INCREASED SYNTHESIS OF HYALURONIC-ACID BY MOUSE MAMMARY-CARCINOMA CELL VARIANTS WITH HIGH METASTATIC POTENTIAL

  • 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 43  (3) , 1347-1354
Abstract
Variant subpopulations of FM3A mouse mammary carcinoma cells that have increased lung-colonizing potential were obtained by sequentially harvesting pulmonary metastases, culturing their cells in vitro, and reestablishing the metastases in vivo. Glycosaminoglycan production by the parental and variant cells was studied after metabolic labeling of cultures by [14C]glucosamine for 24 h. Analysis of the products indicated that the rate of incorporation of the labeled precursor into hyaluronic acid in the high-metastatic variant cells was 27-54 times the rate in the low-metastatic cells and that the increase in hyaluronic acid synthesis was not associated with an increase in the rate of synthesis of other glycosaminoglycans. Both the cell layers and media of high-metastatic variants contained a much higher proportion of radioactivity in hyaluronic acid than did the corresponding fractions of low-metastatic cell lines. The results provide a basis for further investigation of the potential role of hyaluronic acid in control of the behavior of epithelial tumor cells during metastasis.

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