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Relationship between the Organization and Synthesis of Vimentin and the Metastatic Capability of B16 Melanoma Cells¹

Department of Genetics [A. B-Z.] and Cell Biology [A. R.], The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel

The organization and synthesis of the vimentin-containing cytoskeletal network as well as the metastatic capability of B16-F1 melanoma cells were investigated in cells treated with cycloheximide (CH). The addition of CH to cells for 4–8 h resulted in a marked reversible alteration in the organization of the vimentin-containing network in B16-F1 melanoma cells as well as in a variety of epithelial and fibroblast cell lines. Treatment of cells with CH led to a reduction in the synthesis of vimentin, tubulin, and actin followed by a decrease in the concentrations of mRNAs coding for these proteins. However, out of these three cytoskeletal elements, only the organization of the intermediate filaments was disrupted by CH. Cells treated previously with CH and injected i.v. into syngeneic mice had diminished capacity to form lung metastases as compared to control untreated cells. This effect was reversible, and the metastatic capability recovered to the control level after the drug was removed from the growth medium for 16 h. The possibility that the organization and the synthesis of the cytoskeletal components are related and that the metastatic capability of B16 melanoma is influenced by the organization of the cytoskeletal networks are discussed.

¹ Supported by a grant from the National Council for Research and Development, Israel, and the German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, West Germany.

² Incumbent of the Carl and Frances Korn Career Development chair in perpetuity.

³ Incumbent of the Sophie M. T. and Richard S. Richards Career Development chair in cancer research in perpetuity.

Received 9/ 5/84. Revised 12/26/84. Accepted 2/ 6/85.