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American Journal of Pathology, Vol 133, 578-588, Copyright © 1988 by American Society for Investigative Pathology

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Changes in the organization and antigenic determinants of intermediate filaments of rat hepatocytes after infusion of cytochalasin B in vivo

M Ohta, N Marceau and SW French
Department of Pathology, University of Ottawa, Canada.

The changes in cytokeratin intermedial filaments (IFs) after cytochalasin B (CB) infusion of rat liver in vivo were studied by light and electron microscopy, immunofluorescent staining (IMF), and immunoelectron microscopy (IEM). The CB treatment caused a change in the IFs at the cell border associated with a change in the distribution of microfilaments. The IFs at the cell border were partially disrupted. Actin aggregates were localized at points where IFs had condensed together. The pericanalicular sheath was intact but very dilated. These results indicated that the CB treatment caused an irregular distribution of the microfilaments at the cell periphery but spared the actin at the bile canaliculus. Cytokeratin staining by IMF was markedly decreased or absent; however, IEM clearly showed the presence of nonstaining IFs after CB treatment. These results indicated that the antigenic determinant of normal cytokeratin IFs became masked after CB treatment. The results indicate that F-actin disassembly induced by CB affects both the organization and conformation of cytokeratins associated with loss of integrity of the plasma membrane and vesicular uptake of plasma proteins by hepatocytes.