Abstract
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) confers migratory and invasiveness abilities on cancer cells, as well as leading to changes in biomechanical properties and cytoskeletal structure. Cell mechanical properties are considered to be promising label-free markers for diagnosis of cancer metastasis. In this work, cell compressibility, a novel and important parameter of cell mechanical properties, was measured directly and quickly using a specially designed acoustofluidic microdevice. The compressibilities of cells with different metastatic potentials were investigated. Based on a comparison of the measurement results, non-metastatic cells exhibited lower compressibility than metastatic cells. The correlation between cell compressibility and EMT status was further studied; the results showed that the acquisition of mesenchymal status was accompanied by an increase in cell compressibility. These findings imply strong correlations among cell compressibility, EMT status, and invasiveness. Therefore, cell compressibility represents a novel biomechanical marker for evaluating malignant transformation and metastasis of cancer.
Highlights
In the process of cancer metastasis, cancer cells with invasive ability shed from the primary tumor, migrate, invade in situ, infiltrate the circulatory system, extravasate from blood vessels and form metastases at the distal site.1 During this process, the mechanical properties of cancer cells change significantly, and mechanotransduction of these properties into biochemical signals is accomplished through various signaling pathways.1 Studies in recent years have found that cell mechanical properties could serve as new biomarkers for the diagnosis of malignant development of cancer
The correlation between cell compressibility and Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) status was further studied; the results showed that the acquisition of mesenchymal status was accompanied by an increase in cell compressibility
According to Pearson’s correlation analysis, the correlation between cell compressibility and invasiveness was very high. These results indicated that the invasive cancer cells were more compressible than the non-invasive cancer cells
Summary
In the process of cancer metastasis, cancer cells with invasive ability shed from the primary tumor, migrate, invade in situ, infiltrate the circulatory system, extravasate from blood vessels and form metastases at the distal site. During this process, the mechanical properties of cancer cells change significantly, and mechanotransduction of these properties into biochemical signals is accomplished through various signaling pathways. Studies in recent years have found that cell mechanical properties could serve as new biomarkers for the diagnosis of malignant development of cancer. In the process of cancer metastasis, cancer cells with invasive ability shed from the primary tumor, migrate, invade in situ, infiltrate the circulatory system, extravasate from blood vessels and form metastases at the distal site.. In the process of cancer metastasis, cancer cells with invasive ability shed from the primary tumor, migrate, invade in situ, infiltrate the circulatory system, extravasate from blood vessels and form metastases at the distal site.1 During this process, the mechanical properties of cancer cells change significantly, and mechanotransduction of these properties into biochemical signals is accomplished through various signaling pathways.. Studies in recent years have found that cell mechanical properties could serve as new biomarkers for the diagnosis of malignant development of cancer. The stiffness and deformability of cancer cells are restrictive factors affecting migration. Cancer cells have been found to be less stiff than non-cancerous cells. metastatic tissue was less stiff than primary tumor tissue. The stiffness and deformability of cancer cells are restrictive factors affecting migration.
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