Biomedical subjects

Zbigniew Darzynkiewicz

Publications and source records attributed to Zbigniew Darzynkiewicz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Phosphorylation of histone H2AX on Ser 139 and activation of ATM during oxidative burst in phorbol ester-treated human leukocytes.

Oxidative burst is a defense mechanism used by specialized phagocytes such as granulocytes or monocytes to kill the invading microorganisms through generation of superoxide anions. Oxidative burst also results in DNA damage of the phagocytes. Phagocytes are terminally differentiated cells, some of very short life-span cells. We could find no reports whether oxidative burst-mediated DNA damage triggers in such cells histone H2AX-Ser139 phosphorylation and activation of Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM), the signals otherwise used to activate DNA repair and checkpoint pathways in proliferating cells. We now present the evidence that induction of oxidative stress in human peripheral blood leukocytes by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) was associated with intense phosphorylation of histone H2AX and with ATM activation, seen already 60 min after exposure to PMA. The modifications of H2AX and ATM in individual granulocytes, monocytes and lymphocytes were detected prior to caspases activation and thus were unrelated to induction of apoptosis. A large intercellular variation in response was observed, and only a fraction of cells in these subpopulations showed H2AX and ATM modifications. The data are compatible with the earlier observations of DNA damage during oxidative burst and suggest that even in terminally differentiated cells that have a short life-span, DNA damage triggers recruitment of the DNA repair machinery. The observed H2AX phosphorylation in lymphocytes may reflect their DNA damage by the superoxide ions propagating from the neighboring granulocytes and/or monocytes.

Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins↗

PubMed2006

Microtransponders, the miniature RFID electronic chips, as platforms for cell growth in cytotoxicity assays.

BACKGROUND: An electronic radio frequency (RF) microchip, the microtransponder (MTP), has been developed as a platform for assays in the fields of genomics and proteomics. Upon activation by light, each MTP provides a unique RF identification (ID) signal that matches a chip to the specific biological material attached to it. The MTP is powered by a photocell and has an antenna that transmits the signal. The aim of the present study was to explore utility of MTPs as a platform for cell growth in cytotoxicity assays. METHODS: The MCF-7, MCF-116, A549, or T-24 cells growing on MTPs placed in petri dishes or slide chambers were cultured untreated or exposed to antitumor drugs topotecan, mitoxantrone, or onconase for up to 4 days. Their attachment to- and growth on- MTPs was assessed by fluorescence microscopy and laser scanning cytometry (LSC) and compared with growth on the dish surface in the MTP neighborhood. The MTPs were fixed in ethanol, stained with propidium iodide (PI), and interrogated in flow in the instrument capable to rapidly (up to 103 MTPs/s) identify their ID signal and measure fluorescence. RESULTS: The cells plated on MTPs exhibited similar attachment properties to those plated in culture dishes. When measured by LSC, they had similar mitotic activity, growth rate, and cell cycle distributions as the cells adhering to the culture dish in the neighborhood of MTPs. The fluorescence intensity of MTPs provided information about the cell number per MTP, which made it possible to assess cell growth rate and monitor the cytostatic/cytotoxic effects of the tested drugs. CONCLUSIONS: The MTP-based system holds promise for the multiplexed cell assays in which numerous different cell lines can be screened for their growth rate or sensitivity while exposed to particular agents in the same vessel. Other advantages of the system are the rapidity of the screening and a very large number of ID codes. Because many cell lines/types can be assayed in a single dish, the system also offers cost savings on tissue culture reagents.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2006

Purinergic signaling regulates neural progenitor cell expansion and neurogenesis.

Neural stem and progenitor cells typically exhibit a density-dependent survival and expansion, such that critical densities are required below which clonogenic progenitors are lost. This suggests that short-range autocrine factors may be critical for progenitor cell maintenance. We report here that purines drive the expansion of ventricular zone neural stem and progenitor cells, and that purine receptor activation is required for progenitor cells to be maintained as such. Neural progenitors expressed P2Y purinergic receptors and mobilized intracellular calcium in response to agonist. Receptor antagonists suppressed proliferation and permitted differentiation into neurons and glia in vitro, while subsequent removal of purinergic inhibition restored progenitor cell expansion. Real-time bioluminescence imaging of extracellular ATP revealed that the source of extracellular nucleotides are the progenitor cells themselves, which appear to release ATP in episodic burst events. Enzyme histochemistry of the adult rat brain for ectonucleotidase activity revealed that NTDPase, which acts to degrade active ATP and thereby clears it from areas of active purinergic transmission, was selectively localized to the subventricular zone and the dentate gyrus, regions in which neuronal differentiation proceeds from the progenitor cell pool. These data suggest that purine nucleotides act as proliferation signals for neural progenitor cells, and thereby serve as negative regulators of terminal neuronal differentiation. As a result, progenitor cell-derived neurogenesis is thus associated with regions of both active purinergic signaling and modulation thereof.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Constitutive histone H2AX phosphorylation and ATM activation, the reporters of DNA damage by endogenous oxidants.

DNA in live cells undergoes continuous oxidative damage caused by metabolically generated endogenous as well as external oxidants and oxidant-inducers. The cumulative oxidative DNA damage is considered the key factor in aging and senescence while the effectiveness of anti-aging agents is often assessed by their ability to reduce such damage. Oxidative DNA damage also preconditions cells to neoplastic transformation. Sensitive reporters of DNA damage, particularly the induction of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), are activation of ATM, through its phosphorylation on Ser 1981, and phosphorylation of histone H2AX on Ser 139; the phosphorylated form of H2AX has been named gammaH2AX. We review the observations that constitutive ATM activation (CAA) and H2AX phosphorylation (CHP) take place in normal cells as well in the cells of tumor lines untreated by exogenous genotoxic agents. We postulate that CAA and CHP, which have been measured by multiparameter cytometry in relation to the cell cycle phase, are triggered by oxidative DNA damage. This review also presents the findings on differences in CAA and CHP in various cell lines as well as on the effects of several agents and growth conditions that modulate the extent of these histone and ATM modifications. Specifically, described are effects of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), and the glutathione synthetase inhibitor buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) as well as suppression of cell metabolism by growth at higher cell density or in the presence of the glucose antimetabolite 2-deoxy-D-glucose. Collectively, the reviewed data indicate that multiparameter cytometric measurement of the level of CHP and/or CAA allows one to estimate the extent of ongoing oxidative DNA damage and to measure the DNA protective-effects of antioxidants or agents that reduce or amplify generation of endogenous ROS.

Acetylcysteine↗

PubMed2006

Activation of ATM and histone H2AX phosphorylation induced by mitoxantrone but not by topotecan is prevented by the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine.

The DNA topoisomerase II (topo2) inhibitor mitoxantrone (MXT) and topo1 inhibitor topotecan (TP) are antitumor drugs widely used to treat different types of cancer. Their mechanism of action is thought to stabilize otherwise transient ("cleavable") complexes between topo2 or topo1 and DNA; the collisions of the DNA replication fork during replication, or RNA polymerase during transcription, with these complexes convert them into double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs), potentially lethal lesions that may trigger apoptosis. In the present study we observed that treatment of human lung carcinoma A549 or promyelocytic leukemic HL-60 cells with MXT led to ATM activation and phosphorylation of histone H2AX on Ser-139, the reporters of induction of DSBs, in all phases of the cell-cycle. Only S-phase cells, however, underwent apoptosis after treatment with MXT, which implied that DSBs in the cells replicating DNA were more effective in triggering apoptosis than DSBs in G(1) or G(2)M phase cells. Unlike MXT, the treatment with TP induced ATM activation and H2AX phosphorylation almost exclusively in S-phase cells and only S phase cells underwent apoptosis. The induction of both ATM activation and H2AX phosphorylation by MXT was prevented to a large extent by N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The protective effect of NAC was observed for cells in all phases of the cell cycle. NAC offered no protection at all against TP. The induction of DSBs by MXT, thus, appears to be predominantly mediated through ROS, while DSBs generated during treatment with TP most likely are a consequence of collisions of replication forks with the "cleavable" complexes.

Acetylcysteine↗

PubMed2006

Nitrogen oxide-releasing aspirin induces histone H2AX phosphorylation, ATM activation and apoptosis preferentially in S-phase cells: involvement of reactive oxygen species.

Nitric oxide-releasing acetylsalicylic acid (NO-ASA; NO-aspirin) developed as an anti-inflammatory agent that was expected to avoid some of the adverse effects of aspirin (ASA), was recently shown to be cytotoxic to cells of different tumor lines. The cytotoxic properties and potency of NO-ASA are different than those of ASA which implies that the intracellular targets for NO-ASA and ASA, and their mechanism of action, are different. The aim of the present study was to reveal whether the cytotoxicity induced by NO-ASA is mediated by damage to DNA. We observed that even brief (1 h) treatment of human B-lymphoblastoid TK6 cells with >or=5 microM NO-ASA led to DNA damage revealed by the alkaline and neutral comet assays, histone H2AX phosphorylation on Ser 139, and ATM phosphorylation on Ser 1981, a marker of activation of this kinase. The induction of H2AX phosphorylation was preferential to S-phase cells. Exposure to >or=5 microM NO-ASA for over 3 h led to apoptosis, also preferentially of S-phase cells. Apoptosis was atypical; while chromatin was highly condensed there was no evidence of nuclear fragmentation nor were the cells positive in the TUNEL assay though they did express activated caspase-3. The induction of phosphorylation of H2AX on Ser 139 by NO-ASA was markedly attenuated in the presence of N-acetyl-L-cysteine, a scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The data imply that the NO-ASA induces DNA damage through oxidative stress; the oxidation-generated lesions provide a signal for induction of H2AX phosphorylation during DNA replication, perhaps when the progressing replication forks collide with the primary lesions converting them to DNA double-strand breaks. Because neither induction of H2AX phosphorylation nor apoptosis were observed at equimolar concentrations of ASA, the NO moiety attached to ASA appeared to mediate these effects.

Apoptosis↗

PubMed2006

2-deoxy-D-glucose reduces the level of constitutive activation of ATM and phosphorylation of histone H2AX.

Histone H2AX phosphorylated on Ser-139, defined as gammaH2AX, is a reporter of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). While H2AX undergoes phosphorylation after induction of DNA damage by genotoxic agents or during physiological events that involve DNA recombination, it also is phosphorylated in untreated normal and tumor cells. We recently reported that this constitutive H2AX phosphorylation (CHP) is markedly reduced by the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), and postulated that it reflects the oxidative DNA damage ("endogenous DSBs") induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by metabolic activity during progression through the cell cycle. In the present study, we provide evidence that growth of cells from three human lymphoblastoid cell lines TK6, NH32 and WTK1 in the presence of the glucose antimetabolite 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) led to a distinct reduction in the level of CHP. The reduction of CHP was more pronounced in S and G(2)M than in G(1) phase cells. Constitutive activation of ATM was also reduced. The data suggest that a decrease in a cell's metabolic activity as a result of inhibition of glycolysis by 2-DG reduces generation of ROS which leads to the reduction of oxidative DNA damage. The data also point out that ATM may play a role in CHP induced by oxidative DNA damage. Therefore, the assay of CHP by multiparameter cytometry provides the means to measure effects of antioxidants and metabolic inhibitors on endogenous oxidative DNA damage in relation to cell cycle phase.

Acetylcysteine↗

PubMed2006

The "interceptor" properties of chlorophyllin measured within the three-component system: intercalator-DNA-chlorophyllin.

In aqueous solutions, in the presence of double-stranded DNA, chlorophyllin (CHL) forms complexes with each of the three DNA intercalators: acridine orange (AO), quinacrine mustard (QM), and doxorubicin (DOX). The evidence for these interactions was obtained by measurement changes in the absorption and fluorescence spectra of the mixtures containing DNA and intercalators during titration with CHL. A model of simple competition between DNA and CHL for the intercalator was used to define the measured interactions. The concentrations of the complexes estimated based on this model were consistent with the concentrations obtained by actual measurement of the absorption spectra. The present data provide further support for the role of chlorophyllin as an "interceptor" that may neutralize biological activity of aromatic compounds including mutagens and antitumor drugs.

Chlorophyllides↗

PubMed2006

Phosphorylation of RIalpha by cyclin-dependent kinase CDK 2/cyclin E modulates the dissociation of the RIalpha-RFC40 complex.

We have previously demonstrated that the nuclear transport of the second subunit of the Replication Factor C complex, RFC40, by the regulatory subunit, RIalpha, of PKA is cell cycle specific and impairment in this transport results in G(1) arrest. In this study, we have investigated whether the cyclin-dependent kinases play a role in regulating the RIalpha-RFC40 complex formation. In this context, we have identified RIalpha as a novel substrate for the G(1)/S-Cyclin-dependent kinase, CDK2/Cyclin E, and found that RIalpha is specifically phosphorylated at the serine residue. Treatment of MCF7 cells with a CDK inhibitor, olomoucine, resulted in a significant accumulation in the RIalpha-RFC40 complex by 3.10 +/- 0.08 fold and a parallel decrease in the RFC40-37 complex formation by 73.73 +/- 11.81%. Furthermore, in vitro phosphorylation experiments suggest that, phosphorylation of RIalpha by CDK2/CyclinE kinase promotes the dissociation of the RIalpha-RFC40 complex and that once RIalpha is phosphorylated it cannot complex with RFC40. Inhibition of the serine-threonine phosphatase, PP1, by Calyculin A, significantly reduced the RIalpha-RFC40 complex formation, substantiating the in vitro phosphorylation data. Taken together, these findings suggest that CDK2/Cyclin E may function as downstream modulator that regulates the dissociation of the RIalpha-RFC40 complex and subsequently the association of the RFC40-RFC37 complex.

Active Transport, Cell Nucleus↗

PubMed2006

Polo box domain of Plk3 functions as a centrosome localization signal, overexpression of which causes mitotic arrest, cytokinesis defects, and apoptosis.

Polo-like kinase 3 (Plk3), an immediate early response gene product, plays an important role in the regulation of mitosis, DNA damage checkpoint activation, and Golgi dynamics. Similar to other members of the Plk family, Plk3 has a conserved kinase domain at the N terminus and a Polo box domain consisting of two Polo boxes at the C terminus. In this study, we demonstrate that the Polo box domain of Plk3 is sufficient for subcellular localization of this kinase to the centrosomes, the spindle poles, and the midbody when ectopically expressed in HeLa and U2OS cells. Both Polo boxes are required for the subcellular localization. Overexpression of the Polo box domain, not the kinase domain, of Plk3 causes significant cell cycle arrest and cytokinesis defects, eventually leading to mitotic catastrophe/apoptosis. Interestingly, the Polo box domain of Plk3 is more potent in inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis than that of Plk1, suggesting that this domain can provide an additional structural basis for discovery of new anticancer drugs given the current emphasis on Plk1 as a therapeutic target.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed2006

Cyclic AMP regulates the expression and nuclear translocation of RFC40 in MCF7 cells.

We have previously shown that the regulatory subunit of PKA, RIalpha, functions as a nuclear transport protein for the second subunit of the replication factor C complex, RFC40, and that this transport appears to be crucial for cell cycle progression from G1 to S phase. In this study, we found that N(6)-monobutyryl cAMP significantly up-regulates the expression of RFC40 mRNA by 1.8-fold and its endogenous protein by 2.3-fold with a subsequent increase in the RIalpha-RFC40 complex formation by 3.2-fold. Additionally, the nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio of RFC40 increased by 26% followed by a parallel increase in the percentage of S phase cells by 33%. However, there was reduction in the percentage of G1 cells by 16% and G2/M cells by 43% with a concurrent accumulation of cells in S phase. Interestingly, the higher percentage of S phase cells did not correlate with a parallel increase in DNA replication. Moreover, although cAMP did not affect the expression of the other RFC subunits, there was a significant decrease in the RFC40-37 complex formation by 81.3%, substantiating the decrease in DNA replication rate. Taken together, these findings suggest that cAMP functions as an upstream modulator that regulates the expression and nuclear translocation of RFC40.

Active Transport, Cell Nucleus↗

PubMed2006

Effects of hydroxyurea and aphidicolin on phosphorylation of ataxia telangiectasia mutated on Ser 1981 and histone H2AX on Ser 139 in relation to cell cycle phase and induction of apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: DNA replication stress often induces DNA damage. The antitumor drug hydroxyurea (HU), a potent inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase that halts DNA replication through its effects on cellular deoxynucleotide pools, was shown to damage DNA inducing double-strand breaks (DSBs). Aphidicolin (APH), an inhibitor of alpha-like DNA polymerases, was also reported to cause DNA damage, but the evidence for induction of DSBs by APH is not straightforward. Histone H2AX is phosphorylated on Ser 139 in response to DSBs and one of the protein kinases that phosphorylate H2AX is ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM); activation of ATM is through its phosphorylation of Ser 1981. The present study was undertaken to reveal whether H2AX is phosphorylated in cells exposed to HU or APH and whether its phosphorylation is mediated by ATM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HL-60 cells were treated in cultures with 0.1-5.0 mM HU or 1-4 muM APH for up to 5 h. Activation of ATM and H2AX phosphorylation was detected immunocytochemically using Ab specific to Ser1981-ATM or Ser 139-H2AX epitopes, respectively, concurrent with measurement of cellular DNA content. RESULTS: While exposure of cells to HU led to H2AX phosphorylation selectively during S phase and the cells progressing through the early portion of S (DI = 1.1-1.4) were more affected than late-S phase (DI = 1.6-1.9) cells, ATM was not activated by HU. In fact, the level of constitutive ("programmed") ATM phosphorylation was distinctly suppressed, in all phases of the cell cycle, at 0.1-5.0 mM HU. Cells' exposure to APH also resulted in H2AX phosphorylation at Ser139 with no evidence of ATM activation, and as in the case of HU, the early-S cells were more affected than the late-S phase cells. The rise in frequency of apoptotic cells became apparent after 2 h of exposure to HU or APH, and all apoptotic cells had markedly elevated levels of both H2AX-Ser139 and ATM-Ser1981 phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of correlation between H2AX phosphorylation and ATM activation indicates that protein kinase(s) other than ATM (ATR and/or DNA-dependent protein kinase) are activated by DSBs induced by replication stress. Interestingly, HU inhibits the constitutive ("programmed") level of ATM phosphorylation in untreated cells. However, DNA fragmentation during apoptosis activates ATM and dramatically increases level of H2AX phosphorylation.

Aphidicolin↗

PubMed2006

Sequential phosphorylation of Ser-10 on histone H3 and ser-139 on histone H2AX and ATM activation during premature chromosome condensation: relationship to cell-cycle phase and apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: Histone H1 and H3 phosphorylation associated with chromatin condensation during mitosis has been studied extensively. Less is known on histone modifications that occur during premature chromosome condensation (PCC). The aim of the present study was to reveal the status of histone H3 and H2AX phosphorylation on Ser-10 and Ser-139, respectively, as well as ATM activation through phosphorylation on Ser-1981, during PCC, and relate these events to cell-cycle phase and to initiation of apoptosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To induce PCC, A549 and HL-60 cells were exposed to the phosphatase inhibitor calyculin A (Cal A). Phosphorylation of histone H3 and H2AX as well as ATM activation were detected immunocytochemically concurrent with analysis of cellular DNA content and activation of caspase-3, a marker of apoptosis. The intensity of cellular fluorescence was measured by flow- or laser scanning cytometry. RESULTS: Induction of PCC led to rapid histone H3 phosphorylation, followed by activation of ATM and then H2AX phosphorylation in both, HL-60 and A549 cells. All these events occurred sequentially, prior to caspase-3 activation, and affected cells in all phases of the cell cycle. ATM activation and H2AX phosphorylation was seen during mitosis of A549 but not HL-60 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Because the Cal A-induced phosphorylation of histone H3 and H2AX, and of ATM, precede caspase-3 activation these modifications are pertinent to PCC and not to apoptosis-associated chromatin condensation. The sequence of histone H3 and H2AX phosphorylation and ATM activation during PCC is compatible with a role of ATM in mediating phosphorylation of H2AX but not H3. Mitosis in some cell types may proceed without ATM activation and H2AX phosphorylation.

Apoptosis↗

PubMed2006

Laser scanning cytometry: principles and applications.

The laser scanning cytometer (LSC) is the microscope-based cytofluorometer that offers a plethora of analytical capabilities. Multilaser-excited fluorescence emitted from individual cells is measured at several wavelength ranges, rapidly (up to 5000 cells/min), with high sensitivity and accuracy. The following applications of LSC are reviewed: (1) identification of cells that differ in degree of chromatin condensation (e.g., mitotic or apoptotic cells or lymphocytes vs granulocytes vs monocytes); (2) detection of translocation between cytoplasm vs nucleus or nucleoplasm vs nucleolus of regulatory molecules such as NF-kappaB, p53, or Bax; (3) semiautomatic scoring of micronuclei in mutagenicity assays; (4) analysis of fluorescence in situ hybridization; (5) enumeration and morphometry of nucleoli; (6) analysis of phenotype of progeny of individual cells in clonogenicity assay; (7) cell immunophenotyping; (8) visual examination, imaging, or sequential analysis of the cells measured earlier upon their relocation, using different probes; (9) in situ enzyme kinetics and other time-resolved processes; (10) analysis of tissue section architecture; (11) application for hypocellular samples (needle aspirate, spinal fluid, etc.); (12) other clinical applications. Advantages and limitations of LSC are discussed and compared with flow cytometry.

Cell Nucleus↗

PubMed2006

Cytometric assessment of histone H2AX phosphorylation: a reporter of DNA damage.

DNA damage that leads to formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induces phosphorylation of histone H2AX on Ser-139 at sites flanking the breakage. Immunocytochemical detection of phosphorylated H2AX (denoted as gammaH2AX) thus provides a marker of DSBs. The method presented in this chapter describes the detection of gammaH2AX for revealing the presence of DSBs, combined with differential staining of cellular DNA for revealing the cell cycle phase. The detection of gammaH2AX is based on indirect immunofluorescence using secondary antibody tagged with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) while DNA is counterstained with propidium iodide (PI). Intensity of cellular green (FITC) and red (PI) fluorescence is measured by flow cytometry and bivariate analysis of the data is used to correlate the presence of DSBs with the cell cycle phase.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Detection of DNA strand breaks by flow and laser scanning cytometry in studies of apoptosis and cell proliferation (DNA replication).

Extensive fragmentation of nuclear DNA occurs during apoptosis, and the presence of DNA strand breaks is considered to be a marker of the apoptotic mode of cell death. This chapter describes methods to label in situ DNA strand breaks with fluorochromes for detection by flow or laser scanning cytometry. By staining DNA with a fluorochrome of another color, cellular DNA content is measured concurrently and the bivariate analysis of such a data reveals DNA ploidy and cell-cycle phase position of apoptotic cells. The DNA strand break-labeling methodology is also used for detecting the incorporation of halogenated DNA precursors in studies of the cell cycle, proliferation, and DNA replication. In this application, termed "strand breaks induced by photolysis" (SBIP), the cells are incubated with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) to incorporate it into DNA and sensitize the DNA to ultraviolet (UV) light. DNA strand breaks are then photolytically generated by exposing the cells to UV light. The DNA strand breaks resulting from UV-photolysis are subsequently fluorochrome-labeled as for labeling apoptotic-DNA breaks. Because SBIP, unlike the alternative method of detection of BrdU incorporation, does not require subjecting cells to harsh conditions (strong acid or heat) of DNA denaturation, it is compatible with concurrent detection of intracellular or cell surface antigens by immunocytochemical means.

Apoptosis↗

PubMed2006

Serum cytokine concentrations and acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation: concurrent measurement of ten cytokines and their respective ratios using cytometric bead array.

Both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines have been reported to be associated with acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD). However, their role and possible mutual interactions during aGVHD are not well understood. Eight patients with aGVHD and eight without who had undergone allogeneic HLA-identical peripheral blood stem cell transplantation were studied. The patients had no other complications known to affect serum concentration of cytokines, including infection. Serum concentrations of IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma were concurrently measured by a new technique, the cytometric bead array (CBA). We found that serum concentrations of IL-5, IL-6 and IL-10 were significantly higher in patients with aGVHD than in patients without it. By ratiometric analysis, the ratios of IL-5/IL-2, IL-5/IL-4, IL-6/IL-4 in patients with aGVHD were increased compared to the patients with no evidence of aGVHD. ROC analysis demonstrated that the ratio of IL-5/IL-4 was the most sensitive parameter associated with aGVHD. The second best marker of aGVHD was increased IL-5 concentration. Thus, our results indicate that the ratio of a particular cytokine/cytokine could be a potential diagnostic marker for aGVHD, more sensitive that the serum level of a given cytokine. This observation is consistent with a cross-talk among some cytokines and their possible interactions via respective receptors on cytokine-producing cells; these interactions may play an important role in pathogenesis of aGVHD. Further studies including a large number of patients and concurrent measurement of a variety of cytokines are needed to fully assess the diagnostic value of the cytokine ratiometric analysis. The CBA methodology provides a convenient and useful tool in such studies.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2006

Induction of DNA double-strand breaks in A549 and normal human pulmonary epithelial cells by cigarette smoke is mediated by free radicals.

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are potentially mutagenic/carcinogenic lesions. Induction of DSBs triggers phosphorylation of histone H2AX on Ser-139. Phosphorylated H2AX (gammaH2AX) can be detected immunocytochemically, and the intensity of gammaH2AX immunofluorescence (IF), reflecting the number of gammaH2AX-IF foci per nucleus, reveals the frequency of DSBs. Using multiparameter cytometric analysis of gammaH2AX-IF, we previously observed that DSBs are induced in normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) and A549 pulmonary adenocarcinoma cells following exposure to cigarette smoke (CS) or smoke condensate. In the present study, we show that N-acetyl L-cysteine (NAC) and glutathione, both effective scavengers of free radicals, prevented induction of DSBs by CS in these cells. In contrast, the glutathione synthesis inhibitor, DL-Buthionine-[S,R]-sulfoximine (BSO), enhanced the induction of DSBs by CS. The observed reduction of DSBs by NAC correlated with protection of the reproductive capability (clonogenicity) of A549 cells treated with CS. The data implicate formation of free radicals by CS as factors generating DSBs and affecting cell survival. Interestingly, at the conditions of exposure to CS when clonogenicity was only moderately affected, S-phase cells showed significantly higher sensitivity in terms of induction of DSBs compared with G1 or G2M cells. In light of the evidence that CS increases oxidative stress and induces cell proliferation in the lungs of smokers, the high propensity of S-phase cells to develop DSBs upon exposure to CS has to be considered as a potentially pathogenic event in smoke-induced tumor development. This is the first report to reveal cell cycle-phase specificity in both the induction of DSBs by CS and their prevention by free radical scavengers. The detection of gammaH2AX to assess the induction of CS-induced DSBs and their relationship to cell cycle phase provides a convenient tool to explore approaches to protect cells from this type of genotoxic damage.

Cell Line, Tumor↗