Melanoma cell spreading on fibronectin induced by 12(S)‐HETE involves both protein kinase C‐ and protein tyrosine kinase‐dependent focal adhesion formation and tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (pp125^FAK)

Our previous work demonstrated that 12(S)‐HETE, a lipoxygenase metabolite of arachidonic acid, promoted B16 amelanotic melanoma (B16a) cell spreading on fibronectin. In the current study, we investigated the biochemical mechanisms of the 12(S)‐HETE induced response. 12(S)‐HETE treatment resulted in a time‐dependent increase in B16a cell spreading on fibronectin, which was blocked by either calphostin C or by genistein but not by H8. Two hours following cell plating, both spontaneous and 12(S)‐HETE promoted cell spreading reached their maximum (nearly 100%). Spontaneous cell spreading was inhibited by the select 12‐lipoxygenase inhibitor, BHPP, whose inhibitory effect could be overcome by increasing doses of exogenous 12(S)‐HETE. 12(S)‐HETE‐treated B16a cells plated on either fibronectin or cultured on their own extracellular matrix demonstrated increased vinculin and tyrosine‐phosphorylated proteins, which were colocalized at focal adhesions. The increase in vinculin localization to focal adhesions appeared to be a post‐transcriptional process, since 12(S)‐HETE treatment did not alter the overall protein level of vinculin in tumor cells, but resulted in a specific enrichment of vinculin to focal adhesions. Pretreatment of B16a cells with either calphostin C or genistein abolished 12(S)‐HETE‐increased formation of vinculin‐and phosphotyrosine‐containing focal adhesions. Immunoblotting using antiphosphotyrosine antibody 4G10 demonstrated, following 12(S)‐HETE stimulation, an increased tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins in focal adhesions; most prominently, a ∼ 155 kd protein, a 120‐130 kd protein cluster, a 76 kd protein, and a 42/44 kd complex. Immunoprecipitation with anti‐phosphotyrosine antibody PY20 revealed increased tyrosine phosphorylation, post 12(S)‐HETE stimulation, of proteins migrating at 120, 76, and 42/44 kd, of which the 120 kd protein co‐migrated with pp125^FAK. Immunoprecipitation with anti‐FAK antibody BC‐3 followed by immunoblotting with anti‐phosphotyrosine antibody RC20H demonstrated a time‐dependent hyperphosphorylation of pp125^FAK. The present study suggests that 12(S)‐HETE promoted melanoma cell spreading on fibronectin involves tyrosine phosphorylation of pp125^FAK and protein kinase C‐ and tyrosine kinase‐dependent focal adhesion formation. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.