Reduction in S100 protein beta subunit mRNA in C6 rat glioma cells following treatment with anti-microtubular drugs.

S100 protein is a calcium-binding protein found in vertebrate nervous tissue. Synthesis of S100 protein in the rat glioma cell line, C6, is inhibited by the addition of anti-microtubular drugs. We have cloned a cDNA for the beta subunit of S100 protein from rat brain in a lambda gt 11 expression vector and used this cDNA to measure the amounts of S100 beta subunit mRNA in C6 cells after treatment with anti-microtubular drugs. Levels of alpha-tubulin and beta-actin mRNAs were also measured. All measurements were performed using RNA-RNA hybridization techniques at high stringency with rat mRNA-specific probes. After 24 h of treatment, the S100 beta subunit mRNA was reduced to levels of 25% by colchicine and 32% by vinblastine when compared to untreated controls. In contrast, the levels of tubulin and actin mRNAs were only slightly changed by these treatments. These studies demonstrate that disruption of the microtubular cytoskeleton causes a specific reduction in the level of S100 protein mRNA in C6 cells.