Organ specific metastasis with special reference to avian systems

Abstract

Many malignant tumors demonstrate a definite propensity for metastasis to specific organs despite the fact that tumor cells with the potential for metastasis may circulate randomly throughout the body. Current concepts of organ specific metastasis (OSM) center around the generation of tumor cell variants with enhanced capacity for metastasis to specific organs. At present three hypotheses, mechanical, seed and soil, and specific tumor cell adherence (STCA), stand out as possible explanations for OSM. These possible mechanisms of OSM are by no means mutually exclusive. Recent efforts to understand OSM have included the selection of organ-specific metastasizing variants from tumor cell lines and an examination of their surface and metastatic properties. OSM-selected cell lines from many different tumor systems have been used to examine the relative contributions of the three mechanisms. While examples of each mechanism have been reported, the relative contribution of each for different tumor systems may differ substantially. Therefore, generalizations about the behavior of tumors based on studies with just a few tumor lines and systems may not be valid. There is substantial evidence that cell surface molecules are important in the process of OSM and homing of lymphocytes to specific lymph nodes. Monoclonal antibodies have been produced against putative cell surface receptors and initial biochemical characterization has begun. There is much evidence that cell surface glycoconjugates can serve as specific recognition structures on normal cells and in addition, may play important roles in OSM. The role of these carbohydrates is discussed. The chick embryo as a model system is discussed as it offers several advantages for the study of metastasis in general and OSM in particular. A variety of human and murine tumors, including some freshly isolated, have been shown to grow and metastasize in these embryos. Furthermore, cell lines which have been selected for OSM in adults show similar patterns of metastasis in chick embryos indicating that this system may be an especially attractive one for the analysis of OSM.