Mechanotransduction alterations in tissue-engineered tumor models for new drug interventions

Abstract

Mechanotransduction is a collection of pathways in which the cells reprogram themselves by sensing mechanical stimuli. Cells use biological cues to interpret the physiological stresses and respond to changing conditions by modifying the cellular and ECM architecture. This feedback loop regulates a variety of cellular processes, including migration, growth, differentiation, and death, which is essential for the network stability to work together in a coordinated manner. The effect of stress on cancer progression and the role of mechanics as a critical inducer in determining the cancer cell fate has been studied. This review discusses the progression of cancer cells to epithelial to mesenchymal transitions. It examines tumor microenvironment models, such as spheroids, bio-printing, and microfluidics, and how they recapitulate the tumor microenvironment. These offer certain benefits and help replicate the fundamental behavior in vivo conditions. We further discuss mechanosensing, the associated signaling molecules, and how it modulates the cancer drug resistance and transduction pathways that implicate cancer treatment. The difficulties with the existing methods and the prospects for additional study that may be applied in this area are discussed, and how they allow for new therapeutic development.