scholarly journals A Novel 3D Model for Visualization and Tracking of Fibroblast-Guided Directional Cancer Cell Migration

Biology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 328
Author(s):  
Yihe Zhang ◽  
Bingjie Jiang ◽  
Meng Huee Lee

Stromal fibroblasts surrounding cancer cells are a major and important constituent of the tumor microenvironment not least because they contain cancer-associated fibroblasts, a unique fibroblastic cell type that promotes tumorigenicity through extracellular matrix remodeling and secretion of soluble factors that stimulate cell differentiation and invasion. Despite much progress made in understanding the molecular mechanisms that underpin fibroblast–tumor cross-talk, relatively little is known about the way the two cell types interact from a physical contact perspective. In this study, we report a novel three-dimensional dumbbell model that would allow the physical interaction between the fibroblasts and cancer cells to be visualized and monitored by microscopy. To achieve the effect, the fibroblasts and cancer cells in 50% Matrigel suspension were seeded as independent droplets in separation from each other. To allow for cell migration and interaction, a narrow passage of Matrigel causeway was constructed in between the droplets, effectively molding the gel into the shape of a dumbbell. Under time-lapse microscopy, we were able to visualize and image the entire process of fibroblast-guided cancer cell migration event, from initial vessel-like structure formation by the fibroblasts to their subsequent invasion across the causeway, attracting and trapping the cancer cells in the process. Upon prolonged culture, the entire population of fibroblasts eventually infiltrated across the passage and condensed into a spheroid-like cell mass, encapsulating the bulk of the cancer cell population within. Suitable for almost every cell type, our model has the potential for a wider application as it can be adapted for use in drug screening and the study of cellular factors involved in cell–cell attraction.

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 4044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lobna Elkhadragy ◽  
Hadel Alsaran ◽  
Weiwen Long

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 3 (ERK3) is an atypical member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family. It harbors a kinase domain in the N-terminus and a long C-terminus extension. The C-terminus extension comprises a conserved in ERK3 and ERK4 (C34) region and a unique C-terminus tail, which was shown to be required for the interaction of ERK3 with the cytoskeletal protein septin 7. Recent studies have elucidated the role of ERK3 signaling in promoting the motility and invasiveness of cancer cells. However, little is known about the intramolecular regulation of the enzymatic activity and cellular functions of ERK3. In this study, we investigated the role of the elongated C-terminus extension in regulating ERK3 kinase activity and its ability to promote cancer cell migration and invasion. Our study revealed that the deletion of the C-terminus tail greatly diminishes the ability of ERK3 to promote the migration and invasion of lung cancer cells. We identified two molecular mechanisms underlying this effect. Firstly, the deletion of the C-terminus tail decreases the kinase activity of ERK3 towards substrates, including the oncogenic protein steroid receptor co-activator 3 (SRC-3), an important downstream target for ERK3 signaling in cancer. Secondly, in line with the previous finding that the C-terminus tail mediates the interaction of ERK3 with septin 7, we found that the depletion of septin 7 abolished the ability of ERK3 to promote migration, indicating that septin 7 acts as a downstream effector for ERK3-induced cancer cell migration. Taken together, the findings of this study advance our understanding of the molecular regulation of ERK3 signaling by unraveling the role of the C-terminus tail in regulating ERK3 kinase activity and functions in cancer cells. These findings provide useful insights for the development of therapeutic agents targeting ERK3 signaling in cancer.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R. Zanotelli ◽  
Zachary E. Goldblatt ◽  
Joseph P. Miller ◽  
Francois Bordeleau ◽  
Jiahe Li ◽  
...  

Cell migration in a three-dimensional matrix requires that cells either remodel the surrounding matrix fibers and/or squeeze between the fibers to move. Matrix degradation, matrix remodeling, and changes in cell shape each require cells to expend energy. While significant research has been performed to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms guiding metastatic migration, less is known about cellular energy regulation and utilization during three-dimensional cancer cell migration. Here we introduce the use of the genetically encoded fluorescent biomarkers, PercevalHR and pHRed, to quantitatively assess ATP, ADP, and pH levels in MDA-MB-231 metastatic cancer cells as a function of the local collagen microenvironment. We find that the use of the probe is an effective tool for exploring the thermodynamics of cancer cell migration and invasion. Specifically, we find that the ATP:ADP ratio increases in cells in denser matrices, where migration is impaired, and it decreases in cells in aligned collagen matrices, where migration is facilitated. When migration is pharmacologically inhibited, the ATP:ADP ratio decreases. Together, our data indicate that matrix architecture alters cellular energetics and that intracellular ATP:ADP ratio is related to the ability of cancer cells to effectively migrate.


2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 455-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ssu-Ming Huang ◽  
Chingju Lin ◽  
Hsiao-Yun Lin ◽  
Chien-Ming Chiu ◽  
Chia-Wei Fang ◽  
...  

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a potent neurotrophic factor that has been shown to affect cancer cell metastasis and migration. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms of BDNF-induced cell migration in colon cancer cells. The migratory activities of two colon cancer cell lines, HCT116 and SW480, were found to be increased in the presence of human BDNF. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO)-1 is known to be involved in the development and progression of tumors. However, the molecular mechanisms that underlie HO-1 in the regulation of colon cancer cell migration remain unclear. Expression of HO-1 protein and mRNA increased in response to BDNF stimulation. The BDNF-induced increase in cell migration was antagonized by a HO-1 inhibitor and HO-1 siRNA. Furthermore, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) also increased in response to BDNF stimulation, as did VEGF mRNA expression and transcriptional activity. The increase in BDNF-induced cancer cell migration was antagonized by a VEGF-neutralizing antibody. Moreover, transfection with HO-1 siRNA effectively reduced the increased VEGF expression induced by BDNF. The BDNF-induced cell migration was regulated by the ERK, p38, and Akt signaling pathways. Furthermore, BDNF-increased HO-1 and VEGF promoter transcriptional activity were inhibited by ERK, p38, and AKT pharmacological inhibitors and dominant-negative mutants in colon cancer cells. These results indicate that BDNF increases the migration of colon cancer cells by regulating VEGF/HO-1 activation through the ERK, p38, and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. The results of this study may provide a relevant contribution to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which BDNF promotes colon cancer cell motility.


2012 ◽  
Vol 214 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Diaz ◽  
Evelyn Aranda ◽  
Soledad Henriquez ◽  
Marisol Quezada ◽  
Estefanía Espinoza ◽  
...  

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.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Zhou ◽  
Bo Liu ◽  
Mingming Luan ◽  
Na Li ◽  
Bo Tang

Cancer cell migration and invasion are initial steps for tumor metastasis that increases patient mortality. Tumor microenvironment is characterized by hypoxic and low nutrient-containing. Previous studies have suggested that hypoxia...


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 4293
Author(s):  
Xiaowen Liu ◽  
Manuel A. Riquelme ◽  
Yi Tian ◽  
Dezhi Zhao ◽  
Francisca M. Acosta ◽  
...  

ATP released by bone osteocytes is shown to activate purinergic signaling and inhibit the metastasis of breast cancer cells into the bone. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is not well understood. Here, we demonstrate the important roles of the CXCR4 and P2Y11 purinergic receptors in mediating the inhibitory effect of ATP on breast cancer cell migration and bone metastasis. Wound-healing and transwell migration assays showed that non-hydrolysable ATP analogue, ATPγS, inhibited migration of bone-tropic human breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. BzATP, an agonist for P2X7 and an inducer for P2Y11 internalization, had a similar dose-dependent inhibition on cell migration. Both ATPγS and BzATP suppressed the expression of CXCR4, a chemokine receptor known to promote breast cancer bone metastasis, and knocking down CXCR4 expression by siRNA attenuated the inhibitory effect of ATPγS on cancer cell migration. While a P2X7 antagonist A804598 had no effect on the impact of ATPγS on cell migration, antagonizing P2Y11 by NF157 ablated the effect of ATPγS. Moreover, the reduction in P2Y11 expression by siRNA decreased cancer cell migration and abolished the impact of ATPγS on cell migration and CXCR4 expression. Similar to the effect of ATPγS on cell migration, antagonizing P2Y11 inhibited bone-tropic breast cancer cell migration in a dose-dependent manner. An in vivo study using an intratibial bone metastatic model showed that ATPγS inhibited breast cancer growth in the bone. Taken together, these results suggest that ATP inhibits bone-tropic breast cancer cells by down-regulating the P2Y11 purinergic receptor and the down-regulation of CXCR4 expression.


2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 691-703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvette J. E. Sloot ◽  
Katrin Rabold ◽  
Thomas Ulas ◽  
Dennis M. De Graaf ◽  
Bas Heinhuis ◽  
...  

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mi-Jeong Kim ◽  
Yoon Min ◽  
Ji Seon Im ◽  
Juhee Son ◽  
Joo Sang Lee ◽  
...  

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) induce the activation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and autophagy through the TNF (Tumor necrosis factor) receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6)-evolutionarily conserved signaling intermediate in Toll pathways (ECSIT) and TRAF6-BECN1 signaling axes, respectively. Having shown that p62 negatively regulates Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated signaling via TRAF6-ECSIT signaling axis, we herein investigated whether p62 is functionally implicated in the TRAF6-BECN1 signaling axis, thereby regulating cancer cell migration and invasion. p62 interacted with TRAF6 and BECN1, to interrupt the functional associations required for TRAF6-BECN1 complex formation, leading to inhibitions of BECN1 ubiquitination and autophagy activation. Importantly, p62-deficient cancer cells, such as p62-knockdown (p62KD) SK-HEP-1, p62KD MDA-MB-231, and p62-knockout (p62KO) A549 cells, showed increased activation of autophagy induced by TLR4 stimulation, suggesting that p62 negatively regulates autophagy activation. Moreover, these p62-deficient cancer cells exhibited marked increases in cell migration and invasion in response to TLR4 stimulation. Collectively, these results suggest that p62 is negatively implicated in the TRAF6-BECN1 signaling axis, thereby inhibiting cancer cell migration and invasion regulated by autophagy activation in response to TLR4 stimulation.


2010 ◽  
Vol 207 (11) ◽  
pp. 2421-2437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingjie Xu ◽  
Tarek A. Bismar ◽  
Jie Su ◽  
Bin Xu ◽  
Glen Kristiansen ◽  
...  

The actin cross-linking protein filamin A (FLNa) functions as a scaffolding protein and couples cell cytoskeleton to extracellular matrix and integrin receptor signaling. In this study, we report that FLNa suppresses invasion of breast cancer cells and regulates focal adhesion (FA) turnover. Two large progression tissue microarrays from breast cancer patients revealed a significant decrease of FLNa levels in tissues from invasive breast cancer compared with benign disease and in lymph node–positive compared with lymph node–negative breast cancer. In breast cancer cells and orthotopic mouse breast cancer models, down-regulation of FLNa stimulated cancer cell migration, invasion, and metastasis formation. Time-lapse microscopy and biochemical assays after FLNa silencing and rescue with wild-type or mutant protein resistant to calpain cleavage revealed that FLNa regulates FA disassembly at the leading edge of motile cells. Moreover, FLNa down-regulation enhanced calpain activity through the mitogen-activated protein kinase–extracellular signal-regulated kinase cascade and stimulated the cleavage of FA proteins. These results document a regulation of FA dynamics by FLNa in breast cancer cells.


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