Chemotactic factor and P15E-related chemotaxis inhibitor in human melanoma cell lines with different macrophage content and tumorigenicity in nude mice

The present study was designed to characterize the production of chemoattractants by human melanoma lines with high (M4Be, M3Da, NTerDa) or low tumorigenic (Doc8, M1Do) potential when heterotransplanted in nude mice. Supernatants from the Doc8 and M1Do cell lines were strongly chemotactic in vitro for mononuclear phagocytes. Chemotactic activity was destroyed by proteolytic enzymes, and upon gel filtration on Sephadex G75, it eluted in the cytochrome c region corresponding to an apparent m.w. of 12,000. Upon chromatofocusing, the Sephadex-separated tumor-derived chemotactic factor (TDCF) showed an isoelectric point of 5.5 to 6. Cell lines with high tumorigenic potential contained low or no detectable chemotactic activity. When culture supernatants of cell lines with modest (M3Da) or no (M4Be) chemotactic activity were exposed to immobilized monoclonal antibodies directed against the retroviral transmembrane protein P15E, appreciable chemotactic activity was detectable (M4Be) or preexisting levels increased (M3Da). The material eluted from Sepharose-bound anti-P15E antibodies inhibited the migration of monocytes in response to chemoattractants. These findings demonstrate the coexistence in some human melanoma cell line supernatants of factors (TDCF and P15E-related inhibitor) with opposite influence on monocyte chemotaxis. That tumor cell products play a pivotal role in regulating the extravasation of monocytes into neoplastic tissues is suggested by the close correlation observed between macrophage levels in melanomas grown in nude mice and levels of chemotactic activity detectable in culture supernatants.