Further evidence for a novel receptor for amino-terminal parathyroid hormone-related protein on keratinocytes and squamous carcinoma cell lines.

PTH and PTH-related peptides (PTHrPs) interact with a common PTH/PTHrP receptor (type I), which is expressed in many tissues, including bone and kidney. Amino-terminal PTH and PTHrPs also recognize receptors in several nonclassical PTH target tissues, and in some of these, the signaling mechanisms differ qualitatively from those of the classical type I receptor. In normal keratinocytes and squamous carcinoma cell lines, PTH and PTHrP stimulate a rise in intracellular calcium, but not cAMP, suggesting the existence of an alternate, type II PTH/PTHrP receptor. SqCC/Y1 squamous carcinoma cells stably expressing the type I receptor displayed sensitive intracellular cAMP responses to PTHrP and PTH, indicating that these cells express functional GS proteins and that the type I receptor is capable of signaling through adenylyl cyclase in this cell line. Therefore, the endogenous type II receptor in SqCC/Y1 cells differs from the cloned type I receptor. We next examined whether messenger RNA (mRNA) from keratinocytes and squamous cell lines could hybridize to a human type I PTH/PTHrP receptor complementary DNA [1.9 kilobases (kb)]. No type I receptor mRNA (2.3 kb) was detected in polyadenylated RNA from any of the squamous cell lines. However, squamous cell lines did express several mRNA transcripts that hybridized with the type I receptor probe, yet were smaller (1 and 1.5 kb) or larger (3.5-5 kb) than the cloned receptor mRNA. The predominant mRNA in two squamous carcinoma cell lines and normal keratinocytes was a 1-kb transcript. Northern analysis with five different region-specific probes that span the entire coding region of the human type I receptor was used to map homologous regions within each of the transcripts. Several of the transcripts identified in squamous lines are also present in polyadenylated RNA from SaOS-2 human bone cells, but a unique 1-kb transcript hybridizing to probe 2 (nucleotides 490-870) was observed only in squamous cells. The smaller 1- and 1.5-kb transcripts did not hybridize to probes corresponding to the extreme 5'- and 3'-coding regions of the type I receptor complementary DNA. Ribonuclease protection analysis employing riboprobes that correspond to the five region-specific DNA probes revealed strong RNA signals of the expected size in SaOS-2 cells, but no hybridization with squamous cell RNA. Several smaller, but minor, bands that were unique to squamous cells were observed with riboprobe 2 only, suggesting partial homology of this region with the type I receptor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

A midregion parathyroid hormone-related peptide mobilizes cytosolic calcium and stimulates formation of inositol trisphosphate in a squamous carcinoma cell line.

A midregion fragment of PTH-related protein (PTHrP), which is intensively conserved across species, has been identified as a secretory product of several different cell types, including keratinocytes and squamous carcinomas. As recent data suggest that a midregion PTHrP fragment may be biologically active, we hypothesized that midregion PTHrPs interact with unique cell surface receptors that mediate autocrine or paracrine action. Dose-dependent transient elevations in intracellular calcium ([Ca2-]i) were observed in fura-2-loaded SqCC/Y1 squamous carcinoma cells exposed to human (h) PTHrP-(67-86)NH2, [Tyr36]hPTHrP-(1-36)NH2, and hPTHrP-(1-141) at concentrations ranging from 1 pM to 1 microM. The effects of maximal stimulatory concentrations of [Tyr36]PTHrP-(1-36)NH2 and PTHrP-(67-86)NH2 on [Ca2+]i were additive. The inhibitory PTH analog, [D-Trp12,Tyr34]bovine PTH-(7-34)NH2, attenuated the [Ca2+]i response to [Tyr36]hPTHrP-(1-36)NH2, but not that to PTHrP-(67-86)NH2. These data suggest that PTHrP-(67-86)NH2 activates a different receptor pathway in SqCC/Y1 cells from the one activated by [Tyr36]hPTHrP-(1-36)NH2. Radiolabeled PTHrP-(67-86)NH2 did not bind to SqCC/Y1 cells, and PTHrP-(67-86)NH2 did not compete for binding of 125I-labeled [Tyr36]PTHrP-(1-36)NH2 to PTH/PTHrP receptors on SaOS-2 osteosarcoma cells. Activation of the phospholipase C pathway by PTHrP-(67-86)NH2 was confirmed by exposing SqCC/Y1 cells to peptide for 1 min and measuring the accumulation of inositol trisphosphates. PTHrP-(67-86)NH2 treatment (100 nM) resulted in maximal stimulation of inositol trisphosphates of 3.1 +/- 0.1-fold over the control value, with an EC50 of 1.5 +/- 1.2 nm. In contrast, PTHrP-(67-86)NH2 (0.1 nM to 1 microM) did not stimulate adenylyl cyclase in SqCC/Y1 cells despite vigorous stimulation of cAMP formation by isoproterenol (1 microM) to 66-fold over the basal value. To determine whether messenger RNA (mRNA) prepared from SqCC/Y1 cells would direct the translation of a receptor protein that mediated a [Ca2+]i response to PTHrP-(67-86)NH2, we performed expression studies in Xenopus oocytes. Fluo-3 fluorescence in Xenopus oocytes expressing SqCC/Y1 mRNA was visualized by confocal video microscopy after exposure to 1 microM PTHrP-(67-86)NH2. Clear increases in [Ca2+]i were detected in mRNA-injected, but not in sham-injected, oocytes. Finally, we examined the effect of PTHrP-(67-86)NH2 treatment on fibronectin secretion from SqCC/YN1 cells. A significant 3.5-fold increase in fibronectin secretion into conditioned medium was observed when SqCC/Y1 cells were exposed to 100 nM PTHrP-(67-86)NH2, and this effect was dose dependent, with an EC50 of 0.1 nM. We conclude that PTHrP-(67-86)NH2 activates phospholipase C-dependent pathways in SqCC/Y1 cells through a receptor distinct from that activated by PTHrP-(1-36) in the same cells. As a midregion secretory fragment of PTHrP has been partially purified from several different cell types, this receptor may have broad biological significance.

Clonal variation of p53 expression and proliferative phenotype in A253 squamous carcinoma cells.

Loss of normal p53 tumor-suppressor gene function is characteristic of the majority of squamous carcinomas. During the course of gene transfer studies in the human squamous carcinoma cell line, A253, which does not express p53 mRNA or protein, we incidentally observed increased levels of p53 expression in up to 20% of clonal cell lines derived from parental A253 cells. p 53-expressing A253 cells (A253-p53) were also isolated by dilutional cloning. Nuclear p53 protein was identified by immunohistochemistry in A253-p53 cells in a wild-type pattern, and p53 mRNA (2.5 kb) was demonstrated by northern blot. Mutational analysis of the p53 gene in A253-p53 cells revealed no evidence for mutations in exons 5-9. A253-p53 cells could be distinguished from native A253 cells by prolonged doubling times (2-5 fold) and by a marked reduction of [3H]-thymidine uptake. Whereas A253 cells were unresponsive to the growth-inhibitory effects of TGF-beta, EGF-stimulated A253-p53 cells responded to TGF-beta with markedly reduced DNA synthetic rates. A253-p53 cells cocultured with A253 demonstrated enhanced cell growth and DNA synthesis rates compared to control A253-p53 cells. Finally, A253-p53 cells show reduced expression of c-fos, fibronectin, thrombospondin and parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) mRNAs. PTHrP measured by RIA in conditioned medium was approximately 300 pM for A253 but undetectable for A253-p53. We conclude that the A253 cell line contains a subpopulation of cells which express high levels of "wild-type-like" p53 protein. This results in dramatic changes in gene expression and a slower-growing phenotype in vitro.

Domain wall resistivity in SrRuO3.

SrRuO3 is an itinerant ferromagnet with T(c) approximately 150 K. When SrRuO3 is cooled through T(c) in zero applied magnetic field, a stripe domain structure appears whose orientation is uniquely determined by the large uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy. We find that the ferromagnetic domain walls clearly enhance the resistivity of SrRuO3 and that the enhancement has different temperature dependence for currents parallel and perpendicular to the domain walls. We discuss possible interpretations of our results.