Sphingosine-1-phosphate inhibits actin nucleation and pseudopodium formation to control cell motility of mouse melanoma cells.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (Sph-1-P), the initial product of sphingosine (Sph) catabolism, has been reported to inhibit motility of mouse melanoma B16/F1 and other types of cells at very low concentrations (10-100 nM). Sph-1-P (100 nM-1 microM) inhibited pseudopodium formation by blocking polymerization and reorganization of actin filaments in newly formed pseudopodia, and reduced F-actin by approximately 25% in F1 cells. A pyrene-labeled actin nucleation assay revealed that Sph-1-P (100 nM) inhibits actin nucleation mediated by F1 cell plasma membranes. These results suggest that Sph-1-P interacts with molecules associated with actin nucleation to inhibit reorganization of pseudopodium formation and cell motility.