Signal transduction in murine B16 melanoma cells

The relationship between lung colonization and signal transduction was investigated for six B16 melanoma variants. A range of experimental metastatic potential (as determined by lung colonization), forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation and FCS-stimulated protein kinase C activity was found. The major findings were that: (1) cells with the highest agonist-stimulated cyclic AMP production were those with the highest level of membrane-associated protein kinase C activity; (2) clones which differed in protein kinase C levels and distribution did so in the presence but not in the absence of foetal calf serum; and (3) no simple relationship was seen between either signal transduction system and lung colonization for all six variants. Altered ras expression was also excluded as an explanation for the differences in signal transduction and lung colonization potential which were observed. We conclude that differences in signal transduction in vitro between these cells do not relate simply to lung colonization potential in vivo.