This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Shepherd, V. L. Articles by Montgomery, R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Shepherd, V. L. Articles by Montgomery, R.

Effects of Cesalin on the Ultrastructure and Biological Properties of Cultured Mammalian Cells¹

Department of Biochemistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242

Cesalin rapidly inhibits the incorporation of uridine and thymidine into KB, MCF-7, HBL-100, and HTC cells but has no measurable effect on AlAb cells. Protein synthesis is inhibited only after the effect on DNA and RNA is observed. After 12 to 48 hr, the cells in cultures containing cesalin increasingly lose adhesion to the flask surface and float in the medium. Both the inhibition of nucleotide incorporation and the inhibition of the cell growth, used as assays for cytotoxicity, show a varying sensitivity of these cell lines to cesalin, with AlAb cells being the most resistant and KB cells being the most sensitive. The ultrastructural changes induced by cesalin in KB cells demonstrate alteration in the nucleolus, increase in rough endoplasmic reticulum, extensive blebbing of the plasma membrane, and invagination of the nuclear membrane. The blebbing of the plasma membrane decreases after 24 hr with the appearance of a highly disorganized nuclear structure and numerous vacuoles containing insoluble fragments.

¹ This investigation was supported by Grants GM-550, GM-14013 and CA-17649 from the NIH.

² This work will form part of a dissertation to the Graduate College of the University of Iowa in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree.

³ To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 6/27/79. Accepted 10/17/79.