Biomedical subjects

T A Beerman

Publications and source records attributed to T A Beerman.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1991

Selective cellular depletion of mitochondrial DNA by the polyamine analog N1,N12-bis(ethyl)spermine and its relationship to polyamine structure and function.

N1,N8-Bis(ethyl)spermidine (BESPD) and N1,N12-bis(ethyl)spermine (BESPM) are minimally modified analogs of spermidine and spermine that deplete cellular polyamine pools by suppressing key polyamine biosynthetic enzymes. The consequences of polyamine depletion and the concomitant analog replacement of these pools were compared on two cellular DNA targets, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and a defined nuclear DNA episome present in 935.1 mouse fibroblasts. The spermidine analog, BESPD, depleted cellular putrescine and spermidine pools, but not spermine pools, and had no effect on either DNA target. Treatment with the corresponding analog of spermine, BESPM, resulted in a near-total depletion of all three polyamine pools and a greater than 80% reduction in the cellular content of mtDNA, without affecting the levels of the nuclear episome. Topological forms analysis by Southern blotting of mtDNA and episomal DNA from BESPM-treated cells failed to reveal any forms interconversion, indicating the absence of analog-induced single- or double-strand break damage to either DNA target. The growth-dependent loss of mtDNA is consistent with a rapid cessation of mtDNA replication and subsequent dilution of existing mtDNA copies by cell division. Similar decreases in polyamine pools and mtDNA were also observed in L1210 cells treated with BESPM. When a comparable level of polyamine depletion was produced in L1210 cells by specific enzyme inhibitors, there was no effect on the cellular content of mtDNA, and BESPD was not rendered capable of decreasing mtDNA levels. Because the analogs are structurally similar to the naturally occurring polyamines and would be expected to have similar binding properties, the loss in mtDNA may reflect dysfunctional replacement by BESPM at spermine-specific binding sites in the mitochondrion.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Topoisomerase II-mediated DNA damage of episomes in tumor-bearing mice.

Observations of cells in culture have demonstrated that, for many antitumor agents, topoisomerase II-mediated DNA damage relates to cytotoxicity. However, there is no evidence in tumor-bearing animals to suggest that such agents induce topoisomerase II-mediated damage of DNA in solid tumors or that such damage reflects inhibition of tumor growth. To address this question, a mouse fibroblast cell line neoplastically transformed by an episomal element containing the v-Ha-ras and bovine papillomavirus genes was utilized to measure topoisomerase II-induced DNA damage and growth inhibition of solid tumors derived from this line. Using the topoisomerase II inhibitor amsacrine, the episomal element was found to be a sensitive indicator of topoisomerase II-mediated damage in vivo. The DNA breaks induced by single i.v. injections of amsacrine were protein linked and occurred preferentially in episomal regulatory regions. A strong correlation between suppression of tumor growth and topoisomerase II-mediated damage of the episome was demonstrated.

Amsacrine↗

PubMed1990

Effects of minor groove binding drugs on camptothecin-induced DNA lesions in L1210 nuclei.

Topoisomerase I inhibition detected in mammalian cells can be correlated with reduced tumor growth. Camptothecin specifically inhibits topoisomerase I by stabilization of a covalently linked DNA-enzyme complex and associated DNA single-strand breaks. Whether perturbations in nuclear DNA structure can alter camptothecin-induced DNA damage was examined using the non-intercalative DNA minor groove binders distamycin, Hoechst 33258 and DAPI (4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole). L1210 nuclei were treated with camptothecin alone or in the presence of single minor groove binders. DNA-protein crosslinks and single-strand breaks were determined using potassium-sodium dodecyl sulfate precipitation and alkaline elution respectively. Distamycin produced a dose-dependent decrease in DNA-protein crosslinks and strand breaks. This effect was reduced if nuclei were treated with camptothecin prior to distamycin addition. Distamycin was unable to reverse lesions once induced or to prevent repair of damage upon camptothecin removal. Hoechst 33258 and DAPI also decreased camptothecin-induced DNA damage. The order of inhibitory potency was: distamycin greater than Hoechst greater than DAPI. This order corresponded to the molecular weights as well as to the size of the nucleotide binding sites of the drugs. Identifying agents which alter such DNA lesions should provide better understanding of the chemotherapeutic activity of camptothecin as well as help elucidate new leads for drug combinations of improved therapeutic benefit.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Characterization of auromomycin-resistant hamster cell mutants that display a multidrug resistance phenotype.

We have selected and characterized Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells resistant to auromomycin (AUR), an antitumor antibiotic composed of a protein moiety and a nonpeptide chromophore. AUR is cytotoxic as a consequence of DNA strand-scission activity associated with the chromophore. Initial single-step selections for clones resistant to AUR detected a subpopulation of phenotypically resistant colonies, but nearly all such clones failed to display heritable resistance. One isolate that did show somewhat increased resistance was selected further and yielded a clone designated AURR-R1 that exhibits stable 10-fold increased resistance to AUR. The R1 line is also resistant to the AUR chromophore and cross-resistant to the closely related agent neocarzinostatin (NCS) and to the NCS chromophore. For AUR-treated whole cells, resistance to AUR cytotoxicity was inversely correlated with DNA damage as measured by filter elution; by contrast, isolated nuclei from sensitive and resistant cells displayed similar levels of AUR-induced DNA damage. The R1 cell line was found to be cross-resistant to colchicine, Adriamycin, Daunomycin, and vinblastine. The resistance phenotype is expressed with incomplete dominance in cell hybrids and appears similar to the "classic" multidrug resistance of CHO cells selected with other agents. Indeed, we found the multidrug-resistant CHO line CCHR-C5 to be about 5-fold cross-resistant to AUR and to NCS. We ascertained that AUR-resistant (AURR) isolates express elevated levels of the molecular weight 170,000 P-glycoprotein often associated with multidrug resistance and also contain amplified DNA sequences that contain the gene for P-glycoprotein. When multiple-step enrichment selections were carried out as an alternative approach for isolating AURR mutants, each of nine clonal isolates showed phenotypes resembling the AURR-R1 line. Thus, our findings imply that increased cellular resistance to AUR may frequently be associated with P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug resistance.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Induction of DNA-protein crosslinks by antitumor 1-nitro-9-aminoacridines in L1210 leukemia cells.

Ledakrin [1-nitro-9-(3'-dimethylamino-N-propylamino)acridine], an antitumor drug of the 1-nitro-9-aminoacridine family, was able to induce DNA-protein crosslinks in intact L1210 leukemia cells, as demonstrated by the potassium-dodecyl sulfate precipitation technique. Ledakrin-induced DNA-protein crosslinks were not readily reversible nor were they accompanied by DNA double-strand breaks. Also, ledakrin produced virtually no crosslinks in isolated nuclei. Ledakrin-induced DNA-protein crosslinks seemed not to be mediated by topoisomerase II, unlike well-established effects of a chemically related antitumor drug, 4'-(9-acridinylamino)methanesulfon-m-anisidide (m-AMSA). Four ledakrin analogs of divergent cytotoxic potencies also induced DNA-protein crosslinks but not DNA double-strand breaks in intact L1210 cells. A significant positive correlation existed between the ability of ledakrin and its 1-nitro analogs to induced DNA-protein crosslinks and the antiproliferative effects of these drugs. The results are consistent with the previously shown ability of 1-nitro-9-aminoacridines to covalently bind to macromolecules after metabolic activation in the cell. In addition to previously demonstrated DNA interstrand crosslinks and monofunctional adducts, DNA-protein crosslinks constitute another type of DNA lesion induced by 1-nitro-9-aminoacridines.

Aminoacridines↗

PubMed1989

A study of drug-induced topoisomerase II-mediated DNA lesions on episomal chromatin.

A well defined extrachromosomal DNA element, referred to as an episome (Ostrowski, M., Richard-Foy, H., Wolford, R., Berard, D., and Hager, G. (1983) Mol. Cell. Biol. 3, 2045-2057), was employed as a target for the topoisomerase II inhibitors amsacrine and teniposide. Both drugs have distinct mechanisms of action in cleaving the episome, as defined by topological forms conversion assays. The concentration ranges required to measure episomal cleavage are similar. The onset of damage induced by amsacrine begins within 1 min and is maintained at that level for at least 1 h. Teniposide induces damage that peaks between 30 and 60 min. The amsacrine-induced damage is only partially reversible, whereas teniposide-induced damage is almost completely reversible. Sites of specific cleavage are quite dissimilar. Multiple cleavage sites are formed in the episomal regulatory regions after amsacrine treatment, whereas a single cleavage in the regulatory region and one outside this region are found after teniposide treatment. Transcriptional activation using dexamethasone does not change the amount or site preference of episomal cleavage induced by either agent. Damage to the episome was quantitatively compared with damage produced in genomic DNA between 500 and 24,000 rad equivalents. The study showed that amsacrine has a significant (33-38-fold) preference for episomal DNA over genomic DNA.

Amsacrine↗

PubMed1989

Effect of minor groove binding drugs on mammalian topoisomerase I activity.

Three minor groove binding drugs, distamycin A, bisbenzimide (Hoechst 33258) and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), were examined for their abilities to modulate the activity of topoisomerase I purified from L1210 cells. At 0.5 and 1.0 microM, distamycin stimulated topoisomerase I relaxation of supercoiled DNA by 38 and 13%, respectively, while increasing the drug concentration above 2.0 microM resulted in inhibition. Inhibition was reversible. Complete relaxation could be achieved even in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of distamycin if the incubation time with topoisomerase I was increased from 7.5 to 120 min. The velocity of topoisomerase I mediated relaxation was reduced by 2 microM distamycin at DNA levels ranging from 350 to 2000 ng/reaction. Hoechst 33258 and DAPI inhibited topoisomerase I relaxation in a concentration-dependent manner. Hoechst 33258 and distamycin were equivalent in their abilities to inhibit topoisomerase I, whereas DAPI had a lesser effect (e.g. relaxation was reduced by 50% with 2.7 microM distamycin and 2.8 microM Hoechst 33258 compared to 5 microM DAPI). This study suggests that ligand binding in the minor groove can be a factor in the regulation of topoisomerase I activity.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

DNA minor groove binding agents interfere with topoisomerase II mediated lesions induced by epipodophyllotoxin derivative VM-26 and acridine derivative m-AMSA in nuclei from L1210 cells.

This study demonstrated that agents capable of interacting with the minor groove in nuclear DNA interfere with topoisomerase II mediated effects of antitumor drugs such as VM-26 and m-AMSA. Distamycin, Hoechst 33258, and DAPI were used as agents capable of AT-specific binding in the minor groove of DNA while producing no profound long-range distortion of DNA structure. In intact nuclei from L1210 cells, these minor groove binders inhibited the induction of topoisomerase II mediated DNA damage (DNA-protein cross-links and DNA double-strand breaks) by VM-26 and m-AMSA. The inhibitory effects of distamycin reflected prevention of formation of new lesions but not reversal of preexisting damage. The minor groove binders did not differentiate between lesions induced by an intercalator, m-AMSA, or by a DNA-nonbinding drug, VM-26. All three groove binders inhibited DNA breaks more strongly than DNA-protein cross-links. The inhibitory potency correlated with the size of minor groove binders and the size of their DNA-binding sites: distamycin (5 bp) greater than Hoechst 33258 (4 bp) greater than DAPI (3 bp). The results showed that DNA minor groove binders are a new type of modulators of the action of topoisomerase II targeted drugs.

Amsacrine↗

PubMed1989

Preferential effect of bleomycin on newly replicated chromatin in nuclei from L1210 cells.

This study determined whether nascent chromatin in nuclei from leukemia L1210 cells constitutes a preferential target for bleomycin. No differences were seen in fragmentation of nascent and bulk DNA as judged by DNA double-stranded cleavage and the release of acid-soluble material or subnucleosomal (under 8 S) fragments. In contrast, bleomycin-induced chromatin aggregation (Woynarowski, J.M., Gawron, L.S. and Beerman, T.A. (1987) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 910, 149-156) occurred preferentially in nascent chromatin as indicated by a retarded solubilization of nascent chromatin and generation of a fast-sedimenting material (above 45 S) in the sedimentation profiles of drug-released nascent chromatin. This preferential aggregation disappeared completely when chromatin became older than 10 min. The drug aggregation activity did not distinguish nascent and mature presolubilized oligonucleosomes. The results suggest that bleomycin recognizes higher-order structures of nascent chromatin.

Bleomycin↗

PubMed1989

Crystal structure analysis of auromomycin apoprotein (macromomycin) shows importance of protein side chains to chromophore binding selectivity.

The crystal structure of macromomycin, the apoprotein of the antitumor antibiotic auromomycin, has been determined and refined at 1.6-A resolution. The overall structure is composed of a flattened seven-stranded antiparallel beta-barrel and two antiparallel beta-sheet ribbons. The barrel and the ribbons define a deep cleft that is the chromophore binding site. The cleft is very accessible and in this structure is occupied by two 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol and two water molecules. The overall shape of the binding site is similar to that of the analogue actinoxanthin. Highly specific side chains that are not conserved between different analogues extend into the binding site and may be important to the chromophore binding specificity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1989

Modulation of topoisomerase II catalytic activity by DNA minor groove binding agents distamycin, Hoechst 33258, and 4',6-diamidine-2-phenylindole.

The effects of distamycin, Hoechst 33258, and 4',6-diamidine-2-phenylindole (DAPI) on the catalytic activity of topoisomerase II from L1210 cells were determined. These compounds were used as model agents capable of AT-specific binding in the minor groove of DNA while producing no profound long-range alterations to the DNA structure. Two types of reactions catalyzed by topoisomerase II were examined, relaxation of supercoiled DNA and decatenation of highly catenated DNA. Distamycin at low concentrations (0.2-2 microM) substantially stimulated relaxation of supercoiled pBR322 DNA. Higher drug levels (25-50 microM) resulted in a potent inhibition of relaxation. At the stimulatory concentrations of distamycin, only completely relaxed reaction products were observed, as in the absence of the drug. The onset of inhibition (caused by 5-10 microM distamycin) was accompanied by the appearance of partially relaxed intermediates. Similar inhibition of relaxation was observed for Hoechst 33258 and DAPI but, unlike distamycin, these agents produced only marginal stimulation of relaxation when added in low noninhibitory concentrations. Another reaction of topoisomerase II, decatenation of catenated kinetoplast DNA, was also inhibited by distamycin, Hoechst 33258, and DAPI at concentrations similar to those inhibiting the relaxation reaction. This study demonstrates that agents binding to the minor groove of DNA represent a new class of drugs interfering with topoisomerase II and provides possibilities for modulation of this important enzyme.

Benzimidazoles↗

PubMed1989

Use of an inducible hybrid viral gene as a model for evaluating drug effects on gene expression.

The glucocorticoid-inducible LTL gene [Cell 38:29-38 (1984)] was used as a model target to evaluate preferential drug effects on gene expression. Specifically, the potential of bleomycin, neocarzinostatin, and actinomycin D to induce alterations in either transcriptional or posttranscriptional gene expression was assessed. A Northern blot analysis was used to measure transcriptional effects, whereas changes in posttranscriptional expression were determined through an enzymatic assay for the thymidine kinase product of the LTL gene. Comparisons of the results from these assays with results obtained from assays that evaluated drug effects on cellular RNA and protein synthesis showed that none of the drugs were capable of inducing preferential effects on transcription. However, selective drug-induced effects on the expression of thymidine kinase activity were observed.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Neocarzinostatin and auromomycin preferentially cleave simian virus 40 DNA and chromosomes at a number of discrete locations.

Neocarzinostatin and auromomycin were shown to cleave simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA with preference for distinct regions of the viral genome. The positions cut by neocarzinostatin and auromomycin were similar, while micrococcal nuclease cleaved at positions other than those recognized by neocarzinostatin and auromomycin. Breaks were distributed throughout the viral genome and were not associated with any single type of genetic element. The limited number of locations in SV40 DNA that were preferentially cut by neocarzinostatin and auromomycin suggests that drug attack is directed by DNA structures other than the known trinucleotide sequence specificity of the drugs. Neocarzinostatin and auromomycin cut purified, cell-free, nuclear and intracellular chromosomal SV40 DNA at similar regions. The data indicate that there are regions in DNA that are hypersensitive to the drugs; the hypersensitivity may be determined by the microstructure of the DNA. The conformational change associated with the packing of the DNA into nucleosomes did not affect the microstructure of the sensitive region, nor did the shielding effect of nuclear proteins affect the drug's access to it. In addition, intracellular drug metabolism or other cellular factors did not alter the ability of drugs to interact at these sensitive regions.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed1988

Topoisomerase-II-mediated lesions in nascent DNA: comparison of the effects of epipodophyllotoxin derivatives, VM-26 and VP-16, and 9-anilinoacridine derivatives, m-AMSA and o-AMSA.

This study compares the effects of the epipodophyllotoxin derivatives, VM-26 and VP-16, and the 9-anilinoacridine derivatives, m-AMSA and o-AMSA, on nascent and mature DNA. Two types of lesion which are putatively mediated by topoisomerase II, DNA-protein crosslinks and DNA double-strand breaks, were analyzed in drug-treated nuclei from 3H/14C labelled L1210 cells. Potassium/dodecyl sulfate precipitation assay was used to assess DNA-protein crosslinks in mature and nascent (1 min old) DNA. Both epipodophyllotoxins and m-AMSA showed a strong preference for nascent DNA. DNA double-strand cleavage induced by VM-26 and m-AMSA also showed a preference for nascent DNA as indicated by neutral elution technique. Sedimentation on neutral sucrose gradients revealed that these drugs generated highly degraded fragments (under 30 S) in nascent DNA substantially faster than in mature DNA. Lesions in nascent DNA were diminished substantially by the omission of ATP or the addition of novobiocin. The ability to induce lesions in nascent DNA correlates with cytotoxic potency of the agents studied. The results suggest that replicating DNA may constitute a preferential target for antitopoisomerase II drugs.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1987

Bleomycin-induced aggregation of presolubilized and nuclear chromatin from L1210 cells.

These studies have identified a new activity of bleomycin (in addition to the well-known DNA cleavage): drug-induced chromatin aggregation. Bleomycin treatment of presolubilized chromatin from L1210 nuclei resulted in two types of effect as shown by sedimentation analysis of intact nucleoprotein. The first effect was a dose-dependent fragmentation of chromatin to mononucleosomes (12 S) and subnucleosomal fragments (under 5 S). The second effect was aggregation manifested by the generation of large chromatin particles (over 120 S) that sedimented faster than the original material (20-40 S). Bleomycin treatment of nuclei from L1210 cells resulted in a similar, almost bimodal, size distribution of drug-released chromatin fragments. Increasing levels of bleomycin produced a gradual enhancement of the amount of small fragments (under 5 S) accompanied by generation of large, aggregated particles. Aggregation caused by high drug concentrations significantly reduced the overall extent of chromatin solubilization and allowed only the release of the most degraded fragments from nuclei. The aggregation required intact nucleoprotein, since it was not detected after high-salt deproteinization of bleomycin-treated presolubilized or nuclear chromatin. The aggregation phenomenon reflects a novel activity of bleomycin which may contribute to the drug's antiproliferative properties.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Assessment of preferential cleavage of an actively transcribed retroviral hybrid gene in murine cells by deoxyribonuclease I, bleomycin, neocarzinostatin, or ionizing radiation.

Preferential cleavage induced by bleomycin, neocarzinostatin, or ionizing radiation in a transcribed cellular gene was evaluated through comparisons with deoxyribonuclease I. The glucocorticoid-inducible LTL gene (a hybrid viral gene derived from mouse mammary tumor virus DNA) previously described [Zaret, K. S., & Yamamoto, K. R. (1984) Cell (Cambridge, Mass.) 38, 29-38] served as the specific DNA target. A Southern blot analysis was used to specifically assess cleavage of the LTL gene in nuclei isolated from cells either treated or untreated with the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone. Hypersensitivity of the gene to bleomycin or neocarzinostatin, which paralleled deoxyribonuclease I hypersensitivity, was evident only in nuclei isolated from dexamethasone-treated cells. Like deoxyribonuclease I, sites of dexamethasone-inducible drug hypersensitivity were coincident with the binding region for the glucocorticoid receptor found within the regulatory sequences of the LTL gene. In contrast, no hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation was evident. Although bleomycin and neocarzinostatin showed qualitatively similar preferences for the transcribed LTL gene, quantitative evaluations of damage to total cellular DNA by filter elution showed that the relative specificity of bleomycin for the hypersensitive region was much less than that of either deoxyribonuclease I or neocarzinostatin.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Site specificity of bleomycin cleavage in purified and intracellular simian virus 40 DNA.

The sites of bleomycin-induced cleavage of purified and intracellular simian virus 40 DNA were examined. Breaks in purified DNA were mapped to several discrete sites that were distributed throughout the viral genome, but were not associated with a common genetic element. Double-stranded breaks were made in positions of the first single-stranded nick, and regions of cuts were unaffected by changes in DNA superhelicity. Bleomycin cut intracellular chromosomes at the same sites that were cleaved in purified DNA. These results indicate that SV40 DNA contains DNA secondary structures that are highly preferred sites for BLM cleavage. These conformations appear to be unaffected by nucleoproteins bound to DNA.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Measurement of bleomycin, neocarzinostatin, and auromomycin cleavage of cell-free and intracellular simian virus 40 DNA and chromatin.

Simian virus 40 (SV40) was used as a model for eukaryotic chromatin to allow analysis of strand scission drug action on DNA of the same nucleotide sequence in different environments. Cleavage of purified DNA, cell-free chromatin, and intracellular chromatin by the antitumor drugs bleomycin, neocarzinostatin, and auromomycin was assayed. Comparison of total (single-and double-stranded) drug-induced cutting of purified SV40 DNA and isolated viral minichromosomes, as measured by the conversion of supercoiled DNA to the nicked circular form, revealed that a 2-3-fold higher concentration of all three drugs is required to cut minichromosomes as extensively as naked DNA. In addition, differences in drug activity on cell-free nuclear viral chromatin and intracellular SV40 chromatin were measured. Three times more auromomycin was needed to cut intracellular SV40 DNA as extensively as the viral DNA in isolated nuclei, whereas, surprisingly, the increases in bleomycin and neocarzinostatin concentrations were 200-fold and 1000-fold respectively. When the drugs were used to treat SV40-infected cells, no repair of strand scissions was detected. Formation of double-stranded breaks by bleomycin, neocarzinostatin, and automomycin, measured at equivalent levels of total cleavage, was also examined to provide information on the distribution of strand scissions in different environments. Nucleoproteins were found to cause a 3-fold higher level of neocarzinostatin-induced double-stranded breaks to be made on isolated minichromosomes than on purified DNA, but they had no effect on double-stranded break formation by either bleomycin or auromomycin. In contrast, auromomycin made twice as many double-stranded breaks on intracellular SV40 DNA as on minichromosomes in isolated nuclei. However, neither bleomycin- nor neocarzinostatin-induced double-stranded breaks on intracellular SV40 DNA were significantly different from those made on SV40 in isolated nuclei.

Animals↗