Modulation of the epidermal growth factor mitogenic response by metabolites of linoleic and arachidonic acid in Syrian hamster embryo fibroblasts. Differential effects in tumor suppressor gene (+) and (-) phenotypes.

Specific metabolites of arachidonic and linoleic acid have been proposed as serving a regulatory function in growth factor signal transduction in fibroblasts. In studies with Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) fibroblasts, we found lipoxygenase inhibitors to be potent blockers of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-dependent mitogenesis. Analytical chemical characterization of arachidonic and linoleic acid metabolism in SHE cells demonstrated that the major lipoxygenase product was 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (HODE). EGF stimulation of quiescent SHE cells resulted in an enhancement of HODE biosynthesis. The primary arachidonate products were prostaglandin E2 and F2 alpha formed via the cyclooxygenase pathway. Inhibition of cyclooxygenase activity did not alter the EGF-mitogenic response in SHE cells. Addition of lipoxygenase-derived linoleate metabolites (10(-10)-10(-6) M) produced a 2-4-fold potentiation of EGF-stimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation in SHE cells. Interestingly, the linoleate products did not enhance the EGF mitogenic effect in variant SHE cells that had lost tumor suppressor gene function. These results were confirmed by autoradiographic studies of DNA synthesis and suggest that loss of tumor suppressor phenotype correlates with a lack of responsiveness to linoleate products in signal transduction. In studies on the mechanism of EGF regulation of linoleic acid metabolism, inhibitors of EGF receptor tyrosine kinase activity were observed to block EGF-stimulated HODE biosynthesis. In addition, both cyclohexamide and actinomycin D attenuated the ability of EGF to increase linoleic acid metabolism in SHE cells. EGF induction of the linoleate pathway appears to be linked to activation of the EGF receptor and may be modulated at transcriptional or translational levels.