Microviscosity of tumor cell membranes

Abstract

Oncologic diseases occupy the second line in the structure of patient mortality in the world. Thus, the development of new and improvement of existing methods of treatment of oncologic diseases, search for new targets for chemopreparations is an urgent task. Cell membrane can serve as a targeting target for therapy, as it is the first barrier for chemopreparations. Changes in biophysical parameters of the plasma membrane, including viscosity, play an essential role in the development of pathological states of the organism.
 Despite the fundamental importance of viscosity for cell vital activity, this parameter remains poorly studied and its role in disease pathogenesis and response to therapy is not completely clear. Tumor cell membrane viscosity determines the degree of malignancy, metastasis potential, origin of cancer cells, and differs significantly from their normal counterparts. Also, membrane viscosity changes in the process of induction of drug resistance and differs between sensitive tumor cells and their resistant counterparts, i.e. plasma membrane viscosity can serve as a diagnostic indicator.
 Viscosity changes in tumor cell membranes directly depend on their lipid composition of the plasma membrane. Different content of certain lipids in the plasma membrane, in particular, cholesterol, plays an essential role in the formation of targets for chemopreparations, their localization inside the membrane and penetration inside the tumor cell. The lipid composition of the plasma membrane is also altered during chemotherapy and during the induction of drug resistance. Accordingly, the altered lipid composition of the membrane may serve as a prognostic criterion for tumor response to chemotherapy.
 Based on the analysis of the state of research in the field of tumor cell viscosity studies, it was revealed that it is an urgent task to study the role of membrane viscosity in the process of oncogenesis and its changes in the course of therapeutic action. Studies in this direction are of interest for the development of new therapeutic approaches and individualization of treatment.