Neurite extension and neuronal survival activities of recombinant S100 beta proteins that differ in the content and position of cysteine residues.

S100 beta produced in Escherichia coli from a synthetic gene (Van Eldik, L. J., J. L. Staecker, and F. Winningham-Major. 1988. J. Biol. Chem. 263:7830-7837) stimulates neurite outgrowth and enhances cell maintenance in cultures of embryonic chick cerebral cortex neurons. In control experiments, the neurite extension activity is reduced by preincubation with antibodies made against bovine brain S100 beta. When either of the two cysteines in S100 beta are altered by site-directed mutagenesis, the resultant proteins maintain the overall biochemical properties of S100 beta, but lose both the neurite extension and neuronal survival activities. However, another S100 beta mutant, in which the relative position of one of the two cysteines was changed, had neurotrophic activity similar to that of the unmodified protein. These and other results indicate that (a) specific neurite extension activity and neuronal survival activity are two related activities inherent to the S100 beta molecule; (b) a disulfide-linked form of S100 beta is required for full biological activity, and (c) the relative position of the cysteines can be modified. These data suggest potential in vivo roles for S100 beta in the development and maintenance of neuronal function in the central nervous system, and demonstrate the feasibility of the longer term development of selective pharmacological agents based on the S100 beta structure.

Sodium butyrate preserves aspects of the differentiated phenotype of normal adult rat hepatocytes in culture.

We have determined that sodium butyrate and, to a lesser extent, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and 3-aminobenzamide (3-AB) preserve aspects of the differentiated phenotype of primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes. The histone deacetylase inhibitor, butyrate, inhibits the increase in gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) activity and the decrease in basal tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) activity normally observed when hepatocytes are cultured under appropriate conditions. The effects of butyrate on GGT and TAT activities are accompanied by parallel changes in GGT and TAT mRNA levels. The poly(ADP)ribose-synthetase inhibitor, 3-aminobenzamide, has effects similar to butyrate on GGT activity and mRNA levels, while both 3-AB and DMSO increase basal TAT activity in cultured hepatocytes. Under appropriate conditions all three agents--butyrate, 3-AB, and DMSO--extend the length of time cultured hepatocytes can be maintained as confluent monolayers. However, under all the conditions studied, butyrate extended the length of time hepatocytes could be maintained as monolayers more than any other treatment used. Butyrate-treated hepatocytes maintained ultrastructural features that were more similar to those of hepatocytes in vivo than hepatocytes treated with any other of the agents tested. Histone acetylation levels of primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes declined concomitant with the loss of the differentiated phenotype of the cells. These results suggest that histone acetylation may play a role in the changes in gene expression observed when hepatocytes are placed in culture.

Synthesis and expression of a gene coding for the calcium-modulated protein S100 beta and designed for cassette-based, site-directed mutagenesis.

As an initial step in studies aimed at addressing the question of what common and unique features of the S100 family of proteins are related to their specific functions and localizations, a gene coding for one of the S100 proteins, S100 beta, has been prepared by ligation of 12 overlapping, synthetic oligonucleotides. Automated DNA sequence analysis demonstrated that the final construct has the expected structure. The gene was inserted into a plasmid vector that contains a tac promoter and ampicillin-resistance gene, thus allowing both amplification and direct expression cloning in Escherichia coli. The gene was designed to allow rapid, efficient changes of single or multiple amino acids by using cassette-based mutagenesis while the gene is resident in the vector. The expressed protein (VUSB-1) is indistinguishable from bovine brain S100 beta in terms of electrophoretic mobility, reactivity with antibodies to S100 beta, amino acid composition, and partial amino acid sequence analysis. Preparations of expressed protein are also functionally similar to bovine brain S100 beta as determined by aldolase activator activity and neurite extension factor activity, supporting the concept that these activities are a property of the S100 beta polypeptide.

The effect of sodium butyrate on tyrosine aminotransferase induction in primary cultures of normal adult rat hepatocytes.

Treatment of primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes with 5 mM butyrate inhibited the spontaneous decrease in basal activity and mRNA levels of tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) that occurred during culture (Staecker et al., submitted). We report here that butyrate treatment of primary cultures of rat hepatocytes initially inhibited the induction of TAT. This inhibition was followed by a period of accelerated TAT induction. TAT induction in butyrate-treated primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes occurred only after metabolism of butyrate by the cultured hepatocytes. The accelerated induction of TAT in hepatocyte cultures treated with sodium butyrate was reflected by increased TAT activity and mRNA levels. Cultured hepatocytes rapidly metabolized butyrate, but the addition of more butyrate into cultures after its initial metabolism resulted in a rapid reduction in TAT activity. These findings indicate that butyrate treatment can affect the expression of TAT in primary hepatocyte cultures in both a positive (increased basal TAT expression) and a negative (inhibition of the induced expression of TAT) manner.

Effects of tumor-promoting agents 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and phenobarbital on DNA synthesis of rat hepatocytes in primary culture.

Both 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and phenobarbital (PB) enhanced hepatocyte DNA synthesis stimulated with epidermal growth factor (EGF) by 60 to 80% in primary culture when measured by the incorporation of [3H]thymidine. This apparent increase was not due to changes in the specific activity of the deoxythymidine triphosphate (dTTP) pool. TPA enhanced DNA synthesis even at relatively high cell densities, but this was not found with the PB treatment. Although both TPA and PB enhanced DNA synthesis significantly, TPA was most effective when added during the late G1 and/or S phase of the hepatocyte cell cycle, whereas PB treatment was least effective in this period. The binding of EGF was transiently down-regulated by TPA, then restored to control values 6 h later, whereas the binding of this factor was significantly increased at both the 12th and 24th h after PB addition. These results suggest that EGF binding to hepatocytes is not correlated with the enhancement of DNA synthesis by TPA or PB and that the down-regulation of EGF binding is not causally related to the enhancement of DNA synthesis by TPA.

Stimulation of DNA synthesis in primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes by sodium butyrate.

Replicative DNA synthesis in primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes is increased by the addition of the histone deacetylase inhibitors, propionate or butyrate. DNA synthesis was increased by the addition of 0.5 or 1.0 mM butyrate; in contrast 5.0 mM butyrate inhibited replicative DNA synthesis. Replicative DNA synthesis was increased only when low levels of butyrate were added as the hepatocytes entered the S phase. The observed apparent increase in replicative DNA synthesis was real, and not owing to changes in the specific activity of the dTTP precursor pool. The effects of butyrate and propionate on DNA synthesis appear to be related to their effects on histone acetylation.

Effect of sodium butyrate on primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes.

Sodium butyrate, at millimolar concentrations, seems to mediate or initiate multiple effects on many mammalian cells in culture. Although many transformed cell lines respond to butyrate treatment with acquisition of normal cellular characteristics, the effect of butyrate on a normal cell type, the parenchymal hepatocyte, has not been studied. Serum-free primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes maintain many adult characteristics, yet after several days in culture a loss of adult characteristics occurs while fetal characteristics are often reexpressed. Therefore, we investigated whether butyrate treatment would improve the morphologic and biochemical characteristics of cultured hepatocytes. Exposure to 5 mM butyrate for 3 d did not affect hepatocyte viability or morphology but retarded the progressive decline in cytochrome P-450 levels and 5'-nucleotidase activity. The spontaneous increase in alkaline phosphatase activity was reduced and the induction of tyrosine aminotransferase was inhibited after 3 d in culture. The fetal liver characteristic, gamma glutamyltranspeptidase, was not affected by butyrate treatment. Results of this study suggest that butyrate represents a nontoxic compound capable of improving the maintenance of cell culture characteristics of adult rat hepatocytes.

Use of a low-speed, iso-density percoll centrifugation method to increase the viability of isolated rat hepatocyte preparations.

A simple yet effective method (iso-density percoll centrifugation) has been developed for consistently preparing isolated rat liver parenchymal cells with over 98% initial viability. The method has been applied to cells isolated by a variety of collagenase digestion techniques. This procedure involves the low-speed centrifugation (50 X g) of the initial cell suspension through a percoll medium having a density of 1.06 g/ml and results in the separation of single and viable parenchymal cells from cell aggregates, debris, and nonparenchymal cells. The enriched parenchymal cells have been shown to be superior to untreated cells by a number of criteria including: preparation homogeneity, cell morphology, maintenance of cytochrome P-450, hormonal responsiveness (measured by the induction of tyrosine aminotransferase after treatment with glucagon or dexamethasone, or both), plasma membrane integrity (determined by both trypan blue exclusion and leakage of glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase), and the DNA repair capability after treatment with benzo[a]pyrene or 2-acetylaminofluorene.

Effect of brief vascular perfusion on the ultrastructure and activity of mitochondria isolated from the rat heart.

Mitochondria isolated from heart tissue after a 1-min perfusion with Hanks medium were found to have significantly lower rates of State-3 respiration and respiratory control ratios compared to mitochondria isolated from non-perfused hearts. Examination of the mitochondrial preparations by electron microscopy revealed that a large proportion of the mitochondria isolated from perfused heart tissue were swollen and broken compared to mitochondria from non-perfused hearts.

The transcription of various types of ribonucleic acid by hepatocytes isolated from rats of various ages.

The synthesis of various types of ribonucleic acid (RNA) isolated from 6- to 3-month-old female Fischer F344 rats was compared. The rate of RNA synthesis by freshly prepared hepatocytes was determined by dividing the amount of [3H]orotic acid incorporated into RNA as uridine-5'-monophosphate by the specific activity of the uridine-5'-triphosphate pool. The rate of total RNA synthesis by hepatocytes from 19-month-old rats was 40% less than the rate for hepatocytes from 12-month-old rats. No significant difference in the rate of total RNA synthesis was observed between 19 and 30 months of age. The percentage of [3H]orotic acid incorporated into poly(A) + RNA by 30-month-old rats was approximately 50% less than that observed for hepatocytes isolated from 6-month-old rats. The percentage of [3H]orotic acid incorporated into poly(A)-RNA as ribosomal RNA (38S, 18S, and 5S RNAs) or transfer RNA was similar for 12- and 30-month-old rats. The rate of poly(A) + RNA synthesis by hepatocytes isolated from 30-month-old rats was 65% less than that observed for hepatocytes from 6-month-old rats. In contrast to total RNA synthesis, the rate of poly(A) + RNA synthesis for the 30-month-old rats was significantly less than the rate for 19-month-old rats.