Dome formation and tubule morphogenesis by Xenopus kidney A6 cell cultures exposed to microgravity simulated with a 3D-clinostat and to hypergravity.
Confluent high-density cell cultures of A6 cells derived from adult male Xenopus kidney exhibit spontaneous dome-formation at 1 g. To determine whether this morphogenetic property is altered by gravity, we used a three-dimensional (3D) clinostat to subject the cells to simulated microgravity, and a centrifuge to subject them to hypergravity. We used the generation orbit control method as the new rotation control system of the 3D-clinostat, not the random method. The growth of A6 cells was significantly enhanced by hypergravity, but significantly reduced by simulated microgravity. Dome formation by A6 cells at high confluence was inhibited under simulated microgravity conditions, whereas hypergravity promoted dome formation and induced tubule morphogenesis, compared to the control at 1 g. These results indicated that changes in gravity influence the morphogenetic properties of A6 cells, such as dome formation and tubule morphogenesis. When dome formation by A6 cells at high confluence was induced spontaneously in the control 1 g culture, the gene expression of the HGF family of pleiotropic factors, such as HGF-like protein (HLP) and growth factor-Livertine (GF-l.ivertine), an epithelial serine protease of channel activating protease 1 (CAP1), and Na+, K+-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase), increased. Simulated microgravity increased the gene expression of activin A and reduced the gene expression of HLP, GF-Livertine, CAP1, and Na+, K+-ATPase. Hypergravity, on the other hand, decreased the gene expression of activin A and increased the gene expression of HLP, GF-Livertine, CAP1, and Na+, K+-ATPase. These results suggest that the effects of gravitational changes on expression of the HGF family member gene, CAP1, and Na+, K+-ATPase gene may be important for the cell growth, tubule morphogenesis, and dome formation of A6 cells in altered
Department of Life Sciences (Biology), The University of Tokyo, Japan. jsp87702@bio.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp
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Ichigi
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Asashima
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D018471:Hypergravity; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D009024:Morphogenesis; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000378:metabolism; D018474:Weightlessness Simulation; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D014982:Xenopus laevis; D000099271:Prostasin
D004247:DNA; D006133:Growth Substances; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D000099271:Prostasin; C082332:macrophage stimulating protein; C108632:Cap1 protein, Xenopus