Engagement of vimentin intermediate filaments in hypotonic stress

Jian Li (1) , Wei Gao (1, 2) , Yue Zhang (2) , Fang Cheng (3) , John E Eriksson (4) , Sandrine Etienne-Manneville (5) , Yaming Jiu (1, 2)

1 CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology [Shangai]
2 UCAS - University of Chinese Academy of Sciences [Beijing]
3 School of Pharmaceutical Sciences [Shenzhen]
4 Åbo Akademi University [Turku]
5 Polarité cellulaire, Migration et Cancer - Cell Polarity, Migration and Cancer

Intermediate filaments (IFs) play a key role in the control of cell structure and morphology, cell mechano-responses, migration, proliferation, and apoptosis. However, the mechanisms regulating IFs organization in motile adhesive cells under certain physical/pathological conditions remain to be fully understood. In this study, we found hypo-osmotic-induced stress results in a dramatic but reversible rearrangement of the IF network. Vimentin and nestin IFs are partially depolymerized as they are redistributed throughout the cell cytoplasm after hypo-osmotic shock. This spreading of the IFs requires an intact microtubule network and the motor protein associated transportation. Both nocodazole treatment and depletion of kinesin-1 (KIF5B) block the hypo-osmotic shock-induced rearrangement of IFs showing that the dynamic behavior of IFs largely depends on microtubules and kinesin-dependent transport. Moreover, we show that cell survival rates are dramatically decreased in response to hypo-osmotic shock, which was more severe by vimentin IFs depletion, indicating its contribution to osmotic endurance. Collectively, these results reveal a critical role of vimentin IFs under hypotonic stress and provide evidence that IFs are important for the defense mechanisms during the osmotic challenge. K E Y W O R D S cytoplasmic redistribution, hypo-osmosis, intermediate filaments, osmotic stress, vimentin

Domains: Santé publique et épidémiologie

Jian Li, Wei Gao, Yue Zhang, Fang Cheng, John E Eriksson, et al.. Engagement of vimentin intermediate filaments in hypotonic stress. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, 2019, ⟨10.1002/jcb.28591⟩. ⟨pasteur-02138769⟩