[Localization of high-molecular alkali-insoluble polypeptides of rat liver cell nuclear matrix revealed by...

By means of chicken immunization, antibodies were obtained to two high molecular weight polypeptides of an alkali-insoluble highly dispersed fraction of rat liver cell nuclear matrix. Using methods of indirect immunofluorescence these antibodies were seen fixed selectively on the periphery of the cell nuclei of rat liver, cultured human fibroblasts and of cultured human fibrosarcoma 8387 cells. The same pattern of antibody fixation, with non-specific net-like staining in the cytoplasm, was observed in the light microscope after the immunoperoxidase staining. Using the similar peroxidase staining with electron microscopy, antibody fixation was recorded with nuclear pore complexes, ribosomes, fibrous lamina and intranuclear granular structures in isolated rat liver cell nuclei and in the nuclear matrix. In mitotic cells the cytoplasm displayed a bright fluorescence, whereas the condensed chromosomes showed a fainter fluorescence. Thus, the examined high molecular weight antigens revealed no organ or species specificity. They appear to be constituents of nonmembraneous structures of the nuclear envelope, more likely of the pore complexes.