Difference in cell surface 5'-nucleotidase activity, protein iodination and membrane properties between mouse lymphoma and rat adenocarcinoma cell variants with low and high-metastatic potential

1. Distinct differences were found for the specific, concanavalin A-inhibitable 5'-nucleotidase activity, exhibiting 2-7 times higher values in the low-metastasizing cell variants. 2. Iodination of the cell surface proteins revealed a more heterogeneous labelling pattern of the high-malignant cell lines in the molecular weight range between 14 and about 35 kDa. 3. The low-malignant cell lines exhibited a significantly higher surface charge as deduced from their higher sialic acid content compared to the high-malignant variants. 4. They also showed a greater membrane lipid fluidity as determined both by the cholesterol to phospholipid ratio and by fluorescence depolarization measurements.