Cancers, Vol. 10, Pages 234: Morphomechanical Alterations Induced by Transforming Growth Factor-β1 in Epithelial Breast Cancer Cells

Cancers, Vol. 10, Pages 234: Morphomechanical Alterations Induced by Transforming Growth Factor-β1 in Epithelial Breast Cancer Cells

Cancers doi: 10.3390/cancers10070234

Authors: Mariafrancesca Cascione Valeria De Matteis Chiara C. Toma Stefano Leporatti

The Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the process that drives epithelial tumor cells to acquire an invasive phenotype. The role of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in EMT is still debated. We used confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning force spectroscopy to perform a morphomechanical analysis on epithelial breast cancer cells (MCF-7), comparing them before and after TGF-β1 exogenous stimulation (5 ng/mL for 48 h). After TGF-β1 treatment, loss of cell–cell adherence (mainly due to the reduction of E-cadherin expression of about 24%) and disaggregation of actin cortical fibers were observed in treated MCF-7. In addition, TGF-β1 induced an alteration of MCF-7 nuclei morphology as well as a decrease in the Young’s modulus, owing to a rearrangement that involved the cytoskeletal networks and the nuclear region. These relevant variations in morphological features and mechanical properties, elicited by TGF-β1, suggested an increased capacity of MCF-7 to migrate, which was confirmed by a wound healing assay. By means of our biophysical approach, we highlighted the malignant progression of breast cancer cells induced by TGF-β1 exposure. We are confirming TGF-β1’s role in EMT by means of morphomechanical evidence that could represent a turning point in understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in cancer progression.

https://ift.tt/2upukKq