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Biomedical subjects

G J Strewler

Publications and source records attributed to G J Strewler.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Human transforming growth factor-alpha stimulates bone resorption in vitro.

Tumor-derived transforming growth factors (TGF) have been proposed as possible mediators of hypercalcemia in malignancy. We have studied the action of recombinant human TGF-alpha in cultured bone cells and in bone explant cultures. In clonal UMR-106 rat osteosarcoma cells, TGF-alpha and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were equipotent in binding to the EGF receptor. TGF-alpha and EGF both stimulated resorption of neonatal mouse calvaria, and maximal responses were obtained with 10 ng/ml of TGF-alpha after 72 h in culture. The effects of both TGF-alpha and EGF in calvaria, but not those of parathyroid hormone, were inhibited by 5 X 10(-7) M indomethacin. Fetal rat limb bone cultures were less sensitive to TGF-alpha than neonatal mouse calvaria, with a concentration of 30 ng/ml being required to stimulate resorption in this system. The bone-resorbing activity of TGF-alpha in fetal rat bones was inhibited by 10 ng/ml calcitonin but not by 5 X 10(-7) M indomethacin. EGF at concentrations up to 300 ng/ml did not stimulate resorption of the limb bones at time periods up to 66 h. The results indicate that human TGF-alpha is a potent bone-resorbing agent, and support the concept that this growth factor exhibits some effects distinct from those of EGF. TGF-alpha could play an etiologic role in the hypercalcemia of malignancy.

Animals↗

Bone disease in alcohol abuse.

We evaluated bone disease in eight white men between the ages of 49 and 61 years who had been abusing alcohol for at least 10 years. The mean density of vertebral cancellous bone was 58% of normal, whereas the mean density of appendicular cortical bone was 90% of normal. Marked reduction in active bone resorption and bone formation was seen without evidence of osteomalacia. Serum levels of calcium and magnesium were in the lower range of normal; serum levels of phosphorus, calcifediol, and calcitriol were normal; and serum levels of parathyroid hormone and nephrogenous cyclic adenosine monophosphate were in the higher range of normal. These data suggest that bone disease in these subjects is not due to inhibition of parathyroid hormone secretion or function, or abnormal vitamin D metabolism, but to an inhibition of bone remodeling by a mechanism independent of the calciotropic hormones.

Adult↗

Activation of the parathyroid hormone receptor-adenylate cyclase system in osteosarcoma cells by a human renal carcinoma factor.

Human renal carcinoma cell line 786-0 elaborates a protein that is structurally and immunochemically distinct from parathyroid hormone (PTH) and that activates renal cortical adenylate cyclase via an interaction with the PTH receptor. Because of the high frequency of excessive bone resorption and resultant hypercalcemia in patients with malignant disease we evaluated the ability of this 786-0 cell factor to reproduce PTH action in bone-derived cells. The 786-0 factor as well as bovine PTH (BPTH) (1-34) and prostaglandin E1 produced marked increases in cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation in the clonal rat osteosarcoma cell line UMR-106. A competitive antagonist of PTH action, [norleucine8, norleucine18, tyrosine34] BPTH(3-34)amide, blocked the cAMP stimulation produced by 786-0 factor and BPTH(1-34) but not that produced by prostaglandin E1. In the presence of forskolin (0.1 microM) UMR-106 cells were extremely sensitive to 786-0 factor, showing significant increases in cAMP production at a concentration 10-fold less than that required to activate adenylate cyclase in renal membranes. In contrast UMR-106 cells were less sensitive to BPTH(1-34) than were renal membranes. This preferential increase in sensitivity to 786-0 factor was not seen in membranes prepared from UMR-106 cells suggesting the importance of cytosolic components. Six additional human genitourinary carcinoma cell lines were found to produce factors that increased cAMP levels in UMR-106 cells. We conclude that 786-0 factor is a potent activator of the PTH receptor-adenylate cyclase system in these bone-derived cells. These findings are consistent with the view that cancer-associated hypercalcemia may frequently be attributable to tumor secretion of proteins (such as 786-0 factor) that are distinct from PTH but are capable of activating skeletal PTH receptors.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Release of cAMP from a renal epithelial cell line.

LLC-PK1 is an established porcine renal cell line with epithelial characteristics. Upon hormonal stimulation by vasopressin, LLC-PK1 cells release adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) into the medium. Release of cAMP is inhibited by the organic anion transport inhibitor probenecid and by cold phosphodiesterase inhibitors and iodoacetate but not by prostaglandins A1 or E1. The kinetics of release are first order, and cAMP analogues do not induce the release of cAMP. When grown on cellulose filters, monolayers of LLC-PK1 have morphological characteristics of transporting epithelia (apical microvilli and intercellular tight junctions) and maintain a transepithelial potential difference. Stimulation of such monolayers by vasopressin elicits probenecid-sensitive release of cAMP into the medium bathing the apical surface. Smaller quantities of cAMP are released from the basolateral surface, but release in this direction is not inhibited by probenecid. In contrast, release of cAMP from the nonepithelial cell line BHK is symmetrical and is symmetrically inhibited by probenecid. Probenecid-sensitive release of cAMP from LLC-PK1 is thus a function of the apical (brush-border) membrane.

Animals↗

Parathyroid hormone receptors coupled to cyclic adenosine monophosphate formation in an established renal cell line.

We examined the relationship between PTH binding and stimulation of cAMP formation in a cell line derived from opossum kidney (OK). In the presence of isobutylmethylxanthine (1 mM) bovine PTH(1-34) [bPTH(1-34)] (244 nM) stimulated cAMP accumulation in confluent cultures up to 40-fold over basal; this response to PTH was stable for 35 passages. The concentration of bPTH(1-34) required to raise cell cAMP levels half-maximally was 5-12 nM. Binding of [125I]bPTH(1-34) to OK cells was saturable; Scatchard analysis of competitive binding data yielded a dissociation constant (KD) = 6 +/- 2 nM, with 1.0 pmol binding sites/mg cell protein. Under steady state binding conditions 89% of labeled PTH remained precipitable by 10% trichloroacetic acid, suggesting minimal metabolism of the hormone. The PTH antagonist (8Nle, 18Nle, 34Tyr)bPTH(3-34)amide competed for [125I]bPTH(1-34) binding sites and inhibited the action of bPTH(1-34) to raise cAMP levels. The intact PTH molecule, bPTH(1-84), and the weak agonist hPTH(1-34) synthesized by Brewer were both less potent than bPTH(1-34) (6 times and 30 times, respectively) with regard to binding and cAMP production. Calcitonin and arginine vasopressin did not bind to PTH receptors but raised cAMP levels in OK cell cultures 3- and 10-fold, respectively; neither glucagon nor ACTH(1-24) influenced PTH binding of cAMP in OK cells. Varying the extracellular calcium concentration in the medium bathing cells did not influence basal or PTH-stimulated cAMP generation. These data suggest that PTH receptors in OK cells are of high affinity, are selective for PTH, and are coupled to adenylate cyclase. This established epithelial cell line provides a model in which to study the mechanism of action of PTH in the kidney.

Animals↗

Paget's disease of bone.

These discussions are selected from the weekly staff conferences in the Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco. Taken from transcriptions, they are prepared by Drs Homer A. Boushey, Associate Professor of Medicine, and David G. Warnock, Associate Professor of Medicine, under the direction of Dr Lloyd H. Smith, Jr, Professor of Medicine and Chairman of the Department of Medicine. Requests for reprints should be sent to the Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA 94143.

Adult↗

Ca2+-independent cyclic GMP phosphodiesterases from rat liver and HTC hepatoma cells.

We have separated and characterized a Ca2+- and calmodulin-insensitive cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase from rat liver supernatant as well as an analogous enzyme from HTC hepatoma cells. Chromatography of rat liver supernatant on DEAE-cellulose in the presence and subsequently in the absence of 0.1 mM-CaCl2 resulted in the separation of two distinct phosphodiesterase activities, both of which preferentially hydrolysed cyclic GMP rather than cyclic AMP. One enzyme, E-Ib, was activated in the presence of Ca2+ and calmodulin, and the other, E-Ia, was not. The E-Ia enzyme, which did not bind to calmodulin-Sepharose, had Mr 325 000 and displayed anomalous kinetic behaviour [Km (cyclic GMP) 1.2 microM; Km (cyclic AMP) 15.4 microM]. The E-Ib enzyme, which bound to calmodulin-Sepharose in the presence of Ca2+, had Mr 150 000 and exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics for hydrolysis of cyclic GMP [Km (basal) 6.5 microM; Km (activated) 12.0 microM]. E-Ia activity was diminished by incubation with alpha-chymotrypsin and was unaffected by the action of a rat kidney lysosomal proteinase. Partial hydrolysis of E-Ib enzyme by alpha-chymotrypsin or the kidney proteinase resulted in irreversible activation of the enzyme. The E-I enzyme isolated from HTC hepatoma cells was similar to the rat liver E-Ia enzyme in many respects. Its apparent Mr was 325 000. Its activity was unaffected by calmodulin in the presence of Ca2+ or by incubation with the kidney proteinase, and was decreased by digestion with alpha-chymotrypsin. Unlike the liver E-Ia enzyme, however, the hepatoma enzyme exhibited normal kinetic behaviour, with Km (cyclic GMP) 3.2 microM. Although HTC cells contain two other phosphodiesterases analogous to those in rat liver and a calmodulin-like activator of phosphodiesterase, no calmodulin-sensitive phosphodiesterase was detected.

3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases↗

Human renal carcinoma cells produce hypercalcemia in the nude mouse and a novel protein recognized by parathyroid hormone receptors.

When grown in nude mice, cultured renal carcinoma cells from a hypercalcemic patient produced marked hypercalcemia that was reversed by resection of tumor. Conditioned medium from this cell line contained a protein with activity in a renal adenylate cyclase bioassay for parathyroid hormone (PTH) which was blocked by the competitive PTH antagonist [8norleucyl, 18norleucyl, 34tyrosinyl]bPTH (3-34)amide. However, the biologically active protein was eluted from gel filtration columns as a larger molecular size component that PTH and was not recognized by any of four region-specific PTH antisera. The properties of this factor resemble those of the postulated PTH-like substance(s) in humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Probenecid inhibits the secretion of nephrogenous adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate in normal man.

Nephrogenous cAMP, that fraction of urinary cAMP secreted by the kidney, is PTH dependent and is used clinically as a measure of parathyroid function. To clarify the nature of secretion of nephrogenous cAMP, probenecid, an inhibitor of organic anion transport, was administered to eight healthy young males. Nephrogenous cAMP decreased after probenecid treatment (P less than 0.001), and plasma cAMP increased reciprocally (P less than 0.01) so that urinary cAMP did not change. There was no change in serum PTH, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, or urinary clearance of calcium or phosphate. These results suggest that secretion of nephrogenous cAMP may be a carrier-mediated process in normal man. The effect of probenecid to increase plasma cAMP is consistent with other observations suggesting that cAMP is cleared from plasma in part by a carrier-mediated process.

25-Hydroxyvitamin D 2↗

Phosphodiesterase activator from rat kidney cortex.

Incubation of homogenates of rat renal cortex at 4 degrees resulted in increased cAMP phosphodiesterase activity; the increase was much more rapid in hypotonic medium than in one of physiological tonicity. cAMP phosphodiesterase activity did not increase with incubation of supernatant fractions (48,000 x g, 20 min) prepared from isotonic homogenates. Extraction of the isotonic particulate fraction with hypotonic buffer released an activator which increased cAMP phosphodiesterase activity of the supernatant fraction. The kidney phosphodiesterase activator differed from a heat-stable, calcium-dependent protein activator of phosphodiesterase in that it was destroyed by heating (90 degrees for 10 min) and was not inhibited by EGTA. The phosphodiesterases of rat renal cortex were partially resolved by chromatography on DEAE-Bio-Gel, and a cAMP phosphodiesterase that is sensitive to the kidney activator was identified. This phosphodiesterase was separable from that affected by a calcium-dependent phosphodiesterase activator from bovine brain and from cGMP-stimulated cAMP phosphodiesterase. As determined by sucrose density gradient centrifugation, after incubation with the kidney activator, the activated form of phosphodiesterase had a lower sedimentation velocity than did the unactivated form.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗

Adriamycin therapy for advanced insulinoma.

Two patients with advanced metastatic insulinoma are presented. Both failed to respond to streptozotocin and were refractory to other forms of chemotherapy. Therapy with adriamycin (Patient No. 1) and adriamycin plus 5-fluorouracil (Patient No. 2) led to significant decreases in insulin levels or measurable disease and both patients had clinical remissions lasting 5 to 7 months. Adriamycin may be effective in patients with advanced insulinoma unresponsive to conventional chemotherapy.

Adenoma, Islet Cell↗