Multiple lines of evidence suggest that the polyamines, a family of low-molecular-weight organic cations with documented regulatory note in cell growth and differentiation, are involved with hyperplastic and hypertrophic responses of lung cells underlying hypertensive pulmonary vascular disease. Little is known, however, of the factor(s) initiating polyamine synthesis in pulmonary hypertension. This study tested the key aspects of the hypothesis that augmented polyamine synthesis, and attendent vascular structural alterations in monocrotaline (MCT)-treated rats can be ascribed to elaboration of an epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like mitogen. In lungs of rats treated 4 days previously with 60 mg/kg, EGF-like immunoreactivity was detected diffusely throughout perivascular regions. Intravenous administration of human recombinant EGF (125 pg/h) to rats for 1 wk was associated with medial thickening in pulmonary arteries between 100 and 200 microns in diameter, significant increases in lung polyamine contents, and a moderate elevation in mean pulmonary arterial pressure. These observations indicate that EGF can be detected in the lungs of MCT-treated rats and that exogenous EGF mimics some of the action of MCT on the rat lung. It is thus reasonable to speculate that an EGF-like mitogen may participate in the response to MCT in part through a polyamine-dependent mechanism.

Chronic hypoxia causes polyamine-dependent hypertensive pulmonary vascular remodeling (J. E. Atkinson. J. W. Olson, R. J. Altierre, and M. N. Gillespie, J. Appl. Physiol. 62: 1562-1568, 1987), but mechanisms by which lung polyamine contents are elevated have not been established. This study measured polyamine contents, biosynthetic activities, and transport in lungs of rats exposed to hypobaric hypoxia (simulated altitude: 4,570 m) for 4-14 days. Hypoxia increased lung contents of spermidine and spermine within 40 h and of putrescine within 4 days. These changes preceded hypoxia-induced increases in pulmonary arterial pressure and development of right ventricular hypertrophy. Additional experiments determined whether increased lung polyamine contents could be ascribed to elevated activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the rate-limiting enzyme in conversion of ornithine to putrescine. Lung ODC activity did not differ from controls at 40 h posthypoxia and was reduced below control levels from 4-14 days of exposure. Putrescine transport kinetics were assessed in isolated, salt solution-perfused lungs. Apparent Km for putrescine uptake was increased from 10.4 microM in control lungs to 16.9 microM in lungs from rats maintained for 7 days in an hypoxic environment. Maximal velocity (Vmax) of lung putrescine transport was increased from 1.67 nmol.g-1.min-1 in controls to 2.65 in hypoxic lungs. Putrescine efflux also was altered by hypoxic exposure; T1/2 for loss of diamine from a slowly effluxing pool was increased from 60.6 min in controls to 91.5 min in hypoxic lungs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Uncontrolled growth of neoplastic cells and unregulated production of immunoglobulin are major components of the morbidity and mortality of multiple myeloma. Suramin, a polysulfonated napthylurea, has antitumor activity in a number of malignancies, but also significant dose-related toxicity. Suramin has been reported to have major antiproliferative effects in a variety of lymphoid cell lines. Glucocorticoids have long been recognized to have activity in lymphoid malignancies and multiple myeloma while IL-6 has been reported to be an autocrine growth factor for multiple myeloma. This study examines growth inhibition and inhibition of IL-6-mediated secretion of immunoglobulin in human lymphoid and myeloma cell lines by dexamethasone and suramin. Dexamethasone and suramin show synergistic inhibition of cell proliferation at their IC10 concentrations. IL-6-mediated immunoglobulin secretion is also inhibited by both dexamethasone and suramin in an additive fashion. Both dexamethasone and suramin induce apoptosis of lymphoid cell lines, and suramin inhibits the binding of IL-6 to its receptor in a multiple myeloma cell line. These findings suggest that the synergistic growth inhibitory activities of dexamethasone and suramin may be related to induction of apoptosis by both agents and inhibition of IL-6-mediated autocrine growth stimulation and immunoglobulin production. These results indicate that the combination of low-dose suramin (in concentrations not associated with significant clinical toxicity) and dexamethasone merit further study in the treatment of myeloma or lymphoid malignancies.

The cytokine IL-6 has been proposed as an autocrine growth factor in multiple myeloma, and is also required for stimulation of immunoglobulin production and secretion in normal plasma cells and myeloma cells. In this study, we showed that secreted IL-6 is detectable by Western blot analysis in a panel of lymphoid and myeloma cell lines. Previous studies in our laboratory have shown that dexamethasone and suramin inhibit cell proliferation and IL-6-mediated immunoglobulin secretion in various lymphoblastoid and myeloma cell lines. In the present study, we present study, we present data to examine mechanisms by which dexamethasone and suramin inhibit IL-6-mediated immunoglobulin secretion in the lymphoid cell line SKW 6.4. Cells treated with rIL-6 or the IC10 concentration of dexamethasone respectively undergo a doubling of intracellular IgM. Moreover, rIL-6 and dexamethasone additively stimulate cells to accumulate intracellular IgM. In contrast, cells treated with the IC10 concentration of suramin undergo no significant alteration of total cellular IgM, and do not respond to IL-6 with an increase in intracellular IgM. Northern blot analysis demonstrates that cells treated with exogenous rIL-6 and/or dexamethasone respectively undergo a coordinate one to three fold increase of kappa and mu chain mRNA expression, while there is a 30-40% decrease of kappa and mu chain mRNA when cells are treated with suramin and suramin plus rIL-6. Western blot analysis shows that levels of intracellular IL-6 modestly increase when cells are treated with exogenous rIL-6, whereas treatment with dexamethasone plus rIL-6 causes a 70% decrease of immunoreactive IL-6 protein in comparison with untreated cells. An rtPCR analysis of IL-6 mRNA expression shows an abolished signal in response to dexamethasone or rIL-6 and/or dexamethasone. Using a flow cytometric assay, it is demonstrated that suramin inhibits IL-6 binding to its receptor. Taken together, these results indicate that SKW 6.4 cells treated with rIL-6 and/or dexamethasone undergo increased expression of IgM mRNA leading to increased intracellular IgM levels. Treatment with suramin or suramin plus rIL-6 does not alter the IL-6 protein level or the mRNA levels for IL-6 and IL-6 receptor. Suramin treatment causes a moderate decrease in IgM mRNA, and this is associated with a decreased intracellular level of IgM in SKW 6.4 cells. Overall these findings support the concept that IL-6 is an autocrine factor for immunoglobulin production and secretion in myeloma cells. Suramin interferes with IL-6 binding to its receptor and/or decreases IL-6 receptor expression. Dexamethasone has neither of these effects on IL-6 receptor expression or IL-6 binding to its receptor, and we postulate that it acts through a block in secretion or in degradation of intracellular immunoglobulin by decreasing IL-6 mRNA expression and IL-6 protein content. These studies suggest that the combination of suramin and dexamethasone not only synergistically growth inhibit myeloma cells but also act in concert to inh...

Interluekin-6 (IL-6)/IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) play a major role in autocrine/paracrine growth regulation of myeloma cells and are the central mediators for bone destruction and other systemic manifestations of multiple myeloma. Modulation of the IL-6/IL-6R cytokine loop thus represents a rational therapeutic approach. We updated and reviewed the studies on the agents that targeted IL-6/IL-6R modulation and the results of selected clinical trials. Extensive in vitro studies with human myeloma cell lines or primary myeloma explants have shown that components of this cytokine loop could be modulated by various agents, and such modulation is associated with inhibition of myeloma cell growth. The purported mechanisms of action of these agents, down-regulation or neutralization of IL-6 and/or IL-6R and the interruption of IL-6 binding to IL-6R or gp 130 signal transducer, with possible exception for glucocorticoids and specific antibodies, remain to be formally proven. Clinical trials showed largely limited benefits of these agents. Given tumor cell heterogeneity and the complexity of inter-connected cytokine network in vivo, the future emphasis should be on the strategy of combination treatment that would modulate this cytokine loop at multiple sites. Further advances in delineating IL-6 and related cytokine signal transduction pathways should also suggest other targets for therapeutic intervention.