title: Apoptosis of syncytia induced by the HIV-1-envelope glycoprotein complex: influence of cell shape and size.
abstract: Cells stably transfected with a lymphotropic HIV-1 Env gene form syncytia when cocultured with CD4(+)CXCR4(+) cells. Heterokaryons then spontaneously undergo apoptosis, while manifesting signs of mitochondrial membrane pemeabilization as well as nuclear chromatin condensation. Modulation of cellular geometry was achieved by growing syncytia on self-assembled monolayers of terminally substituted alkanethiolates designed to control the adhesive properties of the substrates. Spreading of syncytia, induced by culturing them on small circular adhesive islets (diameter 5 microm), placed at a distance that cells can bridge (10 microm), inhibited spontaneous and staurosporin-induced signs of apoptosis, both at the mitochondrial and at the nuclear levels, and allowed for the generation of larger syncytia. Transient cell spreading conferred a memory of apoptosis inhibition which was conserved upon adoption of a conventional cell shape. Limiting syncytium size by culturing them on square-shaped planar adhesive islands of defined size (400 to 2500 microm(2)), separated by nonadhesive regions, enhanced the rate of apoptotic cell death, as indicated by an accelerated permeabilization of the outer mitochondrial membrane, loss of the mitochondrial inner transmembrane potential, and an increased frequency of nuclear apoptosis. In conclusion, external constraints on syncytial size and shape strongly modulate their propensity to undergo apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR1599, Institut Gustave Roussy, 39 rue Camille-Desmoulins, Villejuif, F-94805, France.
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jacotot
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leduc
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Geuskens
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Ingber
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kroemer
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000502:physiology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D048429:Cell Size / Q000502:physiology; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015726:Giant Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D015686:Gene Products, env; D011994:Recombinant Proteins