Site of action of colchicine on RNA release from liver nuclei

Suppression of LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene expression by microtubule disrupting agents

Microtubule disrupting agents such as colchicine have been shown to reduce TNF-alpha production in macrophages. To examine molecular mechanisms underlying the action of colchicine, TNF-alpha gene expression was studied in the murine macrophage cell line PU5-1.8. An LPS stimulation caused an intense up-regulation of TNF-alpha gene expression which was followed by a high TNF-alpha protein production. Simultaneous addition of colchicine (10 microM) suppressed LPS-induced TNF-alpha mRNA accumulation by one-third and TNF-alpha protein release by two-thirds. This effect was shared by vinblastine and vincristine, chemically different agents that also disrupt microtubule polymerization. For full suppressive activity on TNF-alpha gene expression, colchicine had to be present for 3 h in LPS-stimulated macrophage cultures. With nuclear run-on transcription experiments we could demonstrate that colchicine primarily inhibited de novo gene transcription and did not accelerate degradation of TNF-alpha mRNA in actinomycin D-treated macrophages. Thus, the well-known antiinflammatory action of microtubule depolymerizing agents may be largely due to a reduced TNF-alpha gene expression.

Colchicine prevents the translation of mRNA molecules transcribed immediately after proliferative activation of hepatocytes in regenerating rat liver

A dual-labelling technique has been used to establish that partial hepatectomy has no effect on the degradation of poly (A)+mRNA and confirms that the increased incorporation of precursor into mRNA during early prereplicative development reflects an actual increase in mRNA biosynthesis. Simultaneous studies on the changes in nuclear RNA metabolism support the conclusion that an increase in gene transcription does occur. Colchicine, at concentrations known to disrupt microtubules, has no effect on this increase in gene transcription but prevents the translation of the gene products by promoting polysome disaggregation transiently during a critical stage of prereplicative development. Studies with mefenamic acid and hydrocortisone, specific inhibitors of prostaglandin metabolism, have ruled out any involvement of prostaglandins in the induction of prereplicative mRNA synthesis.

Organ and species specificity of the messenger RNA transport factor

The transport of messenger RNA from isolated rat liver nuclei is dependent on a 35,000 dalton protein localized in the cytoplasm. The tissue and species specificity of this protein are reported. The factor from female rat liver or from rat brain, kidney, or hepatoma supports the transport of messenger RNA from male rat liver nuclei. Messenger RNA is also transported in response to the factor from beef and chicken liver. The cytosols from rat erythrocytes, amoeba and yeast were inactive in the rat liver system. The results indicate that the messenger RNA transport factor is not specific for the nucleotide sequence of the coding portion of the messenger RNA and that it is not organ or species specific within the vertebrates.