Faculty Bibliography

1. Physiological concentrations of ascorbic acid inhibited PTPase activity in HER 14 cells. 2. Higher concentrations of ascorbic acid produced a weaker inhibitory effect on PTPase activity in HER 14 cells. 3. EGF prevented the inhibitory effect of ascorbic acid on PTPase activity in HER 14 cells. 4. The inhibitory effect of physiological concentrations of ascorbic acid on PTPase activity depends on density of the cell culture, with less dense populations exhibiting greater inhibition of PTPase activity. 5. These observations suggest that ascorbic acid might have a modulatory role in cellular phosphorylation-dephosphorylation events

The comparative acute cytotoxicities were determined for a varied spectrum of minor dietary non-nutrients that have been implicated as chemopreventive agents. Cytotoxicity was determined with the neutral red (NR) assay, using BALB/c mouse 3T3 fibroblasts as the bioindicators. Based on midpoint cytotoxicity (NR50) values, the range of cytotoxicity for the different chemicals varied by 1000 times. The sequence of potency was tannic acid, tamoxifen citrate, quercetin, benzyl and phenethyl isothiocyanate > glycyrrhetinic acid > indole-3-carbinol > caffeic acid > phytic acid > vanillin > ellagic acid > D-saccharic acid 1,4-lactone. Vanillin, at slight to moderately toxic concentrations, was the only test agent that induced multinucleation in the 3T3 fibroblasts.

We investigated the effect of melittin and Ca2+ ionophore A23187 on protein tyrosine phosphatase activity in HER14 cells (NIH-3T3 cells transfected with human epidermal growth factor 'EGF' receptor). Cell fractions were used to measure protein tyrosine phosphatase activity in vitro using 32P-labeled poly(Glu/Tyr) (4:1) peptide as a substrate. Treatment of HER14 cells with melittin or with A23187, inhibited protein tyrosine phosphatase activity in the cell sonicate and homogenate, as well as in cytosolic and particulate fractions of these cells. The inhibitory effect of both drugs was prevented by preincubating cells with EGTA (ethyleneglycolbis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid). The cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin enhanced the inhibitory effect of A23187, but not that of melittin. Addition of arachidonic acid to the cells partially prevented the inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase activity by melittin or A23187. Preexposure of cells to EGF enhanced the inhibitory effect of melittin--but not that of A23187. Addition of CaCl2, or MgCl2 to the cell homogenate inhibited protein tyrosine phosphatase activity. These results show that protein tyrosine phosphatase activity in HER14 cells is inhibited by melittin and Ca2+ ionophore A23187 through a Ca(2+)-dependent mechanism, and is regulated by arachidonic acid metabolism and EGF receptor activation

Using the human hepatoma cell line, HepG2, and the BALB/c mouse fibroblast cell line, 3T3, as the bioindicators in the neutral red cytotoxicity assay, the effect of hydroxyl substitution on the toxicity of 1,4-naphthoquinone was studied. The sequence of potency for the quinones was 5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone > 5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone > 1,4-naphthoquinone >> 2-hydroxyl-1,4- naphthoquinone. Pretreatment of the cells with dicoumarol, an inhibitor of DT-diaphorase, enhanced the cytotoxicity of 1,4-naphthoquinone but not of the hydroxylated naphthoquinones. Pretreatment of the BALB/c cells with buthionine sulfoximine, an inhibitor of glutathione synthesis, enhanced the sensitivity of the cells to all the hydroxylated naphthoquinones but not to 1,4-naphthoquinone. A similar pretreatment of the HepG2 cells with buthionine sulfoximine enhanced the toxicity of the 2-hydroxy- and 5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinones but not of 5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone or of 1,4-naphthoquinone. Some differences were noted in the responses to the hydroxylated 1,4-naphthoquinones between buthionine sulfoximine-treated replicating cells and buthionine sulfoximine-treated isolated rat hepatocytes, a nonreplicating cell in culture. The use of a replicating cell system in studying the mechanisms of the cytotoxicity of quinones may be an important adjunct to studies using the isolated rat hepatocytes, which is the standard model system.

The acute cytotoxicities of a series of alkyl-1,4-naphthoquinones (NQ) and of 2-hydroxy-3-alkyl-1,4-NQs, as well as some amino derivatives, were evaluated with the neutral red cytotoxicity assay, using BALB/c mouse 3T3 fibroblasts. As compared to the unsubstituted 1,4-NQ: (i) Substitution at the 2 position reduced toxicity, with the extent of reduction following the sequence, hydroxyl >> dimethylamino >> C1-C5 alkyl group. (ii) Substitution with C2-C5 alkyl groups at position 3 enhanced toxicity. As noted with the n-alkyl-1,4-NQs, increasing the chain length of the 2-hydroxy-3-alkyl-1,4-NQs did not appreciably change potency of the test agent. (iii) Substitution with amino groups at position 3 had little effect on cytotoxicity. Some differences in cytotoxicity of specific test agent were noted between the 3T3 fibroblasts and isolated rat hepatocytes, as reported in the literature.

Vanadium, a trace metal in the environment and in biological systems, influences the behavior of enzymes, mimics and regulates growth factor activity, is a potential mutagenic and carcinogenic agent, and regulates gene expression. The diverse biological actions of vanadium result from its capacity to function as an oxyanion, oxycation, or prooxidant. Vanadium is found in water, rocks, and soils in low concentration and in relatively high concentrations in coal and oil deposits. Vanadium compounds at much higher concentrations than are typically ingested are being considered in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The actions of insulin and vanadium on the insulin receptor are similar, but the mechanisms are not identical. Vanadium modulates growth-factor-mediated signal transduction pathways. Vanadium promotes cell transformation and diminishes cell adhesion. Consistent with its mitogenic action and its capacity to mimic mitogenic growth factors, vanadium stimulates expression of protooncogenes. In particular, oxygen-derived active species are involved in the expression of the jun protooncogene in the presence of vanadium. The unique cellular activity of vanadium makes it a tool of unparalleled potential for studying mechanisms of cell growth, differentiation, and metabolism

The cytotoxicity of eugenol to replicating cells, as mediated by the intracellular level of glutathione and by metabolic activation, was evaluated with the neutral red (NR) assay. The cytotoxicity of eugenol to human HFF fibroblasts and human HepG2 hepatoma cells was increased somewhat in the presence of a hepatic S-9 microsomal fraction from Aroclor-induced rats or hamsters. Exposure of human HepG2 hepatoma cells to eugenol depleted the level of intracellular glutathione. Cells treated with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) or buthionine sulphoximine (BSO), agents that deplete intracellular glutathione, were hypersensitive to eugenol. A 1-hr pretreatment with CDNB enhanced the cytotoxicity of eugenol, as did a 24-hr pretreatment with BSO. Intracellular glutathione levels were, apparently, significant in mediating the toxicity of eugenol.

Bluegill sunfish BF-2 fibroblasts were used in the neutral red (NR) cytotoxicity assay to discern the toxicities of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and paraquat as indicated by their abilities to induce oxidative stress. The toxicity of H2O2 was markedly enhanced in BF-2 cells treated with the glutathione depleting agents, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), maleic acid, and chlorodinitrobenzene; similar treatments did not sensitize the BF-2 cells to paraquat, a redox cycling xenobiotic. BSO treated BF-2 cells, however, were sensitized to nitrofurantoin, also a redox cycling chemical. Diethyldithiocarbamate, an inhibitor of superoxide dismutase, only weakly enhanced the sensitivity of the BF-2 cells to H2O2 and paraquat. 1,10-Phenanthroline, a chelator of Fe2+, reduced the cytotoxicity of H2O2 and paraquat, presumably by preventing hydroxyl radical formation in the Fenton reaction. Quin 2 AM, an intracellular chelator of Ca2+, markedly lessened the toxicity of H2O2, but not of paraquat; EGTA, an extracellular chelator of Ca2+, had no effect on the toxicity of H2O2 or paraquat. Apparently, perturbation of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis is involved in H2O2 toxicity. For comparative purposes, some studies were performed with fathead minnow FHM epithelioid cells, BALB/c mouse 3T3 fibroblasts, and human HepG2 hepatoma cells. The BF-2 fibroblast/NR cytotoxicity red assay was shown to be a suitable model to study oxidative stress in fish.

V(IV) and V(III) reduce molecular oxygen with increasing rates as the pH is raised from 6.0 to 7.4. Under all conditions tested, V(IV) is the more efficient reductant. EDTA and ATP generally inhibit the reduction of oxygen by V(III) and V(IV). In contrast, desferrioxamine accelerates the reduction of oxygen by V(IV) but with decreasing effectiveness at pH 7.4 compared to pH 6.0, while desferrioxamine accelerates the reduction of oxygen by V(III) only at pH 6.0. Histidine enhances the reduction of oxygen by V(IV) at pH 7.0 and 7.4. The observed rates of oxygen reduction by V(III) and V(IV) imply that the intracellular distribution of vanadium among its redox states reflects not an equilibrium but a steady state.