Ultrastructural changes of intercellular junctions in rat ascites hepatoma cells with calcium depletion

A monoclonal antibody disrupting cell-cell adhesion of rat ascites hepatoma cells

A cell surface-associated adhesive factor (AF) separated from differentiated rat ascites hepatoma AH136B cells (forming cell islands in vivo) has been highly purified by chromatography. AF is assumed to mediate the cell-cell adhesion essential to island formation of the hepatoma cells. A substance, immunologically cross-reactive with AF, is present in the ascites fluid or culture medium of the AH136B cells. Because the substance is almost identical to AF in molecular weight and aggregation-promoting activity, it has been concluded that AF is released into the ascites fluid where it is concentrated. Monoclonal antibodies have been raised against AF purified from ascites fluid of AH136B cells. We have obtained a monoclonal antibody, coded MoAF-6D6, that strongly abolishes the aggregation-promoting activity of AF. When AH136B cell islands are incubated in the presence of Fab fragments of MoAF-6D6, cell detachment from the islands is evident within 24 h. Cell islands following 36-h culture show a distinct dissociation and islands completely lose their organization 48 h after culture. The dissociating effect of MoAF-6D6 is neutralized by the addition of AF. These results suggest that AF plays a significant role in the maintenance of cell islands.

Cell membrane polarity in rat ascites hepatoma cells. Distribution of a cell surface-associated adhesive factor on the cell surfaces

As previously described, a cell surface-associated adhesive factor (AF) was separated from differentiated rat ascites hepatoma AH136B cells (forming cell islands in vivo) and highly purified by chromatography. AF induces not only aggregation of dissociated AH136B cells or undifferentiated rat ascites hepatoma AH109A cells (present as free cells in vivo), but also adhesiveness characterized by the development of junctional complexes. The localization of AF on the surfaces of AH136B cell islands was investigated using anti-AF IgG (Fab fragment) coupled to peroxidase. AF was detected in the contact region of the lateral surfaces of the AH136B cells and in the intercellular spaces. In contacted free cell surfaces of AH136B cells. Fluorescence studies revealed that biotin-labeled AF did not bind to the apical surface of AH136B cell islands. These results indicate a distinct difference between apical and lateral surfaces of AH136B cells; neither AF nor binding site for AF were localized on the apical surface of AH136B cells, whereas both were localized on the lateral surface. On the other hand, AH136B cells detached from the cell islands, or during the process of partial dissociation from them, showed the loss of the AF localization and binding site of AF on the surfaces. The results suggest that AH136B cell surfaces may be polarized in terms of the AF localization, and this polarization may be lost after cell dissociation.

Molecular pathology of cancer cell adhesiveness

A new cell surface-associated adhesive glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 70,000 was separated from differentiated rat ascites hepatoma cells forming cell islands in vivo (but not from undifferentiated rat ascites hepatoma cells present as single cells in vivo) and highly purified by chromatography; it was synthesized by the cells and localized on the cell surface. Its synthesis began to rise rapidly and reached its peak in 24 hr cultivation, i.e., a 10-fold increase. This substance induced not only aggregation but also adhesiveness of the cells characterized by junctional complexes including tight junctions, desmosomes, and intermediate junctions, closely resembling the frequency and distribution of junctional complexes observed on the above cell islands. Its potency was inhibited specifically by D-mannose and alpha-methyl-D-mannoside; the numbers of the binding sites per cell were calculated as 6 x 10(5). Its activity was concerned with the protein portion of the molecule, and not with the carbohydrate portion. Thus, it seemed reasonable that the adhesive glycoprotein may play a key role in the cell adhesiveness and island formation. In contrast, serum-associated adhesive glycoprotein, separated from normal rat serum, could aggregate the cells but not develop junctional complex.

A possible mechanism for island formation by rat ascites hepatoma cells with special reference to the function of aggregation factor at the cell surface

Two tumor cell-aggregation factors of glycoprotein nature, separated from rat ascites hepatoma AH136B cells (forming cell islands in vivo), had different antigenicity; one was not absorbed by immunoadsorbent chromatography with anti-rat serum antibody and the other was. The unabsorbed factor induced aggregation (as shown in the form of simple apposition) of rat ascites hepatoma AH109A cells (present as a free form in vivo) and cell adhesiveness characterized by well-defined tripartite junctional complexes, including intermediate junctions, desmosomes, and tight junctions. In contrast, the absorbed factor from AH136B cells, AH109A cells or normal rat serum aggregated AH109A cells but failed to develop the junctional complexes; only simple apposition was observed. AH109A cells themselves contained the absorbed factor but not the unabsorbed factor. AH136B cells proliferating in the skin developed the junctional complexes, while AH109A cells proliferating in the skin did not from any junctional complexes.