AIMThe metastatic ability of a Dunning R-3327 rat prostate cancer subline (AT6.3) was suppressed by the introduction of human chromosome 10, when these hybrid cancer cells were injected subcutaneously into nude mice (Nihei et al., Genes Chromosomes Cancer 14:112-119, 1995). The present study was undertaken to clarify which step of metastasis was suppressed in the human chromosome 10-containing microcell hybrids (AT 6.3-10 clones).

METHODSGelatin zymography, an in vitro invasion assay using a Boyden chamber and an intravenous metastasis assay involving the injection of hybrid cells into nude mice were performed.

RESULTSGelatin zymography revealed that AT6.3-10 microcell hybrid clones expressed the 72 kD type IV collagenase (MMP-2) at an almost equal level as control microcell hybrid clones. Both the invasiveness as measured by the invasion assay and the number of lung metastases as measured by the intravenous metastasis assay of AT6.3-10 hybrid clones were significantly less than those of the AT6.3 parental clone.

CONCLUSIONThe human chromosome 10 suppresses both the local invasion and the metastatic process after entry into the blood circulation of rat prostate cancer. This decrease in local-invasive ability does not seem to require a decrease in MMP-2 activity.

Animals ; Animals, Genetically Modified ; Cell Division ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 10 ; Gelatin ; analysis ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; genetics ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Rats ; Skin Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; secondary ; Tumor Cells, Cultured