Dimethyl sulfoxide inhibits the expression of early growth-response genes and arrests fibroblasts at quiescence.

We have previously shown that dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) treatment of mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEF) at the early hours of mitogenic stimuli resulted in the inhibition of DNA and protein synthesis; delayed treatment of serum-stimulated cells with DMSO had little effect on the synthesis of these macromolecules. Here, we demonstrate the specific inhibition of expression of early growth response genes by DMSO in serum-stimulated MEF. The expression of interleukin 6, and of oncogenes c-myc and c-fos were inhibited when the cells were treated with 2% DMSO from the beginning of serum-stimulated growth but not after 3 h of mitogenic stimuli. Although the actin gene is an early serum-response gene, its expression was not affected by DMSO. The synthesis of another serum-induced protein, the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 was blocked during concurrent and delayed (after 3 h of stimulation) treatment of serum-stimulated fibroblasts with DMSO. The expression of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene was not affected by DMSO. These results indicate that the expression of non-growth-related genes are either not affected or affected nonspecifically both at early and late stages of serum-induced growth of mouse embryo fibroblasts. The serum-induced expression of c-fos gene was abolished by DMSO treatment of MEF while the phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced expression of fos gene was not, indicating that the PMA signaling pathway was refractory to DMSO. Treatment of cells with medium containing 2% DMSO for 24-48 h prevents them from progression into cell cycle by preventing the expression of genes involved in G0-G1 transition of quiescent cells.