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B Van Deurs

Publications and source records attributed to B Van Deurs.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Entry of Shiga toxin into cells.

The effect of Shiga toxin with mutations in the A fragment has been tested on cells in order to get more information about the processing of the A fragment during entry into the cytosol. A mutant with a deletion between the A1 and A2 domain in the A fragment is resistant to cleavage by trypsin and is less toxic than wild type toxin on both Vero and A431 cells. The results support the view that processing of the A fragment is important for the high toxicity of the wild type toxin. A number of cell lines are resistant to Shiga toxin although they bind the toxin. However, A431 cells can be sensitized by butyric acid treatment, and transport of Shiga toxin to the Golgi apparatus seems to be required for the intoxication in the sensitized cells. The role of retrograde transport through the Golgi apparatus to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) will be discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identification, paracrine generation, and possible function of human breast carcinoma myofibroblasts in culture.

Myofibroblasts from human breast carcinomas were identified and experimentally generated in culture, and a possible function was examined. The frequency of alpha-smooth muscle actin immunoreactive cells was evaluated as a measure of myofibroblast differentiation in primary culture. Few or no alpha-smooth muscle actin-positive stromal cells (6.1 +/- 8.4%) were identified in primary cultures from normal breast tissue (n = 9). In contrast, high frequencies (68.8 +/- 15.1%) were observed in primary cultures from carcinomas (n = 19). The frequencies of myofibroblasts in primary cultures were almost identical to those obtained in the corresponding cryostat sections (69.1 vs. 68.8%). A possible precursor cell to the myofibroblast was looked for among typical fibroblasts and vascular smooth muscle cells. Purified blood vessels containing both fibroblasts and vascular smooth muscle cells were embedded in collagen gel and incubated with medium conditioned by breast epithelial cells. Fibroblasts rather than smooth muscle cells were recruited from the blood vessels. In medium conditioned by carcinoma cell lines or in co-cultures of carcinoma cell lines and purified fibroblasts, alpha-smooth muscle actin and the typical myofibroblast phenotype were induced in otherwise alpha-smooth muscle actin-negative fibroblasts. The effect of myofibroblasts on cellular movement--essential to neoplastic cells--was analyzed. Spontaneous motility of tumor cells (MCF-7) was entirely suppressed in a collagen gel assay. Under these conditions tumor cell motility was selectively mediated by direct cell-to-cell interaction between tumor cells and myofibroblasts. Under chemically defined conditions, interaction was dependent on the presence of plasminogen. Anti-plasminogen, soybean trypsin inhibitor, and anti-fibronectin partly neutralized the effect of plasminogen. It is concluded that elements of myofibroblast differentiation and function may be studied in culture.

Actins↗

A fibroblast-associated antigen: characterization in fibroblasts and immunoreactivity in smooth muscle differentiated stromal cells.

Fibroblasts with smooth muscle differentiation are frequently derived from human breast tissue. Immunofluorescence cytochemistry of a fibroblast-associated antigen recognized by a monoclonal antibody (MAb), 1B10, was analyzed with a view to discriminating smooth muscle differentiated fibroblasts from vascular smooth muscle cells. The antigen was detected on the cell surface and in cathepsin D-positive and acridine orange-accumulating vesicular compartments of fibroblasts. Ultrastructurally, the antigen was revealed in coated pits and in endosomal and lysosomal structures. 1B10 recognized three major brands migrating at apparent Mr of 38,000, 45,000, and 80,000, in addition to many minor bands between Mr 45,000 and 97,000, including Mr 52,000. The Mr 45,000 and 38,000 were associated with the cell membrane and Mr 52,000 as well as Mr 38,000 were associated with the lysosomes. The 1B10 immunoreactivity was specific to fibroblasts and smooth muscle differentiated fibroblasts within the context of vascular smooth muscle cells.

Actins↗

Distinction between vascular smooth muscle cells and myoepithelial cells in primary monolayer cultures of human breast tissue.

We report on the discrimination of vascular smooth muscle cells and myoepithelial cells in primary cultures of human breast tissue. Breast tissue was disaggregated enzymatically and the resulting organoids seeded in monolayer culture on collagen-coated plastic in serum-free medium CDM3a. Two main types of organoids were present after enzymatic digestion. One resembled small blood vessels and the other interlobular ducts or acini of the breast gland epithelium. Within 3 to 8 d after plating the organoids migrated into typical monolayer islets. These monolayer islets were evaluated using phase contrast microscopy and further tagged with monoclonal antibodies for immunocytochemical demonstration of Factor VIII-related antigen, muscle iso-forms of actin, type IV collagen, vimentin, desmin, and keratins. It is concluded that vascular smooth muscle cells resembled myoepithelial cells by expressing vimentin filaments, depositing type IV collagen, and showing immunoreactivity to muscle iso-forms of actin. However, whereas vascular smooth muscle cells were associated with endothelial cells and sometimes expressed desmin, myoepithelial cells appeared together with luminal epithelial cells and expressed cytokeratins.

Actins↗

A new diploid nontumorigenic human breast epithelial cell line isolated and propagated in chemically defined medium.

A new, nontumorigenic human breast epithelial cell line, HMT-3522, has been established from fibrocystic breast tissue. Cells were explanted and propagated in chemically defined medium including insulin, transferrin, epidermal growth factor, hydrocortisone, estradiol, prolactin, and Na-selenite. The epithelial nature of the cell line was established by immunocytochemical detection of cytokeratins. Moreover, electronmicroscopy revealed monolayers of polarized cells connected by desmosomes and provided with apical microvilli. Milk fat globule membrane antigen, specific for the apical membrane domain of normal, luminal breast epithelial cells, was expressed only in confluent cultures where some cells overlaid others, indicating "stem cell"-like properties. After 25 to 30 passages, the cells are diploid with a few marker chromosomes and loss of chromosomes in the D-group. The cells are nontumorigenic in athymic mice; they lack estrogen receptors, and estradiol does not stimulate growth. The HMT-3522 cell line may represent a useful model for the study of breast cell differentiation and carcinogenesis in vitro.

Animals↗

Pinocytosis in mouse L-fibroblasts: ultrastructural evidence for a direct membrane shuttle between the plasma membrane and the lysosomal compartment.

Mouse L-fibroblasts internalized large amounts of cationized ferritin (CF) by pinocytosis. Initially (60-90 s after addition of CF to cell monolayers at 37 degrees C), CF was found in vesicles measuring 100-400 nm (sectioned diameter) and as small clusters adhering to the inner aspect of the limiting membrane of a few large (greater than 600 nm) vacuoles. After 5-30 min, CF labeling of large vacuoles was pronounced and continuous. Moreover, 70-80% of all labeled structures were tiny (less than 100 nm) vesicles. However, the absolute frequency of tiny vesicles increased more than twofold from 5 min to 30 min. When the cells were incubated with CF for 30 min, then washed and further incubated for 3 h without CF, almost all CF was present in dense bodies (100-500 nm). When L-cells were first incubated with horseradish peroxidase (HRP), then washed and incubated with CF, double-labeled vacuoles were observed. Tiny vesicles also contained HRP-CF, and small HRP-CF patches were localized on the cell surface. Distinct labeling of stacked Golgi cisterns was not observed in any experiment. These observations suggest that the numerous tiny vesicles are not endocytic but rather pinch off from the large vacuoles and move towards the cell surface to fuse with the plasma membrane. Thus, ultrastructural evidence is provided in favor of a direct membrane shuttle between the plasma membrane and the lysosomal compartment.

Animals↗

Vesicular transport of cationized ferritin by the epithelium of the rat choroid plexus.

We have studied the transport of ferritin that was internalized by coated micropinocytic vesicles at the apical surface of the choroid plexus epithelium in situ. After ventriculocisternal perfusion of native ferritin (NF) or cationized ferritin (CF), three routes followed by the tracers are revealed: (a) to lysosomes, (b) to cisternal compartments, and (c) to the basolateral cell surface. (a) NF is micropinocytosed to a very limited degree and appears in a few lysosomal elements whereas CF is taken up in large amounts and can be followed, via endocytic vacuoles and light multivesicular bodies, to dark multivesicular bodies and dense bodies. (b) Occasionally, CF particles are found in cisterns that may represent GERL or trans-Golgi elements, whereas stacked Golgi cisterns never contain CF. (c) Transepithelial vesicular transport of CF is distinctly revealed. The intercellular spaces of the epithelium, below the apical tight junctions, contain numerous clusters of CF particles, often associated with surface-connected, coated vesicles. Vesicles in the process of exocytosis of CF are also present at the basal epithelial surface, whereas connective tissue elements below the epithelium are unlabeled. Our conclusion is that fluid and solutes removed from the cerebrospinal fluid by endocytosis either become sequestered in the lysosomal apparatus of the choroidal epithelium or are transported to the basolateral surface. However, our results do not indicate any significant recycling via Golgi complexes of internalized apical cell membrane.

Animals↗