Sensitivity of N-nitrosomethylurea-induced rat mammary tumors to cis-hydroxyproline, an inhibitor of collagen production.

The growth of primary N-nitrosomethylurea-induced rat mammary tumors was depressed by cis-hydroxyproline (CHP). This growth arrest appeared to be related to the ability of CHP to inhibit the deposition of basement membrane collagen as based on the following observations: (a) in vitro and in vivo, tumor cells synthesized type IV collagen, the collagen uniquely localized in basement membranes; (b) in vitro, the inhibition of tumor cell growth was preceded by a specific decrease in collagen accumulation with no effect on non-collagen protein synthesis; (c) a transplantable N-nitrosomethylurea-induced rat mammary tumor accumulated no type IV collagen as determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and indirect immunofluorescence. The growth of this tumor was not influenced by CHP; (d) an established human mammary tumor cell line, MCF-7, did not accumulate type IV collagen and was not inhibited by CHP. At the doses which effectively blocked the growth of primary N-nitrosomethylurea-induced mammary tumors, CHP and no toxic effects, and serum prolactin levels were not altered. The inhibitory effect was thus apparently due to the direct action of CHP upon the accumulation of collagen in cells which required type IV collagen production for continued growth.