Microtubules facilitate the stimulated secretion of beta-hexosaminidase in lacrimal acinar cells.

Stimulation of lacrimal acini with secretagogues such as carbachol initiates movement and fusion of acinar secretory vesicles with the apical plasma membrane, resulting in release of protein into the nascent tear fluid. Using rabbit lacrimal acini reconstituted in vitro from isolated cells, we have investigated the organization of the apical cytoskeleton and its role in stimulated secretion. Confocal microscopy revealed a microtubule array emanating from the apical region of the acini; the apical region was also enriched in microfilaments and (gamma)-tubulin. Cytokeratin-based intermediate filaments were apically concentrated, and also detected at the cell periphery. Neither confocal microscopy nor biochemical analysis revealed any reorganization of lumenal microfilaments or microtubules which might accompany carbachol-stimulated release of secretory proteins. However, major changes in the acinar microtubule array induced by taxol or nocodazole were correlated with inhibition of carbachol-dependent release of the secreted protein, beta-hexosaminidase. Major changes in lumenal microfilaments induced by jasplakinolide or cytochalasin D did not inhibit the carbachol-dependent release of beta-hexosaminidase; rather, release of beta-hexosaminidase from jasplakinolide- or cytochalasin D-treated carbachol-stimulated acini was markedly increased relative to the release from untreated stimulated acini. Our findings demonstrate that microtubules play a major role in stimulated lacrimal secretion, and suggest a contributory role for microfilaments.