Cyclic AMP modulates microvillus formation and agglutinability in transformed and normal mouse fibroblasts

We have utilized dark field microscopy to observe the surface microstructure of living cultured cells. Using this method, we have found that dibutyryl cAMP treatment causes regression of the numerous, long cell surface microvilli present on L929 cells. Thirty minutes after removal of dibutyryl cAMP, microvilli reappear. An inhibitor of phosphodiesterase (methylisobutylxanthine) and a stimulator of adenylate cyclase (prostaglandin E1), both of which raise cAMP levels, cause regression of microvilli in 15 min. Untransformed 3T3 cells show very few microvilli when viewed still attached to their substratum or after removal with EDTA. Treatment of these cells with trypsin causes the formation of numerous microvilli on their surface. When clumps of cells agglutinated by concanavalin A are examined by thin section electron microscopy, the cells are seen to be held together by a "forest" of interdigitating microvilli and only rarely is there apposition of the areas of membrane between microvilli. At the same time the distribution of surface-bound concanavalin A was examined using immunofluorescent light microscopy, and concanavalin A was found to be uniformly distributed over the cell surface. We propose that agglutinability of mouse and rat fibroblasts is regulated through the modulation of cell surface microvilli by cAMP, and that transformed cells are highly agglutinable because their low cAMP levels result in the formation of numerous surface microvilli.