cytochalasin-d and Neurofibromatosis-1

The present study was focused on structural relationship between intracellular calcium stores and plasma membrane store-operated calcium channels in cultured normal and NF1 keratinocytes.. Calcium mobilization induced by thapsigargin or extracellular ATP was studied in control and cytochalasin D-treated human keratinocytes.. Treatment of keratinocytes with cytochalasin D disrupted the actin cytoskeleton and changed the cells from a planar, extended morphology, to a rounded shape. In normal control keratinocytes, thapsigargin induced a marked increase in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i). The capacitative calcium influx of cytochalasin D-treated normal keratinocytes was significantly weaker compared to normal control cells. In normal keratinocytes, ATP induced a rapid and transient increase in [Ca2+]i. Thus disruption of the cytoskeleton blocked thapsigargin-induced calcium mobilization, but had no effect on ATP-induced [Ca2+]i mobilization in keratinocytes. The results suggest that microfilaments play crucial role for functional capacitative Ca2+ entry in cultured keratinocytes. The cytoskeleton and calcium mediated cell signaling have been demonstrated to be abnormal in keratinocytes cultured from patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). In NF1 keratinocytes, thapsigargin induced a slow and moderate increase in [Ca2+]i. The effect of cytochalasin D on NF1 keratinocytes was less pronounced compared to normal keratinocytes. In NF1 keratinocytes, ATP induced a rapid and transient increase in [Ca2+]i.. The actin microfilaments play a crucial role for functional capacitative Ca2+ entry in cultured keratinocytes, and that aberrant organization of cytoskeleton may partly explain altered calcium-mediated cell signaling in NF1.

Topics: Actins; Adenosine Triphosphate; Adult; Biological Transport; Calcium; Cells, Cultured; Cytochalasin D; Cytoskeleton; Humans; Keratinocytes; Middle Aged; Neurofibromatosis 1; Signal Transduction; Skin; Thapsigargin

We have previously shown that NF1 (type 1 neurofibromatosis) p21ras GTPase-activating tumor suppressor protein undergoes major relocalization during the formation of cell-cell junctions in differentiating keratinocytes in vitro. This prompted us to study the distribution of NF1 mRNA under the same conditions by in situ hybridization. In differentiating keratinocytes, the NF1 mRNA signal intensified within the cell cytoplasm within the first 0.5 to 2 hours after induction of cellular differentiation. First, the hybridization signal was evenly distributed throughout the cytoplasm. Subsequently, NF1 mRNA was gradually polarized to the cellular periphery at the side of cell-cell junctions and finally disappeared. Reappearance of NF1 mRNA was found in migrating keratinocytes forming a bilayered culture. Disruption of microfibrillar cytoskeleton, but not microtubules, caused a marked change in the subcellular distribution of NF1 mRNA. This data may suggest that intact actin microfilaments are essential for transport of NF1 mRNA to the cell periphery. This is the first study demonstrating that NF1, or any tumor suppressor mRNA, belongs to a rare group of mRNAs not targeted to free polysomes or ribosomes of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. This finding recognizes a potential way for post-transcriptional modification of NF1 expression.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Calcium; Cell Communication; Cell Differentiation; Cells, Cultured; Cytochalasin D; Cytoskeleton; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; In Situ Hybridization; Keratinocytes; Middle Aged; Neurofibromatosis 1; RNA, Messenger