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B J Dolnick

Publications and source records attributed to B J Dolnick.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

5-Fluorouracil inhibits dihydrofolate reductase precursor mRNA processing and/or nuclear mRNA stability in methotrexate-resistant KB cells.

This laboratory previously reported that 5-fluorouracil (FUra) increases dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) levels relative to DHFR mRNA levels in a methotrexate-resistant KB cell line; these data suggested that incorporation of FUra into RNA may, in part, lead to cell death through the inhibition of mRNA processing (Will, C. L., and Dolnick, B.J. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 5433-5436). Utilizing a methotrexate-resistant KB cell line designated 1BT, we now report the kinetic basis for altered levels of DHFR RNA observed in FUra-treated cells. Long-term exposure to FUra had no effect on the steady-state level of DHFR pre-mRNA containing intron V or I. However, steady-state levels of total DHFR mRNA decreased 2.0-fold on a per cell basis in cells exposed to 1.0 microM FUra. No significant change in the half-life of total DHFR mRNA or pre-mRNA was observed in cells exposed to FUra (t1/2 = approximately 11.5 h and 50 min, respectively). Nuclear/cytoplasmic RNA labeling experiments demonstrated that the rate of nuclear DHFR RNA conversion to cytoplasmic DHFR mRNA decreased approximately 1.8-fold in FUra-treated cells. These results provide further evidence the FUra may inhibit processing of mRNA precursors and/or affect the stability of nuclear DHFR mRNA.

Blotting, Northern↗
PubMed1988

Comparative hybrid arrest by tandem antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides or oligodeoxyribonucleoside methylphosphonates in a cell-free system.

Antisense oligonucleotides containing either anionic diester or neutral methylphosphonate internucleoside linkages were prepared by automated synthesis, and were compared for their ability to arrest translation of human dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) mRNA in a nuclease treated rabbit reticulocyte lysate. In the case of oligodeoxyribonucleotides, tandem targeting of three 14-mers resulted in synergistic and complete selective inhibition of DHFR synthesis at a total oligomer concentration of 25 microM. Hybrid arrest by three or six tandem oligodeoxyribonucleoside methylphosphonates was dramatically less effective. This difference does not result from preferential recognition of hybrids involving oligodeoxyribonucleotides by endogenous RNaseH activity. A ribonuclease protection assay demonstrated that antisense oligodeoxyribonucleoside methylphosphonates bind selectively to target RNA sequences, but with 275 fold lower affinity than the corresponding oligodeoxyribonucleotides. This low binding affinity results in poor arrest of translation, and may be related to the stereochemistry of the methylphosphonate linkage.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

5-Fluorouracil substitution alters pre-mRNA splicing in vitro.

We are interested in determining whether incorporation of the drug 5-fluorouracil into pre-mRNA can alter RNA processing. The effect of 5-fluorouracil (FUra) substitution on the in vitro splicing of pre-mRNA was studied. 32P-Labeled human beta-globin pre-mRNA containing the first two exons and the first intervening sequence was synthesized in the presence of UTP, FUTP, or both. In vitro splicing reactions generated several abnormal intermediates and products from FUra-substituted transcripts. The appearance of a new minor spliced product was dependent on both the pH of the splicing reaction and the extent of FUra incorporation into pre-mRNA. Abnormal splicing was observed at pH 8.4 and 7.7 but not at pH 6.7. The new minor spliced product was sequenced and found to contain an additional 20 bases derived from the 3'-end of the intervening sequence. The abnormally migrating intermediate had the same structure as the normal lariat-exon intermediate. These results suggest that FUra substitution into pre-mRNA can alter splicing in vitro.

Cytidine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1987

5-Fluorouracil augmentation of dihydrofolate reductase RNA containing contiguous exon and intron sequences in KB7B cells.

Quantitative S1 nuclease mapping studies were performed with uniformly labeled RNA probes, containing contiguous dihydrofolate reductase exon and intron sequences, and total RNA isolated from KB7B cells exposed to 5-fluorouracil for 5 days. Dihydrofolate reductase RNA containing both exon 1 and intron I, or exon 5 and a portion of intron V, increased up to 5-fold in cells grown in the presence of 2.0 to 3.0 microM 5-fluorouracil. Dihydrofolate reductase RNA containing exon 1 or exon 5, but lacking intron I or intron V, respectively, increased 2-fold in cells grown in the presence of 0.65 to 3.0 microM 5-fluorouracil. Primer extension analysis and S1 mapping studies revealed two major transcriptional start sites at positions -72 and -69 and minor start sites upstream from position -183, for dihydrofolate reductase RNA isolated from methotrexate-resistant KB7B cells. The results of these studies demonstrate that 5-fluorouracil alters the metabolism of dihydrofolate reductase precursor mRNA and/or processing intermediates.

Endonucleases↗
PubMed1987

Specific hybridization arrest of dihydrofolate reductase mRNA in vitro using anti-sense RNA or anti-sense oligonucleotides.

Three anti-sense RNAs and ten synthetic anti-sense oligonucleotides were tested for their ability specifically to arrest translation of human dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) mRNA in a nuclease-treated rabbit reticulocyte lysate. Quantitative hybrid arrest of DHFR mRNA by anti-sense RNA required that the RNA hybridize to the 5' end of DHFR mRNA. Oligonucleotides of length 11-20, complementary to various sites near the 5' end of DHFR mRNA, also could cause specific inhibition of DHFR mRNA translation. Oligonucleotide length and concentration were shown to be important variables in hybrid arrest of DHFR mRNA. Neither the exact oligonucleotide binding site position near the 5' end of the mRNA nor prehybridization conditions were important variables. The combination of short oligonucleotides with contiguous binding sites was shown to synergize their ability to inhibit specifically DHFR mRNA translation.

Humans↗
PubMed1986

Increased mouse epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity by the tumour promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate involves increased amounts of both enzyme protein and messenger RNA.

Evidence was sought that the tumour promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-induced mouse epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC, EC 4.1.1.17) activity involves both increased ODC mRNA and ODC protein. Application of 10 nmol of TPA to mouse skin led to a dramatic increase in soluble epidermal ODC activity which paralleled an increase in amount of enzymically active ODC protein as determined by gel electrophoresis of immunoprecipitated difluoromethyl[3H]ornithine-bound ODC. Application of TPA to mouse skin also resulted in an increase in ODC mRNA measured by dot-blot analysis using a radiolabelled cDNA probe. ODC mRNA induction preceded the increase in ODC activity by TPA. TPA-increased ODC mRNA displayed a single major band of 2.1 kilobases in size identified by the Northern blotting procedure.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

5-Fluorouracil augmentation of dihydrofolate reductase gene transcripts containing intervening sequences in methotrexate-resistant KB cells.

Several fragments of the human dihydrofolate reductase gene (tetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolate NADP+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.5.1.3) were isolated from gene-amplified KB7B cells and characterized. Recombinant plasmids containing intron sequences were constructed. Probes prepared from these plasmids were tested for dihydrofolate reductase precursor mRNA specificity via solution hybridization studies and Northern blot analysis. One probe, p0.69EH, was shown to be specific for dihydrofolate reductase RNA by its greatly enhanced level of hybridization with total RNA from dihydrofolate reductase gene-amplified versus non-amplified cells. In addition, solution hybridization studies with various classes of RNA and Northern blot analysis revealed that p0.69EH hybridizes predominantly with polyadenylated, high molecular weight, nuclear RNA species. Subsequent solution hybridization studies revealed a disproportionate 5-fluorouracil-induced increase in dihydrofolate reductase intron-containing RNA over dihydrofolate reductase mRNA. These results suggest that 5-fluorouracil incorporation into RNA may inhibit the conversion of precursor mRNA to mature mRNA.

Fluorouracil↗
PubMed1985

Effects of 5-fluorouracil on dihydrofolate reductase and dihydrofolate reductase mRNA from methotrexate-resistant KB cells.

Growth of methotrexate-resistant dihydrofolate reductase gene-amplified KB cells in the presence of 5-fluorouracil results in an increase in dihydrofolate reductase mRNA. This increase can be solely attributed to a species of RNA of approximately 3.5 kilobase pairs in size. Although dihydrofolate reductase enzyme activity increases per cell with increasing 5-fluorouracil, there is a decrease of enzyme activity per mg of protein (Dolnick, B. J., and Pink, J. J. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 13299-13306). The rate of in vivo enzyme synthesis, as assayed by immunoprecipitation and supported by gel electrophoresis, does not decrease and may in fact increase with increasing 5-fluorouracil. Translation of purified dihydrofolate reductase mRNA in vitro shows that the rate of translation is unaffected by 5-fluorouracil incorporation into mRNA. The inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase by a monospecific polyclonal antiserum is reduced with extracts from 5-fluorouracil-treated cells. Inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase by methotrexate is significantly reduced in extracts from 5-fluorouracil-treated cells compared to control extracts. Tight binding of [3H]methotrexate is also different in extracts from 5-fluorouracil-treated cells. This data supports the hypothesis of translational miscoding during protein synthesis as a major mechanism of 5-fluorouracil-mediated cytotoxicity and suggests a new mechanism of 5-fluorouracil-methotrexate antagonism.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Lack of dihydrofolate reductase in human tumor and leukemia cells in vivo.

Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), the main target for methotrexate and other antifolate compounds was found to be present in 100-200 times higher concentration in human cell lines grown in vitro than in human tumors or cells obtained in situ. The DHFR content of human cell lines in vitro however were equivalent to rodent tumor lines also measured in vitro. The enzyme was quantitated by [3H]methotrexate binding, [3H]dihydrofolate reduction to [3H]tetrahydrofolate, and immunoprecipitation with a monospecific anti-serum to DHFR. Additional studies revealed only a liver sample to contain significant amounts of an inhibitor of DHFR activity. It is postulated either that low levels of DHFR in fresh human tissue reflect low cell turnover or conversely that high levels in vitro and in animal tissues reflect high levels of enzyme due to selection because of high levels of folic acid in culture medium and prepared feeds.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

5-fluorouracil modulation of dihydrofolate reductase RNA levels in methotrexate-resistant KB cells.

Cytotoxicity and growth inhibition by 5-fluorouracil in methotrexate-resistant dihydrofolate reductase gene-amplified KB cells in the presence of 30 microM thymidine correlates with incorporation of this fluorinated pyrimidine into RNA. Growth of these cells over several generations in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of 5-fluorouracil does not depress the steady state levels of either 18 or 28 S RNA but actually causes an increase. Similarly the rates of RNA and protein synthesis in 5-fluorouracil-treated cells are not decreased. The level of dihydrofolate reductase RNA from 5-fluorouracil-treated cells increases in a dose-dependent manner correlated with 5-fluorouracil incorporation into RNA. The qualitative size distribution of the dihydrofolate reductase RNA species is unaffected when examined by the Northern blotting technique indicating an RNA processing lesion is not induced by 5-fluorouracil incorporation into RNA. As the dose of dihydrofolate reductase RNA increases, there is no change in the level of dihydrofolate reductase specific activity, but the level of enzyme activity per cell increases. The relevance of these phenomena to the mechanism of 5-fluorouracil effect on RNA and relevance to combination chemotherapy with methotrexate are discussed.

Carcinoma↗
PubMed1980

Inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase. 3. 4.6-Diamino-1,2-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-1-(2-substituted-phenyl)-s-triazine inhibition of bovine liver and mouse tumor enzymes.

Inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase from bovine liver and murine L5178YR-C3 tumor cells has been examined for a series of 4,6-diamino-1,2-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-1-(2-X-phenyl)-s-triazines. For both enzymes all 2-X substituents cause a decrease in inhibitory activity relative to X = H, with the notable exception of X = SH which is 7.4-12 times as active as X = H. Although there is a high correlation between the activities of these compounds vs. these two enzymes, significant deviations from this correlation for three of the triazines (X = CF3, CH2CN, and Cl) suggest that (a) there may exist significant differences in the two enzymes and their interactions with these triazines and (b) exploitation of such differences might allow for the selective inhibition of enzyme from tumor cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Correlation of dihydrofolate reductase elevation with gene amplification in a homogeneously staining chromosomal region in L5178Y cells.

A methotrexate (MTX)-resistant murine lymphoblastoid cell line has been obtained by serial passage in increasing concentrations of MTX which is greater than 100,000-fold resistant to MTX (L5178YR) and has dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) levels 300-fold higher than the parental line. The L5178YR cell line synthesizes approximately 10-11% of its total soluble cell protein as DHFR regardless of growth phase, as measured by direct immunoprecipitation with a monospecific antiserum. Molecular hybridization of a purified [3H]DNA probe complimentary to DHFR specific mRNA with cellular DNA and RNA indicates that DHFR coding sequences are elevated several hundred fold in both nucleic acid species in the mutant cell line. Giemsa-banding studies of the diploid mutant line indicate the presence of a large homogeneously staining region on chromosome No. 2. In situ molecular hybridization studies indicate that the DHFR genes are localized in this homogeneously staining region. The homogeneously staining region probably consists of tandom repeats of a basic segment approximately 800 kilo base pairs long.

Animals↗