title: Blebbing confers resistance against cell lysis.
abstract: The plasma membrane constitutes a barrier that maintains the essential differences between the cytosol and the extracellular environment. Plasmalemmal injury is a common event during the life of many cells that often leads to their premature, necrotic death. Blebbing - a display of plasmalemmal protrusions - is a characteristic feature of injured cells. In this study, we disclose a previously unknown role for blebbing in furnishing resistance to plasmalemmal injury. Blebs serve as precursors for injury-induced intracellular compartments that trap damaged segments of the plasma membrane. Hence, loss of cytosol and the detrimental influx of extracellular constituents are confined to blebs that are sealed off from the cell body by plugs of annexin A1 - a Ca(2+)- and membrane-binding protein. Our findings shed light on a fundamental process that contributes to the survival of injured cells. By targeting annexin A1/blebbing, new therapeutic approaches could be developed to avert the necrotic loss of cells in a variety of human pathologies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Bern 3012, Switzerland. edik@ana.unibe.ch
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Babiychuk
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Monastyrskaya
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Potez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Draeger
mesh_terms: D017305:Annexin A1 / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000633:toxicity; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000166:cytology; D013301:Streptolysins / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D017305:Annexin A1; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D013301:Streptolysins; C025964:streptolysin O; D002118:Calcium