herbimycin and Adenocarcinoma

Activation of Src, which has an intrinsic protein tyrosine kinase activity, has been demonstrated in many human tumours, such as colorectal and breast cancers, and is closely associated with the pathogenesis and metastatic potential of these cancers. In this study, we have examined the effect of activated Src on the sensitivity to taxotere, an anticancer drug targeting microtubules, using v-src-transfected HAG-1 human gall bladder epithelial cells. As compared with parental HAG-1 cell line, v-src-transfected HAG/src3-1 cells became 5.9 and 7.0-fold sensitive to taxotere for 2 and 24-h exposure, respectively. By contrast, HAG-1 cells transfected with activated Ras, which acts downstream of Src, acquired approximately 2.5- approximately 4.8-fold taxotere resistance. The taxotere sensitivity in HAG/src3-1 cells was reversed, if not completely, by herbimycin A, a specific inhibitor of Src family protein tyrosine kinase, indicating that Src protein tyrosine kinase augments sensitivity to taxotere. Treatment of HAG/src3-1 cells with taxotere resulted in phosphorylation of Bcl-2 and subsequent induction of apoptotic cell death, whereas neither Bcl-2 phosphorylation nor apoptosis occurred in parental or c-H-ras-transfected HAG-1 cells. Interestingly, the Bcl-2 protein is overexpressed in v-src-transfected cell line, compared to those in parental or Ras-transfected cell line. Treatment of HAG/src3-1 cells with herbimycin A significantly reduced the expression and phosphorylation of Bcl-2, and abrogated taxotere-induced apoptosis, suggesting a potential role for Src protein tyrosine kinase in the taxotere-induced apoptotic events. H-7, a protein kinase C inhibitor and wortmannin, a phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI-3 kinase) inhibitor, neither altered taxotere sensitivity nor inhibited taxotere-induced apoptosis in these cells. These data indicate that the ability of activated Src to increase taxotere sensitivity would be mediated by apoptotic events occurring through Src to downstream signal transduction pathways toward Bcl-2 phosphorylation, but not by activated Ras, PI-3 kinase or protein kinase C.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Androstadienes; Apoptosis; Benzoquinones; Biological Transport; Docetaxel; Enzyme Inhibitors; Humans; Lactams, Macrocyclic; Nucleosomes; Paclitaxel; Phosphorylation; Protein Kinase C; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Quinones; Rifabutin; src-Family Kinases; Taxoids; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Wortmannin

Cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive genetic disease, produced by a mutation in the CFTR gene that impairs its function as a chloride channel. In this work, we have examined the effects of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) on the expression of CFTR in human colonic T84 cells. Treatment of T84 cells with IL-1beta (0.25 ng/ml) for 4 h resulted in an increased CFTR expression (mRNA and protein). However, higher doses of IL-1beta (1 ng/ml and over) produced inhibition of CFTR mRNA and protein expression. The protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors H7 (50 microM) and GF109203X (1 microM) inhibited the stimulatory effect of IL-1beta. Similar effects were seen in the presence of the protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitors genistein (60 microM) and herbymicin A (2 microM). These results suggest that some PKC isoform(s) and at least a PTK might be involved in the CFTR up-regulation induced by IL-1beta. The repression of CFTR up-regulation by cycloheximide (35.5 microM) suggests the participation of a de novo synthesized protein. Results obtained by using the RNA polymerase II inhibitor DRB (78 microM), suggest that the increased mRNA levels seen after IL-1beta treatment are not due to an increased stability of the message. We conclude that the CFTR mRNA and protein levels are modulated by IL-1beta, this cytokine being the first extracellular protein known to up-regulate CFTR gene expression.

Topics: 1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine; Adenocarcinoma; Benzoquinones; Cell Line; Colon; Colonic Neoplasms; Cycloheximide; Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator; Enzyme Inhibitors; Genistein; Humans; Indoles; Interleukin-1; Lactams, Macrocyclic; Maleimides; Neoplasm Proteins; Phosphorylation; Protein Kinase C; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; Quinones; Rifabutin; RNA, Messenger; RNA, Neoplasm; Signal Transduction; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Up-Regulation

Transformed cells often express elevated levels of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins. Inhibition of protein tyrosine kinases causes reversion of malignant cells to the normal phenotype. In the present study, we evaluated the possibility that the reversion of human endometrial adenocarcinoma RL95-2 cells to a stationary phenotype induced by retinoic acid was associated with inhibition of tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins. We found that retinoic acid decreased the levels of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins, as assessed by immunostaining and immunoprecipitations using specific anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies. In addition, the inhibitors of tyrosine kinases herbimycin A and tyrphostin mimicked retinoic acid, inducing F-actin reorganization and increasing the size of RL95-2 cells, as determined by measurement of cell perimeters. Because focal adhesions that connect actin filaments with the plasma membrane are major sites of tyrosine phosphorylation, we further investigated whether selected focal adhesion proteins were affected by retinoic acid. We found that retinoic acid altered the localization of focal adhesion kinase. All-trans retinoic acid was effective in reducing the levels of focal adhesion kinase and paxillin protein. Thirteen-cis retinoic acid increased the levels of vinculin protein in the cytosolic fraction of cells. These changes are consistent with actin reorganization and reversion toward a stationary phenotype induced by retinoic acid in endometrial adenocarcinoma RL95-2 cells. Our results indicate that the differentiating effects of retinoids on endometrial cells are associated with decreases in tyrosine phosphorylation and changes in the levels and distribution of focal adhesion proteins. These findings suggest that signaling pathways that involve tyrosine kinases are potential targets for drug design against endometrial cancer.

Topics: Actins; Adenocarcinoma; Analysis of Variance; Benzoquinones; Cell Adhesion Molecules; Endometrial Neoplasms; Enzyme Inhibitors; Female; Focal Adhesion Kinase 1; Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Humans; Isotretinoin; Kinetics; Lactams, Macrocyclic; Phosphoproteins; Phosphorylation; Phosphotyrosine; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Quinones; Rifabutin; Tretinoin; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Activation of Src, which has an intrinsic protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) activity, has been demonstrated in human solid tumors, such as colorectal and breast cancers. To investigate the role of activated Src in drug resistance, we evaluated the effect of v-src on the resistance to various anti-cancer drugs using v-src-transfected HAG-1 human gallbladder adenocarcinoma cells. Compared with parental or mock-transfected HAG-1 cells, v-src-transfected HAG/src3-1 cells showed a 3.5-fold resistance to cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (CDDP) but not to doxorubicin, etoposide or 5-fluorouracil. By contrast, activated H-ras, which acts downstream of src, failed to induce resistance to either of these drugs. Furthermore, wortmannin, a phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase inhibitor, and H7, a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, did not alter CDDP resistance. Evaluation of the kinetics of the removal of DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs), measured by alkaline elution, showed a significant increase in this removal in HAG/src3-1 cells as compared with mock-transfected cells, though no differences were found in the formation of DNA ICLs between these cell lines. CDDP resistance in v-src-transfected cells was reversed, if not completely, by either herbimycin A or radicicol, specific inhibitors of Src-family PTKs, suggesting that Src tyrosine kinase activity induces CDDP resistance. Moreover, significant reduction in the repair of CDDP-induced DNA ICLs was observed upon treatment with radicicol. The intracellular glutathione content and mRNA expression of topoisomerase II and metallothionein were virtually identical between these cell lines, except for topoisomerase I mRNA. Our data strongly suggest that the ability of activated src, but not ras, to induce CDDP resistance is mediated by augmentation of DNA repair through Src to downstream signal-transduction pathways distinct from either the Ras, PI 3-kinase or PKC pathway.

Topics: 1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine; Adenocarcinoma; Androstadienes; Benzoquinones; Cell Survival; Cisplatin; DNA Adducts; DNA Damage; DNA Repair; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Enzyme Inhibitors; Gallbladder Neoplasms; Genes, src; Humans; Lactams, Macrocyclic; Lactones; Macrolides; Oncogene Protein pp60(v-src); Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Quinones; Recombinant Proteins; Rifabutin; Transfection; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Wortmannin

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase is the major rate-limiting enzyme in sterol and non-sterol isoprenoid synthesis. Isoprenoids are involved in the mechanisms of cell proliferation and transformation leading notably to crucial post-translational maturation of small G-proteins of the Ras superfamily. HMG-CoA reductase is among the most highly regulated enzymes. It is controlled by several feedback regulation mechanisms induced by sterol and non-sterol metabolites. The present results show that tyrosine kinase activity is also involved in the regulation of HMG-CoA reductase activity in the human breast cancer cell line SKBR-3. Incubation of SKBR-3 cells with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, herbimycin A, induces a concentration-dependent reduction of HMG-CoA reductase activity with an IC50 of 80nM. The inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase activity by herbimycin A is also time-dependent. A similar effect of herbimycin A was obtained on the steady-state level of the HMG-CoA reductase protein. The effect of herbimycin A is probably specific as it abolished the stimulation of reductase activity by epidermal growth factor. To elucidate the molecular basis of the inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase activity and protein level by herbimycin A, we performed experiments to study the metabolic turnover of this enzyme using [35S]methionine and [35]cysteine. Herbimycin A (1 microM) did not have any significant effect on the rate of HMG-CoA reductase protein degradation but did affect its rate of synthesis and mRNA levels. The decrease in protein synthesis rate correlates with the lower reductase protein level but is more pronounced than the decrease in mRNA levels. Taken together, the results reveal a novel pathway of regulation of HMG-CoA reductase expression and activity by cellular tyrosine kinase activities.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Benzoquinones; Breast Neoplasms; Down-Regulation; Enzyme Inhibitors; Epidermal Growth Factor; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases; Lactams, Macrocyclic; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Quinones; Rifabutin; RNA, Messenger

Geldanamycin belongs to the family of benzoquinoid ansamycin tyrosine-kinase inhibitors. We have examined its effects on Her-2/neu kinase activity, protein expression level, and proliferation of Her-2+ malignant cells. In SK-BR-3 breast-cancer cells, short-time treatment with geldanamycin completely abrogated gp30-ligand-induced activation of Her-2 without a change of receptor-expression level. Longer treatment of intact cells with geldanamycin induced decreased steady-state Her-2 autophosphorylation activity, which correlated with reduction of Her-2 protein expression and phosphotyrosine content of several proteins. The decrease was time- and dose-dependent, starting after 1 hr at 100 nM concentration and reaching completion by 24 hr. The reduction of the Her-2 protein level probably resulted from increased degradation, since the Her-2 mRNA level remained constant. Geldanamycin effects were not specific for Her-2, since the non-receptor tyrosine-kinase fyn was inhibited equally. In contrast to these results, protein-kinase-C activity was not affected. In 3 other malignant cell lines expressing different amounts of Her-2 (SK-BR-3 > SK-OV-3 > OVCAR3 > MCF7), geldanamycin also effectively reduced Her-2-kinase activity proportionally to the decrease of protein expression. In contrast, in a [3H]-thymidine-uptake assay, cell growth was meaningfully inhibited by geldanamycin at nanomolar concentrations only in SK-BR-3 (IC50 2 nM) and MCF7 (IC50 20 nM), while OVCAR3 was only moderately sensitive (IC50 2 microM) and SK-OV-3 was clearly resistant to geldanamycin. In direct comparison with herbimycin A, another benzoquinoid ansamycin that has been more thoroughly characterized, the biologic effects of geldanamycin were more pronounced.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Benzoquinones; Breast Neoplasms; Cell Division; Enzyme Activation; Enzyme Inhibitors; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Lactams, Macrocyclic; Ligands; Neoplasm Proteins; Ovarian Neoplasms; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Quinones; Receptor, ErbB-2; Rifabutin; RNA, Messenger; RNA, Neoplasm; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Herbimycin A, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, induces cellular differentiation and delayed apoptosis in Colo-205 cells, a poorly differentiated human colon carcinoma cell line. Cell cycle analysis in conjunction with end labeling of DNA fragments revealed that G2 arrest preceded apoptotic cell death. Ultrastructural examination of herbimycin-treated cells demonstrated morphologic features of epithelial differentiation, including formation of a microvillar apical membrane and lateral desmosome adhesions. A marked accumulation of mitochondria was also observed. Fluorometric analysis using the mitochondrial probes nonyl-acridine orange and JC-1 confirmed a progressive increase in mitochondrial mass. However these cells also demonstrated a progressive decline in unit mitochondrial transmembrane potential (DeltaPsim) as determined by the DeltaPsim-sensitive fluorescent probes rhodamine 123 and JC-1 analyzed for red fluorescence. In concert with these mitochondrial changes, Colo-205 cells treated with herbimycin A produced increased levels of reactive oxygen species as evidenced by oxidation of both dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate and dihydroethidium. Cell-free assays for apoptosis using rat-liver nuclei and extracts of Colo-205 cells at 24 h showed that apoptotic activity of Colo-205 lysates requires the early action of mitochondria. Morphological and functional mitochondrial changes were observed at early time points, preceding cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. These results suggest that apoptosis in differentiated Colo-205 cells involves unrestrained mitochondrial proliferation and progressive membrane dysfunction, a novel mechanism in apoptosis.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Animals; Apoptosis; Benzoquinones; Cell Cycle; Cell Differentiation; Cell Division; Cell Survival; Cell-Free System; Colon; Colonic Neoplasms; Enzyme Inhibitors; Fluorescent Dyes; Humans; Intracellular Membranes; Lactams, Macrocyclic; Liver; Membrane Potentials; Mitochondria; Oxidation-Reduction; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Quinones; Rats; Reactive Oxygen Species; Rifabutin; Tumor Cells, Cultured

We have described a microplate colorimetric assay to quantitate anchorage-independent cell growth, using plates coated with an anti-adhesive polymer poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (polyHEMA).We investigated whether this method could be applied to human cancer cells of epithelial origin. HAG-1, a non-tumorigenic human gall-bladder carcinoma cell line, and its pSVneo and c-H-ras transfectants, which are also non-tumorigenic, did not grow on a polyHEMA-surface. In contrast, the v-src transformant which produced tumors in nude mice and formed colonies in soft agar, was able to proliferate on the coated surface, suggesting that tumorigenicity of human cancer cells correlates with the ability to grow on a polyHEMA-coated surface. We report on the feasibility of this method as a screening system for inhibitors of oncogenic transformation. Herbimycin A and radicicol, which have been reported to block Src function, suppressed the growth of v-src-transformed NRK and HAG-1 cells on the non-adhesive polyHEMA-surface at concentrations significantly lower than on plastic. Differences in the inhibitory concentrations were not observed with KB cells, and cytotoxic agents such as adriamycin did not show any selectivity between the 2 surfaces. Growth of ras-transformed cells on the coated surface was selectively blocked by L-739,749, a farnesyltransferase inhibitor. The results demonstrate that compounds causing reversion of transformed cells to normal, hence, selectively inhibiting cell growth in anchorage-independent conditions, can be screened using this microtiter plate assay.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Animals; Benzoquinones; Cell Adhesion; Cell Division; Cell Line, Transformed; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Humans; Lactams, Macrocyclic; Lactones; Macrolides; Methacrylates; Mice; Neoplasms; Oligopeptides; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Quinones; Rifabutin; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms

IMR32, a neuroblastoma cell line, and CADO LC6, a small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell line, extended neurite-like processes when cultured on fibronectin (FN)-coated surfaces or cultured in a serum-free medium. Monoclonal antibodies against the integrin beta 1 subunit inhibited this process formation, suggesting that their morphological change is initiated by beta 1 integrin-dependent signal transduction to the cell interior. Anti-phosphorylation level of a 100-kDa protein, but not 125-kDa focal adhesion kindase, correlated well with the morphological change in both cell lines. This 100-kDa protein phosphorylation did not accompany FN-induced morphological changes in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts or A549 adenocarcinoma cells. These findings suggest that neuroblastoma and SCLC may share beta 1 integrin-mediated signaling events distinct from nonneuronal cells.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Benzoquinones; Blotting, Western; Carcinoma, Small Cell; Cell Adhesion; Cell Adhesion Molecules; Cell Differentiation; Enzyme Inhibitors; Flow Cytometry; Focal Adhesion Kinase 1; Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Humans; Integrin beta1; Lactams, Macrocyclic; Lung Neoplasms; Neuroblastoma; Phosphorylation; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Quinones; Receptor, Insulin; Rifabutin; Signal Transduction; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Tyrosine

The roles of activated ras and src oncogene products in the acquisition of fully neoplastic phenotype by human gallbladder adenocarcinoma cells were investigated by co-transfecting non-tumorigenic HAG-I human gallbladder carcinoma cells with the pSV2neo plasmid and a plasmid carrying either activated c-H-ras or v-src oncogene. G418-resistant clones were isolated and assessed for the acquisition of anchorage-independent growth potential. Neither the 10 established clones transfected with pSV2neo alone nor the 17 clones transfected with activated c-H-ras, including 4 clones expressing the mutated p21H-ras protein, could form colonies in soft agar. By contrast, out of 10 clones transfected with v-src, 2 formed colonies in soft agar and produced tumors in athymic nude mice, the resulting progressive neoplasms being poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas. These tumorigenic clones were shown to have v-src DNA and mRNA levels with p60v-src protein, but there were no significant chromosomal alterations following tumorigenic conversion. Moreover, herbimycin A, a selective src-kinase inhibitor, markedly reduced clonogenic growth of these cells in soft agar rather than monolayer growth, suggesting that anchorage-independent growth of the v-src-transformed HAG-I cells might be driven directly by p60v-src kinase activity. Taken together, our data suggest that the fully neoplastic conversion of HAG-I cells depends on src-related tyrosine-kinase activity, but not solely on the function mediated by activated ras, thus providing evidence of an src-related signaling pathway for the acquisition of tumorigenic potential by human gallbladder adenocarcinoma cells.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Animals; Benzoquinones; Blotting, Northern; Blotting, Southern; Cell Adhesion; Cell Division; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Disease Progression; Gallbladder Neoplasms; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Genes, ras; Genes, src; Humans; Immunoblotting; Karyotyping; Lactams, Macrocyclic; Mice; Mice, Nude; Phenotype; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Quinones; Rifabutin; Transfection

The benzoquinonoid ansamycin antibiotics, geldanamycin and herbimycin A, are potent cytotoxins against tumor cells in vitro. We have examined the mechanism of their in vitro cytotoxicity against human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cells and we have found that multidrug-resistant MCF-7/ADRR cells that exhibit the MDR phenotype and the overexpression of P-170-glycoprotein, were cross-resistant to geldanamycin and herbimycin A. Verapamil, which binds competitively with P-170-glycoprotein, enhanced geldanamycin cytotoxicity 12-fold only in resistant cells, suggesting that geldanamycin may interact with the drug efflux protein. Geldanamycin and herbimycin A, like adriamycin, were reductively activated by the NADPH-cytochrome P450-reductase and formed reactive .OH. The formation of .OH was significantly lower in resistant cells. In contrast to adriamycin, the formation of .OH was unaffected by the addition of DNA, indicating that a DNA-complexed drug was redoxactive and may, therefore, may be more effective in killing tumor cells at the DNA level. These observations indicate that both the decreased free radical formation and interactions with P170 glycoprotein may be important in geldanamycin and herbimycin A resistance in multidrug resistant human breast tumor cells.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; Benzoquinones; Breast Neoplasms; Doxorubicin; Drug Resistance, Multiple; Free Radicals; Humans; Hydroxyl Radical; Lactams, Macrocyclic; NADPH-Ferrihemoprotein Reductase; Quinones; Rifabutin; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Verapamil

The effect of herbimycin A, an ansamycin antibiotic which inhibits cellular transformation by retroviral tyrosine kinases, on the monolayer growth of seven colon tumor cell lines and one cell line established from normal colonic mucosa, CCL239, was examined. Each colon tumor cell line tested showed dose-dependent growth inhibition in response to herbimycin A. A 125ng ml-1 dose of the antibiotic caused greater than 40% growth inhibition in all colon tumor cell lines after two cell doublings. In contrast, at similar herbimycin A concentrations only 12% inhibition was observed in 'normal' CCL239 cells. No major morphologic changes were observed at the light microscopic level in any of the tumor cell lines or CCL239 cells in response to treatment with herbimycin A. Studies using the HT29 colon adenocarcinoma cell line showed dose-dependent inactivation of pp60c-src by herbimycin A, resulting in decreased autophosphorylation, enolase phosphorylation and steady-state levels, which correlated with cellular growth inhibition. Herbimycin A-induced reductions in pp60c-src kinase activity preceded changes in pp60c-src steady-state levels. Growth and pp60c-src inhibition were reversible following removal of herbimycin A from cell culture media. Our results suggest that regulation of pp60c-src tyrosine kinase activity may be important in growth control of colon tumor cells.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Benzoquinones; Cell Division; Cell Line; Colonic Neoplasms; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Immunoblotting; Lactams, Macrocyclic; Precipitin Tests; Proto-Oncogene Proteins pp60(c-src); Quinones; Rifabutin; Tumor Cells, Cultured