Lipid synthesis and secretion by primary cultures of rat mammary epithelial cells

Lipid synthesis and secretion was measured in primary rat mammary epithelial cells cultured on basement matrix in medium supplemented with lactogenic hormones. The cells grew and differentiated to form alveolar‐like structures reminiscent of lactating mammary gland. They synthesized abundant triacylglycerol, containing fatty acids characteristic of rat milk (C10:O‐C14:0), using 14C‐glucose, 14C‐oleic acid or 14C‐glycerol as precursors. Basal levels of triacylglycerol secretion were measured using 14C‐oleic acid labeling; 1.3±0.3% of the labeled cellular triacylglycerol was secreted into the medium in 24 hours. Secreted lipid droplets were surrounded by a bilayer membrane with an electron‐dense inner coat characteristic of fat globules secreted by the mammary gland. The rate of triglycerol secretion was increased to 998±98% of control (P<0.01) by the addition of phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA) in combination with staurosporine, a protein kinase inhibitcn. Several other protein kinase inhibitors, when combined with PMA, also markedly stimulated secretion. Effective protein kinase inhibitors included sphingosine (has diverse cellular effects including the inhibition of protein kinase C; 13‐fold increase in secretion), and KT5823 (a cGMP dependent protein kinase inhibitor; 5‐fold increase). KT5720 (a cAMP‐dependent protein kinase inhibitor) did not alter secretion. Kinase inhibitors were effective only in the presence of a phorbol ester. 4α‐phorbol‐12,13‐didecanoate, a phorbol ester which does not activate protein kinase C (PKC), could substitute for PMA. Lipid release was not mediated by disruption of cell‐cell tight junctions, as EGTA did not release lipid. Based on these observations we suggest that two signals are needed to enable or stimulate lipid secretion in cultured rat mammary epithelial cells: (1) inhibition of a protein kinase and (2) a PKC‐independent effect of phorbol ester. We have, for the first time, characterized a cell culture model suitable for studying lipid synthesis and secretion by mammary epithelial cells

In vitro transcription of vitellogenin sequences on chick liver chromatin.

The in vitro transcription of chick liver chromatin before and after estrogen treatment was studied. Transcription was by endogenous as well as homologous exogenous RNA polymerase II and the products were analyzed for size and specific vitellogenin sequences. Quantitatively more RNA was synthesized from chromatin of 24 h estrogen-treated (E 24) chicks than from that of untreated chicks. In either case the size of transcribed RNA ranged from 5S to larger than 28S and most was between 5S and 18S. When a fraction enriched in estrogen receptor (E-Rec) complex was added to chromatin from untreated chicks, a dramatic shift of the RNA transcribed into heavier regions occurred. Analysis of RNA transcripts by hybridization to cDNAvit showed an equal number of sequences transcribed from E 24 chromatin and control; however, 13 times more specific sequences were transcribed in the presence of E-Rec complex. The results indicate the E-Rec complex exerts a regulatory function in the specific transcription of the vitellogenin gene

Characterization of chick liver chromatin and analysis of its in vitro transcription products

Carefully controlled preparation of chromatin from purified chick liver nuclei yielded over 50% native chromatin as shown by the analysis of the nucleosome pattern after micrococcal nuclease digestion. The size of DNA in this chromatin as analyzed on alkaline sucrose gradients varied from 10S to 19S, the majority being 14S. All endogenous RNA polymerases were represented in the chromatin preparation although to different extents: RNA polymerase I was the most and RNA polymerase II the least abundant. Initiation studies showed that endogenous RNA polymerase II was capable of initiating RNA chains during 5 min. Saturation of chromatin with purified homologous RNA polymerase II increased initiation to 10 min. The addition of heparin caused the RNA transcribed to be larger in size and of increased yield. Chromatin transcription with added purified RNA polymerase II in the presence of heparin produced RNA as large as 32S. A chromatin preparation of this kind would therefore be suitable to transcribe any eukaryotic gene invitro provided additional homologous RNA polymerase II is used