ABSTRACT
To investigate the relationship between the morphologic changes and the expression of keratin and proto-oncogene induced by Beta-propiolactone (BPL), we assessed on the expression of keratins (K8, K10, K13) and proto-oncogenes (c-fos, c-jun, c-myc) in human HaCaT cell line. The cells were treated with 0, 0.1, 1 microgram/ml BPL for 2 or 6 hours. Morphologic studies revealed that BPL changed the cells into fibrocyte-shaped, caused highly lobulated nuclei and reduced desmosomes in their number. Findings of immunofluorescence and Northern blotting indicated that BPL consistently decrease expression of K10 representing a normal differentiation marker of keratinocytes, while increasing expression of K8 and K13 associated with a pathologic differentiation. This reagent also up-regulated expression of c-fos and c-jun, and down-regulated expression of c-myc. Together with staining for each keratin or proto-oncogene and DNA content in flow cytometry, BPL increased K8 expression dramatically at S-G2-M phase. The induction of c-Fos at S-G2-M phase appeared within 2 hours, and c-Jun gradually occurred. However, c-Myc was inhibited regardless of phases of cell cycle. In conclusion, these changes caused by BPL demonstrate a close relationship between the morphologic evidence and the altered expression of each keratin and proto-oncogene.