Evidence that plasma membrane fluidity of isolated hepatocytes is modified by exposure to microtubule-depolymerizing drugs.
The role of microtubules on membrane fluidity has been investigated on freshly isolated whole rat hepatocytes prepared by the perfusion method and exposed either to the microtubule-depolymerizing drugs colchicine and vincristine or to beta-lumicolchicine, a colchicine analog deprived of biological activity. Exposure of hepatocytes to 6.3 microM colchicine or to 3.0 microM vincristine led to a significant decrease of membrane fluidity as measured by fluorescence polarization of trimethylammoniodiphenylhexatriene (TMA-DPH). No changes were observed in cells exposed to 10.0 microM beta-lumicolchicine. These observations support the hypothesis that the microtubular system plays a role in the modulations of physico-chemical properties of the plasma membrane.
Benedetti
A
A
Institute of Experimental Pathology, University of Ancona, School of Medicine, Italy.
Marucci
L
L
Ferretti
G
G
Curatola
G
G
Jézéquel
A M
AM
Orlandi
F
F
D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects; D003078:Colchicine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004161:Diphenylhexatriene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005454:Fluorescence Polarization; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008162:Lumicolchicines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008560:Membrane Fluidity / Q000187:drug effects*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014750:Vincristine / Q000494:pharmacology*
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008162:Lumicolchicines; D004161:Diphenylhexatriene; D014750:Vincristine; C033628:1-(4-(trimethylamino)phenyl)-6-phenylhexa-1,3,5-triene; D003078:Colchicine