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Tumor-stromal interactions induce expression of matrix metalloproteinases and serine proteases and, as shown recently, the cysteine protease cathepsin B. We speculate that such interactions upregulate the transcription factor Ets1, resulting in increased cathepsin B expression. This would be consistent with the observed concomitant upregulation of matrix metalloproteinases and serine proteases as well as with the ability of extracellular matrices and their binding partners to alter cathepsin B expression and secretion. Using a confocal assay to analyze the contribution of tumor-stromal interactions to proteolysis, we have been able to confirm enhanced degradation of extracellular matrices by all three classes of proteases.

Prostate cancers metastasize to bone leading to osteolysis. Here we assessed proteolysis of DQ-collagen I (a bone matrix protein) and, for comparison, DQ-collagen IV, by living human prostate carcinoma cells in vitro. Both collagens were degraded, and this degradation was reduced by inhibitors of matrix metallo, serine, and cysteine proteases. Because secretion of the cysteine protease cathepsin B is increased in human breast fibroblasts grown on collagen I gels, we analyzed cathepsin B levels and secretion in prostate cells grown on collagen I gels. Levels and secretion were increased only in DU145 cells—cells that expressed the highest baseline levels of cathepsin B. Secretion of cathepsin B was also elevated in DU145 cells grown in vitro on human bone fragments. We further investigated the effect of the bone microenvironment on cathepsin B expression and activity in vivo in a SCID-human model of prostate bone metastasis. High levels of cathepsin B protein and activity were found in DU145, PC3, and LNCaP bone tumors, although the PC3 and LNCaP cells had exhibited low cathepsin B expression in vitro. Our results suggest that tumor-stromal interactions in the context of the bone microenvironment can modulate the expression of the cysteine protease cathepsin B.

12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) suppresses the proliferation of the human breast epithelial cell line MCF10A-Neo by initiating proteolytic processes that activate latent transforming growth factor (TGF)-β in the serum used to supplement culture medium. Within 1 h of treatment, cultures accumulated an extracellular activity capable of cleaving a substrate for urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). This activity was inhibited by plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 or antibodies to uPA but not tPA. Pro-uPA activation was preceded by dramatic changes in lysosome trafficking and the extracellular appearance of cathepsin B and β-hexosaminidase but not cathepsins D or L. Co-treatment of cultures with the cathepsin B inhibitors CA-074 or Z-FA-FMK suppressed the cytostatic effects of TPA and activation of pro-uPA. In the absence of TPA, exogenously added cathepsin B activated pro-uPA and suppressed MCF10A-Neo proliferation. The cytostatic effects of both TPA and cathepsin B were suppressed in cells cultured in medium depleted of plasminogen/plasmin or supplemented with neutralizing TGF-β antibody. Pretreatment with cycloheximide did not suppress the exocytosis of cathepsin B or the activation of pro-uPA. Hence, TPA activates signaling processes that trigger the exocytosis of a subpopulation of lysosomes/endosomes containing cathepsin B. Subsequently, extracellular cathepsin B initiates a proteolytic cascade involving uPA, plasminogen, and plasmin that activates serum-derived latent TGF-β.

C57BL/6J naive and immunized mice were intracorneally infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was performed to detect cathepsin gene expression and the results were further confirmed by immunoblot analysis. The enzymatic activities of cathepsins B, D and L were measured by peptidase assays. Immunohistochemical staining was carried out to localize the expression of the cathepsins. Cathepsins B, D and L were detected in the normal cornea by RT-PCR. A peptidase assay revealed activities of all three cathepsins under normal physiological conditions. In naive mice, enzymatic activities of cathepsins B, D and L were all significantly enhanced when the corneas were infected with P. aeruginosa and the peak of the induction appeared around day 6 postinfection. Immunoblot analysis showed increased expression of cathepsins B, D and L. The infected corneal samples from immunized mice exhibited much lower induction of enzymatic activities compared to those from naive mice. Immunohistochemistry showed that the expression of cathepsins in the normal cornea was restricted to the epithelial tissue while the induced expression of cathepsins was predominantly in the substantia propria. Our data revealed up-regulated enzymatic activities of cathepsins B, D and L in the naive corneas infected with P. aeruginosa, which correlated well with the inflammatory response. Immunization of mice against P. aeruginosa attenuated the inducing effect on cathepsin expression caused by infection. The time sequence for induction of cathepsin proteins and enzymatic activities suggests a mechanism of host proteolytic degradation of the extracellular matrix resulting in corneal destruction after P. aeruginosa infection.

Cathepsin B and in particular cell-surface and secreted cathepsin B has been implicated in the invasive and metastatic phenotype of numerous types of cancer. We describe here a method to easily survey cancer cell lines for cathepsin B activity using the highly selective substrate Z-Arg-Arg-AMC. Intact human U87 glioma cells hydrolyze Z-Arg-Arg-AMC with a Km of 460 microM at pH 7.0 and 37 degrees C. This is nearly the same as the Km of 430 microM obtained with purified cathepsin B assayed under the same conditions. The pericellular (i.e. both cell-surface and released) cathepsin B activity was inhibited by the cysteine protease inhibitors E-64, leupeptin, Mu-Np2-HphVS-2Np, Mu-Leu-HpHVSPh and the cathepsin B selective inhibitor Mu-Tyr(3,5 I2)-HphVSPh with IC50 values similar to those observed for the inhibition of purified human liver cathepsin B. Other human cancer cell lines with measurable pericellular cathepsin B activity included HT-1080 fibrosarcoma, MiaPaCa pancreatic, PC-3 prostate and HCT-116 colon. Cathepsin B activity correlated with protein levels of cathepsin B as determined by immunoblot analysis. Pericellular cathepsin B activity was also detected in the rat cell lines MatLyLu prostate and Mat B III adenocarcinoma and in the murine lines B16a melanoma and Lewis lung carcinoma. The ability to determine pericellular cathepsin B activity will be useful in selecting appropriate cell lines for use in vivo when analyzing the effects of inhibiting cathepsin B activity on tumor growth and metastasis.

Lysosomal cathepsin B has been implicated in parasitic, inflammatory and neoplastic diseases. Most of these pathologies suggest a role for cathepsin B outside the cells, although the origin of extracellular active enzyme is not well defined. The activity of extracellular cathepsin B is difficult to assess because of the presence of inhibitors and inactivation of the enzyme by oxidizing agents. Therefore, we have developed a continuous assay for measurement of cathepsin B activity produced pericellularly by living cells. The kinetic rate of Z-Arg-Arg-NHMec conversion was monitored and the assay optimized for enzyme stability, cell viability and sensitivity. To validate the assay, we determined that human liver cathepsin B was stable and active under the conditions of the assay and its activity could be inhibited by the selective epoxide derivative CA-074. Via this assay, we were able to demonstrate that active cathepsin B was secreted pericellularly by viable cells. Both preneoplastic and malignant cells secreted active cathepsin B. Pretreatment of cells with the membrane-permeant proinhibitor CA-074Me completely abolished pericellular and total cathepsin B activity whereas pretreatment with the active drug CA-074 had no effect. Immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting experiments suggested that the active enzyme species was 31-kDa single-chain cathepsin B. Exocytosis of cathepsin B was not related to secretion of proenzyme or secretion from mature lysosomes. Our results suggest an alternative pathway for exocytosis of active cathepsin B.

In MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, insulin stimulated the rate of [ 3 H]uridine incorporation into RNA, [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation into DNA, and [ 3 H]leucine incorporation into protein. In addition, hydrocortisone appeared to augment the effect of insulin, by further increasing the rate of [ 3 H] uridine incorporation into RNA and [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation into DNA. A significant increase in the total amount of DNA and protein was present in cultures treated with insulin compared to untreated controls. Hydrocortisone was shown to augment the insulin effect on total protein accumulation and total RNA accumulation in MCF-7 cells.

The activities of phospholipase A2 were compared in mammary glands from virgin and mid-pregnant rats and in 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene-induced rat mammary tumors. Enzyme activities were not different in the 150 000 × g pellet fractions of mammary gland homogenates from virgin and mid-pregnant rats, but enzyme activity in the 150 000 × g supernatant fraction was about twice as high in the homogenates from the mid-pregnant rat glands. Phospholipase A2 activities in the 150 000 × g pellet and supernatant fractions of homogenerates of growing tumor tissues were more than an order of magnitude higher than in the normal tissues. The elevated activity of phospholipase A2 in the tumor tissues may be related to their rapid rate of proliferation.

In a mammary gland cell line (MCF-7) of human origin, insulin stimulated the rates of RNA, DNA and protein biosynthesis. These effects were observed with concentrations of insulin ranging from 10−6 M to 10−10 M. Enhanced rates of [3H]leucine incorporation into protein and [3H]uridine incorporation into RNA were observed within 1 h after exposing the cells to insulin. In contrast, a stimulatory effect of insulin on the rate of [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA was only detectable following a 12–16 h incubation with insulin. Insulin also enhanced the rate of uptake of [3H]leucine, [3H]uridine, and [3H]thymidine into the MCF-7 cells. Finally, incubation with insulin increased the total amount of DNA, RNA and protein in these cells.

Studies were carried out to determine whether the actions of prolactin on the metabolism of the mammary gland may involve polyamines. In mouse mammary gland explants that were preincubated for 2 days with insulin plus hydrocortisone, the rate of [3H]leucine incorporation into casein was enhanced in a prolactin-like manner during a further incubation with spermidine plus cyclic GMP or phospholipase A. Putrescine (0.5 HIM) plus PGF2α, cyclic GMP or arachidonic acid also enhanced the rate of casein synthesis; but PGF2α plus 0.5 mM arginine, ornithine or spermine had no effect. Methyl GAG, an inhibitor of the enzyme S-adenosyl- L-methionine decarboxylase (which is required for the conversion of putrescine to spermidine), abolished the putrescine plus PGF2α stimulation of casein synthesis. Since this drug did not affect the action of spermidine plus PGF2α on casein synthesis, the specific action of spermidine on casein synthesis is suggested. Neither arginine, ornithine nor the polyamines, by themselves, affec...

Employing defined media conditions, the insulin sensitivities of mouse mammary gland epithelial cells in primary culture and MCF-7 human mammary epithelial cells were determined. Insulin stimulated the rates of (3H] uridine incorporation into RNA and [3H] leucine incorporation into protein in both primary mouse mammary gland epithelial cell cultures and MCF-7 cell cultures at concentrations approximating the dilution endpoint of the hormone (10-21 M). Insulin stimulated the rate of [3H] thymidine incorporation into DNA in primary mouse mammary gland epithelial cells at the dilution endpoint concentrations. However, MCF-7 cells required insulin concentrations 100-1000-times that necessary in mouse mammary epithelial cultures to elicit an increased rate of [3H] thymidine incorporation into DNA. Evidence is presented which suggests that the increased rates of uptake of 3H- uridine, [3H] thymidine and [3H] leucine into their respective precursor pools is not responsible for the apparent stimulation of RNA, DNA and protein synthesis.

Lipid biosynthesis in cultured mammary tissues from mice during midpregnancy was maximally stimulated by the combined actions of PRL, insulin, and a glucocorticoid. The minimal concentration of cortisol that was consistently permissive for the action of PRL on lipid synthesis was 0.1 microgram/ml (2.76 X 10(-7) M). The PRL effect began after 6-8 h of exposure to PRL. The response to PRL was essentially all or none, with 25 ng/ml sufficient for maximal stimulation. Specificity of the PRL effect is suggested by the observation that 1 microgram/ml bovine GH was without effect in cultured mammary tissues. Additionally, PRL had no effect on lipid metabolism in explants of ovarian fat pad, suggesting that the PRL effect in the mammary gland is not a generalized effect on fat cells. The action of PRL in the mammary gland requires both ongoing RNA and protein syntheses, since both actinomycin D and puromycin abolished its effect. The early action of PRL on lipid biosynthesis was specific for the formation of triglycerides, but not other lipid classes studied.

Specific aspects of the prolactin stimulation of RNA, DNA and protein synthesis in the Nb2 node lymphoma cell line were determined. In time sequence studies the onset of the prolactin stimulation of the incorporation of radiolabeled precursors into these macromolecules was found to be 0.5-1 h for [3H]uridine incorporation into RNA, 1-2 h for [3H]leucine incorporation into protein, and 4-8 h for [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA. The total DNA content of the cell cultures was increased by 12-18 hours after addition of prolactin. Amiloride, an inhibitor of the plasma-membrane-bound Na+/H+ antiporter, was found to inhibit the mitogenic effects of prolactin. Amiloride was also found to inhibit the prolactin stimulation of DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, thus suggesting that the initial regulation of the Na+/H+ antiporter may initiate these responses as well as the mitogenic effect of prolactin. In contrast, H-7, a drug which inhibits protein kinase C, had no effect on the magnitude of the prolactin stimulation of DNA, RNA or protein synthesis at a drug concentration (100 muM) that abolished the mitogenic effect of prolactin. The early effects of prolactin on RNA, DNA and protein synthesis would therefore appear not to involve an activation of protein kinase C.

The actions of insulin, hydrocortisone, prolactin and growth hormone on the synthesis of macromolecules in MCF-7 cells was determined in a serum-free defined medium. The inclusion of the polyamine spermidine in the medium was shown to enhance the insulin stimulation of the rate of [3H]uridine incorporation into RNA in a manner similar to that demonstrated for hydrocortisone. Spermidine, in addition to insulin and hydrocortisone, was also essential for prolactin to manifest a stimulation of the rate of [3H]uridine incorporation; this effect of spermidine was optimal with spermidine concentrations between 1 and 5 mM. Prolactin also stimulated the rate of [3H]leucine incorporation into total cellular protein and into an isoelectrically precipitable (pH 4.6) phosphoprotein fraction. The actions of prolactin on total protein and phosphoprotein synthesis were only expressed if spermidine, in addition to insulin and hydrocortisone, was contained in the culture medium. All of the prolactin responses were observed employing physiological concentrations of prolactin. Specificity of the prolactin responses was established by demonstrating that porcine growth hormone had no effects on RNA or phosphoprotein synthesis in the MCF-7 cells.

Monolayer cultures of mammary gland epithelial cells were prepared from the abdominal glands of midpregnancy mice. After collagenase digestion of mammary tissue and separation by differential centrifugation, the isolated epithelial cells were cultured in Eagle's Minimal Essential Medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and insulin (6 micrograms/ml). Six days later, when the cultures were in log growth and nearly confluent, the effects of insulin and/or hydrocortisone on the rates of RNA, DNA, and protein synthesis were determined in a serum-free medium. At physiological concentrations, insulin enhanced the rates of uptake and incorporation of [3H]uridine into RNA, of [3H]thymidine into DNA, and of [3H]leucine into protein. Hydrocortisone was shown to be biphasic with regard to concentration in attenuating or augmenting insulin's effects on macromolecular synthesis.