Cytoskeletal changes during radiation-induced neoplastic transformation of human prostate epithelial cells

We recently reported tumorigenic transformation of SV40-immortalized neonatal human prostate epithelial cells (267B1) by exposure to fractionated doses of X-rays. Altered morphology and anchorage independence were observed following two successive fractions of 2 Gy each (F3-SAC). Additional 2 Gy treatments to these non-tumorigenic cells to a total dose of 30 Gy resulted in radiation-transformed tumorigenic colonies (267B1-SXR). Malignant transformation of parental 267B1 cells was also achieved by consecutive 2 Gy exposures to a total dose of 30 Gy (267B1-XR). This study discusses the cytoskeletal changes in the F3-SAC, 267B1-XR and 267B1-SXR derivatives of these human prostate epithelial cells. Confocal and conventional fluorescence microscopy of filamentous actin showed numerous, well organized, evenly distributed stress fibers in the parental cells prior to irradiation, while the anchorage-independent cells and several tumorigenic derivatives exhibited poor stress fiber organization after radiation exposure. This disorganization of actin microfilaments in the radiation-transformed cells was also accompanied by changes in the expression of selective tropomyosin isoforms as judged by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. These changes in actin organization and tropomyosin expression appear to be coincidental with morphological transformation and acquisition of tumorigenicity in the 267B1 cells following radiation exposure.