Sublethal oxidative stress inhibits tumor cell adhesion and enhances experimental metastasis of murine mammary carcinoma.

We have postulated that murine mammary tumor progression is fueled, in part, by tumor-associated macrophages that deliver sub-lethal oxidative stress to tumor cells. In the present study, we determined whether oxidative stress would affect murine mammary tumor cell attachment to laminin and fibronectin, critical functions in the metastatic process. Sublethal oxidative stress generated by exposure of cells to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, 1-1000 microM/L) inhibited tumor cell attachment to immobilized laminin or fibronectin. This oxidant effect was blocked in the presence of catalase which removes H2O2. The inhibitory effect on attachment was rapid, with significant inhibition occurring at 5 min; total inhibition was achieved at 60 min with 1 mM H2O2. The oxidative stress effect was partially reversible at 20 h post-treatment and occurred at concentrations of H2O2 that do not adversely affect cell viability or growth. Pretreatment of tumor cells with H2O2 or hypoxanthanine and xanthine oxidase (to generate superoxide radical and H2O2) prior to intravenous injection, enhanced experimental lung tumor colony formation. The enhancement of experimental metastatic potential with enzyme-generated oxidative stress was completely reversed by catalase; the H2O2-mediated enhancement was only partially reversed with catalase. Thus, treatments that inhibit tumor cell attachment to extracellular matrix proteins in vitro enhance experimental metastasis in vivo.