Monensin inhibits initial spreading of cultured human fibroblasts (original) (raw)

Nature volume 305, pages 315–317 (1983)Cite this article

Abstract

The monovalent ionophore, monensin, inhibits the secretion of both pro-collagen and fibronectin in cultured human fibroblasts1–3 and other cell types4–7. The block to secretion is due to the ability of monensin to suppress the export of these secretory proteins from the Golgi apparatus3,8,9. As such proteins are known to be implicated in the adhesion, spreading and movement of cultured fibroblasts10,11, it might be expected that monensin treatment would interfere with these processes. However, it has recently been reported9 that monensin-treated human embryonal fibroblasts attached and spread onto glass substrata to the same extent as untreated cells, although at later stages they fail to develop focal adhesion sites. However, these experiments were performed using medium supplemented with fetal calf serum (FCS). We now demonstrate that in the absence of FCS, while monensin has little or no effect on the initial adhesion of fibroblasts to the substratum, subsequent spreading is much reduced. The inhibition of spreading is noticeable within 30 min of plating and is maintained for at least 100 min in monensin-free medium following prolonged pre-incubation of the cells with monensin.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.90 per issue

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Tartakoff, A. M. Int. Rev. exp. Path. 22, 227–251 (1980).
    CAS PubMed Google Scholar
  2. Uchida, N., Smilowitz, H. & Tanzer, M. L. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 1868–1872 (1979).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  3. Uchida, N., Smilowitz, H., Ledger, P. W. & Tanzer, M. L. J. biol. Chem. 255, 8638–8644 (1980).
    CAS PubMed Google Scholar
  4. Tartakoff, A. M. & Vassalli, P. J. exp. Med. 146, 1332–1345 (1977).
    Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
  5. Tartakoff, A. M. & Vassalli, P. J. Cell Biol. 79, 694–707 (1978).
    Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
  6. Smilowitz, H. Molec. Pharmac. 16, 202–214 (1979).
    CAS Google Scholar
  7. Smilowitz, H. Cell 19, 237–244 (1980).
    Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
  8. Ledger, P. W., Uchida, N. & Tanzer, M. L. J. Cell Biol. 87, 663–671 (1980).
    Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
  9. Virtanen, I., Vartio, T., Badley, R. A. & Lehto, V.-P. Nature 298, 660–663 (1982).
    Article ADS CAS PubMed Google Scholar
  10. Hynes, R. O. & Yamada, K. M. J. Cell Biol. 95, 369–378 (1982).
    Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
  11. Grinnell, F. & Feld, M. K. Cell 17, 117–129 (1979).
    Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
  12. Sokal, R. R. & Rohlf, F. J. Biometry 2nd edn (Freeman, San Francisco, 1981).
    MATH Google Scholar
  13. Jones, G. E. & Witkowski, J. A. J. Cell Sci. 48, 291–300 (1981).
    CAS PubMed Google Scholar
  14. Brugmans, M. et al. Cytometry 3, 262–268 (1982).
    Article Google Scholar
  15. Grinnell, F., Hays, D. G. & Minter, D. Expl Cell Res 110, 175–190 (1977).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  16. Ledger, P. W., Nishimoto, S. K., Hayashi, S. & Tanzer, M. L. J. biol. Chem. 258, 547–554 (1983).
    CAS PubMed Google Scholar
  17. Jones, G. E. & Witkowski, J. A. J. neurol. Sci. 43, 465–470 (1979).
    Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, Queen Elizabeth College, University of London, Campden Hill Road, London, W8 7AH, UK
    J. A. Pizzey, F. A. Bennett & G. E. Jones

Authors

  1. J. A. Pizzey
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  2. F. A. Bennett
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  3. G. E. Jones
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pizzey, J., Bennett, F. & Jones, G. Monensin inhibits initial spreading of cultured human fibroblasts.Nature 305, 315–317 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/305315a0

Download citation

This article is cited by