title: Lysosomotropic agents induce morphological and functional changes in human muscle cells in vitro.
abstract: We studied the distribution of lysosomes in differentiating human muscle cells in culture treated with propranolol, leupeptin and chloroquine. Chloroquine treated cells showed a significant vacuolization and an increase of the lysosomal apparatus as assessed by cytochemical analysis of the lysosomal enzyme acid phosphatase and by acridine orange staining. At electron microscopic level, an increase of lysosome-like bodies and disorganization of the contractile apparatus were demonstrated in multinucleated myotubes. These alterations observed in cultured muscle cells suggest that lysosomotropic agents may be harmful.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Neurologica, Centro Dino Ferrari, Università degli Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meola
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scarpini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moggio
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Santilli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scarlato
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007976:Leupeptins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000187:drug effects*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009132:Muscles / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007976:Leupeptins; D002738:Chloroquine; D011433:Propranolol; C032854:leupeptin