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Cell cycle regulation (G1) by autocrine interferon and dissociation between autocrine interferon and 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase expression.

In tertiary MEF undergoing cell cycle progression, autocrine interferon (IFN) is released and constitutive levels of 2',5'-oligoadenylate (2-5A) synthetase activity, low through the cell cycle, surge into a peak within S phase. Treatment of MEF with the autocrine IFN they produce elicits a 2-5A synthetase response from cells positioned in G0 but not from cells in G1 and from cells in S phase. Neutralization of the autocrine IFN by antibody shortens the length of G1 leaving unaltered the kinetics of progression through S and G2 and has no effect on the S phase-linked expression of 2-5A synthetase activity. The growth controlling effect of the autocrine IFN has been mapped to the second part of G1.

2',5'-Oligoadenylate Synthetase

Cell cycle regulation (G1) by autocrine interferon and dissociation between autocrine interferon and 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase expression.

In tertiary MEF undergoing cell cycle progression, autocrine interferon (IFN) is released and constitutive levels of 2',5'-oligoadenylate (2-5A) synthetase activity, low through the cell cycle, surge into a peak within S phase. Treatment of MEF with the autocrine IFN they produce elicits a 2-5A synthetase response from cells positioned in G0 but not from cells in G1 and from cells in S phase. Neutralization of the autocrine IFN by antibody shortens the length of G1 leaving unaltered the kinetics of progression through S and G2 and has no effect on the S phase-linked expression of 2-5A synthetase activity. The growth controlling effect of the autocrine IFN has been mapped to the second part of G1.

2',5'-Oligoadenylate Synthetase

Contributions of autocrine and non-autocrine mechanisms to tumorigenicity in a murine model for leukaemia.

We have surveyed the possible mechanisms by which factor-dependent FDC-P1 cells can be rendered leukaemogenic by exposure of cells to the chemical mutagen, ethyl methane sulphonate. Cell lines established on the basis of an ability to proliferate in the absence of exogenous colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) fall into two classes; those that are maximally stimulated and show no evidence of production of CSFs and others that grow in a density-dependent manner and express granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF). That the growth of this latter class can be suppressed by the inclusion of antisense GM-CSF oligonucleotides in the growth medium indicates that the basis for their in vitro proliferation, and probably their ability to initiate the formation of transplantable leukaemias, is autocrine stimulation by GM-CSF. The ability of low levels of CSF to sustain autocrine stimulation, as we have shown, raises the possibility of an autocrine basis for the proliferation of certain human leukaemic cells. The ability to detect low concentrations of CSFs and develop in vitro assays that closely mimic the conditions that exist in vivo will be important aids in the classification of human leukaemias.

Animals

Thyroid autocrine factors: regulation of secretion of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins from sheep thyroid cells by autocrine basic fibroblast growth factor.

The mRNA for basic fibroblast growth factor has been detected in primary cultures of sheep thyroid cells. RNA species of 2.0 kb, 3.3 kb and 7.2 kb have been identified. The effects of this autocrine factor on the production of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) have been examined. bFGF enhanced the secretion of IGFBP-2 and, like epidermal growth factor (EGF) and the tumour promoting phorbol ester (TPA), induced the appearance of IGFBP-3. We conclude that bFGF is synthesized by sheep thyroid cells and has autocrine potential since it can regulate the secretion of other thyroid autocrine factors which, in turn, may regulate thyroid growth and function.

Animals

Autocrine growth of T cells independent of interleukin 2: identification of interleukin 4 (IL 4, BSF-1) as an autocrine growth factor for a cloned antigen-specific helper T cell.

Interleukin 4 (IL 4), formerly known as B cell stimulatory factor 1 (BSF-1), has recently been described as a growth factor for T cells. The role of IL 4 in the putatively IL 2-independent growth of certain cloned T helper cells is unclear. D10.G4.1 (D10) is a conalbumin-specific helper T cell that has been employed extensively in the analysis of T cell activation and as an assay for the detection of IL 1. Previously, it was thought that IL 1 induced the expression of IL 2 receptors on D10 cells, thereby permitting D10 to proliferate in response to endogenously produced IL 2. However, we cannot detect IL 2 mRNA or protein in D10 cells or their supernatants as determined by the following criteria: monoclonal antibodies that neutralize the in vitro activity of murine IL 2 do not block the IL 1-dependent proliferation of D10 cells; no competitive binding for high-affinity IL 2 receptors with 125I-labeled IL 2 can be detected with medium conditioned by activated D10 cells; and Northern blot analysis and S1 nuclease protection assays, performed with cDNA probes for IL 2, do not detect mRNA for IL 2 under a variety of different activation conditions that foster autocrine growth of D10 cells. In contrast, activated D10 cells produce both IL 4 mRNA and protein as judged by similar criteria. Purified IL 4 has significant TCGF activity as measured by proliferation of HT-2 cells. This activity can be blocked completely by a monoclonal antibody to IL 4 (11B11). The proliferation of D10 cells in the presence of 3D3 (a clonotype-specific monoclonal anti-T cell receptor antibody) and IL 1 can be blocked completely by 11B11 antibody. Highly purified IL 4 alone cannot induce the proliferation of resting D10 cells; however, equivalent amounts of IL 4 in the presence of recombinant IL 1 induce significant D10 proliferation. Therefore, IL 1 appears to render D10 cells responsive to their autocrine growth signal. These data indicate that IL 4 serves as the autocrine T cell growth factor for D10 cells, and that exogenous IL 1 is required for the transduction of this growth signal. This may represent a more broadly applicable mechanism for the growth of certain subsets of T helper cells.

Animals

Quantitative aspects of autocrine regulation in tumors.

Autocrine regulation is defined as a mechanism of self-control in growth and differentiation; this mode of regulation among histologically homologous cells is mediated humorally. Autocrine mechanisms involve: 1. Autonomously controlled production and secretion of autocrine mediators. 2. Distribution of autocrine mediators among cells. 3. Expression by cells of functional receptors for autocrine mediators. 4. Transduction and intracellular integration of signals mediated by autocrine mediators. 5. Growth response. 6. Maintenance of autonomous control of growth and/or differentiation state in the progeny Biochemical and biological evidence for most of these steps in various transformed cells makes it possible to analyze autocrine control as a multifaceted process. This process depends on tumor cellularity and histoarchitecture, on time and on external influences on secretion of autocrine mediators (e.g., estrogens in estrogen-dependent breast cancer). We review the quantitative aspects of experimental evidence for autocrine control in tumors and examine the phenomenological and some mechanistic concepts in creating integrative, quantitative, and experimentally verifiable mathematical models of autocrine regulation.

Breast Neoplasms

The proliferative and morphologic responses of a colon carcinoma cell line (LIM 1215) require the production of two autocrine factors.

The role of autocrine growth factors in tumor cell growth has been difficult to prove. Our results indicate that more than one autocrine factor is required for the autonomous growth of the LIM 1215 colonic carcinoma cell line. Furthermore, the morphologic changes induced by epidermal growth factor (EGF) are also density dependent and appear to require a synergistic autocrine factor. The serum-free proliferation of the colonic carcinoma cell line LIM 1215 depends on cell density and the presence of EGF (A. Sizeland, S. Bol, and A.W. Burgess, Growth Factors 4:129-143, 1991). At cell densities below 10(4)/cm2, conditioned medium (from cells at a density of 10(5)/cm2) was required for the cells to elicit a mitogenic response to exogenous EGF. At higher cell densities (10(5)/cm2), the cells were independent of both exogenous EGF and conditioned medium. In addition, the EGF receptor was found to be phosphorylated on tyrosine in LIM 1215 cells proliferating at high density, suggesting that the autocrine production of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha) and subsequent ligation to the EGF receptor was occurring. The proliferation of cells at high density was partly inhibited by TGF alpha antibodies but was almost completely inhibited by an antisense oligonucleotide to TGF alpha. The antisense inhibition could be overcome by the addition of EGF, indicating that the effect of the antisense TGF alpha oligonucleotide was on the production of autocrine TGF alpha. LIM 1215 cells were also observed to undergo morphologic changes (spreading and actin cable organization) in response to EGF. These changes were density dependent, but they occurred with a cell density dependence different from that of the proliferative response. These results suggest two possibilities: that the morphologic changes and proliferative responses have different sensitivities to the autocrine factors or that the actions of the autocrine factors are mediated through different signal transduction pathways.

Actins

Identification of interleukin-6 as an autocrine growth factor for Epstein-Barr virus-immortalized B cells.

Autocrine growth factors are believed to be important for maintenance of an immortalized state by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), because cell-free supernatants of EBV-immortalized cell lines promote the proliferation of autologous cells and permit their growth at low cell density. In this study, we provide evidence for the existence of two autocrine growth factor activities produced by EBV-immortalized lines distinguished by size and biological activities. Much of the autocrine growth factor activity in lymphoblastoid cell line supernatants resided in a low-molecular-weight (less than 5,000) fraction. However, up to 20 to 30% of the autocrine growth factor activity resided in the high-molecular-weight (greater than 5,000) fraction. While the nature of the low-molecular-weight growth factor activity remains undefined, the high-molecular-weight growth factor activity was identified as interleukin-6 (IL-6). Culture supernatants from six EBV-induced lymphoblastoid cell lines tested contained IL-6 activity, because they promoted proliferation in the IL-6-dependent hybridoma cell line B9. In addition, a rabbit antibody to human IL-6 neutralized the capacity of the high-molecular-weight (greater than 5,000) fraction of a lymphoblastoid cell line supernatant to promote growth both in autologous EBV-immortalized cells and in B9 cells. Similarly, this high-molecular-weight autocrine growth factor activity was neutralized by a monoclonal antibody to human IL-6. Furthermore, characteristic bands, attributable to IL-6, were visualized in supernatants of each of four EBV-induced lymphoblastoid cell lines after immunoprecipitation with a rabbit antiserum to human IL-6. Thus, in addition to its previously reported properties, IL-6 is an autocrine growth factor for EBV-immortalized B cells cultured under serum-free conditions.

B-Lymphocytes

Interrupting autocrine ligand-receptor binding: comparison between receptor blockers and ligand decoys.

Stimulation of cell behavioral functions by ligand/receptor binding can be accomplished in autocrine fashion, where cells secrete ligand capable of binding to receptors on their own surfaces. This proximal secretion of autocrine ligands near the surface receptors on the secreting cell suggests that control of these systems by inhibitors of receptor/ligand binding may be more difficult than for systems involving exogenous ligands. Hence, it is of interest to predict the conditions under which successful inhibition of cell receptor binding by the autocrine ligand can be expected. Previous theoretical work using a compartmentalized model for autocrine cells has elucidated the conditions under which addition of solution decoys for the autocrine ligand can interrupt cell receptor/ligand binding via competitive binding of the secreted molecules (Forsten, K. E., and D. A. Lauffenburger. 1992. Biophys. J. 61:1-12.) We now apply a similar modeling approach to examine the addition of solution blockers targeted against the cell receptor. Comparison of the two alternative inhibition strategies reveals that a significantly lower concentration of receptor blockers, compared to ligand decoys, will obtain a high degree of inhibition. The more direct interruption scheme characteristic of the receptor blockers may make them a preferred strategy when feasible.

Animals

Autocrine stimulation of intracellular PDGF receptors in v-sis-transformed cells.

Autocrine activation of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptors is the mechanism of transformation by the v-sis oncogene. Since the addition of PDGF does not transform normal cells, autocrine mechanisms may involve unique pathways of receptor activation. In this study autocrine stimulation of the PDGF receptor was observed in v-sis-transformed normal rat kidney (NRK) cells. In contrast to receptor activation in normal cells, autocrine activation of PDGF receptors in v-sis-transformed cells occurred in intracellular compartments, disrupting receptor processing and diverting receptors and their precursors to a chloroquine-sensitive degradation pathway. These findings show that intracellular activation of receptors by autocrine mechanisms may play a role in cell transformation.

Ammonium Chloride

Autocrine growth factors and solid tumor malignancy.

The ability of malignant cells to escape the constraint that normally regulate cell growth and differentiation has been a primary focus of attention for investigators of cancer cell biology. An outcome of this attention has been the discovery that the protein products of oncogenes play a role in the activation of growth signal pathways. A second outcome, possibly related to abnormal oncogene expression, has been the discovery that malignant cells frequently show an ability to regulate their own growth by the release of autocrine growth modulatory substances. Most important, the growth of certain malignant cell types has been shown to depend on autocrine growth circuits. A malignant tumor whose continued growth depends on the release of an autocrine growth factor may be vulnerable to treatment with specific receptor antagonists or immunoneutralizing antibodies designed to break the autocrine circuit. Information is rapidly emerging concerning autocrine growth factors in selected human solid tissue malignancy.

Cytokines

Characterization of an interleukin-6-mediated autocrine growth loop in the human multiple myeloma cell line, U266.

It has been reported recently that freshly isolated human myeloma cell cultures proliferate in response to added interleukin-6 (IL-6). Endogenous levels of IL-6 found in the same cultures suggested that an autocrine growth loop may contribute to cell growth. However, the lack of homogenous cell populations in primary myeloma cultures has made it difficult to distinguish between paracrine and autocrine growth mechanisms. To precisely address the autocrine growth issue we have evaluated the growth of the human myeloma cell line, U266. We have found that a neutralizing anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody can inhibit U266 proliferation. Furthermore, the addition of IL-6 antisense oligonucleotides also inhibits U266 proliferation. These effects are reversed by adding IL-6, suggesting the presence of an autocrine loop. Using bioassays with two different IL-6-dependent cell lines, we were able to detect IL-6 in concentrated U266 supernatants. IL-6 mRNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction amplification of cDNA. Cell cycle parameter analysis shows that IL-6 acts to release a block in G1. Taken together these results present conclusive evidence for IL-6-mediated autocrine growth in the U266 human myeloma cell line.

Base Sequence

Private and public autocrine loops in neoplastic cells.

Autocrine growth factor loops ensure the continued growth of neoplastic cells. According to the traditional view of such autocrine loops, receptor binding and transduction of a mitogenic signal occur when a growth factor is secreted and subsequently interacts with its receptor on the surface of the secreting or neighboring cells. For several growth factors there is now evidence that the mitogenic signal may be transduced without factor secretion. In these instances, the growth factor appears to interact with its receptor intracellularly, creating in effect a "private" autocrine loop. We will discuss three growth factors that may operate by the latter mechanism, as well as two that rely instead on classical "public" autocrine loops, where the growth factor must be secreted and is therefore accessible to neighboring cells. We also consider the properties of these growth factor/receptor systems that may determine their involvement in either type of autocrine loop.

Amino Acid Sequence

Highly efficient action of autocrine mouse interferon-gamma expressed via a retroviral vector.

Following infection with a mouse interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-producing retrovirus, various types of mouse cell lines began to constitutively secrete IFN-gamma in the culture medium, but the IFN-gamma production level varied according to cell type. Effects of the IFN-gamma on the IFN-gamma-producing cell itself (autocrine effects) were examined. In the IFN-gamma-producing cells, the expression of the major histocompatibility complex class I genes was augmented; this augmentation was remarkable in T cell lines tested in this work, regardless of their poor IFN-gamma production. This autocrine effect was highly efficient and could not easily be abrogated by the exogenous addition of anti-IFN-gamma antibodies. Such antibody resistance was also observed for the antiviral effect of the autocrine IFN-gamma on an IFN-gamma gene-transferred fibroblast line. These results suggest that apparently low titers of physiological IFN-gamma might exert strong in vivo autocrine and possibly paracrine effects.

Animals

Heparin inhibits autocrine stimulation but not fibroblast growth factor stimulation of cell proliferation of androgen-responsive Shionogi carcinoma 115.

An androgen-responsive cloned cell line (SC-3) derived from Shionogi carcinoma 115 (SC115) has been shown to secrete fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-like peptide in response to androgen, which binds to FGF receptor and promotes the proliferation of SC-3 cells in an autocrine mechanism. Since the androgen-induced autocrine factor has a property to bind heparin, we examined the effects of heparin on the growth of SC-3 cells. Heparin was found to exhibit significant inhibition of testosterone-induced growth in a concentration-dependent manner: Approximately 50% inhibition was found at a concentration of 0.1 micrograms/ml. DNA synthesis of SC-3 cells induced by testosterone was also inhibited strongly by heparin, and less strongly by heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate. Proliferation of SC-3 cells induced by acidic (a) or basic (b) FGF appeared not to be modulated by heparin. In contrast, heparin efficiently blocked DNA synthesis stimulated with androgen-induced growth factor in the conditioned medium from testosterone-treated cells. These results indicate that heparin inhibits autocrine loop in SC-3 cells induced by androgen. Thus, the autocrine growth factor possesses a different characteristic from aFGF and bFGF in that its bioactivities are negatively modulated by the glycosaminoglycan.

Animals

Autocrine-paracrine mechanisms of vascular myocytes in systemic hypertension.

Recent data demonstrate that in addition to its conduit function, the blood vessel is an active synthetic and secretory organ containing several autocrine and paracrine systems that are involved with the local regulation of its own function. The endothelium plays a pivotal role in modulating the balance between thrombogenesis and thrombolysis. In addition, it secretes vasorelaxant and vasoconstrictive substances, growth factors and inflammatory mediators that exert paracrine influences on vascular myocyte function. The vascular myocyte also expresses autocrine substances which influence its own function. The autocrine systems include angiotensin, prostaglandins, platelet-derived growth factor, insulin-like growth factor and heparin. These local factors exert modulatory influences on myocyte contractility and growth. It is conceivable that genetic or acquired abnormalities of one or several of these check and balance systems can result in increased vascular tone, generalized vascular hypertrophy or hyperplasia, or a combination, and contribute to the pathogenesis of hypertension. These autocrine-paracrine systems may be important targets for antihypertensive drug development.

Blood Platelets

Autocrine ligand binding to cell receptors. Mathematical analysis of competition by solution "decoys".

Autocrine ligands have been demonstrated to regulate cell proliferation, cell adhesion, and cell migration in a number of different systems and are believed to be one of the underlying causes of malignant cell transformation. Binding of these ligands to their cellular receptors can be compromised by diffusive transport of ligand away from the secreting cell. Exogenous addition of antibodies or solution receptors capable of competing with cellular receptors for these autocrine ligands has been proposed as a means of inhibiting autocrine-stimulated cell behavioral responses. Such "decoys" complicate cellular binding by offering alternative binding targets, which may also be capable of aiding or abating transport of the ligand away from the cell surface. We present a mathematical model incorporating autocrine ligand production and the presence of competing cellular and solution receptors. We elucidate effects of key system parameters including ligand diffusion rate, binding rate constants, cell density, and secretion rate on the ability of solution receptors to inhibit cellular receptor binding. Both plated and suspension cell systems are considered. An approximate analytical expression relating the key parameters to the critical concentration of solution "decoys" required for inhibition is derived and compared to the numerical calculations. We find that in order to achieve essentially complete inhibition of surface receptor binding, the concentration of decoys may need to be as much as four to eight orders of magnitude greater than the equilibrium disociation constant for ligand binding to surface receptors.

Binding, Competitive

Autocrine growth factors and cancer.

The ability of cancer cells to produce and to respond to their own growth factors (autocrine secretion) has become a central concept linking oncogene and growth factor research. Oncogenes confer growth factor autonomy on cells not only by coding directly for autocrine peptide growth factors or their receptors, but also by amplifying the mitogenic signals generated by a growth factor at its receptor. Antagonists of positive autocrine growth factors can inhibit growth of cancer cells in experimental animals. Recently identified negative autocrine growth factors might themselves control aberrant cell growth.

Animals