ABSTRACT
The primary cilium is a small organelle protruding from the cell surface that receives signals from the extracellular milieu. Although dozens of studies have reported that several genetic factors can impair the structure of primary cilia, evidence for environmental stimuli affecting primary cilia structures is limited. Here, we investigated an extracellular stress that affected primary cilia morphology and its underlying mechanisms. Hyperosmotic shock induced reversible shortening and disassembly of the primary cilia of murine intramedullary collecting duct cells. The shortening of primary cilia caused by hyperosmotic shock followed delocalization of the pericentriolar material (PCM). Excessive microtubule and F-actin formation in the cytoplasm coincided with the hyperosmotic shock-induced changes to primary cilia and the PCM. Treatment with a microtubule-disrupting agent, nocodazole, partially prevented the hyperosmotic shock-induced disassembly of primary cilia and almost completely prevented delocalization of the PCM. An actin polymerization inhibitor, latrunculin A, also partially prevented the hyperosmotic shock-induced shortening and disassembly of primary cilia and almost completely prevented delocalization of the PCM. We demonstrate that hyperosmotic shock induces reversible morphological changes in primary cilia and the PCM in a manner dependent on excessive formation of microtubule and F-actin.
Footnotes
Author contributions
Conceptualization: K.I.; Methodology: K.K., K.O.; Investigation: H.O., R.N., K.K., K.O.; Writing - original draft: H.O., R.N., K.I.; Writing - review & editing: K.I.; Supervision: K.I.; Project administration: K.I.; Funding acquisition: K.I.
Funding
This work was supported in part by Grants-in-Aid from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) for Kiban-C (JP21K06172) and from the Japan Science and Technology Agency, Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (JPMJPR17H1) to K.I., and by a Hiroshima University SPRING fellowship to H.O.
Data availability
All relevant data can be found within the article and its supplementary information.
