Alteration of intermediate filament distribution in PtK1 cells by acrylamide

PtK1 cells were treated with low concentrations of acrylamide resulting in disruption of intermediate filament networks. An optimum treatment, 5 mM acrylamide in culture medium for 4 h, resulted in formation of a juxtanuclear aggregate containing both keratin and vimentin intermediate filaments. Actin-containing stress fibers and microtubules appeared normal after this treatment. Cells recovered when acrylamide was washed out of the cultures, and normal keratin and vimentin networks reappeared. These cells were capable of proliferation and grew to confluence. Acrylamide-treated cells appeared to locomote normally, showing membrane ruffling and changes in shape, but cytoplasmic organelles did not appear to move normally throughout the cell but remained at the cell center. These observations indicate that acrylamide is a useful intermediate filament inhibitor that does not affect other cytoskeletal elements.