Expression of a developmentally regulated cross-linking intermediate filament-associated protein (IFAPa-400) during the replacement of vimentin for desmin in muscle cell differentiation.

Myogenic and neurogenic tissues of the chick embryo transiently express IFAPa-400, a high molecular weight protein that colocalizes and is copurified with intermediate filaments. Using monoclonal antibody F51H2 to identify it, we carried out immunoelectron microscopy experiments on whole-mount chick embryo cells and showed that IFAPa-400 was localized at crossing points of intermediate filaments. Also, immunoblot experiments with F51H2, anti-vimentin and anti-desmin antibodies demonstrated the complete disappearance of IFAPa-400 in those muscle cell types that change their vimentin content for desmin during embryogenesis. During in vitro myogenesis, the expression of IFAPa-400 was shown to be concurrent with the progressive replacement of vimentin by desmin in myoblasts. When long-term myotube cultures were maintained on a fibroblast-like cell layer, we observed the complete replacement of vimentin by desmin, followed by the disappearance of IFAPa-400 from the myotubes. These results suggest that IFAPa-400 might be involved in the reorganization of the intermediate filament network during muscle differentiation.