To explore the attenuated LatB responsiveness of NIH-3T3 fibroblasts compared to HL-60 leukemia cells, we reasoned that NIH-3T3 cells express high levels of the intermediate filament protein vimentin (Figure 7a) that may protect the cells from excessive deformations when filamentous actin is depolymerized. The gene discussed is DES; the disease is leukemia.