Decrease In Thymidine Kinase Activity Research Articles

Herpès chronique périnéal résistant à l’aciclovir révélateur d’une leucémie lymphoïde chronique

Chronic HSV infection is a cause of chronic perineal ulcerations. We report a case of a chronic and refractory HSV infection revealing chronic lymphoid leukaemia. An 85-year-old woman with an 8-month history of chronic perineal ulcerations was referred to our dermatology department. She had no previous medical history of herpes infection. Skin biopsies ruled out carcinoma but were consistent with HSV infection. A local swab was positive for HSV2. Treatment with valaciclovir and intravenous acyclovir (ACV) at the recommended doses was ineffective. Laboratory tests revealed type-B chronic lymphoid leukaemia. Molecular biology studies confirmed the presence of ACV-resistant HSV via decreased thymidine kinase activity (stop codon: M183stop). Foscarnet was administered for a period of 3weeks with almost complete healing of the ulcerations. Treatment was stopped prematurely due to acute renal insufficiency and the remaining lesions were treated using imiquimod cream. Valaciclovir was prescribed to prevent further episodes. The condition recurred a mere 11months later. The prevalence of ACV-resistant HSV is 0.32% in immunocompetent patients and 3.5% in immunocompromised patients. Insufficient dosing regimens or prolonged treatment with TK inhibitors result in the local selection of pre-existing mutant HSV viruses. Foscarnet, a DNA polymerase inhibitor, is the treatment of choice in HSV-resistant infections. ACV-resistant HSV is less virulent and replicates less, with reactivations being mainly due to wild-type HSV latent in the neural ganglia. Valaciclovir can be used as a preventive treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first case of ACV-resistant HSV infection revealing chronic lymphoid leukaemia. Chronic perineal ulcerations can be the first manifestation of immunodeficiency seen for example with haematological diseases. In the event of clinical resistance of an HSV infection to recommended thymidine kinase inhibitor regimens, the use of foscarnet should be considered.

The cytostatic activity of NUC-3073, a phosphoramidate prodrug of 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine, is independent of activation by thymidine kinase and insensitive to degradation by phosphorolytic enzymes

A novel phosphoramidate nucleotide prodrug of the anticancer nucleoside analogue 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine (5-FdUrd) was synthesized and evaluated for its cytostatic activity. Whereas 5-FdUrd substantially lost its cytostatic potential in thymidine kinase (TK)-deficient murine leukaemia L1210 and human lymphocyte CEM cell cultures, NUC-3073 markedly kept its antiproliferative activity in TK-deficient tumour cells, and thus is largely independent of intracellular TK activity to exert its cytostatic action. NUC-3073 was found to inhibit thymidylate synthase (TS) in the TK-deficient and wild-type cell lines at drug concentrations that correlated well with its cytostatic activity in these cells. NUC-3073 does not seem to be susceptible to inactivation by catabolic enzymes such as thymidine phosphorylase (TP) and uridine phosphorylase (UP). These findings are in line with our observations that 5-FdUrd, but not NUC-3073, substantially loses its cytostatic potential in the presence of TP-expressing mycoplasmas in the tumour cell cultures. Therefore, we propose NUC-3073 as a novel 5-FdUrd phosphoramidate prodrug that (i) may circumvent potential resistance mechanisms of tumour cells (e.g. decreased TK activity) and (ii) is not degraded by catabolic enzymes such as TP which is often upregulated in tumour cells or expressed in mycoplasma-infected tumour tissue.

Ethanol Decreases the Efficiency of Phosphorylation of Thymidine Kinase in a Human T‐Lymphocytic Cell Line

Thymidine kinase (TK) and thymidylate kinase (TMPK) are the two rate-limiting enzymes in the cascade of activation of the anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) drug 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) to its active triphosphate form. We examined the effect of ethanol and a combination of ethanol and AZT on TK and TMPK activities in human Jurkat T cells. Jurkat T cells were exposed to 0.2 and 0.5% (v/v) ethanol concentrations alone or in combination with 5 or 10 microM AZT for 48 hr in growth medium. TK and TMPK activities were determined by measuring the conversion of [3H] substrates (thymidine or AZT for TK and thymidine monophosphate for TMPK) to their respective monophosphate or diphosphate forms. The effect of ethanol on the transcriptional activity of TK was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and on the growth of Jurkat cells by [3H]-thymidine incorporation and cell-cycle analysis. Treatment of Jurkat cells with 0.2 and 0.5% ethanol concentrations resulted in 25 and 50% decreases (p < or = 0.05) in TK activity, respectively. No significant changes were observed in the TMPK activities. However, ethanol decreased the formation of thymidine diphosphate from thymidine in coupled TK/TMPK reactions, suggesting that decreases in TK activity could result in an overall decrease in the phosphorylation of AZT. The effect of ethanol on TK was independent of its transcript level. AZT in combination with ethanol decreased the inhibitory effect of ethanol on TK activity. However, it did not block the ethanol effect even at higher concentrations. Ethanol significantly decreased the proliferative capacity and cell cycle progression of the Jurkat cells. Our in vitro study in human Jurkat T cells indicates that at physiologically achievable concentrations in humans, ethanol can decrease TK activity through decreases in cell proliferation, and it suggests that ethanol ingestion in HIV-1-infected individuals could compromise activation of AZT and related drugs through decreased TK activity.

Ethanol Decreases the Efficiency of Phosphorylation of Thymidine Kinase in a Human T-Lymphocytic Cell Line

Background: Thymidine kinase (TK) and thymidylate kinase (TMPK) are the two rate-limiting enzymes in the cascade of activation of the anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) drug 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) to its active triphosphate form. We examined the effect of ethanol and a combination of ethanol and AZT on TK and TMPK activities in human Jurkat T cells. Methods: Jurkat T cells were exposed to 0.2 and 0.5% (v/v) ethanol concentrations alone or in combination with 5 or 10 μM AZT for 48 hr in growth medium. TK and TMPK activities were determined by measuring the conversion of [3H] substrates (thymidine or AZT for TK and thymidine monophosphate for TMPK) to their respective monophosphate or diphosphate forms. The effect of ethanol on the transcriptional activity of TK was determined by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and on the growth of Jurkat cells by [3H]-thymidine incorporation and cell-cycle analysis. Results: Treatment of Jurkat cells with 0.2 and 0.5% ethanol concentrations resulted in 25 and 50% decreases (p≤ 0.05) in TK activity, respectively. No significant changes were observed in the TMPK activities. However, ethanol decreased the formation of thymidine diphosphate from thymidine in coupled TK/TMPK reactions, suggesting that decreases in TK activity could result in an overall decrease in the phosphorylation of AZT. The effect of ethanol on TK was independent of its transcript level. AZT in combination with ethanol decreased the inhibitory effect of ethanol on TK activity. However, it did not block the ethanol effect even at higher concentrations. Ethanol significantly decreased the proliferative capacity and cell cycle progression of the Jurkat cells. Conclusions: Our in vitro study in human Jurkat T cells indicates that at physiologically achievable concentrations in humans, ethanol can decrease TK activity through decreases in cell proliferation, and it suggests that ethanol ingestion in HIV-1–infected individuals could compromise activation of AZT and related drugs through decreased TK activity.

Biochemical modulation of 5-fluorouracil with a streptococcal preparation, OK-432, against murine colon-26 carcinoma.

Conventional therapy for colorectal carcinoma using 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has shown limited antitumor action. The purpose of our study was to investigate synergistic antitumor effects of the streptococcal preparation of OK-432 and 5-FU, and to elucidate the mechanisms of interaction between the 2 agents in mice. Biochemical modulation of OK-432 and 5-FU were determined in vivo against colon-26 carcinoma. The concentration of 5-FU and its metabolites, and the activity of thymidylate synthase and thymidine kinase, respectively, were measured using cytosolic extracts of the tumors. Combination treatment with OK-432 produced a significant increase in intratumor 5-FU and 5-FU in RNA (F-RNA) concentrations, increased the thymidylate synthetase inhibition rate, and decreased thymidine kinase activity, as compared with the results observed in the control mice. These additive antitumor effects are obtained by use of the 2 agents; the mechanism of action is considered to be the suppression of both the de novo and the salvage pathway for DNA synthesis, along with the suppression of RNA synthesis.

Different mechanisms of acquired resistance to fluorinated pyrimidines in human colorectal cancer cells.

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (FdUrd) and 5-trifluorothymidine (F3(d)Thd) are antimetabolites which are metabolized to their corresponding active forms which inhibit DNA synthesis via inhibition of thymidylate synthase (TS). To investigate ways of overcoming 5-FU-resistance, we established acquired-resistant colorectal cancer cell lines against these three drugs by continuous and step-wise escalation of drugs, and analyzed the cytotoxicity and the mechanism of resistance to the drugs. When cells were incubated with the 3 drugs for 72 h, the resistance ratio to parental DLD-1 human colorectal tumor cells was 65.2 for DLD-1/5-FU, 9.7 for DLD-1/FdUrd and 448.6 for DLD-1/F3(d)Thd cells. DLD-1/5-FU cells did not show any cross-resistance against FdUrd and F(3)dThd. However, DLD-1/FdUrd cells showed 3- and 9-fold increased resistance to 5-FU and F3(d)Thd, respectively, and DLD-1/F3(d)Thd cells also showed about 90-fold resistance to FdUrd. Analysis of enzyme activities and gene expression associated with pyrimidine metabolism indicated that a significant decrease in orotate phosphoribosyltransferase activity in DLD-1/5-FU cells, a 7-fold increase of TS mRNA in DLD-1/FdUrd cells, and a 37-fold decrease in thymidine kinase activity of DLD-1/F3(d)Thd cells were the major mechanisms of drug resistance. These findings were closely associated with the cytotoxicity of 5-FU, FdUrd and F3(d)Thd against the established 5-FU-, FdUrd- or F3(d)Thd-resistant cells. When DLD-1/FdUrd cells expressing increased TS mRNA were treated with FdUrd and F3(d)Thd for only 4 h, the resistance ratios of DLD-1/FdUrd cells to parental DLD-1 cells were markedly different for FdUrd and F3(d)Thd, suggesting that the cytotoxicity with short-time exposure to F3(d)Thd is due to a mechanism other than TS inhibition, although the cytotoxicity of F3(d)Thd in the short-time is low compared to that of long-time exposure. In conclusion, F3(d)Thd, an antimetabolite that inhibits TS activity, may be effective against 5-FU and/or FdUrd-resistance in colorectal cancer cells caused by amplification of TS and/or deletion of orotate phosphoribosyltransferase.

Identification and proposed mechanism of action of thymidine kinase inhibition associated with cellular exposure to camptothecin analogs.

To investigate the effects of several camptothecin analogs including 9-aminocamptothecin (9-AC), SN38, topotecan, and irinotecan (CPT-11) on the enzymes involved in the pyrimidine salvage pathway including thymidylate synthase (TS). A COMPARE analysis using the NCI 60 cell line drug-screening panel suggested that there were similarities in the mechanisms of action of camptothecin analogs and TS inhibitors. TS enzymatic activity was measured by both an in situ tritium release assay using both the H630 colon cancer cell line and the CEM human leukemia cell line, and by a radiolabelled in vitro assay using partially purified human TS as the enzyme source. Thymidine kinase (TK) activity was measure by a radiolabelled in vitro assay using H630 colon cancer cell lysates as the enzyme source. In vitro studies indicated that none of the analogs directly inhibited TS enzymatic activity; however, utilization of a coupled TS/TK in situ assay with radiolabelled deoxyuridine as the precursor revealed marked inhibition by the camptothecin analogs. 9-AC, SN38, and topotecan yielded IC50 values of 1.3, 1.6, and 1.1 microM respectively. In contrast, there was no inhibition detected when deoxycytidine was used as the radiolabelled nucleoside precursor, suggesting that the drug effect was through inhibition of TK, rather than inhibition of TS. In vitro studies using cell lysates from H630 human colon cancer cells to measure TK activity showed no decrease in TK activity after 9-AC treatment. In addition, no changes were detected in the dATP and dTTP nucleotide pools. Permeabilizing the cell membranes with saponin did not abolish the inhibitory effect of the camptothecins indicating that altered cell transport was not responsible for the decreased activity in the in situ assay in intact cells. These studies suggest that there is inhibition of TK in intact cells associated with topoisomerase I inhibition by camptothecin analogs, and the inhibition of TK is the result of an indirect effect not related to feedback inhibition by changes in dTTP pools.

Cross-resistance of dideoxycytidine-resistant cell lines to azidothymidine

2′,3′-Dideoxycytidine (ddC) and azidothymidine (AZT) inhibit HIV-1 replication and currently are used in AIDS therapy. Long-term use of the drugs is associated with the selection of drug-resistant HIV strains, thus limiting their effectiveness. Another mechanism, associated with their altered metabolism in host cells, also can cause “cellular” drug resistance. Human lymphocytic H9 cell lines (H9-ddC0.5w and H9-ddC5.0w) selected for ddC resistance by exposure to 0.5 and 5.0 μM ddC were found to be cross-resistant to AZT. Compared with controls, the thymidine kinase (TK) activities in H9-ddC0.5w and H9-ddC5.0w cells were 56.7 and 51.4% (with thymidine as a substrate) and 50.3 and 42% (with AZT as a substrate). Consequently the cellular incorporation of AZT and thymidine (24-hr incubation) also was reduced to 51.3 and 70.0% in H9-ddC0.5w cells and to 12.1 and 17.3% in H9-ddC5.0w cells. A 3-hr incubation with 25 μM AZT and ddC decreased their cellular incorporation to 50.5 and 76.15% in H9-ddC0.5w cells and to 12.95 and 47.8% in H9-ddC5.0w cells compared with H9 cells. Thus, the change in AZT accumulation did not correlate exactly with the decrease in TK activity and far exceeded the effect on ddC accumulation. Evidence is presented that ddC, in addition to deoxycytidine kinase, affected TK1 activity. The involvement of multidrug resistance proteins in the mechanism of the resistance was ruled out by the failure of trifluoperazine and verapamil to alter cellular accumulations of AZT, ddC, daunorubicin, and rhodamine-123. Development of cellular ddC and AZT cross-resistance may affect the therapeutic efficacy of these antiviral agents.

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex viruses from immunocompromised patients.

Phenotypic and genotypic analyses were done on 30 acyclovir-resistant and 5 acyclovir-susceptible herpes simplex virus (HSV) isolates (22 HSV type 1 and 13 HSV type 2) recovered from 24 subjects. All isolates were susceptible to foscarnet. The phenotypes of the acyclovir-resistant HSV isolates were as follows: 17 were thymidine kinase (TK) deficient, 12 had decreased TK activity (produced low amounts of viral TK) or TK with altered substrate specificity, and 1 was undetermined. Sequencing analysis of the HSV TK gene revealed that 14 (46.7%) of 30 acyclovir-resistant isolates had an insertion or deletion of 1 or 2 nucleotides, especially in homopolymer runs of Gs, Cs, and rarely in As. On the other hand, 16 (53.3%) of 30 acyclovir-resistant isolates had point mutations in conserved or nonconserved regions of the TK gene. In conclusion, HSV can develop multiple strategies to exhibit acyclovir resistance, including, in about half of the cases, frameshift mutations in homopolymer nucleotide stretches of the TK gene.

Biochemical modulation of 5-fluorouracil with murine interferon-alpha/beta against murine renal cell carcinoma.

Conventional therapy for renal cell carcinoma using interferon (IFN) has shown limited antitumor action. The purpose of our study was to investigate synergistic antitumor effects of IFN and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and to elucidate the mechanisms of interaction between the 2 agents in mice. Antitumor effects and biochemical modulation of murine IFN-alpha/beta and 5-FU were determined against the murine renal cell carcinoma cell line, Renca, in vivo. The activity of thymidylate synthetase and thymidine kinase was measured using cytosolic extracts of the tumors. Combination treatment with IFN-alpha/beta and 5-FU produced a significant enhancement of growth inhibition against Renca tumor. Treatment with 5-FU resulted in a 2.7-fold increase in the total amount of thymidylate synthetase and an 11.6-fold increase in the thymidylate synthetase inhibition rate, while the administration of IFN-alpha/beta did not significantly reduce the 5-FU-induced increase in thymidylate synthetase. The administration of IFN-alpha/beta decreased thymidine kinase activity to 65.5% maximally, compared with that in the control mice or the mice treated with 5-FU. The reduction of thymidine kinase caused by treating the mice with IFN-alpha/beta changes the utilization of exogenous thymidine for DNA synthesis, and may represent the mechanism of the additive antitumor effect of the 2 agents, through the suppression of the salvage pathway for deoxythymidine monophosphate induction.

The role of cyclic AMP in the lipopolysaccharide-induced suppression of thymidine kinase activity in macrophage

We observed that lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 μg/ml) can suppress [3H]thymidine incorporation into acid-insoluble fraction in a mouse macrophage cell line: J774 (over 70% at 6 h) without affecting the uptake of [ 3H]thymidine or DNA polymerase activity. Paralleling this suppression, a decrease in the thymidine kinase (TK) activity, but not of thymidine monophosphate (TMP) kinase and thymidine diphosphate (TDP) kinase, was observed. LPS dose-dependently increased intracellular cAMP levels to about 3.5-times basal at 6 h, proportionally to the decrease of the TIC activity. Elevation of intracellular cAMP by several reagents also decreased TK activity. Apparently LPS treatment elevates cAMP concentration by decreasing the low K m cAMP phosphodiesterase activity (58% at 6 h). The time course of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PK-A) activity during the first 6 h after LPS treatment correlated with that of cAMP concentration. Treatment with a PK-A inhibitor restored about 63% of LPS-induced reduction of TK activity at 6 h. At longer times, however, there was a discrepancy between the change of CAMP concentration or PK-A activity and the reduction of TK activity. Therefore, protein kinase activation caused by the accumulation of intracellular cAMP probably triggers some mechanism responsible for the reduction of the TK activity.

ANF-C-receptor-mediated inhibition of aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation and thymidine kinase activity.

We have investigated the inhibition of DNA synthesis and cell proliferation by rat atrial natriuretic factor [rANF-(99-126)] and several synthetic peptides that bind selectively to the ANF-C-type clearance receptors in subcultured aortic smooth muscle cells. These peptides decreased serum-induced 1) [3H]thymidine incorporation, 2) cell proliferation, and 3) thymidine kinase activity without altering basal or elevated cAMP or cGMP levels. In contrast, another ANF-C-receptor-binding peptide, des[Gln116,Ser117,Gly118,Leu119,Gly120] rANF-(102-121)-NH2 (cANF), failed to decrease serum-induced mitogenesis, yet 100 nM cANF reversed the inhibition of DNA synthesis and cell proliferation and the decrease of thymidine kinase activity elicited by other C receptor-binding peptides, including rANF-(99-126), rANF-(103-125), and porcine C-type natriuretic peptide [pCNP-(1-22)]. Delayed addition experiments indicated that atrial peptides influence a relatively late event (or events) during the G1 phase of the cell cycle. The inhibition of DNA synthesis by C-receptor-binding atrial peptides appeared to be selective for aortic smooth muscle cells, inasmuch as a potent inhibitory agonist peptide, Cys116-rANF-(102-116), was without significant influence on the incorporation of thymidine in cultured rat mesangial cells or bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells. These results indicate that atrial natriuretic peptide analogues decrease vascular smooth muscle cell mitogenesis and proliferation by a cyclic nucleotide-independent mechanism involving the C-type receptor. Moreover the inhibition of DNA synthesis by rANF-(99-126) and the neuropeptide pCNP-(1-22) appears to be mediated by the ANF-C-type receptor and is associated with inhibition of thymidine kinase activity.

Isolation and characterization of a human ileocecal carcinoma cell line (HCT-8) subclone resistant to fluorodeoxyuridine

A 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (FdUrd)-resistant subclone (Fd9XR) of HCT-8 (human ileocecal carcinoma) cells was established by two schedules of drug exposure. Initially, cells were exposed to short-term (3 hr) 100 nM FdUrd repeatedly (9 cycles over 8 months), and cells were then exposed to 10 nM FdUrd continuously. During this latter stage, a colony (Fd9XR) with fast growth rate was isolated, expanded, and characterized with respect to mechanisms of resistance to FdUrd and cross-resistance to other chemotherapeutic agents. Fd9XR cells were 1000-fold resistant to FdUrd, but 3-fold more sensitive to 5-fluorouracil (FUra) than HCT-8 cells. After a 3-hr treatment with FdUrd, Fd9XR cells accumulated 6630-, 69-, and 3.7-fold less fluorodeoxyuridylate (FdUMP), fluorouridine triphosphate (FUTP) and acid-insoluble materials, respectively, than HCT-8 cells. However, when FUra was substituted for FdUrd, Fd9XR cells accumulated 9.2-, 3.1-, and 2.3-fold more FdUMP, FUTP and acid-insoluble materials, respectively, than HCT-8 cells. Fd9XR and HCT-8 were similar in their growth rates, combined pools of 5,10-methylenetetrahydroiolates (5,10-CH 2H 4PteGlu n) and tetrahydrofolates (H 4PTeGlu n), thymidine phosphorylase (TP) activity, and level and activity of thymidylate synthase (TS). In contrast, thymidine kinase (TK) activity of Fd9XR was 0.23 and 0.35% of that of HCT-8, for thymidine (dThd) and FdUrd as substrates, respectively. Furthermore, Fd9XR cells exhibited greater sensitivity to the antifolate TS inhibitor ICI D1694 and to methotrexate (MTX) than HCT-8 cells. In addition, dThd alone and in combination with hypoxanthine did not offer any protection against the cytotoxic effect of ICI D1694 in Fd9XR cells. These results indicate that in Fd9XR cells (1) TK deficiency is the primary mechanism of resistance to FdUrd; (2) the greater sensitivity to FUra was associated with higher pools of FdUMP and FUTP with a subsequently higher level of incorporation into cellular RNA; and (3) antifolate compounds, e.g. ICI D1694 and MTX, could be useful agents in the treatment of FdUrd-resistant tumors associated with decreased TK activity and decreased capacity of utilizing dThd.

The effects of fluorouracil on thymidylate synthase and thymidine kinase in regenerating rat liver after partial hepatectomy

The injection of 5-fluorouracil to partial hepatectomized rat prevented the rise of activities of thymidylate synthase and thymidine kinase as well as DNA synthesis in 24-h regenerating liver in a dose-dependent manner. The extent of the decrease of thymidine kinase activity was more than that of thymidylate synthase level. The immunoblotting assay showed the existence of fluorodeoxyuridine monophosphate bound thymidylate synthase in 5-fluorouracil injected rat liver. These results indicate that the reduction of DNA synthesis in regenerating liver by 5-fluorouracil result from the inhibitions of the rise of activities of both thymidylate synthase and thymidine kinase, while the mechanisms in their inhibitions may be different.

Macrovascular and microvascular endothelium during long‐term hypoxia: Alterations in cell growth, monolayer permeability, and cell surface coagulant properties

In bovine aortic or capillary endothelial cells (ECs) incubated under hypoxic conditions, cell growth was slowed in a dose-dependent manner at lower oxygen concentrations, as progression into S phase from G1 was inhibited, concomitant with decreased thymidine kinase activity. Monolayers grown to confluence in ambient air, wounded, and then transferred to hypoxia showed decreased ability to repair the wound, as a result of both decreased motility and cell division. Hypoxic ECs demonstrated a approximately 3-fold increase in the total number of high-affinity fibroblast growth factor receptors, and levels of endogenous FGF were suppressed. Consistent with the presence of functional FGF receptors, addition of basic FGF overcame, at least in part, hypoxia-mediated suppression of EC growth, and enhanced wound repair in hypoxia, stimulating both motility and cell division. Despite slower growth in hypoxia, ECs could achieve confluence, and the monolayers consisted of larger cells with altered assembly of the actin-based cytoskeleton and small gaps between contiguous cells. The permeability of these hypoxic EC monolayers to macromolecules and lower molecular weight solutes was increased. Cell surface coagulant properties were also perturbed: the anticoagulant cofactor thrombomodulin was suppressed, and a novel Factor X activator appeared on the EC surface. These data indicate that micro- and macrovascular ECs can grow and be maintained at low oxygen tensions, but hypoxic endothelium exhibits a range of altered functional properties which can potentially contribute to the pathogenesis of vascular lesions.

A requirement for Zn2+ for the induction of thymidine kinase but not ornithine decarboxylase in 3T3 cells stimulated from quiescence

In 3T3 cells stimulated from quiescence by serum, impaired thymidine incorporation caused by inadequate supply of Zn2+ was associated with both decreased thymidine kinase activity and a comparable decrease in its mRNA concentration. In contrast, the amount of mRNA for ribosomal protein S6 was not affected, nor was the earlier increase in the activity of ornithine decarboxylase.

Thymidine kinase synthesis is repressed in nonreplicating muscle cells by a translational mechanism that does not affect the polysomal distribution of thymidine kinase mRNA.

The molecular basis for replication-dependent expression of thymidine kinase (TK) activity (EC 2.7.1.21) was investigated in mouse skeletal muscle cells transformed with multiple copies of the chicken TK gene. When shifted to mitogen-depleted medium, proliferating myoblasts irreversibly withdraw from the cell cycle and commit to terminal differentiation. Early after commitment, postreplicative myocytes maintain nearly proliferative levels of TK mRNA but have greatly reduced levels of TK activity. Metabolic labeling studies with [35S]methionine indicated that the decrease in TK activity was associated with a 10-fold reduction in the rate of TK protein synthesis. Commitment had little effect on the stability or catalytic efficiency of TK protein. The decrease in TK synthetic rate in the continued presence of TK mRNA indicated that translation of TK mRNA was repressed in committed cells. The distribution of TK mRNA between ribonucleoprotein particles and polysomes was determined. In both proliferative cells and committed cells, TK mRNA levels were maximal in polysomes containing five to seven ribosomes. Thus, the synthesis of TK protein in nonreplicating muscle cells was inhibited by a translational mechanism that did not alter the average number of ribosomes engaged by TK mRNA.

Glucocorticoid regulation of the genes encoding thymidine kinase, thymidylate synthase, and ornithine decarboxylase in P1798 cells.

The expression of a number of genes was measured in P1798 cells treated for various periods of time with 0.1 microM dexamethasone. Thymidine kinase (TK) activity decreased under these conditions with 50% inhibition achieved within approximately 8 h. Decreased TK activity was associated with reduced abundance of TK mRNA. Analysis of nuclear transcription indicated that this was attributable to a decrease in the number of RNA polymerase II molecules engaged in transcription of the TK gene. With respect to TK, there was an overall correlation between enzyme activity, mRNA, and nuclear transcription. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that glucocorticoid inhibition of expression of TK is primarily due to inhibition of transcription. Transcription of the TK gene was also reduced by greater than 90% after inhibition of protein synthesis for 6 h. This suggests that transcription of this gene requires a protein of short biological half-life. It is proposed that this hypothetical transcription factor is regulated by glucocorticoids. The amount of thymidylate synthase and dihydrofolate reductase remained constant for at least 24 h in dexamethasone-treated P1798 cells. Dihydrofolate reductase mRNA likewise remained constant. However, the mRNA encoding thymidylate synthase decreased 80-90% within 24 h. The mRNA encoding ornithine decarboxylase also decreased. In neither case did this appear to be primarily due to inhibition of transcription of the respective genes. The abundance of the mRNAs encoding hypozanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase and phosphoglycerate kinase did not decrease in dexamethasone-treated cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Influence of hydrocortisone on chick embryo retina development.

Treatment of chick embryos in ovo with hydrocortisone-21-phosphate (a single dose of 150 micrograms) caused a marked reduction of retinal thymidine kinase activity 24 h later. The inhibitory effect was highest (65-70%) in 8-10-day-old embryos and declined with age, disappearing after day 15. It was accompanied by a reduction in thickness of the retinal layers. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) treatment (10 micrograms daily for 2 days) also produced an age-dependent inhibitory effect on retinal thymidine kinase, whereas treatment with a single dose of 200 micrograms of metopirone, a compound that prevents the 11 beta-hydroxylation of steroid molecules in the adrenal glands, impeded the decrease in thymidine kinase activity that normally occurs in chick embryo retina after day 9 of development. In addition, metopirone prevented the inhibition exerted by ACTH on thymidine kinase activity but had no effect on the action of hydrocortisone.

Effects of mitomycin C, 5-fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide on drug absorption, enzyme activities and mucosal lipid composition of intestine.

The effect of a single intravenous or oral administration of mitomycin C (MMC), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or cyclophosphamide (CP) on drug absorption was studied in rats in relation to changes in membrane characteristics. At 48 h after pretreatment, a differential effect on the absorption of sulfanilamide and L-tryptophan was observed in in situ recirculation experiments. Intravenous MMC administration suppressed the absorption of both sulfanilamide and L-tryptophan to a similar extent as a higher oral dose of this agent. Dosing with 5-FU via both routes caused the largest but almost equal suppression of L-tryptophan absorption. However, CP had no effect on the absorption of the two drugs. Differences in these effects were considered to reflect their pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties. Absorption of drugs from the small intestine had a positive correlation with small intestinal wet weight regardless of the antitumor drug used, pretreatment doses and routes of administration and the results indicated that the change in absorptive surface area played a major role in this phenomenon. Toxicity to intestinal mucosa was shown to derive from an effect on dividing cells in the crypts because MMC and 5-FU preferentially decreased thymidine kinase activity. However, at the membrane level, increased mucosal membrane permeability was also confirmed by measuring the release rates of D-glucose from liposomes consisting of mucosal total lipids obtained from the antitumor drug-treated rats. Pretreatment with lipophilic and polymeric prodrugs of MMC did not exhibit any effect on drug absorption and thus, the possibility of alleviation of toxicity and adverse reactions via the prodrug approach was suggested.