ucn-1028-c and Brain-Neoplasms

We assessed the radiosensitivity of the grade III human glioma cell line U-373MG by investigating the effects of radiation and the specific protein kinase C inhibitor, calphostin C on the cell cycle and cell proliferation. Irradiated glioma U-373MG cells progressed through G1-S and underwent an arrest in G2-M phase. The radiosensitivity of U-373MG cells to graded doses of either photons or electrons was determine by microculture tetrazolium assay. The data was fitted to the linear-quadratic model. The proliferation curves demonstrated that U-373MG cells appear to be highly radiation resistant since 8 Gy was required to achieve 50% cell mortality. Compared to radiation alone, exposure to calphostin C (250 nM) 1 h prior to radiation decreased the proliferation of U-373MG by 76% and calphostin C provoked a weakly synergistic effect in concert with radiation. Depending on the time of application following radiation, calphostin C produced an additive or less than additive effect on cell proliferation. We postulate that the enhanced radiosensitivity observed when cells are exposed to calphostin C prior to radiation may be due to direct or indirect inhibition of protein kinase C isozymes required for cell cycle progression.

Topics: Brain Neoplasms; Cell Cycle; Cell Division; Enzyme Inhibitors; Glioma; Humans; Naphthalenes; Protein Kinase C; Radiation, Ionizing; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Transmission electron microscopy and immunogold labeling were used to determine how PKC-betaII is localized at stages in the cell cycle of the human glioma cell line U-373MG. Results show that immunogold particles in both dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and calphostin C (0.5 microM)-treated cells were mainly located in the cytoplasm. The concentration of gold particles in the nucleus was relatively small and constant throughout the cell cycle of both DMSO and calphostin C treated cells. Micrographs revealed changes in PKC-betaII during the cell cycle. The concentration of gold particles in the DMSO-treated cells was constant until 8 h. Subsequently, cytoplasmic PKC-betaII oscillated with an increased at 10 h, a rapid decrease at 12 h, and a rise at 14 h. The concentration of the gold particles then gradually decreased. In contrast, immunogold labeling in calphostin C-treated cells increased gradually up to 10 h. Subsequently, the pattern of PKC-betaII labeling in calphostin C-treated cells recapitulated those of control cells as seen by the rapid decline of PKC-betaII labeling at 12 h and its re-accumulation at 14 h. Additionally, there was a rapid increase at 20 h. Western blots of PKC-betaII showed constant PKC-betaII immunoreactivity throughout the cell cycle. In comparison to Western blots, in-situ immunogold labeling revealed changes in PKC-II immunoreactivity at 10 h and 14 h. This technique may represent intracellular immunoreactivity of PKC-betaII. The results from the immunogold labeling technique suggest that binding of calphostin C to the regulatory domain of PKC-betaII provokes a conformation change in PKC-betaII, preventing its activation and degradation.

Topics: Blotting, Western; Brain Neoplasms; Cell Cycle; Dimethyl Sulfoxide; Glioma; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Isoenzymes; Microscopy, Electron; Naphthalenes; Protein Kinase C; Protein Kinase C beta; Staining and Labeling; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Recent studies have suggested that the proliferation of malignant gliomas may result from activation of protein kinase C (PKC)-mediated pathways; conversely, inhibition of PKC may provide a strategy for blocking tumor growth. In the current studies, we examined the effect of a novel PKC inhibitor, calphostin C, which is a selective, highly potent, photo-activatable inhibitor of the PKC regulatory domain, on the proliferation and viability of three established and three low-passage malignant glioma cell lines, four low-passage low-grade glioma cell lines, and in adult human and neonatal rat non-neoplastic astrocyte cell lines in vitro. Under light-treated conditions, calphostin C consistently inhibited cell proliferation in each of the tumor cell lines and in the neonatal rat astrocyte cell line with a 50% effective concentration of 30 to 50 ng/ml (40 to 60 nm), which was comparable to the previously reported median inhibitory concentration (IC50) for PKC inhibition by calphostin C. Complete elimination of proliferation was achieved at concentrations of 50 to 100 ng/ml (60 to 125 nM). Cell viability decreased sharply with calphostin C concentrations of 100 to 300 ng/ml (125 to 380 nM). In contrast, under light-shielded conditions, calphostin C had a comparatively modest effect on cell proliferation and viability, with a median effective concentration of approximately 300 ng/ml. No significant inhibition of proliferation was noted in the non-neoplastic adult astrocyte cell line under either light-treated or light-shielded conditions. These findings provide further evidence that PKC may play an essential role in mediating the proliferation of both benign and malignant glioma cells in vitro and may also contribute to the proliferation of non-neoplastic immature astrocytes. Light-sensitive inhibition of proliferation and viability by agents such as calphostin C may provide a novel strategy for applying photodynamic therapy to the treatment of neoplastic glial cells.

Topics: Animals; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Brain Neoplasms; Cell Division; Glioma; Humans; Naphthalenes; Protein Kinase C; Rats; Tumor Cells, Cultured