Metabolic and cytoskeletal modulation of transferrin receptor mobility in mitogen-activated human lymphocytes

The transferrin receptors which appear on mitogen-activated human peripheral blood lymphocytes were found by the use of immunofluorescence techniques to display temperature-dependent patching and capping reactions upon binding of transferrin. Lateral mobility of ligand-occupied membrane sites was accompanied by both shedding and endocytosis of receptor-transferrin complexes. In the presence of sodium azide or the microfilament inhibitor cytochalasin B, cap formation and shedding were markedly inhibited. In contrast, endocytosis of patched receptor-ligand complexes was inhibited by azide and microtubule inhibitors, including colchicine, vinblastine and vincristine. Co-capping experiments performed to elucidate further the alterations in membrane configuration involved in these reactions failed to reveal any topographical relationship between transferrin receptors and lectin-binding sites in these cells. These studied indicate that temperature-dependent mobility of transferrin receptors upon mitogen-activated peripheral blood lymphocytes is dependent upon the integrity of the cytoskeletal system and metabolic function of the cell.