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R L Davidson

Publications and source records attributed to R L Davidson.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Induction of sister chromatid exchanges by BUdR is largely independent of the BUdR content of DNA.

The halogenated thymidine (dT) analogue, 5-bromodeoxy-uridine (BUdR), has a variety of effects on mammalian cells, including toxicity, suppression of differentiation, and mutagenesis. Although it is generally assumed that the effects of BUdR are due primarily to its presence in DNA, results from our laboratory have raised doubts about such assumptions. We have shown, for example, that BUdR mutagenesis in mammalian cells is determined by the concentration of BUdR in the medium rather than in DNA, and that mutagenesis can be suppressed by deoxycytidine (dC) without changing the amount of BUdR in DNA. BUdR has also been shown to induce sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in mammalian cells. Initial results suggested that the relationship between BUdR and SCEs might not be explained by a single factor, and various correlations between BUdR and SCEs have been proposed. However, the results to date have been inconclusive, because the experiments did not resolve as independent variables the concentration of BUdR in the medium and the amount of BUdR incorporated into nuclear DNA. We have now carried out experiments to resolve these two factors; the results indicate that the major factor in determining the frequency of SCEs is the concentration of BUdR in the medium.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Inhibition of Friend erythroleukemic cell differentiation by bromodeoxyuridine: correlation with the amount of bromodeoxyuridine in DNA.

These studies were undertaken to examine the relationship between the inhibition by 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) of erythroid differentiation in Friend erythroleukemia cells and the incorporation of BrdU into DNA. Experiments were carried out in which the incorporation of BrdU into DNA and the concentration of BrdU to which the cells were exposed were varied independently of each other. In addition, the ability of deoxycytidine (dC) to reverse the effects of BrdU on hemoglobin production and to reduce the amount of BrdU in DNA was analyzed. Under all the conditions tested, the effects of BrdU were correlated with the amount of BrdU incorporated into nuclear DNA. These results differ from those of recent studies on the inhibition of pigmentation and the induction of mutations by BrdU in Syrian hamster melanoma cells. The results suggest that BrdU may be producing its biological effects by a variety of different mechanisms.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Mapping of the herpes simplex virus DNA sequences present in herpes simplex virus type-1 thymidine kinase-transformed cells.

Analyses of the herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNA sequences which are present in three HSV thymidine kinase-transformed (HSVtk+) mouse cell lines have revealed that these cells contain relatively large and variable portions of the viral genome. Two of these cell lines do not contain the viral DNA sequences known to encode the early viral genes normally responsible for regulating tk gene expression during lytic HSV infections. This finding suggests that cell-associated viral tk gene expression may be regulated by cellular rather than viral control mechanisms. In addition, we have compared the viral DNA sequences present in one unstable HSVtk+ cell line to those present in tk- revertant and tk+ rerevertant cell lines sequentially derived from it. Our results have shown that within the limits of sensitivity of our mapping approach, these three related cell lines contain the same set of viral DNA sequences. Thus, gross changes in viral DNA content do not appear to be responsible for the different tk phenotypes of these cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Isolation of mouse cell lines resistant to the fusion-inducing effect of polyethylene glycol.

Lines of mouse L cells resistant to the fusion-inducing effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 1000 have been isolated by treating cultures with 50% PEG and selecting cells that remained unfused and able to proliferate. With repeated cycles of PEG treatment and selection, populations have been obtained that exhibit progressively increased resistance to the fusion-inducing effect of PEG. With the parental line, more than 90% of the cells fused when treated with 50% PEG. In contrast, with a population isolated after 24 cycles of PEG selection, fewer than 25% of the cells fused when treated with PEG. The decreased fusion response of the selected cells appeared to be stable for long periods of growth in the absence of PEG treatment, and the populations of selected cells seemed homogeneous in terms of the fusion response of individual subclones. Resistance to the fusion-inducing effect of PEG was concentration dependent, as the selected cells that fused poorly when treated with 50% PEG fused very efficiently when the PEG concentration was increased to 55%. The cells that were resistant to the fusion-inducing effect of 50% PEG also were more resistant to the toxic effect of PEG than were the parental cells.

Cell Fusion↗
PubMed1979

Maintenance of replication patterns in human-mouse hybrids retaining only one human chromosome.

The time of termination of DNA replication of human chromosomes in human-mouse hybrids retaining only one human chromosome was analyzed. Hybrids between SV40-transformed human skin fibroblasts and mouse peritoneal macrophages were used for these studies. Data obtained from hybrids containing only human chromosome 7 or 17 were compared with data from related hybrids containing additional human chromosomes. When either human chromosome 7 or 17 was present alone, it terminated replication at the same stage of the S phase as in hybrids in which other human chromosomes were present (relative to the time of termination of replication of the mouse chromosomes). In comparing the hybrids containing single human chromosomes, it was found that chromosome 17 terminated replication much earlier than chromosome 7. Therefore, the relationship between the replication times of these chromosomes normally observed in human cells was maintained in the hybrids in the absence of all other human chromosomes. The results also indicate that the presence of SV40 gene sequences in chromosomes 7 and 17 did not alter the relative times of termination of replication of those chromosomes.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Transfer of the herpes simplex thymidine kinase gene from human cells to mouse cells by means of metaphase chromosomes.

Thymidine kinase (TK)-deficient human cells were infected with ultraviolet light-inactivated Herpes simplex virus type 1, and "transformed" cells that expressed Herpes TK activity were isolated. Purified metaphase chromosomes were isolated from the transformed human line and incubated with TK-deficient mouse cells. TK+ cells were selected, and it was shown that these cells were gene transferents which expressed Herpes TK activity, identical to that found in the transformed human cells. The gene transferents contained no intact human chromosomes. When removed from selective pressure, the gene transferents rapidly lost the TK+ phenotype. However, upon continued growth in nonselective medium, a subpopulation in which the TK+ phenotype had become more stabilized appeared. These results suggest that the Herpes gene for thymidine kinase has integrated into the genome of the HSV-transformed human cells and that it can be transferred to other cells by means of purified metaphase chromosomes.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Resistance to bromodeoxyuridine mutagenesis and toxicity in mammalian cells selected for resistance to hydroxyurea.

Mutant cell lines resistant to hydroxyurea (HU), an inhibitor of the enzyme ribonucleotide reductase, were selected from a line of Syrian hamster melanoma cells. Mutant lines were selected for resistance to 0.3 mM HU, and from these lines, second-step mutants were selected for resistance to 1.9 mM HU. The HUr lines were tested ffor their responses to 5-bromodeoxyuridine (brdU), in terms of toxicity, mutagenesis, and incorporation of BrdU into DNA. All of the HUr lines showed increased resistance to the toxic effects of BrdU. in addition, the HUr lines all were resistant to BrdU mutagenesis. Overall, there was good correlation among the levels of resistance to HU toxicity, BrdU toxicity, and BrdU mutagenesis in the HUr lines. These tests were carried out under conditions such that the parental and HUr cells incorporated equal amounts of BrdU into nuclear DNA. Therefore, the resistance of the HUr cells to the effects of BrdU cannot be attributed to decreased incorporation of BrdU into DNA. These results suggest that the HUr cells have an lateration in ribonucleotide reductase activity that simultaneously confers resistance to HU and BrdU. The properties of the HUr cells suggest that the perturbation of deoxcytidine metabolism by BrdU. The properties of the HUr cells suggest that the perturbation of deoxcytidine metabolism by BrdU triphosphate inhibition of ribonucleotide reductase activity plays a key role in the toxic and mutagenic effects of BrdU in mammalian cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Bromodeoxyuridine mutagenesis in mammalian cells is stimulated by purine deoxyribonucleosides.

The effects of purine deoxyribonucleosides on bromodeoxyurdine (BrdU) mutagenesis in Syrian hamster melanoma cells were determined. Both deoxyguanosine (dG) and deoxyadenosine (dA) were found to stimulate mutagenesis without changing the amount of BrdU in DNA. In addition, the stimulation of mutagenesis by dG and dA was suppressed by the addition of deoxycytidine (dC). These results suggest that BrdU mutagenesis involves the perturbation of dC metabolism, which perturbation is enhanced by dGTP and dATP. The mutagenic activity of dG in the absence of BrdU was tested, as was that of thymidine (dT), which we had shown previously to stimulate BrdU mutageneis. With dG alone, no increase above the spontaneous mutation frequency was detected. However, at extremely high concentration, dT in the absence of BrdU was slightly mutagenic, and the mutagenesis by dT was enhanced by dG and suppressed by dC.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

In vitro DNA dependent synthesis of globin RNA sequences from erythroleukemic cell chromatin.

Murine erythroleukemic cells in culture accumulate cytoplasmic globin mRNA during differentiation induced by dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)1. Chromatin was prepared from DMSO induced erythroleukemic cells that were transcribing globin RNA in order to determine whether in vitro synthesis of globin RNA sequences was possible from chromatin. RNA was synthesized in vitro using 5-mercuriuridine triphosphate and exogenous Escheria coli RNA polymerase. Newly synthesized mercurated RNA was purified from endogenous chromatin associated RNA by affinity chromatography on a sepharose sulfhydryl column, and the globin RNA sequence content of the mercurated RNA was assayed by hybridization to cDNA globin. The synthesis of globin RNA sequences was shown to occur and to be sensitive to actinomycin and rifampicin and insensitive to alpha-amanitin. In contrast, synthesis of globin RNA sequence synthesis was not detected in significant amounts from chromatin prepared from uninduced erythroleukemic cells, nor from uninduced cell chromatin to which globin RNA was added prior to transcription. Isolated RNA:cDNA globin hybrids were shown to contain mercurated RNA by affinity chromatography. These results indicated that synthesis of globin RNA sequences from chromatin can be performed by E. coli RNA polymerase.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1979

Membrane alterations and other morphological features associated with polyethylene glycol-induced cell fusion.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) induces rapid fusion of LM cells. Membrane fusion, as detected by formation of pentalaminar membrane arrays, occurs as early as 1 min after PEG treatment. The entire cell surface arrears to be capable of fusion since fusion occurs in regions where pseudopodia make contact with each other or with a neighbouring cell body and also in areas where cells are in contact along their entire periphery. Cytoskeletal components showed no apparent deleterious effect from PEG treatment or subsequent cell fusion as determined by thin-section EM. Freeze-fracture of monolayer cultures reveals a thermotropic rearrangement of intramembranous particles following PEG treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Dissociation of plasminogen activator from the transformed phenotype in a 5-bromodeoxyuridine dependent mutant of Syrian hamster melanoma cells.

The relationship between plasminogen activator levels and the expression of the transformed phenotype was studied in a 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) dependent mutant of Syrian hamster melanoma cells. In terms of cell morphology and cellular interactions, the BrdUrd dependent cells resemble transformed cells when grown in the presence of BrdUrd but resemble untransformed cells when grown in the absence of BrdUrd. It was found that the BrdUrd dependent cells release significant levels of plasminogen activator only when cultured in the absence of BrdUrd. In the presence of BrdUrd, the release of plasminogen activator by the dependent cells is suppressed, and the decreased level of plasminogen activator released in the presence of BrdUrd seems to be due to the decreased production of active enzyme. Growth tests revealed that the BrdUrd dependent cells, when attached to a substrate, required BrdUrd in order to attain high densities. Furthermore, the cells are able to grow well in soft agar only in the presence of BrdUrd. These results suggest that the production and release of high levels of plasminogen activator are not related (either as cause or effect) to the expression of the transformed phenotype in the BrdUrd dependent cells. The effect of dog serum (as a plasminogen source) on the BrdUrd dependent cells also was tested. It was found that cells cultured in medium containing dog serum exhibit a morphological alteration, but only in the absence of brdUrd. The morphological response of the cells to dog serum resembles that previously observed with virus-transformed cells. In the BrdUrd dependent cells, the morphological response to dog serum appears correlated with the release of plasminogen activator but separated from other transformed characteristics.

Blood↗
PubMed1978

Biological and biochemical effects of bromodeoxyuridine and deoxycytidine on Syrian hamster melanoma cells.

The addition of deoxycytidine (dCyd) to the growth medium of cultured Syrian hamster melanoma cells causes a reversal of the toxic effects of 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and a decrease in the extent of incorporation of BrdU into nuclear DNA. These effects of dCyd can be accounted for, in part, by the intracellular conversion of the exogenously supplied dCyd to thymidine (dThd) nucleotides which can compete with BrdU nucleotides for incorporation into DNA. To some extent, the conversion of dCyd to dThd nucleotides can be inhibited by increasing the concentration of BrdU in the growth medium. The conversion of dCyd to dThd nucleotides is inhibited completely by aminopterin (Apt), and Apt also prevents dCyd from reversing BrdU toxicity and from decreasing the level of BrdU incorporation into nuclear DNA. In a clone of Syrian hamster melanoma cells, increasing the concentration of dCyd in the growth medium from 1 micron to 1000 micron resulted in a progressive increase in the percentage of dThd residues in nuclear DNA being derived from the exogenous dCyd, until more than 90% of the dThd residues came from the exogenous dCyd. However, despite the increasing amount of dThd derived from exogenous dCyd, there was a plateau in the decrease in BrdU incorporation into nuclear DNA at concentrations of dCyd above 8 micron.

Aminopterin↗
PubMed1978

Polyethylene-glycol-mediated cybrid formation: high-efficiency techniques and cybrid formation without enucleation.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) can be used to promote the fusion of enucleated cytoplasts from chloramphenicol (CAP)-resistant mouse cells with intact cells, resulting in the formation of viable cybrids. The techniques are simple and highly efficient, yielding up to one viable cybrid per 20 intact cells fused. It also seems that PEG can be used to induce cybrid formation without the necessity of prior enucleation of the CAP-resistant cells.

Animals↗