Drug resistant tumor cells have increased levels of tumor markers for invasion and metastasis.

The association between drug-resistance and three markers for invasive capacity: cathepsin D (Cath D), urokinase type plasminogen activator (uPA) and inhibitor of plasminogen activator type 1 (PAI-1) was examined in nine cervical and laryngeal carcinoma cell lines resistant to different cytostatics. The level of Cath D was measured by solid phase two-site immunoradiometric assay, while uPA and PAI-1 concentrations were determined by use of ELISA. All drug resistant cell lines had increased concentration of cathepsin D. uPA levels were similar in parental and drug resistant cervical carcinoma cells, but significantly higher in all examined drug resistant laryngeal carcinoma cells. In cervical carcinoma cells, PAI-1 concentrations were similar in parental and cisplatin resistant, but significantly higher in doxorubicin resistant cells. In laryngeal carcinoma cells, no increase in concentrations of PAI-1 was determined in the three from five resistant cell lines. There was no uPA in conditioned medium of parental or drug resistant cells. PAI-1 was detected in conditioned medium. Its levels were significantly increased in the medium of two cervical and three laryngeal drug resistant carcinoma cells. Thus, our results suggest that drug-resistance may be accompanied by increased levels of tumor associated proteases and/or its inhibitor.