scholarly journals Cell minor-axis length is a critical feature for breast cancer cell migration on straight, wavy, loop and grid microfibre patterns

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duo Zhang ◽  
Yaqi Sheng ◽  
Nicholas Piano ◽  
Theresa Jakuszeit ◽  
Edward Cozens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cell Migration ◽  
Cancer Cell ◽  
Breast Cancer Cell ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Fibre Diameter ◽  
Minor Axis ◽  
Cellular Migration ◽  
Upper Limit ◽  
Migration Dynamics

Cell migration plays an important role in physiological and pathological processes where the fibrillar morphology of extracellular matrice (ECM) could regulate the migration dynamics. To mimic the morphological characteristics of fibrillar matrix structures, low-voltage continuous electrospinning was adapted to construct straight, wavy, looped and gridded fibre patterns made of polystyrene (of fibre diameter ca. 3 μm). With microfibres deposited onto non-passivated surfaces, cells were permitted to explore their different shapes in response to the directly-adhered fibre, as well as to the neighbouring patterns. For all the patterns studied, analysing cellular migration dynamics of MDA-MB-231 (a highly migratory breast cancer cell line) demonstrated a switch in behaviour when the pattern features approach the upper limit of the cell minor axis. Our findings suggest that, although cells dynamically adjust their shapes in response to different fibrillar environments during migration, their ability to divert from an existing fibre track is limited by the size along the cell minor axis. We therefore conclude that the upper limit of cell minor axis might act as a guide for the design of microfibre patterns for different purposes of cell migration.

scholarly journals Cancer cell migration on straight, wavy, loop and grid microfibre patterns

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duo Zhang ◽  
Yaqi Sheng ◽  
Nicholas Piano ◽  
Theresa Jakuszeit ◽  
Edward Cozens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Migration ◽  
Cancer Cell ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Fibre Diameter ◽  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Minor Axis ◽  
Cellular Migration ◽  
Global Pattern ◽  
Upper Limit ◽  
Migration Dynamics

Abstract Cell migration plays an important role in physiological and pathological processes where the fibrillar morphology of extracellular matrices (ECM) could regulate the migration dynamics. To mimic the morphological characteristics of fibrillar matrix structures, low-voltage continuous electrospinning was adapted to construct straight, wavy, looped and gridded fibre patterns made of polystyrene (of fibre diameter ca. 3 μm). Cells were free to explore their different shapes in response to the directly-adhered fibre, as well as to the neighbouring patterns. For all the patterns studied, analysing cellular migration dynamics of MDA-MB-231 (a highly migratory breast cancer cell line) demonstrated two interesting findings: first, although cells dynamically adjust their shapes and migration trajectories in response to different fibrillar environments, their average step speed is minimally affected by the fibre global pattern; secondly, a switch in behaviour was observed when the pattern features approach the upper limit of the cell body’s minor axis, reflecting that cells’ ability to divert from an existing fibre track is limited by the size along the cell body’s minor axis. It is therefore concluded that the upper limit of cell body’s minor axis might act as a guide for the design of microfibre patterns for different purposes of cell migration.

scholarly journals Long non-coding RNA ARHGAP5-AS1 inhibits migration of breast cancer cell via stabilizing SMAD7 protein

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen-Long Wang ◽  
Jing-Chi Li ◽  
Ci-Xiang Zhou ◽  
Cheng-Ning Ma ◽  
Di-Fei Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cell Migration ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Cancer Cell ◽  
Breast Cancer Cell ◽  
Rho Gtpase ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Breast Cancer Cell Lines ◽  
Smad7 Protein

Abstract Purpose Tumor metastasis is the main cause of death from breast cancer patients and cell migration plays a critical role in cancer metastasis. Recent studies have shown long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an essential role in the initiation and progression of cancer. In the present study, the role of an LncRNA, Rho GTPase Activating Protein 5- Antisense 1 (ARHGAP5-AS1) in breast cancer was investigated. Methods RNA sequencing was performed to find out dysregulated LncRNAs in MDA-MB-231-LM2 cells. Transwell migration assays and F-actin staining were utilized to estimate cell migration ability. RNA pulldown assays and RNA immunoprecipitation were used to prove the interaction between ARHGAP5-AS1 and SMAD7. Western blot and immunofluorescence imaging were used to examine the protein levels. Dual luciferase reporter assays were performed to evaluate the activation of TGF-β signaling. Results We analyzed the RNA-seq data of MDA-MB-231 and its highly metastatic derivative MDA-MB-231-LM2 cell lines (referred to as LM2) and identified a novel lncRNA (NR_027263) named as ARHGAP5-AS1, which expression was significantly downregulated in LM2 cells. Further functional investigation showed ARHGAP5-AS1 could inhibit cell migration via suppression of stress fibers in breast cancer cell lines. Afterwards, SMAD7 was further identified to interact with ARHGAP5-AS1 by its PY motif and thus its ubiquitination and degradation was blocked due to reduced interaction with E3 ligase SMURF1 and SMURF2. Moreover, ARHGAP5-AS1 could inhibit TGF-β signaling pathway due to its inhibitory role on SMAD7. Conclusion ARHGAP5-AS1 inhibits breast cancer cell migration via stabilization of SMAD7 protein and could serve as a novel biomarker and a potential target for breast cancer in the future.

scholarly journals Progesterone promotes focal adhesion formation and migration in breast cancer cells through induction of protease-activated receptor-1

2012 ◽  
Vol 214 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Diaz ◽  
Evelyn Aranda ◽  
Soledad Henriquez ◽  
Marisol Quezada ◽  
Estefanía Espinoza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cell Migration ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Cell ◽  
Breast Cancer Cell ◽  
Focal Adhesion ◽  
Breast Cancer Cells ◽  
Fiber Formation ◽  
Coagulation Cascade ◽  
Cancer Cell Migration

Progesterone and progestins have been demonstrated to enhance breast cancer cell migration, although the mechanisms are still not fully understood. The protease-activated receptors (PARs) are a family of membrane receptors that are activated by serine proteases in the blood coagulation cascade. PAR1 (F2R) has been reported to be involved in cancer cell migration and overexpressed in breast cancer. We herein demonstrate that PAR1 mRNA and protein are upregulated by progesterone treatment of the breast cancer cell lines ZR-75 and T47D. This regulation is dependent on the progesterone receptor (PR) but does not require PR phosphorylation at serine 294 or the PR proline-rich region mPRO. The increase in PAR1 mRNA was transient, being present at 3 h and returning to basal levels at 18 h. The addition of a PAR1-activating peptide (aPAR1) to cells treated with progesterone resulted in an increase in focal adhesion (FA) formation as measured by the cellular levels of phosphorylated FA kinase. The combined but not individual treatment of progesterone and aPAR1 also markedly increased stress fiber formation and the migratory capacity of breast cancer cells. In agreement with in vitro findings, data mining from the Oncomine platform revealed that PAR1 expression was significantly upregulated in PR-positive breast tumors. Our observation that PAR1 expression and signal transduction are modulated by progesterone provides new insight into how the progestin component in hormone therapies increases the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

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