Suppressive effect of recombinant human Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase on lung metastasis of murine tumor cells.

The inhibitory effect of recombinant human Cu++Zn++superoxide dismutase (rhSOD) on metastasis of tumor cells in the mouse was investigated. In an experimental pulmonary metastasis model employing Meth A cells as inoculum, significant inhibition of metastasis was obtained by intravenous pre- and post-administration of rhSOD. An inhibitory effect of rhSOD was also observed in a spontaneous pulmonary metastasis model with 3LL cells as the inoculum. rhSOD was not observed to have any significant effects on the platelet-aggregating activity of tumor cells, the adhesiveness of tumor cells to vascular components (endothelial cells, laminin and type-IV collagen), or the growth of tumor cells either in vitro or in vivo. However, rhSOD suppressed invasion of Meth A and 3LL cells into Matrigel (an artificially reconstituted basement membrane of collagen, laminin and heparan sulfate) in the presence of hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase, in vitro producers of superoxide. Thus, the present study shows that rhSOD is able to inhibit both experimental and spontaneous pulmonary metastasis, possibly through the suppression of tumor cell invasion into the extracellular matrix.