The effect of methotrexate on actin and invasiveness of hepatoma Morris 5123 cells in culture

Monomeric (G), total (T) and filamentous (F) actin and the state of actin polymerisa­tion (F:G) were determined and actin filaments were visualized in hepatoma Morris 5123 cells cultured in the presence of methotrexate (MTX) at various concentration. The exposure of the cells to this drug resulted in a decrease of total and polymerised actin in cytoplasm and in some changes in actin filament organization. This coincided with a decrease of the cells' ability to migrate through Matrigel coated filters and with inhibition of tumour formation after reimplantation of the methotrexate treated cells to experimental rats.