Biomedical subjects

A Y Liu

Publications and source records attributed to A Y Liu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Production of transmembrane and secreted forms of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha by HIV-1-specific CD4+ cytolytic T lymphocyte clones. Evidence for a TNF-alpha-independent cytolytic mechanism.

Candidate AIDS vaccines consisting of recombinant forms of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein induce, in seronegative human volunteers, an env-specific T cell response that includes CD4+, MHC class II-restricted CTL capable of lysing HIV-1-infected target cells. In this study, we have analyzed the production of the cytokines TNF-alpha and lymphotoxin (LT) by a set of env-specific CD4+ human CTL clones. TNF-alpha and LT are of interest because of their potential role in target cell destruction by CD4+ CTL. Our studies focused on the possibility that a cell surface form of TNF-alpha expressed by CTL after physiologic activation with target APC might participate in the cytolytic reactions mediated by these clones. We found that, upon interaction with target cells expressing env epitopes in the context of the appropriate MHC class II molecules, CD4+ CTL released TNF-alpha with kinetics that were rapid, compared with other cytokines, and that were generally similar to the kinetics of target cell destruction. LT secretion was not detected during the time course of the cytolytic reactions. A novel flow cytometric assay was used to show that physiologic activation of CD4+ CTL with target APC induced expression by the CTL of cell surface forms of TNF-alpha. Immunoprecipitations from activated, surface-iodinated CTL clones revealed two forms of surface TNF-alpha, a 26-kDa form, representing the transmembrane precursor of secreted TNF-alpha, as well as the 17-kDa secreted form bound to the cell surface. For a subset of CD4+ CTL, we found that treatment of CTL with cyclosporin A inhibited Ag-induced production of both transmembrane and secreted forms of TNF-alpha but had no effect on cytolysis. Thus, although transmembrane and secreted TNF-alpha produced by HIV-1-specific CD4+ CTL may have important effects in vivo, the rapid destruction of target APC by the set of CD4+ CTL clones described here occurs through a TNF-alpha-independent mechanism.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗

PubMed1992

Tributyltin is a potent inducer of the heat shock response in human diploid fibroblasts.

Submicromolar concentrations of tributyltin (TBT), a commercially used organotin compound, were found to induce the expression of several stress proteins, most notably HSP89 and HSP70, in IMR-90 human diploid fibroblasts in a time- and dose-dependent manner. This induction can be demonstrated by quantitation of 1) synthesis of the heat shock proteins (HSPs), 2) relative abundance of mRNA of hsp70, and 3) transient expression of a human hsp70 promoter driven reporter gene. TBT also increased the abundance of mRNA of heme oxygenase, whereas heat shock was without effect. Analysis of protein binding to a consensus heat shock element (HSE) by electrophoretic mobility shift assay suggests that the induction of the heat shock response by TBT was attributable to activation of the heat shock transcription factor (HSTF).

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Clonal analysis of T-cell responses to the HIV-1 envelope proteins in AIDS vaccine recipients.

Both CD4+ and CD8+ CTL responses specific for the HIV-1 envelope proteins can be elicited in seronegative humans by candidate AIDS vaccines. The phenotype of the responding CTL depends upon the nature of the vaccine, with CD8+ CTL being found exclusively in recipients of live virus vaccines. Both types of CTL are active against HIV-1-infected cells in vitro. However, the potential efficacy of vaccine-induced CTL in preventing infection in vaccinated individuals exposed to HIV-1 is unknown and is likely to be dependent upon complex factors including lytic activity against divergent strains, cytokines produced, and the lysis of noninfected CD4+ T cells.

AIDS Vaccines↗

PubMed1992

Symptomatic zinc deficiency in a one-year-old child precipitated by changing from formula to cow's milk.

The case of a one-year-old girl with symptomatic zinc deficiency is presented. She had been misdiagnosed as having impetigo and/or candidiasis and had been treated with topical antifungal agents and both oral and topical antibiotic agents without success during the four months before she presented. Zinc replacement led to rapid improvement. Her nutritional history suggests that weaning from formula to cow's milk precipitated her eruption. The clinical findings, differential diagnosis, and treatment of zinc deficiency are reviewed.

Acrodermatitis↗

PubMed1991

Subtractive cloning of a hybrid human endogenous retrovirus and calbindin gene in the prostate cell line PC3.

A complementary DNA clone containing human endogenous retrovirus-like sequences spliced to sequences encoding human calbindin was discovered by complementary DNA subtraction analysis between two human prostate cell lines, PC3 and DU145. This gene is presumably activated by the long terminal repeat of the retrovirus-like sequence. It belongs to a member of the retrovirus-like H (tRNA(his) primer binding sequence) family. The level of this transcript is high in PC3, derived from a prostate bone metastasis, but not in DU145, derived from a prostate brain metastasis.

Aged↗

PubMed1991

cAMP and cAMP-dependent protein kinase regulate the human heat shock protein 70 gene promoter activity.

The theme of this study is an evaluation of the involvement of cAMP and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) in the regulation of the human heat shock protein (hsp) 70 gene promoter. Expression of a highly specific protein inhibitor of PKA (pRSVPKI) inhibited the basal as well as heat- and cadmium-induced expression of the cotransfected pHBCAT, a human hsp 70 promoter-driven reporter gene; this inhibition was dependent on the amount of pRSVPKI used. The effect of an expression vector of the RI regulatory subunit of PKA, pMTREV, was similar to that of pRSVPKI; pMTREV inhibited both the basal as well as the heat-induced expression of pHBCAT. The specificity of effects of these expression vectors was demonstrated by the lack of effect of a mutant PKI gene and by the unaffected expression of a reference gene (pRSV beta gal) under these conditions. Analysis of the effects of dibutyryl cAMP (1 mM), forskolin (10 microM), and 8-Br-cAMP (1 mM) on the transient expression of pHBCAT showed that these cAMP-elevating agents stimulated the hsp 70 promoter activity, whereas cAMP (1 mM) was without effect. Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene constructs with truncated or mutated hsp 70 promoter were used to define the cis-acting DNA element(s) that confer this cAMP stimulation; the heat induced (42 degrees C) expression was used as a control. Mutation of the adenovirus transcription factor element (pLSN-40/-26) greatly reduced the basal level of expression; forskolin had little or no effect on this adenovirus transcription factor-minus promoter, although the promoter activity was very heat inducible. The absence of a functional heat shock consensus element (HSE) in the construct pLSPNWT rendered the promoter heat insensitive; this construct was forskolin responsive although the magnitude of this stimulation was reduced when compared with that of a control construct with HSE. These results were corroborated by studies using consensus sequence of ATF (ATFE) and HSE as competitors to titrate our cellular factors that may interact with these elements. We showed that cotransfection with ATFE and HSE depressed the basal (37 degrees C) expression of pHBCAT by 25 and 60%, respectively. The heat-induced expression of pHBCAT was not significantly affected by the cotransfection of ATFE and was reduced by 60% when HSE was cotransfected. ATFE and HSE reduced the forskolin-induced pHBCAT expression by 70 and 40%, respectively. The implications of these findings as they relate to the action of cAMP and cAMP-dependent protein kinase in the control of heat shock gene expression are discussed.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗

PubMed1991

Articular and diaphyseal remodeling of the proximal femur with changes in body mass in adults.

Proximal femoral dimensions were measured from radiographs of 80 living subjects whose current body weight and body weight at initial skeletal maturity (18 years) could be ascertained. Results generally support the hypothesis that articular size does not change in response to changes in mechanical loading (body weight) in adults, while diaphyseal cross-sectional size does. This can be explained by considering the different bone remodeling constraints characteristic of largely trabecular bone regions (articulations) and largely compact cortical bone regions (diaphyses). The femoral neck shows a pattern apparently intermediate between the two, consistent with its structure. When the additional statistical "noise" created by an essentially static femoral head size is accounted for, the present study supports other studies that have demonstrated rather marked positive allometry in femoral articular and shaft cross-sectional dimensions to body mass among adult humans. Body weight prediction equations developed from these data give reasonable results for modern U.S. samples, with average percent prediction errors of about 10%-16% for individual weights and about 2% for sample mean weights using the shaft dimension equations. When predicting body weight from femoral head size in earlier human samples, a downward correction factor of about 10% is suggested to account for the increased adiposity of very recent U.S. adults.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Molecular events involved in transcriptional activation of heat shock genes become progressively refractory to heat stimulation during aging of human diploid fibroblasts.

We examined the induction, by heat shock, of heat shock transcription factor (HSTF) DNA-binding and hsp 70 gene promoter activities during aging of the IMR-90 human diploid fibroblasts. Cells with population doubling level (PDL) ranging from 15-48 were heat shocked at temperatures of 39, 42, and 45 degrees C for various time periods; the binding of HSTF to its consensus DNA was determined by gel retardation assay and the promoter activity of the human hsp 70 gene was analyzed by transient expression of reporter gene activity. We observed that the induction of HSE-binding activity was inversely related to the PDL of the cells used. Importantly, as cells progress through their life span, a higher temperature and a longer period of heat shock were needed to evoke an optimal increase in HSE-binding activity. A substantial and rapid (within 30 min) increase in HSE-binding activity was observed when PDL 20 cells were heat shocked at 39, 42, or 45 degrees C. However, PDL 35 cells did not respond to 39 degrees C, and PDL 48 cells responded slowly to heat shock at 45 degrees C, but not 39 or 42 degrees C. Experiments on the heat induced increase in hsp 70 promoter driven reporter gene expression provided similar information on the age-dependent decrease in transcriptional activation of hsps. These results were further corroborated by quantitation of the abundance of mRNA of hsp 70. Analysis of the cAMP induced expression of the rat somatostatin promoter driven CAT gene provided evidence that the decrease in transcriptional activation of hsps in aging diploid cells was not a reflection of a generalized dysfunction of signal transduction. We conclude that functional changes in the heat shock response occur before cells lose their capacity to replicate, and we suggest that these changes are likely to have a central role in the expression of the aging phenotype.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1990

Decreased heat shock response upon adipose differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells.

In order to gain a better understanding of the regulation of heat shock gene (hsp) expression in terminal cell differentiation, we evaluated the effects of heat shock on the synthesis of HSPs, the abundance of mRNAhsp, and the heat shock transcription factor (HSTF) DNA-binding activity in the 3T3-L1 fibroblasts and adipocytes. We showed that the heat shock (42 degrees C) induction of synthesis of HSPs was significantly greater in the undifferentiated fibroblast than the differentiated adipocyte cultures. In particular, the heat shock induced synthesis of HSP 72 was at least 10 times greater in the fibroblasts than in the adipocytes. Analysis of mRNA of hsp 89 alpha, hsp 89 beta, hsp 70, and hsp 25 by Northern blot hybridization showed that the expression of these mRNAs was very, if not strictly, dependent on heat shock of the cells; the abundance of these heat inducible mRNAs was significantly higher in fibroblasts than in adipocytes. Quantitation of the HSTF DNA-binding activity by gel retardation assay demonstrated a specific decrease in this activity in the differentiated cells. These results provide evidence of a decreased transcriptional activation of heat shock genes upon adipose cell differentiation.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed1990

Age-dependent decrease in the heat-inducible DNA sequence-specific binding activity in human diploid fibroblasts.

In order to gain a better understanding of the molecular mechanism of the attenuated heat shock response in aging diploid fibroblasts (Liu, A. Y.-C., Lin, Z., Choi, H.-S., Sorhage, F., and Li, B. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 12037-12045), we examined the regulation of a heat-inducible, heat shock element (HSE) sequence-specific binding protein in IMR-90 diploid fibroblasts. Using gel retardation assay, we showed that the HSE binding activity in extracts of IMR-90 cells was very dependent on heat shock of the cells; that the induction was transient with a maximal increase observed at 1 h of heat shock. Significantly, the level of this heat-inducible HSE-binding activity was age-dependent, being high in young cells and low in old cells. By Scatchard analysis, we determined that this difference in HSE binding in young and old cells was not due to a change in the affinity of the binding, rather the level of the heat-inducible HSE-binding activity was different. The equilibrium dissociation constants (Kd) were estimated to be 30, 25, and 31 pM for cells with population-doubling levels of 22, 35, and 45, respectively; the corresponding Bmax values were 0.087, 0.042, and 0.0059 pmol of 32P-HSE bound per mg of whole cell extract protein. The decreased 32P-HSE-binding activity in the old cells was not a reflection of global alteration of many transcription factors; assay of the DNA binding activity of activating transcription factor showed little difference as a function of age. Experiments of mixing extracts from young and old cells provided evidence of a dominant inhibitor of the HSE-binding activity in old cells. Probing of protein blots with 32P-HSE showed that the subunit molecular weight of the HSE-binding protein was 83,000 in both young and old cells. The pattern of regulation of this HSE-binding protein upon heat shock and cell aging as well as the identity, in DNA sequence specificity and subunit molecular weight, of this protein with that of the human heat shock gene transcription factor suggest that the HSE-binding protein is involved in the transcriptional activation of hsp genes in IMR-90 cells. We concluded that there was an age-associated decrease in the heat shock gene transcription factor DNA-binding activity and that this could account for the attenuated heat shock gene expression in aging diploid cells.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1989

Heat shock induction of HSP 89 is regulated in cellular aging.

Induction of heat shock proteins (HSPs) was evaluated as a function of age of the IMR-90 human diploid fibroblasts. Heat shock (42 degrees C) markedly increased the synthesis of proteins with apparent molecular weights of 98, 89, 72, 50, 42 and 25 KDa, with HSP 89 and 72 being most prominent. This heat shock induction of HSPs was inversely correlated to the population doubling level (PDL) of the cell cultures used. For example, the synthesis rate of HSP 89 increased from a basal heat shock of young cells (PDL 18); in the old cells (PDL 51), the increase was from 1% to a maximum of 4% at 10-12 hrs after initiation of the heat shock. Western blot analysis showed that HSP 89 constituted approximately 2 and 10% of total cellular proteins in control and heat shocked (42 degrees C, 12-24 hrs) young cells; corresponding values for the old cells were 2 and 4.5%, respectively. Northern blot quantitation of the amount of mRNA hybridizable to cDNA probes of HSP 89 provided evidence that this age-dependent decrease in induction of HSP 89 in IMR-90 cells was attributable to a transcriptional/pre-translational mechanism.

Blotting, Northern↗

PubMed1989

Attenuated induction of heat shock gene expression in aging diploid fibroblasts.

We examined the effects of cellular aging on the regulation of heat shock gene expression in IMR-90 human diploid fibroblasts. Heat shock (42-43 degrees C) and canavanine (200-400 micrograms/ml) were used to evoke the heat shock response in these cells. We showed that heat shock induced the synthesis of proteins with apparent molecular weights of 98,000, 89,000, 78,000, 72,000, 64,000, 50,000 and 25,000, with heat shock protein (HSP) 89 and 72 being most prominent. Canavanine induced the synthesis of the four high molecular weight HSPs, particularly HSP 89 and HSP 78, without noticeably enhancing synthesis of the low molecular weight HSPs. We found that, while a similar series of HSPs were induced in the young and old cells, there was a marked decrease in the magnitude of this induction in the old cells. Using cells with defined population doubling levels, we observed a direct correlation of the inducibility of HSP synthesis and the replicative potential of the cells used. Analysis of the amount of translatable and hybridizable mRNA, by the methods of in vitro translation and Northern blot hybridization, demonstrated that the induction of HSPs synthesis can be accounted for by increases in their mRNA. Nuclear runoff transcription provided evidence that the decrease in inducible expression of the HSPs in aging IMR-90 cells was attributable to a transcriptional mechanism. This conclusion was substantiated by analysis of the hsp 70 promoter activity in transient expression assay of the hsp 70 promoter-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase construct. We propose that there is an age-associated dysfunction in the signaling mechanism of the heat shock response.

Autoradiography↗

PubMed1989

Polyamine metabolism and cell-cycle-dependent gene expression in IMR-90 human diploid fibroblasts during senescence in culture.

Aging of IMR-90 human diploid fibroblasts in culture is accompanied by specific changes of polyamine metabolism including: (a) a fivefold decrease of serum-induced activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC1 EC 4.1.1.17); (b) a six to tenfold increase of polyamine catabolism; and (c) a reduction of putrescine uptake. These changes apparently led to a significant reduction of putrescine accumulation in senescent cells following serum stimulation. Since the induction of ODC is a mid-G1 event, the change of polyamine metabolism may be related to changes of expression of other cell-cycle-dependent genes during cellular aging. In addition to ODC gene, we have examined the expression of two early G1 genes, c-erbB and c-myc, and one late G1/S gene thymidine kinase, at mRNA levels, in both young and old IMR-90 cells. We have also compared the enzyme activities of two late G1/S genes, thymidine kinase and thymidylate synthetase, in young and old cells following serum stimulation. We did not observe significant changes of c-erbB, c-myc, and ODC mRNA levels during cellular senescence. However, we found that serum-induced mRNA level of thymidine kinase gene in old IMR-90 cells was significantly reduced compared to that in the young cells. Results also demonstrate that aging of IMR-90 cells was accompanied by significant decrease of both thymidine kinase and thymidylate synthetase activities. In view of the recognized importance of polyamines in growth regulation, it is possible that alteration of polyamine metabolism may contribute to the impairment of expression of some key G1/S genes and such impairment may contribute to the ultimate loss of dividing potential in senescent cells.

Biological Transport↗

PubMed1988

Increased turnover of the messenger RNA encoding tyrosine aminotransferase can account for the desensitization and de-induction of tyrosine aminotransferase by 8-bromo-cyclic AMP treatment and removal.

Treatment of H-4 rat hepatoma cells with 8-bromo-cyclic AMP (8-Br-cAMP) resulted in a transient induction of the gluconeogenic enzyme tyrosine aminotransferase. Synthesis of tyrosine aminotransferase and the level of its corresponding mRNA peaked 2 h after the addition of the cyclic nucleotide and declined thereafter. Tyrosine aminotransferase synthesis and mRNA failed to respond to the readdition of fresh 8-Br-cAMP, a process which we defined as desensitization. Removal of 8-Br-cAMP resulted in a decrease in tyrosine aminotransferase synthesis and mRNA, a process defined as de-induction. The relative transcription rate of the tyrosine aminotransferase gene and the turnover of its mRNA were determined by labeling intact cells with [3H]uridine. 8-Br-cAMP led to an increase in the rate of tyrosine aminotransferase transcription which was sustained for at least 4 h. The transcription rate declined upon de-induction. In addition, 8-Br-cAMP increased the turnover rate of tyrosine aminotransferase mRNA, but only after a 1.5-3 h time lag. This increased degradation rate persisted for at least 1.5 h after the removal of 8-Br-cAMP. These two contrasting and temporally distinct processes could account for the observed changes in tyrosine aminotransferase mRNA levels in response to 8-Br-cAMP treatment and removal.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗

PubMed1988

Specificity of the action of cAMP agonists in the induction of RI cAMP-binding protein in mouse neuroblastoma cells.

Differentiation in the mouse neuroblastoma cells is induced by cAMP and is characterized by neurite extension and increased acetylcholinesterase, cAMP-phosphodiesterase, and RI cAMP-binding activities. To gain a better understanding of the regulation of expression and the possible function of the RI cAMP-binding protein in neuroblastoma cell differentiation, we evaluate the specificity of action of cAMP analogues and agents that increased intracellular cAMP concentration in the induction of the 47,000-dalton RI protein. The amount of RI in cell extracts was quantitated by the photoactivated incorporation of 8-N3-[32P]cAMP into the 47,000-dalton RI and by ELISA and Western blot techniques. Our results showed that dibutyryl cAMP, forskolin, prostaglandin E1, 3-isobutyl-1-methyl xanthine, and papavarine gave a 2- to 4-fold increase in the RI cAMP-binding protein coincident with the expression of various morphological and biochemical differentiation phenotypes in the mouse neuroblastoma cells. However, the effects of 8-bromo-cAMP were different. 8-Bromo-cAMP effectively promoted neurite extension and increased acetylcholinesterase and cAMP-phosphodiesterase activities; however, there was no concomitant increase in the RI cAMP-binding protein. The result raises interesting questions concerning the coupling of expression of the various differentiation phenotypes in the mouse neuroblastoma cells.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗

PubMed1988

The induction, desensitization and de-induction of tyrosine aminotransferase by 8-bromo-cyclic AMP in rat hepatoma cells.

Addition of 1-3 mM-8-bromo-cyclic AMP to monolayer cultures of H-4 rat hepatoma cells resulted in a rapid but short-lived increase in tyrosine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.5) activity. The transient nature of this induction is due to desensitization to 8-bromo-cyclic AMP. Throughout this time course of induction and desensitization, removal of 8-bromo-cyclic AMP resulted in a rapid and significant decrease in tyrosine aminotransferase activity, a process referred to as 'de-induction' in this study. We showed that the changes in tyrosine aminotransferase activity in its induction, desensitization and de-induction by 8-bromo-cyclic AMP were directly attributable to changes in the synthesis rate of the protein, and the amount of translatable and hybridizable mRNA encoding for tyrosine aminotransferase (mRNATAT). We further showed that this desensitization was specific to cyclic AMP. First, only active analogues of cyclic AMP and agents which increased cellular concentrations of cyclic AMP elicited this desensitization. Second, the desensitized cells were refractory only to the effects of 8-bromo-cyclic AMP; dexamethasone and insulin induced the tyrosine aminotransferase activity in the 8-bromo-cyclic AMP-desensitized cells in a manner similar to that of the controls. Studies on the metabolism of 8-bromo-cyclic AMP suggest that neither its degradation nor the accumulation of its primary metabolite, 8-bromoadenosine, played a significant role in modulating the expression of tyrosine aminotransferase during the time course of action of 8-bromo-cyclic AMP. These results provide evidence for a specific pretranslational mode of action of cyclic AMP in the control of tyrosine aminotransferase expression in its desensitization and de-induction, in addition to the early phase of induction.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗

PubMed1988

Induction and quantitation of the RI cAMP-binding protein in clonal mouse neuroblastoma cell lines: evidence that the increase in RI is not linked to neurite outgrowth.

This is a study of the regulation of expression of the RI cAMP-binding protein in mouse neuroblastoma cells as it relates to neurotransmitter phenotype and neurite outgrowth. Dibutyryl cAMP was used to promote differentiation of the cholinergic NS-20, the adrenergic N1E-115, the neurotransmitter-inactive N-18, and the neurite-minus N1A-103 mouse neuroblastoma cells. The amount of the RI cAMP-binding protein was quantitated by photoaffinity labeling of the 47,000-dalton RI protein with 8-N3-[32P]cAMP and by Western blot, ELISA, and immunocytochemistry. Our results showed that dibutyryl cAMP induced the RI cAMP-binding protein by three to fivefold in each of the four neuroblastoma cell lines examined. The increased expression of the RI cAMP-binding protein was not linked to neurite outgrowth, a parameter of morphological differentiation in the neuroblastoma cells. Thus, the RI cAMP-binding protein can be induced in the neurite-minus N1A-103 neuroblastoma round cells; further, 8-bromo-cAMP effected neurite outgrowth without inducing the RI cAMP-binding protein in the neurite-positive cell lines. Indirect immunocytochemistry of RI showed a cytoplasmic localization with little evidence of nuclear staining. The increase in RI cAMP-binding protein coincided with an increase in the cAMP-phosphodiesterase and a decrease in cAMP-dependent phosphotransferase activity in the mouse neuroblastoma cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗

PubMed1988

Neurite extension and increased expression of RI cyclic AMP-binding protein in ouabain-resistant neuroblastoma mutants.

Morphological and biochemical parameters of neuroblastoma differentiation were assessed in 12 clonal derivatives of the N-18 mouse neuroblastoma cell line selected for their ouabain-resistant (ouar) property. When cultured in a normal growth medium, nine of the 12 ouar cell lines exhibited a more complex pattern of neurite outgrowth than the parental N-18 cells. The morphological pattern most frequently observed with the ouar cells was the extension of several branched processes per cell. This pattern of spontaneous neurite outgrowth in the ouar cell lines can be correlated with an increase in expression of the 47,000-dalton RI cyclic AMP (cAMP)-binding protein. The growth rate, intracellular level of cAMP, and acetylcholinesterase activity of the ouar cell lines were not significantly different from those of the parental N-18 neuroblastoma cells. Treatment of the parental and ouar neuroblastoma cell lines with 1 mM N6, O2-dibutyryl cAMP promoted an elaborate pattern of neurite outgrowth and marked increases in acetylcholinesterase and RI cAMP-binding activities. The distinctive pattern of differentiation phenotype exhibited by the ouar cells and the dibutyryl cAMP-induced differentiated neuroblastoma cell suggests that these two protocols yielded different degrees of differentiation. Furthermore, our results suggest a linkage of the biochemical events underlying ouabain resistance and expression of differentiation phenotypes in the mouse neuroblastoma cells.

Animals↗