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Biomedical subjects

H Fujiki

Publications and source records attributed to H Fujiki.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Two significant aspects of microcystin-LR: specific binding and liver specificity.

Microcystin-LR is a unique and potent liver tumor promoter, belonging to the okadaic acid class compounds. Although microcystin-LR is a potent inhibitor of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, as is okadaic acid, microcystin-LR has liver specificity dominance. Two significant aspects, specific binding and liver specificity of [3H]dihydromicrocystin-LR, a reduced form of microcystin-LR, were studied and compared with those of [3H]okadaic acid. [3H]-Dihydromicrocystin-LR had higher affinity for the receptors in both the particulate and cytosolic fractions of rat liver and various tissues than had [3H]okadaic acid. Intraperitoneal administration of [3H]dihydromicrocystin-LR into mice resulted in the highest uptake into the liver, 71.5 +/- 6.9% of the total administered radioactivity, whereas p.o. administration resulted in less than 1% uptake into the liver, suggesting that the mechanisms of the incorporation of microcystin-LR into the liver by i.p. and p.o. administrations are greatly different. The presence of associated forms of [3H]dihydromicrocystin-LR with macromolecules in the liver indicates a need for further investigation.

Animals↗

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha, a new tumor promoter, engendered by biochemical studies of okadaic acid.

Okadaic acid is a potent tumor promoter on mouse skin and in rat glandular stomach, and an inhibitor of PP-1 and PP-2A. How okadaic acid biochemically induces tumor promotion in these tissues was reviewed. Okadaic acid bound to a catalytic subunit of PP-1 and PP-2A and induced hyperphosphorylation of proteins, such as vimentin, cytokeratins, HSP 27, and tumor suppressor gene products. Since one of the okadaic acid class compounds, microcystin-LR, induced tumor promotion in rat liver, the okadaic acid pathway mediated through inhibition of PP-1 and PP-2A is seen to be a general biochemical process of tumor promotion in various organs. The biochemical mimicry of okadaic acid by TNF-alpha led us to find that TNF-alpha is an endogenous tumor promoter. The study of tumor promotion in two-stage carcinogenesis experiments with the okadaic acid class of compounds engendered a new tumor promoter applicable to human cancer development.

Animals↗

Differential induction of apoptosis in human breast tumor cells by okadaic acid and related inhibitors of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A.

To investigate a possible relationship between apoptosis induction and protein phosphorylation in human breast carcinoma cells, we treated three such cell types, MB-231, MCF-7, and AU-565, with okadaic acid (OA), an inhibitor of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, or phorbol 12 myristate 13-acetate, an activator of protein kinase C. We then examined these cells for the appearance of apoptosis markers. While OA caused multiplication arrest and cytotoxicity in all three cell lines, apoptosis was induced in MB-231 and MCF-7 cells but not in AU-565 cells. A similar cell-specific apoptosis induction was also observed after treatment with dinophysistoxin-1 (an active OA analogue) and with calyculin A (a structurally unrelated protein phosphatase inhibitor) but not with analogues that either are inactive or penetrate epithelial cells poorly. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate also inhibited cell multiplication but was without effect in inducing apoptosis in these cells. Levels of the apoptosis-inhibitory protein BCL2 were examined in these cells, but they did not correlate with this differential susceptibility. We additionally treated the three cell types with 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine and genistein to determine whether the AU-565 cell line would also be resistant to apoptosis induction by other chemical stimuli. Both of these agents led to the induction of apoptosis in all three cell lines. These results indicate that the AU-565 cells are specifically resistant to apoptosis induction by inhibitors of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A. This cell-specific resistance may thus allow one to identify cellular mediators of apoptosis by comparing protein phosphorylation patterns in these cells before and after treatment with OA or related inhibitors.

Apoptosis↗

A new tumor promotion pathway and its inhibitors.

Tumor promotion is a critical point in multistage carcinogenesis in humans. We have identified a common biochemical and molecular tumor promotion mechanism, the okadaic acid pathway, applicable in various organs. Tumor promotion by the okadaic acid class of compounds is mediated through inhibition of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, resulting in an increase of protein phosphorylation and a subsequent expression of cell proliferation genes. Recently, we demonstrated that okadaic acid induced the release of mouse tumor necrosis factor-alpha (mTNF-alpha) from BALB/3T3 cells. The first part of this review discusses the link between the okadaic acid pathway and TNF-alpha as endogenous tumor promoters in vivo. Inhibitors of tumor promotion are varied. For the purpose of cancer chemoprevention in humans, the inhibitors sarcophytol A, canventol, and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) were studied and the results are presented. The inhibitory mechanisms also were varied: sarcophytol A inhibited H2O2 formation by TPA-activated human polymorphonuclear leukocytes; canventol inhibited protein isoprenylation in the cells; and EGCG, which is a main constituent of Japanese green tea, is an antioxidant. These inhibitors are promising cancer chemopreventive agents. Study of the essential tumor promotion mechanisms will facilitate the development of cancer chemopreventive agents.

Anticarcinogenic Agents↗

Canventol inhibits tumor promotion in CD-1 mouse skin through inhibition of tumor necrosis factor alpha release and of protein isoprenylation.

A synthetic compound named canventol, 2-isopropyl-4-isopropylidencyclohex-2-ene-1-ol, inhibited tumor promotion of okadaic acid on mouse skin initiated with 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene in two-stage carcinogenesis experiments more strongly than sarcophytol A, isolated from a soft coral, although canventol has a simpler structure than sarcophytol A. Their mechanisms of action were studied based on our recent evidence that tumor necrosis factor alpha release induced by okadaic acid is an essential mechanism of tumor promotion. Canventol inhibited mouse tumor necrosis factor alpha release from BALB/3T3 cells less strongly than sarcophytol A, indicating that canventol has additional activity. Canventol inhibited isoprenylation of proteins with various molecular weights, such as M(r) 22,000, 17,000, and 13,000, whereas sarcophytol A did not show significant inhibition. Thus, a potent anticarcinogenic activity of canventol is mediated through the inhibitory bifunctions of tumor necrosis factor alpha release and of protein isoprenylation. Since canventol is less toxic to cells than sarcophytol A, these bifunctions are useful markers for screening for new cancer chemopreventive agents.

3T3 Cells↗

Tumor necrosis factor acts as a tumor promoter in BALB/3T3 cell transformation.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a cytokine, and okadaic acid, a tumor promoter, strongly phosphorylated the same proteins, vimentin and heat shock protein 27, although their time courses were different. Human TNF-alpha at a concentration of 0.6 nM markedly stimulated transformation of BALB/3T3 cells initiated with 3-methylcholanthrene. The human TNF-alpha was about 1000 times more effective than the chemical tumor promoters, okadaic acid and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. TNF induced growth of v-Ha-ras transfected BALB/3T3 cells (Bhas 42 cells), whereas it did not induce growth of nontransfected BALB/3T3 cells. Okadiac acid induced mouse TNF-alpha from Bhas 42 and BALB/3T3 cells. The results suggest that a chemical tumor promoter induces the secretion of TNF-alpha from various cells. The TNF then acts as an endogenous tumor promoter in vivo.

3T3 Cells↗

Induction of neoplastic progression in Syrian hamster embryo cells treated with protein phosphatase inhibitors.

In these studies, Syrian hamster embryo cells (SHE), which were isolated at different stages of neoplastic progression, were used to test the ability of the protein phosphatase inhibitors, okadaic acid and sodium orthovanadate (Na3VO4) to induce neoplastic progression. We observed that these chemicals can induce transition of the cells from one stage to the other at different points in the multistep process of neoplastic transformation. Three steps in this multistep process were studied: escape from cellular senescence, loss of a tumor suppressor gene function in immortal cells, and aquisition of anchorage-independent growth. Treatment of normal, primary SHE cells with okadaic acid or Na3VO4 allowed the cells to escape senescence and become immortal at a low frequency. The induction of immortality was associated with nonrandom chromosome changes, including trisomy 8 and 11 and monosomy 13 and Xq. The transition of preneoplastic cells to more advanced stages was also studied in immortal, nontumorigenic cells that either have retained (supB+) or have lost (supB-) the ability to suppress tumorigenicity of a transformed cell line in cell hybrids. SupB+ and supB- cells do not normally grow in agar, but supB- cells will grow in agar if additional growth factors are added. However, upon addition of protein phosphatase inhibitors, supB+ cells exhibited the supB- phenotype; for example, colony formation of supB+ cells was observed in agar supplemented with growth factors and protein phosphatase inhibitors. Following treatment, selection of these colonies showed that 89% of these cells heritably acquired the phenotype of cells that have lost the suppressor gene function (supB-). SupB- cells were also treated with protein phosphatase inhibitors in soft agar in the presence of additional growth factors. While the frequency of colonies in agar supplemented with growth factors in agar was not greatly enhanced, approximately 50% of the colonies acquired the ability to grow in agar autonomously without the supplemented growth factors, similar to tumorigenic cells. These studies suggest that Na3VO4 and okadaic acid induce progression of cells through various stages in this multistep system.

Animals↗

Hyperphosphorylation of cytokeratins by okadaic acid class tumor promoters in primary human keratinocytes.

Okadaic acid, dinophysistoxin-1 (35-methylokadaic acid), and calyculin A are potent tumor promoters on mouse skin (H. Fujiki, M. Suganuma, S. Nishiwaki, S. Yoshizawa, J. Yatsunami, R. Matsushima, H. Furuya, S. Okabe, S. Matsunaga, and T. Sugimura. In: R. D'Amato, T. J. Slaga, W. Farland, and C. Henry (eds.), Relevance of Animal Studies to the Evaluation of Human Cancer Risk, pp. 337-350. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1992). These tumor promoters, which are also inhibitors of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, induced hyperphosphorylation of M(r) 60,000, M(r) 58,000, M(r) 56,000, M(r) 52,000, M(r) 42,000, and M(r) 27,000 proteins in PHK 16-I cells, human keratinocytes immortalized by human papillomavirus type 16. Except for the M(r) 27,000 protein, these hyperphosphorylated proteins were identified to be cytokeratin peptides (CK) CK 5, CK 6, CK 7, CK 16, and CK 19, by anti-cytokeratin antibodies. CK 5 and CK 6 were more strongly phosphorylated than CK 16 and CK 19. The in vitro hyperphosphorylation of these cytokeratins was also found by incubation with an enzyme fraction containing a mixture of protein phosphatase 2A and protein kinases isolated from mouse brain and various concentrations of dinophysistoxin-1. Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy with anti-cytokeratin antibodies revealed that the hyperphosphorylated cytokeratins had retracted to the perinuclear area. The hyperphosphorylated M(r) 27,000 protein was identified as a heat shock protein, HSP27. Hyperphosphorylation of HSP27 and intermediate filaments, such as cytokeratins, is one of the early biochemical changes, or pleiotropic effects, in cells induced by the okadaic acid class of tumor promoters.

Blotting, Western↗

Absence of synergistic effects on tumor promotion in CD-1 mouse skin by simultaneous applications of two different types of tumor promoters, okadaic acid and teleocidin.

Okadaic acid, a specific inhibitor of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, and teleocidin, an activator of protein kinase C, are both potent tumor promoters on mouse skin. The effects of simultaneous treatment of the two different types of tumor promoters on tumor promotion as well as on their biochemical activities were studied. Three independent experiments with different doses of tumor promoters revealed that simultaneous repeated applications of okadaic acid and teleocidin did not induce any synergistic or additive effects on tumor promotion in mouse skin initiated with 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA). In Experiment 1, the group treated with a single application of DMBA, followed by repeated applications of 1.0 micrograms (1.2 nmol) okadaic acid and 2.5 micrograms (5.7 nmol) teleocidin, resulted in 64.3% tumor-bearing mice at week 20. But the groups treated with DMBA plus okadaic acid or DMBA plus teleocidin gave 73.3% and 71.4%, respectively. The biochemical activities were studied by means of induction of ornithine decarboxylase in mouse skin and protein phosphorylation in the cells. Simultaneous application of okadaic acid at three different doses with teleocidin did not induce ornithine decarboxylase activity synergistically or additively. Phosphorylation of proteins, cytokeratins, or heat shock protein 27 was not synergistically increased in human keratinocytes treated with okadaic acid and teleocidin, although the cotreatment in a cell-free system synergistically increased protein phosphorylation. Thus, the absence of synergistic effects on tumor promotion in mouse skin was also confirmed in two systems, induction of ornithine decarboxylase in mouse skin and protein phosphorylation in human keratinocytes. The effect of cotreatment of okadaic acid and teleocidin is discussed at the molecular level.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗

Hyperphosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein and p53 by okadaic acid, a tumor promoter.

A potent tumor promoter, okadaic acid, induced hyperphosphorylation of tumor suppressor proteins, retinoblastoma protein and p53, by in vitro incubation with nuclei isolated from rat regenerating liver as well as by incubation with primary human fibroblasts. Most of the retinoblastoma protein migrated to a hyperphosphorylated position in electrophoresis. The phosphorylation of p53 was increased at a rate 8 times that in non-treated primary human fibroblasts. Hyperphosphorylation of tumor suppressor proteins, mediated through inhibition of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, is involved in tumor promotion by okadaic acid. The significance of hyperphosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein and p53 is discussed in relation to the regulation of the cell cycle.

Animals↗

Comparison of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and teleocidin for induction of epidermal hyperplasia, activation of epidermal PKC isozymes and skin tumor promotion in SENCAR and C57BL/6 mice.

The present study compared the ability of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and teleocidin to induce sustained epidermal hyperplasia, activate partially purified epidermal protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes and promote skin tumors in SENCAR and C57BL/6 mice. Teleocidin was less effective than TPA on a molar basis for inducing sustained epidermal hyperplasia, promoting skin tumors and activating partially purified epidermal PKC isozymes in vitro when examined using SENCAR mice. In contrast, teleocidin was more effective than TPA on a molar basis for inducing sustained epidermal hyperplasia, approximately equi-effective for promoting skin tumors and significantly less effective for activating PKC isozymes in vitro when examined using C57BL/6 mice. Despite the differences in response of C57BL/6 mice to TPA and teleocidin, this mouse strain was still highly resistant to skin tumor promotion by both types of promoters when compared with SENCAR mice. The current results, when considered in light of our recent studies (Cancer Res., 51, 1398-1405, 1991), indicate that C57BL/6 are generally resistant to a variety of classes of skin tumor promoters, including the teleocidins. In addition, except for the phorbol esters, the induction of sustained epidermal hyperplasia does not appear to be as good a marker for overall promotion responsiveness between SENCAR and C57BL/6 mice with other classes of tumor promoters; although the induction of a significant sustained hyperplasia in the latter mouse strain did yield a weak tumor response. Taken together, the current data suggest that factors in addition to the induction of sustained epidermal hyperplasia, control responsiveness of C57BL/6 mice to skin tumor promotion by diverse promoting stimuli.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗

Anticarcinogenic activity of green tea polyphenols.

The main physiologically active polyphenol in green tea extract is (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Green tea extract has an advantage over EGCG as a cancer chemopreventive agent for humans, as is apparent from the Japanese custom of injesting green tea on a daily basis. Green tea extract similarly inhibited protein kinase C activation by teleocidin, a tumor promoter, as did EGCG. In addition, EGCG and green tea extract showed inhibitory effects on the growth of lung and mammary cancer cell lines with similar potencies. An experiment using the estrogen-dependent MCF-7 cell line showed the mechanisms of action of these compounds to be inhibiting the interaction of estrogen with its receptors. Considering our previous results of a single application of EGCG to mouse skin inhibiting the specific binding of 3H-12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (3H-TPA) and 3H-okadaic acid, we postulated that EGCG and compounds in green tea extracts would block the interaction of tumor promoters, hormones and growth factors with their receptors: a kind of sealing effect. The sealing effect would account for reversible growth arrest, and may be induced by various kinds of compound.

Animals↗

Differentiation induction in human breast tumor cells by okadaic acid and related inhibitors of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A.

Okadaic acid (OA), an inhibitor of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, induces differentiation in human MCF-7, AU-565, and MB-231 breast tumor cells. In MCF-7 cells, OA elicited within 5 min an increase in the levels of a set of phosphorylated cellular proteins, within hours expression of the early response genes junB, c-jun, and c-fos, and within days manifestation of differentiation. Differentiation was also induced by two related protein phosphatase inhibitors, but not by an inactive OA derivative or by an inhibitor that penetrates epithelial cells poorly. These results indicate that OA and related agents can induce tumor breast cell differentiation, and this induction is correlated with their ability to inhibit PPH 1 and 2A.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Cytoskeletal integrity in interphase cells requires protein phosphatase activity.

Phosphorylation by protein kinases has been established as a key factor in the regulation of cytoskeletal structure. However, little is known about the role of protein phosphatases in cytoskeletal regulation. To assess the possible functions of protein phosphatases in this respect, we studied the effects of the phosphatase inhibitors calyculin A, okadaic acid, and dinophysistoxin 1 (35-methylokadaic acid) on BHK-21 fibroblasts. Within minutes of incubation with these inhibitors, changes are seen in the structural organization of intermediate filaments, followed by a loss of microtubules, as assayed by immunofluorescence. These changes in cytoskeletal structure are accompanied by a rapid and selective increase in vimentin phosphorylation on interphase-specific sites, and they are fully reversible after removal of calyculin A. The results indicate that there is a rapid phosphate turnover on cytoskeletal intermediate filaments and further suggest that protein phosphatases are essential for the maintenance and structural integrity of two major cytoskeletal components.

Animals↗