title: Flow cytometric estimation of the plasma membrane diversity of transplantable melanomas, using annexin V.
abstract: Using a recently described flow cytometric assay probing for cell surface exposure of phosphatidylserine with fluoresceine-labeled annexin V, we attempted to establish if there existed any differences in the phospholipid bilayer of the plasma membranes of melanoma cells isolated from two lines of a hamster transplantable melanoma characterized by a common origin but differing in many biological features. In contrast to control nonstaining cells, the cells of both melanoma lines bound annexin V, but at a different rate: 88% of melanotic and 94% of amelanotic melanoma cells were annexin V positive. Among cells of the native melanotic melanoma line we distinguished only one cell population binding annexin but in some experiments with the amelanotic melanoma we observed two annexin V positive cell populations with a different fluorescence intensity. It is possible that these differences in annexin V binding to melanoma cell membranes reflect some changes in the phospholipid bilayer, associated with the progression of these tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Embryology, Medical University, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cichorek
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kozłowska
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Witkowski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zarzeczna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017304:Annexin A5 / Q000032:analysis*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D006224:Cricetinae; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D017304:Annexin A5; D010743:Phospholipids