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Biomedical subjects

S M Oredsson

Publications and source records attributed to S M Oredsson.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A) levels in HL-60 cells during differentiation into granulocytes and monocytes.

1. Diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A) levels were determined in HL-60 cells differentiating into granulocytes or monocytes after treatment for 0-7 days with retinoic acid (RA) or 4-beta-phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) respectively. 2. The levels increased significantly compared to untreated control cells within 2 days and then declined again. 3. In RA treated cells the levels finally decreased far below those of untreated HL-60 cells and became equal to those found in human granulocytes. 4. PMA treatment had no effect on Ap4A levels in human granulocytes. 5. A possible interaction between Ap4A and ADP-ribosyl transferase is discussed.

Cell Differentiation↗
PubMed1989

Inhibition of polyamine synthesis in human B lymphocytes during primary infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) blocks cellular DNA synthesis but not the expression of EBV-encoded nuclear antigens (EBNA).

Inhibition of polyamine synthesis by 2-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) treatment had no apparent effect on the initial manifestation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in human B lymphocytes, because the expression of EBV-encoded nuclear antigens (EBNA) occurred normally. However, many subsequent steps in the transformation process were inhibited by DFMO treatment. These include cellular DNA synthesis and immunoglobulin (IgM, IgG and IgA) synthesis and secretion. Consequently, DFMO treatment blocked the progression of the transformation process of EBV-infected B lymphocytes. EBV-carrying marmoset B lymphocytes (B95-8 cells) were also blocked in their DNA synthesis when treated with DFMO. At variance with other DNA synthesis inhibitors, which induce virus production very effectively in B95-8 cells, DFMO caused no increase in the number of cells expressing the early antigens associated with the lytic cycle.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1988

Ehrlich ascites tumour cells become refractory to alpha-difluoromethylornithine at a certain stage of growth.

When Ehrlich ascites tumour cells are induced to proliferate by serum stimulation, the ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity increases rapidly and reaches two to three peaks during the first 24 h. Inhibition of the first peak in ODC activity (occurring at 4 h) by adding alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) within 2 h of serum stimulation, results in maximal growth inhibition. Under these conditions, similar degrees of polyamine depletion are achieved. When DFMO is added 3 h after seeding, however, enough polyamines have already accumulated during the initial burst in ODC activity to reduce the antiproliferative effect of the drug. The antiproliferative effect is further reduced when DFMO is added 6 h after seeding. When DFMO is added 23 h after seeding, i.e. after maximal accumulation of polyamines, there is no inhibition of cell proliferation. These findings are important to consider both when designing experimental as well as clinical regimens for this drug.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Inhibition of polyamine synthesis reduces the growth rate and delays the expression of differentiated phenotypes in primary cultures of embryonic mesoderm from chick.

Inhibition of polyamine synthesis in early chick embryos blocks their development at gastrulation. Analyses of arrested embryos show that mesodermal outgrowth and differentiation are drastically impaired. To study these effects in greater detail, we have used primary cultures of embryonic mesoderm from chick. The cultures were treated with alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an enzyme-activated irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, the first and rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine synthesis. In control culture medium, mesodermal cells retained their in ovo outgrowth behavior and differentiation pattern. Addition of 10 mM DFMO to the culture medium, however, retarded attachment and outgrowth, and reduced the rate of proliferation of the mesodermal cells. Furthermore, the expression of differentiated phenotypes, such as beating heart tissue, erythroid cells, and adipocyte-like cells, was delayed. Simultaneous addition of 100 microM putrescine prevented or reduced the effects of DFMO, showing that these were indeed caused by polyamine deficiency. In the DFMO-treated mesoderm, DNA synthesis was markedly suppressed by the first day. Similar effects on RNA and protein synthesis developed at a later time. Our data suggest that a reduction in the concentrations of the polyamines decreases the rate of mesodermal cell proliferation, and as a consequence delays the expression of differentiated phenotypes.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Synergistic antileukemic effect of two polyamine synthesis inhibitors. Host survival and cell-cycle kinetic analysis.

alpha-Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an enzyme-activated irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, was used alone and in combination with multiple doses of methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) to treat mice with systemic L1210 leukemia. Used as a single agent (administered p.o. as a 3% solution in tap water), DFMO exerted a weak therapeutic effect against this tumor. The therapeutic effect of MGBG (administered i.p. at 50 mg/kg/day) was only slightly better. However, 1-3 days of pretreatment with DFMO strongly potentiated the effect of MGBG treatment. Thus, mice treated with the combination exhibited an increase in life span of up to 138%. The prolonged survival of leukemic mice treated with a combination of DFMO and MGBG was associated with inhibition of polyamine synthesis and a marked decrease in the spermidine and spermine content of the tumor cells as compared to untreated controls. As a consequence, there was a continuous decrease in the S- and G2-phase fractions with a concomitant increase in G1. Used singly, DFMO and MGBG had no significant effect on the cell-cycle distribution. The effects of the combination of DFMO and MGBG on the cell-cycle distribution are consistent with the contention that polyamine deficiency primarily interferes with initiation of DNA synthesis. However, the possibility that selective S-phase kill partly contributes to this change in cell-cycle distribution cannot be excluded.

Adenosylmethionine Decarboxylase↗
PubMed1986

Polyamine depletion increases cellular ribonucleotide levels.

Depletion of the putrescine and spermidine content of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells by alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) treatment results in at least a 1 500-fold increase in the decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine (deSAM) content. The accumulation of this adenine nucleoside occurs because of the absence of putrescine and spermidine to act as aminopropyl group acceptors in the spermidine and spermine synthase reactions and because of an increase in S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity. The fact that the synthesis of deSAM continues in DFMO-treated cells makes the pathway an adenine trap. This prompted a study of the adenine nucleotide pools. High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis showed that the total adenine nucleotide pool increased, rather than decreased, as a result of DFMO treatment; the major contributors to the increase being ATP and ADP, which increased 2.6 and 1.9 times, respectively. The cellular content of other ribonucleotides increased as well, particularly that of UTP and CTP. When putrescine was added together with DFMO, the increases in cellular ribonucleotide contents were prevented, showing that they were indeed caused by polyamine depletion.

Adenine Nucleotides↗
PubMed1985

Ornithine decarboxylase inhibitors increase the cellular content of the enzyme: implications for translational regulation.

Ehrlich ascites tumor cells grown in the presence of inhibitors of ornithine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.17) exhibited an elevated content of this enzyme. The increase could not solely be explained by a decrease in the degradation rate of the enzyme. Instead a stimulation of enzyme synthesis, probably mediated via the polyamine-depleting properties of the inhibitors, is suggested. The enhancement of cellular ornithine decarboxylase content was not accompanied by any significant changes in the amount of ornithine decarboxylase mRNA, indicating a regulation at the level of translation.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase activity and cell growth by diamines: a comparison between the effects of two homologs, 1,3-diaminopropane and 1,4-diaminobutane (putrescine).

The ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells was almost completely inhibited by treatment with either putrescine (10 mM) or 1,3-diaminopropane (5 mM). 1,3-Diaminopropane treatment eradicated the cellular content of putrescine and reduced that of spermidine and spermine. Putrescine treatment caused a dramatic increase in cellular putrescine content and a temporary decrease in spermidine and spermine content. Despite the fact that 1,3-diaminopropane and putrescine inhibited the ODC activity more effectively than did alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an enzyme-activated irreversible inhibitor of ODC, they were considerably less antiproliferative in action. However, as compared to DFMO the diamines were less effective in reducing the total polyamine (putrescine + spermidine + spermine) content of the cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Induction of F9 embryonal carcinoma cell differentiation by inhibition of polyamine synthesis.

alpha-Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), a highly selective inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), induced terminal differentiation of F9 mouse embryonal carcinoma cells in culture. Differentiation was assessed using morphological criteria and the level of plasminogen activator activity. The observed phenotypic changes and the fact that the cells did not synthesize alpha-fetoprotein, indicate that they were parietal endoderm cells. The putrescine, spermidine and spermine content of untreated control cells increased during exponential growth and then decreased gradually with continued time in culture. The increases in putrescine and spermidine contents were prevented by DFMO treatment. In fact, the putrescine and spermidine content decreased below the limits of detection after only one day of treatment. The addition of putrescine to the culture medium at any time within 4 days of DFMO treatment, prevented the DFMO-induced differentiation, suggesting that the effects observed were indeed caused by polyamine depletion. The phenotypic changes induced by DFMO were similar to those induced by retinoic acid, a very potent inducer of embryonal carcinoma differentiation. Although retinoic acid can inhibit ODC activity and putrescine accumulation, it is unlikely that this mechanism of action is responsible for retinoic acid-induced F9 cell differentiation, inasmuch as putrescine addition did not prevent the expression of the differentiated phenotype. Undifferentiated F9 embryonal carcinoma cells exhibited a very short G1 phase, and in this respect they are similar to the cells of the preimplantation mouse embryo. In control (exponentially growing) cultures a majority of the F9 cells were in the S phase, but in DFMO-treated cultures they accumulated in the G1 phase and showed no further proliferative potential.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Reversal of the growth inhibitory effect of alpha-difluoromethylornithine by putrescine but not by other divalent cations.

Treatment with alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an enzyme-activated irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), depletes the putrescine and spermidine content, and reduces the growth rate of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. The addition of putrescine, which is the immediate precursor of spermidine, promptly replenished the intracellular putrescine and spermidine pools and completely reversed the antiproliferative effect of DFMO. A sequential accumulation of spermine, spermidine and putrescine was observed. 1,3-diaminopropane, a lower homolog of putrescine, did not reverse the antiproliferative effect of DFMO, despite its structural similarity and identical positive charge. By inhibiting remaining ODC activity, resistant to 5 mM DFMO, and possibly by inhibiting spermine synthase activity, 1,3-diaminopropane produced a further decrease in total polyamine content by reducing the spermine content. Mg2+, which can replace putrescine in many in vitro reactions, completely lacked the capacity to reverse the antiproliferative effect of putrescine and spermidine deficiency.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Increased rate of tumor cell death caused by polyamine synthesis inhibitors.

This investigation was designed to determine whether cell death plays a role in the antiproliferative action exerted by polyamine synthesis inhibitors. To estimate the rate of tumor cell death, we measured the loss of 125I from mice harboring Ehrlich ascites tumor cells in which DNA was labeled with 5-125I-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine. DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine (0.85 mumoles/g body weight/6 h), and enzyme-activated irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, and methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) (45 nmoles/g body weight/6 h), an inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, were both found to increase the rate of 125I excretion. Our data suggest that these polyamine synthesis inhibitors provoke an increase in the rate of tumor cell death beyond that normally occurring during growth, methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) being considerably more potent than DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine. These in vivo data were corroborated by a study where the host-mediated responses did not have to be considered. Thus, Ehrlich ascites tumor cells were adapted for suspension growth in culture and treated with methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) or DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine. The growth kinetics and the colony forming efficiency of the drug-treated cells clearly show that polyamine synthesis inhibitors not only slow the growth rate but also cause an increase in tumor cell death.

Adenosylmethionine Decarboxylase↗
PubMed1984

Polyamine biosynthetic enzymes as targets in cancer chemotherapy.

In this chapter we focus attention on recent developments in the biosynthesis of putrescine, spermidine and spermine and their linkage to salvage pathways of methionine and adenine nucleotide synthesis. We describe the use of specific inhibitors of the polyamine biosynthetic enzymes for studying the role of polyamines in cell growth and division as well as in cell differentiation. Some novel findings are presented which suggest that part of the inhibitory action that polyamine synthesis inhibitors exert on DNA synthesis may be due to the accumulation of ADP and ATP. We show that polyamine synthesis inhibitors are capable of inducing terminal differentiation of neoplastic cells to forms with no further proliferative potential, and briefly discuss the potential use of this approach in cancer chemotherapy.

Adenine Nucleotides↗
PubMed1984

Potentiation of 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea cytotoxicity in 9L rat brain tumor cells by methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone), an inhibitor of S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase.

Methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG), a potent inhibitor of the spermidine and spermine biosynthetic enzyme S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase, enhanced the cytotoxicity of 1,3-bis-(2-chlorethyl)-1-nitrosourea in 9L rat brain tumor cells in vitro, as measured by a colony-forming efficiency assay, by an amount that was approximately the same as the potentiation caused by the ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor alpha-difluoromethylornithine. Dose enhancement ratios at 10, 1 and 0.1% survival levels were approximately 1.3 for both inhibitors. 9L cells that were treated for 48 hr with 40 microM MGBG had putrescine, spermidine and spermine levels that were 112, 41 and 21%, respectively, of polyamine levels in control cells. MGBG treatment does not increase intracellular levels of decarboxylated S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) as alpha-difluoromethylornithine treatment does. Elevated levels of decarboxylated AdoMet could modify intracellular methylation reactions and could affect the cytotoxicity of a chloroethylnitrosourea. Despite the fact that MGBG treatment caused a slight increase in intracellular levels of AdoMet, it is unlikely that this elevation will increase the amount of intracellular methylation. Thus it appears that effects caused by the decrease in polyamine levels are responsible for the potentiation of chloroethylnitrosourea cytotoxicity against 9L cells.

Adenosylmethionine Decarboxylase↗
PubMed1984

Possible factors in the potentiation of 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-trans-4-methylcyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea cytotoxicity by alpha-difluoromethylornithine in 9L rat brain tumor cells.

Depletion of intracellular levels of polyamines in 9L rat brain tumor cells by alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an enzyme-activated irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-trans-4-methylcyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea (MeCCNU) in vitro as measured by a colony-forming efficiency assay. Administered as a single agent, DFMO was not cytotoxic to 9L cells. Treatment for 48 hr with 10, 1, 0.5 or 0.1 mM DFMO produced similar levels of polyamine depletion-and similar potentiation of MeCCNU cytotoxicity. Restoration of intracellular polyamine levels by the addition of exogenous putrescine (1 mM) to treated cells prevented the potentiation of MeCCNU, which indicates that this phenomenon might be the result of polyamine depletion. DNA adduct formation in polyamine-depleted and control cells was studied with [14C]-MeCCNU; no difference in monoadduct formation was found between polyamine-depleted and control cells. Experiments to determine whether polyamine depletion has an effect on enzymes involved in the repair of alkylated bases showed that the activity of O6-methylguanine-DNA demethylase, 7-methylguanine-DNA glycosylase and 3-methyladenine-DNA glycosylase were unaffected by 48 hr of treatment with 10 mM DFMO. DFMO treatment causes a substantial increase in the intracellular content of decarboxylated S-adenosyl-L-methionine, which was reversed by addition of putrescine. The possibility that the elevation of decarboxylated S-adenosyl-L-methionine rather than the depletion of polyamines is responsible for the effects of DFMO is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Progressive increase in polyamine levels in 9L cells in vitro during the cell cycle: comparison between cells isolated by centrifugal elutriation and cells grown in synchrony.

Centrifugal elutriation was used to separate 9L rat brain tumour cells into fractions enriched in the G1, S, or G2/M phases of the cell cycle. Cells enriched in early G1 phase were recultured, grown in synchrony, and harvested periodically for analysis of their DNA distribution and polyamine content. Mathematical analysis of the DNA distributions indicated that excellent synchrony was obtained with low dispersion throughout the cell cycle. Polyamine accumulation began at the time of seeding, and intracellular levels of putrescine, spermidine, and spermine increased continuously during the cell cycle. In cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, putrescine and spermidine levels were twice as high as in cells in the G1 phase. DNA distribution and polyamine levels were also analysed in cells taken directly from the various elutriation fractions enriched in G1, S, or G2/M. Because we did not obtain pure S or G2/M populations by elutriation or by harvesting synchronized cells, a mathematical procedure--which assumed that the measured polyamine levels for any population were linearly related to the fraction of cells in the G1, S, and G2/M phases times the polyamine levels in these phases and that polyamine levels did not vary within these phases--was used to estimate 'true' phase-specific polyamine levels (levels to be expected if perfect synchrony were achieved). Estimated 'true' phase-specific polyamine levels calculated from the data obtained from cells either sorted by elutriation or obtained from synchronously growing cultures were very similar.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Effects of alpha-difluoromethylornithine on the growth of 9L rat brain tumor multicellular spheroids and their response to 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea.

9L rat brain tumor cell spheroids were treated with alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) alone and in combination. In contrast to results obtained with 9L monolayer culture cells, very low concentrations of DFMO killed spheroid cell within 0.5 day after the start of treatment; cell kill was maximum within 2 to 3 days. DFMO cytotoxicity could be prevented by adding putrescine (to a final concentration of 1 mM) to the culture medium. DFMO also significantly slowed and eventually stopped the growth of spheroids in a dose-dependent manner. Cells in all regions of DFMO-pretreated spheroids were sensitized to BCNU as measured by colony-forming efficiency; this sensitization was prevented when putrescine was added to culture medium before BCNU treatment. When used as single agents, either a 3-day treatment with 10 mM DFMO or a 1-hr treatment with BCNU (1.5 micrograms/ml) produced similar growth delay, but used in combination, the two agents produced a much longer growth delay than produced by either agent alone. Growth of spheroids treated continuously for up to 28 days with 10 mM DFMO ceased at approximately 7 times the volume at the time of treatment. When spheroid cells were treated for 1 hr with BCNU (1.5 micrograms/ml) and then were treated continuously with DFMO, growth plateaued at approximately 3.5 times the volume at the time of treatment; when spheroids were treated first with DFMO for 3 days, then with BCNU (1.5 micrograms/ml) for 1 hr, and then treated continuously with DFMO, growth plateaued at approximately 1.5 times the volume at the time of treatment. The number of clonogenic cells per spheroid that survived combination treatment also reflected the cytotoxic effects of the two drugs. Thus, the combined drug treatment was very effective in inhibiting the growth of spheroids and in preventing an increase in the number of clonogenic cells per spheroid.

Animals↗