Tumor cell-derived collagenase-stimulatory factor increases expression of interstitial collagenase, stromelysin, and 72-kDa gelatinase.

The tumor cell-derived collagenase-stimulatory factor (TCSF) was previously purified from human lung carcinoma cells (S. M. Ellis, K. Nabeshima, and C. Biswas, Cancer Res., 49: 3385-3391, 1989). This protein is present on the surface of several types of human tumor cells in vitro and in vivo and stimulates production of interstitial collagenase in human fibroblasts. In this study it is shown that TCSF stimulates expression in human fibroblasts of mRNA for stromelysin 1 and 72-kDa gelatinase/type IV collagenase, as well as for interstitial collagenase. Measurement of enzyme protein by immunoassay showed that the amounts of interstitial collagenase and stromelysin 1 were increased in TCSF-treated fibroblasts; gelatin zymography indicated that there was an increase in the 72-kDa gelatinase. These results indicate that tumor cell interaction with fibroblasts via TCSF could lead to increased degradation of interstitial or basement membrane matrix components and thus to enhanced tumor cell invasion.