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Synergistic effect of cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum and 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine on mouse leukemic cells in vivo and in vitro.

cis-Dichlorodiammineplatinum and 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine display a considerable synergistic effect in L1210 and La mouse leukemia in vivo; the combination of both drugs is also clearly synergistic in vitro as evidenced by the effects on cell growth and cell survival in soft-agar medium. In exponential but not in stationary growth of L1210 cells, the drugs interfere with DNA and RNA synthesis.

Animals↗

Combinational chemotherapy of L1210 and L1210/ARA-C leukemia with 5-AZA-2'-deoxycytidine and beta-2'-deoxythioguanosine.

The in vitro and in vivo antineoplastic activity of 5-AZA-2'-deoxycytidine (5-AZA-CdR) and beta-2'-deoxythioguanosine (TGdR) on L1210 and L1210/ARA-C (resistant to cytosine arabinoside) leukemic cells was investigated. 5-AZA-CdR was a very potent cytotoxic agent against the L1210 leukemia cells. This analogue was inactive against L1210/ARA-C leukemic cells because these cells lack deoxycytidine kinase, the enzyme that converts 5-AZA-CdR to its active nucleotide form. TGdR was a potent cytotoxic agent to both L1210 and L1210/ARA-C leukemic cells. In mice which were injected simultaneously with both L1210 and L1210/ARA-C leukemic cells, the drug combination of 5-AZA-CdR plus TGdR had a very potent antineoplastic activity and produced long-term survivors. Either agent alone did not produce any long-term survivors in the mice with L1210 and L1210/ARA-C leukemia. This experimental model indicates that 5-AZA-CdR plus TGdR is an interesting drug combination for the treatment of leukemia with drug-resistant cells.

Animals↗

Modulatory effects of 5-azacytidine, phorbol ester, and retinoic acid on the malignant phenotype of human lung cancer cells.

Cloned human cell lines of squamous-cell lung carcinoma and small-cell lung carcinoma were treated with 5-azacytidine (5-azaC), 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13 acetate (TPA), retinoic acid (RA), or a combination of these drugs, and the effects on cellular morphology, in vitro growth properties, antigenicity, tumorigenicity and metastatic activity in nude mice were studied. Antigenicity was measured by the expression of major histocompatibility antigens (MHC) and of lung-tumor-associated antigens. 5-AzaC treatment resulted in subclones with shorter population doubling times (from 40-50 hr down to 14-20 hr) and increased cloning efficiencies (from less than 1% to 5-50%). TPA and RA induced loss of proliferative activity in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo of both lines. This was morphologically associated with the appearance of an abundance of large vaculated cells which by DNA-analysis were all found to be in G0-G1 phase. However, 2 of the 5-azaC-treated subclones were insensitive to both TPA and RA, whereas the remaining subclones (20) all responded like untreated lines to TPA and RA. One of the sublines insensitive to TPA and RA formed metastases in nude mice in contrast to all the other lines used. The density of lung-tumor-associated antigens was significantly reduced by TPA-RA treatment, whereas the expression of MHC antigens was unaffected. In contrast, 5-azaC resulted in some cases in increased density of MHC antigens. The effects of 5-azaC on cellular phenotypes were not directly correlated to the total genomic content of 5-methylcytosine. The data suggest that this experimental system is suitable for studies of phenotypic features of malignant cells as related to cellular differentiation.

Animals↗

Changes in the tumorigenic and metastatic properties of tumor cells treated with quercetin or 5-azacytidine.

The effect of quercetin, a flavonoid derivative, on the transplantability (tumorigenicity) and metastatic behavior of mouse tumor cells was studied. BMT-11 c1-9 fibrosarcoma cells were treated in vitro with quercetin, and after cloning by limiting dilution, cell suspensions of each clone were injected subcutaneously (s.c.) into syngeneic C57BL/6 mice at a dose of 2 X 10(5) cells per mouse. Out of 17 clones examined, 8 were nontumorigenic in normal mice ("regressor" clones), whereas these clones were able to grow in immunosuppressed (600-rad-irradiated) mice. Furthermore, 1 out of 9 tumorigenic clones metastasized spontaneously to the lungs despite the very low metastatic potential of the parent BMT-11 c1-9 cells. In contrast, all 15 clones selected from the untreated parental line grew progressively in normal mice with no evidence of metastases. The appearance of both regressor and metastatic clones was also observed after treatment with a DNA hypomethylating agent, 5-azacytidine. These altered phenotypes resulting from treatment with both chemicals, however, were not necessarily stable if maintained in culture for several months. The data suggest that quercetin may be a useful new material for obtaining regressor or metastatic clones from parental tumor lines.

Animals↗

DNA methylating activity in murine lymphoma cells xenogenized by triazene derivatives.

We investigated whether epigenetic rather than mutational events may be involved in the induction of novel immunogenicity ("xenogenization") in murine lymphoma treated with triazene derivatives. To this end, we assessed the DNA methylation pattern of tumor cells during the course of in vivo or in vitro xenogenization by 2 triazenes, and compared it with the changes induced by the DNA hypomethylating agent 5-azacytidine (5-aza). While all of the tested agents were able to increase tumor cell immunogenicity, their effects on DNA methylating activity were opposite. In particular, the novel immunogenicity conferred by 5-aza treatment correlated well with the extent of hypomethylation induced, whereas xenogenization by triazenes was accompanied by a limited increase in DNA methylating activity. Interestingly, the antimutagenic compound quinacrine, which is known to block the xenogenizing activity of triazenes, was incapable of hypermethylating effects, whereas the hypermethylating agent cytosine arabinoside (ara-C) was apparently unable to interfere with the induction of novel immunogenicity by triazenes.

Animals↗

Albumin-negative hepatocytes in Sprague-Dawley x analbuminemic F1 rats treated with hepatic carcinogens.

Analbuminemic rats (NAR) are a mutant breed with an inherent inability to synthesize albumin. However, heterozygous rats born of a pair of NAR and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats can synthesize albumin. Immunohistochemical staining for albumin shows that, although the majority of hepatocytes of SD x NAR F1 (female SD x male NAR) rats are positive for albumin, a small number of hepatocytes are negative. These albumin-negative hepatocytes are frequently found in the form of clusters which appear cytologically normal. When the rats were given a dietary regimen of 2-acetyl-aminofluorene (2-AAF), there was a significant increase in the number of albumin-negative hepatocytes. On the other hand, diethylnitrosamine (DEN) or 5-azacytidine did not increase the number of albumin-negative hepatocytes. 2-AAF and DEN also induced enzyme-altered hepatocytes but the albumin-negative hepatocytes were of a completely different class from the enzyme-altered hepatocytes. The results of this study indicate that some kind(s) of carcinogens induce mutated hepatocytes which are probably not involved in carcinogenesis.

2-Acetylaminofluorene↗

Anti-tumor surveillance of non-contact-inhibited transformed cell lines.

In order to determine if the correlated expression of transformation and tumorigenicity is affected by the agents used to induce transformants or by the immune status of the host used to test the tumorigenicity of transformants, we derived a series of cloned cell lines from foci of transformed cells induced by treatment of the contact-inhibited mouse cell line B/C-N7.ICI with the DNA demethylating agent 5-azacytidine (5-AZC) or the DNA demethylating and mutating agent benzo(a)pyrene dihydrodiol epoxide (BPDE). The transformed cell lines were injected into syngeneic nude and normal mice to determine their tumorigenicity. The results of this analysis showed that 93% of the transformants induced by 5-AZC treatment grew as tumors when injected into nude mice. Of those lines capable of growing as tumors in nude mice, 86% were also tumorigenic when injected into normal mice. In contrast, only 64% of BPDE-induced transformants grew as tumors in nude mice, and of those, only 44% were also tumorigenic in normal mice. The existence of non-contact-inhibited transformants that are tumorigenic only in nude mice indicates that host anti-tumor immune surveillance mechanisms are operative in normal mice. Further, the difference in both the percentage of transformed cell lines that are tumorigenic and the percentage of tumorigenic transformants that are susceptible to immune surveillance when transformants are induced by BPDE as compared to 5-AZC indicates that the transforming agent can affect both the correlation between the expression of transformation and tumorigenicity, and the interaction between the immune system and tumorigenic transformants.

7,8-Dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo(a)pyrene 9,10-oxide↗

Enhancement of hepatitis-B surface-antigen expression by 5-azacytidine in a hepatitis-B-virus-transfected cell line.

The human hepatoblastoma-derived cell line HB611 secretes hepatitis-B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis-B e antigen (HBeAg) into the medium. Hepatitis-B-virus (HBV) DNA integrated into the cellular genome was found to be hypermethylated. When the cells were treated with 5-azacytidine for 3 days, the level of HBsAg in the medium increased, while the level of HBeAg remained constant. The level of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) decreased with the 5-azacytidine treatment. Southern blot analysis of DNA digested with HpaII or MspI showed that 5-azacytidine treatment resulted in hypomethylation of the integrated HBV DNA, suggesting that 5-azacytidine increased HBsAg production in the cells through hypomethylation of the HBV genomic DNA.

Azacitidine↗

5-Azacytidine is able to induce the conversion of teratocarcinoma-derived mesenchymal cells into epithelia cells.

The inhibitor of DNA-methylation, 5-azacytidine (5- AzaC ) induced the appearance of cytokeratin-containing cells in several mesenchymal cell lines such as teratocarcinoma-derived fibroblasts, preadipocytes and myoblasts, NIH-3T3 fibroblasts and human embryonic fibroblasts. At optimal 5- AzaC concentrations the proportion of such cells was in the range of 10(-1) compared with 10(-6) -10(-4) in non-treated cultures. Dose-response curves indicated that the induction of cytokeratin was the result of an interaction of the drug with few targets. Stable, mature, keratinocyte cell lines, as well as lines of myoblasts and astrocytes, could be isolated from a teratocarcinoma-derived preadipocyte line, showing that 5- AzaC is able to provoke a wide range of complete phenotypic conversions. In these cell lines, the intermediate filaments corresponded to the morphological phenotype. Altogether, the results suggest that 5- AzaC preferentially activates certain genes.

Adipose Tissue↗

Selective suppression of human papillomavirus transcription in non-tumorigenic cells by 5-azacytidine.

The transcription of human papillomavirus type 18 (HPV 18) is selectively suppressed in non-tumorigenic HeLa x fibroblast or HeLa x keratinocyte cell hybrids by 5-azacytidine. In contrast, viral gene expression is not influenced by 5-azacytidine in both tumorigenic hybrid segregants and in the parental HeLa cells. The suppression mechanism seems to operate at the level of initiation of transcription since nuclear run-on experiments show the absence of elongated nascent viral RNA, whereas the transcription of cellular reference genes remains unaffected. Down-regulation of HPV 18 mRNA correlates directly with cessation of cellular growth and can be abolished using the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide. Furthermore human keratinocytes immortalized by HPV 16 but still retaining the non-tumorigenic phenotype reveal the same inhibitory effect on viral transcription after treatment with 5-azacytidine. These results support a model of a postulated intracellular control mechanism, directed against papillomavirus transcription, which can be induced by 5-azacytidine and appears to correlate with the presence of specific chromosomes in non-tumorigenic cells.

Azacitidine↗

In vitro DNA methylation inhibits gene expression in transgenic tobacco.

A hemimethylated chimeric gene, containing the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter, the beta-glucuronidase coding region and the polyadenylation signal of nopaline synthase, was introduced into tobacco protoplasts by polyethylene glycol mediated transfection. Hemimethylation led to complete inhibition of transient gene expression. In regenerated transgenic plants the integrated gene was constitutively hypermethylated at the sequences CpG and CpNpG and this was correlated with an inactivation of beta-glucuronidase in 12 out of 18 analyzed plant lines whereas two showed slight and four strong activity. From 10 control lines transformed with nonmethylated DNA, only two were inactive; three showed slight and five strong activity. 5-aza-cytidine treatment of plant tissue from 'hypermethylated' lines led to induction of beta-glucuronidase in most cases. Shoots regenerated from azaC treated calli revealed stable enzyme restoration and demethylation of the integrated transgene.

Amino Acid Oxidoreductases↗

Analysis of CpG methylation and genomic footprinting at the tyrosine aminotransferase gene: DNA methylation alone is not sufficient to prevent protein binding in vivo.

Specific DNA sequences from several DNase I hypersensitive sites located upstream of the tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) gene are bound by ubiquitous nuclear factors in vitro. Genomic footprinting has shown, however, that proteins are excluded from their potential binding sites in cells where the gene is inactive and that the absence of in vivo footprints is correlated with CpG methylation and altered chromatin structures at these sites. In vitro, interactions of proteins with sequences of the TAT gene, including binding of the transcription factor CREB to the cAMP-responsive element (CRE), are prevented by a methylated CpG dinucleotide in the respective binding sites, suggesting that methylation of DNA might be sufficient to exclude proteins from their sites in vivo. To test directly whether the absence of in vivo footprints is the result of DNA methylation, we treated two different cell lines with 5-azacytidine to demethylate CpG dinucleotides. While genomic sequencing confirmed demethylation at two widely separated regions upstream of the TAT promoter, no footprints appeared in these cell lines, even though proteins capable of binding these sites in vitro were present in the nuclei. Thus, the simple model whereby protein exclusion in vivo is caused solely by DNA methylation is not appropriate in this case. The nucleosomal organization of the potential binding sites suggests that chromatin structure is a dominant determinant in maintaining the inactive state of these sites.

Azacitidine↗

Autogenous regulation of the EcoRII methylase gene at the transcriptional level: effect of 5-azacytidine.

mRNA of the EcoRII methylase (M.EcoRII), a type II modification enzyme, was induced when Escherichia coli carrying a cloned M.EcoRII gene was exposed to the bacteriocidal drug 5-azacytidine. Induction occurred only when transcription was initiated from its own promoter. When the 5' promoter sequences were deleted or replaced with the lac promoter sequences, no induction occurred. The induction was independent of the template DNA level, but the presence of an intact M.EcoRII protein was a requirement. The drug is incorporated into DNA which then inhibits M.EcoRII by binding tightly to the enzyme. A deletion within the M.EcoRII coding region caused a marked increase in the basal level of mRNA transcribed from the M.EcoRII promoter, but no induction occurred upon 5-azacytidine treatment. The level could be reduced to normal by M.EcoRII in trans. In vitro, the enzyme bound to the sequences upstream of the transcription start sites and inhibited the initiation of transcription. These experiments indicate that expression of the M.EcoRII gene was autogenously regulated at the transcriptional level. Similar regulation is also noted in another DNA (cytosine-5) methylase, M.MspI.

Azacitidine↗

A phase I study of 5-azacytidine (NSC-102816).

5-Azacytidine was administered daily to 12 patients in a five-day schedule and to 15 patients in a weekly schedule as part of a phase I trial. The daily dose ranged from 50 mg/m2 to 158 mg/m2 and the weekly dose, from 200 mg/m2 to 633 mg/m2. The maximum total dose was 2000 mg in the daily schedule and 3775 mg in the weekly schedule. The major toxicity was gastrointestinal, with nausea and vomiting occurring in all patients in this study. Myelosuppression was less frequently encountered and appeared to be related to the increase in 5-azacytidine dose. Patients receiving 5-azacytidine in a weekly schedule of administration appeared to tolerate the drug better and to be more willing to continue their therapy.

Azacitidine↗

5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine induces alterations in murine spermatogenesis and pregnancy outcome.

Because of the ability of cytidine analogues, such as 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, to incorporate into DNA and lead to decreases in DNA methylation, there has recently been renewed interest in using these drugs in anticancer therapy. To determine the effects of paternal 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine treatment on spermatogenesis and progeny outcome in the mouse and whether effects are modulated by decreased levels of the predominant DNA methyltransferase, DNMT1, adult Dnmt1(+/+) and Dnmt1-deficient (Dnmt1(c/+)) male mice were treated with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine for 7 weeks, which resulted in dose-dependent decreases in testicular weight, an increase in histological abnormalities, and a decline in sperm counts, with no apparent effect on androgen status. Testes of Dnmt1(c/+) mice, however, were less severely affected by 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine than were those of wild-type mice. The exposure of Dnmt1(+/+) male mice to even low doses of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine followed by mating elicited significantly reduced pregnancy rates and elevated preimplantation loss in females. Dnmt1 deficiency, however, protected against such drug-induced decreases in pregnancy rate but not preimplantation loss. Altered DNA methylation or DNMT1 activity may explain such adverse effects, because treatment resulted in dose-dependent decreases in the global methylation of sperm DNA. Thus, in the mouse, paternal administration of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine interferes with normal male germ cell development and results in reduced fertility, whereas lowering DNMT1 levels appears to partially protect the seminiferous epithelium from deleterious drug effects.

Animals↗

5-AZA-2'-deoxycytidine (5-AZA-CdR): a demethylating agent affecting development and reproductive capacity.

The objective was to evaluate the effects of 5-AZA-2'-deoxycytidine (5-AZA-CdR) on postnatal development and reproductive capacity. Pregnant mice were administered 1 mg kg-1 5-AZA-CdR at gestation day 10. The body weights of F1 control and treated (in uterine-exposed) pups were recorded. To evaluate the reproductive capacity, 5-AZA-CdR F1 males and females were mated with control mice. The presence of plugs and the number of pregnancies were recorded. The 5-AZA-CdR F1 male mice were killed. Total body, testes and epididymis weights were recorded. Spermatid head counting, histological analyses and serum testosterone levels were performed. Body weights of 5-AZA-CdR F1 mice were statistically lower than controls (P < 0.01), with the females more strongly affected (P < 0.05). Male mating capacity appeared to be more adversely affected. Mating of 5-AZA-CdR F1 males with control females resulted in a lower pregnancy rate compared with control mating groups (P < 0.01). Gross testicular and epididymis weights were lower in 5-AZA-CdR F1 mice (P < 0.01). However, testicular and epididymis weights in these mice were higher than controls when correlated to body weight (P < 0.01). In 5-AZA-CdR F1 male mice, all measured reproductive parameters, including total number of spermatid heads per testis, are significantly lower (P < 0.01) than the controls except for the number of spermatid heads per milligram of testis.

Analysis of Variance↗

5-azacytidine alters TGF-beta and BMP signaling and induces maturation in articular chondrocytes.

Maintenance of the articular surface depends on the function of articular chondrocytes (ACs) which produce matrix and are constrained from undergoing the maturation program seen in growth plate chondrocytes. Only during pathologic conditions, such as in osteoarthritis, are maturational constraints lost causing recapitulation of the process that occurs during endochondral ossification. With the aim of establishing a model to identify regulatory mechanisms that suppress AC hypertrophy, we examined the capability of 5-azacytidine (Aza) to have an impact on the maturational program of these cells. Primary ACs do not spontaneously express markers of maturation and are refractory to treatment by factors that normally regulate chondrocyte maturation. However, following exposure to Aza, ACs (i) were induced to express type X collagen (colX), Indian hedgehog, and alkaline phosphatase and (ii) showed altered colX and AP expression in response to bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), and parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP). Since Aza unmasked responsiveness of ACs to BMP-2 and TGF-beta, we examined the effect of Aza treatment on signaling via these pathways by assessing the expression of the TGF-beta Smads (2 and 3), the BMP-2 Smads (1 and 5), and the Smad2 and 3-degrading ubiquitin E3 ligase Smurf2. Aza-treated ACs displayed less Smad2 and 3 and increased Smad1, 5, and Smurf2 protein and showed a loss of TGF-beta signaling on the P3TP-luciferase reporter. Suggesting that Aza-induction of Smurf2 may be responsible for the loss of Smad2 and 3 protein via this pathway, immunoprecipitation and metabolic labeling experiments confirmed that Aza accelerated the ubiquitination and degradation of these targets. Overall, Aza-treated ACs represent a novel model for the study of mechanisms that regulate maturational potential of articular cartilage, with the data suggesting that maturation of these cells may be due to up-regulation of Smad1 and 5 coupled with a Smurf2-dependent degradation of Smad2 and 3 and loss of TGF-beta signaling.

Animals↗

p21Waf1/Cip1 plays a critical role in modulating senescence through changes of DNA methylation.

It has been reported that genomic DNA methylation decreases gradually during cell culture and an organism's aging. However, less is known about the methylation changes of age-related specific genes in aging. p21(Waf1/Cip1) and p16(INK4a) are cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitors that are critical for the replicative senescence of normal cells. In this study, we show that p21(Waf1/Cip1) and p16(INK4a) have different methylation patterns during the aging process of normal human 2BS and WI-38 fibroblasts. p21(Waf1/Cip1) promoter is gradually methylated up into middle-aged fibroblasts but not with senescent fibroblasts, whereas p16(INK4a) is always unmethylated in the aging process. Correspondently, the protein levels of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and DNMT3a increase from young to middle-aged fibroblasts but decrease in the senescent fibroblasts, while DNMT3b decreases stably from young to senescent fibroblasts. p21(Waf1/Cip1) promoter methylation directly represses its expression and blocks the radiation-induced DNA damage-signaling pathway by p53 in middle-aged fibroblasts. More importantly, demethylation by 5-aza-CdR or DNMT1 RNA interference (RNAi) resulted in an increased p21(Waf1/Cip1) level and premature senescence of middle-aged fibroblasts demonstrated by cell growth arrest and high beta-Galactosidase expression. Our results suggest that p21(Waf1/Cip1) but not p16(INK4a) is involved in the DNA methylation mediated aging process. p21(Waf1/Cip1) promoter methylation may be a critical biological barrier to postpone the aging process.

Azacitidine↗