Autocrine regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 gene expression and secretion by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in NB4 leukemic cells: specific involvement of TNF receptor type 1.

Matrix metalloproteinases have been reported to be involved in tumor cell invasion and metastasis. Dissemination of malignant cells in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) may be mediated by similar mechanisms. Here, we report, that the t(15/17)+ acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cell line NB4 constitutively expresses and releases the proenzyme form of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9, 92 kDa type IV collagenase/gelatinase, gelatinase B), as well as tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1). Both proteins were identified by N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis after purification using gelatin Sepharose affinity chromatography. Whereas 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13 acetate (TPA) increased both MMP-9 and TIMP-1 mRNA levels, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) stimulated only MMP-9 gene expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MoABs) to TNF-alpha (anti-TNF-alpha) decreased the constitutive and TPA-dependent expression of MMP-9 but did not influence TIMP-1 expression, either in unstimulated or in TPA-treated NB4 cells. FACS analyses showed that NB4 cells express both TNF receptor 1 (TNF-R1) and TNF-R2 to a similar extent. Blocking MoABs against TNF-R 1 (anti-TNF-R1) decreased the constitutive expression of MMP-9, whereas anti-TNF-R2 had almost no effect. Our results show, that in NB4 cells the expression of MMP-9 but not of TIMP-1 is maintained by autocrine stimulation with TNF-alpha. Thus, leukemic cells may be enabled to leave the bone marrow and infiltrate peripheral tissues by a dysfunction in the regulation of the MMP-9:TIMP-1 equilibrium, possibly triggered through autostimulation by TNF-alpha.

Matrix metalloproteinase production by bone marrow mononuclear cells from normal individuals and patients with acute and chronic myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes.

The two matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) Mr 72,000 type IV collagenase (MMP-2, gelatinase A) and Mr 92,000 type IV collagenase (MMP-9, gelatinase B) play key roles in tissue remodeling and tumor invasion by digestion of extracellular matrix barriers. We have investigated the production of these two enzymes as well as the membrane-type MMP (MT1-MMP) and the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in the bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNCs) of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML; n = 24), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML; n = 17), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS; n = 8), and healthy donors (n = 5). Zymographic analysis of BM-MNC-conditioned medium showed that a Mr 92,000 gelatinolytic activity, identified as MMP-9 by Western blotting, was constitutively released from cells of all patients and healthy individuals examined in this study. In contrast, MMP-2 secretion was found to be absent in all samples from healthy donors but present in 8 of 11 (73%) of the samples from patients with primary AML, 7 of 8 (88%) with secondary AML, and only 1 of 5 (20%) cases with AML in remission, indicating MMP-2 to be produced by the leukemic blasts. MMP-2 release was not detected in CML cell-conditioned medium with the exception of two cases, both patients either being in or preceding blast crisis. In MDS, MMP-2 was found in three of eight (38%) of the patients, two of them undergoing progression of disease within 12 months. Quantitative Northern blot analysis in freshly isolated BM-MNCs showed a relatively low constitutive expression of TIMP-1 in all samples, whereas MMP-9 gene transcription was higher in healthy donors and CML samples, than in AML and MDS. Reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis revealed the presence of TIMP-2 mRNA in the majority of MMP-2-releasing BM-MNCs. MT1-MMP expression was present in most samples of patients with MDS or AML but absent in those with secondary AML and CML. Thus, we have shown that BM-MNCs continuously produce MMP-9 and TIMP-1 and demonstrated that leukemic blast cells additionally secrete MMP-2 representing a potential marker for dissemination in myeloproliferative malignancies.

Enhanced migration of the acute promyelocytic leukemia cell line NB4 under in vitro conditions during short-term all-trans-retinoic acid treatment.

All-trans-retinoic acid (RA) is a potent differentiating agent that is very effective in the treatment of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Since clinical response can be accompanied by extramedullary manifestations, we have investigated the influence of RA on cell adhesion to and migration through reconstituted basement membranes (Matrigel) in the APL cell line NB4. No apparent cellular differentiation was observed during a 24-h incubation with 1 microM RA, as indicated by the nitroblue tetrazolium reduction test. However, exposure to RA significantly enhanced NB4 cell adhesion to Matrigel and consecutive migration through Matrigel barriers in a dose-dependent manner. Several integrin molecules potentially involved in this process, i.e., CD29, CD18, CD11a, CD11b and CD11c, were therefore studied by fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis. The expression of the beta subunit of the beta2 integrins (CD18), but not that of beta1 integrins (CD29), was increased during 24-h RA treatment. Among the beta2 integrins, the expression of LFA-1 (CD11a) and of Mac-1 (CD11b), but not of p150,95 (CD11c), was induced by RA. When monoclonal antibodies that specifically block the interaction of these integrins with their ligands were used, we observed that CD29 is only involved in adhesion and CD11b only in migration, whereas CD11a participates in both processes. NB4 cells constitutively secreted the matrix metalloproteinases MMP-9 and MMP-2, which are known to promote cellular invasion processes by degradation of the extracellular matrix. RA treatment had no influence on the quantity of secreted MMP-9 or MMP-2 in these cells as determined by zymography. Addition of Batimastat (BB-94), a synthetic inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases, blocked RA-induced cell migration without affecting cellular adhesion to Matrigel. These findings indicate that adhesion molecules as well as matrix metalloproteinases are involved in RA-stimulated migration of NB4 cells through Matrigel, possibly providing some explanation of tissue infiltration by leukemic cells as observed during treatment of APL patients with RA.

Hepatic uptake of cholecystokinin octapeptide by organic anion-transporting polypeptides OATP4 and OATP8 of rat and human liver.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Cholecystokinin (CCK) is a major gastrointestinal peptide hormone that is released postprandially from the small intestine and exerts marked effects on gallbladder and gastrointestinal motility. The smaller isoforms CCK-8 and CCK-4 are rapidly taken up into hepatocytes, metabolized, and excreted into bile. Our aim was to identify and characterize the hepatocellular CCK-8 uptake system. METHODS: CCK-8 uptake was measured in Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing the organic anion-transporting polypeptides of rat liver (Oatp1, Oatp2, Oatp3, or Oatp4) and of human liver (OATP-A, OATP-B, OATP-C, or OATP8) and in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. RESULTS: Rat Oatp4 and human OATP8 efficiently mediated CCK-8 uptake in oocytes, with Michaelis constant (Km) values of 14.9 +/- 2.9 micromol/L and 11.1 +/- 2.9 micromol/L, respectively. CCK-8 uptake by hepatocytes was also saturable, with a Km of 6.7 +/- 2.1 micromol/L. The Km value in rat hepatocytes is consistent with Oatp4-mediated transport. CONCLUSIONS: CCK-8 is selectively transported by rat Oatp4 and human OATP8, both of which are exclusively expressed at the basolateral membrane of hepatocytes. These 2 transporters are the first and probably the predominant hepatic uptake systems for CCK-8 and may be critical for the rapid clearance of this hormone from the circulation.

Stable expression and functional characterization of a Na+-taurocholate cotransporting green fluorescent protein in human hepatoblastoma HepG2 cells.

Sodium-dependent uptake of bile acids from blood is aliver-specific function which is mediated by theNa(+)-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide(Ntcp). We report the stable expression of aNa(+)-taurocholate cotransporting green fluorescentfusion protein in the human hepatoblastoma cell lineHepG2, normally lacking Ntcp expression. Ntcp-EGFPassociated green fluorescence colocalized with Ntcpimmunofluorescence in the plasma membrane. Intransfected HepG2 cells, the fusion protein mediatedthe sodium-dependent uptake of the bile acidtaurocholate (K(m): 24.6 mumol/l) and of the anionicsteroids estrone-3-sulfate and dehydroepiandrosteronesulfate. We conclude that the Ntcp-EGFP fusion proteinfollows the sorting route of Ntcp, is functionallyidentical to Ntcp and could be used to monitor proteintrafficking in living HepG2 cells.

Organic anion-transporting polypeptide B (OATP-B) and its functional comparison with three other OATPs of human liver.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hepatic uptake of cholephilic organic compounds is mediated by members of the organic anion-transporting polypeptide (OATP) family. We aimed to characterize the novel OATP-B with respect to tissue distribution and hepatocellular localization and to compare its substrate specificity with those of OATP-A, OATP-C, and OATP8. METHODS: Tissue distribution and hepatocellular localization of OATP-B were analyzed by Northern blotting and immunofluorescence, respectively. Transport of 16 substrates was measured for each individual human OATP in complementary RNA-injected Xenopus laevis oocytes. RESULTS: Expression of OATP-B was most abundant in human liver, where it is localized at the basolateral membrane of hepatocytes. OATP-B, OATP-C, and OATP8 mediated high-affinity uptake of bromosulphophthalein (K(m), approximately 0.7, 0.3, and 0.4 micromol/L, respectively). OATP-B also transported estrone-3-sulfate but not bile salts. Although OATP-A, OATP-C, and OATP8 exhibit broad overlapping substrate specificities, OATP8 was unique in transporting digoxin and exhibited especially high transport activities for the anionic cyclic peptides [D-penicillamine(2,5)]enkephalin (DPDPE; opioid-receptor agonist) and BQ-123 (endothelin-receptor antagonist). CONCLUSIONS: OATP-B is the third bromosulphophthalein uptake system localized at the basolateral membrane of human hepatocytes. OATP-B, OATP-C, and OATP8 account for the major part of sodium-independent bile salt, organic anion, and drug clearance of human liver.