ADP-RIBOSYLATION OF THE GTP-BINDING PROTEIN-RHO BY CLOSTRIDIUM-LIMOSUM EXOENZYME AFFECTS BASAL, BUT NOT N-FORMYL-PEPTIDE-STIMULATED, ACTIN POLYMERIZATION IN HUMAN MYELOID LEUKEMIC (HL6O) CELLS

Treatment of human myeloid leukaemic (HL60) cells with Clostridium limosum exoenzyme, which inactivates the small GTP-binding protein Rho by ADP-ribosylation, decreased the basal F-actin content. Inhibition of F-actin occurred after longterm treatment (24 h) of intact HL60 cells or after introduction of the toxin by electropermeabilization in a toxin-concentration-dependent manner. Concomitantly with the decrease in the basal F-actin content, the GTP-binding protein Rho was ADP-ribosylated in intact cells. However, Clostridium limosum toxin had no inhibitory effect on N-formyl-peptide-induced actin polymerization. Moreover, the relative N-formyl-peptide-stimulated polymerization was substantially enhanced in cells treated with Clostridium limosum transferase. In contrast with Clostridium limosum exoenzyme, component C2I of the Clostridium botulinum C2 toxin, which ADP-ribosylates G-actin, depolymerized basal F-actin and inhibited N-formyl-peptide-induced actin polymerization in electropermeabilized HL60 cells. These findings indicate that Rho proteins are involved in the basal, but not the ligand-evoked, actin polymerization in HL60 cells.