Collagen fibrillogenic activity in mouse mesenchymal tumor tissues and cells

Abstract Collagen fibrillogenic activity of mouse mesenchymal tumor cell lines m, Ht, and F was investigated. When nu/nu mice were subcutaneously inoculated with the cells, the production of argyllophilic fibers, hydroxyproline content, and lysyl oxidase activity were most prominent in the tumors produced by the m, and least in the tumors produced by the F. Prolyl hydroxylase activity was lowest in the m-cell tumors and highest in the F-cell tumors. Hydroxyprolien content and lysyl oxidase activity in the culture media correlated with the findings in the tumor tissues. However, prolyl hydroxylase activity in these cells did not correlate with hydroxyproline content or lysyl oxidase activity produced in the culture media. Thus, production of fibrous connective tissues is specific to each cell line, and the amount of collagen in the tumor tissues is significantly related to the amount of collagen secreted ( r = 0.966) and lysyl oxidase activity synthesized by the tumor tissues ( r = 1.000, P in vitro ( r = 0.970). These findings suggest that lysyl oxidase and not prolyl hydroxylase activity is an index of collagen fibrillogenesis and plays an important role in collagen deposition.