Genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of different types of dental cement on normal cultured human lymphocytes.

In this study we have investigated the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of eluates derived from different types of commercially available dental cements, including glass ionomer cements (GICs) (Ketac Cem/3M ESPE and GC Fuji I/GC Corp), resin-modified glass ionomer cements (RM-GICs) (RelyX Luting/3M ESPE and Vitrebond/3M ESPE) and dual-cure resin cements (RCs) (Variolink II/ Ivoclar-Vivadent and Panavia F 2.0/Kuraray) on normal cultured human lymphocytes. Lymphocyte primary cultures obtained from blood samples of three healthy donors were exposed to serial dilutions of eluates derived from specimens of each material tested. Metaphases were induced with phytohaemagglutinin, collected after 72h treatment by use of colchicine and stained according to the fluorescence plus giemsa (FPG) procedure. Preparations were scored for sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and chromosomal aberrations (CAs), while the proliferation rate index (PRI) was also calculated. Our results show that eluates derived from the RM-GICs and RCs caused severe genotoxic effects by significantly increasing the frequencies of SCEs and CAs in cultures of peripheral blood lymphocytes and by decreasing the relevant PRI values in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the two GICs caused only minor cytogenetic effects. Eluates of the two RM-GICs (Vitrebond and RelyX) were also very cytotoxic, as the first serial dilutions of both materials caused a complete mitotic arrest in lymphocyte cultures. Overall, the degree of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity caused by dental cements decreased as follows: Viterbond>Rely X>Panavia F 2.0>Variolink II>Ketac Cem=GC Fuji I. These results indicate that different types of dental cement differ extensively in their genotoxic and cytotoxic potential and their ability to affect chromosomal integrity, cell-cycle progression, DNA replication and repair. Although these results cannot be directly extrapolated to the clinical situation, the potential occurrence of adverse effects caused by the RM-GICs and RCs tested in this study should be considered when making a clinical decision about dental cements.

Sister-chromatid exchange, chromosomal aberrations and delays in cell-cycle kinetics in human lymphocytes induced by dental composite resin eluates.

We have investigated eluates derived from commercially available composite resin-based materials used for direct (Tetric Ceram/Ivoclar-Vivadent, Simile/Pentron, Filtek Z-250/3M ESPE) and indirect (Adoro/Ivoclar-Vivadent and Conquest Sculpture/Pentron) dental restorations, with respect to their genotoxic effects on human peripheral lymphocytes. Primary lymphocyte cultures obtained from blood samples of three healthy donors were exposed to eluates of freshly cured specimens of all the materials tested. Metaphases were induced with phytohaemagglutinin, collected after a 72-h treatment using colchicine and stained with the Fluorescence Plus Giemsa (FPG) procedure. Preparations were scored for sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) and chromosomal aberrations (CAs). The proliferation rate index (PRI) and the mitotic index (MI) were also calculated. Our results show that eluates derived from the three direct composites (Filtek Z-250, Simile and Tetric Ceram) increased the frequencies of SCE and CAs and markedly reduced PRI and MI. Tetric Ceram's eluate, being the most genotoxic of all eluates tested, increased the frequencies of SCE up to 24.40 per cell (control, 9.87 per cell) and of CAs up to 424 per 100 metaphases scored (control, 5). Moreover, it caused a pronounced decrease of the PRI down to 1.31 (control, 2.44) and of the MI down to 9.8 per thousand (control, 19.2 per thousand). In contrast, eluates derived from the laboratory-processed composites (Adoro and Conquest Sculpture) induced much less cytogenetic damage. Overall, the degree of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity decreased as follows: Tetric Ceram>Filtek Z-250>Simile>Adoro=Conquest Sculpture. These results indicate that composite resins used for direct and indirect dental restorations differ extensively in their cytotoxic and genotoxic potential and in their ability to affect chromosomal integrity, cell-cycle progression, DNA replication and repair. This underlines the impact of improved polymerization with respect to their biological behavior.

Dimethyl sulfoxide-induced differentiation of Friend erythroleukemia cells in the absence of cytokinesis.

Friend erythroleukemia cells grown in culture and induced to differentiate along the erythroid developmental pathway by dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) were used as a model system to investigate the requirement for cellular replication to express a differentiated erythroid phenotype. That cytokinesis is not essential for DMSO-induced erythroid differentiation as measured by the synthesis and accumulation of hemoglobin was shown by experiments using cytochalasin B. In these studies, hemoglobin was found to accumulate in Friend cells treated simultaneously with DMSO and cytochalasin B; such treatment caused cells to become enlarged and multinucleated due to inhibition of cytokinesis by cytochalasin B. In contrast, exposure of cells to cytochalasin B for at least 48 hr prior to DMSO caused significant inhibition of erythroid differentiation. The findings support the concept that cellular division and, thereby the production of new cellular types are not required for gene activation and the expression of an erythroid phenotype. These effects of cytochalasin B on DMSO-induced differentiation of Friend leukemia cells also suggest plasma membrane-cytoskeleton involvement in the initiation of the erythroid maturation process in this system.

Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase as a target site for daunomycin in K-562 cells and heart tissue.

Daunomycin and other structurally related anthracyclines can cause myelosuppression and cardiomyopathy. We explored the possible mechanism(s) by which daunomycin (DAU) interacts with target sites in neoplastic hemopoietic cells and heart tissue. We observed that [3H(G)]DAU interacts selectively with mitochondrial hemoproteins isolated from K-562 cells and rat and bovine heart and forms relatively stable protein complexes. Isolation, purification, and chromatographic analysis of the mitochondrial components complexed with [3H(G)]DAU revealed that one of the major components involved is cytochrome c oxidase (COX). Both DAU and ADR caused a dose-dependent inhibition of COX activity in vitro, an event prevented by exogenous hemin. The interaction of DAU with COX appears to occur via more than one site, one of which at least appears to be the prosthetic group of heme. Therefore, mitochondrial COX, a pivotal mitochondrial enzyme for cell respiration, may serve as a potential target site for DAU and other related anthracyclines.

Analysis of hemin-induced protection of human hemopoietic cells from the cytotoxic effects of anthracyclines.

Experiments were performed with K562 erythroleukemia cells to further characterize the observation that hemin protects hemopoietic cells from the cytotoxic effects of anthracycline drugs. The present studies demonstrate that this protective effect of hemin applies only to anthracyclines and not to other classes of antineoplastic agents. Hemin interferes with the cellular accumulation of various anthracyclines, as measured by cytofluorography, and prevents binding of anthracyclines to isolated cell nuclei. Exposure of K562 cells to hemin retards the anthracycline-induced arrest of cells at the G2-M interphase of the cell cycle and permits cells to undergo continuing division as demonstrated by clonal growth in plasma clot cultures. Furthermore, hemin decreases the ability of anthracyclines to unwind simian virus 40 supercoiled DNA in vitro. The protective effect of hemin fails to occur if cells have been preincubated with this agent for 72 h before they are exposed to Adriamycin in the absence of hemin. The findings suggest that hemin prevents anthracycline-induced cytotoxicity by acting at several levels. These effects may be mediated by direct interactions of hemin with DNA and perhaps other cellular constituents or by molecular complex formation between hemin and anthracyclines at intracellular sites.

Analysis of commitment of human leukemia HL-60 cells to terminal granulocytic maturation.

Analysis of commitment of human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells to terminal granulocytic maturation induced by dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or retinoic acid (RA) was accomplished using biochemical measurements and a plasma clot clonal assay system that permits a high plating efficiency of 40 to 60%. Commitment to granulocytic maturation occurs very rapidly. When cells are exposed to these inducers for only 8 to 18 h, an interval much shorter than a single generation time, and are then subcultured in inducer-free plasma clots, they demonstrate a decrease in proliferative capacity and form colonies composed of mature nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT)-positive cells along with occasional colonies containing both NBT-positive and NBT-negative cells; in both types of colony, the NBT-positive cells are widely dispersed. Undifferentiated HL-60 cells give rise to compact NBT-negative colonies of large size without cell migration. HL-60 cell differentiation induced by either DMSO or RA is associated with a progressive decline in both DNA and RNA synthesis; this includes transcriptional inactivation of ribosomal DNA sequences. In contrast to DMSO, which induces development primarily of metamyelocytes, RA treatment leads to the accumulation of more mature band and segmented neutrophils; sequential exposure of cells pretreated with DMSO to RA alone fails to cause rapid appearance of segmented neutrophils. From these studies, we conclude that HL-60 cells become very rapidly committed to terminal maturation and that DMSO and RA appear to induce granulocytic maturation via two different mechanisms.

Inhibition by dexamethasone of commitment to erythroid differentiation in murine erythroleukemia cells.

The inhibition of erythroid differentiation of murine erythroleukemia cells by dexamethasone (DEX) has been investigated on a clonal basis. At concentrations which had no detectable effect on cell proliferation, DEX3 rapidly inhibited the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-induced commitment of individual murine erythroleukemia cells to the differentiation program. DEX did not prevent heme accumulation in cells already committed to the differentiation process. The rate of globin messenger RNA (mRNA) synthesis was reduced in cells treated with DMSO and DEX compared to cells treated with DMSO alone. The reduction in the rate of globin mRNA synthesis was proportional to the reduction caused by DEX in the rate of commitment. DEX inhibition in the rate of commitment and of globin mRNA synthesis of DMSO-treated cells was reversible. Upon removal of DEX, continued DMSO treatment resulted in a rapid increase in both the rate of globin mRNA synthesis and the rate of commitment. The rate of globin mRNA synthesis after DEX release was also proportional to the rate of commitment. These results suggest that DEX exerts an inhibitory effect on heme and globin synthesis by blocking commitment to terminal erythroid differentiation.

Prevention of anthracycline-induced cytotoxicity in hemopoietic cells by hemin.

Anthracyclines such as Adriamycin (ADR) and daunomycin markedly inhibit cell growth in vivo and in vitro. These studies demonstrate that 30 microM hemin, which induces hemoglobin synthesis in human and murine erythroleukemia cells in culture, markedly decreases the cytotoxicity of ADR in a variety of hemopoietic cell lines (K562, HEL-1, MEL-745, HL-60, and U937) and in erythroid burst-forming cells from normal human marrow. Hemin failed to protect four of the five nonhemopoietic cell lines tested, including MCF-, breast adenocarcinoma cells, C-205 colon carcinoma cells, mouse 3T3 fibroblasts, and mouse kidney VERO cells. Hemin did protect human neuroblastoma IMP-32 cells from ADR cytotoxicity; however, this nonhemopoietic cell line undergoes dendrite formation in response to hemin induction. Cytofluorographic analysis of cellular ADR content and labeling studies with [3H]daunomycin demonstrated that hemin decreases the intracellular accumulation of these anthracyclines by more than 50% in K562 erythroleukemia cells. These studies indicate that small doses of hemin prevent intracellular accumulation of anthracyclines and thereby markedly reduce anthracycline toxicity to cells. Since this protective effect is observed preferentially with hemopoietic cells, it is possible that this finding could be exploited to protect the bone marrow from the cytotoxic action of anthracyclines during therapy for nonhemopoietic tumors.

Early changes in ornithine decarboxylase activity during Friend leukemia cell differentiation.

Agents such as dimethylsulfoxide, N,N'-dimethylformamide and bisacetyldiaminopentane that induce erythroid differentiation of Friend leukemia cells, cause a rapid increase in ornithine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.17) activity in intact cells during the 'latent' period preceding the accumulation of hemoglobin-containing cells. Blockage of erythroid differentiation with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine did not prevent these alterations in enzyme activity. Addition of each chemical inducer in the extracts of these cells stimulate the basal levels of ornithine decarboxylase activity. These data indicate that the chemical inducers of differentiation modify the normal pattern of ornithine decarboxylase activity in this system.

Induction of murine erythroleukemia cell differentiation is associated with methylation and differential stability of poly(A)+ RNA transcripts.

Murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells exposed to DMSO were assessed for their ability to methylate poly(A)+ RNA and accumulate RNA transcripts of globin and nonglobin genes (c-myc, beta-actin and MER5). Cells were pulse-labeled with L-[methyl-3H]methionine, cytoplasmic RNA was isolated, selected for poly(A)+ RNA and analyzed by HPLC chromatography for methylated nucleosides. When MEL cells were exposed to inhibitors of RNA methylation (neplanocin A, 3-deazaneplanocin A and cycloleucine) and assessed for their ability to differentiate by DMSO, accumulate RNA transcripts, produce hemoglobin, methylate poly(A)+ and poly(A)- RNA and synthesize S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), we observed the following: (a) MEL cells treated with DMSO underwent hypermethylation in poly(A)+ RNA that preferentially occurred at the 5'-cap structures (7-methylguanosine and 2'-O-methylcytidine and 2'-O-methyluridine); (b) inducer-treated MEL cells exhibited a decrease in the intracellular level of SAH that led to a lower ratio of SAH/SAM, an event that favors methylation; and (c) treatment of MEL cells with inhibitors of RNA methylation suppressed methylation of poly(A)- and poly(A)+ RNA, reversed the ratio SAH/SAM seen in differentiated MEL cells and prevented differentiation to occur. Moreover, we observed that treatment of MEL cells with selective inhibitors of RNA methylation caused fragmentation of beta major globin and c-myc mRNAs, two RNA transcripts coded by developmentally regulated genes, while had no detectable effect on the structural integrity of poly(A)+ RNA transcripts transcribed by two housekeeping genes (beta-actin and MER5). These data indicate that induction of erythroid cell differentiation of MEL cells is associated with changes in methylation of poly(A)+ RNA and selective differential stability of RNA transcripts, two events that might be related to each other.

Relationship between cellular replication and erythroid differentiation of murine leukemia cells.

Murine erythroleukemia cells, grown in culture and induced to differentiate by dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), were employed to explore the relationship between cellular proliferation and maturation. The expression of an erythroid phenotype, as measured by the accumulation of hemoglobin, occurred over a narrow range of concentrations of inducers; the maximum degree of differentiation was attained at a level of inducing agent which caused slight inhibition of cell replication. Stationary phase cells with diminished capacity for DNA synthesis failed to differentiate in the presence of DMSO; whereas, in contrast, exponentially growing murine leukemia cells undergoing extensive DNA biosynthesis readily attained a differentiated phenotype. The induced synthesis of hemoglobin in Friend cells exposed to DMSO was inhibited by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine, arabinosylcytosine and hydroxyurea, when cells were simultaneously exposed to DMSO and a metabolic inhibitor. However, addition of either 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine, arabinosylcytosine or hydroxyurea to cultures pretreated with DMSO did not prevent the ultimate expression of the erythroid phenotype. These findings suggest that a process which is associated with cellular proliferation is required for the initiation of murine erythroleukemia cell maturation, but not for the ultimate accumulation of the erythroid marker hemoglobin in cells programmed to differentiate.

Dexamethasone-sensitive and -insensitive responses during in vitro differentiation of Friend erythroleukemia cells.

We have investigated the mechanism(s) by which dexamethasone inhibit DMSO-induced Friend erythroleukemia cell differentiation in vitro. In particular, we examined the effects of dexamethasone on (a) the early events of differentiation such as cell volume alterations and 'memory response' and (b) the onset of biochemical events associated with terminal erythroid cell differentiation. By analysing kinetics of commitment of Friend cells to terminal erythroid differentiation on a clonal basis, we have observed that dexamethasone inhibited the completion of the latent period (time elapsed prior to commitment) and impaired "memory" (ability to inducer-treated cells to continue differentiation after a discontinuous exposure to inducer). Treatment of Friend cells with dexamethasone did not prevent the occurrence of DMSO-induced alterations in cell volume. However, dexamethasone treatment prevented a series of biochemical events associated with terminal Friend cell differentiation. These include the decrease in the rate of both cytoplasmic and nuclear RNA synthesis as well as the induction of cytidine deaminase activity and hemoglobin synthesis. These data indicate that the dexamethasone-sensitive process(es) operate during the early stages of Friend cell differentiation and that they are responsible for the inhibition of terminal erythroid maturation. These dexamethasone-sensitive processes, however, appear to be different from those regulating cell volume alterations during the early steps of DMSO-induced Friend cell differentiation.

Cooperative effects of hemin and anthracyclines in promoting terminal erythroid maturation in K562 human erythroleukemia cells.

Simultaneous exposure to 30 microM hemin and 3 x 10(-8) M aclacinomycin (ACL) or mussetamycin for 6 days led to terminal differentiation of K562 cells. The number of hemoglobinized cells and the total hemoglobin content of cells treated with both ACL and hemin exceeded the sum of the corresponding values induced in response to each of these two agents when used alone. Although neither ACL nor hemin alone induced substantial morphological maturation, 40%-45% of cells treated with both agents developed the morphological characteristics of orthochromatophilic normoblasts, a level of maturation not previously reported for this highly malignant cell line. Subcloning of K562 cells that had been treated with both ACL and hemin in inducer-free plasma clots revealed a 50% decrease in the clonogenic potential of these cells, even though the cells in the original cultures were still growing at only a moderately decreased rate. Despite the apparent terminal maturation of K562 cells induced with both ACL and hemin, with an advanced level of morphologic maturation and hemoglobin synthesis accompanied by a loss of proliferative capacity, these cells remained incapable of producing beta-globin chains and hence hemoglobin A.

N6-methyladenosine inhibits murine erythroleukemia cell maturation by blocking methylation of RNA and memory via conversion to S-(N6-methyl)-adenosylhomocysteine.

We have shown earlier that N6-methyladenosine (N6mAdo) and other methylated derivatives block commitment of murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells to terminal erythroid maturation. In this study, we further investigated the mechanism of this blockade. Treatment of MEL cells with N6mAdo inhibited cell growth, prevented accumulation of committed cells, suppressed methylation of total cytoplasmic RNA, and erased the expression of "memory" response, an event that precedes initiation of commitment. Furthermore, N6mAdo increased the level of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) and altered the SAH/SAM ratio that influences methylation of ribonucleic acid (RNA). Moreover, analysis of the intracellular extracts revealed that N6-mAdo is converted into S-(N6-methyl)-adenosylhomocysteine (N6-SAH) in MEL cells, an active intermediate that affects methylation of RNA. Therefore, we conclude that N6-mAdo prevents induction of MEL cell differentiation by affecting methylation of critical RNA transcripts involved in expression of "memory" and initiation of commitment. It is likely that this inhibition occurs via conversion of N6mAdo into N6-SAH.

Effects of hemin on apoptosis, suppression of cytochrome c oxidase gene expression, and bone-marrow toxicity induced by doxorubicin (adriamycin).

We have shown that hemin (iron-protoporphyrin IX) selectively counteracts doxorubicin (Adriamycin, ADR)-induced cytotoxicity on human leukemia K-562 cells by preventing ADR from inhibiting mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COX), a novel target site for anthracyclines. Here, we investigated whether or not (a) treatment with ADR promotes apoptosis and represses the expression of two COX genes (one nuclear and one mitochondrial) in human K-562 cells in the absence and presence of hemin, and (b) injection of hemin preserves bone-marrow cellularity in ADR-myelosuppressed rats. Cultured K-562 cells were incubated with varying concentrations of ADR.HCl (0.2 microM to 5 microM) in the presence and absence of hemin (30 microM) and assessed for DNA degradation, as well as for expression of mitochondrial COXII and nuclear COXIV genes by RNA Northern blot hybridization analysis. In parallel, we investigated whether or not hemin injected i.p. in myelosuppressed rats affected ADR-induced bone-marrow cytotoxicity. These studies have shown the following: (a) ADR caused a dose- and time-dependent DNA fragmentation, characteristic of apoptosis, in K-562 cells; (b) hemin reduced the frequency of cell death caused by ADR: this effect was specific for ADR, because hemin failed to prevent apoptosis induced by methotrexate (MTX) in these cells; (c) ADR suppressed expression of COXIV and COXII genes, and exposure of ADR-treated K-562 cells to hemin did not reverse this suppression; and (d) i.p. injection of hemin in ADR-myelosuppressed rats improved bone-marrow cellularity, promoted colony formation (CFU-GM and CFU-F), and stromal cell outgrowth; moreover, hemin increased WBC counts depressed 12 days after ADR treatment. These studies indicate that hemin is a selective inhibitor of ADR-induced apoptosis of human leukemia cells and preserves bone-marrow cellularity in rats injected with ADR.

Analysis of the inhibition of commitment of murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells to terminal maturation by N6-methyladenosine.

Treatment of cultured murine erythroleukemia (MEL or Friend) cells with N6-methylated derivatives of adenosine inhibited erythroid cell differentiation induced by various agents. N6-Methyladenosine (N6mAdo) inhibited initiation of commitment to terminal maturation and prevented accumulation of hemoglobin in a concentration-dependent manner. Treatment with N6mAdo slowed cell growth without causing substantial inhibition in the rate of DNA synthesis and a marked decrease in viability and clonogenic potential of MEL cells. Furthermore, N6mAdo decreased the cytoplasmic accumulation of beta(major) globin mRNA and affected its structural integrity in MEL cells. Cells pre-exposed to N6mAdo failed to initiate commitment as early as control cells upon challenge with the inducer dimethyl sulfoxide. N6mAdo-induced inhibition of commitment was not reversed but rather was potentiated by the presence of adenine, L-homocysteine and/or L-methionine, agents involved in the active methylation cycle. To this respect, N6mAdo-induced inhibition of commitment was found to be different from that caused by cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine, an inhibitor of RNA methylation and mRNA polyadenylation). The latter inhibition was fully reversed by the addition of L-methionine. These findings indicate that N6-methyladenosine: (a) blocks a central process that is required for initiation of commitment; and (b) decreases accumulation of beta (major) globin mRNA, causes mRNA degradation and prevents hemoglobin synthesis. Due to the differential sensitivity of N6mAdo- and cordycepin-induced blockade of commitment to L-methionine, these agents inhibit commitment by acting via two different mechanisms impinging on the final pathway of MEL erythroid cell maturation.

Structural and functional impairment of mitochondria in adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy in mice: suppression of cytochrome c oxidase II gene expression.

The use of adriamycin (ADR) in cancer chemotherapy has been limited due to its cumulative cardiovascular toxicity. Earlier observations that ADR interacts with mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COX) and suppresses its enzyme activity led us to investigate ADR's action on the cardiovascular functions and heart mitochondrial morphology in Balb-c mice i.p. treated with ADR for several weeks. At various times during treatment, the animals were assessed for cardiovascular functions by electrocardiography and for heart tissue damage by electron microscopy. In parallel, total RNA was extracted from samples of dissected heart and analyzed by Northern blot hybridization to determine the steady-state level of three RNA transcripts encoded by the COXII, COXIII, and COXIV genes. Similarly, samples obtained from the liver of the same animals were analyzed for comparative studies. Our results indicated that 1) treatment of mice with ADR caused cardiovascular arrhythmias characterized by bradycardia, extension of ventricular depolarization time (tQRS), and failure of QRS at high concentrations (10-14 mg/kg body weight cumulative dose); 2) the heart mitochondria underwent swelling, fusion, dissolution, and/or disruption of mitochondrial cristae after several weeks of treatment. Such abnormalities were not observed in the mitochondria of liver tissue; and 3) among the three genes of COX enzyme examined, only COXII gene expression was suppressed by ADR treatment, mainly after 8 weeks in both heart and liver. Knowing that heart mitochondria represent almost 40% of heart muscle by weight, we conclude that the deteriorating effects of ADR on cardiovascular function involve mitochondrial structural and functional impairment.

Expression of ribosomal protein S5 cloned gene during differentiation and apoptosis in murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells.

Murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells have been used as a suitable model system for studying cellular and molecular mechanisms of erythroid differentiation. In an effort to isolate and characterize genes whose expression change during differentiation, we cloned and sequenced a cDNA of 715 bp (rpS5) from a MEL cDNA library. The cloned mouse cDNA showed significant degree of structural homology in both DNA and protein level to known human and rat genes that encode the S5 proteins of 40S ribosomal subunit. The use of 715-bp cDNA as probe revealed the presence of an RNA transcript in the cytoplasm of MEL and human neuroectodermal RD/TE-671 cells. The steady-state accumulation level of this RNA transcript decreased upon induction of differentiation of both cell lines by treatment with DMSO and UDP-4, two structurally different inducers. Blockade of MEL cell differentiation by the inhibitor N6-methyladenosine preserved the constitutive expression of the rpS5 gene. DNA methylation analysis at CCGG sites located at the rpS5 gene locus in undifferentiated and differentiated MEL cells revealed that the suppression of the rpS5 gene during MEL cell differentiation is not related to any change in methylation at these sites. Moreover, the rpS5 gene continued to be expressed in cells undergoing serum-deprived apoptosis, like in control untreated cells. Therefore, we conclude that there may be a disparate pattern of expression of the rpS5 gene in differentiating and apoptotic cells. These data can be valuable in understanding the role of ribosomal proteins during differentiation and cell death (apoptosis) of neoplastic cells, although there is no experimental evidence that the suppression of the rpS5 gene is related mechanistically to the induction of differentiation. It may well be considered as part of the differentiation process.

Molecular and cellular mechanisms of leukemic hemopoietic cell differentiation: an analysis of the Friend system.

Murine erythroleukemia (MEL or Friend) cells grown in culture and induced to differentiate into cells resembling orthochromatic normoblasts provide a suitable system for uncovering molecular and cellular mechanisms of hemopoiesis and for understanding globin gene regulation. Inducer-treated cells undergo an irreversible commitment to maturation and accumulate large amounts of hemoglobin. Clonal analysis of commitment of individual cells combined with biochemical measurements has revealed that MEL cell differentiation is a highly coordinated set of events (program) leading to the differentiated erythroid state. The developmental program of MEL cells consists of early and late processes. The early events appear to be membrane-mediated processes which operate independently of each other and lead to commitment to terminal maturation and hemoglobin synthesis. Inducer-treated cells express an ability to remember ("memory response") previous exposure to inducer and to continue their differentiation after discontinuous exposure to inducer; expression of "memory response" occurs early in differentiation and affects both the initiation of commitment and accumulation of globin mRNA in a similar manner in inducer-treated cells. Commitment to maturation appears to be the central process responsible for determining the pattern of gene expression, limitation of proliferative activity and nuclear condensation. Commitment, however, can occur independently of hemoglobin synthesis. Although initiation of commitment is associated with early membrane-mediated events (e.g., ion-transport), maintenance and completion of maturation erythroid state is a result of a number of cellular processes. These processes are discussed in relation to the molecular and cellular mechanisms of initiation and completion of MEL cell differentiation. The role of the MEL system as a model for studying mouse and human globin gene regulation is presented.

Synthesis, molecular structure determination, and antitumor activity of platinum(II) and palladium(II) complexes of 2-substituted benzimidazole.

The complexes of 2-aminomethyl benzimidazole, 2-(beta-aminoethyl)benzimidazole, and 2-(alpha-aminoethy-l)benzimidazole with Pt(II) and Pd(II) have been prepared. The molecular structure of the free ligands and their complexes were studied by IR and 1H NMR. It was concluded that the substituted benzimidazole derivatives behave as bidentate ligands, being bound to the metal atoms via the nitrogen of the -N = group and the amino group of the side chain of the benzimidazole ring. The metal complexes were tested for antineoplastic activity both in cultures of neoplastic cells (MEL-745, K-562, Colon 205, IMP-32, SK-N-SH) and in vivo in rodents bearing L-1210 leukemia. The antiproliferative activity of these agents was compared to that of cis-platin.