Laminin-induced capping and receptor expression at cell surface in a rat rhabdomyosarcoma cell line: Involvement in cell adhesion and migration on laminin substrates

The present study reveals the dynamic distribution of membrane laminin receptors induced by laminin binding in a rat rhabdomyosarcoma cell line RMS S4. The treatment of the cells with soluble laminin did not modify cell adhesion to laminin-coated substrates in in vitro attachment assays. Fluorescent labeling of membrane-bound laminin revealed that occupied receptors were induced to cluster and cap. New free membrane binding sites were made evident after capping of bound laminin by a double labeling technique. Cytochalasin D (CD) treatment prevented the capping process. The adhesion of CD-treated cells to laminin-coated substrates was inhibited by cell preincubation with soluble laminin. Cycloheximide treatment had no effect on the ability of RMS S4 cells to adhere to adsorbed laminin after preincubation in the presence of soluble laminin. These results taken as a whole suggest that free receptors may arise from an intracellular pool that could be maintained by membrane receptor recycling. Since capping and motility seem related events, migration of RMS S4 cells on laminin was studied in the agarose drop assay. Immobilized laminin stimulated basic cell motility by more than 200%. E8 laminin fragment retained partially the motility stimulating property of laminin while P1 pepsinic fragment had no effect. The presence of constantly available receptors at the cell surface could be determinant in the ability of cells to migrate on laminin substrates.