Cell-cell contact promotes specific activity of pp60c-src protein kinase in human retinoblastoma cells

Tyrosine-specific protein kinase activity of pp60c-src was examined in human Y79 retinoblastoma cells cultured in monolayers after clusters in suspension culture had been dissociated. The activity increased five- to six-fold between Days 1 and 7 in the monolayer cultures, with a concomitant increase in numbers of cellular contacts per cell. There was no effect of conditioned medium from high-density cultures in suspension on the activity of cultures with a low degree of contacts. The level of c-src protein in cell lysates was nearly constant irrespective of the degree of cellular contacts. These results suggest that the specific activity of pp60c-src is regulated by cell-cell contact.