The Extent of Histone Acetylation Induced by Butyrate and the Turnover of Acetyl Groups Depends on the Nature of the Cell Line

Abstract

Cells possessing widely different physiological and morphological features were treated with substances known to stimulate the differentiation of erythroleukemia cells. Only short fatty acids are capable of causing a hyperacetylation of the core histones and enhancing the level of an H1-like protein in Chinese hamster ovary (ATCC-CCL61) cells. While the time courses of a butyrate-mediated acetylation are similar for all cells, the maximum histone acetyl contents are much higher for the transformed cells of a given type. A withdrawal of butyrate rapidly (within 45 min) gives rise to a hypoacetylation state for [neonatal human diploid foreskin] fibroblasts and transformed fibroblasts (epithelial) cells from which there is a slow recovery. Lymphoid cells [human Burkitt lymphoma Namalva-ATCC-CRL-1432 cell] display a marked persistance of the highly acetylated forms of histone H4. Also studied were human embryonic lung L-132-ATCC-CCL-5 cell and peripheral lymphocytes.