The effects of taxol on cytoskeletal components in cultured fibroblasts and epithelial cells.

Taxol promotes microtubule (MT) assembly in vitro and induces the reorganization of the cytoskeleton into unusual MT arrays in cultured cells. The possibility that taxol also has an indirect effect on intermediate filaments (IF) was investigated. In baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) and human skin (ENSON) fibroblasts treated with 1-10 microM taxol for 1-24 h, the drug induces changes which are similar to those produced by colchicine. These include a loss of major cellular extensions, a redistribution of organelles to a perinuclear location, and an inhibition of locomotion. Saltatory particle movements are not inhibited, however. Ruffling and filopod formation continue, indicating that cells are viable up to 24 h. Polarized light microscopy of living fibroblasts treated with taxol reveals the presence of perinuclear birefringent material which has been examined by immunofluorescence. In control cells, IF and MT radiate from a juxtanuclear region and extend to the cell periphery. In taxol-treated cells, MT and IF are excluded from cell margins, forming large central bundles. In the epithelial cell lines PtK2 and PAM, the keratin system of IF does not become redistributed; in PtK2, however, a second fibroblastlike system of IF does become redistributed to a perinuclear position during taxol treatment. Ultrastructural analyses show that taxol-treated fibroblasts contain parallel arrays of cross-bridged MT-IF as well as bundles of MT exclusive of IF. Epithelial cells contain a predominance of IF-free MT bundles which are organized into hexagonally packed arrays. In these bundles MT frequently exhibit hooks or other incomplete MT profiles and are linked by filamentous material.