Specific desensitization of actin polymerization of bovine platelets

Polymerization of actin induced by activation of platelets was investigated using deoxyribonuclease I inhibition assay. When platelets were activated with ADP or 5-hydroxytryptamine, actin was polymerized quickly followed by rapid depolymerization to the initial level. Reactivation with the same agonist, however, did not cause the polymerization of actin, though with different agonists actin polymerized quite normally. The mechanism for this agonist-specific desensitization of actin polymerization was investigated by the use of a calcium ionophore A23187. It was suggested that the cause for the desensitization is the inability of platelets to mobilize Ca2+ in response to specific agonist.     

Actin dynamics rapidly reset chemoattractant receptor sensitivity following adaptation in neutrophils

Neutrophils are cells of the innate immune system that hunt and kill pathogens using directed migration. This process, known as chemotaxis, requires the regulation of actin polymerization downstream of chemoattractant receptors. Reciprocal interactions between actin and intracellular signals are thought to underlie many of the sophisticated signal processing capabilities of the chemotactic cascade including adaptation, amplification and long-range inhibition. However, with existing tools, it has been difficult to discern actin''s role in these processes. Most studies investigating the role of the actin cytoskeleton have primarily relied on actin-depolymerizing agents, which not only block new actin polymerization but also destroy the existing cytoskeleton. We recently developed a combination of pharmacological inhibitors that stabilizes the existing actin cytoskeleton by inhibiting actin polymerization, depolymerization and myosin-based rearrangements; we refer to these processes collectively as actin dynamics. Here, we investigated how actin dynamics influence multiple signalling responses (PI3K lipid products, calcium and Pak phosphorylation) following acute agonist addition or during desensitization. We find that stabilized actin polymer extends the period of receptor desensitization following agonist binding and that actin dynamics rapidly reset receptors from this desensitized state. Spatial differences in actin dynamics may underlie front/back differences in agonist sensitivity in neutrophils.     

Actin polymerization in murine B lymphocytes is stimulated by cytochalasin D but not by anti-immunoglobulin.

One might predict that cytochalasin D, which slows polymerization of actin in solution and which inhibits actin-containing microfilament function in live B lymphocytes, would also prevent actin polymerization in these cells. However, we have used the NBD-Phallacidin flow cytometric assay for F-actin and the DNase I inhibition assay for G-actin to demonstrate that cytochalasin D (at 20 micrograms/ml and higher) stimulates actin polymerization in murine B lymphocytes within the first 30 sec of exposure. A similar response was seen in human neutrophils. Actin polymerization induced in neutrophils by chemotactic peptides has been linked to activation of the polyphosphoinositide-calcium increase-protein kinase C signal transduction pathway. As B lymphocytes also transduce signals using this pathway, we investigated whether cytochalasin D induced actin polymerization by activating this pathway. Cytochalasin D and ionomycin both stimulated a rapid increase in internal calcium (by 1 min) in the B cell which was inhibitable by EGTA, implicating calcium influx. Ionomycin also induced actin polymerization, detectable later, by 10 min. EGTA blocked the ionomycin-induced actin polymerization, but not that induced by cytochalasin D. Cytochalasin D-induced actin polymerization was not associated with detectable hydrolysis of polyphosphoinositides, nor was it inhibited by H7 (a protein kinase C inhibitor) or by HA1004 (an inhibitor of cyclic nucleotide-dependent kinases). Furthermore, anti-immunoglobulin antibodies, which stimulate B lymphocytes through the polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis-calcium increase-protein kinase C pathway, failed to induce actin polymerization in these cells. These antibodies did, however, stimulate the cells to perform activities that involve actin-containing microfilaments. Other primary activators of B lymphocytes (dextran sulfate, PMA, and LPS) and a panel of lymphokines previously shown to enhance B lymphocyte activation (IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5) were also screened in the F-actin assay and no evidence for actin polymerization was found. We conclude that the actin polymerization response to cytochalasin D in the B cell does not involve the polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis-calcium increase-protein kinase C pathway, nor does it depend on cyclic nucleotide-dependent kinases. Furthermore, our studies failed to provide any evidence that early actin polymerization occurs in murine B lymphocyte activation.     

Alterations of the actin polymerization status as an apoptotic morphological effector in HL-60 cells

The alterations of the cytoskeletal actin network have been implicated as a morphological effector in apoptosis. However, studies directly linking actin change to the morphological events in apoptosis are lacking. This study quantitatively examined the effect of actin alteration on the camptothecin (CPT)-induced apoptotic process in HL-60 cells. Actin alteration was induced by two distinctive types of agent: the polymerization-stimulating agent, Jasplakinolide (Jas), and the polymerization-blocking agent, cytochalasin B (CB). The actin polymerization status was measured by two complementary methods: the cell pellet-based DNase I inhibition method, and the individual cell-based quantitative fluorescence image analysis (QFIA) assay. Actin polymerization induced by Jas caused apoptosis directly. By contrast, CB, an actin polymerization-blocking agent, partially inhibited CPT-induced apoptosis. A similar inhibition of the CPT-induced apoptosis response was observed with a more specific actin depolymerization agent, cytochalasin E. The alterations of the actin polymerization status occurred in three sequential steps during the apoptotic process: first polymerization, followed by depolymerization, and finally degradation. However, compared with CPT-induced apoptosis, Jas-induced apoptosis was characterized by pronounced actin polymerization that corresponded morphologically with prominent membrane blebbing, but less apoptotic body formation. Furthermore, DNase I activity, which is normally inhibited by G-actin, was specifically detected in Jas-treated cells. These results show that the regulation of actin polymerization is an important apoptotic morphological effector, whereas the alterations of the actin polymerization status by chemicals have profound effects not only on altering the morphology of apoptotic cells, but on apoptosis induction in HL-60 cells as well.     

Reactivation of Desensitized Formyl Peptide Receptors by Platelet Activating Factor: A Novel Receptor Cross Talk Mechanism Regulating Neutrophil Superoxide Anion Production

Neutrophils express different chemoattractant receptors of importance for guiding the cells from the blood stream to sites of inflammation. These receptors communicate with one another, a cross talk manifested as hierarchical, heterologous receptor desensitization. We describe a new receptor cross talk mechanism, by which desensitized formyl peptide receptors (FPR_des) can be reactivated. FPR desensitization is induced through binding of specific FPR agonists and is reached after a short period of active signaling. The mechanism that transfers the receptor to a non-signaling desensitized state is not known, and a signaling pathway has so far not been described, that transfers FPR_des back to an active signaling state. The reactivation signal was generated by PAF stimulation of its receptor (PAFR) and the cross talk was uni-directional. LatrunculinA, an inhibitor of actin polymerization, induced a similar reactivation of FPR_des as PAF while the phosphatase inhibitor CalyculinA inhibited reactivation, suggesting a role for the actin cytoskeleton in receptor desensitization and reactivation. The activated PAFR could, however, reactivate FPR_des also when the cytoskeleton was disrupted prior to activation. The receptor cross talk model presented prophesies that the contact on the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane that blocks signaling between the G-protein and the FPR is not a point of no return; the receptor cross-talk from the PAFRs to the FPR_des initiates an actin-independent signaling pathway that turns desensitized receptors back to a signaling state. This represents a novel mechanism for amplification of neutrophil production of reactive oxygen species.     

Actin polymerization in cellular oxidant injury

Microfilaments undergo an ATP-dependent disruption into shortened bundles following cellular exposure to oxidants. This phenomenon does not require a net change in the amount of polymerized actin. However, increased amounts of polymerized actin have been detected in oxidant-injured cells and it was the purpose of this study to determine the conditions under which the actin polymerization may occur. Utilizing the formation of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) as an indicator of cellular sulfhydryl oxidation, conditions were chosen to accentuate sulfhydryl oxidation within the target P388D1 cell line following exposure to the oxidants, H2O2 and diamide. Using the DNase I and flow cytometric assays of actin polymerization, significant polymerization of actin was detected only under conditions in which sulfhydryl oxidation occurred after exposure to the two oxidizing agents. Greater sulfhydryl oxidation early in the course of injury was associated with a greater rate and extent of actin polymerization in the injured cells. Experiments with cells depleted of glutathione (GSH) demonstrated that neither loss of GSH nor absolute levels of GSSG formed during oxidant exposure were responsible for the polymerization of actin. The data presented are consistent with the hypothesis that oxidizing conditions which induce significant sulfhydryl oxidation in target cells are correlated with assembly of polymerized actin and that this represents a process which is distinct and separate from the ATP-dependent gross disruption of microfilaments.     

Homologous Desensitization of Muscarinic Cholinergic, Histaminergic, Adrenergic, and Serotonergic Receptors Coupled to Phospholipase C in Cerebellar Granule Cells

Cultured cerebellar granule cells express phospholipase C-coupled muscarinic cholinergic, histaminergic, alpha 1-adrenergic, and serotonergic receptors. In an attempt to study desensitization of these neurotransmitter receptors, cells were prestimulated with saturating concentrations of carbachol, histamine, norepinephrine, or serotonin during the labeling of cells with myo-[3H]inositol and then rechallenged with various receptor agonists for their ability to elicit accumulation of [3H]inositol monophosphate in the presence of lithium. Prestimulation with each of these receptor agonists was found to cause a time-dependent desensitization to subsequent stimulation with the desensitizing agonist. Thus, prestimulation for 0.5, 4, and 18 h decreased carbachol response to 87 +/- 4, 52 +/- 2, and 40 +/- 1% of the control, respectively; histamine response to 37 +/- 2, 24 +/- 2, and 18 +/- 2%, respectively; norepinephrine response to 55 +/- 5, 14 +/- 1, and 10 +/- 1%, respectively; and serotonin response to 36 +/- 1, 18 +/- 1, and 9 +/- 2%, respectively. In all cases, the responses mediated by receptors which were not prestimulated remained virtually unchanged, thus indicating homologous desensitization. Dose-response studies indicate that the desensitization was associated with a major reduction in the maximal extent of agonist-induced responses. The basal accumulation was markedly enhanced following 0.5- and 4-h prestimulation, but returned to near normal after 18-h pretreatment. Biologically active phorbol ester, 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, rapidly attenuated basal phospholipase C activity, as well as the responses mediated by carbachol, histamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, suggesting that activation and translocation of protein kinase C might play a role in the desensitization of phospholipase C-coupled receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Actin polymerization in human eosinophils,unlike human neutrophils,depends on intracellular calcium mobilization

Eosinophils represent major effector cells in the allergic inflammation. In contrast to neutrophils, the mechanism of eosinophil activation during the inflammatory response is poorly understood. In this study, the relation between calcium fluxes, chemotaxis, and actin polymerization in eosinophils from healthy non-atopic donors was investigated. Pre-incubation of eosinophils with the intracellular calcium chelator BAPTA dose-dependently prevented an increase in the intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i), whereas the depletion of extracellular calcium in the test medium had no effect. The chemotactic response of eosinophils, which was measured by the modified boyden chamber technique upon stimulation with RANTES, C5a and PAF, was dose-dependently inhibited by the chelation of intracellular calcium as well as inactivation of the cells in Ca²⁺-depleted medium. To evaluate whether other cell functions which are involved in the migratory response of eosinophils might be dependent on intracellular and extracellular calcium, actin polymerization was investigated. Flow-cytometric measurement of F-actin with NBD-phallacidin revealed that actin polymerization in human eosinophils in response to RANTES, C5a, and PAF was dose-dependently inhibited by the intracellular calcium chelator BAPTA. Since it is well known that actin polymerization in neutrophils is not affected by chelation of intracellular calcium, actin polymerization in these cells was investigated under the same conditions as for eosinophils. In contrast to eosinophils, BAPTA did not inhibit actin polymerization in neutrophils. In summary, these data demonstrate that intracellular calcium fluxes represent a prerequisite for eosinophil chemotaxis and actin polymerization in human eosinophils. Furthermore, regulation of actin polymerization in eosinophils differed from that of neutrophils on the level of intracellular calcium fluxes. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Exogenous nucleation sites fail to induce detectable polymerization of actin in living cells

Most nonmuscle cells are known to maintain a relatively high concentration of unpolymerized actin. To determine how the polymerization of actin is regulated, exogenous nucleation sites, prepared by sonicating fluorescein phalloidin-labeled actin filaments, were microinjected into living Swiss 3T3 and NRK cells. The nucleation sites remained as a cluster for over an hour after microinjection, and caused no detectable change in the phase morphology of the cell. As determined by immunofluorescence specific for endogenous actin and by staining cells with rhodamine phalloidin, the microinjection induced neither an extensive polymerization of endogenous actin off the nucleation sites, nor changes in the distribution of actin filaments. In addition, the extent of actin polymerization, as estimated by integrating the fluorescence intensities of bound rhodamine phalloidin, did not appear to be affected. To determine whether the nucleation sites remained active after microinjection, cells were first injected with nucleation sites and, following a 20-min incubation, microinjected with monomeric rhodamine-labeled actin. The rhodamine-labeled actin became extensively associated with the nucleation sites, suggesting that at least some of the nucleation activity was maintained, and that the endogenous actin behaved in a different manner from the exogenous actin subunits. Similarly, when cells containing nucleation sites were extracted and incubated with rhodamine-labeled actin, the rhodamine-labeled actin became associated with the nucleation sites in a cytochalasin-sensitive manner. These observations suggest that capping and inhibition of nucleation cannot account for the regulation of actin polymerization in living cells. However, the sequestration of monomers probably plays a crucial role.     

Actin polymerization induced by chemotactic peptide and concanavalin A in rat neutrophils

Changes in the state of actin in rat neutrophils were studied after chemotactic peptide and concanavalin A stimulation by using the DNase I inhibition assay. Actin polymerization occurred within seconds after stimulation with F-Met-Leu-Phe and concanavalin A. Pretreatment of cells with cytochalasin D prevented chemotactic peptide-induced actin polymerization. The addition of F-Met-Leu-Phe to lysed cells did not produce any change in actin state. These data offer strong evidence for receptor-induced actin polymerization and support the models implicating actin microfilament formation as a crucial event in cell activation. The observations on platelets, lymphocytes, neutrophils, and islets of Langerhans from different species suggest that actin polymerization might be a universal intracellular event accompanying cell surface receptor perturbation in eukaryotic cells.     

Rac is involved in early TCR signaling

The GTPase Rac controls signaling pathways often related to actin polymerization in various cell types. In T lymphocytes, Rac is activated by Vav, a major component of the multiprotein transduction complex associated to the TCR. Although profound signaling defects have been observed in Vav-deficient mice, a role of Rac in the corresponding early TCR signaling has not been tested directly. This question was investigated in Jurkat T cells transfected with either a dominant-negative (RacN17) or a constitutively active (RacV12) form of Rac. In T cells expressing either RacN17 or RacV12, the anti-CD3-induced Ca2+ response and production of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate were inhibited. The basal level of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate was not significantly diminished by Rac mutants. The major inhibitory effect of Rac mutants on Ca2+ signaling is exerted on the activity of phospholipase C-gamma and, before that, on the phosphorylation of ZAP-70 and of the linker molecule for activation of T cells, LAT. An anti-CD3-induced increase in actin polymerization was observed in control cells but not in cells transfected with a Rac mutant. In addition, latrunculin, which binds to monomeric actin, simultaneously inhibited basal and CD3-induced actin polymerization and Ca2+ signaling. These findings suggest a link between the effects exerted by Rac mutants on cortical actin polymerization and on TCR signaling. Rac cycling between its GTP- and GDP-bound states is necessary for this signaling. Alterations observed in early TCR-dependent signals suggest that Rac contributes to the assembly of the TCR-associated multiprotein transduction complex.     

Activation of actin polymerization by phosphatidic acid derived from phosphatidylcholine in IIC9 fibroblasts

alpha-Thrombin induced a change in the cell morphology of IIC9 fibroblasts from a semiround to an elongated form, accompanied by an increase in stress fibers. Incubation of the cells with phospholipase D (PLD) from Streptomyces chromofuscus and exogenous phosphatidic acid (PA) caused similar morphological changes, whereas platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) induced different changes, e.g., disruption of stress fibers and cell rounding. alpha-Thrombin, PDGF, and exogenous PLD increased PA by 20-40%, and PMA produced a smaller increase. alpha-Thrombin and exogenous PLD produced rapid increases in the amount of filamentous actin (F-actin) that were sustained for at least 60 min. However, PDGF produced a transient increase of F-actin at 1 min and PMA caused no significant change. Dioctanoylglycerol was ineffective except at 50 micrograms/ml. Phospholipase C from Bacillus cereus, which increased diacylglycerol (DAG) but not PA, did not change F-actin content. Down-regulation of protein kinase C (PKC) did not block actin polymerization induced by alpha-thrombin. H-7 was also ineffective. Exogenous PA activated actin polymerization with a significant effect at 0.01 microgram/ml and a maximal increase at 1 microgram/ml. No other phospholipids tested, including polyphosphoinositides, significantly activated actin polymerization. PDGF partially inhibited PA-induced actin polymerization after an initial increase at 1 min. PMA completely or largely blocked actin polymerization induced by PA or PLD. These results show that PC-derived PA, but not DAG or PKC, activates actin polymerization in IIC9 fibroblasts, and indicate that PDGF and PMA have inhibitory effects on PA-induced actin polymerization.     

LIM kinase has a dual role in regulating lamellipodium extension by decelerating the rate of actin retrograde flow and the rate of actin polymerization

Lamellipodium extension is crucial for cell migration and spreading. The rate of lamellipodium extension is determined by the balance between the rate of actin polymerization and the rate of actin retrograde flow. LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1) regulates actin dynamics by phosphorylating and inactivating cofilin, an actin-depolymerizing protein. We examined the role of LIMK1 in lamellipodium extension by measuring the rates of actin polymerization, actin retrograde flow, and lamellipodium extension using time-lapse imaging of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. In the non-extending lamellipodia of active Rac-expressing N1E-115 cells, LIMK1 expression decelerated and LIMK1 knockdown accelerated actin retrograde flow. In the extending lamellipodia of neuregulin-stimulated MCF-7 cells, LIMK1 knockdown accelerated both the rate of actin polymerization and the rate of actin retrograde flow, but the accelerating effect on retrograde flow was greater than the effect on polymerization, thus resulting in a decreased rate of lamellipodium extension. These results indicate that LIMK1 has a dual role in regulating lamellipodium extension by decelerating actin retrograde flow and polymerization, and in MCF-7 cells endogenous LIMK1 contributes to lamellipodium extension by decelerating actin retrograde flow more effectively than decelerating actin polymerization.     

Agonist but not phorbol ester induced desensitization of human lymphocyte prostaglandin receptor is dependent on tubulin polymerization

The regulation of prostaglandin stimulated cAMP accumulation in cells of the human T-cell leukemia line Jurkat was examined. Pretreatment with PGE2 (0.1-10 nM) for 2 hour caused a concentration dependent desensitization of the prostaglandin receptor. Tumor promoting phorbol esters (1-1000 nM) could also inhibit PGE2 stimulated cAMP production dose dependently. Inhibition of tubulin polymerization with colchicine or nocodazole (1 microM) eliminated prostaglandin but not phorbol ester induced desensitization of the receptor. It is concluded that agonist and phorbol ester induced desensitization are mediated by two distinct mechanisms and that tubulin polymerization appear to be required only for agonist induced desensitization of the prostaglandin receptor.     

Real-time monitoring of actin polymerization in living cells using split luciferase

Real-time monitoring of actin polymerization in living cells is beneficial for characterizing cellular activities such as migration, proliferation, and death. We developed new bioluminescence-based probe proteins that enable the monitoring of actin polymerization in living cells. Unlike other ordinary split luciferase probes, our probes were incorporated in endogenous actin filament that enabled it to measure the actin polymerization quantitatively. The probe proteins exhibited a dose-responsive decrease in photon emission intensity in response to the filamentous (F)-actin-disrupting agent latrunculin A. This technique has a high sensitivity with a high signal-to-noise ratio and is nontoxic compared with other methods of monitoring actin polymerization in living cells. Using this technique, we succeeded in monitoring the F-actin level in living cells during apoptosis progression induced by UV irradiation continuously for 12 h. F-actin was transiently upregulated after UV irradiation. Since UV-induced cell death was enhanced by treatment with latrunculin A during the period which F-actin is increased, transient upregulation of F-actin after UV is likely a protective reaction against UV-induced cell death. Our novel technique is an effective tool for investigating actin polymerization in living cells.     

The role of nitric oxide in reducing deformability of Lewis lung tumor cell stimulated by inflammatory cytokines

Highly metastatic cells, especially in the lungs, are known to be resistant to nitric oxide (NO)-mediated cytotoxicity, compared with poorly or non-metastatic cells. However, the precise mechanisms connecting NO and metastasis remain to be determined. To clarify the role of NO in the characteristic changes in NO-resistant cells in response to inflammatory cytokines, we used Lewis lung tumor (LLT) cells, which are known to be highly metastatic NO-resistant cells, and determined the changes in cell deformability and the gene expression profile after the cells were stimulated using cytokine mixture or an NO donor. Both exogenous NO and endogenous NO via inducible NO synthase produced by cytokines decreased cell deformability by enhancing actin polymerization. The expression of several genes associated with actin polymerization was changed so as to increase actin filaments in the cells by enhancing actin polymerization and by suppressing actin depolymerization, actin filament severing, and barbed-end actin filament capping. In conclusion, inflammatory cytokine stimulation reduces deformability of LLT cells and enhances actin polymerization which is mainly controlled by the same genes induced by NO.     

Cyclothiazide Selectively Potentiates AMPA- and Kainate-Induced [3H]Norepinephrine Release from Rat Hippocampal Slices

Abstract: Activation of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) subtype of ionotropic glutamate receptors has been shown to result in a rapid desensitization of the receptor in the presence of certain agonists. One effect of AMPA receptor desensitization in the hippocampus may be to decrease the efficacy of AMPA receptor agonists at stimulating the release of norepinephrine from noradrenergic terminals. Recently, cyclothiazide was reported to inhibit AMPA receptor desensitization by acting at a distinct site on AMPA receptors. We have examined the effect of cyclothiazide on AMPA- and kainate (KA)-induced norepinephrine release from rat hippocampal slices to determine whether cyclothiazide would increase the efficacy of AMPA-induced [³H]norepinephrine release by inhibiting AMPA receptor desensitization. Cyclothiazide was observed to potentiate markedly both AMPA- and KA-induced [³H]norepinephrine release. This potentiation is selective for AMPA/KA receptors as cyclothiazide did not potentiate N -methyl- d -aspartate-induced [³H]norepinephrine release or release induced by the nonspecific depolarizing agents veratridine and 4-aminopyridine. These results demonstrate that AMPA receptor-mediated modulation of [³H]norepinephrine release from rat brain slices is a useful approach to studying the cyclothiazide modulatory site on the AMPA receptor complex.     

Receptor-mediated actin assembly in electropermeabilized neutrophils: role of intracellular pH

Neutrophil activation by a variety of stimuli is accompanied by an intracellular acidification, which has been postulated to mediate actin polymerization (Yuli and Oplatka, Science 1987, 235, 340). This hypothesis was tested using 7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD)-phallacidin staining and flow cytometry, or right angle light scattering to study actin assembly in intact and electrically permeabilized human neutrophils. Intracellular pH was measured fluorimetrically using a pH sensitive dye. In cells stimulated with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) at 21 degrees C, actin assembly clearly preceded the intracellular acidification in response to fMLP. Moreover, actin polymerization persisted in cells where intracellular pH was clamped near the resting (unstimulated) level using nigericin/K+. Finally, fMLP induced a significant increase in F-actin content in electropermeabilized neutrophils equilibrated with an extracellular medium containing up to 50 mM HEPES. These observations indicate that fMLP-stimulated F-actin assembly is not mediated by a decrease in intracellular pH and suggest that changes in transmembrane potential and ionic gradients are unlikely to mediate actin polymerization.     

Phosphatidic acid induces actin polymerization by activating protein kinases in soybean cells

Phosphatidic acid (PA) levels rise in response to wounding, stress and elicitors, suggesting that it mediates defense responses in plants. During such responses, actin filaments are altered. Since PA induces actin polymerization in animal cells we examined its effect on actin structures in suspension-cultured soybean cells. PA caused a three to four fold increase in cells containing filamentous actin. Immunoblotting with anti-actin antibody showed that actin polymerized within 30 min of treatment. The effect of PA on actin polymerization appears to be mediated by protein kinases because: 1) the effect was suppressed by staurosporin, a general protein kinase inhibitor, and by the protein kinase C-specific inhibitor, calphostin, 2) calyculin A, an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1 and 2A, mimicked the effect of PA on actin polymerization, and 3) PA activated protein kinases in soybean cells. We suggest that a 54 kDa Ca2+-dependent protein kinase may transduce the PA signal because EGTA inhibited the 54 kDa kinase and the PA-induced actin polymerization, and similar protein kinases have been reported to co-localize with and regulate actin filaments. Our results support the role of PA as a signal mediator and identify actin as a downstream target of PA.