A specific isoform of nonmuscle myosin II-C is required for cytokinesis in a tumor cell line.

Nonmuscle myosin IIs play an essential role during cytokinesis. Here, we explore the function of an alternatively spliced isoform of nonmuscle myosin heavy chain (NMHC) II-C, called NMHC II-C1, in the A549 human lung tumor cell line during cytokinesis. NMHC II-C1 contains an insert of 8 amino acids in the head region of NMHC II-C. First, we show that there is a marked increase in both the mRNA encoding NMHC II-C1 and protein in tumor cell lines compared with nontumor cell lines derived from the same tissue. Quantification of the amount of myosin II isoforms in the A549 cells shows that the amounts of NMHC II-A and II-C1 protein are about equal and substantially greater than NMHC II-B. Using specific siRNAs to decrease NMHC II-C1 in cultured A549 cells resulted in a 5.5-fold decrease in the number of cells at 120 h, whereas decreasing NMHC II-A with siRNA does not affect cell proliferation. This decreased proliferation can be rescued by reintroducing NMHC II-C1 but not NMHC II-A or II-B into A549 cells, although noninserted NMHC II-C does rescue to a limited extent. Time lapse video microscopy revealed that loss of NMHC II-C1 leads to a delay in cytokinesis and prolongs it from 2 to 8-10 h. These findings are consistent with the localization of NMHC II-C1 to the intercellular bridge that attaches the two dividing cells during the late phases of cytokinesis. The results suggest a specific function for NMHC II-C1 in cytokinesis in the A549 tumor cell line.