A 100-kDa protein tyrosine phosphorylation is concurrent with beta 1 integrin-mediated morphological differentiation...

IMR32, a neuroblastoma cell line, and CADO LC6, a small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell line, extended neurite-like processes when cultured on fibronectin (FN)-coated surfaces or cultured in a serum-free medium. Monoclonal antibodies against the integrin beta 1 subunit inhibited this process formation, suggesting that their morphological change is initiated by beta 1 integrin-dependent signal transduction to the cell interior. Anti-phosphorylation level of a 100-kDa protein, but not 125-kDa focal adhesion kindase, correlated well with the morphological change in both cell lines. This 100-kDa protein phosphorylation did not accompany FN-induced morphological changes in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts or A549 adenocarcinoma cells. These findings suggest that neuroblastoma and SCLC may share beta 1 integrin-mediated signaling events distinct from nonneuronal cells.