A potential role for the extracellular matrix glycoprotein laminin in macrophage-tumor-cell interactions

Although cell surface molecules are thought to be involved in macrophage (MO)-tumor-cell recognition, the nature of these molecules remains unknown. In this study we have shown that the glycoprotein laminin may facilitate macrophage-tumor-cell binding. Macrophage binding to tumor cells was assessed by measuring the adherence of radiolabelled 3-MCA2 induced malignant fibrosarcoma cells to syngeneic peritoneal MOs. Addition of exogenous laminin promoted the binding of a weakly metastatic subline of these tumor cells by 31-68%. These weakly metastatic tumor cells express negligible endogenous cell-surface laminin but display specific cell-surface receptors for binding soluble laminin. Exogenous laminin promoted MO binding of these tumor cells whether it was present during the assay or whether the tumor cells were pretreated with the laminin. This increase in binding was blocked by anti-laminin antibody. In contrast, MO binding of a strongly metastatic variant of the same tumor was not enhanced by the addition of exogenous laminin. This highly malignant fibrosarcoma line already expressed endogenous cell-surface laminin. Since the MOs were found to specifically bind 125I-laminin, the interaction between laminin-bearing tumor cells and MOs may be mediated via a specific MO plasma membrane receptor. Thus, the expression of cell-surface laminin and its receptors on both tumor cells and MOs may provide a mechanism for promoting MO-tumor-cell binding.