Effect of the extracellular matrix on plasminogen activator isozyme activities of human mammary epithelial cells in culture

Multiple molecular forms of plasminogen activator were detected in normal human mammary epithelial cells in culture. Cells derived from (normal) breast mammoplasty specimens and grown on the surface of collagen gels exhibited three major classes of plasminogen activator isozymes (Mr = 100,000 [100K], 75,000 [75K], and 55,000 [55K]). The activity of the 100K and 75K isozymes was greatly reduced when the cells were grown on conventional tissue-culture-grade plastic surfaces. MCF-7, a human mammary carcinoma cell line, exhibited predominantly or exclusively the 55K isozyme, irrespective of the cell growth substratum. The activity of the 55K isozyme was more than twofold higher for MCF-7 cells grown on collagen gels than for cells grown on plastic. Progesterone, diethylstilbestrol, and estrogen stimulated the activity of the 55K isozyme of MCF-7 cells, but only when the cells were grown on a plastic surface. The plasminogen activator activities of the normal human mammary epithelial cells were not stimulated by these hormones, irrespective of the growth substratum. These results show that the expression of plasminogen activator isozymes by human mammary epithelial cells is subject to modulation by the extracellular matrix. Normal and malignant cells may differ in their responsiveness to these effects.