A study of the adhesive, locomotory and invasive behaviour of Walker 256 carcinosarcoma cells

We have succeeded in selecting two variant strains of the Walker 256 carcinosarcoma which display markedly different adhesive properties. Both the high (W256A) and the low (W256S) adhesive variants respond chemotactically towards 10(-8) M f-met-leu-phe (FMLP) although there is a significant difference in their locomotory ability. Nevertheless, the fact that the essentially non-adherent W256S cells can migrate in vitro argues against any simple relationship between adhesion and locomotion. We suggest that traction is important in locomotion but that it need not arise only from direct adhesive interaction. We have also tested the invasive behaviour of the W256 variants using an in vitro model system in which disruption of a cellular barrier by the invasive cells can be recorded electrophysiologically. Although leucocytes can penetrate such a barrier they do so only under chemotactic stimulation, whereas W256 tumour cells of either variant strain will do so spontaneously. The tumour variants induce cell retraction within the barrier and this may lead ultimately to cell detachment and death. The holes which arise may then be colonized by tumour cells, and in this way the invasive process could be promoted. The molecular mechanisms by which tumour cells achieve destruction of the cellular barrier are not clear, but it is likely that a number of enzymes are involved.