Isolation and characterization of highly and rarely metastatic clones from murine colon adenocarcinoma 26.

Three typical metastatic clones, designated N-1, N-4, and N-5, were isolated in vitro from a murine colon adenocarcinoma 26 cell line (Colon 26). The incidence of spontaneous metastasis was highest in N-4 (85%), moderate in N-5 and Colon 26 (50 and 53%, respectively) and lowest in N-1 (0%). The major target organ of metastasis was the lung. Among the clones, N-4 showed higher lung colonizing potential after intravenous inoculation, higher tumorigenicity and higher saturation density in culture. Cell-surface analysis of cloned cells by 125I-labeled lectins revealed significant reduction of the number of concanavalin A (Con A)-binding sites in highly metastatic N-4 cells. In sodium dodecyl sulfate-slab gel analysis of cellular glycoproteins, a 94,000-dalton component, which is reactive to Con A, was more intensely observed in N-1 as compared with other clones and parental Colon 26. These clones could provide a new model for the study of metastasis of colon carcinoma.