Antitumor effect of a new multienzyme inhibitor of polyamine synthetic pathway, methylglyoxal-bis(cyclopentylamidinohydrazone), against human and mouse leukemia cells.

Methylglyoxal-bis(cyclopentylamidinohydrazone) (MGBCP) has been synthesized as a multienzyme inhibitor for the polyamine-synthesizing pathway. This drug inhibited S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50), spermine synthase and spermidine synthase activities, competitively with S-adenosylmethionine, spermidine, and putrescine, respectively. MGBCP inhibited the growth of human leukemia Molt 4B and K 562 cells at 10 to 100 microM concentrations. Spermidine and spermine levels were markedly depressed in these MGBCP-treated leukemic cells, and the synthesis of protein, but not of DNA or RNA, was significantly diminished. In in vivo experiments, MGBCP depleted spermidine and spermine in the P388 leukemic ascites cells, and prolonged the survival time of mice bearing P388 leukemia. The S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase-stabilizing effect of MGBCP in mouse liver, Molt 4B and K 562 cells was much less than that of the parent inhibitor methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone). Induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity by MGBCP in the cultured leukemic cells was also much less than that by methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone).

Active transport and metabolic characteristics of polyamines in the rat lens.

Putrescine, spermidine and spermine were transported into the rat lens against a concentration gradient. This process appeared to be energy-dependent and involved a carrier system different from those for amino acids. Competition experiments suggested that the three polyamines were transported by the same system or very similar systems. Incorporated spermine was converted to spermidine and putrescine, and spermidine was converted to putrescine. In contrast, the conversion of putrescine to spermidine and spermine, or the conversion of spermidine to spermine was not observed. Furthermore, ornithine was not utilized for the synthesis of putrescine. These metabolic characteristics of the polyamines in the rat lens were correlated with the extremely low activities of ornithine decarboxylase and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase. Other enzymes of polyamine metabolisms, however, were relatively active. In conclusion, the lens has a very low ability for the de novo synthesis of polyamines. The polyamines in the lens are considered to be supplied form the surrounding intraocular fluid by an active transport system specific for polyamines.

Expression of high activity of ornithine decarboxylase and occurrence of unusual chromophobic cells in anterior pituitary gland of a novel growth-retarded strain of mice, grm/grm.

Extremely high activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) was detected in the pituitary gland of growth-retarded mice, grm/grm at 2 months after birth. The elevated enzyme activity gradually decreased to the control level in 14 months after birth. In the pituitary gland of the growth-retarded mice, unusual chromophobic cells were also present from the early stages after birth. The chromophobic cells showed conspicuous proliferations and resulted in a distinct hyperplasia of the tissue after 4 months after birth. These findings suggest that ODC is correlated to the progressive transformation of pituitary cells into the chromophobic cells.

Induction of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase in needle-punctured rat lens as a model of traumatic cataract.

Isolated rat lens was punctured with a needle at a single point in the equatorial region and was incubated at 37 degrees C. Spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase activity was increased about 5-fold at 8 h after the puncture. Concomitantly, putrescine content in the lens increased markedly at 8-16 h after the puncture, while spermidine levels were slightly depressed. Pretreatment of the lens with actinomycin D or cycloheximide blocked the increases of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase activity and putrescine content. Ornithine decarboxylase, on the other hand, was not induced to a detectable degree by this stimulus and 5 mM difluoromethylornithine could not block the increase of putrescine content. Polyamine oxidase showed a relatively constant activity that was sufficient for the metabolism of newly formed N1-acetylspermidine. These results suggested that, in the punctured lens, the polyamine levels were regulated predominantly by the activity of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase, but not by the induction of ornithine decarboxylase.

2-Mercaptoethylamine, a competitive inhibitor of spermidine synthase in mammalian cells.

Spermidine synthase from rat ventral prostate was inhibited by 2-mercaptoethylamine (MEA). Inhibition of spermidine synthase by MEA was competitive with respect to one of the substrates putrescine, but not competitive with respect to the other substrate decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine. MEA markedly depressed spermidine and spermine contents in human erythroid leukemia K562 cells, suggesting that these changes resulted from the inhibitory effect of MEA on spermidine synthase in situ.

Antitumor effect of methylglyoxal bis(butylamidinohydrazone), a new inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, against human erythroid leukemia K 562 cells.

Methylglyoxal bis(butylamidinohydrazone) (MGBB) inhibited S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC) activity competitively with S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) showing the Ki value of 1.8 X 10(-5) M. MGBB showed less SAMDC-stabilizing effect in rat liver in vivo than did methylglyoxal bis-(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG). MGBB inhibited the growth of human erythroid leukemia K 562 cells. Putrescine, spermidine and spermine concentrations in MGBB-treated cells were depressed to 56%, 58% and 88% of the values of control cells, respectively. [35S]Methionine incorporation into trichloroacetic acid-insoluble fraction was decreased in the inhibitor-treated cells.

Difluoro-phenyl-ethyl(4-aminopropylamidinohydrazone): an irreversible inhibitor for both ornithine and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylases and its effect on human lymphoid leukemia Molt 4B cells.

Difluoro-phenyl-ethyl(4-aminopropylamidinohydrazone) (DFPA) was synthesized as an irreversible inhibitor of ornithine and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylases and analyzed for antiproliferative effects on leukemia cells. The compound irreversibly inhibited ornithine and S-adenosylmethione decarboxylases. This inhibition could not be reversed by dialysis or chromatography on Sephadex G-50. When human lymphoid leukemia Molt 4B cells were cultured in the presence of the inhibitor, the intracellular levels of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) and the rate of cell proliferation were markedly depressed. In these polyamine-depleted and growth-retarded cells, the synthesis of protein, but not of DNA or RNA, was observed to be significantly inhibited.

Inhibitory effects of novel festuclavine derivatives on nucleoside uptake and incorporation into DNA and RNA in human lymphoid leukemia Molt 4B cells.

Effects of festuclavine derivatives on nucleoside uptake by human lymphoid leukemia Molt 4B cells and on incorporation into TCA-insoluble materials in the cells were examined. The uptake and incorporation of uridine or thymidine were suppressed by festuclavine (EN01), 13-bromo-1-cyclopropylmethyl-festuclavine (EN02), 1-(4-chloro-benzenesulfonyl)festuclavine (EN03) and 1-cyclopentyl festuclavine (EN04) at 10-50 microM. Among these compounds, EN02 was most effective and at 50 microM it completely suppressed cellular uptake of the nucleosides and their incorporation into TCA-insoluble materials inhibiting the cellular proliferation. EN03 and EN04 moderately inhibited the transport and incorporation of the nucleosides in dose-dependent manners, while the mother compound EN01 had the least inhibitory effect. These findings indicated that alkylation at the indole nitrogen in combination with bromination at C-13 of the festuclavine molecule strengthened its inhibitory action on nucleoside uptake to a remarkable extent. The inhibition curves of nucleoside incorporation into TCA-insoluble materials showed quite similar dose-dependence to those of the inhibition curves for cellular nucleoside transport. These results suggest that the inhibitions of DNA and RNA syntheses by the festuclavine derivatives are due to the depressed transport of nucleosides into the leukemia cells.

Antitumor effect of dicyclohexylammonium sulfate, a potent inhibitor of spermidine synthase against P388 leukemia.

The antitumor effect of dicyclohexylammonium sulfate (DCHA), a potent inhibitor of spermidine synthase, was tested on BDF1 mice inoculated i.p. with P388 leukemia (1 X 10(6) cells/mouse). DCHA prolonged the survival time of mice bearing P388 leukemia at the doses of 10-100 mg/kg administered daily for 6 days. The spleen weight increased by 30% at 7 days after tumor inoculation. DCHA treatment had no effect on the tumor-induced increase in splenic weight. The spermidine concentration of the ascites tumor cells and spleens of mice bearing the tumor was lowered by the treatment, while spermine concentration hardly changed. The depletion of spermidine in the ascites tumor cells and spleens might be a cause of the suppression of tumor growth.

Induction and involvement of endogenous IGF-I in pancreas regeneration after partial pancreatectomy in the dog.

To elucidate whether and how IGF-I is involved in the regeneration of the pancreas after partial pancreatectomy, IGF-I mRNA expression, IGF-I protein synthesis, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and DNA replication in the remnant pancreas were determined in the dog. After pancreatectomy, IGF-I mRNA expression was remarkably enhanced in the remnant pancreas, showing the maximal value at post-operative day (POD) 1. Subsequently, IGF-I synthesis in the tissue was significantly stimulated at POD 2, and its maximal concentration was observed at POD 3. Following IGF-I synthesis, ODC activity was induced and its maximal activity was also obtained at POD 3. Finally, DNA replication was induced in the remnant pancreas, and its maximal level was observed at POD 5. These responses in the remnant pancreatic tissue to partial pancreatectomy were greatly enhanced as the resection rate was increased up to 95%. Positive correlations were observed between IGF-I concentrations in the remnant pancreas and the activities of ODC and DNA synthesis in the tissue after 95% pancreatectomy. These results suggest that the gene expression of IGF-I is rapidly induced in the remnant pancreas after partial pancreatectomy, and subsequently synthesized endogenous IGF-I peptides may stimulate ODC and other cell growth-related activities in the tissue in paracrine and/or autocrine manners eventually to induce DNA replication and tissue regeneration.

Stabilization of ornithine decarboxylase in mouse liver and lung by methylglyoxal bis(cyclohexylamidinohydrazone).

The intraperitoneal injection of methylglyoxal bis(cyclohexylamidinohydrazone) (MGBC), an inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and spermidine synthase, markedly increased (7-fold of the basal level at 4 hr) ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity in normal mouse liver. ODC activity was also increased 2.5-fold over the basal level in mouse lung at 6 hr after the injection. The effect of MGBC on ODC activity occurred in a dose-dependent manner. Measurement of the apparent half-life of ODC induced in the liver and lung by MGBC treatment revealed a clear decrease in the decay rate of the enzyme in both the tissues. Activities of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) and spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SAT) were not increased by the intraperitoneal injection of MGBC. There was a large rise in putrescine and a fall in spermidine and spermine in the liver and lung except for brain within an 8 hr period in response to MGBC, suggesting that these changes resulted from the stabilization of ODC and inhibitions of AdoMetDC and spermidine synthase.

Ornithine decarboxylase and spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase are induced in K562 cells by S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase inhibitor methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) but not by analogous methylglyoxal bis(butylamidinohydrazone).

The activities of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SAT) were increased by the addition of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) inhibitor methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) in cultured human erythroid leukemia K 562 cells. ODC activity began to increase 4 hr after the addition of the drug and attained a maximum at 12 hr. The increase of SAT activity lagged behind that of ODC activity. The increases of both ODC and SAT activities produced by MGBG were blocked by treatment with cycloheximide, suggesting that the increase of enzyme activity resulted from the synthesis of new enzyme proteins. The putrescine content in cells treated with MGBG increased markedly, whereas the levels of spermidine and spermine were depressed lower. On the other hand, methylglyoxal bis(butylamidinohydrazone) (MGBB), a derivative of MGBG inhibiting AdoMetDC effectively, did not induce ODC or SAT activities.

Inhibition by polyamines of methylthiopropylamine-induced ornithine decarboxylase in human lymphoid leukemia Molt 4B cells.

Methylthiopropylamine (MTPA), an inhibitor of spermidine synthase, markedly induced ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity (about 30-fold of the basal level) in human lymphoid leukemia Molt 4B cells. This induction was blocked by the addition of spermidine, spermine or putrescine simultaneously with MTPA. Inhibition by spermidine or spermine of the MTPA-induced ODC activity was larger than that by putrescine. The increase of ODC activity by MTPA led to the large increase of cellular putrescine content. This increase of putrescine content was abolished drastically by the simultaneous addition of spermidine or spermine. The increase of ODC activity was almost completely blocked by the addition of cycloheximide or actinomycin D. This finding suggested that the increase of ODC activity was not due to activation of ODC preformed in Molt 4B cells. The ODC induction by MTPA was dose-dependently blocked by adding the calcium channel blockers (verapamil and nifedipine) or protein kinase C inhibitors (1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine and palmitoyl carnithine). These results suggested that calcium and protein kinase C (PKC) were involved in MTPA-associated induction of ODC.

Remarkable activation of polyamine biosynthesis in hematopoiesis and hyperplasia of spleen in mice with hemolytic anemia caused by infection with Plasmodium berghei.

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity was markedly induced in the spleen of mice infected with Plasmodium berghei, showing maximal activity at 8 days after the infection. The increase of spleen weight, on the other hand, reached its peak after 14 days of infection. In the blood of P. berghei-infected mice, no increase of ODC activity was observed. This indicated that ODC was induced in the spleen cells, but not in the parasites themselves which existed in the blood. Polyamines (putrescine, spermadine and spermine) were also elevated in the spleen following induction of the ODC activity. On the other hand, increases of ODC activity and spleen weight were observed in the spleen of mice with hemolytic anemia induced by acetylphenylhydrazine, but the extent of these increases were smaller than those in the spleen of mice infected with P. berghei. The present results suggest that increases in ODC activity and polyamine levels in the spleen of P. berghei-infected mice are related to hyperplasia of the spleen (splenomegaly) where the formation of leukocytes and erythrocytes (hematopoiesis) was dramatically stimulated by the infection.

Human promyelocytic cell line HL60 has the specific binding sites for prolactin and its ornithine decarboxylase, DNA synthesis and cellular proliferation are induced by prolactin.

Human prolactin (hPRL) induced ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity, subsequently DNA synthesis and cellular proliferation on human promyelocytic cells, HL60, cultured in a serum-free medium. HL60 cells had 2100 specific binding sites for hPRL per cell, showing a dissociation constant of 1.1 x 10(-10) M. Binding of 125I-PRL to the cells was not blocked by simultaneous addition of human growth hormone. ODC activity and DNA synthesis were activated maximally at 5 and 20 h, respectively, after the addition of 0.05 nM hPRL. These effects of PRL on cellular proliferation, ODC activity and DNA synthesis were abolished by the simultaneous addition of anti-hPRL antibody. Simultaneous addition of an irreversible inhibitor of ODC, difluoromethyl ornithine (DFMO), also abolished the inductions of ODC and DNA synthesis by hPRL. The inhibitory effect of DFMO on hPRL-induced DNA synthesis was reversed by the addition of putrescine to the culture medium. These results suggest that hPRL binds to the prolactin receptor on HL60 cells and induces ODC activity to increase cellular polyamine levels, which eventually stimulates DNA synthesis and cellular proliferation.

Inhibition of oxidative hemolysis and lipid peroxidation by mepacrine.

Mepacrine at 50 microM completely protected vitamin E-deficient rat erythrocytes from peroxidative hemolysis induced by dialuric acid or reduced glutathione under the standard experimental conditions. Malondialdehyde formation, which precedes the hemolysis, was also inhibited by mepacrine. These effects of mepacrine were observed when it was added after incubating the cells with dialuric acid before the malondialdehyde formation reached 50% of its maximal value. Mepacrine also inhibited NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes. The degree of inhibition by mepacrine of lipid peroxidation and hemolysis was dependent on the amount of red blood cells or microsomes in the reaction mixture.

Base-pair formation between noncapped influenza virus in vitro transcripts and 18S rRNA in rabbit reticulocyte 80S ribosome-mRNA complexes detected by psoralen photoreaction.

RNA-RNA interactions between 18S ribosomal RNA and noncapped influenza cRNA were detected by psoralen photochemical cross-linking in reticulocyte 80S ribosome-cRNA complexes. In vitro transcripts of type A influenza virus synthesized by endogenous RNA polymerase with adenylyl-(3'----5')-guanosine primer formed 80S complexes with rabbit reticulocyte ribosomes. The extent of the complex formation by these noncapped cRNAs was less than that by the m7G-capped reovirus in vitro transcripts, but the former RNAs in the 80S complexes were cross-linked to 18S rRNA as efficiently as the latter RNAs by photoreaction with an RNA cross-linking agent, 4'-aminomethyl-4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen. These results suggested that mRNA with or without the cap structure on the 5'-terminal can form complexes with the ribosomes in a eukaryotic cell-free translation system by base-pair formation with 18S rRNA. Correspondingly, sequences capable of forming extensive base-pairs including four- to five-base complementarities were found between the 3'-terminal of rabbit reticulocyte 18S ribosomal RNA and the 5'-noncoding regions of either influenza virus transcripts or reovirus mRNA.

Cross-linking of tobacco mosaic virus RNA and capped polyribonucleotides to 18S rRNA in wheat germ ribosome-mRNA complexes.

Tobacco mosaic virus RNA, forming 40S or 80S initiation complexes with wheat germ ribosomes, was covalently bound to 18S ribosomal RNA by the photoreaction with an RNA cross-linking agent, 4'-aminomethyl-4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen (AMT). Synthetic polyribonucleotide, poly(A, U), with the cap structure m7GpppGmC at the 5'-terminal was also cross-linked to 18S ribosomal RNA in 40S or 80S complexes with ribosomes by the AMT photoreaction. Polyuridylic acid with the same 5'-cap structure, forming 40S complexes but not 80S complexes with ribosomes, was most efficiently cross-linked to 18S ribosomal RNA by the psoralen photoreaction. These results suggest that the interactions between mRNA and 18S rRNA are not necessarily of strict complementarity but occur during formation of the complexes in eukaryotes. The 40S complexes would be then converted to 80S complexes in the presence of the AUG initiation codon or AUG-like triplets containing A and U on the polyribonucleotide chains which interact with 18S ribosomal RNA.

Antitumor effect of methylglyoxal bis(3-aminopropylamidinohydrazone), a new inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine and ornithine decarboxylases, on human erythroid leukemia K562 cells.

Methylglyoxal bis(3-aminopropylamidinohydrazone (MGBA) inhibited S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) activity competitively with S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet), showing a Ki value of 2.60 x 10(-5) M. It also inhibited ornithine decarboxylase competitively with ornithine, showing a Ki value of 3.80 x 10(-5) M. MGBA inhibited the growth of human erythroid leukemia K562 cells. Putrescine, spermidine, and spermine concentrations in MGBA-treated cells were depressed to 19%, 36%, and 66% of the values of control cells, respectively.

Effect of zinc administration on pancreatic regeneration after 80% pancreatectomy.

We studied the effect of oral zinc administration on functional and morphological regeneration of the remnant pancreas after 80% pancreatectomy in dogs. After 80% pancreatectomy, both endo- and exocrine function (assessed by the sum of plasma immunoreactive insulin on the intravenous glucose tolerance test and amylase output on the cerulein-secretin test) markedly deteriorated, the pancreatic regeneration rate (change in weight of the remnant pancreas between the time of surgery and autopsy) was very poor, and the zinc concentration in pancreatic tissue decreased in dogs fed the standard diet. In dogs fed the high-zinc diet, pancreatic function and regeneration rate were significantly improved, and the zinc concentration in pancreatic tissue was maintained. Early cell proliferation (assessed by ornithine decarboxylase activity. DNA synthesis, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling index in the remnant pancreas) after pancreatectomy was significantly enhanced in the high-zinc diet group compared to the standard diet group. Correlation analyses between parameters of early cell proliferation and zinc concentration in pancreatic tissue yielded significant positive correlations, and the zinc concentration in pancreatic tissue was significantly correlated with both endo- and exocrine function and the pancreatic regeneration rate. These results suggest that a high-zinc diet after major pancreatectomy is effective in maintaining the zinc concentration in pancreatic tissue, which not only enhance early cell proliferation in the remnant pancreas but improves pancreatic endo- and exocrine function in the late period, promoting pancreatic regeneration.