Membrane-associated procollagenase of leukemic cells is activated by urokinase-type plasminogen activator

Murine leukemic cells from the WEHI-3B line, present in the cell surface a latent collagenase activity which is activated proteolytically. In this paper we show that this enzyme is activated by plasmin generated by the activity of a urokinase-like plasminogen activator (u-PA) also present in the surface of these cells. Using a reverse fibrin autography method we found that u-PA is the major proteolytic activity present in the cell membranes. This fact suggests that u-PA could represent a normal activating system for this collagenase.