OBJECTIVES: We investigated the relationship between the metastatic potential and the surface expression of adhesion molecules on human renal cell carcinoma (HRCC) cells. METHODS: The metastatic potential was studied by the intravenous injection of cells from an HRCC cell line SN12C parent and its variants, SN12C-MM3, SN12C-clone2 and SN12C-clone8 into athymic Balb/c nude mice. The surface expression of adhesion molecules on these four HRCC cell lines was studied by a flow cytometric analysis. RESULTS: Of the four cell lines, SN12C-MM3 had the highest ability to produce pulmonary metastatic nodules. In contrast, the SN12C parent, SN12C-clone2 and SN12C-clone8 produced either few or no pulmonary metastatic nodules. A flow cytometric analysis revealed that SN12C-MM3 showed a strong expression of sialyl Lewis X (sialyl Le(x)) carbohydrate antigen and a slightly stronger expression of CD11a (LFA-1 alpha-chain) and CD54 (ICAM-1) compared with the other three cell lines. All cell lines expressed CD29 (beta 1-integrin) and CD44 to the same extent. CONCLUSION: Sialyl Le(x) is thought to be a ligand for the adhesion molecule called ELAM-1 (endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule-1, E-selectin) and mediates the interaction of leukocytes or tumor cells to endothelial cells, followed by the integrin-mediated adhesion. These data suggest that SN12C-MM3 cells may have more of a chance to adhere to endothelial cells in blood vessels and consequently shows a higher metastatic potential when injected intravenously in comparison to the other three lines.
OBJECTIVES: We investigated the relationship between the metastatic potential and the surface expression of adhesion molecules on humanrenal cell carcinoma (HRCC) cells. METHODS: The metastatic potential was studied by the intravenous injection of cells from an HRCC cell line SN12C parent and its variants, SN12C-MM3, SN12C-clone2 and SN12C-clone8 into athymic Balb/c nude mice. The surface expression of adhesion molecules on these four HRCC cell lines was studied by a flow cytometric analysis. RESULTS: Of the four cell lines, SN12C-MM3 had the highest ability to produce pulmonary metastatic nodules. In contrast, the SN12C parent, SN12C-clone2 and SN12C-clone8 produced either few or no pulmonary metastatic nodules. A flow cytometric analysis revealed that SN12C-MM3 showed a strong expression of sialyl Lewis X (sialyl Le(x)) carbohydrate antigen and a slightly stronger expression of CD11a (LFA-1 alpha-chain) and CD54 (ICAM-1) compared with the other three cell lines. All cell lines expressed CD29 (beta 1-integrin) and CD44 to the same extent. CONCLUSION: Sialyl Le(x) is thought to be a ligand for the adhesion molecule called ELAM-1 (endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule-1, E-selectin) and mediates the interaction of leukocytes or tumor cells to endothelial cells, followed by the integrin-mediated adhesion. These data suggest that SN12C-MM3 cells may have more of a chance to adhere to endothelial cells in blood vessels and consequently shows a higher metastatic potential when injected intravenously in comparison to the other three lines.