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Antisense inhibition of β‐actin mRNA localization and its effect on smooth muscle cell migration
Author(s) -
Schedlich Lynette,
Hill Mark,
Lockett Trevor
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
biology of the cell
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.543
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1768-322X
pISSN - 0248-4900
DOI - 10.1111/j.1768-322x.1997.tb00999.x
Subject(s) - biology , actin , microbiology and biotechnology , messenger rna , cell migration , cytoskeleton , cell , untranslated region , in situ hybridization , gene , biochemistry
A crucial step in cell migration involves changes in the actin cytoskeleton in response to extracellular signals. We have previously shown that β‐actin transcripts are associated with mobile regions of mouse 3T3 fibroblasts when grown in the presence of serum. In the current study we used in situ hybridization and laser scanning confocal microscopy to show that cultured rat smooth muscle cells also localize β‐actin mRNA to the cell periphery and that this peripheral pool of β‐actin mRNA is dependent on the presence of growth factors in the culture medium. We also show that antisense phosphorothioated oligonucleotides directed against sequences in the 3′ untranslated region of rat β‐actin mRNA block peripheral localization of β‐actin mRNA while the corresponding control oligonucleotides have no effect. Time‐lapse video analysis demonstrates that the antisense oligonucleotides inhibit rat smooth muscle cell migration in culture and analysis of β‐actin mRNA confirms this is not due to changes in β‐actin gene expression or instability of the message. Our results suggest that depletion of β‐actin transcripts from the cell periphery is associated with suppression of SMC migration.