Role of cytoskeletal elements in the retractile activity of human skin fibroblasts.

Giant axonal neuropathy skin fibroblasts, which are characterized by a selective and partial disorganization of vimentin filaments [1] exhibited, when compared with normal skin fibroblasts, less fibrin clot retractile (FCR) activity and spreading within the fibrin clot both during active growth and resting stage. Skin fibroblasts derived from patients affected with adenomatosis of the colon and rectum, which display a disorganized actin network [2], exhibited reduced FCR activity and spreading within the fibrin clot only during resting stage. FCR inhibition was also obtained by treating the cells with colcemid, cytochalasin B (CB) and dihydrocytochalasin B. The data suggest that FCR activity is under the control of different cytoskeletal structures. For the first time, a direct involvement of intermediate-sized filaments could be demonstrated in the interaction between fibroblasts and an organic substratum.