Four closely related lines of RSV-transformed Syrian hamster fibroblasts differing drastically in their spontaneous metastatic capacity were investigated for the surface expression of
integrins, in vitro invasion, and production of MMP-2
collagenase. The highly metastasizing HET-SR-2SC-LNM cells differ from the lowly metastasizing parental HET-SR cells in a high level of the surface expression of the
collagen-specific alpha1beta1, alpha2beta1, and alphavbeta3
integrins, a high invasive activity, and an increased production of MMP-2. The same properties are characteristic for the actively metastasizing cells of the independent HET-SR-1 line. The lowly metastasizing fibroblasts that are derived from HET-SR-2SC-LNM retain a high level of the expression of the alpha1beta1 and alpha2beta1
integrins, but, unlike the parental line, they exhibit a decreased expression of the
alphavbeta3 integrin, invasion in
Matrigel, and MMP-2 production. Substrate stimulation of the signal function of the
collagen-specific
integrins increases the production of MMP-2 by the metastatically active fibroblasts. Inhibition of the signal activity of the
integrins by RGD-containing pentapeptide or by
genistein reduces markedly in vitro invasion in
Matrigel and MMP-2 production. The role of specific properties of the extracellular matrix surrounding
tumor cells and of specific surface
integrins expressed in these cells in developing of the malignant phenotype is discussed.