Hepatoma Variants Research Articles

The Role of CREG1 as a Master Regular of Liver Function

Mammalian development involves a complex system of regulatory signals and reactions resulting in highly differentiated cell types with specific structure and function. The liver is a major organ that has been studied extensively to understand underlying genetic processes responsible for specification, establishment and maintenance of tissue identity. Hepatoma and hepatoma variant cell lines have been used as a model to understand genetic networks responsible for liver function. Whole genome microarray analysis of hepatocyte cell lines has revealed candidate genes that may serve as regulators or master regulators of liver specificity. In two previous studies, the role of candidate gene Cellular Repressor of E1A Stimulated Gene (CREG1) on regulation of liver‐specific gene expression was determined using transfection studies combined with utilization of quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRTPCR). Both studies found strong activation (10–100‐fold) of transcription factor Hnf6 and the downstream gene Serpina1 (a marker gene used to identify liver function). These findings suggested that CREG1 might act through Hnf6 to regulate Serpina1 via a Locus Control Region (LCR). However, while one study showed that of CREG1 overexpression in a hepatoma variant cell line resulted in modest activation of liver‐specific transcription factors Hnf1, Hnf4 and Hnf3, the second study suggested robust activation of these genes as measured by qRT‐PCR. In the current study, a CREG1 expression vector was reintroduced into two variant cell lines and gene activation profiles monitored to establish validity of the previous studies. However, we postulated that CREG‐1 overexpression, validated by qRT‐PCR, can activate expression of hepatocyte transcription factor Hnf6 and the downstream gene Serpina1.However, analysis of gene silencing of liver and non‐liver cell types using whole genome microarray screening will help to identify, compare and elucidate the effects of various candidate tissue specific genes. Moreover, we are currently interested to see the reintroduction of liver‐enriched factors in hepatoma variants fully reactivates liver gene expression. Thus, understanding the underlying mechanism and role of each gene helps to develop therapeutic treatment targets for treating liver diseases.Support or Funding InformationEastern Illinois University, Department of Biological ScienceThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Apoptosis of Dedifferentiated Hepatoma Cells is Independent of NF-κB Activation in Response to LPS

Dedifferentiated hepatoma cells, in contrast to most other cell types including hepatoma cells, undergo apoptosis when treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plus the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (CHx). We recently reported that the dedifferentiated hepatoma cells also exhibit a strong and prolonged NF-kappaB induction phenotype upon exposure to LPS, suggesting that NF-kappaB signaling may play a pro-survival role, as reported in several other cell systems. To test the role of NF-kappaB in preventing LPS-mediated apoptosis, we examined the dedifferentiated cell line M38. Results show that antioxidants strongly inhibited LPS + CHx-mediated cell death in the M38 cells, yet only modestly inhibited NF-kappaB induction. In addition, inhibition of NF-kappaB translocation by infection of the M38 cells with an adenoviral vector expressing an IkappaBalpha super-repressor did not result in LPS-mediated cell death. These results suggest that unlike TNFalpha induction, the cell survival pathway activated in response to LPS is independent of NF-kappaB translocation in the dedifferentiated cells. Addition of inhibitors of JNK, p38 and ERK pathways also failed to elicit LPS-mediated apoptosis similar to that observed when protein synthesis is prevented. Thus, cell survival pathways other than those involving NF-kappaB inducible gene expression or other well-known pathways appear to be involved in protecting the dedifferentiated hepatoma variant cells from LPS-mediated apoptosis. Importantly, this pro-apoptotic function of LPS appears to be a function of loss of hepatic gene expression, as the parental hepatoma cells resist LPS-mediated apoptosis in the presence of protein synthesis inhibitors.

A common regulatory locus affects both HNF4/HNF1alpha pathway activation and sensitivity to LPS-mediated apoptosis in rat hepatoma cells.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been shown to protect certain cultured mammalian cells from undergoing programmed cell death (apoptosis) when exposed to tumor necrosis factor (TNF). However, LPS has also been reported to induce apoptosis in cultured endothelial cells, suggesting that apoptotic response mechanisms may be dependent upon cell type. In order to understand the influence of tissue-specific gene expression on apoptosis, we compared LPS-induced apoptosis in hepatoma cells with dedifferentiated hepatoma variant cells that have been selected for the loss of the liver-enriched HNF4/HNF1alpha transcriptional activation pathway. We report here that while human, rat and mouse hepatoma cell lines are resistant to LPS-mediated cell death, the HNF4-/HNF1alpha- rat hepatoma variant cells undergo rapid apoptosis (as determined by morphological analysis, DNA laddering and the TUNEL assay) upon exposure to LPS. Genetic rescue experiments show that restoration of the HNF4/HNF1alpha pathway via chromosome transfer render the hepatoma variant cells resistant to LPS-mediated apoptosis. However, the introduction of HNF1alpha alone failed to alter the apoptotic phenotype, suggesting that the defect(s) in the hepatoma variant cells that influence apoptotic responses lies upstream of HNF4/HNF1alpha expression. This study provides for the first time direct evidence of a common regulatory locus involved in activation of hepatic gene expression and sensitivity to LPS-mediated apoptosis.

Apoptosis is induced in both drug-sensitive and multidrug-resistant hepatoma cells by somatostatin analogue TT-232.

Clinical resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs is an important problem in the treatment of cancer; the circumvention of resistance has become one of the basic goals of cancer therapy. The most frequent form of primary liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma, which is essentially refractory to chemotherapy. We earlier showed that TT-232, a new somatostatin analogue developed in our laboratory, exerted a strong antiproliferative effect both in vitro and in vivo, but no growth hormone release inhibitory or antisecretory activity. Here we report that TT-232 has a pronounced antiproliferative effect on differentiated and dedifferentiated, drug-sensitive and multidrug-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. TT-232 induces apoptosis at comparable levels in all these hepatoma variants demonstrating that the multidrug resistance of hepatomas does not correlate with a reduced susceptibility to apoptosis induction. These results clearly reveal that the machinery involved in apoptosis is functional in both drug-sensitive and resistant hepatoma variants and can be activated by the somatostatin analogue TT-232. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaign

Phenotypic effects of the forced expression of HNF4 and HNF1alpha are conditioned by properties of the recipient cell.

Tagged versions of HNF4 or HNF1alpha cDNAs in expression vectors have been introduced by transient and stable transfection into three cell lines of hepatic origin that all fail to express these two liver-enriched transcription factors and hepatic functions. C2 and H5 cells are dedifferentiated rat hepatoma variants and WIF12-E cells are human fibroblast-rat hepatoma hybrids with a reduced complement of human chromosomes. Transfectants were analyzed for the expression state of the endogenous genes coding for these transcription factors and for hepatic functions. Each cell line showed a different response to the forced expression of the transcription factors. In C2 cells, no measurable effect was observed, either upon transitory or stable expression. H5 cells reexpressed the endogenous HNF4 gene only upon transient HNF1alpha transfection, and the endogenous HNF1alpha gene only in stable HNF4 transfectants. WIF12-E cells responded to the forced transient or stable expression of either HNF1alpha or HNF4 by cross-activation of the corresponding endogenous gene. In addition, the stable transfectants reexpress HNF3alpha and C/EBPalpha, as well as all of the hepatic functions examined. Hybrid cells similar to WIF12-E had previously been observed to show pleiotropic reexpression of the hepatic phenotype in parallel with loss of human chromosome 2. For the stable WIF12-E transfectants, it was verified that reexpression of the hepatic phenotype was not due to loss of human chromosome 2. The demonstration of reciprocal cross-regulation between HNF4 and HNF1alpha in transient as well as stable transfectants implies that direct effects are involved.

Selective loss of the hepatic phenotype due to the absence of a transcriptional activation pathway.

Liver-enriched trans-acting factors hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 alpha (HNF1 alpha) and -4 (HNF4) are components of a transcriptional activation pathway that is thought to play a major role in hepatic gene activation. We previously described the isolation and characterization of distinct classes of hepatoma variants which lack the HNF4-->HNF1 alpha pathway (1). In order to determine the influence of the HNF4-->HNF1 alpha pathway on hepatic gene expression, genetic rescue experiments were done using hepatoma variant line H11 as a model system. Results suggest that this pathway is required for basal expression of a number of endogenous hepatocyte-specific genes. Complementation groups were established by fusion of H11 cells with other variant lines. Lastly, introduction of human chromosome 20 (containing the HNF4 locus) or randomly-marked human chromosomes into H11 cells failed to rescue the hepatic phenotype, suggesting that what appears to be a 'simple' defect may involve multiple genetic loci.

Overexpression of P-glycoprotein in heat-and/or drug-resistant hepatoma variants

We have earlier isolated a glucocorticoid-resistant, dedifferentiated rat hepatoma variant, the clone 2, which exhibited deficient stress activation of the major stress-inducible heat-shock protein hsp68. Multidrug-resistant variants were isolated from clone 2 cells using increasing concentrations of colchicine. The induction deficiency of hsp68 was maintained in the colchicine-resistant clone 2 cells grown for several months in the presence of 1 microgram/ml colchicine (termed as highly multidrug-resistant variant) indicating that this heat-shock protein is not involved in the multidrug resistance. No alteration of the protein synthesis pattern was observed except the strong increase of the P-glycoprotein, which correlated with high level of corresponding mRNA. Stable heat-resistant variants of clone 2 were also isolated, which showed increased drug resistance to several drugs, i.e. they became moderately multidrug-resistant. This moderate multidrug resistance of the heat-resistant variants was further increased by stepwise selection with colchicine (highly multidrug-resistant heat-resistant variants). The levels of P-glycoprotein mRNA and protein were elevated both in the heat-resistant, non drug selected, moderately drug-resistant and in heat-resistant, colchicine selected, highly drug-resistant variants. Decreased retention of antitumor drugs was observed in all multidrug-resistant variants indicating that P-glycoprotein was functional. Verapamil increased doxorubicin retention and cytotoxicity significantly. Our results showing that severely stressed hepatoma cells overexpressed the multidrug resistance gene(s) raise the possibility that the P-glycoprotein may participate in protection against environmental stress such as heat.

NF-κB binding is elevated in hepatoma variant cells lacking the HNF4→HNF1 hierarchical pathway: [formula omitted], Pediatric Research Institute, St. Louis University Health Sciences Center, St. Louis, MO

The mammalian aldehyde dehydrogenase-3 gene (ALDH3) exhibits several aspects of tissue-specific expression. Certain normal tissues, such as the cornea, constitutively expressALDH3at very high levels. Other tissues, such as normal liver, do not expressALDH3.In liver,ALDH3is inducible by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon xenobiotics by an Ah-receptor (AhR)-mediated pathway in which a liganded AhR complexes with nuclear ARNT protein, and the complex binds to a xenobiotic response element (XRE) sequence located near −3.0 kb in theALDH35′ flanking region and initiates transcription. We used our recently developed rat corneal epithelium culture model (Boeschet al., J. Biol. Chem.271, 5150–5157, 1996) to study the molecular basis of constitutiveALDH3expression. Transient transfection assays of corneal epithelium using a battery ofALDH35′ flanking region–CAT reporter gene constructs indicate that high constitutiveALDH3expression involves the samecis-acting elements as xenobiotic-inducedALDH3expression in liver. These elements include a strong basal promoter region and the XRE located near −3.0 kb. Western analysis confirms the presence of AhR and ARNT proteins in 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rat liver, as well as ARNT protein in rat corneal epithelium. No AhR protein is found in rat cornea. The −3.0-kbALDH3XRE region contains multiple overlapping transcription factor binding sequences, including consensus sites for AhR, ARNT, HNF1, HNF4, and C/ebp. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) indicate that constitutive expression ofALDH3in cornea involves binding of ARNT, HNF1, and HNF4 to theALDH3–XRE in an Ah-receptor-independent, ARNT-requiring manner. Transient transfection ofALDH3–CAT reporter gene constructs possessing a mutation in either the ARNT- or HNF4–DNA binding sites of the XRE confirms the functional importance of these sequence motifs in constitutiveALDH3expression.

The function of heat-shock proteins in stress tolerance.

We earlier demonstrated that hsp68 is deficiently induced upon stress in the glucocorticoid-resistant, dedifferentiated Reuber rat hepatoma clone 2 cells, but is strongly activated in the differentiated, glucocorticoid-sensitive Faza 967 cells from which clone 2 was derived. We used the two cell types to address the questions whether hsp68 is specifically involved in the development of thermotolerance and/or thermoresistance or drug resistance. Our experiments show that clone 2 cells were not protected from the killing effect of heat by pretreatment with sodium arsenite, whereas Faza 967 cells were. These results strongly suggest a role of hsp68 in the development of thermotolerance in hepatoma cells. Stable heat-resistant variants of clone 2 cells were also isolated, where an increased basal expression of several hsps was observed together with the (at least partial) restoration of the heat-inducibility of hsp68. These results suggest that several hsps are needed to protect the critical biological processes at high temperature. The heat-resistant hepatoma cells also became resistant to several anticancer drugs. The multidrug resistance of the hepatoma variants correlates with the overexpression of the plasma membrane P-glycoprotein. Our results showing that severely stressed hepatoma cells overexpressed the mdr gene(s) raise the possibility that the P-gp may participate in protection against environmental stress such as heat.

Biotransformation of 17β-hydroxy-11β-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)17α-1-propynyl-estra-4,9-dien-3-one (RU486) in rat hepatoma variants

Metabolism of the synthetic steroid 17β-hydroxy-11β-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)17α-1-propynl-estra-4,9-dien-3-one (RU486) occurs in the dedifferentiated S-H56-125 variant of Reuber hepatoma. Considering that rat liver cytochrome P450 (P450) monooxygenases are engaged in different oxidative steps of the metabolism of RU486, the influence of several prototype P450 inducers was investigated. The data obtained by treating H56 and S-H56-125 hepatoma cells with different P450 inducers (dexamethasone (DEX), benzathracene, phenobarbital) or with a specific P450 inhibitor, troleandomycin, led us to conclude that CYP3A is involved in the hydroxylation of RU486. This form is induced by DEX independently of the availability of the canonical glucocorticoid receptor.

Decreased stress inducibility of the HSP68 protein in a rat hepatoma variant clone.

Analysis of the stress response of closely related rat hepatoma clones revealed that the major inducible heat-shock protein 68 (HSP68) was only slightly inducible upon stress in the glucocorticoid-resistant, dedifferentiated clone-2 cells, but strongly activated in the differentiated, glucocorticoid-sensitive Faza 967 cells from which clone 2 was derived. The decreased inducibility of HSP68 in clone-2 cells was not the consequence of altered kinetics of protein synthesis recovery, was not correlated with the deficient inducibility of other major heat-shock proteins and had no effect on the heat sensitivity of the cells. This deficiency was observed after treatment with mild and strong heat and various chemicals. The results of nuclear run-on experiments suggested that the impairment of HSP68 mRNA induction most likely occurs at the transcriptional level and is probably specific for the corresponding gene. In Faza 967 and clone-2 cells, stress activated comparable levels of heat-shock-factor binding to the heat-shock element, and the expression of a reporter gene under the control of murine HSP70.1 promoter was strongly stimulated in both cells. Therefore, our results raise the possibility that the deficient stress inducibility of HSP68 is due to some specific regulation of the endogeneous HSP68 gene, rather than to a deficiency of the heat-shock factor or mutation of the corresponding gene.

Inhibition of growth by the antihormone RU486 in different hepatoma cell lines

The synthetic steroid RU486 (17)β-hydroxy-11β-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)-17α-(1-propynyl)-estra-4, 9-dien-3-one), which has been shown to display antiprogestin and antiglucocorticoid properties in different systems, exerts antiglucocorticoid effects and inhibits the cell growth in a concentration-dependent manner on Reuber rat hepatoma cell variants. This effect can be observed on glucocorticoid-sensitive cells, containing glucocorticoid receptors, and on glucocorticoid-resistant cells displaying a very low level of dexamethasone binding. Metabolization of RU486 occurs in different glucocorticoid-resistant hepatoma variants; these cells are less sensitive to the growth inhibitory effect of the antihormone than the steroid-sensitive cells which do not metabolize RU486. Thus, metabolization of RU486 must also be taken into account for the efficacy of this antagonist on cell growth.

Heat‐shock response of rat hepatoma variant cells

The effect of mild heat shock on protein synthesis was examined in differentiated and dedifferentiated, glucocorticoid-sensitive and resistant clones of H4IIEC3 rat hepatoma cells by one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of [35S]methionine-labeled proteins. Among the major heat-shock proteins, five were induced in all hepatoma clones. Certain members of the HSP70 family and the corresponding mRNAs were only slightly inducible in the glucocorticoid-resistant variants, but were strongly inducible in the sensitive ones. Three other proteins lacked heat inducibility in the dedifferentiated clones. The constitutive level of one major heat-shock protein was elevated in all dedifferentiated variants. These results show that the stage of differentiation influences the expression of heat-shock genes of hepatoma cells. We found no correlation between the elevated constitutive or induced level of heat-shock proteins and heat resistance.

HNF-1 shares three sequence motifs with the POU domain proteins and is identical to LF-B1 and APF.

The coordinate expression of genes during development and differentiation is thought to be accomplished by common transcription factors operating on the promoters of families of coexpressed genes. HNF-1 is a transcriptional factor involved in the expression of genes in the liver and was originally defined as playing a major role in coordinating the expression of the linked fibrinogen genes. We have isolated cDNA clones for HNF-1 using oligonucleotides prepared to the sequence of the purified protein. The sequence of HNF-1 shares homeo domain, as well as short acidic and basic sequences with the POU family of transcriptional activators. Peptides from the protein interacting with the albumin proximal element, or B box (APF), and the factor interacting with the alpha 1-antitrypsin promoter (LF-B1) are found in the predicted sequence of HNF-1. HNF-1 mRNA is not present in the dedifferentiated hepatoma variant, C2, but reappears upon selection for gluconeogenesis coincident with the re-expression of liver-specific genes. Finally, the mRNA is not present in somatic cell hybrids in which liver-specific gene expression is extinguished. In contrast to earlier published results, we find that in addition to being present in the liver, HNF is expressed in the kidney, intestine, and spleen, but not in other tissues. This pattern of expression mirrors the complex pattern of expression of many genes, such as alpha-fetoprotein, alpha 1-antitrypsin, and fibrinogen, whose promoters contain HNF-1 sites. These data indicate that HNF-1 is a more broadly acting transcription factor than has been indicated by previous work.

Hepatoma variants (C2) are defective for transcriptional and post-transcriptional actions from both endogenous and viral genomes.

A series of rat hepatoma cell lines was infected with a recombinant adenovirus bearing the rat albumin promoter. Transcription from this promoter was scored directly and was highest in FAO, the differentiated parent, undetectable in C2, a cell variant that has lost almost all hepatocytic characteristics, and high again in C2-Rev7, a 'revertant' cell line derived from C2 that has regained the ability to produce many proteins characteristic of hepatocytes. The endogenous albumin gene is not transcribed in C2 cells, and at a very low rate in C2-Rev7 cells, which accumulate endogenous albumin mRNA at close to normal amounts. Thus the C2-Rev7 'recovery' of albumin mRNA concentration for the endogenous gene is based mainly on post-transcriptional events while the ability of C2-Rev7 to transcribe the albumin promoter in the viral genome is based on a transcriptional factor(s). We also showed that the C2 phenotype included post-transcriptional effects for other genes: transcription of phenylalanine hydroxylase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA sequences continue in C2 at rates equivalent to FAO but these C2 cells have no mRNA for these proteins while FAO does. In addition, C2 cells transcribed certain early adenovirus transcription units (E2 and 4) as well as FAO cells but accumulated E2 mRNAs poorly if at all. The changes that led to the C2-Rev7 cell line produced a return to normal of the ability to accumulate these viral mRNAs. Thus a major event in the C2 to C2-Rev7 transition involves post-transcriptional processes as well as the ability to transcribe the albumin promoter positioned in the virus genome.

Characterization of cystathionine synthase as a selectable, liver-specific trait in rat hepatomas.

Cell growth using homocysteine as a source of cysteine-sulphur requires two enzymes, cystathionine synthase (CS) and gamma-cystathionase (CT). The second of these enzymes, CT, is apparently present in most cell lines regardless of their tissues of origin, since most cells can grow in vitro in the absence of cystine if they are provided with cystathionine, the intermediate in the pathway. Likewise, homocysteine will support the growth of many human cells. However, of a wide range of rodent cells, only well-differentiated rat hepatoma cells were found to grow using homocysteine in place of cystine. It is shown that cell growth in homocysteine-medium correlates well with the presence in the cells of detectable levels of CS. Furthermore, in cells able to grow in homocysteine-medium, it is possible to demonstrate the homocysteine-dependent trans-sulphuration of serine to cysteine. Growth in homocysteine-medium is not dependent on the release of preformed cysteine from disulphide complexes with serum proteins. In cell hybrids, and in 'dedifferentiated' variants of rat hepatomas, CS, but not CT, is subject to extinction coordinately with well-characterized liver-specific traits. For rodent cells, homocysteine-medium thus acts as a selective medium requiring the expression of a single liver-specific trait, CS. In addition it is shown that, in certain hepatoma variants, CS is regulated co-ordinately with a urea-cycle enzyme (carbamoyl phosphate synthetase I) by glucocorticoids and cyclic-AMP. Cell death through cysteine starvation is briefly considered. The immediate cause of death is apparently an insufficient supply of reduced glutathione. Selenium and vitamin E assist cell growth when the supply of cysteine is limiting.

Arginine synthesis by hepatomas in vitro. II. Isolation and characterization of Morris hepatoma variants unable to convert ornithine to arginine, and modulation of urea-cycle enzymes by dexamethasone and cyclic-AMP.

'77orn', a derivative of the Morris rat hepatoma 7777, stably expresses high levels of ornithine transcarbamoylase (OTC) and carbamoylphosphate synthetase I (CPS-I), and is able to grow indefinitely in ornithine-medium (medium with ornithine in place of arginine). Variants that have lost this ability are isolated from 77orn by a 'suicide' selective technique dependent on the cellular incorporation of [3H]ornithine. These variants, which have reduced levels of CPS-I, or of both CPS-I and OTC, are shown to have developed multiple hormonal requirements; their enzyme deficiencies can be reversed by use of an appropriately supplemented medium. In particular, CPS-I is inducible by dexamethasone and dibutyryl-cyclic-AMP in combination. Cholera toxin can be used instead of cyclic-AMP, but then butyrate is additionally required if the induction is to be maintained in the long term. The use of these agents in excess can depress OTC. Several other hepatomas, and alos explanted foetal rat liver cells, have similar requirements for CPS-I expression. It is argued that multiple hormonal requirements for CPS-I production are normal in liver cells in vitro, and that hormone-independent hepatomas should be regarded as abnormal. The implications of this for the somatic cell genetic investigation of differentiation are briefly discussed.

Differentiation is not restored in hybrids between independent variants of a rat hepatoma.

Crosses have been undertaken between cells of three independent clones of dedifferentiated rat hepatoma variants to investigate whether "complementation" leading to restoration of the original differentiation would occur. Hybrids were examined between ten days and two months after fusion for the presence of intracellular albumin and for their ability to proliferate in glucose-free medium where survival requires activity of the liver-specific gluconeogenic enzymes. In none of the three possible crosses involving the three variants was evidence of reexpression of hepatic functions obtained.

Altered expression of ribokinase activity in Novikoff hepatoma variants

Ribokinase, the first enzyme in ribose catabolism, is altered in its expression in ribose-utilizing Novikoff hepatoma variants. 90% of the variants selected for their ability to use d-ribose as a sole carbon source show a change in ribokinase activity. After non-selective growth, phenotypically unstable variants lose their altered expression and regain a parental form of expression of this enzyme. In the variants, ribokinase expression is non-inducible by the carbon source and is unaffected by the growth phase of the cells. However, ribokinase expression in both parental cells and variants is cell cycle-dependent. Parental Novikoff hepatoma cells have three peaks of ribokinase activity during the S, G 2 and M phases. Variants are described which have high basal levels of ribokinase and only a single peak of enzymatic activity during the S phase. In addition to changes in the level of ribokinase, changes in the subcellular localization of the enzyme have been found in some variants. While the change in the level of ribokinase seems to be a property of the variant isolated, the change in subcellular location of ribokinase can be readily achieved by culture conditions.

Dedifferentiated variants of a rat hepatoma: Partial reversion induced by cell aggregation

Dedifferentiated rat hepatoma variant cells of clone Faof1 fail to express most of the liver-specific functions characteristic of its line or origin, H4IIEC3. When Faof1 cells are cultivated for 48 hr in the form of aggregates two cell types can be recovered from monolayer cultures established from the aggregates: the majority of cells are similar to the Faof1 parental line, but a new cell type (designated dag) that adheres only weakly to the substrate is present at a frequency of 2–12 × 10 −2. Eight dag populations and eight clones are characterized as being different from Faof1 cells by the production of serum albumin, aldolase B and in some cases activity of alcohol dehydrogenase and alanine aminotransferase. No dag cells are recovered after 18 or 24 hours of aggregation, but after 48 or 96 hrs 1–5% of the cells give rise to clones of dag cells. During aggregation cells are committed to become dag cells but their new phenotype is expressed only after 5–12 days. The fraction of dag cells in colonies that grow out from aggregates suggests that dag transformation is not a clonal event. These experiments demonstrate that a transitory change in the culture conditions of Faof1 cells can lead to a heritable modification in phenotypic expression. Since dag cells fail to express the liver-specific gluconeogenic enzymes that permit cells to grow in glucose-free medium, it is possible to select from dag populations revertants in which expression of these activities is restored. The frequency of appearance of such dag revertants is not increased by the action of EMS.