Sphingosine 1-phosphate induces cytoskeletal reorganization in C2C12 myoblasts: physiological relevance for stress fibres in the modulation of ion current through stretch-activated channels.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive lipid that is abundantly present in the serum and mediates multiple biological responses. With the aim of extending our knowledge on the role played by S1P in the regulation of cytoskeletal reorganization, native as well as C2C12 myoblasts stably transfected with green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged alpha- and beta-actin constructs were stimulated with S1P (1 microM) and observed under confocal and multiphoton microscopes. The addition of S1P induced the appearance of actin stress fibres and focal adhesions through Rho- and phospholipase D (PLD)-mediated pathways.