Overexpression of normal c-Src in poorly metastatic human colon cancer cells enhances primary tumor growth but not metastatic potential.

Whereas genetic paradigms are now defined for the development of human colon cancer, little is known regarding the mechanisms that regulate development of the metastatic phenotype. Recent reports have indirectly linked the expression and activation of c-Src to the process of human colon cancer metastasis. Whereas v-Src, a highly activated mutational derivative of c-Src, has been shown to induce metastasis, normal c-Src has not been tested for this property. We hypothesized that c-Src overexpression in the milieu of a poorly metastatic cancer cell might permit the development of a highly metastatic cell. Two poorly metastatic human colon cancer cell lines were stably transfected with expression vectors encoding normal human c-Src. Clones producing 4-10-fold more c-Src than controls were injected s.c. and intrasplenically into the nude mouse to assess primary tumor growth and liver metastatic potential. Whereas metastatic potential was unaffected, primary tumor growth in vivo was significantly enhanced by c-Src overexpression. No effects on rates of tumor cell proliferation were seen in vitro. Our findings suggest that normal c-Src may be necessary but is insufficient for the induction of the metastatic phenotype.