Focusing on unpolymerized actin

Microscopic studies on severing properties of actin-binding protein: its potential use in therapeutic treatment of actin-rich inclusions

Actin is an important unit of the cytoskeletal system, involved in many cellular processes including cell motility, signaling, and intracellular trafficking. Various studies have been undertaken to understand the regulatory mechanisms pertaining actin functions, especially the ones controlled by actin-binding proteins. However, not much has been explored about the molecular aspects of these proteins implicated in various diseases. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate the molecular properties of gelsolin, an actin-severing protein on the disassembly of the aggregation of actin-rich intracellular inclusions, Hirano body. We observed a decreasing tendency of actin aggregation by co-sedimentation assay and transmission electron microscopy in the presence of gelsolin. Therefore, we provide suggestive evidence for the use of actin-severing protein in novel therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative conditions.

Actin: Structure, Function, Dynamics, and Interactions with Bacterial Toxins

Actin is one of the most abundant proteins in any eukaryotic cell and an indispensable component of the cytoskeleton. In mammalian organisms, six highly conserved actin isoforms can be distinguished, which differ by only a few amino acids. In non-muscle cells, actin polymerizes into actin filaments that form actin structures essential for cell shape stabilization, and participates in a number of motile activities like intracellular vesicle transport, cytokinesis, and also cell locomotion. Here, we describe the structure of monomeric and polymeric actin, the polymerization kinetics, and its regulation by actin-binding proteins. Probably due to its conserved nature and abundance, actin and its regulating factors have emerged as prefered targets of bacterial toxins and effectors, which subvert the host actin cytoskeleton to serve bacterial needs.

Requirements for Hirano body formation

Hirano bodies are paracrystalline F-actin-rich structures associated with diverse conditions, including neurodegeneration and aging. Generation of model Hirano bodies using altered forms of Dictyostelium 34-kDa actin-bundling protein allows studies of their physiological function and mechanism of formation. We describe a novel 34-kDa protein mutant, E60K, with a point mutation within the inhibitory domain of the 34-kDa protein. Expression of E60K in Dictyostelium induces the formation of model Hirano bodies. The E60K protein has activated actin binding and is calcium regulated, unlike other forms of the 34-kDa protein that induce Hirano bodies and that have activated actin binding but lack calcium regulation. Actin filaments in the presence of E60K in vitro show enhanced resistance to disassembly induced by latrunculin B. Actin filaments in model Hirano bodies are also protected from latrunculin-induced depolymerization. We used nocodazole and blebbistatin to probe the role of the microtubules and myosin II, respectively, in the formation of model Hirano bodies. In the presence of these inhibitors, model Hirano bodies can form but are smaller than controls at early times of formation. The ultrastructure of model Hirano bodies did not reveal any major difference in structure and organization in the presence of inhibitors. In summary, these results support the conclusion that formation of model Hirano bodies is promoted by gain-of-function actin filament bundling, which enhances actin filament stabilization. Microtubules and myosin II contribute to but are not required for formation of model Hirano bodies.

Plasma membrane calcium ATPase activity is regulated by actin oligomers through direct interaction

As recently described by our group, plasma membrane calcium ATPase (PMCA) activity can be regulated by the actin cytoskeleton. In this study, we characterize the interaction of purified G-actin with isolated PMCA and examine the effect of G-actin during the first polymerization steps. As measured by surface plasmon resonance, G-actin directly interacts with PMCA with an apparent 1:1 stoichiometry in the presence of Ca(2+) with an apparent affinity in the micromolar range. As assessed by the photoactivatable probe 1-O-hexadecanoyl-2-O-[9-[[[2-[(125)I]iodo-4-(trifluoromethyl-3H-diazirin-3-yl)benzyl]oxy]carbonyl]nonanoyl]-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, the association of PMCA to actin produced a shift in the distribution of the conformers of the pump toward a calmodulin-activated conformation. G-actin stimulates Ca(2+)-ATPase activity of the enzyme when incubated under polymerizing conditions, displaying a cooperative behavior. The increase in the Ca(2+)-ATPase activity was related to an increase in the apparent affinity for Ca(2+) and an increase in the phosphoenzyme levels at steady state. Although surface plasmon resonance experiments revealed only one binding site for G-actin, results clearly indicate that more than one molecule of G-actin was needed for a regulatory effect on the pump. Polymerization studies showed that the experimental conditions are compatible with the presence of actin in the first stages of assembly. Altogether, these observations suggest that the stimulatory effect is exerted by short oligomers of actin. The functional interaction between actin oligomers and PMCA represents a novel regulatory pathway by which the cortical actin cytoskeleton participates in the regulation of cytosolic Ca(2+) homeostasis.

Effects of cadmium on the actin cytoskeleton in renal mesangial cells

We provide an overview of our studies on cadmium and the actin cytoskeleton in mesangial cells, from earlier work on the effects of Cd2+ on actin polymerization in vivo and in vitro, to a role of disruption or stabilization of the cytoskeleton in apoptosis and apoptosis-like death. More recent studies implicate cadmium-dependent association of gelsolin and the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMK-II) with actin filaments in cytoskeletal effects. We also present previously unpublished data concerning cadmium and the disruption of focal adhesions. The work encompasses studies on rat, mouse, and human mesangial cells. The major conclusions are that Cd2+ acts independently of direct effects on cellular Ca2+ levels to nevertheless activate Ca2+-dependent proteins that shift the actin polymerization–depolymerization in favour of depolymerization. Cadmium-dependent translocation of CaMK-IIδ, gelsolin, and a 50 kDa gelsolin cleavage fragment to the filamentous (F-)actin cytoskeleton appear to be involved. An intact filamentous actin cytoskeleton is required to initiate apoptotic and apoptotic-like death, but F-actin depolymerization is an eventual result.

LOCOMOTION OF A TWO DIMENSIONAL KERATOCYTE MODEL

The polymerization-induced propulsion of a model cell consisting of a cell membrane enclosing mobile actin molecules and polymerizing actin filaments is studied using Monte Carlo methods. It is shown that asymmetric polymerization alone induces a rectified motion of the cell. The structural organization of the locomoting cell exhibits an anisotropic shape induced by the anisotropic distribution of actin within the cell. This nonequilibrium distribution is maintained by a constant flow of actin molecules from the rear to the front of the cell. The efficiency of the rectification process, and hence the cell velocity, depends cooperatively on the density of actin molecules. The maximum of the cell velocity is determined by the optimal interplay between the number of filaments and the fluctuation of the cell membrane.

HSPB1, actin filament dynamics, and aging cells

Investigations into the possible roles of human HSPB1 in aging have focused on its role as a molecular chaperone protecting partially folded or unfolded proteins, particularly during oxidative stress. A thorough analysis of potential roles of HSPB1 in aging cells has been hampered by a limited knowledge of its functions in living cells. Most studies have employed cell-free extracts and purified proteins. For example, HSPB1 is known to bind actin in vitro, and this observation led to the hypothesis that HSPB1 regulates actin filament dynamics. In the study summarized herein, the role of HSPB1 in regulating actin filament dynamics was further investigated by using cultured human cells. These results show that HSPB1 and actin form a complex in vivo and that HSPB1 is important for cell motility. A model for HSPB1 as a regulator of actin filament dynamics is presented, and evidence from the literature on cytoskeletal alterations in aging cells is discussed.

Organization of mammalian cytoplasm

Although the role of macromolecular interactions in cell function has attracted considerable attention, important questions about the organization of cells remain. To help clarify this situation, we used a simple protocol that measures macromolecule release after gentle permeabilization for the examination of the status of endogenous macromolecules. Treatment of Chinese hamster ovary cells with saponin under carefully controlled conditions allowed entry of molecules of at least 800 kDa; however, there were minimal effects on internal cellular architecture and protein synthesis remained at levels comparable to those seen with intact cells. Most importantly, total cellular protein and RNA were released from these cells extremely slowly. The release of actin-binding proteins and a variety of individual cytoplasmic proteins mirrored that of total protein, while marker proteins from subcellular compartments were not released. In contrast, glycolytic enzymes leaked rapidly, indicating that cells contain at least two distinct populations of cytoplasmic proteins. Addition of microfilament-disrupting agents led to rapid and extensive release of cytoplasmic macromolecules and a dramatic reduction in protein synthesis. These observations support the conclusion that mammalian cells behave as highly organized, macromolecular assemblies (dependent on the actin cytoskeleton) in which endogenous macromolecules normally are not free to diffuse over large distances.

Formation of Hirano bodies in Dictyostelium and mammalian cells induced by expression of a modified form of an actin-crosslinking protein

We report the serendipitous development of the first cultured cell models of Hirano bodies. Myc-epitope-tagged forms of the 34 kDa actin bundling protein (amino acids 1-295) and the CT fragment (amino acids 124-295) of the 34 kDa protein that exhibits activated actin binding and calcium-insensitive actin filament crosslinking activity were expressed in Dictyosteliumand mammalian cells to assess the behavior of these modified forms in vivo. Dictyostelium cells expressing the CT-myc fragment: (1) form ellipsoidal regions that contain ordered assemblies of F-actin, CT-myc, myosin II, cofilin and α-actinin; (2) grow and develop more slowly than wildtype, but produce normal morphogenetic structures; (3) perform pinocytosis and phagocytosis normally; and (4) produce a level of total actin equivalent to wildtype, but a higher level of F-actin. The paracrystalline inclusions bear a striking resemblance to Hirano bodies, which are associated with a number of pathological conditions. Furthermore, expression of the CT fragment in murine L cells results in F-actin rearrangements characterized by loss of stress fibers, accumulation of numerous punctate foci, and large perinuclear aggregates, the Hirano bodies. Thus, failure to regulate the activity and/or affinity of an actin crosslinking protein can provide a signal for formation of Hirano bodies. More generally, formation of Hirano bodies is a cellular response to or a consequence of aberrant function of the actin cytoskeleton. The results reveal that formation of Hirano bodies is not necessarily related to cell death. These cultured cell models should facilitate studies of the biochemistry, genetics and physiological effects of Hirano bodies.

Cancer cell motility--on the road from c-erbB-2 receptor steered signaling to actin reorganization

Cell migration depends mainly on actin polymerization and intracellular organization, which are influenced by a vast variety of actin binding proteins (ABPs). Regulation of ABP activity is mediated by second messengers such as phosphoinositides and calcium. Signaling via these second messengers is initiated and regulated by membrane receptors, e.g., receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), and by adhesion molecule interactions (e.g., integrins and selectins) and focal adhesion kinases. A major role in steering second-messenger signaling and thus in actin cytoskeleton reorganization and motility of cancer cells is played by the RTK c-erbB-2. This occurs through a number of signaling pathways which involve mainly enzymes, e.g., phospholipase Cgamma1 and GTPases, which modify signaling molecules. Furthermore large multiprotein complexes including actin-related protein 2/3, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein, profilin, and capping protein among others play an important role in regulating actin reorganization. The complex picture of the mode of actin reorganization, which is involved in tumor cell migration, is slowly emerging from the mists of cellular signaling pathways, but this is still by no means a clear view.

The actin filament-associated protein AFAP-110 is an adaptor protein that modulates changes in actin filament integrity

The actin filament-associated protein of 110 kDa (AFAP-110) was first identified as an SH3/SH2 binding partner for the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase, Src. Subsequent data have demonstrated that AFAP-110 can interact with other Src family members. AFAP-110 contains additional protein binding modules including two pleckstrin homology domains, a leucine zipper motif and a target sequence for serine/threonine phosphorylation. AFAP-110 interacts with actin filaments directly via a carboxy terminal actin-binding domain. Thus AFAP-110 may function as an adaptor protein by linking Src family members and/or other signaling proteins to actin filaments. AFAP-110 also has an intrinsic capability to alter actin filament integrity that can be revealed upon conformational changes associated with phosphorylation or mutagenesis. Recent data has indicated that AFAP-110 may also serve to activate cSrc in response to this conformational change as well. Thus, AFAP-110 may function in several ways by (1) acting as an adaptor protein that links signaling molecules to actin filaments, (2) serving as a platform for the construction of larger signaling complexes, (3) serving as an activator of Src family kinases in response to cellular signals that alter its conformation and (4) directly effecting actin filament organization as an actin filament cross-linking protein. Here, we will review the structure and function of AFAP-110 as well as potential binding partners and effectors of AFAP-110's ability to alter actin filament integrity.

Elongation factor 1beta is an actin-binding protein

A 17 kDa polypeptide found in association with actin in cellular extracts of Dictyostelium discoideum was identified as a proteolytic fragment of eEF1beta. Antibody elicited against the 17 kDa protein reacted with a single 29 kDa polypeptide in Dictyostelium, indicating that the 17 kDa peptide arises from degradation of a larger precursor. The cDNA isolated from a Dictyostelium library using this antibody as a probe encodes Dictyostelium elongation factor 1beta. Amino acid degradation of the 17 kDa protein fragment confirmed the identity of the protein as eEF1beta. Direct interaction of eEF1beta with actin in vitro was further demonstrated in mixtures of actin with the 17 kDa protein fragment of Dictyostelium eEF1beta, recombinant preparations of Dictyostelium eEF1beta expressed in Escherichia coli, and the intact eEF1betagamma complex purified from wheat germ. Localization of eEF1beta in Dictyostelium by immunofluorescence microscopy reveals both diffuse cytoplasmic staining, and some concentration in the cortical and hyaline cytoplasm. The results support the existence of physical and functional interactions of the translation apparatus with the cytoskeleton, and suggest that eEF1beta may function in a dual role both to promote the elongation phase of protein synthesis, and to interact with cytoplasmic actin.

Organization of cytoskeletal F-actin, G-actin, and gelsolin in the adhesion structures in cultured osteoclast

Immunofluorescence using Gc protein (group-specific component or vitamin D binding protein [DBP]) as a marker of G-actin showed that nonfilamentous, monomeric G-actin is a component of the podosomes of osteoclasts cultured on glass plates or bone slices. Typical individual podosomes of the well-spread cells on glass plates were rosette in form. When viewed from the basolateral surface, the core portion of the dotlike podosomes was associated with packed F-actin filaments surrounded by G-actin organized in a ringlike structure. The podosomes, when viewed perpendicular to the substrate, showed a conical shape as a bundle of short F-actin core and a ring of G-actin. With cell spreading on glass plates, the clustering of the podosomes formed a continuous belt of tightly packed podosomes as an adhesion structure at the paramarginal area. In addition, these structures were seen on the ventral cell surface. Similar changes in cell shape were seen in the osteoclasts when they were plated on bone slices. With the loss of dotlike podosomes, a continuous band of F-actin was formed around the resorption lacunae. It became evident then that F- and G-actin dissociated from each other in the podosomes. The staining patterns of G-actin varied from a discrete dot to a diffuse one. Toward the nonresorption phase, the osteoclasts lost their continuous F-actin band but dotlike podosomes appeared in the leading and the trailing edges. In such a cell undergoing translational movements, G-actin was located diffusely in the cytoplasm behind the lamellipodia and along some segments of the leading edge. Cytochalasin B treatment caused cells to disorganize the actin cytoskeletal architecture, which indicated the disassembling of F-actin into G-actin in podosomes and disappearance of actin-ring of cultured osteoclasts. Staining with polyclonal actin antibody or monoclonal beta-actin was overlapped with the distribution pattern of G- and F-actin. Gelsolin was detected in the region of the adhesion area corresponding to the podosome. The observation that F-actin, G-actin, and gelsolin were detected in the osteoclastic adhesion structures suggests that the podosomes may represent sites where a rapid polymerization/depolymerization of actin occurs. These dynamic changes in cytoskeletal organization and reorganization of G-actin may reflect changes in the functional polarization of the osteoclast during the bone resorption cycle and suggest the important role of G-actin in the regulation of osteoclast adhesion.

Mechanism of actin-based motility

Spatially controlled polymerization of actin is at the origin of cell motility and is responsible for the formation of cellular protrusions like lamellipodia. The pathogens Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella flexneri, which undergo actin-based propulsion, are acknowledged models of the leading edge of lamellipodia. Actin-based motility of the bacteria or of functionalized microspheres can be reconstituted in vitro from only five pure proteins. Movement results from the regulated site-directed treadmilling of actin filaments, consistent with observations of actin dynamics in living motile cells and with the biochemical properties of the components of the synthetic motility medium.

Erythrocyte membrane fractions contain free barbed filament ends despite sufficient concentrations of retained capper(s) to prevent barbed end growth

Many cellular functions depend on rapid cytoskeletal rearrangements localized to specific cytoplasmic domains. Tight regulation of the submembranous microfilament network is accomplished in large part in erythrocytes and granulocytes by actin binding proteins that cap the fast-growing barbed filament ends. Study of this dynamic system is necessarily hampered by the confounding perturbations of cell lysis and dilution. In this paper, we characterize the functional properties of the membrane-associated spectrin-actin complex from human erythrocytes as it exists after hypotonic lysis. Purified spectrin-actin "seeds" extracted from erythrocyte membranes effectively nucleated actin elongation from their barbed ends. However, polymerization from spectrin-actin complexes associated with the membrane fraction prematurely slowed despite the presence of G-actin in great excess of the critical monomer concentration. The addition of cytochalasin B decreased (rather than augmented) the slowing of elongation attributable to the membrane fraction, indicating that capping of barbed filament ends (not monomer sequestration) was the major mechanism underlying this effect. The paradoxical implication of our findings is that, despite the presence of excess capper(s) in the membrane fraction, the membrane-associated spectrin-actin seeds were not capped until after dilution into physiological ionic strength buffer containing monomeric actin. Furthermore, by comparing the degrees of contamination of the extracted and membrane-associated spectrin-actin preparations, it appeared that recognized capping proteins (including gelsolin and capping protein beta2) were not the predominant cappers found in the membrane pellet after hypotonic lysis. We hypothesize that the barbed ends of membrane-associated spectrin-actin complexes, while not excluding actin monomers, may be selectively inaccessible to certain cappers (perhaps simply as the result of steric hindrance). Growth from such complexes in vivo could be limited by the availability of polymerization-competent G-actin.

Structural requirements for thymosin beta4 in its contact with actin. An NMR-analysis of thymosin beta4 mutants in solution and correlation with their biological activity

We examined the conformational preferences of mutants of thymosin beta4, an actin monomer sequestering protein by NMR spectroscopy in 60% (v/v) trifluoroethanol. Under these conditions, the wild-type thymosin beta4 conformation consists of an alpha-helix (helix I) extending from residues 5-16 with a more stable fragment from lysine 11 to lysine 16 and a second alpha-helix (helix II) encompassing residues 31-39. The point mutations studied here are located in helix I or in the LKKTET segment (residues 17-22) that form the two main entities of interaction with the actin molecule. The alpha-1H conformational shifts allow us to investigate the helicity of the polypeptides at the residue level and to correlate these structures with their biological activity. We determine that an extension of helix I at its C-terminal end over the LKK-segment results in loss of activity. The correct termination of this helix is connected to a specific orientation of the polypeptide essential for a cooperative action of the thymosin beta4 binding entities required for full activity.

Role of cytoskeleton in apoptosis

Apoptosis is a form of cell death that takes place under physiologic conditions, and plays a key role in the control of biological processes such as embryonic development, tissue remodelation and renewal, or regulation of cell populations. Since its discovery in the early 1970s, there have been many relevant advances in the knowledge of the biochemical and molecular events involved in apoptosis. However, although the apoptotic process was defined on the basis of morphologic observations, only recently have we started to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that drive the structural changes observed in cells undergoing apoptosis. The article reviews current knowledge about the implications of cytoskeleton components (microfilaments, intermediate filaments, microtubules, and other cytoskeleton-related proteins) in the dynamics of apoptosis.

C-terminal variations in beta-thymosin family members specify functional differences in actin-binding properties

Mammalian cells express several isoforms of beta-thymosin, a major actin monomer sequestering factor, including thymosins beta4, beta10, and beta15. Differences in actin-binding properties of different beta-thymosin family members have not been investigated. We find that thymosin beta15 binds actin with a 2.4-fold higher affinity than does thymosin beta4. Mutational analysis was performed to determine the amino acid differences in thymosin beta15 that specify its increased actin-affinity. Previous work with thymosin beta4 identified an alpha-helical domain, as well as a conserved central motif, as crucial for actin binding. Mutational analysis confirms that these domains are also vital for actin binding in thymosin beta15, but that differences in these domains are not responsible for the variation in actin-binding properties between thymosins beta4 and beta15. Truncation of the unique C-terminal residues in thymosin beta15 inhibits actin binding, suggesting that this domain also has an important role in mediating actin-binding affinity. Replacement of the 10 C-terminal amino acids of thymosin beta15 with those of thymosin beta4 did, however, reduce the actin-binding affinity of the hybrid relative to thymosin beta15. Similarly, replacement of the thymosin beta4 C-terminal amino acids with those of thymosin beta15 led to increased actin binding. We conclude that functional differences between closely related beta-thymosin family members are, in part, specified by the C-terminal variability between these isoforms. Such differences may have consequences for situations where beta-thymosins are differentially expressed as in embryonic development and in cancer.

Actin machinery: pushing the envelope

The reconstitution of microbial rocketing motility in vitro with purified proteins has recently established definitively that no myosin motor is required for protrusion. Instead, actin polymerization, in conjunction with a small number of proteins, is sufficient. A dendritic pattern of nucleation controlled by the Arp2/3 complex provides an efficient pushing force for lamellipodial motility.

Role of actin-filament disassembly in lamellipodium protrusion in motile cells revealed using the drug jasplakinolide

BACKGROUND

In motile cells, protrusion of the lamellipodium (a type of cell margin) requires assembly of actin monomers into actin filaments at the tip of the lamellipodium. The importance of actin-filament disassembly in this process is less well understood, and is assessed here using the actin drug jasplakinolide, which has two known activities - inhibition of filament disassembly and induction of an increase in actin polymer.

RESULTS

In cells the two activities of jasplakinolide were found to be separable; 1 microM jasplakinolide could permeate cells, bind cellular filamentous actin (F-actin) and inhibit filament disassembly within 3.5 minutes, but significant increase in actin polymer was not detected until 60 minutes of treatment. In live, permeabilised cells, jasplakinolide did not inhibit filament assembly from supplied, purified actin monomers. In migrating chick fibroblasts, lamellipodium protrusion was blocked within 1-5 minutes of treatment with 1 microM jasplakinolide, without any perturbation of actin organisation. In non-migrating chick fibroblasts, there was a delay in the onset of jasplakinolide-induced inhibition of lamellipodium protrusion, during which lamellipodium length increased linearly with no increase in protrusion rate. Motility of the bacterium Listeria in infected PtK2 cells was reduced 2.3-fold within 3 minutes of treatment with 1 microM jasplakinolide.

CONCLUSIONS

Actin-filament disassembly is tightly coupled to lamellipodium protrusion in migrating chick fibroblasts and motility of Listeria in PtK2 cells. One simple interpretation of these data is a situation whereby ongoing actin-filament assembly uses free actin monomer derived from filament disassembly, in preference to stored monomer.

Expression and characterization of Cys374 mutated human beta-actin in two different mammalian cell lines: impaired microfilament organization and stability

Previous studies have demonstrated that addition of glutathione at the penultimate Cys374 residue of actin results in filaments with diminished mechanical stability. In the present work substitutions introducing a negatively charged (Asp and Glu) or a neutral (Ala) amino acid at position 374 of the human beta-actin and tagged at the N-terminus with the flag epitope were studied by transient transfections into Ishikawa human endometrial and opossum kidney cells. Immunofluorescence revealed that microfilaments which incorporated negatively charged mutants were partially to severely disorganized when compared to the almost well-formed actin-Ala374 filaments or the wild type actin filaments. Furthermore, microfilaments containing either negatively charged mutant were more sensitive to the destabilizing action of cytochalasin B. In addition, Triton fractionation resealed a considerable reduction of flag-actin content in the Triton insoluble fraction for cells expressing Asp374 or Glu374 mutant compared to wild type actin. These results demonstrate that negatively charged amino acid residues at the exposed C-terminal tail strongly affect actin microfilament organization and dynamics in vivo.

Decreased thymosin beta4 in apoptosis induced by a variety of antitumor drugs

As many antitumor drugs can kill tumors through the induction of apoptosis, the effect of these drugs presumably would be enhanced if they were used in combination with other drugs that interact with apoptotic processes. To clarify the biological events involved in the induction of apoptosis, we examined changes in the proteins associated with induction of apoptosis by antitumor drugs. When Molt-4 cells were exposed to the antitumor drugs etoposide, meso-2,3-bis(3,5-dioxopiperazine-1-yl)butane (ICRF-193), and neocarzinostatin, they exhibited apoptotic cell death as determined by flow cytometry using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled annexin V staining of phosphatidylserine on membranes and detection of hypodiploid cells. Following the induction of apoptosis, a low molecular weight protein that was identified to be thymosin beta4 by HPLC analysis was commonly decreased, and the morphology of actin filaments changed into clump formations. These results suggest that decreased thymosin beta4 is involved in the induction of apoptosis by antitumor drugs.

Rho-family GTPases require the Arp2/3 complex to stimulate actin polymerization in Acanthamoeba extracts

BACKGROUND

Actin filaments polymerize in vivo primarily from their fast-growing barbed ends. In cells and extracts, GTPgammaS and Rho-family GTPases, including Cdc42, stimulate barbed-end actin polymerization; however, the mechanism responsible for the initiation of polymerization is unknown. There are three formal possibilities for how free barbed ends may be generated in response to cellular signals: uncapping of existing filaments; severing of existing filaments; or de novo nucleation. The Arp2/3 complex localizes to regions of dynamic actin polymerization, including the leading edges of motile cells and motile actin patches in yeast, and in vitro it nucleates the formation of actin filaments with free barbed ends. Here, we investigated actin polymerization in soluble extracts of Acanthamoeba.

RESULTS

Addition of actin filaments with free barbed ends to Acanthamoeba extracts is sufficient to induce polymerization of endogenous actin. Addition of activated Cdc42 or activation of Rho-family GTPases in these extracts by the non-hydrolyzable GTP analog GTPgammaS stimulated barbed-end polymerization, whereas immunodepletion of Arp2 or sequestration of Arp2 using solution-binding antibodies blocked Rho-family GTPase-induced actin polymerization.

CONCLUSIONS

For this system, we conclude that the accessibility of free barbed ends regulates actin polymerization, that Rho-family GTPases stimulate polymerization catalytically by de novo nucleation of free barbed ends and that the primary nucleation factor in this pathway is the Arp2/3 complex.

Dimerization of profilin II upon binding the (GP5)3 peptide from VASP overcomes the inhibition of actin nucleation by profilin II and thymosin beta4

Profilin II dimers bind the (GP5)3 peptide derived from VASP with an affinity of approximately 0.5 microM. The resulting profilin II-peptide complex overcomes the combined capacity of thymosin beta4 and profilin II to inhibit actin nucleation and restores the extent of filament formation. We do not observe such an effect when barbed filament ends are capped. Neither can profilin I, in the presence of the peptide, promote actin polymerization during its early phase consistent with a lower affinity. Since a Pro17 peptide-profilin II complex only partially restores actin polymerization, the glycine residues in the VASP peptide appear important.

Actin polymerization enhances Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxicity

Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxin is cytotoxic to bovine leukocytes, causing increased cell membrane permeability, osmotic swelling, release of cytosolic proteins and cell lysis. These studies were designed to test if leukotoxin causes release of the cytoskeletal protein, actin, from bovine leukemia cells and if purified actin-influenced bacterial growth or leukotoxin production. Culture supernatants caused a 7-fold decrease in viability of bovine leukemia cells and increased cell permeability that was accompanied by release of beta-actin into the cell culture supernatant. Exposing P. haemolytica to purified actin solutions induced the conversion of monomeric G-actin to polymerized F-actin. This conversion was partially inhibited by bovine P. haemolytica immune, but not pre-immune, serum. Loss of streptomycin resistance following treatment of the organism with acridine orange ablated the polymerizing activity. Incubation of P. haemolytica in the presence of purified F-actin did not affect growth but resulted in culture supernatant that had 3.0-3.9-fold greater leukotoxicity compared to medium alone or medium containing G-actin, heat-denatured actin or albumin. The effect of actin on leukotoxicity was concentration-dependent and directly associated with increases in secreted leukotoxin. The interaction between P. haemolytica and actin is potentially detrimental to the host by inducing polymerization of actin into insoluble filaments and by enhancing leukotoxicity.

Reorganization of filamentous actin and myosin-II in zebrafish eggs correlates temporally and spatially with cortical granule exocytosis

The zebrafish egg provides a useful experimental system to study events of fertilization, including exocytosis. We show by differential interference contrast videomicroscopy that cortical granules are: (1) released nonsynchronously over the egg surface and (2) mobilized to the plasma membrane in two phases, depending upon vesicle size and location. Turbidometric assay measurements of the timing and extent of exocytosis revealed a steady release of small granules during the first 30 seconds of egg activation. This was followed by an explosive discharge of large granules, beginning at 30 seconds and continuing for 1–2 minutes. Stages of single granule exocytosis and subsequent remodeling of the egg surface were imaged by either real-time or time-lapse videomicroscopy as well as scanning electron microscopy. Cortical granule translocation and fusion with the plasma membrane were followed by the concurrent expansion of a fusion pore and release of granule contents. A dramatic rearrangement of the egg surface followed exocytosis. Cortical crypts (sites of evacuated granules) displayed a purse-string-like contraction, resulting in their gradual flattening and disappearance from the egg surface. We tested the hypothesis that subplasmalemmal filamentous (F-) actin acts as a physical barrier to secretion and is locally disassembled prior to granule release. Experimental results showed a reduction of rhodamine-phalloidin and antimyosin staining at putative sites of secretion, acceleration of the timing and extent of granule release in eggs pretreated with cytochalasin D, and dose-dependent inhibition of exocytosis in permeabilized eggs preincubated with phalloidin. An increase in assembled actin was detected by fluorometric assay during the period of exocytosis. Localization studies showed that F-actin and myosin-II codistributed with an inward-moving, membrane-delimited zone of cytoplasm that circumscribed cortical crypts during their transformation. Furthermore, cortical crypts displayed a distinct delay in transformation when incubated continuously with cytochalasin D following egg activation. We propose that closure of cortical crypts is driven by a contractile ring whose forces depend upon dynamic actin filaments and perhaps actomyosin interactions.

Nucleation and elongation of actin filaments in the presence of high speed supernate from neutrophil lysates: modulating effects of Ca2+ and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate

Cell motility depends on the rapid growth of cortical actin filaments whose barbed ends are capped in the resting cell. High speed supernates (HSS) of dilute neutrophil lysates contain actin monomers and/or oligomers that can be induced to polymerize by certain stimuli. We questioned whether some of the actin remaining in the supernate after high speed centrifugation exists as occult nucleation sites which can elongate when uncapped. Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) may play a critical role as an intracellular messenger in cytoskeletal rearrangement after stimulation by removing cappers from barbed filament ends. The experiments reported here examine the separate and interactive effects of PIP2 micelles and micromolar [Ca2+] on the rates of nucleation and elongation of pyrenyl-G-actin in the presence of HSS. HSS slowed the nucleation and elongation rates of gel-filtered pyrenyl-G-actin polymerized at submicromolar [Ca2+]. Under these conditions, PIP2 only slightly increased the number of nucleation sites, but delayed the slowing of the elongation rate in the presence of HSS. Nucleating activity in HSS could be induced by the addition of micromolar [Ca2+] and totally abolished by immunoprecipitation of gelsolin from HSS; incubation of HSS with PIP2 at micromolar [Ca2+] slightly decreased the number of calcium-induced nucleation sites in the supernate. Incubation of HSS with PIP2 before the addition of calcium led to a greater reduction in Ca2+-inducible nucleation sites. HSS possessed more nucleation sites after simultaneous exposure to PIP2 and Ca2+, followed by chelation of Ca2+ with EGTA, than HSS preincubated at micromolar [Ca2+] without PIP2. At submicromolar [Ca2+], PIP2 only generated a few barbed end nucleation sites in the HSS, but lessened the gradual slowing of elongation seen with HSS in the absence of PIP2, presumably by preventing capping by capping protein-beta2 in the supernate. Pointed end nucleating sites in HSS, attributable to gelsolin, could be created by adding micromolar [Ca2+]. The preincubation of HSS with PIP2 in the absence of micromolar [Ca2+] decreased the number of Ca2+-inducible nucleation sites in the HSS. Under conditions mimicking the sequential rise and fall of cytosolic [Ca2+] after stimulation, PIP2 accelerated actin polymerization despite the inhibitory action of HSS by maintaining Ca2+-activated nucleation sites. These observations suggest that a possible role for PIP2 in modulating cytoskeletal growth in vivo may be to regulate nucleation sites activated by sequential changes in cytosolic [Ca2+].

The influence of elaborated pericellular matrix on the deformation of isolated articular chondrocytes cultured in agarose

This study investigates the mechanical influence of pericellular matrix on the deformation of isolated articular chondrocytes compressed within 3% agarose specimens. After 1 day in culture, the cells were associated with minimal amounts of sulphated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and hydroxyproline and exhibited substantial deformation from a spherical to an oblate ellipsoid morphology when subjected to 20% gross compressive strain. However, over the 6 day culture period, there was a reduction in cell deformation associated with an increase in matrix content. Treatment with testicular hyaluronidase at days 3 and 6 reduced sulphated GAG content to levels observed in untreated specimens at day 1. At day 3, the resulting cell deformation during 20% compression was equivalent to that in specimens compressed at day 1. However, at day 6 cell deformation was only partially restored, suggesting the presence of additional structural matrix components, other than sulphated GAG, which were not present at day 3. Dual scanning confocal microscopy indicated that the elaborated matrix formed a pericellular shell which did not deform during compression and was therefore stiffer than the 3% agarose substrate. Therefore, the elaboration of a mechanically functional pericellular matrix within 6 days, effectively limits the potential involvement of cell deformation in mechanotransduction within cell seeded systems such as those employed for cartilage repair.

Cell transit analysis of ligand-induced stiffening of polymorphonuclear leukocytes

A mathematical treatment of the mechanical behavior of transiently bonded polymer networks is used to interpret measurements of the pressure-induced passage of plant cells through microporous membranes. Cell transit times are inferred to be proportional to the instantaneous shear modulus of the cell cortex, a parameters that we then relate to properties of the cortical F-actin matrix. These theoretical results are used to analyze published data on chemoattractant-induced changes of rigidity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. We thereby rationalize previously noted, peculiar, power-law logarithmic dependences of transit time on ligand concentration. As a consequence, we are able to deduce a linear relationship between the extent of F-actin polymerization and the logarithm of the chemoattractant concentration. The latter is examined with regard to the G-protein activation that is known to occur when chemoattractants bind to receptors on the surfaces of polymorphonuclear cells.

Mechanism of Cdc42-induced actin polymerization in neutrophil extracts

Cdc42, activated with GTPgammaS, induces actin polymerization in supernatants of lysed neutrophils. This polymerization, like that induced by agonists, requires elongation at filament barbed ends. To determine if creation of free barbed ends was sufficient to induce actin polymerization, free barbed ends in the form of spectrin-actin seeds or sheared F-actin filaments were added to cell supernatants. Neither induced polymerization. Furthermore, the presence of spectrin-actin seeds did not increase the rate of Cdc42-induced polymerization, suggesting that the presence of Cdc42 did not facilitate polymerization from spectrin-actin seeds such as might have been the case if Cdc42 inhibited capping or released G-actin from a sequestered pool. Electron microscopy revealed that Cdc42-induced filaments elongated rapidly, achieving a mean length greater than 1 micron in 15 s. The mean length of filaments formed from spectrin-actin seeds was <0.4 micron. Had spectrin-actin seeds elongated at comparable rates before they were capped, they would have induced longer filaments. There was little change in mean length of Cdc42-induced filaments between 15 s and 5 min, suggesting that the increase in F-actin over this time was due to an increase in filament number. These data suggest that Cdc42 induction of actin polymerization requires both creation of free barbed ends and facilitated elongation at these ends.

Kinetic analysis of the interaction of actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin with G- and F-actins. Comparison of plant and human ADFs and effect of phosphorylation

The thermodynamics and kinetics of actin interaction with Arabidopsis thaliana actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF)1, human ADF, and S6D mutant ADF1 protein mimicking phosphorylated (inactive) ADF are examined comparatively. ADFs interact with ADP.G-actin in rapid equilibrium (k+ = 155 microM-1.s-1 and k- = 16 s-1 at 4 degreesC under physiological ionic conditions). The kinetics of interaction of plant and human ADFs with F-actin are slower and exhibit kinetic cooperativity, consistent with a scheme in which the initial binding of ADF to two adjacent subunits of the filament nucleates a structural change that propagates along the filament, allowing faster binding of ADF in a "zipper" mode. ADF binds in a non-cooperative faster process to gelsolin-capped filaments or to subtilisin-cleaved F-actin, which are structurally different from standard filaments (Orlova, A., Prochniewicz, E., and Egelman, E. H. (1995) J. Mol. Biol. 245, 598-607). In contrast, the binding of phalloidin to F-actin cooperatively inhibits its interaction with ADF. The ADF-facilitated nucleation of ADP.actin self-assembly indicates that ADF stabilizes lateral interactions in the filament. Plant and human ADFs cause only partial depolymerization of F-actin at pH 8, consistent with identical functions in enhancing F-actin dynamics. Phosphorylation does not affect ADF activity per se, but decreases its affinity for actin by 20-fold.

Actin enhances the haemolytic activity of Escherichia coli

Actin is a major cytoskeletal protein of mammalian muscle and non-muscle cells. Exposure of cells to soluble factors that damage cell membranes results in the release of actin into the extracellular spaces. The alpha-haemolysin (HlyA) of Escherichia coli is the prototype RTX (repeat in toxin) toxin and is thought to be important in virulence because of its ability to lyse cells by formation of pores in the cell membrane. These studies were conducted to determine if actin influences growth and haemolytic activity of E. coli. Growth of E. coli in the presence of actin resulted in culture supernatant haemolytic activity that was 2.4-, 2.7- and 3.3-fold greater than that of E. coli grown in medium containing BSA, non-supplemented medium, or medium containing heat-denatured actin, respectively. The enhanced haemolytic activity occurred only when actin was present during the growth phase and there was no effect when actin was added to culture supernatants containing haemolysin. The increased haemolytic activity by actin was concentration-dependent, detectable in early-exponential-phase growth, and associated with increased concentrations of secreted HlyA by Western blotting. Actin induced a 2.9-fold increase in alkaline phosphatase activity in E. coli CC118 with a TnphoA insertion in the hlyB determinant of the recombinant haemolysin plasmid pWAM04. These results indicate that extracellular actin enhances haemolysin production by E. coli and may have implications in the pathogenesis of E. coli infections.

High concentrations of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate may promote actin filament growth by three potential mechanisms: inhibiting capping by neutrophil lysates, severing actin filaments and removing capping protein-beta2 from barbed ends

Cell locomotion requires rapid growth of cortical actin filaments whose barbed ends are capped in the resting cell. Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) may play a critical role as an intracellular messenger in cytoskeletal rearrangement after stimulation. We have examined the effects of PIP2 micelles on the Ca2+-independent actin filament capping activity in high speed supernatants of neutrophil lysates which we had previously demonstrated to be almost entirely due to capping protein-beta2, a homologue of cap Z. High concentrations of PIP2 totally prevented the capping of exogenous spectrin-F-actin seeds by dilute supernatants of neutrophil extracts. Capping could also be inhibited, albeit less effectively, by PIP and PI, but not by other phospholipids. When incubated with filaments in the absence of supernatant, PIP2 increased the number of growing ends. PIP2 also uncapped previously capped actin filaments, as demonstrated by incubating supernatant-capped and uncapped seeds with and without PIP2 and then comparing the initial elongation rates after addition of pyrenyl-G-actin. Incubation of capped seeds with high concentrations of PIP2 increased the number of free barbed ends to a level comparable to that of the uncapped seeds exposed to PIP2. PIP2 caused uncapping to occur too quickly to be explained simply by the off-rate of capping protein-beta2, implying that PIP2 interacted directly with capping protein on the filament ends. In fact, PIP2 transiently uncapped capped seeds in the presence of excess free capping protein. From our data, we estimate that millimolar concentrations of PIP2 (almost 100-fold higher than the amount predicted from the effective concentration in purified systems) would be required to inhibit all the capping protein-beta2 in the cytosol. This discrepancy probably results, in large part, from sequestration of PIP2 by other PIP2-binding proteins in the cytoplasm. If PIP2 mediates differential cytoskeletal growth after chemoattractant stimulation in vivo, very high concentrations may be required subjacent to the plasma membrane for regional severing and uncapping of actin filaments to occur quickly near the perturbed membrane.

Probing the Plant Actin Cytoskeleton during Cytokinesis and Interphase by Profilin Microinjection

We have examined the cytological effects of microinjecting recombinant birch profilin in dividing and interphase stamen hair cells of Tradescantia virginiana. Microinjection of profilin at anaphase and telophase led to a marked effect on cytokinesis; cell plate formation was often delayed, blocked, or completely inhibited. In addition, the initial appearance of the cell plate was wrinkled, thin, and sometimes fragmented. Injection of profilin at interphase caused a thinning or the collapse of cytoplasmic strands and a retardation or inhibition of cytoplasmic streaming in a dose-dependent manner. Confocal laser scanning microscopy of rhodamine-phalloidin staining in vivo revealed that high levels of microinjected profilin induced a degradation of the actin cytoskeleton in the phragmoplast, the perinuclear zone, and the cytoplasmic strands. However, some cortical actin filaments remained intact. The data demonstrate that profilin has the ability to act as a regulator of actin-dependent events and that centrally located actin filaments are more sensitive to microinjected profilin than are cortical actin filaments. These results add new evidence supporting the hypothesis that actin filaments play a crucial role in the formation of the cell plate and provide mechanical support for the cytoplasmic strands in interphase cells.

N-methyl-D-aspartate evokes rapid net depolymerization of filamentous actin in cultured rat cerebellar granule cells

Filamentous actin (F-actin) was measured in cultured rat cerebellum granule neurons with the use of fluorescently labeled phallotoxin as a site-specific probe for F-actin, and fluorescence microscopy. The averaged apparent intensity of soma-associated F-actin-derived fluorescence (F(app)) was measured from fixed cells after incubation in either 1) normal Krebs solution containing 2 mM extracellular calcium ([Ca2+]ex) or 2) normal Krebs solution plus N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) for 2 min immediately before fixation. NMDA (10, 50, and 100 microM) decreased F(app) to 63 +/- 5% (mean +/- SE), 53 +/- 4%, and 47 +/- 2%, respectively, of that measured from control cells. This effect was mimicked by treatment of cells with ionomycin. The ability of NMDA to reduce the F(app) in the presence of [Ca2+]ex was abolished when cells were maintained in [Ca2+]ex-free medium. Cells first treated with NMDA for 2 min and then left in normal medium for 30 min before fixation gave F(app) fluorescence similar to control values (91 +/- 12%). However, if the F-actin polymerization inhibitor cytochalasin D was added to cells immediately after NMDA was removed, the F(app) did not recover with time (36 +/- 3%). Cells treated for 30 min with cytochalasin D alone showed a small reduction in staining (approximately 20%). It is concluded that the actin polymerization state of rat cerebellar granule neurons is sensitive to changes in intracellular calcium, and that NMDA receptor activation evokes an initial rapid depolymerization of F-actin.

Control of actin dynamics in cell motility

Actin polymerization plays a major role in cell movement. The controls of actin sequestration/desequestration and of filament turnover are two important features of cell motility. Actin binding proteins use properties derived from the steady-state monomer-polymer cycle of actin in the presence of ATP, to control the F-actin/G-actin ratio and the turnover rate of actin filaments. Capping proteins and profilin regulate the size of the pools of F-actin and unassembled actin by affecting the steady-state concentration of ATP-G-actin. At steady state, the treadmilling cycle of actin filaments is fed by their disassembly from the pointed ends. It is regulated in two different ways by capping proteins and ADF, as follows. Capping proteins, in decreasing the number of growing barbed ends, increase their individual rate of growth and create a "funneled" treadmilling process. ADF/cofilin, in increasing the rate of pointed-end disassembly, increases the rate of filament turnover, hence the rate of barbed-end growth. In conclusion, capping proteins and ADF cooperate to increase the rate of actin assembly up to values that support the rates of actin-based motility processes.

On the mechanics of the first cleavage division of the sea urchin egg

We describe a continuum model of the sea urchin egg during the first cleavage division. Using estimated values of the relevant mechanical parameters we then carry out numerical simulations of cytokinesis and conduct a systematic comparison of these computations with a variety of published experimental data.

Differential regulation of actin depolymerizing factor and cofilin in response to alterations in the actin monomer pool

Myoblasts, transfected with a human gene encoding a beta-actin point mutation, down-regulate expression of actin depolymerizing factor (ADF) and its mRNA. Regulation is posttranscriptional. Expression of cofilin, a structurally similar protein, and profilin, CapG, and tropomodulin is not altered with increasing mutant beta-actin expression. Myoblasts expressing either human gamma-actin or the mutant beta-actin down-regulate the endogenous mouse actin genes to keep a constant level of actin mRNA, whereas the gamma-actin transfectants do not down-regulate ADF. Thus, ADF expression is regulated differently from actin expression. The mutant beta-actin binds to ADF with about the same affinity as normal actin; however, it does not assemble into normal actin filaments. The decrease in ADF expression correlates with an increase in the unassembled actin pool. When the actin monomer pool in untransfected myoblasts is increased 70% by treatment with latrunculin A, synthesis of ADF and actin are down-regulated compared with cofilin and 19 other proteins selected at random. Increasing the actin monomer pool also results in nearly complete phosphorylation of both ADF and cofilin. Thus, ADF and cofilin are coordinately regulated by posttranslational modification, but their expression is differentially regulated. Furthermore, expression of ADF is responsive to the utilization of actin by the cell.

Actin depolymerizing factor (ADF/cofilin) enhances the rate of filament turnover: implication in actin-based motility

Actin-binding proteins of the actin depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin family are thought to control actin-based motile processes. ADF1 from Arabidopsis thaliana appears to be a good model that is functionally similar to other members of the family. The function of ADF in actin dynamics has been examined using a combination of physical-chemical methods and actin-based motility assays, under physiological ionic conditions and at pH 7.8. ADF binds the ADP-bound forms of G- or F-actin with an affinity two orders of magnitude higher than the ATP- or ADP-Pi-bound forms. A major property of ADF is its ability to enhance the in vitro turnover rate (treadmilling) of actin filaments to a value comparable to that observed in vivo in motile lamellipodia. ADF increases the rate of propulsion of Listeria monocytogenes in highly diluted, ADF-limited platelet extracts and shortens the actin tails. These effects are mediated by the participation of ADF in actin filament assembly, which results in a change in the kinetic parameters at the two ends of the actin filament. The kinetic effects of ADF are end specific and cannot be accounted for by filament severing. The main functionally relevant effect is a 25-fold increase in the rate of actin dissociation from the pointed ends, while the rate of dissociation from the barbed ends is unchanged. This large increase in the rate-limiting step of the monomer-polymer cycle at steady state is responsible for the increase in the rate of actin-based motile processes. In conclusion, the function of ADF is not to sequester G-actin. ADF uses ATP hydrolysis in actin assembly to enhance filament dynamics.

Sorting of actin isoforms in chicken auditory hair cells

Most nonmuscle cells of higher vertebrates contain two different actin isoforms, beta- and gamma-cytoplasmic actin. The beta-isoform is with few exceptions the predominant isoform in nonmuscle cells and tissues. Perturbation of the beta:gamma ratio has been shown to affect the organization of bundled actin filaments indicating that the beta- and gamma-genes encode functionally distinct cytoarchitectural information. In the present study we localized by immunostaining beta- and gamma-actin in chicken auditory hair cells. These highly specialized cells serve as model system for studying certain developmental and structural aspects of a complex actin filament system with high architectural precision. We show that gamma-actin is the predominant actin isoform in auditory hair cells with an apparent beta:gamma ratio of approximately 1:2. gamma-Actin is not sorted and occurs in all three actin assemblies of the hair border, i.e. the cores of sensory hairs (stereocilia), the subjacent gel-like actin filament meshwork (cuticular plate) and the zonula adherens ring. In contrast to gamma-actin, the beta-isoform is specifically sorted to the actin filament core bundle of stereocilia that is extensively crosslinked by fimbrin. In view of recent studies showing that L-plastin, the leukocyte homolog of fimbrin, has a higher binding affinity for beta-actin than for gamma-actin, a mechanism is proposed for how hair cells might restrict formation of actin filament bundles to a single cellular site (i.e. the stereocilia). The limited level of expression of beta-actin in hair cells may help to prevent ectopic bundle formation in other cellular compartments.

Role of gelsolin in actin depolymerization of adherent human neutrophils

Human neutrophils generally function adherent to an extracellular matrix. We have previously reported that upon adhesion to laminin- or fibronectin-coated, but not uncoated, plastic there is a depolymerization of actin in neutrophils. This phenomenon was not affected by inhibitors of the more well-studied components of the signal transduction pathway, specifically, pertussis toxin, an inhibitor of G-proteins, H-7 or staurosporine, inhibitors of protein kinase C, or herbimycin A, an inhibitor of nonreceptor tyrosine kinase. We therefore focused our attention on actin-binding proteins and measured the changes in the partitioning of gelsolin between the Triton X-100-soluble and -insoluble cellular fractions which occur upon neutrophil adhesion by means of quantitating anti-gelsolin antibody binding to aliquots of these fractions. It was found that approximately 90% of the total cellular gelsolin was found in the Triton X-100-soluble fraction in suspended cells, but that upon adherence to either fibronectin- or laminin-coated plastic about 40% of the soluble gelsolin could be detected in the insoluble fraction. This effect was not observed in cells adherent to uncoated plastic, wherein more than 90% of the gelsolin was found in the soluble fraction. Results of immunofluorescence microscopy of these cell preparations was consistent with this data. A gelsolin translocation to the insoluble cellular actin network may account for a part of the observed actin depolymerization.

Quantitative analysis of low molecular weight G-actin-binding proteins, cofilin, ADF and profilin, expressed in developing and degenerating chicken skeletal muscles

A large amount of G-actin is pooled in the cytoplasm of young embryonic skeletal muscle and, although its concentration is reduced as muscle develops, the total amount of actin in muscle cells increases remarkably. Three G-actin-binding proteins, cofilin, ADF and profilin, are known to be involved in creating the G-actin pool in the embryonic muscle. To better understand how they are responsible for the regulation of assembly and disassembly of actin in developing and degenerating muscles, we measured the amounts of the three G-actin-binding proteins by means of quantitative immunoblotting and compared them with that of G-actin. The sum of the amounts of the three actin-binding proteins was insufficient at early developmental stages but sufficient at later stages to account for the pool of G-actin in young muscle cells. It decreased in parallel with the decrease in the G-actin pool as muscle developed. Expression of thymosin beta 4, which is known to be extremely important for G-actin-sequestering in a variety of non-muscle cells, was detected at a considerable level in young embryonic but not in adult skeletal muscles according to Northern and Western blotting. In degenerating denervated and dystrophic muscles, cofilin and profilin, but not ADF, were significantly increased in amount. From these results, we conclude that the G-actin pool in young embryonic skeletal muscle is mainly due to cofilin, ADF, profilin and thymosin beta 4, but thymosin beta 4 as well as ADF becomes less important as muscle develops. Cofilin and profilin may also be involved in the redistribution of actin during myofibrillogenesis and in the process of actin disassembly in degenerating muscles.

Clinical neurosciences in the decade of the brain: hypotheses in neuro-oncology. VEG/PF acts upon the actin cytoskeleton and is inhibited by dexamethasone: relevance to tumor angiogenesis and vasogenic edema

HYPOTHESIS

We have proposed that VEG/PF acts by transforming the cytoskeletal architecture of microvascular endothelial cells.

BACKGROUND

Evidence supporting a pivotal role for vascular endothelial growth/permeability factor (VEG/PF) in tumor angiogenesis and edemagenesis is compelling. VEG/PF exhibits specific endothelial cell mitogenicity and is expressed by brain tumors exhibiting increased vascularity and microvascular extravasation. The mechanistic cascade that follows VEG/PF-tyrosine kinase receptor binding remains uncertain, however. Actin is a cytoskeletal protein that regulates cellular motility, shape and vesicular transport. Regulation of actin stress fibers, cell-surface focal adhesions and plasmalemmal "ruffles" is mediated by tyrosine kinase activation of GTP-binding proteins that are in turn linked to intracellular calcium flux. As VEG/PF is known to induce cytosolic calcium ion transients in endothelial cells, actin microfilaments would appear to be logical candidates for study of a cytocontractile response mediated by calcium signal transduction.

METHODS

VEG/PF-induced endothelial actin cytoskeletal changes were studied using rhodamine phalloidin staining and fluorescence photomicrography.

RESULTS

When exposed to VEG/PF, cultured endothelial cells from human umbilical veins and rat brain microvessels exhibited a reversible, dose-related reorganization of actin stress fibers, cell contraction and rounding, and widening of the intercellular spaces. VEG/PF perturbation also induced plasmalemmal "ruffling". All VEG/PF-induced cytoskeletal changes were inhibited by preincubating endothelial cells with dexamethasone or anti-VEG/PF IgG antibody.

CONCLUSION

The findings support a role for VEG/PF-induced cytoskeletal alterations in the pathophysiology of brain tumor angiogenesis and edemagenesis. These observations are likely to be directly linked to VEG/PF-induced endothelial cytosolic calcium flux. Insight into the mechanism of dexamethasone's clinical efficacy is also provided.

How profilin/barbed-end synergy controls actin polymerization: a kinetic model of the ATP hydrolysis circuit

The role of ATP hydrolysis in the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton continues to be a subject of controversy. Since actin polymerization can occur in the absence of ATP, the energy of hydrolysis is not needed for filament assembly. Recent work has instead suggested a regulatory role for ATP in cytoskeletal remodeling. In particular, both profilin and free filament barbed ends have been shown to play major roles in the processing of ATP by actin. We have developed a new integrated kinetic model to examine how the maintenance of the pool of unpolymerized actin and the flux of actin subunits through filaments are controlled by profilin and free filament barbed ends through their interaction with ATP. An analysis of the model's steady states predicts how two novel regulatory pathways may regulate the cytoskeleton in vivo. Coordinated changes in the availability of both profilin and free barbed ends mediate the following regulatory effects: (1) both the nucleotide composition and the absolute amount of free G-actin can be changed separately or together to substantially alter the total amount of F-actin; and (2) uncapping the barbed ends of only a modest fraction of filaments causes all filaments to begin slowly depolymerizing from their pointed ends, resulting in the total depolymerization of the remaining capped filaments. We report that the phenomenon of treadmilling, wherein the barbed end growth of each filament is exactly balanced by pointed end loss at steady state, is only possible in the limiting case when all barbed ends are uncapped. The capping of any fraction of barbed ends increases the critical concentration of ATP-G-actin, causing the remaining free barbed ends to grow faster than their pointed ends can shrink. On the basis of these findings we propose a major revision to the treadmilling model for actin-based motility, in which the rapidly growing filaments with free barbed ends are continuously severed toward their rear followed by capping of the newly exposed barbed ends. This revised model, herein referred to as "treadsevering," allows sustained and rapid barbed end growth to occur indefinitely at a steady state provided a continuous input of ATP.

Actin filament barbed-end capping activity in neutrophil lysates: the role of capping protein-beta 2

A barbed-end capping activity was found in high speed supernates of neutrophils lysed in submicromolar calcium. In dilute supernate (> or = 100-fold dilution of cytoplasm), this activity accounted for most of the inhibition of barbed-end elongation of pyrenyl-G-actin from spectrin-F-actin seeds. Pointed-end elongation from gelsolin-capped F-actin seeds was not inhibited at comparable concentrations of supernate, thus excluding actin monomer sequestration as a cause of the observed inhibition. Most of the capping activity was due to capping protein-beta 2 (a homologue of cap Z). Thus, while immunoadsorption of > or = 95% of the gelsolin in the supernate did not decrease capping activity, immunoadsorption of capping protein-beta 2 reduced capping activity proportionally to the amount of capping protein-beta 2 adsorbed. Depletion of > 90% of capping protein-beta 2 from the supernate removed 90% of its capping activity. The functional properties of the capping activity were defined. The dissociation constant for binding to barbed ends (determined by steady state and kinetic analyses) was approximately 1-2 nM; the on-rate of capping was between 7 x 10(5) and 5 x 10(6) M-1 s-1; and the off-rate was approximately 2 x 10(-3) s-1. The concentration of capper free in the intact cell (determined by adsorption of supernate with spectrin-actin seeds) was estimated to be approximately 1-2 microM. Thus, there appeared to be enough high affinity capper to cap all the barbed ends in vivo. Nevertheless, immediately after lysis with detergent, neutrophils contained sites that nucleate barbed-end elongation of pyrenyl-G-actin. These barbed ends subsequently become capped with a time course and concentration dependence similar to that of spectrin-F-actin seeds in high speed supernates. These observations suggest that, despite the excess of high affinity capper, some ends either are not capped in vivo or are transiently uncapped upon lysis and dilution.