Potentiation of a tumor cell susceptibility to autologous CTL killing by restoration of wild-type p53 function.

Inactivation of p53 has been implicated in many types of tumors particularly in non-small cell lung carcinoma, one of the most common cancers in which p53 mutation has been frequently identified. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of p53 status on the regulation of tumor susceptibility to specific CTL-mediated cell death. For this purpose, we used a cytotoxic T lymphocyte clone, Heu127, able to lyse the human autologous lung carcinoma cell line, IGR-Heu, in a HLA-A2-restricted manner.

Analysis of the mechanisms of human cytotoxic T lymphocyte response inhibition by NO.

NO is a potent cellular mediator which has been shown to modulate several immune mechanisms. Using human T lymphocytes as responder cells in a primary mixed lymphocyte reaction, we demonstrated that, at the initiation of the culture, exogenously provided NO via sodium nitroprusside, in non-toxic concentrations, inhibited both allogeneic proliferative and primary cytotoxic responses in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, it had no effect on the cytotoxic activity of established human TCR (alpha)beta and TCR (gamma)delta cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) clones.

Wild-type p53 induced sensitization of mutant p53 TNF-resistant cells: role of caspase-8 and mitochondria.

In the present study, we have investigated the mechanisms by which the restoration of wild-type (wt) p53 functions in p53 mutant cells increases their susceptibility to the cytotoxic action of tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Our data indicate that the resistance of p53-mutated cl.1001 cells to TNF-induced cell death was not due to a defect in the expression of TRADD and FADD, yet correlated with a reduced caspase-8 activation as well as a deficient mitochondrial membrane permeabilization.

Effect of nuclear factor kappaB inhibition on tumor cell sensitivity to natural killer-mediated cytolytic function.

Inhibition of the transcription factor NF-kappaB has been reported to increase cell sensitivity to TNF and some cytotoxic drugs. We investigated the effect of NK-kappaB inhibition on the susceptibility of tumor cells to freshly isolated, nonactivated, human NK cells and to a TCRgamma/delta T cell clone displaying an MHC-unrestricted "NK-like" lysis. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assay, we first demonstrated that NF-kappaB/DNA binding activity was induced in target cells following coculture with NK cells or TCRgamma/delta T cell clone.

Adenovirus-mediated wild-type-p53-gene expression sensitizes TNF-resistant tumor cells to TNF-induced cytotoxicity by altering the cellular redox state.

We have shown that the loss of p53 function contributed to resistance of tumor cells to TNF-induced cytotoxicity. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of wild-type p53 (wt-p53) expression on TNF sensitivity, by introducing wt-p53 into MCF7/Adr cells in which p53 was deleted, via a recombinant adenovirus encoding p53 (Ad-p53). Our results indicate that infection with Ad-p53 (50-100 viral particles per cell) resulted in pronounced cytotoxicity, whereas infection with 10 viral particles per cell, which was weakly toxic for the MCF7/Adr cells, sensitized these cells to TNF-induced cell death.

Adenovirus-mediated transfer of wild-type p53 gene sensitizes TNF resistant MCF7 derivatives to the cytotoxic effect of this cytokine: relationship with c-myc and Rb.

Tumor suppressor p53 is a nuclear transcription factor that blocks cell cycle progression and induces apoptosis. We have previously shown that the MCF7 resistance to the cytotoxic action of TNF correlates with p53 mutations. In the present study, we used a recombinant adenovirus carrying a wild-type p53 gene (Adwtp53) in order to investigate the effect of wt p53 transfer on modulation of cell resistance to the cytotoxic action of TNF.

Analysis of human breast adenocarcinoma MCF7 resistance to tumor necrosis factor-induced cell death. Lack of correlation between JNK activation and ceramide pathway.

Considerable progress has been made in the understanding of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling; however, the molecular and biochemical basis of tumor resistance to the cytotoxic action of TNF are still not definitively identified yet. Although a role of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway has been suggested as an effector in TNF signaling, its exact relative contribution and its interaction with ceramide pathway and tumor resistance to TNF remain unknown. The relationship between JNK activation and human breast adenocarcinoma MCF7 resistance acquisition to the cytotoxic action of TNF was therefore investigated.

Alteration of the sphingomyelin/ceramide pathway is associated with resistance of human breast carcinoma MCF7 cells to tumor necrosis factor-alpha-mediated cytotoxicity.

The interference of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) signaling processes with the acquisition of tumor resistance to TNF was investigated using the TNF-sensitive human breast carcinoma MCF7 cell line and its established TNF-resistant variant (R-A1). The resistance of R-A1 cells to TNF correlated with a low level of p55 TNF receptor expression and an absence of TNF signaling through TNF receptors. Stable transfection of wild-type p55 receptor in R-A1 resulted in enhancement of p55 expression and in partial restoration of TNF signaling, including nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation.

Impairment of Fas-antigen expression in adriamycin-resistant but not TNF-resistant MCF7 tumor cells.

Anti-cancer drugs and cytotoxic cytokines such as members of the TNF/Fas-ligand family play a predominant role in apoptosis induction in tumor cells, and are critical in cancer therapy. In this study we used the human breast-carcinoma cell line MCF7, its derivatives MCF7Adr (resistant to adriamycin) and R-A1 (resistant to TNF), to determine the impact of acquired drug and cytokine resistance on susceptibility to Fas-induced cytotoxicity and Fas-antigen expression. While MCF7 and R-A1 cells were killed by anti-Fas in the presence of IFN-gamma, MCF7Adr was found to be resistant to Fas-mediated apoptosis.

Protein kinase A phosphorylation of RhoA mediates the morphological and functional effects of cyclic AMP in cytotoxic lymphocytes.

We have observed that stimulation of human natural killer cells with dibutyryl cAMP (Bt2cAMP) reproduced the effects of ADP ribosylation of the GTP binding protein RhoA by Clostridium botulinum C3 transferase: both agents induced similar morphological changes, inhibited cell motility and blocked the cytolytic function. We demonstrate here that cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylates RhoA in its C-terminal region, on serine residue 188. This phosphorylation does not affect the ability of recombinant RhoA to bind guanine nucleotides, nor does it modify its intrinsic GTPase activity.

Regulation of interleukin-2 and interleukin-4 receptor expression in human and ape lymphoid cell lines.

In this study, we have analyzed the expression and regulation of receptors for IL-2 (alpha and beta chains) and IL-4 in four lymphoid cell lines established from leukemic cells. The gibbon ape cell line MLA 144 was the only one to express constitutively the IL-2R beta chain and IL-4R, whereas the NK-like YT cells express only IL-2R beta. The two other cell lines in this study, PEER and HSB2, are derived from T lymphocytes, and express neither IL-4R, IL-2R beta, nor IL-2R alpha unless stimulated.

ADP-ribosylation of the ras-related, GTP-binding protein RhoA inhibits lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity.

The Rho proteins are identified as a subgroup of the Ras superfamily of low molecular weight GTP-binding proteins. We have studied the expression of these proteins in human cytotoxic natural killer cells and found that RhoA is the most abundantly expressed member of the Rho family. The Rho proteins are specific substrates for ADP-ribosylation catalyzed by the C3 exoenzyme from Clostridium botulinum.

A hemopoietic specific gene encoding a small GTP binding protein is overexpressed during T cell activation.

We have isolated, from a human B cell line cDNA library, a cDNA (Gx) encoding a small G protein identical to rac 2, a member of the ras superfamily. Gx/rac 2 gene is expressed as a unique mRNA of 1,7 Kb in peripheral blood lymphocytes, in purified B and T cells, in thymus as well as in several B and T cell lines. It is not expressed in many other tissues analysed including liver, brain, lung, heart and kidney.

Functional consequences of cAMP accumulation in human natural killer cells. Implications for IL-2 and IL-4 signal transduction.

To approach the mechanisms whereby IL-2 activates human NK cells, we have compared the effects of IL-4 and of Bt2cAMP on this activation. Both agents block completely the proliferation induced by IL-2 on highly purified CD3-negative human NK cells. We also report that the net LAK response of PBL is inhibited by IL-4 and cAMP.

Expression and regulation of interleukin-1 mRNA and interleukin-1 receptors in human B-cell lines.

Long-term human lymphoid B-cell lines have been described to produce a number of growth factors, including interleukin-1 (IL-1) which may be of importance in the autocrine growth regulation of these cells and may participate in their antigen presenting function. In this report, we have analyzed the production of IL-1 by 12 established B-cell lines at the level of mRNA expression. Among the 5 cell lines containing an IL-1 message, three expressed exclusively IL-1 alpha, one contained traces of IL-1 beta, and only one line contained both.

[C3 stimulates the proliferation of human pre-B Raji cells].

In a defined medium in which transferrin (3 micrograms/ml) was the only source of exogenous proteins, Raji cells of the human pre-B lymphoblastoid cell line died within 48 h after forming polykaryons. The simple addition of purified C3 at a concentration equal to or higher than 3 micrograms/ml allowed Raji cells to divide. This preliminary report provides a defined system for studying the mitogenic effect of human C3 or C3 fragments upon proliferation of human B-cells lines.

Possible role of sialic acid and endogenous neuraminidase in T-cell proliferation.

The proliferation of T cells in MLR with strains C57Bl/6 and DBA2, mouse spleen and lymph node cells was increased when the inhibitors of endogenous neuraminidase was added in the culture. This is in favor of participation of this enzyme and implicitly of terminal sialic acid in the proliferation of T-cells. Ths possibility that the suppressive activity of T-cells might have been abolished is discussed.

3H-glucosamine and 3H-fucose incorporation by murine peritoneal macrophages "non-divided" during differentiation in vitro.

Normal murine peritoneal macrophages were maintained in culture for 24 hours and 6 days. These cells continuously incorporated 3H-glucosamine and 3H-fucose in their membrane components. For both precursors culture ages, these components may be considered to undergo turnover according to a given rhythm with a 24 hours doubling time.