Plasminogen activator and plasmin-like activities in experimental rat tumours

Plasminogen activator activity and plasmin-like amidolytic activity were investigated in two experimental rat tumours, using human plasminogen and chromogenic peptide substrate, S-2251. The invasive hepatocarcinoma and non-invasive nephroma were induced with the same chemical carcinogen, dimethylnitrosamine, in F-344 rats and they were continuously transplanted under the renal capsule. While there was no difference in plasmin-like activities of the tumours, the plasminogen activator activity was very low in the nephroma, but high in the hepatocarcinoma. Since the activator activity was completely inhibited by amiloride, it was considered to be of urokinase-type. These results were in accordance with the assumed role of urokinase in the invasion. However, of the respective control organ, kidney was rich in both activities but rat liver contained only very low activities. Therefore the comparison of the plasminogen activator activity of a tumour to the control organ probably does not provide information concerning the malignant transformation as it is suggested in the literature.