Heterogeneity in a spontaneous mouse lung carcinoma: selection and characterisation of stable metastatic variants

The development and characterisation of a new epithelial model for the experimental investigation of metastasis is described. A tissue culture cell line CMT64 was established from a spontaneous alveolar lung carcinoma of a 17 month old female C57BL/ICRF at mouse (Franks et al., 1976). Subcutaneous inoculation of cells produces local tumours which give rise to a small number of lung metastases within three weeks. Four different tissue culture sublines CMT167, 170, 175 and 181 with increased metastatic ability were selected from pooled lung metastases by culture, mouse inoculation and reselection from lung metastases through four culture/inoculation cycles. These sublines are themselves heterogeneous and clones derived from them display marked differences in metastatic behaviour. Both CMT64 and its sublines have remained relatively stable in morphology and behavior since their origin, are fairly well differentiated, produce basal lamina even in metastases, and metastasise rapidly and preferentially to the lung after subcutaneous and intravenous inoculation in both syngeneic C57 and Nu/Nu mice (Franks & Layton, 1984). The expression of the metastatic potential of these cells is strongly influenced by the age and immune status of the host. The CMT64 system is a particularly useful model for experimental metastasis studies.