Modulation of survival and proliferation of BSC-1 cells through changes in spreading behavior caused by the tumor-promoting phorbol ester TPA.

The effect of a tumor-promoting phorbol ester on spreading behavior was investigated to clarify the involvement of the interactions between cells and substratum in the maintenance of cell viability and the control of cell proliferation. BSC-1 cells did not spread and lost cell viability after a 24-h incubation in the absence of calf serum. Addition of calf serum initially induced radial spreading and then polarized spreading, with the formation on stress fibers and focal contact-like structure, and enhanced survival. Vitronectin also induced both radial spreading and polarized spreading, and enhanced cell survival. 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) induced radial spreading with actin ribbons in the absence of serum. It improved the survival of cells attached to the substratum, but not in suspension. TPA suppressed polarized spreading, formation of stress fibers and of focal contact-like structure, and cell proliferation, in the presence of serum. Phorbol did not have any effect. These results suggest that enhancement of radial spreading and inhibition of polarized spreading of BSC-1 cells by TPA are closely related to the enhancement of cell survival and inhibition of cell growth.