Heterogeneities of attachment, chemotaxis, and protease production among clones with different metastatic potentials from a human pancreatic cancer cell line

The present study extends our investigations into the metastatic heterogeneity among four clonal cell lines (S2-007:H, S2-013:M1, S2-020:M2, and S2-028:L) from a human pancreatic cancer cell line (SUIT-2), and extends our discussion the positive correlation between metastatic potential and the type I collagenase activity of the cells, focusing on their interaction with extracellular matrix. Ability to attach to the reconstituted basement membrane (Matrigel) was higher for clone H than clone L during an observation period of 30–60 min, whereas clones M1 and M2 were found to be intermediate in ability. In densitometric and radioactive studies, clone L exhibited the lowest collagenolytic activity against mouse and human type IV collagen, while clone H exhibited the highest activity in the densitometric study and clone M1 was the highest in the radioactive study. The production of urinary-type plasminogen activator was highest in clone L and lowest in clone H. On the other hand, tissue-type plasminogen activator was highest in clone M2 and low in both clones H and L. Clone M2 exhibited the highest chemotactic activity toward diluted Matrigel, whereas clone L had the lowest activity. On the whole, these clones showed heterogenous interactions with an extracellular matrix. It is suggested that the attachment activity to basement membrane and the type IV collagenolytic activity of the cells may be positively correlated with their metastatic potential, whereas the production of urinary-type plasminogen activator was negatively correlated, but confirmation of these findings awaits further study.