Chemiluminescence and oxygen radical generation by Walker carcinosarcoma cells following chemotactic stimulation

The peptide N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe stimulates chemotaxis and metastasis in rat Walker carcinosarcoma cells by a receptor-mediated pathway. Since oxygen radical generation follows chemotactic stimulation in leukocytes, we looked for similar responses in the Walker tumor. Upon incubation with 10(-6) M N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe, Walker cells elicited chemiluminescence in the presence of 5 X 10(-5) M luminol. The response peaked within 2 min and was maintained for greater than 20 min; it was dose dependent with a 50% maximal effective dose (ED50) value of 4.5 X 10(-8) comparable to the 50% maximal effective dose value for chemotaxis. The responses were significantly reduced but not abolished in the absence of calcium in the external medium and were elicited by the ionophore A23187. The lipoxygenase inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid had almost no effect in decreasing the response, while flurbiprofen, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor was very effective at 10(-6) M. Evidence for the generation of oxygen radicals included: (a) marked inhibition of light emission in the absence of oxygen; (b) inhibition in the presence of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and mannitol; and (c) dose-dependent reduction of acetylated cytochrome c. We postulate that activation of circulating tumor cells may facilitate metastasis by the release of toxic oxygen species.