cytochalasin-d and Leukemia

We have comparatively evaluated respiratory burst and some steps of its signaling in human granulocytes towards different stimuli.. An alternative method to remove erythrocytes by dextran differential sedimentation was employed. Respiratory burst (RB) was assessed in a flow cytometer by the oxidation of a fluorescent probe (dichlorodihydrofluorescein). Stimuli were phorbol ester (PMA) and zymosan.. Granulocytes obtained with dextran sedimentation mounted a normal RB for the two stimuli but cells obtained by erythrocyte lysis were ineffective to respond to zymosan (P < 0.05). EGTA did not affect PMA-induced, but inhibited zymosan-induced RB (P < 0.05). PMA-induced RB was blocked by a protein kinase C inhibitor (P < 0.05), whereas zymosan was not. Microfilament integrity was essential for zymosan but not for PMA, whereas microtubule depolymerization does not seem to be essential for both stimuli. Granulocytes obtained from recently diagnosed leukemia patients responded relatively well to both stimuli but after chemotherapy, the response to zymosan was increased whereas cells were unable to respond to PMA.. The use of the proposed method allows the study of both RB and phagocytosis, making it useful to study these granulocyte responses in the clinical and experimental settings.

Topics: Adult; Calcium; Cells, Cultured; Colchicine; Cytochalasin D; Cytoskeleton; Erythrocytes; Female; Flow Cytometry; Granulocytes; Humans; Leukemia; Leukocytes; Male; Middle Aged; Paclitaxel; Phorbol Esters; Protein Kinase C; Respiratory Burst; Signal Transduction; Zymosan

Mechanosensitive channels in various eucaryotic cells are thought to be functionally and structurally coupled to the cortical cytoskeleton. However, the results of electrophysiological studies are rather controversial and the functional impact of cytoskeleton assembly-disassembly on stretch-activated channel properties remains unclear. Here, the possible involvement of cytoskeletal elements in the regulation of stretch-activated Ca2+-permeable channels was studied in human leukaemia K562 cells with the use of agents that selectively modify the actin or tubulin system. F-actin disassembly resulted in a considerable reduction of the amplitude of stretch-activated currents without significant change in channel open probability. The effects of treatments with cytochalasins or latrunculin were principally similar, developed gradually and consisted a strong decrease of single channel conductance. Microtubule disruption did not affect stretch-activated channels. The data presented here are in principal agreement with the general conclusion that mechanosensitive channel functions are largely dependent on the integrity of the cortical actin cytoskeleton. Specifically, changes in conductive properties of the pore may provide an essential mechanism of channel regulation underlying functional modulation of membrane currents. Our results allow one to speculate that microfilament organization may be an important determinant in modulating biophysical characteristics of stretch-activated cation channels in cells of blood origin.

Topics: Actins; Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; Cytochalasin D; Cytoskeleton; Humans; Ion Channels; K562 Cells; Leukemia; Microtubules; Thiazoles; Thiazolidines

The actin cytoskeleton has been shown to be involved in the regulation of sodium-selective channels in non-excitable cells. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the changes in channel function remain to be defined. In the present work, inside-out patch experiments were employed to elucidate the role of submembranous actin dynamics in the control of sodium channels in human myeloid leukemia K562 cells. We found that the application of cytochalasin D to the cytoplasmic surface of membrane fragments resulted in activation of non-voltage-gated sodium channels of 12 picosiemens conductance. Similar effects could be evoked by addition of the actin-severing protein gelsolin to the bath cytosol-like solution containing 1 microm [Ca(2+)](i). The sodium channel activity induced by disassembly of submembranous microfilaments with cytochalasin D or gelsolin could be abolished by intact actin added to the bath cytosol-like solution in the presence of 1 mm MgCl(2) to induce actin polymerization. In the absence of MgCl(2), addition of intact actin did not abolish the channel activity. Moreover, the sodium currents were unaffected by heat-inactivated actin or by actin whose polymerizability was strongly reduced by cleavage with specific Escherichia coli A2 protease ECP32. Thus, the inhibitory effect of actin on channel activity was observed only under conditions promoting rapid polymerization. Taken together, our data show that sodium channels are directly controlled by dynamic assembly and disassembly of submembranous F-actin.

Topics: Actins; Cytochalasin D; Gelsolin; Humans; K562 Cells; Leukemia; Magnesium; Polymers; Sodium Channels

The paper is devoted to membrane mechanisms of sodium influx from the extracellular medium to the cytoplasm in nonexcitable cells. With the use of patch clamp technique, the activity of non-voltage-gated ionic channels in plasma membrane of human leukemia K562 cells was examined. We have identified two types of Na-permeable channels characterized by unitary conductance of 12 pS and differing in their selectivity among monovalent cations. A relative permeability value PNa/PK was estimated for both types referred to as channels of high (HS, PNa/PK = 10) and low (LS, PNa/PK = 3) selectivity, resp. Both the channels were impermeable to bivalent cations (Ca2+, Ba2+), not blocked by tetradotoxin. Their sensitivity to amiloride was extremely low. Cytochalasin D treatment of cells resulted in a significant increase in the activity of LS Na-conducting channels. Application of exogenous gelsolin to the cytoplasmic surface of inside-out membrane patch at free Ca2+ level of 1 mkM induced a similar effect of sodium channel activation; the subsequent addition of actin reduced the channel activity up to the background level. Our results show that the cortical F-actin network plays an important role in regulating the novel family of sodium channels in nonexcitable cells. It could be assumed that the actin disassembly causes a rise in LS channel activity, whereas the actin assembly induces inactivation of the channels.

Topics: Actins; Cytochalasin D; Cytoskeleton; Gelsolin; Humans; Leukemia; Sodium Channels; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Cytochalasin B and D enhanced vincristine (VCR) and daunomycin (DAU) accumulation in tumor cells, especially in VCR- and DAU-resistant cell lines. The effect of cytochalasin B, and to a lesser extent cytochalasin D, was almost equivalent to that observed for verapamil, a calcium channel blocker which has been reported to enhance drug accumulation in tumor cells. Cytochalasin B was most effective in VCR- and DAU-sensitive cells; however, the effect in resistant cells was less than that observed for verapamil, suggesting a different mode of action between these drugs in sensitive and resistant cells. Enhanced accumulation of VCR and DAU by cytochalasins was mediated by the inhibition of outward transport of VCR and DAU from tumor cells. Colchicine had no effect on VCR and DAU accumulation. Cytochalasins, especially cytochalasin D is a specific inhibitor of microfilament assembly in cells. These results indicate that the cellular microfilament system plays a prominent role in drug transport of tumor cells, and that an intact microtubular system is less involved.

Topics: Animals; Cell Line; Cell Survival; Colchicine; Cytochalasin B; Cytochalasin D; Cytochalasins; Daunorubicin; Drug Resistance; Humans; Leukemia; Leukemia P388; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute; Mice; Verapamil; Vincristine