THE MTS1 GENE AND CONTROL OF TUMOR-METASTASIS

The main stream of biology today is the analysis of the molecular mech anisms of major biological phenomena through studies of the genes gove rning these processes and their protein products. An example is the pr oblem of tumor metastasis which is extremely important both theoretica lly and practically. Here we describe the data obtained on the detecti on, cloning, structure and transcription control of the mts1 gene, tha t encodes metastasin 1, a protein which seems to play an important rol e in the control of metastasis in mouse tumors. In particular, the exp eriments on tumor cell transfection with constructions containing eith er a sense or antisense mts1 sequence under a strong promoter/enhancer element show the direct dependence of the metastatic phenotype on the expression of the mts1 gene at least in some systems. Gene mts1 encod es a protein belonging to the family of Ca2+-binding proteins and may be involved in the control of cell motility in different types of cell s, such as macrophages and T-lymphocytes. The relationship between mts 1 and other genes up- and down-regulated in metastatic cells is discus sed.