Epidermal growth factor promoted changes in the triton-insoluble cytoskeletal matrix from human epidermal carcinoma...

We have used monolayers of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-grown and control human epidermoid carcinoma (A431) cells to investigate the polypeptide changes resulting when cells are rounded by epidermal growth factor (EGF). Whereas no significant change was detected in Triton-soluble components, the urea-solubilized matrix fraction revealed greater levels of a 20 kd species in cells exposed to EGF, compared with the same cells not exposed to the growth factor. The corresponding urea fraction from BrdU-grown cells showed decreased levels of the 20 kd species as a result of exposure to EGF. Further evidence for a differential effect of EGF resulting from growth of the cells with the pyrimidine analog was observed in the matrix fraction soluble in SDS, which revealed a decrease in a 20 kd species resulting from exposure of control cells to EGF, with no comparable effect in BrdU-grown cells. Our results suggest that EGF induces a change in the properties of matrix-associated components of low molecular weight in an effect which appears to be modified by prior growth of cells with BrdU.