Elevated c-yes tyrosine kinase activity in premalignant lesions of the colon

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The cellular oncogene c-yes and its viral homologue v-yes (the transforming gene of Yamaguchi 73 and Esh avian sarcoma viruses) encode 62-kilodalton, cytoplasmic, membrane-associated, protein-tyrosine kinases. For the related Src kinase, a close correlation exists between elevated kinase activity and cell transformation. Previously, we observed elevated Yes activity in many human colon carcinomas. Colonic neoplasia provides an opportunity to study tumor progression because most carcinomas arise from adenomas, which in turn arise from normal epithelia. The malignant potential of adenomas varies with size, histology, and degree of dysplasia. Large adenomas (> or = 2 cm) with villous architecture and severe dysplasia are most likely to develop carcinoma.

METHODS

To determine whether Yes is activated in premalignant lesions of the colon, we measured its in vitro protein-tyrosine kinase activity in 21 colonic adenomas from 17 patients.

RESULTS

Activity of Yes in adenomas at greatest risk for cancer was significantly greater (12- or 14-fold as measured by enolase or autophosphorylation, respectively) than activity in adjacent normal mucosa. Moreover, villous structure, large size (> or = 2 cm), or severe dysplasia correlated with elevated Yes activity.

CONCLUSIONS

The activity of Yes is elevated in adenomas that are at greatest risk for developing cancer.

Cytokines in inflammatory malignant fibrous histiocytoma presenting with leukemoid reaction

Inflammatory malignant fibrous histiocytomas (IMFH) are rare tumors and are frequently associated with leukocytosis. In rare cases, leukemoid reactions were attributed to tumor production of unidentified hematopoietic factors. In this study, we used immunohistochemical techniques to show cytokine immunoreactivity in the malignant cells of two cases of IMFH presenting with leukemoid reactions and compared them with two malignant fibrous histocytomas, noninflammatory type. All four tumors stained positively for stem cell factor (SCF), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-5, interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha), and insulin-like growth factor-I. Other cytokines detected only in the two IMFH included IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IFN-gamma, and keratinocyte growth factor. Granulocyte-macrophage-CSF, IL-3, and transforming growth factor-beta staining was present in one of the two IMFH tumors and was not present in the noninflammatory tumors. The immunohistochemical staining was localized to the malignant cells, suggesting deregulated cytokine expression consistent with their monocytic/histocytic origin. Expression of certain cytokines in the IMFH may account for the local inflammatory infiltrate, tumor fibrosis, and the aggressive nature of the malignant cells. We also detected elevated serum levels of SCF, G-CSF, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor in one or both of the IMFH patients. These latter observations may explain the bone marrow hypercellularity and other paraneoplastic symptoms, including fever, malaise, and weight loss, observed in both patients. Different cytokines present in the two IMFH tumors appear to be responsible for the eosinophilic leukemoid reaction observed in one case and for the granulocytic leukemoid reaction observed in the other patient. They may also be responsible for expansion of the tumor-cell population, fibroblast proliferation, and enhanced secretion of extracellular collagen.

c-Yes tyrosine kinase activity in human colon carcinoma

To examine the role of Src-related proteins in human colon carcinoma we measured the tyrosine kinase activity of pp60c-src (Src), p62c-yes (Yes), p56lck (Lck), p59fyn (Fyn), p59hck (Hck), p56lyn (Lyn) and p55c-fgr (Fgr) from colonic cells. Yes activity, similar to that of Src, was 10-20 fold higher in three of five colon carcinoma cell lines and fivefold higher in 10 of 21 primary colon cancers than that in normal colonic cells. Lck activity was present in COLO 205 cells, otherwise Lck, Fyn, Hck, Lyn and Fgr activities were not detected in any of the carcinoma cell lines or cancers tested. Increased Yes activity, like that of Src, was due mostly to increased protein levels and not to an apparent decrease in phosphorylation of Tyr 537, the major mechanisms known to deregulate enzymatic activity. Only those colon carcinoma cell lines with elevated Src and/or Yes tyrosine kinase activity as measured in vitro had elevated levels of three tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins as measured in vivo. Thus, colon carcinoma cells contain active tyrosine kinases and/or inactive tyrosine phosphatases not present in normal colonic cells, and Src and Yes appear to be active kinases in the carcinoma cells. These data, together with those demonstrating decreased Src activity in fully differentiated enterocytes, suggest that down regulation of Src-related tyrosine kinases is important for differentiation, and/or deregulation of the kinases is important for growth and transformation of intestinal epithelial cells.

Expression of the gastrin gene in the normal human colon and colorectal adenocarcinoma

Gastrin, produced in the G-cells of the gastric antrum and regulating acid secretion in the stomach, also acts as a trophic factor in the gastrointestinal tract. Because of its possible role in colon cell proliferation and differentiation, evidence for its presence in normal colorectal mucosa and adenocarcinoma was sought. Utilizing tumors and matched normal mucosa from 26 patients, mature gastrin and progastrin were studied by immunohistochemistry. In normal colonic mucosal crypts, occasional cells stained concordantly for gastrin, progastrin, and chromogranin A, suggesting that they are of neuroendocrine origin. Adenomatous polyps stained neither for gastrin nor chromogranin A. In 22 of 23 adenocarcinomas, more than 50% of tumor cells stained for gastrin and progastrin. The expected gastrin transcript was demonstrable by polymerase chain reaction and RNase protection in tumors and by polymerase chain reaction in normal mucosa. Its identity was confirmed by sequencing the polymerase chain reaction product. A larger transcript containing Intron II was present in both cancers and normal mucosa but was barely discernible in the gastric antrum. Aberrant expression of gastrin may contribute to deregulated proliferation of many colorectal carcinomas.

Distribution of cells expressing myc proteins in human colorectal epithelium, polyps, and malignant tumors

The myc gene family encodes nuclear phosphoproteins that are thought to play a role in the control of cellular proliferation and differentiation. We have undertaken an immunohistochemical study assessing the expression of myc gene family proteins in individual cells of normal colonic mucosa, colorectal polyps, and colorectal adenocarcinomas. We screened a panel of mouse monoclonal antibodies that we raised against recombinant human c-myc and N-myc proteins for recognition of myc proteins in paraffin tissue sections. Two of these antibodies, H120C69 and H8C150, were selected for indirect immunoperoxidase staining of tissue sections from 16 normal mucosas, 24 polyps, and 30 adenocarcinomas. In normal colon, about 25% of the cells in the lower one-third of the crypts of Lieberkühn stain for myc-related protein. This distribution resembles that of proliferating cells in the crypt. Benign hyperplastic polyps resemble normal mucosa in their myc staining pattern, with about 25% of the cells positive. In adenomatous polyps, the putative precursors of adenocarcinomas, from 50 to 100% of the cells stain positively for myc protein. In these cases, stained cells extend to the luminal surface, consistent with the previously reported expansion of the proliferation zone in these lesions. All adenocarcinomas examined had increased levels of myc protein relative to normal mucosa. The tumor cells exhibited markedly heterogeneous myc staining patterns, both among different tumors and, in some cases, within a single tumor. Comparison with Ki-67 monoclonal antibody staining indicates that myc protein expression in many tumors is uncoupled from cellular proliferation. Surprisingly, we observed increased numbers of myc-expressing cells and increased levels of myc protein in histologically normal colon directly adjacent to tumor, suggesting that many colorectal carcinomas secrete growth factors that activate gene expression in neighboring normal mucosa.

Ribosomal protein genes are overexpressed in colorectal cancer: isolation of a cDNA clone encoding the human S3 ribosomal protein

We have isolated a cDNA clone encoding the human S3 ribosomal protein from a normal human colon cDNA library. The clone was identified as one of many that detected genes whose level of expression was increased in adenocarcinoma of the colon relative to normal colonic mucosa. Increased levels of the S3 transcript were present in the tumors of all eight patients examined. Moreover, the S3 mRNA was also more abundant in 7 of 10 adenomatous polyps, the presumed precursor of carcinoma. Additional studies demonstrated that increased levels of mRNAs encoding several other ribosomal proteins, including S6, S8, S12, L5, and P0, were present in colorectal tumors and polyps. These results suggest that there is increased synthesis of ribosomes in colorectal tumors and that this increase is an early event in colon neoplasia.

Activation of the pp60c-src protein kinase is an early event in colonic carcinogenesis

Colonic neoplasia provides an opportunity to study tumor progression because most carcinomas arise from adenomas (polyps), which, in turn, arise from normal epithelia. The malignant potential of adenomas varies with size, histology, and degree of dysplasia. Polyps that are less than 2 cm with villous architecture and severe dysplasia are most likely to contain carcinoma. Previous studies demonstrated that the in vitro protein-tyrosine kinase activity of pp60c-src from colon carcinomas is significantly higher than that from adjacent normal mucosa. Here we report that the protein kinase activity of pp60c-src is also elevated in colonic polyps. Activity is highest in malignant polyps and in greater than 2-cm benign polyps that contain villous structure and severe dysplasia. Thus, pp60c-src activation occurs in benign polyps that are at greatest risk for developing cancer. These data suggest that activation of the protooncogene product pp60c-src may be an important event in the genesis of human colon carcinoma.

Expression of the myc gene family in different stages of human colorectal cancer

Colorectal carcinoma serves as a model system for the study of changes in gene expression and structure relating to tumorigenesis. In this study, the levels of c-myc, N-myc and L-myc mRNAs were assessed in normal human colonic mucosa in 33 cases representing different stages of adenocarcinoma and in 36 adenomatous polyps, the presumed premalignant stage. Consistent with the findings of Erisman et al. (1985), we found that the c-myc gene was overexpressed (3-24-fold) in approximately two-thirds of the tumors examined. Amplification of the gene (3-4-fold) was observed in 2 of 12 tumors examined and did not correlate with the level of expression. Greater amounts of c-myc-specific mRNA than occur in normal tissue was also found in about two-thirds of the polyps examined demonstrating that premalignant lesions also overexpress the gene. N-myc and L-myc specific transcripts can be detected at low abundance in normal colonic mucosa. These genes were found to be frequently overexpressed in tumors and polyps, but in most cases the level of overexpression was modest. A single case of adenocarcinoma showed an approximately 30-fold increase in the level of N-myc mRNA without gene amplification. Adenomatous polyps more frequently overexpressed the L-myc gene than tumors.

pp60c-src activation in human colon carcinoma

We measured the in vitro protein-tyrosine kinase activity of pp60c-src from human colon carcinoma cell lines and tumors. The activity of pp60c-src from six of nine carcinoma cell lines was higher (on average, fivefold as measured by enolase phosphorylation, or eightfold as measured by autophosphorylation) than that of pp60c-src from normal colonic mucosal cells, or human or rodent fibroblasts. Similarly, the activity of pp60c-src from 13 of 21 primary colon carcinomas was five- or sevenfold higher than that of pp60c-src from normal colonic mucosa adjacent to the tumor. The increased pp60c-src activity did not result solely from an increase in the level of pp60c-src protein, suggesting the specific activity of the pp60c-src kinase is elevated in the tumor cells. pp60c-src from colon carcinoma cells and normal colonic mucosal cells was phosphorylated at similar sites. We used immunoblotting with antibodies to phosphotyrosine to identify substrates of protein-tyrosine kinases in colonic cells. Three phosphotyrosine-containing proteins were detected at significantly higher levels in most colon carcinoma cell lines than in normal colonic mucosal cells or human or rat fibroblasts. All colon carcinoma cell lines with elevated pp60c-src in vitro kinase activity, showed increased phosphorylation of proteins on tyrosine in vivo, suggesting the presence of an activated protein-tyrosine kinase(s).

Spontaneous massive abdominal wall hematoma in polycythemia vera

An 87-year-old male patient known to have polycythemia vera presented at the hospital as an acute abdominal emergency. Ultrasonography of the abdomen revealed a homogeneous echogenic mass measuring 22 X 15 X 8 cm in fascial planes anterior to the peritoneum, which was consistent with a hematoma. His platelet count was 937,000/mm3. The patient responded to plateletpheresis and supportive management. Older patients with polycythemia vera may present as acute abdomen secondary to spontaneous abdominal wall hematoma. Computerized tomography or ultrasonography of the abdomen can aid in making the diagnosis and preventing unnecessary surgical intervention.

Protein synthesis in 3T3 and SV40-transformed 3T3 cells. Activity of ribosomes and cytosol proteins in cell-free protein synthesis

The activity of specific components involved in protein synthesis in 3T3 cells and its SV40-transformed derivative, SV3T3, were examined in a cell-free protein synthetic system, and the results correlated with previous studies, indicating that a decreasing rate of protein synthesis does not accompany the stationary phase of growth. We found that 3T3 and SV3T3 polysome preparations containing endogenous mRNA were equally efficient in supporting cell-free protein synthesis in this system. Further, the net protein synthesis observed was not altered by an increase in the population density of the cellular polysome source. The activity of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase enzymes from 3T3 and SV3T3 cells was examined in vitro after isolation by pH 5 precipitation and by ammonium sulfate fractionation. The activity of these preparations from stationary phase 3T3 and nonexponential phase SV3T3 cells was found to be approximately 3 times higher than the activity of fractions from the homologous exponential phase cell. However, at both growth stages, the SV3T3 preparations were 30 to 40 times more active than the 3T3 preparations. These findings may have implications for the different growth properties observed in the two cell types.

Differential inactivation of the "L" and "Ly+" amino acid transport systems by a sulfhydryl reagent and a photo-affinity probe

Using a substrate-stimulated amino acid efflux system, it has been shown that the "Ly+" and "L" amino acid transport systems of mouse embryo cells in culture are differentially inhibited by parachloromercuribenzene sulfonate (PCMB-S) and the photoaffinity probe 4-fluoro-3-nitrophenylazide (FNPA). Three types of evidence support the conclusion that these transport systems are mediated by separate carrier proteins. (1) The specificity of substrate-stimulated efflux is high for each system; (2) PCMB-S inhibits L-phenylalanine and L-leucine stimulated L-[3H]phenylalanine efflux with no effect on L-lysine stimulated L-[3H]lysine efflux, and (3) the photo-affinity probe FNPA inhibits L-lysine efflux with little effect on the L-phenylalanine-stimulated efflux.

Studies on Contact Inhibition of Growth in the Mouse Fibroblast, 3T3

Growth of the contact-inhibited 3T3 and its SV40-transformed derivative, 3T3T is un-balanced. Despite obvious exponential increase in cell number, cell volume, RNA and protein show a marked decrease with increasing population density in both cell types, greater in 3T3 than 3T3T. Daily medium change does not correct this growth pattern but merely seems to equalize initial growth rates of the 2 cell types and prolong the period during which the cell number continues to increase. The evidence suggests that the lag period that ensues following plating of the cells is a period of intense metabolic activity during which a large proportion of cellular protein and RNA is synthesized in preparation for exponential growth.

Studies on Contact Inhibition of Growth in the Mouse Fibroblast, 3T3

The effect of amino acid concentration on the initial growth rate of the contact-inhibited mouse fibroblasts 3T3 and its SV40-transformed derivative 3T3T has been studied. In medium in which the serum had been passed through a Sephadex column, and the concentration of amino acids lowered 1000-fold, one acid at a time, the growth rate constants were computed. For most of the 16 amino acids studied, the initial growth rate of 3T3 decreased more profoundly than that of 3T3T. The presence in serum of a factor which stimulates amino acid uptake and growth rate of 3T3T is described.