Researchers have identified two types of cellular contractility that influence cancer cell spread: one that maintains cell clusters through tissue surface tension and another that allows cells to invade neighboring tissues. Their study shows that the interplay between these contractility modes is crucial in determining whether cancer cells can detach and become invasive, potentially increasing metastasis risk. Credit: SciTechDaily.
Two malignant mixed mullerian tumor explants on collagen network. Both tumor pieces adhered to the collagen network and started pulling on the collagen fibers, which prompted extensive collagen displacements and alignments, alongside cell escape of cells with a dominant stress fiber-based contractility. The sharp and smooth boundary structure of both pieces further indicates a strong tissue surface tension that hinders cell escape for cells with a dominant cortical contractility.
The study showed it is not the overall magnitude of these contractility modes but the interplay between them that determines a cell’s potential for escape. Experiments with only moderately invasive cells demonstrated the total force these cells generate on the ECM fibers is comparable to that of noninvasive cells, yet they can still detach and invade the ECM, which is not possible for noninvasive cells.
The team’s measurements with patient-derived vital tumor explants confirmed their findings from the cell line experiments. Here, the number of cells with a high cortical contractility decreased during tumor progression.