hirudin and Cell-Transformation--Neoplastic

A series of T24-H-ras-transformed 10T1/2 fibroblasts with varying metastatic potential was tested for the ability to aggregate platelets. Results indicate that although platelet activation was always detected in the highly metastatic cells, some non-metastatic cells also have the ability to cause platelet aggregation, suggesting that this is a necessary but not sufficient characteristic of the metastatic phenotype. Apyrase, an ADP scavenger, effectively inhibited platelet aggregation by metastatic cells, however, there was no significant increase in ADP secretion or relation to the ability of the tumor cells to activate platelets. Hirudin, a thrombin inhibitor, did not affect aggregation, suggesting that the pathway of activation is thrombin-independent. The glycoprotein processing inhibitor, castanospermine, which reduces glycosidase I activity and metastatic capability, inhibited the ability of metastatic cells to cause platelet aggregation. However, another inhibitor of oligosaccharide processing, swainsonine, which inhibits mannosidase II activity and does not reduce metastasis, had no effect on platelet aggregation. These results show that the integrity of N-linked oligosaccharide structure of glycoproteins is an important feature of the ability of ras-transformed fibroblasts to activate platelets.

Topics: Adenosine Diphosphate; Animals; Apyrase; Cell Line; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Fibroblasts; Genes, ras; Glucosidases; Glycoproteins; Hirudins; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Indolizines; Kinetics; Mice; Platelet Aggregation; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; Transfection

In resting Chinese hamster fibroblasts (CCL39) alpha-thrombin rapidly stimulates several biochemical events implicated in the mitogenic response, including the breakdown of inositol phospholipids, activation of a plasma membrane Na+/H+ antiporter, phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 and increased expression of the proto-oncogene c-myc. Complete removal of the growth factor during cellular G0/G1 transit precludes the re-initiation of DNA synthesis. The present study was designed to examine the fate of alpha-thrombin-activated early events following growth factor inactivation. In cells stimulated for 30 min with alpha-thrombin, neutralization of the growth factor results in: (i) immediate arrest of inositol phosphate formation, (ii) rapid inactivation of Na+/H+ exchange, (iii) deactivation of the S6 phosphorylating system and (iv) strong reduction of c-myc mRNA level. Our findings that commitment for DNA synthesis as well as persistent activation of 'early' cellular events requires continual growth factor stimulation suggest that: (i) growth factor-induced transmembrane signals have a short life and (ii) the generation of these signals during the 8 h of the pre-replicative phase is required for G0-arrested cells to enter the S phase.

Topics: Animals; Cell Line; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Cricetinae; Cricetulus; DNA Replication; Fibroblasts; Hirudins; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Interphase; Kinetics; Nucleic Acid Hybridization; Oncogenes; Phosphatidylinositols; Phosphorylation; Ribosomal Protein S6; Ribosomal Proteins; Sodium; Thrombin