.

Steel factor (SF), also referred to as Kit ligand, stem cell factor, or mast cell growth factor, is essential for the development of hematopoietic stem cells in vivo. It is shown here that SF is mainly a survival factor for hemopoietic cells with little if any proliferative effect. In contrast, granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) acts both as a survival factor and as a potent growth factor. We have probed the pathways activated by SF and GM-CSF in suppression of active cell death (apoptosis) using two classes of inhibitors: Tyrphostins that are specific inhibitors of protein tyrosine kinase, and amiloride derivatives (5-(N,N-ethyl-n-isopropyl)amiloride and 5-(N,N-hexamethylene)amiloride) that have been designed as specific inhibitors of the Na+/H+ antiporter. Both SF-dependent and GM-CSF-dependent pathways are sensitive to inhibition by Tyrphostins with, nonetheless, a quantitative difference. All Tyrphostins tested are more potent inhibitors of c-Kit than of GM-CSF receptor triggered pathways, the most striking being Tyrphostin B42 that is 10 times more potent. In contrast to the discrepancy in Tyrphostin dose-response curves, titration curves for 5-(N-ethyl-n-isopropyl)amiloride and 5-(N,N-hexamethylene)amiloride are comparable in SF- or GM-CSF-stimulated cells. Furthermore, SF induces a rapid and sustained alkalinization of the intracellular pH, as assessed with the pH-sensitive probe 2',7'-bis(2-carboxyethyl)-5-carboxyfluorescein. Taken together, our data indicate that input from two distinct pathways with discrepancy in immediate early events, that of c-Kit and GM-CSF receptor, results in a common output, activation of the Na+/H+ antiporter and suppression of apoptosis by the two ligands.

Properties of poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase from rat pancreas and poly(ADP-ribosylation) of basic nuclear proteins.

The isolated nuclei of rat pancreas contain an enzyme system that will incorporate 3H-labeled NAD into an acid-insoluble product, which is shown to be poly(ADP-ribose). The enzyme has an optimum pH of 7.8 and the optimum temperature is between 20 and 30 degrees C. Optimum Mg2+ concentration is 8 mM and dithiothreitol also stimulates the enzyme at a concentration of 8 mM. Under standard conditions, the Km value for the reaction is 0.25 mM and an inhibition by the substrate is observed at high substrate concentrations. It has also been found that only one basic nuclear protein, that is, histone H1, is modified by the synthetase. An average chain length of 5.0 is found in the nuclei and of 4.5 on histone H1. Radioautographic studies show that poly(ADP-ribose) is closely associated with chromatin.

Interleukin-6 production by the blast cells of acute myeloblastic leukemia: regulation by endogenous interleukin-1 and biological implications.

Coordinate production of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or IL-6 by the blast cells of acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) and normal peripheral blood leukocytes have been previously reported (van der Shoot et al.: Blood 74:2081-2087, 1989; Bradbury et al.: Leukemia 4:44-47 1990a, British Journal of Haematology 16:(in press), 1990b; Rodriguez-Cimadevilla et al.: Blood 76:1481-1489, 1990; Schindler et al.: Blood 75:40-47, 1990). In the present study, we show that IL-6 production by AML blasts is up-regulated by endogenously produced IL-1 beta. Neutralization of the endogenous source of IL-1 results in a significant decrease in IL-6 production, as determined by ELISA. Conversely, exposure of AML blasts to IL-1 alpha results in a significant increase in IL-6 production in 10 of 16 patient samples. Antibodies against IL-1 alpha and -beta also cause a drastic decrease in IL-6 and GM-CSF gene expression by the cells, suggesting that cytokine gene expression in AML blasts is driven, at least in part, by endogenous IL-1. The biologic significance of IL-6 production in culture of AML blasts has been addressed using a neutralizing antibody against IL-6. Our data indicate that IL-6 is important for the survival of clonogenic blasts in culture. In contrast, the survival of the total population of blasts is IL-6-independent, as assessed by the integrity of cellular DNA, even in the presence of anti-IL-6. These observations are consistent with the view that AML blasts might be organized as a lineage, with comparable hierarchy as in normal hemopoiesis and, perhaps, increased heterogeneity despite a homogenous appearance (McCulloch and Till: Blood Cells 7:63-77, 1981; Buick and McCulloch: Control of Animal Cell Proliferation. Academic Press, New York, vol. 1, pp. 25-57, 1985). Buick and McCulloch have identified a subpopulation of AML clonogenic cells with stem-cell-like properties, and suggested that the majority of blasts may have undergone a determination-like step. Our data indicate a marked difference in IL-6 requirement for cell survival between precursors and the majority of blasts, suggesting that IL-6 responsiveness may decrease following a determination-like event, i.e., the reduction in proliferative capacity.

Contribution of both STAT and SRF/TCF to c-fos promoter activation by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a hematopoietic growth factor that has been shown to support call proliferation in murine fibroblasts engineered to stably express both chains of the human GM-CSF receptor (NIH-GMR). Because the proto-oncogene c-fos is believed to provide a link between short-term signals elicited at the membrane and long-term cellular response, we chose to study the mechanism of GM-CSF-dependent cell regulation using c-fos promoter activity as a molecular marker in both NIH-GMR transfectants and in the CD34+ cell line TF-1. The importance of c-fos and related AP-1 activity in GM-CSF signalling was suggested by a tight correlation between GM-CSF-dependent activation of the c-fos promoter and cell proliferation and by the inhibitory effect of a trans-dominant c-fos mutant on cell growth. To evaluate the contribution of the serum response factor (SRF) associated with the ternary complex factor (TCF) and of STAT proteins to c-fos promoter activation in response to GM-CSF, the SRF binding site (SRE) and/or the STAT binding site (SIE) were inactivated. In serum-free medium, both SRE and SIE are essential to c-fos promoter activation by GM-CSF in NIH-GMR transfectants and in TF-1 cells. No response to GM-CSF was observed when both sites were mutated. The nature of the STAT family member was further investigated by Wester blots and DNA retardation assays using an SIE probe. Our data indicate that GM-CSF induced DNA binding of both STAT1 and STAT3 in NIH-GMR and mainly of STAT3 in TF-1 cells. STAT5 tyrosine phosphorylation was also observed in TF-1 cells. Finally, expression of a dominant negative MAPK mutant, ERK192A, resulted in a decrease of both SRE- and SIE-dependent activation of c-fos promoter by GM-CSF, suggesting that STAT1/3 are regulated not only by tyrosine kinases, but also partially by MAPK.