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Multiple myeloma (MM) cells express idiotypic proteins and other tumor-associated antigens which make them ideal targets for novel immunotherapeutic approaches. However, recent reports show the presence of Kaposi’s sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) gene sequences in bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDCs) in MM, raising concerns regarding their antigen-presenting cell (APC) function. In the present study, we sought to identify the ideal source of DCs from MM patients for use in vaccination approaches. We compared the relative frequency, phenotype, and function of BMDCs or peripheral blood dendritic cells (PBDCs) from MM patients versus normal donors. DCs were derived by culture of mononuclear cells in the presence of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-4. The yield as well as the pattern and intensity of Ag (HLA-DR, CD40, CD54, CD80, and CD86) expression were equivalent on DCs from BM or PB of MM patients versus normal donors. Comparison of PBDCs versus BMDCs showed higher surface expression of HLA-DR (P = .01), CD86 (P = .0003), and CD14 (P = .04) on PBDCs. APC function, assessed using an allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR), demonstrated equivalent T-cell proliferation triggered by MM versus normal DCs. Moreover, no differences in APC function were noted in BMDCs compared with PBDCs. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of genomic DNA from both MM patient and normal donor DCs for the 233-bp KSHV gene sequence (KS330233) was negative, but nested PCR to yield a final product of 186 bp internal to KS330233 was positive in 16 of 18 (88.8%) MM BMDCs, 3 of 8 (37.5%) normal BMDCs, 1 of 5 (20%) MM PBDCs, and 2 of 6 (33.3%) normal donor PBDCs. Sequencing of 4 MM patient PCR products showed 96% to 98% homology to the published KSHV gene sequence, with patient specific mutations ruling out PCR artifacts or contamination. In addition, KHSV-specific viral cyclin D (open reading frame [ORF] 72) was amplified in 2 of 5 MM BMDCs, with sequencing of the ORF 72 amplicon revealing 91% and 92% homology to the KSHV viral cyclin D sequence. These sequences again demonstrated patient specific mutations, ruling out contamination. Therefore, our studies show that PB appears to be the preferred source of DCs for use in vaccination strategies due to the ready accessibility and phenotypic profile of PBDCs, as well as the comparable APC function and lower detection rate of KSHV gene sequences compared with BMDCs. Whether active KSHV infection is present and important in the pathophysiology of MM remains unclear; however, our study shows that MMDCs remain functional despite the detection of KSHV gene sequences.

Lung Cancer Associated Protein (LCAP) is a high molecular weight glycoprotein defined by the monoclonal antibody (MAb) DF-L1 prepared against a primary adenocarcinoma of the lung. Previous studies have demonstrated that LCAP circulates at elevated levels in patients with lung cancer. However, a suitable assay for monitoring LCAP levels has not been available. The present work describes the development of a double-determinant LCAP assay using MAb TRD-L1 as the capture antibody and MAb DF-L1 as the tracer. In 60 normal subjects, the mean LCAP level was 4.8 U/ml with 2 (3.3%) subjects having values >12 U/ml (mean + 2SDS). By contrast, 37 of 67 (55.2%) patients with lung cancer had LCAP levels >12 U/ml. Moreover, only 14 of 203 (6.9%) patients with benign lung disease had elevated levels. LCAP levels were most commonly elevated (62.7%) in patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung and with advanced disease. These results indicate that LCAP as detected by MAb TRD-L1 is a potentially useful marker for the evaluation of patients with lung cancer.

The early growth response 1 (EGR-1) gene is induced by mitogenic and differentiating signals in diverse cell types. The present studies have examined the effects of TNF-alpha on the induction of EGR-1 expression in human myeloid leukemia cells and the potential cytoplasmic signaling cascades that transduce TNF-induced signals to the nucleus. The results demonstrate that treatment of HL-60 cells with TNF is associated with the transient induction of the EGR-1 gene. The results also demonstrate that TNF treatment is associated with activation of the serine/threonine kinase, pp90rsk, which acts upstream to EGR-1 gene induction. Partial purification of pp90rsk by affinity chromatography demonstrated an increase in S6 peptide phosphorylation in response to TNF treatment. Because TNF activates sphingomyelin hydrolysis, we also studied the effects of sphingomyelinase (SMase) on induction of EGR-1 and pp90rsk. The results demonstrate that SMase also activates pp90rsk and induces EGR-1 gene expression. Previous work has demonstrated that mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activates pp90rsk. The present studies further show that treatment with TNF or SMase is associated with induction of both the pp42/44 MAP and the related Jun kinases. Induction of pp42/44 MAP kinase activity is temporally related to activation of pp90rsk and the EGR-1 gene. These findings support the involvement of an MAP kinase/pp90rsk/EGR-1 cascade in the response of myeloid leukemia cells to TNF.

Drug-resistant sublines of the human U-937 myeloid leukemia cell line were selected in doxorubicin concentrations of 10, 40, and 200 ng/mL (designated U-A10, U-A40, and U-A200, respectively). Northern blot analysis showed overexpression of the multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) gene, but not MDR1, in U-A10 cells as compared with parental U-937 cells. Prolonged passage of U-A10 cells in 10 ng/mL of doxorubicin had little effect on MRP RNA levels, but increased MDR1 expression. The U-A40 and U-A200 cells, derived by selection of U-A10 cells, showed high levels of both MRP and MDR1 expression. None of the drug-resistant cell lines showed MRP or MDR1 gene amplification as judged by Southern blot analysis. U-A10 cells exhibited minimal decreased net accumulation of anthracycline, whereas U-A40 and U-A200 cells showed more significantly decreased drug accumulation as compared with U-937 cells. Subcellular anthracycline accumulation in U-937 cells as determined by fluorescence microscopy showed daunorubicin fluorescence predominately in the nucleus. However, the drug-resistant cell lines showed minimal nuclear drug accumulation with marked redistribution of drug into a vesicular compartment. Treatment with sodium azide/2-deoxyglucose, 2,4-dinitrophenol, or monensin, but not verapamil, abolished the vesicular accumulation. These studies in doxorubicin-selected U-937 cells indicate that induction of MRP overexpression occurs before that for the MDR1 gene. In addition, the drug-resistant cells possess an energy-dependent redistribution of anthracyclines into a nonnuclear vesicular compartment.

Although mucins provide lubrication and physical protection for epithelial cell surfaces, other functional roles for these large glycoproteins are unknown. One human mucin, designated DF3 Ag, is detectable on apical surfaces of normal epithelial secretory cells and in normal milk, urine, and plasma. The present studies have examined the effects of DF3 Ag purified from both normal and malignant sources on the antibody-dependent cytotoxicity of Schistosoma mansoni by eosinophils (ADCC-E) and on the adherence of eosinophils to inert antibody-coated targets. DF3 Ag purified from tissue culture supernatant of a human breast carcinoma cell line or from human milk inhibited ADCC-E in a concentration-dependent manner, with half-maximal inhibitory activity at 3 to 10 micrograms/ml. Inhibition of ADCC-E was specific for the DF3 mucin, because no inhibition was observed with two other unrelated, circulating glycoproteins: carcinoembryonic Ag and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein. Inhibition was not a result of direct cytotoxicity of the DF3 Ag for eosinophils, as demonstrated by the lack of detectable effect of the mucin on cellular trypan blue exclusion or PMA-induced H2O2 release. The inhibitory effect was time dependent, requiring the presence of DF3 Ag in the ADCC-E culture for at least 4 h, beginning within the first 2 h of eosinophil-schistosomula interaction. Furthermore, inhibition was not a result of interaction between DF3 Ag and the activating lymphokine. These data suggest that inhibition of ADCC-E by DF3 Ag is a result of interference of adhesion of eosinophils to Ig-coated targets. In this regard, purified DF3 tumor Ag prevents eosinophil adherence to human Ig-conjugated Sepharose 4B beads. Preincubation of the inert Ig-coated targets with DF3 Ag did not inhibit subsequent eosinophil adherence, suggesting that DF3 Ag interacts with a moiety present on the eosinophil. Inhibition of adhesion occurred at 37 degrees C, but was also observed at 4 degrees C. These results suggest that DF3 Ag acts as an immunomodulating agent. Because activated eosinophils can damage surrounding normal tissues as well as infectious organisms, DF3 Ag may serve to protect secretory epithelium from the cytotoxic effects of activated inflammatory cells.

Human epithelial mucin, MUC-1, is commonly expressed in adenocarcinoma including 80% of breast cancers. erbB-2 is overexpressed in approximately 30% of breast cancers. Expression of MUC-1 and erbB-2 may be partially overlapping but discoordinate. Therefore, combined use of antibodies directed against these two antigens might increase the number of patients who benefit from immunotherapy. Monoclonal antibody (MAb) DF3 recognizes the MUC-1 tandem repeat. We investigated phagocytosis and cytolysis of cultured human breast cancer cells by monocyte-derived macrophages mediated by MAb DF3 and its bispecific antibody (BsAb) DF3xH22 with the second epitope directed against the Fc component of phagocytic cells. Purified monocytes from healthy donors were cultured with granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor with or without IFN-gamma. antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) assays were performed with these macrophages and MUC-1-expressing target cells (ZR75-1) in the presence of MAb DF3 and BsAb DF3xH22. ADCP was measured by two-color fluorescence flow cytometry using PKH2 (green fluorescent dye) and R-phytoerythrin (RPE) (red)-conjugated MAb against human CD14 and CD11b and was confirmed by confocal microscopy. ADCC was measured by (51)Cr release assay. Immunohistochemical staining studies of MUC-1 and erbB-2 were performed on 67 primary breast cancer tissues. Expression of MUC-1 and erbB-2 was partially overlapping but discoordinate in 67 consecutive breast cancers. Both MAb DF3 and BsAb DF3xH22 mediated ADCP. However, ADCP mediated by MAb DF3 was greater than that mediated by BsAb DF3xH22. ADCC as detected by (51)Cr release was not seen with either antibody. The addition of IFN-gamma to monocyte-derived macrophage cultures inhibited ADCP compared to granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor alone. Given the partially overlapping but discoordinate expression of MUC-1 and erbB-2 in breast cancer, therapy directed toward both antigens should be considered. MAb DF3 and the BsAb DF3xH22, can effectively mediate phagocytosis of MUC-1-expressing target cells. Further investigations are needed to determine whether this antibody-induced phagocytosis results in long-term specific T-cell activation against MUC-1.

We examined the effects of a new antiangiogenic isocoumarin, NM-3, as a radiation modifier in vitro and in vivo. The present studies demonstrate that NM-3 is cytotoxic to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) but not to Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells nor Seg-1, esophageal adenocarcinoma cells, in clonogenic survival assays. When HUVEC cultures are treated with NM-3 combined with ionizing radiation (IR), additive cytotoxicity is observed. In addition, the combination of NM-3 and IR inhibits HUVEC migration to a greater extent than either treatment alone. The effects of treatment with NM-3 and IR were also evaluated in tumor model systems. C57BL/6 female mice bearing LLC tumors were given injections for 4 consecutive days with NM-3 (25 mg/kg/day) and treated with IR (20 Gy) for 2 consecutive days. Combined treatment with NM-3 and IR significantly reduced mean tumor volume compared with either treatment alone. An increase in local tumor control was also observed in LLC tumors in mice receiving NM-3/IR therapy. When athymic nude mice bearing Seg-1 tumor xenografts were treated with NM-3 (100 mg/kg/day for 4 days) and 20 Gy (four 5 Gy fractions), significant tumor regression was observed after combined treatment (NM-3 and IR) compared with IR alone. Importantly, no increase in systemic or local tissue toxicity was observed after combined treatment (NM-3 and IR) when compared with IR alone. The bioavailability and nontoxic profile of NM-3 suggests that the efficacy of this agent should be tested in clinical radiotherapy.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether endostatin, an antiangiogenic cleavage fragment of collagen XVIII, enhances the antitumor effects of ionizing radiation (IR). Endostatin was injected to coincide with fractionated radiotherapy.Xenografts of radioresistant SQ-20B tumor cells were established in athymic nude mice. Lewis lung carcinoma cells were injected into C57BI/6 mice. Mice bearing SQ-20B xenografts were injected intraperitoneally with 2.5 mg/kg/day of murine recombinant endostatin 5 times per week for 2 weeks 3 hours before IR treatment (50 Gy total dose). Mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma tumors were injected intraperitoneally with endostatin (2.5 mg/kg/day) four times; the first injection was given 24 hours before the first IR dose (15 Gy) and then 3 hours before IR (15 Gy/day) for 3 consecutive days. Microvascular density was assessed on tumor tissue sections by use of CD31 immunohistochemistry and light microscopy. Endothelial cell survival analyses were employed to evaluate endostatin effects on human aortic endothelial cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Endothelial cell apoptosis was examined by use of FACS analysis and DAPI microscopy.In SQ-20B xenografts, combined treatment with endostatin and IR produced tumor growth inhibition that was most pronounced at the nadir of regression (day 21). By day 35, tumors receiving combined treatment with endostatin and IR were 47% smaller than tumors treated with endostatin alone. Interactive cytotoxic treatment effects between endostatin and IR were also demonstrated in mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma tumors. Significant tumor growth inhibition was observed in the endostatin/IR group at days 11 and 13 compared with IR alone. Histologic analyses demonstrated a reduction in microvascular density after combined treatment with endostatin and IR compared with endostatin treatment alone. Survival analyses confirmed interactive cytotoxicity between endostatin and IR in both human aortic endothelial cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells but not in SQ-20B tumor cells. Combined treatment with endostatin and IR produced an increase in cow pulmonary artery endothelial apoptosis compared with either treatment alone.The tumor regression observed after combined treatment with endostatin and IR suggests additive antitumor effects in both human and murine tumors. Importantly, the concentrations of endostatin employed produced little tumor regression when endostatin was employed as a single agent. The results from the clonogenic and apoptosis assays support the hypothesis that the endothelial compartment is the target for the endostatin/IR interaction.

A recombinant vaccinia virus encoding human prostate-specific antigen (rV-PSA) was administered as three consecutive monthly doses to 33 men with rising PSA levels after radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy, both, or metastatic disease at presentation. Dose levels were 2.65 x 10(6), 2.65 x 10(7), and 2.65 x 10(8) plaque forming units. Ten patients who received the highest dose also received 250 microg/m2 granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) as an immunostimulatory adjunct. No patient experienced any virus-related effects beyond grade I cutaneous toxicity. Pustule formation and/or erythema occurred after the first dose in all 27 men who receivedor =2.65 x 10(7) plaque forming units. GM-CSF administration was associated with fevers and myalgias of grade 2 or lower in 9 of 10 patients. PSA levels in 14 of 33 men treated with rV-PSA with or without GM-CSF were stable for at least 6 months after primary immunization. Nine patients remained stable for 11-25 months; six of these remain progression free with stable PSA levels. Immunological studies demonstrated a specific T-cell response to PSA-3, a 9-mer peptide derived from PSA. rV-PSA is safe and can elicit clinical and immune responses, and certain patients remain without evidence of clinical progression for up to 21 months or longer.

Vascular basement membrane is an important structural component of blood vessels and has been shown to interact with and modulate vascular endothelial behavior during angiogenesis. During the inductive phase of tumor angiogenesis, this membrane undergoes many degradative and structural changes and reorganizes to a native state around newly formed capillaries in the resolution phase. Such matrix changes are potentially associated with molecular modifications that include expression of matrix gene products coupled with conformational changes, which expose cryptic protein modules for interaction with the vascular endothelium. We speculate that these interactions provide important endogenous angiogenic and anti-angiogenic cues. In this report, we identify an important antiangiogenic vascular basement membrane-associated protein, the 26-kDa NC1 domain of the alpha1 chain of type IV collagen, termed arresten. Arresten was isolated from human placenta and produced as a recombinant molecule in Escherichia coli and 293 embryonic kidney cells. We demonstrate that arresten functions as an anti-angiogenic molecule by inhibiting endothelial cell proliferation, migration, tube formation, and Matrigel neovascularization. Arresten inhibits the growth of two human xenograft tumors in nude mice and the development of tumor metastases. Additionally, we show that the anti-angiogenic activity of arresten is potentially mediated via mechanisms involving cell surface proteoglycans and the alpha1beta1 integrin on endothelial cells. Collectively, our results suggest that arresten is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis with a potential for therapeutic use.

Although clonogenic or divisional death is the main mechanism by which DNA-damaging agents demonstrate antitumor activity, recent data indicate that strategies specifically designed to trigger apoptosis may also prove to be useful antitumor agents. Protein kinase C (PKC) isoenzymes are involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Whereas pharmacological inhibition of PKC activity triggers apoptosis in most mammalian cells, cell line and tissue differences in sensitivities to these inhibitors remain. Whereas PKC inhibitors have potential as antitumor agents, issue of kinase specificity and solubility have remained obstacles to their clinical use. In this report, we investigated the antitumor activity of the PKC inhibitor chelerythrine chloride (chelerythrine), a selective inhibitor of group A and B PKC isoforms. Chelerythrine exhibited cytotoxic activity against nine human tumor cell lines tested in vitro. On the basis of the finding that radioresistant and chemoresistant squamous cell carcinoma lines (HNSCC) undergo apoptosis rapidly after treatment with chelerythrine in vitro, we assessed the effects of this agent on p53-deficient SQ-20B HNSCC cells in vivo. The results demonstrate that chelerythrine treatment of nude mice bearing SQ-20B is associated with significant tumor growth delay. Significantly, treatment with chelerythrine resulted in minimal toxicity. These findings demonstrate a potential for chelerythrine as an antitumor drug against squamous cell carcinoma.

Many gene-therapy strategies under investigation aim to increase the efficacy of current cancer-treatment regimens. Promising results have been obtained in the laboratory and early clinical trials using viral-based motifs specifically designed to enhance the efficacy of ionizing radiation or chemotherapy. These strategies fall into two general categories: replication-incompetent viral shuttle vectors for the delivery of specific genes encoding a chemo/radiation modulator and attenuated replication-competent viruses with proposed replicative advantages in tumor cells. In this review, we discuss the rational, molecular mechanisms, and clinical application of these strategies with particular focus on recent research applying these viral-based strategies to improve the therapeutic index of ionizing radiation.

The family of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) proteins include potent and specific mitogens for vascular endothelial cells that function in the lation of angiogenesis Inhibition of VEGF-induced angiogenesis either by neutralizing antibodies or dominant-negative soluble receptor, blocks the growth of primary and metastatic experimental tumors Here we report that VEGF expression is induced in Lewis lung carcinomas (LLCs) both in vitro and vivo after exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) and in human tumor cell lines (Seg-1 esophageal adenocarcinoma, SQ20B squamous cell carcinoma, T98 and U87 glioblastomas, and U1 melanoma) in vitro. The biological significance of IR-induced VEGF production is supported by our finding that treatment of tumor-bearing mice (LLC, Seg-1, SQ20B, and U87) with a neutralizing antibody to VEGF-165 before irradiation is associated with a greater than additive antitumor effect. In vitro, the addition of VEGF decreases IR-induced killing of human umbilical vein endothelial cells, and the anti-VEGF treatment potentiates IR-induced lethality of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Neither recombinant VEGF protein nor neutralizing antibody to VEGF affects the radiosensitivity of tumor cells These findings support a model in which induction of VEGF by IR contributes to the protection of tumor blood vessels from radiation-mediated cytotoxicity and thereby to tumor radioresistance.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the therapeutic potential of combining radiotherapy with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-based gene therapy in the human prostate cancer PC-3 xenograft. PC-3 cells are highly resistant to TNF-alpha-induced cytotoxicity in vitro. A modest enhancement of radiation killing was observed with the addition of TNF-alpha in clonogenic survival assays. Combined treatment with Ad.Egr-TNF, a replication-deficient adenovirus modified to express TNF-alpha following the exposure of infected cells to ionizing radiation (40 Gy administered at 5 Gy per fraction) in vivo, resulted in increased tumor control, as defined by a reduction of tumor volume, when compared with treatment with Ad.Egr-TNF alone or with radiation alone (P.03). The improvement in tumor control was achieved without increasing acute normal tissue damage when compared with tissue injury from radiation alone. The results of these studies support further development and clinical application of genetic radiotherapy for human prostate cancer.

Strategies to sensitize human tumors that are resistant to apoptosis have been clinically unsuccessful. We demonstrate that a structurally modified chimeric Pseudomonas exotoxin, PEdelta53L/TGF-alpha/KDEL, with binding specificity for the epidermal growth factor receptor, markedly enhances sensitivity of human xenografts to radiation killing. Exposure to PEdelta53L/TGF-alpha/KDEL decreases the apoptotic threshold through protein synthesis inhibition and simultaneous production of ceramide in tumor cells that lack functional p53 protein. In contrast, no increase in local or systemic toxicity was observed with the chimeric toxin and radiation. We conclude that biochemical targeting of the chimeric toxin and physical targeting of ionizing radiation may increase the therapeutic ratio in the treatment of human cancers with alterations of p53 expression. This strategy offers a high therapeutic potential for Pseudomonas exotoxin A chimeric proteins and irradiation.

The camptothecins are a class of potent cytotoxic anticancer agents that interact with the nuclear enzyme topoisomerase I to produce lethal DNA strand cleavages. 9-Amino-20(S)-camptothecin (9AC) was introduced into Phase I clinical trials in dimethylacetamide and polyethylene glycol 400 in a 10 mM phosphoric acid vehicle for i.v. solubility. A lyophilized colloidal dispersion (CD) of 9AC for reconstitution with 20% dextrose in normal saline was developed as an alternative formulation. Patients (ages 25-75 years) with normal liver and kidney function, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance statusor = 2, and up to two prior chemotherapy regimens were treated. The initial infusion rate was 37.5 micrograms/m2/h as a 72-h continuous infusion (2.7 mg/m2 total dose). Patient cohorts were treated with escalating infusion rates until grade 4 hematological or other grade 3 toxicity developed. Pharmacokinetic sampling was performed on all patients, and 9AC lactone concentrations in plasma were determined by a high-performance liquid chromatographic assay. Twenty-five patients received a total of 65 courses of 9AC CD at doses from 2.70 to 4.65 mg/m2. The dose-limiting toxicity was neutropenia, with little nonhematological toxicity. Nonlinear regression analysis of pooled patient data yielded a total plasma clearance of 30.3 +/- 4.5 liters/h/m2, a half-life of 22.5 +/- 8.5 h, a mean residence time of 9.7 +/- 3.5 h, and a steady-state volume of distribution of 325 +/- 145 liters/m2. Although no objective responses were seen, 9 of 25 patients exhibited stable disease for 2-6 months. The plasma pharmacokinetics of 9AC lactone in cancer patients were comparable between the 9AC CD and soluble formulations. The dosing regimen recommended for Phase II trials of the 9AC CD formulation is 54.2 micrograms/m2/h, given as a 72-h continuous i.v. infusion every 3 weeks.

Approximately 30% of cancer deaths result from the failure to control local and regional tumors. The goal of radiotherapy is to maximize local and regional tumor cell killing while minimizing normal tissue destruction. Attempts to enhance radiation-mediated tumor cell killing using halogenated pyrimidines, antimetabolites, and other DNA-damaging agents or sensitizers of hypoxic tumor cells have met with only modest clinical success. In an unique strategy to modify tumor radiosensitivity, we used an inhibitor of the protein kinase C group A and B isoforms, chelerythrine chloride (chelerythrine), to enhance the killing effects of ionizing radiation (IR). Protein kinase C activity plays a central role in cellular proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Chelerythrine increases sphingomyelinase activity and enhances IR-mediated cell killing through induction of apoptotic tumor cell death in a radioresistant tumor model both in vitro and in vivo. Although previous reports have suggested that IR-mediated apoptosis correlates with tumor volume reduction, we demonstrate for the first time that lowering the apoptotic threshold increases tumor cell killing in vivo.

Gene therapy combined with radiation therapy to enhance selectively radiation cytotoxicity in malignant cells represents a new approach for cancer treatment. We investigated the efficacy of adenoviral (Ad5)-directed cytosine deaminase/5-fluorocytosine (CD/5-FC) enzyme/prodrug gene therapy to enhance selectively the tumoricidal action of ionizing radiation in human cancer xenografts derived from a human squamous carcinoma cell line (SQ-20B). Tumor xenografts grown in hindlimbs of nude mice were transfected with an adenoviral vector (Ad.CMV.CD) containing the cytosine deaminase (CD) gene under the control of a cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter. Mice were injected i.p. with 800 mg/kg of 5-FC for 12 days, and tumors were treated with fractionated radiation at a dose of 5 Gy/day to a total dose of 50 Gy. In larger tumors with a mean volume of 1069 mm3, marked tumor regression to 11% of the original tumor volume was observed at day 21 (P = 0.01). The volumetric regression of smaller tumors with a mean volume of 199 mm3, which received the same combined treatment protocol, was significant at day 12 (P = 0.014). However, unlike large tumors, regression of the smaller tumors continued until day 36 (P = 0.01), with 43% cured at day 26. No cures or significant volumetric reduction in size was observed in tumors treated with radiation alone; Ad.CMV.CD with or without radiation; or with Ad.CMV.CD and 5-FC. These results suggest that the CD/5-FC gene therapy approach is an effective radiosensitizing strategy and may lead to substantial improvement in local tumor control that would translate into improved cure rates and better survival.

Ionizing radiation mediates cell death, in part, through chromosomal damage following one or more cell divisions. X-rays also induce programmed cell death (apoptosis) in some cell types both in vitro and in vivo. Both neutral and acidic sphingomyelinases, which generate the lipid second messenger ceramide, are reported to induce apoptosis following ionizing radiation and other death signals such as tumor necrosis factor alpha and Fas ligand. Herein we report that a loss of ceramide production from a neutral sphingomyelinase generates a radioresistant phenotype as measured by a marked decrease in apoptosis. A WEHI-231 subline made deficient in ceramide production was found to be resistant to apoptosis compared with the parental subline following treatment with X-rays. The resistant subline underwent two to three subsequent cell divisions following X-irradiation, confirming that X-rays induce cell death through both mitotic and apoptotic mechanisms. These data suggest that loss of ceramide production following X-rays represents an extranuclear mechanism for the development of radioresistance. Modulation of extranuclear signals may increase tumor cell killing following radiation and represent new cellular targets for cancer therapy.

The response of human myeloid leukemia cells to treatment with 1-beta-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C) includes the induction of apoptosis. Ara-C induced apoptosis is associated with proteolytic cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and protein kinase C (PKC) delta. However, the signals involved in this response are unknown. The present studies show that ara-C treatment of U-937 cells is associated with induction of a protease activity that cleaves the tetrapeptides Ac-DEVD-pNA and Ac-DMOD-pNA found at the cleavage sites of PARP and PKC delta, respectively. The ara-C-induced protease activity was sensitive to overexpression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-xL and the baculovirus protein p35. By contrast, overexpression of the cowpox virus protein CrmA blocked apoptosis induced by engagement of the Fas receptor but not that induced by ara-C. CrmA overexpression also had no detectable effect on ara-C-induced cleavage of PKC delta. The results further show that ara-C induces activation of the CPP32 protease by a CrmA-insensitive and p35-sensitive mechanism. Similar results were obtained with cisplatinum, etoposide, and camptothecin. These findings indicate that ara-C and other DNA-damaging agents activate a CrmA-insensitive apoptotic pathway involving CPP32 and that these signals differ from those associated with apoptosis induced by the Fas receptor.

Cyclophosphamide is an inactive prodrug which is converted by hepatic cytochrome P450 2B1 to cytotoxic metabolites which produce interstrand DNA cross-linking in a cell cycle-independent fashion. The limited ability of these metabolites to cross the blood-brain barrier contributes to the poor activity of cyclophosphamide against brain tumors. In this study we demonstrate that replication deficient retroviral and adenoviral vector-mediated gene transfer of cytochrome P450 2B1 into 9L glioma cells significantly increases the sensitivity of these tumor cells to cyclophosphamide in vitro, and prolongs the survival of animals bearing intracerebral 9L tumors treated with cyclophosphamide in vivo. Attempts to improve the effectiveness of retrovirally mediated transduction of the P450 2B1 gene by increasing the concentration of cyclophosphamide delivered to the tumors using intracarotid and intratumoral injections did not prolong animal survival, although survival was increased when a second treatment with P450-expressing retroviral vectors and cyclophosphamide was administered. These results suggest that in situ transduction of tumor cells with the P450 2B1 gene using retroviral and adenoviral vectors increases their sensitivity to cyclophosphamide and may have a potential role in the therapy of malignant gliomas.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha enhances x-ray killing of human tumor cells in vitro and enhances tumor control when combined with radiation in animal tumor models. To determine the toxicity and maximal tolerated dose of tumor necrosis factor-alpha given daily during radiotherapy, we conducted a phase I dose-escalation study combining tumor necrosis factor-alpha and radiation.Thirty-one patients, including 14 patients with locally advanced primary tumors and 17 patients with metastatic sites, were entered into this study. Recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha was administered intravenously at doses ranging from 10 microg/m2 to 150 microg/m2 4 hours prior to each radiation therapy session, which was given on consecutive days for a minimum of 2 weeks. Radiation was prescribed to localized fields, with dose fractions ranging from 150 to 300 cGy/day for palliation or control of locally advanced tumors.Major toxicity requiring withdrawal from the study was independent of tumor necrosis factor-alpha dose and occurred in seven patients. Symptoms included angina in two patients, and hypotension, respiratory distress, atrial fibrillation, allergic reaction, and progressive leukopenia in one patient each. A tumor necrosis factor-alpha dose of 150 microg/m2 was the maximum dose administered. No single dose-limiting toxicity was observed and a maximal tolerated dose could not be defined. There was no obvious increase in in-field toxicity. Response to treatment was assessed in 20 patients. Complete regression within the irradiated field was achieved in four patients, partial regression in four, and a minimal response in four. A trend toward a greater response rate at higher doses of tumor necrosis factor-alpha was observed.The maximal tolerated dose of tumor necrosis factor-alpha when given with radiotherapy is at least 150 microg/m2 and a dose-limiting toxicity was not observed. Future studies will show whether responses to treatment are increased over those expected with radiation alone. Tumor localization of tumor necrosis factor-alpha by gene therapy combined with radiation therapy may eliminate the systemic toxicity we observed.

The activity of stress-activated protein (SAP) kinase is stimulated by diverse agents such as tumor necrosis factor, UV light, and protein synthesis inhibitors. The present study demonstrates that ionizing radiation (IR) exposure is also associated with the induction of SAP kinase activity. Cells derived from patients with ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) are characterized by hypersensitivity to IR. In this study, we demonstrate that IR-induced activation of SAP kinase is defective in A-T cells. In contrast, exposure of A-T cells to UV light or anisomycin results in the induction of SAP kinase activity. These findings indicate that IR-induced signals involved in SAP kinase activation are defective in A-T cells.

The early growth response 1 (EGR-1) gene is induced by mitogenic and differentiating signals in diverse cell types. The present studies have examined the effects of TNF-alpha on the induction of EGR-1 expression in human myeloid leukemia cells and the potential cytoplasmic signaling cascades that transduce TNF-induced signals to the nucleus. The results demonstrate that treatment of HL-60 cells with TNF is associated with the transient induction of the EGR-1 gene. The results also demonstrate that TNF treatment is associated with activation of the serine/threonine kinase, pp90rsk, which acts upstream to EGR-1 gene induction. Partial purification of pp90rsk by affinity chromatography demonstrated an increase in S6 peptide phosphorylation in response to TNF treatment. Because TNF activates sphingomyelin hydrolysis, we also studied the effects of sphingomyelinase (SMase) on induction of EGR-1 and pp90rsk. The results demonstrate that SMase also activates pp90rsk and induces EGR-1 gene expression. Previous work has demonstrated that mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activates pp90rsk. The present studies further show that treatment with TNF or SMase is associated with induction of both the pp42/44 MAP and the related Jun kinases. Induction of pp42/44 MAP kinase activity is temporally related to activation of pp90rsk and the EGR-1 gene. These findings support the involvement of an MAP kinase/pp90rsk/EGR-1 cascade in the response of myeloid leukemia cells to TNF.

Recent studies have proposed that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and ionizing radiation induce apoptosis by activating hydrolysis of sphingomyelin to ceramide. Bcl-2 and a related gene, Bcl-X, inhibit several forms of apoptosis. Herein, we report that internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, characteristic of apoptosis and induced by ionizing radiation, is accompanied by concomitant decreases in Bcl-2 and Bcl-X mRNA levels in HL-60 and U-937 human leukemia cells. Apoptotic DNA fragmentation after exposure to TNF-alpha and C2-ceramide was also associated with down-regulation of Bcl-2 mRNA in HL-60 and U-937 cells, while Bcl-X mRNA production was unaffected. These results suggest that modulation of Bcl-2 gene expression may be a target for ceramide-mediated apoptosis following exposure to ionizing radiation and TNF-alpha. Changes in Bcl-2 expression may be the basis for the interactive killing observed between radiation and TNF-alpha in some human and tumor cells.

A potentially novel therapeutic strategy for breast cancer treatment involves sensitization of tumor cells to chemotherapy through gene transfer. Clinical application of this approach, however, may be limited by the lack of target cell specificity of currently available gene delivery techniques. Development of vectors with tumor-selective gene expression could overcome this problem. The DF3/MUC1 gene encodes a high molecular weight mucin-like glycoprotein which is overexpressed at the transcriptional level in the majority of human breast cancers. To develop a breast tumor-selective enhancer, we cloned the upstream region of the DF3 gene and have identified a 114-base pair enhancer region that can modulate transcription from heterologous promoters. The present studies demonstrate that the DF3 enhancer sequences can direct selective gene expression in DF3-positive breast carcinoma cells. DF3-positive breast carcinoma cell lines transfected with herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene expression cassettes modified by the DF3 enhancer were markedly more sensitive to killing by ganciclovir than were the same cells transfected with the expression cassettes lacking the DF3 enhancer. DF3-negative cell lines transfected with the DF3 enhancer constructs, however, were no more sensitive to ganciclovir than were cells treated with the unmodified expression plasmids. Consistent with an innocent bystander effect, nontransfected human breast carcinoma cells were susceptible in a cell density-dependent manner to ganciclovir-induced cell killing when adjacent to transfected cells. The results also demonstrate that the DF3 enhancer sequences can be effectively incorporated into a retroviral vector to mediate selective gene expression following retroviral infection. These findings suggest that the DF3 promoter/enhancer may be useful for incorporation into vectors designed for gene therapy of breast cancer.

Transcriptional regulation of the promoter/enhancer region of the Egr-1 gene is activated by ionizing radiation. We linked DNA sequences from the promotor region of Egr-1 to a complementary DNA sequence which encodes human tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, a radiosensitizing cytokine. The Egr-TNF construct was transfected into a human cell line of hematopoietic origin, HL525, which was used in an experimental animal system. HL525 (clone 2) cells containing the Egr-TNF construct which exhibits radiation induction of TNF-alpha were injected into human xenografts of the radioresistant human squamous cell carcinoma cell line SQ-20B. Animals treated with radiation and clone 2 demonstrated an increase in tumor cures compared with animals treated with radiation alone or unirradiated animals given injections of clone 2 alone. No increase in local or systemic toxicity was observed in the combined treatment group. The combination of gene therapy and radiation therapy enhances tumor cures without increasing normal tissue toxicity and is a new paradigm for cancer treatment.

Calcium is required as a cofactor by primer recognition proteins involved in DNA synthesis and by protein kinase C (PKC), which is activated by ionizing radiation. Because these processes may be involved in radiation-mediated regulation of the progression of cells through the phases of the cell cycle, we studied the effects of the intracellular Ca2+ chelator, acetoxymethyl-1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (AM-BAPTA), on PKC activation, expression of c-jun and Gadd45 and distribution of cells in the phases of the cell cycle after irradiation. AM-BAPTA prevented ionizing-radiation-induced activation of PKC and expression of c-jun in cells of human tumor cell lines. Conversely, calcium chelation had no effect on X-ray-induced expression of the Gadd45 gene. To determine whether changes in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) occurred during irradiation, we measured [Ca2+]i in single cells using fura-2-based microfluorimetry. There was no increase in [Ca2+]i during or after irradiation of cells of the human tumor cell lines RIT-3, SQ-20B or HL-60 or normal human fibroblast strain IMR-90. The percentage of human tumor cells crossing the G1/S-phase border was reduced by pretreatment with AM-BAPTA. These data indicate that calcium is required for ionizing radiation-induced cell cycle regulation and PKC activation, but that increases in [Ca2+]i do not occur in cells of the cell lines irradiated in this study.

The expression of DF3 was assessed by a monoclonal antibody in normal, inflammatory, and neoplastic conditions in the large bowel.Using immunohistochemistry, expression was examined in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded biopsy and resection samples of 19 normal colonic mucosal specimens, 49 inflammatory lesions, 34 adenomas, and 38 primary colonic adenocarcinomas. In addition, Western blots of normal colonic mucosa and adenocarcinoma were examined.DF3 expression was detected in 84% of the adenocarcinomas with coarse membrane staining, intense positivity of luminal secretions, and focal cytoplasmic and intracytoplasmic vacuole staining. Nine of 32 areas of transitional mucosa revealed reactivity along apical membranes in crypt cells. Five adenomas containing carcinoma revealed DF3 positivity in the malignant areas only, whereas the remaining 29 were negative. Staining was membrane, luminal, and intracytoplasmic. Two examples of active ulcerative colitis revealed focal reactivity along the apical membrane of crypt cells. No other areas of staining were noted, including 12 cases containing dysplasia. Four of 10 other inflammatory lesions also revealed similar membrane reactivity in crypt cells. Normal colonic mucosa was nonreactive. Examples of normal colonic mucosa were negative for DF3 by Western blot analysis, whereas two carcinoma samples that reacted immunohistochemically were positive.DF3 is not detectable in normal colonic tissues. It is expressed focally and predominantly along the apical membrane of crypt cells in some inflammatory lesions and in the transitional mucosa of primary adenocarcinomas. Most adenocarcinomas of the colon and adenomas with foci of invasive carcinoma demonstrate reactivity in the cytoplasm and luminal secretions.

Previous studies have demonstrated that human HL-60 myeloid leukemia cells differentiate in response to phorbol esters. This event is associated with induction of the c-jun early response gene and appearance of a monocytic phenotype. The present studies have examined the effects of vincristine-selected, multidrug resistance on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced HL-60 cell differentiation. The results demonstrate that multidrug-resistant HL-60 cells, designated HL-60/vinc, fail to respond to TPA with an increase in c-jun transcripts or other phenotypic characteristics of monocytic differentiation. By contrast, treatment of HL-60/vinc cells with okadaic acid, an inhibitor of serine/threonine protein phosphatases, induces c-jun transcription, growth arrest, and expression of the c-fms gene. Studies were also performed with an HL-60/vinc revertant (HL-60/vinc/R) line that has regained partial sensitivity to vincristine. The finding that HL-60/vinc/R cells respond to TPA with induction of a monocytic phenotype, but not c-jun expression, suggests that c-jun induction is not obligatory for monocytic differentiation. Other studies further demonstrate that the jun-B and fra-1 genes are induced by TPA in both HL-60/vinc and HL-60/vinc/R cells, whereas c-fos expression is attenuated in the HL-60/vinc line. Since TPA activates protein kinase C (PKC), we examined translocation of PKC from the cytosol to the membrane fraction. Although HL-60 and HL-60/vinc/R cells demonstrated translocation of PKC activity, this subcellular redistribution was undetectable in HL-60/vinc cells. Activity of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family with associated phosphorylation of c-Jun Y-peptide was markedly diminished in TPA-treated HL-60/vinc cells, but not in response to okadaic acid. Taken together, these findings suggest that vincristine resistance confers insensitivity to TPA-induced differentiation and can include defects in PKC-mediated signaling events and induction of jun/fos early response gene expression.

The present studies have examined the effects of mitogens on induction of early response gene expression in normal peripheral blood T and Jurkat cells. Pokeweed mitogen (PWM) or anti-CD3 significantly increases c-jun messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in T cells. This transient PWM-related increase in c-jun transcripts is maximal after 15 to 30 minutes of exposure of T cells to PWM. PWM induces c-jun gene expression in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, PWM similarly induces expression of other genes coding for leucine zipper transcription factors, ie, jun-B and c-fos. Nuclear run on assays demonstrate that PWM treatment is associated with an increased rate of c-jun gene transcription. Transient expression assays with c-jun promoter fragments linked to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene suggest that the PWM-induced increase in transcription is mediated by the AP-1 transcription factor complex. Moreover, treatment of T cells with actinomycin D to block further transcription before their culture with PWM suggests that the increase in c-jun gene expression by PWM is also regulated at least in part by a posttranscriptional mechanism. Cycloheximide does not alter c-jun mRNA induction by PWM. Finally, given that PWM induces B-cell differentiation in an interleukin-6 (IL-6)-mediated, T-cell-dependent manner, the relationship of c-jun and IL-6 gene expression in PWM-stimulated T cells was examined. The induction of IL-6 mRNA in T cells stimulated by PWM occurs after maximal induction of c-jun mRNA, at a time when the latter is no longer detectable. These findings suggest that PWM induces c-jun gene expression in T cells by a transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanism and that AP-1 confers PWM inducibility of this gene. Because the IL-6 promoter has several potential transcriptional control elements, one of which is an AP-1-binding site, future experiments will evaluate the role of c-jun in the regulation of PWM-induced IL-6 synthesis by T cells.

The promoter regions of several radiation-inducible genes contain AP-1 cis-acting regulatory elements that are dependent upon protein kinase C signaling. We analyzed nuclear protein from irradiated human tumor cell lines for binding to the AP-1 consensus sequence. The increase in nuclear protein binding following irradiation was specific for the AP-1 sequence and was reduced by antibodies to c-Jun and c-Fos. The AP-1 DNA binding sequence was found to regulate transcription in irradiated cells and mutation of the AP-1 site within the c-jun promoter abolished transcriptional induction by radiation. The gene encoding the chimeric transcription factor Gal4-Jun5-253, which includes the DNA binding region of Gal4 and the transcriptional regulatory region of c-Jun, was cotransfected with the reporter plasmid with Gal4 binding sequences (G5B-CAT). Transfection of RIT-3 and HeLa cells revealed that the regulatory region of Jun was sufficient to activate transcription following irradiation. Conversely, Hep G2 cells, which do not contain the cell type-specific Jun repressor, were not responsive to radiation-induced Jun activation. The c-Jun repressor was found to regulate Jun activation by experiments using the expression vector CMV-jun, which competes for Jun inhibitor and eliminates radiation-induction of Jun. We propose transcription factor dissociation from inhibitor proteins may participate in the initiation of cellular responses to ionizing radiation.

The cellular response to ionizing radiation includes growth arrest and DNA repair. However, little is known about the regulation of gene expression by this agent. The present studies demonstrate that exposure to ionizing radiation is associated with a dose-dependent decrease in histone H1 gene expression. Following treatment with 20 Gy, this effect was transient, detectable at 15-30 min, and maximal at 6 h. Nuclear run-on assays demonstrate that this down-regulation is controlled at least in part by transcriptional mechanisms. We also demonstrate that inhibition of protein synthesis with cycloheximide abrogates the down-regulation of both histone H1 gene transcription and mRNA levels in irradiated cells. The results demonstrate that treatment with ionizing radiation is associated with a decrease in the stability of the histone H1 transcript, and that this effect is reversed by inhibition of protein synthesis. These findings demonstrate that ionizing radiation activates at least two distinct signaling pathways that control histone H1 expression at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels.

Cytokine induction following ionizing radiation exposure occurs through transcriptional activation in specific proteins studied to date. This process can be blocked by inhibition of radiation-induced signaling pathways, which may potentially modify certain deleterious effects of radiotherapy, e.g., effects related to production of TNF or TGF-beta. bFGF is another radiation-inducible protein that may participate in repair and protection of irradiated endothelial cells following a complex interaction with cellular receptors. The cytokines such as IL-6, TNF, and IL-1 may be useful to protect hematopoietic cells from radiation, while TNF may enhance the killing of tumor cells. Our understanding of cytokine/radiation interactions is only beginning to be understood, but knowledge of the biology of these interactions may prove clinically useful.

1-beta-D-Arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C) is an anti-leukemic agent that incorporates into cellular DNA leading to inhibition of DNA synthesis and loss of clonogenic survival. In contrast, ionizing radiation induces DNA damage through the generation of reactive oxygen intermediates. Although little is known of the specific determinants of ara-C and ionizing radiation-induced cytotoxicity, recent work has shown that both are capable of inducing internucleosomal DNA fragmentation in a pattern consistent with programmed cell death (apoptosis). In order to assess the importance of apoptosis in drug and ionizing radiation-induced cytotoxicity in the U-937 myelomonocytic cell line, we created cell lines that constitutively express a transfected bcl-2 gene. Bcl-2 was capable of inhibiting 40-50% of the ara-C and ionizing radiation-induced internucleosomal DNA fragmentation at all tested concentrations. However, cell survival following exposure to these agents was only increased in the bcl-2 transfectants at relatively low doses of ara-C and ionizing radiation. These data demonstrate that although bcl-2 is capable of inhibiting ara-C and ionizing radiation-induced DNA fragmentation in myeloid cells, it increases cell survival only at low doses of these agents. This suggests that apoptosis may be a less important mechanism of cytotoxicity at higher doses of ara-C and ionizing radiation than it is at lower doses.

Our laboratory has cultured cells from 23 patients with head and neck carcinoma and 13 patients with soft tissue sarcoma. The data suggest that, in some patients, inherent tumor cell radioresistance contributes to radiotherapy failure. This paper examines possible mechanisms that lead to increased cell survival following radiation exposure, and their potential as targets to overcome the radioresistant patient population.

The present studies have examined the effects of 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C) on activation of the transcription factor kappa B (NF-kappa B). The results demonstrate that treatment of human KG-1 myeloid leukemia cells with ara-C is associated with induction of protein binding to the NF-kappa B consensus sequence. NF-kappa B binding was activated at 30 min and reached maximal levels of binding at 1-2 hr of ara-C treatment. The NF-kappa B consensus sequence was ligated to the heterologous thymidine kinase (TK) promoter and the human growth hormone (GH) reporter gene to determine whether ara-C-induced NF-kappa B activity includes an enhancer function. Ara-C treatment had little effect on transient expression of pTKGH in KG-1 cells but increased transcription of the p (NF-kappa B) TKGH vector by 8-fold. The results also demonstrate that ara-C transiently increases NF-kappa B mRNA levels. However, the finding that ara-C-induced binding of NF-kappa B to DNA occurs in the presence of cycloheximide indicates that this agent activates preexisting NF-kappa B protein. These results suggest that ara-C induces a cytoplasmic pathway that transduces signals to the nucleus by activation of NF-kappa B.

Recent studies have demonstrated that 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C) activates the transcription of the jun/fos early response genes in human myeloid leukemia cells. The basis for ara-C-induced control of gene expression remains unclear. However, down-regulation of H1 histone mRNA levels has been reported as one of the earliest changes in specific gene expression associated with ara-C treatment. In this report, we describe the mechanisms responsible for H1 histone expression by this agent. Treatment of HL-60 cells with ara-C resulted in a decrease in H1 histone mRNA levels that was detectable by 15 min. In contrast, this down-regulation by ara-C was completely blocked by treatment of the cells with cycloheximide. Nuclear run-on analyses demonstrated that ara-C treatment is associated with inhibition of H1 histone gene transcription. The results also demonstrate that cycloheximide abrogates the transcriptional down-regulation by ara-C but alone has no detectable effect. We also show that ara-C treatment is associated with a decrease in stability of the H1 histone transcript and that this effect is also reversed by inhibition of protein synthesis. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that ara-C regulates H1 histone expression at both the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. The results also indicate that control of this gene by ara-C involves the activation of at least two signaling events that require de novo protein synthesis.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production following X-irradiation has been implicated in the biological response to ionizing radiation. Protein kinase C (PKC) is suggested to participate in TNF transcriptional induction and X-ray-mediated gene expression. We therefore studied radiation-mediated TNF expression in HL-60 cells with diminished PKC activity produced by either pretreatment with protein kinase inhibitors or prolonged 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate treatment. Both treatments resulted in attenuation of radiation-mediated TNF induction. Consistent with these results, we found no detectable induction of TNF expression following X-irradiation in the HL-60 variant deficient in PKC-mediated signal transduction. The rapid activation of PKC following gamma-irradiation was established using an in vitro assay measuring phosphorylation of a PKC specific substrate. A 4.5-fold increase in PKC activity occurred 15 to 30 s following irradiation, which declined to baseline at 60 s. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of phosphoproteins extracted from irradiated cells demonstrated in vivo phosphorylation of the PKC specific substrate Mr 80,000 protein at 45 s following X-irradiation. These findings indicate that signal transduction via the PKC pathway is required for the induction of TNF gene expression by ionizing radiation.

The EGR-1 gene is an immediate early response gene encoding a zinc finger DNA-binding protein. The present studies have examined the regulation of EGR-1 gene expression in human U-937 monocytic leukemia cells treated with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The results demonstrate that GM-CSF rapidly and transiently increases EGR-1 gene expression in U-937 cells. Similar findings were obtained in GM-CSF-treated human monocytes. We also show that the regulation of EGR-1 expression by GM-CSF is a pertussis toxin-sensitive event. The results of nuclear run-on assays further demonstrate that the EGR-1 gene is constitutively transcribed in untreated U-937 cells and that GM-CSF has little effect on this rate of transcription. Inhibition of protein synthesis with cycloheximide also had no detectable effect on EGR-1 gene transcription but was associated with superinduction of EGR-1 mRNA levels in GM-CSF-treated cells. Moreover, the half-life of GM-CSF-induced EGR-1 transcripts was prolonged from 33 to 70 min following inhibition of protein synthesis. Taken together, the results indicate that GM-CSF activates signaling pathways which regulate EGR-1 gene expression through a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein and that these events increase EGR-1 mRNA levels by a posttranscriptional mechanism. This GM-CSF-dependent regulation of EGR-1 expression may provide a mechanism for transducing signals to the nucleus that are involved in the control of gene transcription.

We previously administered ara-C at a dose rate of 250 mg/m2/hr for 36-72 hr to patients with leukemia. Gastrointestinal toxicity was dose-limiting. This regimen was modified to an every other day schedule, administering 24-hr periods of high dose continuous infusion ara-C, each followed by a 24-hr rest period. Sixteen patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (N = 4), secondary AML (N = 2), relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (N = 7), or CML in blast crisis (N = 3) received this regimen of three 24-hr infusions with two intercurrent 24-hr rest periods. Grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity was encountered in 57% of the courses, and hypoplasia was achieved in all patients. Three of the patients died while hypoplastic, two with septicemia and another with intracranial hemorrhage. There were five responding patients (2 CRs, 3 PRs). Median steady-state plasma ara-C levels were 24 microM, 22 microM, and 20 microM during the first, second, and third 24-hr infusions, respectively. Ara-C levels ranged from 4-118 microM during the infusions and were always below 4.5 microM during the rest periods. A significant level of ara-C incorporation into DNA was detected in each of the five patients studied, thus demonstrating that (ara-C)DNA formation is detectable in blasts from patients receiving high dose continuous infusion ara-C therapy. These findings suggest that alternate day continuous infusion ara-C may be useful in the treatment of acute leukemia and CML in blast crisis.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) acts via a cell surface receptor to induce a variety of cellular events including cytolysis, differentiation, and mitogenesis. The mechanisms underlying the cell specific actions of TNF are not known. In the present study, postreceptor events associated with the autoinduction of TNF expression were examined in HL-60 cells. There was no detectable alteration in phospholipase C activity as measured by inositol phosphate generation or release of choline metabolites following TNF stimulation. However, TNF increased the release of arachidonic acid metabolites from HL-60 cells. This increase in arachidonic acid metabolism was associated with a 40% increase in phospholipase A2 activity. Furthermore, the release of arachidonic acid metabolites was blocked by inhibitors of phospholipase A2. Taken together, these findings indicated that TNF stimulates phospholipase A2 and arachidonic acid metabolism in HL-60 cells. The results also demonstrate that TNF expression is induced 15-30 min after stimulation with TNF and that this effect is associated with an increase in the rate of TNF transcription. This autoinduction of TNF mRNA was blocked by inhibitors of phospholipase A2. While the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin had no detectable effect, ketoconazole and nordihydroguaiaretic acid, inhibitors of lipoxygenase, also blocked the induction of TNF expression by TNF. These findings suggest that phospholipase A2 and lipoxygenase activity are required for the transcriptional activation of TNF gene expression associated with TNF stimulation of HL-60 cells.

Although mucins provide lubrication and physical protection for epithelial cell surfaces, other functional roles for these large glycoproteins are unknown. One human mucin, designated DF3 Ag, is detectable on apical surfaces of normal epithelial secretory cells and in normal milk, urine, and plasma. The present studies have examined the effects of DF3 Ag purified from both normal and malignant sources on the antibody-dependent cytotoxicity of Schistosoma mansoni by eosinophils (ADCC-E) and on the adherence of eosinophils to inert antibody-coated targets. DF3 Ag purified from tissue culture supernatant of a human breast carcinoma cell line or from human milk inhibited ADCC-E in a concentration-dependent manner, with half-maximal inhibitory activity at 3 to 10 micrograms/ml. Inhibition of ADCC-E was specific for the DF3 mucin, because no inhibition was observed with two other unrelated, circulating glycoproteins: carcinoembryonic Ag and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein. Inhibition was not a result of direct cytotoxicity of the DF3 Ag for eosinophils, as demonstrated by the lack of detectable effect of the mucin on cellular trypan blue exclusion or PMA-induced H2O2 release. The inhibitory effect was time dependent, requiring the presence of DF3 Ag in the ADCC-E culture for at least 4 h, beginning within the first 2 h of eosinophil-schistosomula interaction. Furthermore, inhibition was not a result of interaction between DF3 Ag and the activating lymphokine. These data suggest that inhibition of ADCC-E by DF3 Ag is a result of interference of adhesion of eosinophils to Ig-coated targets. In this regard, purified DF3 tumor Ag prevents eosinophil adherence to human Ig-conjugated Sepharose 4B beads. Preincubation of the inert Ig-coated targets with DF3 Ag did not inhibit subsequent eosinophil adherence, suggesting that DF3 Ag interacts with a moiety present on the eosinophil. Inhibition of adhesion occurred at 37 degrees C, but was also observed at 4 degrees C. These results suggest that DF3 Ag acts as an immunomodulating agent. Because activated eosinophils can damage surrounding normal tissues as well as infectious organisms, DF3 Ag may serve to protect secretory epithelium from the cytotoxic effects of activated inflammatory cells.

AP-1, the polypeptide product of c-jun, recognizes and binds to specific DNA sequences and stimulates transcription of genes responsive to certain growth factors and phorbol esters such as 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). We studied the effects of TPA on the regulation of c-jun gene expression in HL-60 cells during monocytic differentiation. Low levels of c-jun transcripts were detectable in untreated HL-60 leukemic cells, increased significantly by 6 h, and reached near maximal levels by 24 h of exposure to 32 nM TPA. Similar kinetics of c-jun induction by TPA were observed in human U-937 and THP-1 monocytic leukemia cells. Similar findings were obtained with bryostatin 1 (10 nM), another activator of protein kinase C and inducer of monocytic differentiation. Furthermore, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (0.5 microM), a structurally distinct agent which also induces HL-60 monocytic differentiation, increased c-jun expression. TPA treatment of HL-60 cells in the presence of cycloheximide was associated with superinduction of c-jun transcripts. Run-on analysis demonstrated detectable levels of c-jun gene transcription in untreated HL-60 cells, and that exposure to TPA increases this rate 3.3-fold. Treatment of HL-60 cells with both TPA and cycloheximide had no effect on the rates of c-jun transcription. The half-life of c-jun RNA as determined by treating HL-60 cells with TPA and actinomycin D was 30 min. In contrast, the half-life of c-jun RNA in TPA-treated HL-60 cells exposed to cycloheximide and actinomycin D was greater than 2 h. These findings suggested that the increase in c-jun RNA observed during TPA-induced monocytic differentiation is mediated by both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms.

DF3 is an IgG1 monoclonal antibody (MAb) generated against a Mr 350,000-400,000 glycoprotein expressed by approximately 80% of human breast cancers. We have coupled MAb DF3 to ricin. Purification of the immunotoxin (DF3-IT) was obtained by affinity and size exclusion chromatography. DF3 antigen-positive breast cancer cell lines (ZR-75-1, BT-20, and MCF-7) and DF3 antigen-negative lung cancer cell lines (A549 and CALU6) were tested for cytotoxicity with metabolic labeling and clonogenic assays. The cells were exposed for 3 h to different concentrations of DF3-IT, MAb DF3, ricin, and a combination of unconjugated MAb DF3 and ricin. In the presence of 100 mM lactose, DF3-IT specifically inhibited protein synthesis of lines expressing DF3 antigen on their cell surface. Moreover, clonogenic survival experiments demonstrated that DF3-IT at a concentration of 1 x 10(-9) M specifically kills 2.6-2.8 log of ZR-75-1 and BT-20 cells and 1.6 log of MCF-7 cells. At the same concentration, nonspecific toxicity of DF3-IT resulted in a 30% reduction of bone marrow granulocyte and macrophage colony formation. In bone marrow-purging experiments, tumor cells were mixed with an excess of bone marrow cells and treated with DF3-IT or ricin. Tumor cell clonogenic survival assays demonstrated that the presence of bone marrow cells had no detectable effect on activity or specificity of the DF3-IT. These results thus indicate that MAb DF3 is an effective vehicle to specifically deliver toxins to cancer cells which express DF3 antigen on their surface and that DF3-IT may be useful for in vitro purging of bone marrow.

The murine monoclonal antibody (MAb) designated DF3 has defined a high m.w. antigen detectable in human breast carcinomas and in human milk. DF3 antigen is detectable on apical borders of secretory mammary epithelial cells and in the cytosol of less differentiated malignant cells. DF3 antigen expression has been shown to correlate with the degree of human breast tumor differentiation, and the detection of a cross-reactive species in human milk has suggested that DF3 antigen might be useful as a biochemical marker of differentiated mammary epithelial cells. To further characterize DF3 antigen, we have developed an approach to purify the cross-reactive species by using gel filtration and antibody affinity chromatography. The affinity column-purified DF3 antigen was absorbed by wheat germ agglutinin and peanut agglutinin, but not by concanavalin A or lentil lectin. In contrast, wheat germ agglutinin inhibited MAb DF3 reactivity with the purified antigen, whereas there was little, if any, inhibition when using peanut agglutinin. These findings are thus consistent with the involvement of terminal N-acetyl-D-neuraminic acid and/or N-acetylglucosamine residues in the antigenic site. DF3 antigenicity was also sensitive to neuraminidase, but not chondroitinase ABC, chondroitinase AC, chondroitin-4-sulfatase, or hyaluronidase. Furthermore, DF3 antigen was sensitive to Pronase, subtilisin BPN', and alpha-chymotrypsin. The presence of O-glycosidic linkages between carbohydrate and protein in the DF3 antigenic site was further supported by the presence of NaBH4-sensitive sites. Together, these results suggest that sialyl oligosaccharides present on a peptide backbone are required for maintaining DF3 antigenicity. Similar findings have been demonstrated for DF3 antigen purified from both human milk and breast cancer effusions. However, the DF3 antigen in human milk consisted of a single high m.w. species, whereas the tumor-associated antigen consisted of two distinct glycoproteins with m.w. of 330,000 and 450,000. These findings may be relevant to the recent demonstration that distinct high m.w. DF3 antigens are elevated in the circulation of patients with breast carcinoma.

Activation of the proto-oncogenes c-fos, c-fms, and c-sis has been associated with monocytic differentiation. In the present study, we monitored the relationship of c-myc, c-fos, c-fms, and c-sis expression to interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-induced monocytic differentiation of human HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells. Treatment of HL-60 cells with 500 U/ml IFN-gamma arrested cell proliferation after 3 days. Appearance of the monocytic phenotype was manifested within 24 hr of IFN-gamma exposure by: increased nitroblue tetrazolium reduction; increased cell surface expression of the HLA-DR, Mo1, and MY4 antigens; and induction of transcripts for the second component of complement (C2) and tumor necrosis factor. In contrast, c-myc expression decreased as a later event after 72 hr of IFN-gamma exposure, and c-fos transcripts remained undetectable until 5 days of treatment. Furthermore, c-fms RNA and transcripts for the macrophage marker apolipoprotein E were induced only after 7 days. Finally, expression of the c-sis proto-oncogene at the RNA and protein levels remained undetectable after induction with IFN-gamma. These findings would thus suggest that declines in c-myc RNA, as well as induction of c-fos, c-fms, and c-sis expression, are not requisite events in the commitment of HL-60 cells to IFN-gamma-induced monocytic differentiation. Expression of c-fos and c-fms, however, is associated with acquisition of markers associated with maturation to macrophages.

We demonstrate a highly significant relationship (p less than 0.0001) between the incorporation of 5-flourouracil in total cellular RNA and loss of clonogenic survival of the human MCF-7 breast carcinoma cell line. The extent of 5-fluorouracil incorporation in RNA is concentration- and time-dependent. Identical results are obtained in experiments employing thymidine to bypass the block of thymidylate synthetase and reverse inhibition of DNA synthesis. These studies suggest that the incorporation of 5-fluorouracil in RNA is the major mechanism of cytotoxic action in this human cell line.

Preleukemic syndromes are a group of acquired bone-marrow disorders characterized by dysplastic maturation of hematopoietic cells and peripheral-blood cytopenias. Although the clinical course is variable, most patients succumb to hemorrhage, infection, or acute leukemia. These syndromes are generally considered untreatable. We administered low doses of cytarabine by continuous intravenous infusion for 7 to 21 days in eight patients with preleukemia or with preleukemia in evolution to acute leukemia. Eight of 13 courses were associated with marked increases in peripheral-blood granulocyte, platelet, and red-cell counts, with the result that six of the eight patients needed no transfusions for 2 to over 14 months. These preliminary results demonstrate that continuous infusion of low-dose cytarabine can offer patients with preleukemic syndromes hematologic improvement with limited toxicity.