Figure 7. Lovastatin and C3-exoenzyme prevent growth factor-induced cytoskeletal reorganization

Pretreatment of lens epithelial cells with either C3-exoenzyme, a specific inhibitor of Rho GTPase, or lovastatin, a general isoprenylation inhibitor, abolished EGF, FGF and PDGF induced actin cytoskeletal reorganization. As in the case of Rho kinase inhibitor treated cells, C3-treated cells appear flat with no cortical rigidity but still maintained cell-cell contacts, while lovastatin treated cells underwent significant change in cell shape and appear rounded. Cells in this figure were stained only for F-actin, with rhodamin-phalloidin.