Vitamin E succinate inhibits proliferation of BT-20 human breast cancer cells: increased binding of cyclin A negatively regulates E2F transactivation activity.

Vitamin E succinate (VES) inhibited the proliferation of the estrogen receptor-negative human breast cancer cell line, BT-20, in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. The E2F proteins are integral transcriptional components in the regulation of cell growth. Overexpression of E2F-1 blocked the ability of VES to inhibit BT-20 cell growth, suggesting that VES regulation of E2F-1 activity leads to growth arrest of BT-20 cells. VES, although having little effect on E2F-1 steady-state protein levels, decreased E2F-1 phosphorylation and transactivation activity and increased cyclin A binding to E2F-1. GAL4-E2F-1 deletion mutant studies indicated that cyclin A negatively regulates E2F function. In VES-treated BT-20 cells, the cyclin A protein exhibited reduced kinase activity, which correlated with decreased steady-state levels and binding of cyclin-dependent kinase-2 to cyclin A and increased steady-state levels and binding of p21cip1 to cyclin A and cyclin-dependent kinase-2. The functional consequence of the negative regulatory effect of VES on E2F-1 function was shown by the ability of VES to inhibit the transcriptional activation of an E2F-1 responsive gene, c-myc. These studies show that VES induces growth inhibition of BT-20 cells through a mechanism that involves cyclin A-negative regulation of E2F-mediated transcription.

The p120-v-Abl protein interacts with E2F-1 and regulates E2F-1 transcriptional activity.

The E2F family of transcription factors regulates cell cycle progression, and deregulated expression of E2F-1 can lead to neoplastic transformation. In myeloid cells, introduction and expression of the Abelson leukemia virus causes growth factor independence. Here, the p120 v-Abl protein activates E2F-1-mediated transcription through a physical interaction with the E2F-1 transcription factor. BCR-Abl and c-Abl also stimulate E2F-1-mediated transcription. Our results suggest a new mechanism by which v-Abl leads to factor-independent myeloid cell proliferation: the activation of E2F-1-mediated transcription.

Vitamin E succinate induces Fas-mediated apoptosis in estrogen receptor-negative human breast cancer cells.

Vitamin E succinate (VES), a derivative of the fat-soluble vitamin D-alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), inhibited growth and induced apoptotic cell death of estrogen receptor-negative human breast cancer cells. VES-induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 and SKBR-3 cells occurred through a Fas pathway. Total protein levels of the Fas receptor (Fas; APO-1/CD-95) and the Fas ligand (Fas-L) were increased following VES treatment. In addition, VES increased cell surface Fas expression. Fas-neutralizing antibodies and Fas-L antisense oligonucleotides blocked VES-induced apoptosis. The presence of Fas-L antisense oligonucleotides also completely blocked the VES-mediated increase in Fas-L protein expression. These data indicate a role for Fas signaling in VES-mediated apoptotic cell death of human breast cancer cells. These findings also suggest that VES may be of clinical use in the treatment of aggressive human breast cancers, particularly those that are refractory to antiestrogen therapy.

Transforming growth factor beta 1 functions in monocytic differentiation of hematopoietic cells through autocrine and paracrine mechanisms.

This study examined the role of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) in monocytic differentiation of hematopoietic cells. TGF-beta 1 and retinoic acid (RA) inhibited HL-60 cell growth in a dose-dependent fashion. Treatment of HL-60 cells with a combination of TGF-beta 1 and a 50% optimal dose of RA (RA + TGF-beta 1) resulted in increased growth suppression compared to the individual treatments. Morphological studies revealed that TGF-beta 1 induced promonocytic differentiation (68%), RA induced granulocytic differentiation (98%), and RA + TGF-beta 1 induced monocytic (54%) and granulocytic (46%) differentiation of HL-60 cells. Induction of the monocyte-specific marker, nonspecific esterase, was markedly increased by TGF-beta 1 and RA + TGF-beta 1 treatment but not by RA treatment. Both TGF-beta 1 treatment and RA treatment increased TGF-beta ligand and TGF-beta receptor protein and mRNA levels. To determine whether RA mediated HL-60 cell growth inhibition and differentiation through the autocrine expression of TGF-beta 1, experiments using TGF-beta 1 antisense oligonucleotides or TGF-beta 1-neutralizing antibodies were conducted. TGF-beta 1 antisense oligonucleotides and neutralizing antibodies partially blocked RA-induced inhibition of proliferation, and TGF-beta 1 antisense oligonucleotides reversed RA-induced granulocytic maturation, demonstrating that RA signals autocrine expression of TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta receptors. The effect of TGF-beta 1 on normal hematopoiesis was also studied using primary human fetal liver cells. TGF-beta 1 alone and in the presence of interleukin 3 promoted macrophage differentiation of primitive fetal liver cells. Cell surface expression of the monocyte/macrophage-specific marker c-fms was increased 3.1-fold following TGF-beta 1 treatment. In addition, TGF-beta 1-treated cells displayed a 51% increase in phagocytosis as compared to interleukin 3-treated control cells. These studies define a role for TGF-beta 1 in the autocrine and paracrine regulation of monocyte/macrophage differentiation.

p120-v-Abl expression overcomes TGF-beta1 negative regulation of c-myc transcription but not cell growth.

Transformation of interleukin-3 dependent (IL-3) 32D-123 myeloid cells by p120-v-Abl produced the factor-independent 32D-abl cell line. In 32D-abl cells, myc expression was found to be significantly higher than in the parental cells and was correlated with increased E2F-1 protein expression and DNA binding ability. Surprisingly, in 32D-abl cells, TGF-beta1, a potent G1/S inhibitor of 32D-123 and 32D-abl cell growth, increased E2F transactivation as shown by increased c-myc promoter-CAT and GAL4-E2F-1 activity. In addition, TGF-beta1 was also found to increase E2F-1 protein levels but had no effect on steady-state retinoblastoma (RB) protein levels or phosphorylation state. In the absence of TGF-beta1, transient expression of RB in v-Abl expressing cells resulted in decreased c-myc transcription, inhibition of GAL4-E2F-1 driven transactivation and inhibition of cellular proliferation. RB and v-Abl were found to physically associate in vivo and in vitro via v-Abl's ATP binding region. In summary, these studies established that in myeloid cells: (1) v-Abl binds RB resulting in increased E2F-1-driven c-myc transcription, and (2) an alternative pathway exists for TGF-beta1-mediated growth inhibition of v-Abl-transformed cells, in which increased rather than decreased E2F-mediated c-myc transcription is observed.

Nuclear localization of v-Abl leads to complex formation with cyclic AMP response element (CRE)-binding protein and transactivation through CRE motifs.

Deregulated expression of v-abl and BCR/abl genes has been associated with myeloproliferative syndromes and myelodysplasia, both of which can progress to acute leukemia. These studies identify the localization of the oncogenic form of the abl gene product encoded by the Abelson murine leukemia virus in the nuclei of myeloid cells and the association of the v-Abl protein with the transcriptional regulator cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB). We have mapped the specific domains within each of the proteins responsible for this interaction. We have shown that complex formation is a prerequisite for transcriptional potentiation of CREB. Transient overexpression of the homologous cellular protein c-Abl also results in the activation of promoters containing an intact CRE. These observations identify a novel function for v-Abl, that of a transcriptional activator that physically interacts with a transcription factor.

Growth inhibition and apoptosis of RL human B lymphoma cells by vitamin E succinate and retinoic acid: role for transforming growth factor beta.

Vitamin E succinate (VES) and all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) were determined to be growth inhibitory for B lymphoma cells in vitro. RL, an Epstein-Barr virus-negative human cell line, was growth suppressed 87% with VES (5 micrograms/ml) and 58% with RA (10(-6) M); both agents blocked the cells in G1 of the cell cycle. The antiproliferative effect of VES seems to be independent of its potential antioxidant property because both fat- and water-soluble antioxidants were found to have no effect on RL cell proliferation. VES and RA increased IgM antibody concentrations in cell supernatants 5.8- and 9.9-fold, respectively. DNA fragmentation and flow cytometry studies showed VES- and RA-induced apoptosis in RL cells. VES- and RA-treated RL cells gradually underwent apoptosis over time with maximal induction occurring at days 6 and 5 of culture, respectively. A role for transforming growth factor beta in VES- and RA-mediated RL growth suppression is indicated by increased ligand and type II receptor protein expression. Furthermore, neutralizing antibodies to transforming growth factor beta 1 partially blocked the growth suppressive action of both VES and RA, thus suggesting that a TGF-beta autocrine negative loop was involved in VES and RA suppression of RL cell growth.

Vitamin E succinate induction of HL-60 cell adhesion: a role for fibronectin and a 72-kDa fibronectin-binding molecule.

HL-60 cells, growing as single cells in suspension, exhibit marked cell-cell adhesion when treated for 24 hours with 10 micrograms/ml RRR-alpha-tocopheryl succinate, also called vitamin E succinate (VES). VES-induced cell-cell adhesion is dependent on divalent cations and a functional cytoskeleton and is protein mediated. Cell adhesion molecules CD11a/CD18, CD11b/CD18, CD29, and CD54 do not appear to be mediating VES-induced cell adhesion. HL-60 cells treated with VES adhere to fibronectin-coated plastic and secrete elevated levels of fibronectin. A 72-kDa fibronectin-binding membrane molecule was detected on VES-treated HL-60 cells, and antibodies to fibronectin were shown to inhibit VES-induced cell aggregation. VES induction of HL-60 cell-cell adhesion is proposed to result from increased amounts of extracellular fibronectin binding to VES-induced cell surface fibronectin-binding molecules.

RRR-alpha-tocopheryl succinate modulation of human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cell proliferation and differentiation.

HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells can be induced to differentiate to granulocytes by retinoic acid and dimethyl sulfoxide or monocyte-macrophages by phorbol esters and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. These studies show that RRR-alpha-tocopheryl succinate (TS) inhibits HL-60 cell proliferation and induces the HL-60 cells to differentiate toward a functionally deficient macrophage-like cell. TS at (15 micrograms/ml) was found to suppress HL-60 cell proliferation by 63% and 89% at 24 and 48 hours, respectively. This suppression of proliferation, however, is not permanent and requires the presence of TS. HL-60 cells treated for 48 hours with TS (15 micrograms/ml) were found to be blocked in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. HL-60 cells blocked in the G2/M cell cycle phase by TS expressed normal levels of the transferrin receptor. TS-treated HL-60 cells exhibited binucleated morphological appearance; however, the cells did not exhibit chemotaxis, phagocytosis, or changes in the expression of the cell surface markers, CD11a and CD18. However, HL-60 cells treated for 48 hours with TS (15 micrograms/ml) could be stimulated to produce superoxide radicals and exhibited nonspecific esterase activity, two characteristics of macrophages. These results suggest a role for TS as an antitumor proliferative agent and as a modifier of human leukemia cell differentiation.

Use of a horror film in psychotherapy.

Modern improvements in the technology of cinematic special effects have ushered in a new genre of vivid and graphic horror film. The numerous sequels of these films attest to their popularity among adolescents and young adults. Considerable concern has arisen on the part of parents, professionals, and policymakers regarding adverse effects of these films upon children. The authors discuss the meaning of a horror film to a troubled 13-year-old boy and describe the use of the film in his psychotherapy. The modern horror film serves many of the same functions for the adolescent that the traditional fairy tale serves for the younger child.