Expression of microtubule networks in normal cells, transformed cells, and their hybrids

Interaction of AU-rich sequence binding proteins with actin: possible involvement of the actin cytoskeleton in lymphokine mRNA turnover

In the current study, we report that cytochalasin-induced disruption of microfilaments stabilizes lymphokine mRNAs in activated human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Parallel with this, a dose- and time-dependent increase in AU-rich sequence binding protein (AUPB) activities is apparent in the nonionic detergent-resistant fractions of these cells, suggesting that cytochalasin-induced modulation of lymphokine mRNA stability might be mediated through cytoplasmic AUBPs. We provide evidence that some of the AUBPs can be immunoprecipitated with anti-actin antibodies, implicating the potential of these proteins to associate with the actin-based cytoskeleton in vivo. Moreover, disruption of the microfilament network by cytochalasins produces increased immunoprecipitable actin-AUBP complexes in the detergent-resistant cytoplasmic subfractions of lymphocytes. We show that cytochalasin-induced changes in AUBP activities are parallel with their higher binding affinity to RNA containing AU-rich instability sequence element as judged by in vitro competition and in vivo ultraviolet-crosslinking analysis. Correlation of these findings with changes in mRNA stability indicates that the actin cytoskeleton may play a physiologically important role in posttranscriptional regulation of lymphokine gene expression during early lymphocyte activation.

Transport across rat trachea in vitro after exposure to cytoskeleton-active drugs in vitro or to ozone in vivo

Full-length tracheas from Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to cytoskeleton-active drugs in short-term organ culture, and the permeability of the tracheal epithelium was measured by instilling radiotracers into the lumen and assay of the radioactivity appearing in the external bathing medium. In vitro treatment with cytochalasin D (cyto D, 2-10 x 10(-6) M) increased the rate of movement of [14C]mannitol across the epithelium. Exposure to vinblastine (VB, 10(-4) M) alone had no significant effect. However, VB in combination with cyto D increased the permeability in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo exposure to ozone (O3, 0.8 or 2.0 ppm, 2 h) had only a slight effect on the rate of movement of the tracer as measured in vitro immediately after exposure. At 24 h postexposure there was no significant difference in permeability between ozone- and air-exposed tracheas. Prior in vivo O3 exposure sensitized the tracheas to the in vitro effects of cyto D; treatment of O3-exposed tracheas with cyto D immediately after O3 exposure produced a greater than additive effect on permeability measured in vitro. VB at concentrations up to 10(-4) M had no enhancing effect on permeability in O3-exposed tracheas. Sham exposure to clean air did not affect permeability compared to untreated (shelf) controls. Electron microscopic studies demonstrated penetration of horseradish peroxidase into intercellular spaces in the tracheas treated in vitro with cyto D or cyto D plus VB. Cyto D is known to affect intracellular microfilaments that have attachments at or near the cell surface, while VB affects microtubules associated with internal cellular structures. Therefore, the synergistic effect on tracheal permeability observed with O3 and cyto D, but not with O3 and VB, suggests that O3 may change cell surface structures associated with the microfilamentous cytoskeleton.

Vinblastine-induced formation of annulated lamellae in SV3T3 cells

SV40-transformed 3T3 cells formed microtubular crystals in the cytoplasm when treated with vinblastine sulfate. Annulated lamellae, an unusual intracellular organelle found in some actively proliferating cell types, appeared concurrently with the formation of microtubular crystals. Although crystals were also seen in non-transformed 3T3 cells treated with vinblastine, annulated lamellae were not found.

Cell surface labeling of embryonic neural retina cells exposed to low temperature, energy inhibitors, cytochalasin B and colchicin

Large blebs devoid of receptors for hemocyanin-labeled concanavalin A appear on neural retina cells from 8-day chick embryos exposed to low temperature or to potassium cyanide or 2,4(alpha)-dinitrophenol at room temperature. Labeling with mixed antibodies against a crude retina membrane preparation and with goat anti-rabbit-hemocyanin conjugate showed the same results. Determination of cell ATP content indicated a drop in ATP concentration after exposure to low temperature or to respiration inhibitors. Disruption of microtubules by colchicin inhibited the formation of 'naked' large blebs, whereas cytochalasin B had no such inhibitory effect.

Progress towards a unified theory of the mechanisms of carcinogenesis: role of cell cycle restriction points

Cancer is characterized by a relatively autonomous growth of cells due to a reduced responsiveness to normal controls of proliferation and differentiation. The proliferation of normal cells is regulated at arrest (restriction) points in the cell cycle. Relatively autonomous growth (tumors) can result from various mechanisms which circumvent the normal regulatory controls of the cell cycle.

Biosynthesis of two subunits of type IV procollagen and of other basement membrane proteins by a human tumor cell line

The major collagenous component secreted into the medium of cultured HT-1080 tumor cells was identified as type IV procollagen by specific antibodies and characteristic ratios of incorporated labeled 3-hydroxyproline and 4-hydroxyproline. The disulfide-bonded molecules consisted of two subunits, pro-alpha 1(IV) and pro-alpha 2(IV) chains with apparent molecular weights of 180 000 and 165 000. No conversion of the procollagen to collagen or to procollagen intermediates was detected in the cell cultures. The two subunits apparently represent different gene products, since enzymatic digestion of the separated chains produced quite different peptide maps. Pepsin degraded native type IV procollagen successively into several fragments, some still disulfide-linked, giving rise to a complex set of polypeptide chains (Mr = 30 000-140 000). This agrees with similar diverse patterns produced by pepsin from authentic type IV collagens. The ratio between the pro-alpha 1(IV) and pro-alpha 2(IV) chains varied in several experiments between 1.3 and 1.8, suggesting that the two chains belong to different triple-helical molecules. The cells also produced distinct amounts of fibronectin (subunit Mr = 230 000) and of the basement membrane glycoprotein laminin. The latter showed three subunits with Mr = 220 000, 210 000, and 400 000. A further disulfide-bonded, non-collagenous polypeptide (Mr = 160 000) was detected but not yet identified. Immunofluorescence demonstrated these proteins within the cells but not in a pericellular matrix. The production of basement membrane components by HT-1080 cells and lack of interstitial collagens disagree with the original classification of the cell line as a fibrosarcoma.