Biomedical subjects

S B Rodan

Publications and source records attributed to S B Rodan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1998

Sphingosine kinase mediates cyclic AMP suppression of apoptosis in rat periosteal cells.

Prostaglandin E stimulates bone formation in humans and animals, and increases intracellular cAMP in osteoblastic cells. We found that cAMP inhibits apoptosis in osteoblastic cells, and examined the mechanism of this effect. We report that the cAMP elevating agent, forskolin, increases cell number in the rat periosteal cell line (RP-11), by suppressing apoptosis in a cell type-specific manner. In RP-11, forskolin transiently up-regulates extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity, a known suppressor of apoptosis. PD98059, a selective inhibitor of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway, only partially reverses the antiapoptotic effect of forskolin, which suggests an additional mechanism for cAMP action. We found that forskolin stimulates cytosolic sphingosine kinase (SPK) activity in these cells; in two other osteoblastic cell lines, however, forskolin does not suppress apoptosis. In contrast to the partial opposing effect of PD98059 to forskolin action, N, N-dimethylsphingosine, a specific inhibitor of SPK, completely reverses the antiapoptotic effect of forskolin, and has no effect on apoptosis in the absence of forskolin. These findings show for the first time that cAMP activates SPK in a cell-type-specific manner, and suggest that cAMP suppression of apoptosis in RP-11 periosteal cells is mediated by its stimulation of SPK.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

The integrin ligand echistatin prevents bone loss in ovariectomized mice and rats.

Integrins that bind RGD (arginine-glycine-aspartic acid) containing peptides, especially the vitronectin receptor alpha(v)beta3, have been implicated in the regulation of osteoclast function. Echistatin, an RGD-containing snake venom peptide with high affinity for beta3 integrins, as well as nonpeptide RGD mimetics, were shown to inhibit osteoclastic bone resorption in vitro and in vivo. To evaluate the role of RGD-binding integrins in bone metabolism, we examined by several methods the effects of echistatin on ovariectomy (OVX)-induced bone loss in mice and rats. First, we confirmed that echistatin binds in vitro with high affinity (Kd, 0.5 nM) to alpha(v)beta3 integrin purified from human placenta and established a competitive binding assay to measure echistatin concentrations in serum. We find that echistatin infused for 2 or 4 weeks at 0.36 microg/h x g body weight (approximately 50 nmol/day x mouse) completely prevents OVX-induced cancellous bone loss in the distal femora of ovariectomized mice. Echistatin has no effect on uterine weight, body weight, and femoral length changes induced by OVX, nor does it cause any apparent changes in major organs other than bone. In OVX rats, echistatin infusion at 0.26 microg/h x g for 4 weeks effectively prevents bone loss, evaluated by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry of the femur, by femoral ash weight, and by bone histomorphometry of the proximal tibia. At effective serum concentrations of 20-30 nM, measured at the end of the infusion period, echistatin maintains histomorphometric indices of bone turnover at control levels but does not decrease osteoclast surface. In conclusion, these results provide in vivo evidence, at the level of bone histology, that RGD-binding integrins, probably alpha(v)beta3, play a rate-limiting role in osteoclastic bone resorption and suggest a therapeutic potential for integrin ligands in the suppression of bone loss.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase association with the osteoclast cytoskeleton, and its involvement in osteoclast attachment and spreading.

Osteoclast activation involves attachment to the mineralized bone matrix and reorganization of the cytoskeleton, leading to polarization of the cell. Signaling molecules, PI3-kinase, rho A, and pp60c-src, were shown to be essential for osteoclastic bone resorption. In this study we have focused on the involvement of these signaling molecules in the early event of osteoclast activation: attachment, spreading, and organization of the cytoskeleton. Highly purified osteoclasts were fractionated into Triton X-100-soluble or cytosolic and Triton X-100-insoluble or cytoskeletal fractions, and the distribution of above-mentioned signaling molecules between the two fractions was examined. PI3-kinase, rho A, and pp60c-src all showed translocation to the cytoskeletal fraction upon osteoclast attachment to plastic. However, PI3-kinase and rho A, but not pp60c-src, showed further translocation of 2.4- and 3.2-fold, respectively, upon attachment of osteoclasts to bone. PI3-kinase translocation to the cytoskeleton was inhibited by either cytochalasin B or colchicine. Furthermore, treatment of osteoclasts with the PI3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin decreased its translocation, suggesting that PI3-kinase activity was needed for its translocation. Moreover, wortmannin inhibited osteoclast attachment to both bone and plastic and caused drastic changes in osteoclast morphology resulting in rounding of the cells, disappearance of F-actin structures or podosomes, and appearance of punctate or vesicular structures inside the cells. Osteoblastic MB1.8 cells and IC-21 macrophages did not show additional translocation of PI3-kinase or rho A upon attachment to bone or changes in attachment or morphology in response to wortmannin. Finally, PI3-kinase coimmunoprecipitated with alpha v beta 3 integrin from osteoclasts.

Androstadienes↗

PubMed1997

Integrin function in osteoclasts.

Integrins are a large family of heteromeric cell surface receptors composed of non-covalently bound alpha and beta subunits which interact with extracellular matrix molecules, serum constituents and the adhesion molecules of the immunoglobulin family. The extracellular domains of many integrins recognize the RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) tripeptide found in several extracellular macromolecules such as fibronectin, vitronectin, fibrinogen and osteopontin. The vitronectin receptor, alpha v beta 3 integrin, is highly expressed in osteoclasts, the bone resorbing cells, and binds many of these RGD containing proteins including osteopontin, which is abundant in bone. Antibodies to alpha v beta 3, RGD peptides and RGD containing proteins such as echistatin, and kistrin were shown to inhibit bone resorption in vitro and in vivo. The identity of the alpha v beta 3 natural ligand and its mode of action in bone are so far not known. In addition to the very high levels of alpha v beta 3, mammalian osteoclasts also express alpha 2 beta 1, a collagen/laminin receptor and alpha v beta 1, another vitronectin receptor. Signaling events that follow substrate recognition by osteoclasts are not well understood. RGD containing peptides and proteins modulate [Ca2+] transients in osteoclasts and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and pp60c-src are associated with alpha v beta 3 in these cells. alpha v and beta 3 genes were shown to be regulated by the calciotropic hormone 1,25(OH)2D3 and by a number of cytokines known to be modulators of bone metabolism. In summary, elucidation of the interactions of osteoclast integrins with components of bone matrix, may lead to further understanding of the mechanism of bone resorption.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Protein-tyrosine phosphatase activity regulates osteoclast formation and function: inhibition by alendronate.

Alendronate (ALN), an aminobisphosphonate used in the treatment of osteoporosis, is a potent inhibitor of bone resorption. Its molecular target is still unknown. This study examines the effects of ALN on the activity of osteoclast protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP; protein-tyrosine-phosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.48), called PTPepsilon. Using osteoclast-like cells generated by coculturing mouse bone marrow cells with mouse calvaria osteoblasts, we found by molecular cloning and RNA blot hybridization that PTPepsilon is highly expressed in osteoclastic cells. A purified fusion protein of PTPepsilon expressed in bacteria was inhibited by ALN with an IC50 of 2 microM. Other PTP inhibitors--orthovanadate and phenylarsine oxide (PAO)-inhibited PTPepsilon with IC50 values of 0.3 microM and 18 microM, respectively. ALN and another bisphosphonate, etidronate, also inhibited the activities of other bacterially expressed PTPs such as PTPsigma and CD45 (also called leukocyte common antigen). The PTP inhibitors ALN, orthovanadate, and PAO suppressed in vitro formation of multinucleated osteoclasts from osteoclast precursors and in vitro bone resorption by isolated rat osteoclasts (pit formation) with estimated IC50 values of 10 microM, 3 microM, and 0.05 microM, respectively. These findings suggest that tyrosine phosphatase activity plays an important role in osteoclast formation and function and is a putative molecular target of bisphosphonate action.

Alendronate↗

PubMed1995

Isolation and characterization of highly enriched, prefusion mouse osteoclastic cells.

This study describes the isolation and characterization of highly enriched mammalian osteoclast precursors, released by the "disintegrin" echistatin, from an osteoclast formation culture. Incubation of a 6-day coculture of mouse bone marrow cells and mouse osteoblastic cells (MB1.8) with echistatin (30 nM), an RGD-containing snake venom, for 20 min yielded an 88-95% pure population of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive cells, 1.5 x 10(5) cells per 150 cm2 culture dish. These cells were mostly mononucleated and based on the following characteristics are considered to be prefusion osteoclasts (pOC cells): (i) presence of calcitonin (CT) receptors documented by 125I-sCT autoradiography and cAMP generation in response to salmon calcitonin; (ii) expression of mRNAs for alpha v beta 3 integrin, osteopontin, 92-kDa type IV collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase 9), carbonic anhydrase II, OC-2 (an "osteoclastic" cysteine proteinase), and protein tyrosine phosphatase epsilon; and (iii) high level expression of pp60c-src protein. The pOC cells resorb bone (form "pits" on bone slices) but only in the presence of osteoblastic MB1.8 cells and 1,25(OH)2D3. Resorption was inhibited by CT. In conclusion, we describe a rapid, reproducible procedure to isolate virtually pure mammalian prefusion osteoclasts, which should help in the study of osteoclast formation, composition, and function.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Expression and regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor in osteoblasts.

Bone formation is linked closely to angiogenesis. Because prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is a potent stimulator of bone formation, its effects were evaluated on vascular endothelial growth factor, a secreted endothelial cell-specific mitogen, and a potent angiogenic protein. Prostaglandin E2 increased vascular endothelial growth factor protein in conditioned media of osteoblastic RCT-3 cells within 3 hours. Prostaglandin E2 also increased the steady-state levels of vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA in a dose-dependent manner. The increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA produced by PGE2 was rapid (maximal at 1 hour) and was enhanced by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (5 micrograms/ml). The increase in vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA by PGE2 was inhibited strongly by pretreatment for 3 hours with dexamethasone (10(-7) M). Stimulation of vascular endothelial growth factor by PGE2 and its suppression by dexamethasone implicate the involvement of vascular endothelial growth factor in bone metabolism.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Induction of vascular endothelial growth factor expression by prostaglandin E2 and E1 in osteoblasts.

PGE1 and PGE2 are potent stimulators of bone formation. Osteogenesis is strongly dependent on angiogenesis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEFG), a secreted endothelial cell-specific mitogen, has been implicated in physiological and pathological angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to examine the possible role of VEGF in PG stimulation of bone formation. We found that in rat calvaria-derived osteoblast-enriched cells and in the osteoblastic RCT-3 cell line PGE2 and E1 increased VEGF mRNA and protein levels. The increased expression of VEGF mRNA produced by PGE2 was rapid (maximal at 1 h), transient (declined by 3 h), potentiated by cycloheximide, and abolished by actinomycin D. PGE2 had no effect on VEGF mRNA stability, suggesting transcriptional regulation of VEGF expression by PGF2. Rp-cAMP, a cAMP antagonist, suppressed VEGF mRNA induced by PGE2, indicating cAMP mediation. The upregulation of VEGF expression by PGE2 in the preosteoblastic RCT-1 cells was potentiated by treatment with retinoic acid, which induces the differentiation of these cells. The upregulation of VEGF mRNA by PGE2 was inhibited by dexamethasone treatment. In addition, Northern blot analysis showed that VEGF mRNA is expressed in adult rat tibia. In summary, we documented, for the first time, the expression of VEGF in osteoblasts and in bone tissue. Stimulation of VEGF expression by PGs and its suppression by glucocorticoids, which, respectively, stimulate and suppress bone formation, strongly implicate the involvement of VEGF in bone metabolism.

Alprostadil↗

PubMed1990

IL-1 binds to high affinity receptors on human osteosarcoma cells and potentiates prostaglandin E2 stimulation of cAMP production.

IL-1 is a potent bone resorbing agent. Its mechanism of action is unknown, but the presence of osteoblasts was shown to be necessary for IL-1 stimulation of bone resorption by isolated osteoclasts. This study examines the presence of IL-1R and IL-1 effects in osteoblastic cells from a clonal human osteosarcoma cell line, Saos-2/B-10. We found that the binding affinity and the number of binding sites increases substantially during the postconfluent stage. Scatchard and curve-fitting analysis revealed one class of high affinity binding sites, with Kd/Ki's of 40 +/- 17 pM (mean +/- SD) for IL-1 alpha (n = 5) and 9 +/- 7 pM for IL-1 beta (n = 5) and 2916 +/- 2438 (n = 6) receptors/cell. Incubation of the cells with 125I-IL-1 alpha (100 pM) at 4 degrees C, followed by incubation at 37 degrees C up to 4 h, revealed internalization of receptor-bound IL-1 alpha. Chemical cross-linking studies showed that the IL-1R in Saos-2/B-10 cells had a molecular mass of approximately 80 kDa. To assess the biologic effect of IL-1 in Saos-2/B-10 cells, we determined PGE2 content and adenylate cyclase activity. Although IL-1 had no effect on PGE2 synthesis, both IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta enhanced PGE2 stimulation of adenylate cyclase two- to four-fold in a dose-dependent manner. The half-maximal effect for IL-1 alpha was seen at 8 to 10 pM and for IL-1 beta at 0.6 to 1.8 pM. IL-1 did not enhance basal adenylate cyclase or stimulation by parathyroid hormone, isoproterenol, or forskolin. IL-1 enhancement of PGE2-stimulated adenylate cyclase was detected between 1 to 2 h, was maximal at 4 to 5 h, was not prevented by cycloheximide treatment, and was seen in membranes from IL-1 pretreated cells. These data show effects of IL-1 on a human osteoblast-like cell line that are mediated by high affinity receptors. These IL-1 effects could contribute to the biologic action of IL-1 on bone.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

PubMed1990

Leukemia inhibitory factor binds with high affinity to preosteoblastic RCT-1 cells and potentiates the retinoic acid induction of alkaline phosphatase.

This study examines the effect of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) on preosteoblastic rat calvaria (RCT-1) cells, which acquire osteoblastic properties when treated with retinoic acid (RA). LIF potentiated the increase in alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity produced by RA. The LIF effect was time and dose dependent (EC50, approximately 1 pM). The earliest effects on AP activity were detected at 48 h, and maximal effects were observed after 72 h. RA increased AP mRNA about 2-fold at 3 h and 6-fold at 6 and 12 h. LIF further increased AP mRNA to 18-fold at 12 h. After RA treatment AP mRNA returned to control levels at 24 h, but in the presence of LIF, AP mRNA remained elevated at 24 and 72 h of treatment. When given alone, LIF had no effect on either AP activity or mRNA levels. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 also potentiated the RA induction of AP, and interleukin-6 had a small effect, whereas granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor had no effect. LIF alone had a small inhibitory effect on type 1 collagen mRNA, but did not oppose the stimulatory effect of RA. Consistent with these biological actions, LIF receptors were demonstrated on these cells. [125I]LIF bound to RCT-1 cells at 0 C with an apparent dissociation constant of 20 pM, and it was found that these cells express an average of 300 receptors/cell. Scatchard analyses showed a single class of high affinity binding site. LIF was internalized with an endocytic rate constant for occupied receptors of 0.03 min-1, and the apparent equilibrium dissociation constant at 37 C was 358 pM. These findings suggest that osteoblast precursor cells are among the target cells of LIF.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

PubMed1989

Opposing effects of fibroblast growth factor and pertussis toxin on alkaline phosphatase, osteopontin, osteocalcin, and type I collagen mRNA levels in ROS 17/2.8 cells.

In rat osteosarcoma (ROS 17/2.8) cells, which express osteoblastic features in culture, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) reduces the level of alkaline phosphatase, type I collagen, and osteocalcin mRNA and increases osteopontin mRNA, independent of growth stimulation. The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) effects are dose dependent (EC50 about 6 pM) and are detected 24 h after addition of the growth factor. bFGF also reduces parathyroid hormone-stimulatable adenylate cyclase and alkaline phosphatase activity in these cells. Concomitant treatment with pertussis toxin (20 ng/ml) opposes the FGF effects. Although cyclic AMP elevating agents mimic pertussis toxin action on some parameters, they produce opposite effects on others, indicating that antagonism between pertussis toxin and bFGF is not mediated by cyclic AMP. bFGF caused a small reduction in steady state NAD-dependent ADP-ribosylation and had no detectable effects on the steady-state levels of the Gi alpha (alpha subunit of the inhibitory G protein) 1, 2, and 3, visualized with specific antibodies in these cells. Although the site of interaction of pertussis toxin and FGF remains to be determined, the findings presented here suggest separate control of growth and differentiation by bFGF and show that pertussis toxin treatment can modulate differentiation in these cells, presumably via Gi proteins.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗

PubMed1989

Rat calvarial cell lines immortalized with SV-40 large T antigen: constitutive and retinoic acid-inducible expression of osteoblastic features.

Two new bone cell lines were established by immortalizing cells derived from embryonic rat calvariae with a recombinant retrovirus containing the cDNA for SV-40 large T antigen and the neomycin resistance gene. One cell line, RCT-1, isolated from early digest cells, a population which typically does not express osteoblastic features, displayed osteoblastic characteristics only after 3 days of treatment with 1 microM retinoic acid: alkaline phosphatase activity increased from 0.003 to 0.25 mumol/min.mg protein, the steady state level of type I procollagen mRNA increased 4-fold, and the cells acquired a PTH-stimulatable adenylate cyclase (EC50, 10 nM). mRNA for osteopontin, an abundant bone matrix protein, was induced in RCT-1 cells by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (10 nM). The second cell line, RCT-3, isolated from late digest cells, a population previously shown to be enriched with differentiated osteoblasts, expressed constitutively the properties described above. In addition, RCT-3 cells responded to interleukin-1 by increased prostaglandin production (EC50, 20 pM) and to prostaglandin E2 by enhanced cAMP accumulation, features exhibited by calvarial cells in organ culture. Thus, the SV-40 immortalized cell lines we describe retained many of the characteristics of osteoblasts in primary culture, including hormonal regulation of phenotype-related genes. In RCT-1 cells the coordinate induction of several properties by retinoic acid offers a new model for the study of differentiation-related gene expression in bone cells.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗

PubMed1989

Production of parathyroid hormone-like peptide in a human osteosarcoma cell line: stimulation by phorbol esters and epidermal growth factor.

A clonal cell line (Saos-2/B-10) derived from human osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells had the same osteoblastic characteristics as the mother line, but lacked sensitivity to parathyroid hormone (PTH) at early passages. At later passages (greater than 70) the cells became very sensitive to PTH (0.1 nmol/l). The absence of PTH-stimulatable adenylate cyclase correlated with the secretion of an adenylate cyclase-stimulatory activity which had the properties of the recently characterized PTH-like peptide (PTH-LP). This activity was inhibited by the PTH antagonist [8norleucyl,18norleucyl,34tyrosinyl]bovine PTH-(3-34)amide and could be neutralized by an antiserum raised against the synthetic PTH-LP-(1-34). Hybridization with a human PTH-LP cDNA showed that these cells produce two PTH-LP mRNAs of approximately 1.5 and 1.8 kb. The production of PTH-LP was stimulated by 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA; 150 nmol/l) and epidermal growth factor (EGF; 10 ng/ml). The increased accumulation of PTH-LP in conditioned media in response to TPA was seen after 1 h and levelled off at 6 h. In contrast, EGF stimulation was lower at 3 and 6 h but continued for 24 h. Both agents increased PTH-LP mRNA levels in Saos-2/B-10 cells. A TPA analogue which does not stimulate protein kinase C had no effect on PTH-LP production. Cycloheximide blocked the stimulatory effect of both TPA and EGF and the TPA effect was blocked by actinomycin D, suggesting transcriptional control. The regulation of PTH-LP by these agents may offer clues regarding the association of this protein with malignancy.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

PubMed1989

SV-40 large-T immortalization of embryonic bone cells: establishment of osteoblastic clonal cell lines.

Cells derived from embryonic rat calvariae were immortalized by retroviral delivery of cDNA for the SV-40 large T antigen and the bacterial neomycin resistance gene. After selection with G418, cells were cloned by limiting dilution and screened for expression of osteoblast characteristics. One clone (RCT-3), derived from cells collected during the third period of enzymatic digestion, showed high constitutive expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), synthesized type I collagen in the virtual absence of type III and exhibited a parathyroid hormone (PTH)-responsive adenylate cyclase (EC50, 10 nM). Messenger RNAs for osteonectin and osteopontin were present in RCT-3 cells and osteopontin mRNA was enhanced by 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3 treatment. The other cell line (RCT-1), derived from cells released during the first 10 min of digestion, expressed osteoblast features only after 3 d treatment with 1 microM retinoic acid (RA). ALP activity increased from 0.003 to 0.25 mumole/min/mg protein, there was a substantial increase in the steady-state level of type I collagen mRNA and a dose-dependent and saturable response to PTH was induced (EC50, 10 nM). Osteopontin mRNA was induced by 1,25 (OH)2D3. This study has provided two new cell lines which may be useful models for studies of differentiation-related gene expression in bone cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Effects of acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors on osteoblastic cells.

Acidic (a) and basic (b) fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are two related mitogenic and angiogenic factors. They are multifunctional in that they can affect proliferation and induce or delay differentiation. Both aFGF and bFGF were shown to stimulate proliferation of calvaria cells in situ as well as osteoblast-enriched calvaria-derived cells. bFGF was also found to suppress the expression of alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone stimulatable adenylate cyclase, osteocalcin, and type I collagen in the osteoblastic ROS 17/2.8 cells. To explore a possible role for guanine nucleotide binding proteins we assessed the effects of pertussis toxin (PT) on FGF action. PT had opposite effects to those of bFGF on all parameters examined.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Diversity of the osteoblastic phenotype.

Studies of bone cells in culture have raised two salient questions: are the findings representative of the in vivo situation and can the conflicting data from different cell models be reconciled? Review of the literature indicates that all osteoblastic cells, defined by their origin or by their ability to produce mineralized matrix, have a few common properties: production of type I collagen; increased alkaline phosphatase activity; and parathyroid hormone-stimulated adenylate cyclase. Other features, such as osteocalcin and prostaglandin E production and the response to prostaglandin E, are selectively expressed by certain cell types. Pilot studies on mRNA levels of 'bone proteins' in developing calvaria suggest that such differences may reflect stages in osteoblastic differentiation. Immortalization of calvaria-derived cells using a SV40 large T antigen vector, which may freeze the cells in their particular state of differentiation (as proposed for leukaemia cells), yields phenotypes consistent with that hypothesis. Immortal cell lines may thus help to characterize osteoblastic differentiation. The diversity of osteoblast responses in culture to hormones and growth factors could be due to these phenotype differences but could also represent a subspecialization of differentiated cells. In addition, in the organism regulatory agents act in concert on a heterogeneous interactive cell population. Nonetheless cell cultures can be useful in screening for and predicting in vivo responses, as was shown by the 1,25-(OH)2D3 stimulation of osteocalcin, and for studying the molecular mechanisms of regulatory effects. Cell lines are also convenient for the production of specific proteins and cDNA libraries, and for the expression of specific genes.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

A tumor-secreted protein associated with human hypercalcemia of malignancy. Biology and molecular biology.

This investigation addresses a theoretical concept of tumor pathogenesis proposed over 40 years ago, namely that malignancy-associated hypercalcemia can result from endocrine secretion by tumors of a PTH-like factor. These studies demonstrate that a fragment of hHCF alone, without added or tumor-secreted cofactors or hormones, can produce hypercalcemia and other biochemical abnormalities associated with HHM. The hypercalcemia can be generated by hHCF-(1-34)NH2 action on bone, although kidney and gut could contribute to the HHM syndrome when it occurs naturally. No other tumor-secreted peptide displays this biological profile. These studies establish one (PTH-like) mechanism by which human tumors could produce hypercalcemia. Furthermore, the finding that hHCF-(1-34)NH2 is more potent than PTH in some systems is of considerable interest for the future design of hormone analogs. A broad spectrum of biological properties of hHCF-(1-34)NH2, including production of components of the HHM syndrome, can be inhibited by a PTH antagonist. Because [Tyr-34]bPTH-(7-34)NH2 selectively and competitively occupies PTH receptors, our studies demonstrate formally that hHCF-(1-34)NH2 mediates some (and perhaps all) of its actions via receptors conventionally regarded as intended for interaction with PTH, but which actually may be present to allow for expression of bioactivity of both secreted proteins. Although some structural homology is shared by the two hormones and many contribute to interaction with receptors, the disparity in structure, especially within the 1-34 domains responsible for bioactivity in both hormones, is more pronounced. The similarity in biological profiles despite structural differences between hHCF and PTH is emphasized by the inhibitory action of [Tyr-34]bPTH-(7-34)NH2 against the tumor peptide even in the absence of much of the homologous region in the PTH antagonist. This investigation provides impetus for designing more potent antagonists, which must now be regarded more appropriately as inhibitors of both PTH and hHCF. Such antagonists may best be generated from hybrid structures of the two hormones. In any case, these studies establish a promising new approach to therapy of tumor-associated hypercalcemia.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1988

Comparison of postreceptor effects of 1-34 human hypercalcemia factor and 1-34 human parathyroid hormone in rat osteosarcoma cells.

A tumor-derived factor believed to cause hypercalcemia by acting on the parathyroid hormone (PTH) receptor was recently purified, cloned, and found to have NH2-terminal sequence homology with PTH. The 1-34 region of this protein was synthesized, evaluated for its postreceptor effects on the ROS 17/2.8 cell line, and its properties were compared to 1-34 PTH. Both 1-34 human humoral hypercalcemia factor (HCF) and 1-34 PTH stimulated adenylate cyclase with an effective concentration (EC)50 of approximately 1 nM. The extent of stimulation by both peptides was equally enhanced by dexamethasone. They both had a pronounced inhibitory effect on growth in the presence of dexamethasone, with an EC50 of approximately 0.1 nM, reduced alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity by approximately 70% in the absence of dexamethasone and by approximately 80% in the presence of dexamethasone with an EC50 of 0.03 nM, and when present at a concentration of 10 nM, reduced AP mRNA levels (estimated by Northern analysis) by approximately 80% in the presence or absence of dexamethasone. Thus, in addition to similar dose-response curves for adenylate cyclase stimulation, both HCF and PTH produced identical postreceptor effects in ROS 17/2.8 cells. These effects of HCF are probably mediated by the interaction of the tumor-derived factor with the PTH receptor.

Animals↗