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W Troll

Publications and source records attributed to W Troll.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Tamoxifen suppresses tumor promoter-induced hydrogen peroxide formation by human neutrophils.

Trans-tamoxifen (TAM) has been used successfully in therapy for estrogen-dependent human breast tumors and prevention of their recurrence. The mechanism of this prevention was thought to be due to the interference of TAM with estrogen promotion. TAM has a wider anticarcinogenic action that is similar to other chemopreventive agents in that it suppresses tumor promotion in 2-stage carcinogenesis by interfering with the action of protein kinase C. We report that TAM (5 microM) totally inhibits hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) formation by 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-treated human neutrophils. Interestingly, beta-estradiol (10 microM) also slightly inhibits the oxidative burst of neutrophils. Pretreatment of neutrophils with varying amounts of TAM and beta-estradiol caused additive inhibition of H2O2 formation by the 2 agents. 4-Hydroxy-tamoxifen, a metabolite with the highest affinity for the estrogen receptor, was only as inhibitory as beta-estradiol. Other derivatives (cis-, N-desmethyl-, and N-desdimethyl-tamoxifen) with low biological activities had a smaller effect on H2O2 formation. TPA-treated neutrophils were shown to contain 5-hydroxymethyl uracil (HMU). TAM prevented the TPA-induced formation of HMU in other cells. Like TPA, dietary fat, which is a risk factor for breast cancer, induces formation of HMU in the DNA of human white blood cells. TAM may suppress the dietary fat-induced HMU in the same manner at it does in TPA-induced neutrophils.

Estradiol

Elevation of ADP-ribosylation as an indicator of mononuclear leucocyte responsiveness in breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen.

82 women who had had surgery for removal of breast cancer were randomised during the primary care period before initiation of any chemotherapy or radiotherapy into two groups: no drug treatment (n = 40) and 20 mg tamoxifen per day for 2 years (n = 42). Mononuclear leucocyte (MNL) fractions from blood samples were collected during the first 368 days of the study and ADP-ribosylation was quantified. Tamoxifen treatment resulted in a dose-duration increase in ADP-ribosylation. This was true even after adjustment for covariates such as age, smoking habits, oestrogen use, menstruation and tumour size. These data suggest that part of the antitumour effects of tamoxifen treatment in vivo relates to an enhanced immune cell responsiveness, as indicated by the increased MNL ADP-ribosylation.

Adenosine Diphosphate

Antipain-induced suppression of oncogene expression in H-ras-transformed NIH3T3 cells.

Antipain (AP; 50 micrograms/ml) inhibits transformation of NIH3T3 cells after transfection with an activated H-ras oncogene. To determine whether AP effects on transformation are associated with alterations in oncogene expression, NIH3T3 cells were cotransfected with an activated H-ras oncogene and the selectable marker gene aph, and gene expression was quantified. Fifty percent of geneticin-resistant colonies which were exposed to AP failed to express the transformed phenotype as determined by their inability to grow in soft agar. Northern blot analysis of the transformed and nontransformed colonies revealed that suppression of H-ras transformation by AP was associated with a decrease in expression of the exogenously transfected H-ras gene by approximately 4-fold. Expression of the endogenous oncogene c-myc was decreased by approximately 2.5-fold, to levels seen in untransfected cells. AP-treated colonies that retained the transformed phenotype had levels of oncogene expression that were similar to untreated ras-transformed colonies. Southern blot analysis revealed no effects of AP on incorporation or copy number of the H-ras gene.

Animals

Effects of retinoic acid on NIH3T3 cell transformation by the H-ras oncogene.

Exposure of NIH3T3 cells to retinoic acid resulted in a dose-dependent modulation of transformed focus formation after transfection with an activated H-ras oncogene. Inhibition induced by 10 microM retinoic acid was maximal at 21.4% of control values. Maximal inhibition of transformation was found after exposure to 10 microM retinoic acid between days 0 and 3 of the transfection period. This concentration was also inhibitory for colony formation upon transfection of the non-transforming gene aph, suggesting that retinoic acid acts primarily on the process of transfection to inhibit focus or colony formation. Exposure to retinoic acid during the late period of the transfection protocol (days 14-20) resulted in alterations in focus morphology. A transformed cell line containing H-ras underwent reversion of the transformed phenotype after 4 weeks of treatment with retinoic acid, as determined by alterations in cell morphology and anchorage-independent growth. Phenotypic reversion was not associated with changes in the expression of the exogenous H-ras or endogenous c-myc or c-fos oncogenes.

Blotting, Northern

Prevention of cancer by agents that suppress oxygen radical formation.

The prevention of cancer by agents in our diet has led to the concept that oxygen radicals are a necessary component of a variety of human cancers including breast, colon and prostatic cancer. These cancers are putatively promoted by estradiol, bile acids and androgens. Epidemiological studies have shown that these cancers are suppressed in vegetarian populations. Vegetable components that may be responsible for this cancer prevention are Vitamin A, retinoids and protease inhibitors (PIs). These agents have been shown to suppress the formation of hydrogen peroxide in promoter-induced neutrophils. They also have been shown to block two-stage carcinogenesis and breast cancer when fed to animals. PIs also suppress experimentally-induced colon cancer and spontaneous liver cancer. Moreover, a new series of cancer-preventive agents, Sarcophytols (isolated by Fujiki and co-workers), are capable of suppressing two-stage carcinogenesis, breast and colon cancers in rodents when given in low concentrations. Sarcophytols were also active suppressors of H2O2 formation of 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced neutrophils. These observations point to an essential role of oxygen radicals in carcinogenesis. Suppression of the oxygen radical response of neutrophils in relation to cancer preventive agents is a facile assay of these important substances. The mechanism of action of oxygen radicals in promoting carcinogenesis is a multiple one, including: (1) activation of oncogenes, (2) modification of DNA bases, and (3) formation of single-strand breaks leading to poly(ADP)ribose polymerase activation.

Animals

Carcinogenic sulfide salts of nickel and cadmium induce H2O2 formation by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Some derivatives of nickel, cadmium, and cobalt are carcinogenic in humans and/or animals but their mechanisms of action are not known. We show that they are capable of stimulating human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), as measured by H2O2 formation, a known tumor promoter. Most effective were the carcinogens nickel subsulfide, which caused a 550% net increase in H2O2 over that formed by resting PMNs, followed by cadmium sulfide, 400%, and nickel disulfide, 200%. Nickel sulfide and cobalt sulfide caused statistically nonsignificant increases of 45 and 20%, respectively. Noncarcinogenic barium and manganese sulfides, and sulfates of nickel, cadmium, and cobalt were inactive. The enhancement of H2O2 formation by CdS and Ni3S2 (1 mumol/2.5 x 10(5) PMNs) was comparable to that mediated by the potent tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, used at 0.5 and 1 nM, respectively. Concurrent treatment of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-stimulated PMNs with Ni3S2 or NiS caused a decrease in H2O2 accumulation from that expected if the effects were additive. Including catalase in the reaction mixture proved that the oxidant formed by stimulated PMNs was H2O2, whereas adding superoxide dismutase showed that superoxide was also present in PMN samples treated with NiS but not with Ni3S2. Since nickel- and cadmium-containing particulates are deposited in the lungs and cause infiltration of PMNs, the ability to activate those cells and induce H2O2 formation may contribute to their carcinogenicity.

Barium

Suppression of tumor promotion by inhibitors of poly(ADP)ribose formation.

Tumor promoters, such as phorbol esters or hormones, cause many biological effects which may contribute to the expression of cancer. The mechanism of cancer expression may have a common theme. One method of learning about this common mechanism is the identification of chemicals that interfere with tumor development. That there is actually a common theme between very different substances, such as inflammatory skin tumor promoters and estradiol causing breast cancer, was shown by the fact that both skin and breast cancers are suppressed by the same agents, e.g., protease inhibitors and retinoids. In addition to skin and breast, protease inhibitors suppress colon, bladder, and liver cancers. The substances that crossed over in suppressing many varieties of cancer were found to inhibit oxygen radical formation by tumor promoter-activated neutrophils and ras oncogene expression in NIH 3T3 cells. Poly(ADP)ribose polymerase (PADPR polymerase) may serve as the connecting link between oxygen radicals that cause its activation and oncogene expression. PADPR polymerase is inhibited by retinoids, antioxidants, and some protease inhibitors. Benzamide, an inhibitor of PADPR polymerase, is also a chymotrypsin inhibitor which suppresses oxygen radical formation by tumor promoter-activated neutrophils. The inhibition of PADPR polymerase causes the expulsion of some oncogenes from NIH 3T3 cells at definite times after oncogene transfection. Further work is required to find what are the contributions of PADPR polymerase to tumor promotion and of its inhibitors to suppression of oncogene expression.

Animals

Protease inhibitors interfere with the necessary factors of carcinogenesis.

Many tumor promoters are inflammatory agents that stimulate the formation of oxygen radicals (.O2-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in phagocytic neutrophils. The neutrophils use the oxygen radicals to kill bacteria, which are recognized by the cell membrane of phagocytic cells causing a signal to mount the oxygen response. The tumor promoter isolated from croton oil, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), mimics the signal, causing an oxygen radical release that is intended to kill bacteria; instead, it injures cells in the host. Oxygen radicals cause single strand breaks in DNA and modify DNA bases. These damaging reactions appear to be related to tumor promotion, as three types of chemopreventive agents, retinoids, onion oil, and protease inhibitors, suppress the induction of oxygen radicals in phagocytic neutrophils and suppress tumor promotion in skin cancer in mice. Protease inhibitors also suppress breast and colon cancers in mice. Protease inhibitors capable of inhibiting chymotrypsin show a greater suppression of the oxygen effect and are better suppressors of tumor promotion. In addition, oxygen radicals may be one of the many agents that cause activation of oncogenes. Since retinoids and protease inhibitors suppress the expression of the ras oncogene in NIH 3T3 cells, NIH 3T3 cells may serve as a relatively facile model for finding and measuring chemopreventive agents that interfere with the carcinogenic process.

Animals

Inhibition of H-ras oncogene transformation of NIH3T3 cells by protease inhibitors.

The protease inhibitors antipain, leupeptin, alpha 1-antitrypsin, and epsilon-aminocaproic acid were found to inhibit transformation of NIH3T3 cells after transfection with an activated H-ras oncogene. Inhibition of focus formation by protease inhibitors was concentration dependent and maximal at 50% of control values. Transfection of a gene for neomycin resistance was not affected by protease inhibitors. Antipain was inactive if present only during the first 2 days of the gene transfer protocol or only during the final 10 days of the experiment. However, the full effect was observed when antipain was added at the subculture step on day 3 and during the subsequent cell proliferation. If cells were not subcultured, the yield of the foci per microgram of DNA was sharply reduced and addition of antipain did not further suppress the transformation rate. Subculture of NIH3T3 cells 3 days after transfection at lower cell densities resulted in higher transformation efficiency. The results suggest that transformation of NIH3T3 cells by a single mutated oncogene may involve multiple stages including cell proliferation and that part of this process is susceptible to inhibition by protease inhibitors.

Aminocaproic Acid

Genetic effects of 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine, a product of ionizing radiation.

Ionizing radiation causes formation of heterogeneous types of damage to DNA. Among those, 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (HMdU) was identified as a major thymidine derivative in gamma-irradiated HeLa cells [G.W. Teebor, K. Frenkel and M.S. Goldstein (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (U.S.A.), 81, 318-321]. We report here that HMdU is a strong inducer of lambda prophage in Escherichia coli WP2s(lambda) and is highy mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium. HMdU causes his+ revertants in strains TA100, which reverts predominantly by base-pair substitution at G-C sites, and TA97, which reverts mainly by frameshift mutation at G-C sites. It does not cause reversion in TA98, another frameshift-sensitive strain, nor in strains TA1535 and TA1537. Of those tested, only the last two strains do not contain pkM101, a plasmid which enhances mutagenic effects of ionizing radiation. HMdU also causes reversion in strains TA102 and TA104, which detect oxidative damage and can revert by base-pair substitution at A-T base pairs at the hisG428 site. We show that HMdU can be incorporated into DNA of TA100 and that, in addition to causing point mutations, it causes suppressor mutations as well. The ability of HMdU to induce lambda prophage and its strong mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium provide evidence that the presence of HMdU in DNA is biologically significant and may play a major role in the genetic consequences of ionizing radiation and other types of oxidative damage.

Bacteriophage lambda

Anticarcinogenic action of protease inhibitors.

Protease inhibitors are synthesized in biological systems and play a critical role in controlling a number of diverse physiological functions. They participate in blood clotting and lysis of clots, in growth processes by modulation of proteolytic digestion of proteins and thus availability of amino acids, and in the induction of selective DNA amplification. When incorporated into the diet, protease inhibitors appear to suppress many types of cancer. In vitro, they suppress neoplastic transformation caused by chemical carcinogens, ionizing radiation, and oncogenes. These observations offer the hope that judiciously applied protease inhibitors in small concentrations may prevent a wide range of human cancers. This hope is further supported by epidemiological studies which show that populations consuming relatively large amounts of protease inhibitors have a lower occurrence of cancer. The tasks remaining are to determine the kind and the level of protease inhibitors that are most effective in preventing cancer without also having toxic side effects and to incorporate them into our diet. Perhaps the most encouraging investigations are those using small nontoxic protease inhibitors available in pure form (epsilon-aminocaproic acid, a trypsin plasminogen activator inhibitor, and nicotinamide, a chymotrypsin inhibitor and known vitamin). Both agents have been shown to be preventive agents of cancer in animals and in vitro models. Further studies with natural protease inhibitors may yield even more effective agents which when incorporated into our diet will prevent the development of many types of cancer.

Antineoplastic Agents

Chymotrypsin-specific protease inhibitors decrease H2O2 formation by activated human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Stimulated phagocytic cells generate active oxygen species which are known to contribute to inflammatory diseases, necrosis of surrounding tissues, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. Until now, it was not certain whether protease inhibitors are capable of decreasing the production of those oxygen species, and if they are, what type of protease inhibitor is the most active. In this work we monitored formation of H2O2 by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) because H2O2 is the immediate precursor of the actual damaging species. These determinations were carried out in the absence or presence of protease inhibitors and/or superoxide dismutase (SOD). The protease inhibitors tested were: potato inhibitors 1 (PtI-1) and 2 (PtI-2), a chymotrypsin-inhibitory fragment of PtI-2 (PCI-2), chicken ovoinhibitor (COI), turkey ovomucoid ovoinhibitor (TOOI), Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI), lima bean inhibitor (LBI) and soybean (Kunitz) trypsin inhibitor (SBTI). The order of activity, as measured by inhibition of H2O2 formation by TPA-activated PMNs during incubation at 37 degrees C for 30 min, was (in descending order): PtI-1 greater than or equal to PCI-2 greater than PtI-2 greater than COI greater than BBI greater than or equal to TOOI greater than LBI greater than SBTI. Thus, the most effective were the chymotrypsin-specific inhibitors PtI-1 and PCI-2, followed by the bifunctional inhibitors recognizing both chymotrypsin and trypsin, and the least active was SBTI, a predominantly trypsin inhibitor. At the higher concentrations of protease inhibitors tested, the inhibitory activity was similar in both the absence and presence of SOD. These results show that protease inhibitors specific for chymotrypsin but not those that are trypsin-specific are capable of inhibiting formation of active oxygen species during the oxidative burst of stimulated human PMNs.

Chymotrypsin

Copper ions and hydrogen peroxide form hypochlorite from NaCl thereby mimicking myeloperoxidase.

Sea urchins have elaborated multiple defenses to assure monospermic fertilization. In this work, we have concentrated on a study of the mechanism(s) by which hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) prevents polyspermy in Arbacia punctulata. We found that it is not H2O2 but probably hypochlorous acid/hypochlorite (HOCl/OCl-) derived from H2O2 that is toxic to the supernumerary sperm. The spermicidal activity of H2O2 is potentiated by at least one order of magnitude by cupric ions (Cu2+). This increased toxicity is not due to the formation of hydroxyl radicals (.OH) because .OH scavengers did not counteract the activity of Cu2+. Moreover, substitution of Cu2+ by ferrous ions (Fe2+), which are known to cause formation of .OH from H2O2, had no effect on fertilization even at 10(2)-10(3) times higher concentrations. In contrast, 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (AT), and HOCl/OCl- scavenger, totally reversed the toxic effects of Cu2+. Furthermore, we found that HOCl/OCl- is generated in solutions of H2O2 and Cu2+ in the presence of 0.5 M NaCl and that its accumulation is abolished by AT. Thus it is possible that the antifertility properties of copper are due to its ability to mediate formation of HOCl/OCl-. HOCl/OCl- generated by Cu2+ from H2O2 and Cl-, a low concentration of exogenously added HOCl/OCl-, or increased concentrations of H2O2 has similar inhibitory effects on the fertilization process in sea urchins. Therefore, we suggest that polyspermy is prevented by the action of a myeloperoxidase that affects the formation of HOCl/OCl- from the Cl- present in sea water through reaction with H2O2 generated by the newly fertilized egg.

Amitrole

Some protease inhibitors are also inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase.

The low-molecular-weight peptide protease inhibitors, tosyl-lysine-chloromethyl ketone, antipain and leupeptin, inhibited poly(ADP-ribose) [poly(ADP-Rib)] polymerase in permeable cells. The concentrations required for 50% inhibition were 3.6, 5 and 29 mM, respectively. Two peptides without protease inhibitor activity, fibrinopeptide A and phenylalanine-leucine-(glutamine)2-leucine, also inhibited poly (ADP-Rib) synthesis; doses required for 50% inhibition were 0.37 and 11.2 mM, respectively. These concentrations lie within a range bracketed by the 50% inhibition concentrations of the strong and weak poly(ADP-Rib) synthesis inhibitors, 3-amino-benzamide (0.15 mM) and caffeine (greater than 100 mM), respectively. N-Ethylmaleimide also inhibited poly(ADP-Rib) synthesis, at a 50% inhibitory dose of 0.3 mM, in the absence of exogenous thiol reagents. High-molecular-weight protease inhibitors, such as soybean (including Bowman-Birk reagent) and lima bean trypsin inhibitors and human alpha 1-protease inhibitor, had no effect on poly(ADP-Rib) synthesis up to 2 mg/ml. Interference with transformation and other cellular effects that have been reported in carcinogen-damaged cells treated with low-molecular-weight peptide protease inhibitors may therefore involve common mechanisms with poly(ADP-Rib) inhibitors. Similar effects of high-molecular-weight protease inhibitors presumably involve different mechanisms.

Antipain

Radiation-like modification of bases in DNA exposed to tumor promoter-activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Oxygen species generated by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) activated by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) caused the formation of 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (HMdUrd), and (+) and (-) diastereoisomers of cis-thymidine glycol (dTG) in DNA that was exposed to them. There were 9 HMdUrds and 31 dTGs formed per 1 X 10(6) thymidine residues. When Fe(II)/ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid was added to TPA-activated PMNs at 0, 10, 15, and 20 min after TPA, HMdUrd formation increased 5-, 13-, 30-, and 35-fold. Although dTG was initially formed in larger amounts than HMdUrd, it eventually decreased but was still 5-, 6-, 5.5-, and 3-5-fold, respectively, higher than in the absence of iron. From 65 to 1800 times more HMdUrd was formed in DNA when autologous plasma was present during incubation of DNA with TPA-activated PMNs than in its absence. The levels of dTG also varied from about the same as HMdUrd to the nondetectable. Reconstituted human serum transferrin used instead of plasma or Fe(II) also supported the formation of HMdUrd and dTG. When DNA was treated with Fe(II)-reduced H2O2 in the absence of PMNs and TPA, both derivatives were formed. However, the same treatment of marker dTG of dTG-containing polydeoxyadenylic-thymidylic acid caused the decomposition of dTG. Thus, the reduction of hydrogen peroxide by Fe(II) complexed to either ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or amino acids amy be responsible for the formation of HMdUrd and dTG and for subsequent decomposition of dTG in DNA exposed to the TPA-activated PMNs.

DNA

Expression of long terminal repeat (LTR) sequences in carcinogen-induced murine skin carcinomas.

RNA sequences homologous to the Long Terminal Repeat (LTR) sequence of Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus proviral DNA are expressed in murine squamous cell carcinomas of the skin induced by chemical carcinogens. These transcripts range in size from 8.2 to less than 2.4 kb but their size profile varies between individual tumors. These RNAs are not detected in the poly A+ RNA fraction obtained from the epidermis of control mice or carcinogen induced skin papillomas. The poly A+ RNAs from the livers and spleens of some of the mice with skin carcinomas also revealed LTR related sequences, whereas these RNAs were not detected in the livers and spleens of control mice or of carcinogen-treated mice that did not develop carcinomas. Thus, chemical carcinogenesis in mouse skin is associated with constitutive expression of endogenous retrovirus related sequences in the carcinomas as well as in certain apparently normal host tissues.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene