title: Ultrastructural changes of human amniotic cells induced by natural human interferon-alpha.
abstract: Human interferon-alpha (Hu-IFN alpha) and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), a direct activator of protein kinase C (PK-C), induce the translocation of protein kinase C from the cytosol to the membrane fraction. By the use of transmission (TEM) and scanning (SEM) electron microscopy we have shown that treatment of human amniotic cells (UAC) with Hu-IFN alpha resulted in profound changes in the shape, volume and ultrastructure of the cells. Most treated cells had enlarged nuclei with marginal condensation of chromatin. Nucleolar segregation, disintegration and clumping of nucleolar components were also observed. The number of interdigitating cell processes decreased and the cell surface microvilli became shortened. Similar ultrastructural alterations were induced by PMA also. All these functional and morphological data strongly support the hypothesis that protein kinase C is a key factor in IFN-mediated cell reactions.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Rheumatology and Physiotherapy, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Neumark
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Premecz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Markovits
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neumüller
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferencz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bagi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Földes
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eberl
mesh_terms: D000650:Amnion / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate