acid-phosphatase and Leukemia-L5178

This study examines the relationship between cell progress into the state of unbalanced growth, hydrolytic enzyme activities and cell survival during the exposure of L5178Y cells to hydroxyurea (HU), excess thymidine (dThR), hydroxyurea with excess of four deoxyribonucleosides (dNR) or excess dTHR with deoxycytidine (dCR). Cell progress into the state of unbalanced growth was measured as cell size, protein/DNA ratio and protein content per cell. Activities of two lysosomal (acid phosphatase, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase) and one cytoplasmic non-lysosomal (LDH) enzymes were determined. It has been found that in cells arrested by HU or excess dThR, a progressive cell volume increase with protein/DNA imbalance is correlated with a progressive increase in lysosomal and non-lysosomal hydrolase activities in the cells and in the medium and with a marked lethal effect. Cell volume increase, enhancement of enzyme activities and cell killing could be prevented in HU-arrested cells by concomitant addition of excess dNR (deoxyadenosine, deoxyguanosine, thymidine, deoxycytidine) leading to equal inhibition of DNA and protein synthesis. Control-like values of all parameters were achieved also in cells in which the dThR-inhibiting effect was reversed by dCR addition. It is suggested that a common pathway in the mode of action of the chemotherapeutic agents inducing cell killing through the state of unbalanced growth can be the over-production, abnormal accumulation and progressive leakage of numerous hydrolytic enzymes through the cell membranes, leading in consequence to 'lytic' cell death.

Topics: Acetylglucosaminidase; Acid Phosphatase; Animals; Cell Division; Cell Line; Cell Survival; Cytoplasm; DNA, Neoplasm; Hexosaminidases; Hydrolysis; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; Leukemia L5178; Lysosomes; Mice; Neoplasm Proteins

The stability of lysosomes prepared from hydroxyurea (HU) treated or untreated L5178Y cells and exposed to an HU-free iso- or hypoosmotic solution was compared. The data revealed that exposure of the cells to 1-10 mM HU for few hours tends to stabilize lysosomes. Partial protection against this effect could be afforded by catalase and superoxide dismutase. Under the same conditions of HU treatment lysosomal enzyme latency remained similar in HU treated and untreated cells.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Animals; Catalase; Cell Line; Hexosaminidases; Hydroxyurea; Intracellular Membranes; Leukemia L5178; Leukemia, Experimental; Lysosomes; Mice; Superoxide Dismutase