Regulation of plasminogen activator in 3T3 cells: effect of phorbol myristate acetate on subcellular distribution and molecular weight.

The tumor promoter, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), stimulates plasminogen activator production and extracellular release in confluent Swiss 3T3 cells. Coordinated with the increased extracellular release is a redistribution of the activity into plasma membrane-enriched fractions and a shift in the predominant molecular weight species from 75,000 to 49,000 daltons. The evidence suggests that PMA induces the formation of the 49,000 dalton species which is preferentially located in plasma membrane-enriched fractions.