Mechanical compression drives cancer cells toward invasive phenotype

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 109; no. 3; pp. 911 - 916
• Main Authors: Tse, Janet M, Cheng, Gang, Tyrrell, James A, Wilcox-Adelman, Sarah A, Boucher, Yves, Jain, Rakesh K, Munn, Lance L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences 17.01.2012; National Acad Sciences
• Series: From the Cover
• Subjects: Actomyosin - metabolism; Adhesion; Biological Sciences; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Cancer; carcinoma; Cell Adhesion; Cell adhesion & migration; Cell growth; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell lines; Cell Movement; Cell-Matrix Junctions - metabolism; Compressive stress; Confined spaces; Cultured cells; Cytoskeleton - metabolism; Disease prevention; Endothelial cells; Epithelial cells; Female; Focal adhesions; Genotype & phenotype; Humans; Models, Biological; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Phenotype; Physical Sciences; Pseudopodia - metabolism; Stress, Mechanical; Tumors

Uncontrolled growth in a confined space generates mechanical compressive stress within tumors, but little is known about how such stress affects tumor cell behavior. Here we show that compressive stress stimulates migration of mammary carcinoma cells. The enhanced migration is accomplished by a subs...