DNA amplification and metastasis of the human melanoma cell line MeWo

A positive correlation was found between the presence of amplified DNA in the form of homogeneously staining regions (HSRs), and the formation of spontaneous metastases by the human melanoma cell line MeWo. HSR+ and HSR- MeWo sublines and clones were injected s.c. into BALB/c nude mice. All MeWo lines produced primary tumors that were allowed to grow to a similar size before the animals were sacrificed and examined for the presence of metastatic nodules in the lungs and abdominal cavity. HSR+ lines gave extensive metastases (greater than 100 nodules) in the lungs and/or liver and abdomen in 18 of 19 animals. The HSR- MeWo lines were effectively nonmetastatic, producing metastases in 3 of 20 animals, two of which had only a single metastatic lung nodule each. Evidence for the presence of HSRs in the primary tumors and metastatic nodules was obtained by DNA dot-blot hybridization to a sequence (D15Z1) amplified in the HSRs, flow cytofluorometry for cellular DNA content, and quinacrine staining of metaphase spreads. The HSR+ clones also colonized the lung to a much greater extent than HSR- clones following i.v. injection. In addition, the HSR+ clone had a selective advantage in lung colonization, since i.v. injection of a 50:50 mixture of HSR+ and HSR- clones resulted in extensive metastases populated exclusively by HSR+ cells. The results suggest that DNA sequences amplified in the HSRs of human melanoma MeWo cells may confer enhanced metastatic properties to these cells.