alpha2-Macroglobulin is mainly produced by cancer cells and not by hepatocytes in rats with colon carcinoma metastases in liver.

Localization and production of alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2M), a multifunctional binding protein with protease and cytokine scavenging properties, was studied in situ in rat livers containing experimentally induced colon carcinoma metastases by means of immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization methods. The study was performed to investigate whether alpha2M production by hepatocytes plays a role in the defense against the growth of metastases on the basis of its protease inhibiting capacity. It was found that colon cancer cells in all developmental stages of the metastases contained large amounts of messenger RNA (mRNA) of alpha2M but hardly any alpha2M protein. Cancer cells in culture contained large amounts of both mRNA and protein of alpha2M. In contrast, stromal cells and liver cells did not show positivity for alpha2M mRNA above background levels. The exception was a few layers of hepatocytes around the latest stage of metastases. Hepatocytes contained both alpha2M mRNA and protein only when Kupffer cells were present, indicating that alpha2M mRNA production was induced via Kupffer cells. On the other hand, alpha2M protein was found in high amounts in the sinusoids and stroma of all metastases, irrespective of their developmental stage. Increased levels of alpha2M could not be detected in serum in all but one rat tested (n=8). It is concluded that production of alpha2M by hepatocytes occurs only around the latest developmental stage of metastases and that alpha2M does not play a significant role in the defense against metastatic cancer growth in rat liver. In contrast, cancer cells produce and secrete large amounts of alpha2M, which seems to be linked with their tumorigenicity. We suggest that this alpha2M captures cytokines rather than proteases by complex formation. These complexes were observed using immunocytochemical staining for alpha2M protein indicating that it was captured by either stromal cells, sinusoidal cells, or hepatocytes that are in direct contact with cancer cells, Therefore, changes in serum levels of alpha2M were limited, indicating that these levels do not reflect local production and effects of alpha2M.