Inhibition of the adhesion of Chinese hamster ovary cells by the naphthylsulfonamides dansylcadaverine and N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthylenesulfonamide (W7).

Treatment of Chinese hamster ovary cells with dansylcadaverine or N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthylenesulfonamide (W7) reduced cell attachment in a reversible, dose-dependent manner. The concentration of dansylcadaverine required to produce 50% inhibition of adhesion was significantly higher than that of W7, 300 microM and 50 microM, respectively. Concentrations of dansylcadaverine and W7 which produced decreased adhesion also antagonized calmodulin-dependent activation of phosphodiesterase. Chlorpromazine, another calmoldulin antagonist also decreased cell attachment. Dansylcadaverine and W7 both interfere with cellular transglutaminase activity, but several other transglutaminase antagonists, such as methylamine, butylamine, putrescine and bacitracin, had no effect on CHO cell attachment. We conclude that naphthylsulfonamides such as dansylcadaverine and W7 may inhibit the attachment of CHO cells by a mechanism which could involve inhibition of calmodulin-dependent processes, although further studies are required to show a direct role of calmodulin in cell adhesion.