Temperature-dependent dissociation of Lucké renal adenocarcinoma cells

Fragments of Lucké renal adenocarcinoma were subjected to dissociation by rapid shaking after exposure to a divalent cation-free electrolyte solution, with or without 5 X 10(-4) M ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA), at 7 degrees C and 28 degrees C. More cells detached at 28 degrees C than at 7 degrees C. Dissociation of cells from normal mesonephros fragments was minimal at both temperatures. It has been shown else-where that this frog tumor elaborates collagenase in a temperature-dependent manner. More collagenase is detected at 30 degrees C than at 7 degrees C. Normal kidney elaborates low levels of collagenase at both temperatures. Because our results suggested the possibility that some dissociation of the tumor cells may have been attributable to tumor-elaborated collagenase, we studied the effect of two collagenase inhibitors on dissociation. Both EDTA at high concentration and cysteine inhibit collagenase and both diminished tumor-cell dissociation.