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J M Kozlowski

Publications and source records attributed to J M Kozlowski.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibody inhibits constitutive receptor phosphorylation, reduces autonomous growth, and sensitizes androgen-independent prostatic carcinoma cells to tumor necrosis factor alpha.

Results of recent studies indicate that cultured, androgen-independent prostatic carcinoma cells synthesize and secrete transforming growth factor alpha, which interacts with epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs) to promote autonomous growth. In the present study, we evaluated the expression and constitutive activation of EGFRs in normal prostatic epithelial cells and the androgen-independent prostatic carcinoma cell lines PC3 and DU145. Our studies showed that cultured normal epithelial cells and androgen-independent prostatic carcinoma cells actively synthesize and exhibit constitutive phosphorylation of the M(r) 170,000 EGFR. The addition of monoclonal anti-EGFR reduced receptor phosphorylation and significantly inhibited the proliferation of prostatic tumor cells. The observed reduction in EGFR phosphorylation could be partially attributed to an antibody-induced decrease in the expression of metabolically labeled EGFR. Results of further studies showed that anti-EGFR enhanced the sensitivity of PC3 cells to the cytotoxic and cytostatic effects of tumor necrosis factor alpha. These studies demonstrate that constitutive activation of EGFR in androgen-independent prostatic carcinoma plays a functional role in the regulation of cellular proliferation in vitro. In addition, the enhanced sensitivity of prostatic carcinoma cells to tumor necrosis factor alpha in the presence of anti-EGFR provides a rationale for the further investigation of combination therapy in the treatment of disseminated, androgen-independent disease.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Regulation of prostatic carcinoma cell proliferation and secretory activity by extracellular matrix and stromal secretions.

Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that reconstituted basement membrane and stromal secretory products are important regulators of benign prostatic epithelial cell growth and differentiation. In the present study we evaluated the impact of extracellular matrix (ECM) and soluble stromal secretory products on the proliferation and secretory activity of the androgen-responsive prostatic carcinoma cell line LNCaP. In these studies, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) was a potent mitogen for LNCaP cells cultured on plastic or on type I collagen. The growth response to DHT was greatly attenuated when LNCaP cells were grown on prostatic stromal ECM. Cells grown on stromal ECM also exhibited clustered morphology compared to the monolayer growth observed on plastic and secreted elevated levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) and prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP). These findings indicate that cultivation of LNCaP on stromal ECM will promote the expression of differentiated functions. In additional studies, stromal cell conditioned medium (SCM) significantly increased PSA/PAP secretion by LNCaP cells in the presence of 10 nM DHT. The enhancement of DHT-induced PSA/PAP secretion by SCM was most pronounced when LNCaP cells were grown on stromal ECM. SCM did not significantly alter LNCaP proliferation. These studies indicate that prostatic stromal ECM and soluble secretory products will promote differentiated function in cultured LNCaP cells. In addition, we show that DHT can act as either a growth or differentiation-promoting stimulus depending on the presence of stromal factors.

Acid Phosphatase

Interaction of epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor beta in human prostatic epithelial cells in culture.

The present study was conducted to study the interaction between epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) in benign human prostatic epithelial cells in culture. Primary cultures of human prostatic epithelial cells were grown in complete WAJC, which consisted of WAJC-404 medium and, in addition to other defined additives, EGF and bovine pituitary extract (BPE). Incomplete WAJC contained the same composition except EGF and BPE were deleted. TGF-beta was added into media at concentrations of 0, 0.1, and 1.0 ng/ml. When cells were grown in complete WAJC, they proliferated rapidly. Cell proliferation was greatly suppressed when incomplete WAJC was used. Addition of TGF-beta to these cultures caused a significant reduction in the final cell number when either complete WAJC or incomplete WAJC was used. In additional experiments, cells were prelabeled with 3H-thymidine for 72 hr prior to treatment with TGF-beta. The percentage of radioactivity released into the medium at the end of a 6-day culture was used as an indication of the extent of cell death. Trypan blue exclusion test was also used to assess the extent of cell death. Addition of TGF-beta into complete WAJC did not significantly affect the extent of cell death beyond what was considered as the result of normal cellular turnover. Addition of TGF-beta into incomplete WAJC, however, caused a significant increase in the percent of cell death in the culture. These results demonstrated an interaction between EGF and TGF-beta in proliferation and cell death in human prostatic epithelia in culture. In the presence of EGF alone in the culture medium, prostatic epithelial cells were stimulated to proliferate. The rate of proliferation was greatly diminished when EGF was deleted from the medium or when TGF-beta was added in the presence of EGF. Finally, cell death was induced when TGF-beta was added into the medium in the absence of EGF.

Analysis of Variance

Chemotherapy.

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Humans

Inhibitory effects of suramin on a human renal cell carcinoma line, causing nephrogenic hepatic dysfunction.

A sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma has been isolated from a patient with Stauffer's syndrome. The tumor, designated BA1119, has been established in tissue culture over 80 passages. Subcutaneous deposition of BA1119 in athymic mice induced splenomegaly and hepatic dysfunction which became fatal within four weeks without metastasis. Suramin is a synthetic polyanionic compound which is capable of altering the function of a number of biologic systems and inhibiting the activity of a variety of protein and growth factors. In this study we attempted to study the effect of suramin on growth of BA1119 in culture and in nude mice. Suramin, at 300 micrograms/ml., had a profound inhibitory effect on cell growth during a six-day culture period. Suramin given i.p. weekly to nude mice at clinically relevant doses (200 mg./kg.) caused significant shrinkage of subcapsular tumor deposits. Splenic hypertrophy secondary to BA1119-induced Stauffer's syndrome was inhibited by suramin. Synergistic effect with enhanced cytotoxicity on BA1119 cells was observed when suramin (100 micrograms/ml.) was used in combination with lymphokines, such as gamma interferon (500 units/ml.) and alpha tumor necrosis factor (300 ng./ml.). These results may suggest a therapeutic efficacy of suramin in renal cell carcinoma patients with Stauffer's syndrome.

Animals

Basic fibroblast growth factor: a potential mediator of stromal growth in the human prostate.

Studies were undertaken, using isolated prostatic epithelial and stromal cells, to evaluate the role of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the regulation of benign prostatic growth. bFGF was detected in lysates, but not the conditioned media, of cultured prostatic epithelial and stromal cells by Western immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation of metabolically labeled proteins. Immunofluorescence analysis of benign human prostate localized the majority of bFGF to the prostatic stroma. In addition, bFGF was a potent stimulator of stromal cell proliferation in vitro, but was not mitogenic to cultured epithelial cells. Further studies demonstrated bFGF receptors (Kd = 258 pM; 61,400 receptors/cell) on stromal cells, but not epithelial cells. Epithelial cell-conditioned medium was mitogenic for stromal cells, suggesting the presence of paracrine interactions. However, bFGF does not appear to be the mediator of this interaction, since the mitogenic effect of epithelial cell-conditioned medium on stromal cells was not significantly reduced by the addition of anti-bFGF. Additional studies showed that concentrated stromal cell-conditioned medium was not mitogenic to cultured stromal cells under serum-free defined conditions, indicating the lack of an external autocine mechanism. These studies demonstrate that bFGF is actively synthesized by isolated prostatic epithelial and stromal cells, but is largely not secreted. Prostatic stroma, but not epithelia, are responsive to the mitogenic effect of bFGF in vitro. However, because of the limited secretion of bFGF by prostatic cells, the mechanism(s) of bFGF-mediated regulation of stromal growth remains unclear.

Cell Division

Utilization of the Boyden chamber to further characterize in vitro migration and invasion of benign and malignant human prostatic epithelial cells.

In the present study, we assessed various tissue culture conditions on the motility and invasiveness of benign and malignant prostatic epithelial cells using the Boyden chamber system. In DME and RPMI-1640 media, benign human prostatic epithelial cells were unable to penetrate through a basement-membrane-coated filter. However, the prostatic carcinoma cell lines, PC3 and DU145, showed a significant frequency of invasion under those conditions. When cultured in the low-calcium WAJC 404 medium, benign prostatic epithelial cells efficiently penetrated through the basement-membrane-coated filter. PC3 and DU145 cells showed an attenuated capability to invade when cultured in WAJC 404 medium. The effect of extracellular calcium on the behavior of these cells in the Boyden chamber was further evaluated by gradual addition of calcium chloride in WAJC 404 medium. These studies showed that the number of benign prostatic epithelial cells penetrating through the filter decreased as the calcium ion concentration increased. Conversely, the number of PC3 cells invading through the filter increased as calcium ion concentration was increased to 0.4 mM and decreased at higher calcium ion concentrations. These results suggest that the extracellular calcium concentration is one of the factors which may affect cell behavior in the Boyden chamber system.

Basement Membrane

Autonomous growth of androgen-independent human prostatic carcinoma cells: role of transforming growth factor alpha.

The androgen-independent prostatic carcinoma cell line PC3 is known to exhibit autonomous growth in vitro and in vivo. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) and its receptor, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor, in the regulation of PC3 cell proliferation. Results showed that PC3 cells secrete factors into conditioned medium that are mitogenic for the less aggressive prostatic carcinoma lines DU145 and LNCaP. Gel filtration chromatography of PC3-conditioned medium revealed a major peak of mitogenic activity at a molecular weight of 5,000 to 10,000 which was inhibited by the addition of antibody to TGF-alpha. The synthesis and secretion of TGF-alpha by PC3 cells were further demonstrated by immunoblotting and radioimmunoassay. Radioreceptor analysis showed a single class (Kd 5.3 nM) of EGF receptors on PC3 cells. The presence of Mr 170,000 EGF receptors on PC3 cells was further demonstrated by immunoprecipitation of metabolically labeled proteins. TGF-alpha was effective in stimulating the growth of low-density, but not high-density, PC3 cultures. In addition, the proliferation of PC3 cells under serum-free defined conditions was inhibited by antibodies to TGF-alpha and/or the EGF receptor. These data indicate that TGF-alpha/EGF receptor interactions are partially responsible for autonomous growth of the PC3 cell line and may explain one mechanism of escape from androgen-dependent growth in human prostatic carcinoma.

Cell Division

Heterogeneity in plasminogen activator (PA) levels in human prostate cancer cell lines: increased PA activity correlates with biologically aggressive behavior.

Plasminogen activators (PA), particularly the lower Mr urokinase (u-PA) type, have been associated with tumor cell invasion and metastasis. We have examined the expression of PA by two human prostate cancer cell lines (PC-3 and DU-145) using functional and immunologic techniques. The culture media and cell extracts of the more aggressive PC-3 cell line contained more than two-fold greater PA activity than the relatively indolent DU-145 cell line. Zymographic studies identified the PA expressed as u-PA. PC-3 cells expressed an additional lower molecular weight form of u-PA not noted in DU-145 cells. Heterogeneity in u-PA expression was shown by the fibrin lysis assay, immunohistochemistry, and dual parameter flow cytometry indicating the presence of phenotypically divergent cell populations. Increased u-PA expression may identify those tumor cells that possess aggressive biological potential.

Flow Cytometry

Differential expression of specific cytokeratin polypeptides in the basal and luminal epithelia of the human prostate.

The purpose of the present study was to identify cytokeratin polypeptides that are specifically associated with the basal and luminal epithelia of the human prostate. This aim was accomplished by immunohistochemical and immunoblot analysis of human prostate using cytokeratin-specific monoclonal antibodies. In immunohistochemical studies, monoclonal anticytokeratin 8.12 exhibited immunoreactivity with the basal, but not luminal, epithelial cells of fetal, juvenile, normal adult, and hyperplastic prostate. The 8.12 antibody did not stain prostate cancer tissues. Epithelia of 30 and 36 week fetal prostate contained only basal cells whereas both luminal and basal cells were noted in 7 month and 1 year old juvenile prostate. This finding suggests a stem cell function for the prostatic basal cells. Immunoblot analysis of proteins separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis showed that cytokeratins 5 and 15 were basal-cell-specific cytokeratins that were absent from prostatic carcinoma while cytokeratins 8 and 18 appear to be luminal-cell-specific. These results indicate that antibodies to specific cytokeratin polypeptides can be used not only to differentiate between prostatic basal and luminal cells but also to study the biological processes of prostatic organogenesis and carcinogenesis.

Adolescent

Reconstituted basement membrane promotes morphological and functional differentiation of primary human prostatic epithelial cells.

Prostatic epithelial cells undergo rapid proliferation and lose their ability to synthesize and secrete prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) under standard tissue culture conditions. Herein, we compared the morphology, growth, secretory activity, and intermediate filament expression of human prostatic epithelial cells cultured on either standard tissue culture plastic or reconstituted basement membrane. Epithelial cells grown on plastic exhibited a 10-fold increase in proliferation and a higher percentage of cells in the S-phase of the cell cycle compared to cells cultured on basement membrane. However, cells grown on basement membrane secreted markedly higher levels of PSA and PAP. The basement membrane-induced enhancement of secretory activity was potentiated by dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and prostate stromal cell conditioned medium. Morphological studies showed that cells plated on basement membrane formed organoid-like clusters and maintained several aspects of differentiated epithelium including abundant secretory vesicles, microvilli, and desmosomes with associated cytoskeletal elements. Cultivation of epithelial cells on basement membrane components also suppressed the expression of vimentin, a mesenchymal intermediate filament polypeptide. However, cytokeratin expression was abnormal in cells grown on either surface. These results indicate that the differentiated properties of prostatic epithelial cells are promoted by cultivation on reconstituted basement membrane in the presence of DHT and stromal cell conditioned medium.

Acid Phosphatase

Inhibition of prostatic tumor cell proliferation by suramin: alterations in TGF alpha-mediated autocrine growth regulation and cell cycle distribution.

Suramin is a trypanocidal drug that has generated recent interest as an antineoplastic agent because of its ability to inhibit the binding of growth factors to their cell surface receptors. Our studies, and others, suggest that the androgen-independent human prostatic carcinoma cell lines PC3 and DU145 proliferate via autocrine growth mechanisms mediated by transforming growth factor alpha (TGFa) and its receptor, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor. The present studies were designed to evaluate the ability of suramin to inhibit PC3 and DU145 proliferation by interfering with TGFa-mediated autocrine growth. Suramin induced a dose-dependent reduction of prostatic tumor cell proliferation which was reversed by removal of suramin from the culture medium. 3H-thymidine release studies showed that suramin had little direct cytotoxicity to either cell line. These findings suggest that the effects of suramin are mediated by cytostatic, rather than cytotoxic, mechanisms. Suramin also interfered with TGFa-mediated growth mechanisms. Specifically, suramin reduced the specific binding of TGFa to PC3 and DU145 cells. Additionally, the inhibitory effect of suramin on DU145 was reversed by cultivation of cells in the presence of excess TGFa. Further investigations revealed that suramin increased the percentage of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle for both cell lines. These studies show that the inhibitory effect of suramin on PC3 and DU145 cell growth is mediated, in part, by alteration of TGFa-mediated autocrine growth mechanisms and cell cycle kinetics.

Antineoplastic Agents

Prostate-type gland in the epididymis.

We confirmed the presence of a prostate-type gland in the epididymis of a 30-year-old white man by immunohistochemical analysis using prostate specific antigen and prostate specific acid phosphatase. We suggest possible histogenetic mechanisms for such previously undescribed morphological heterogeneity within this wolffian duct derivative.

Adult

Advanced prostatic carcinoma. Early versus late endocrine therapy.

Since the landmark observations of Huggins and Hodges in 1941, androgen deprivation has been the mainstay of treatment for advanced-stage prostate cancer. Although early, poorly controlled studies suggested enhanced survival with hormonal therapy, this view fell into disfavor as a result of the observations of the first and second VACURG studies. Recently, there has been a proliferation of experimental and clinical data supporting early androgen deprivation, including a reanalysis of the VACURG data, which suggests a survival advantage for younger patients with stage D disease and high-grade tumors who undergo androgen-ablative therapy at the time of diagnosis. The risk-benefit analysis presented in this review is strongly supportive of early hormonal therapy. Finally, long-term survival of patients with metastatic prostate cancer will require the development of novel treatment strategies effective against androgen-resistant tumor cells and their use in concert with early androgen deprivation.

Androgen Antagonists

Differential cytokeratin expression in normal, hyperplastic and malignant epithelial cells from human prostate.

Studies were undertaken to define the expression of cytokeratins in normal, hyperplastic and malignant epithelial cells from human prostate. Cytokeratin (CK) polypeptides, separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis, were identified by immunoblotting with CK-specific monoclonal antibodies. CK polypeptides 5, 7, 8, 15, 18 and 19 were identified in fresh normal and hyperplastic prostate. Expression of CK 15 has not been previously reported in human prostate. Analysis of central and peripheral zone tissues from human prostate did not reveal qualitative differences in CK expression between these areas. Epithelial cells harvested from fresh BPH tissue by percoll gradient centrifugation and propagated in vitro using selective culture techniques showed alterations in CK expression compared to intact human prostate. Specifically, CKs 6, 14, 16 and 17 were noted in cultured BPH epithelial cells but not fresh normal prostate or BPH tissue. Immunoblot analysis of the established prostate cancer cell lines PC3, DU145 and LNCAP showed expression of CKs 8 and 18 but not CKs 5, 7 and 15 which were observed in benign prostate. These studies further characterize CK expression in benign and malignant human prostate and provide insights which may be useful in differentiating normal, hyperplastic and malignant epithelial cells in the human prostate gland.

Adult

Elevated transferrin receptor content in human prostate cancer cell lines assessed in vitro and in vivo.

Transferrin receptors (TfR) were measured in benign and malignant prostatic cells by performing Scatchard analysis following the administration of 125I-transferrin. Established human prostate cancer cell lines (PC-3 and DU-145) as well as biologically aggressive variants (PC-3 ASC and PC-3 DES) were shown to possess significant levels of high affinity TfR when assessed in vitro. In contrast, TfR content was negligible in cultured stromal cell fractions derived from human benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) specimens. Scatchard analysis was also performed on in vivo derived prostatic tissues: tumors resulting from the subcutaneous xenografting of PC-3 ASC cells into athymic, nude mice and fresh BPH surgical specimens. These tissues were dissociated and their stromal and epithelial components separated. TfR were only detected in the epithelial component of both malignant and benign epithelial cells. PC-3 ASC tumor cells exhibited TfR levels comparable to their in vitro expression and these levels were 10-fold greater than in the BPH cells. These findings suggest that elevated TfRs may serve as another useful marker of the transformed phenotype within human prostate tumor systems.

Animals

Therapeutic efficacy of recombinant tumor necrosis factor alpha in an experimental model of human prostatic carcinoma.

Prostatic carcinoma represents the second leading cause of cancer mortality in men and is responsible for over 25,000 deaths each year. Currently, no curative therapy is available for metastatic carcinoma of the prostate. The present studies were undertaken to assess the efficacy of recombinant tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) in the therapy of experimental prostatic carcinoma. TNF was cytotoxic to the prostate cancer cell lines PC3, DU145, and LNCAP but not benign prostatic epithelial and stromal cells in vitro. The sensitivity of the prostatic carcinoma lines to TNF-mediated cytotoxicity was enhanced by the presence of actinomycin D. Intravenous administration of TNF (50-100 micrograms/kg) to nude mice bearing subcutaneous PC3 tumors resulted in significant inhibition of primary tumor growth compared to control. TNF was also effective in reducing the growth of intraabdominal PC3 tumors induced by intrasplenic injection of PC3. Furthermore, the incidence of microscopic PC3 foci in the spleen, liver, lung, and diaphragm was diminished in mice receiving TNF therapy. These studies demonstrate the potential of TNF in the therapy of human prostatic carcinoma.

Animals