Microtubule inhibitors block the morphological changes induced in Drosophila blood cells by a parasitoid wasp factor.

The shape change of Drosophila melanogaster blood cells (lamellocytes) from discoidal to bipolar that is caused by a factor from the female parasitoid Leptopilina heterotoma is blocked by the tubulin inhibitors vinblastine and vincristine in vitro. The actin inhibitor, cytochalasin B, causes arborization of Drosophila lamellocytes and acts synergistically with the wasp factor to alter lamellocyte morphology. Lamellocyte aborization induced by cytochalasin B is blocked by simultaneous treatment with vinblastine. These observations indicate that the changes in lamellocyte shape induced by both the wasp factor and cytochalasin B require microtubule assembly.