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A microfluidic platform for modeling metastatic cancer cell matrix invasion
Laura Blaha1, Chentian Zhang1, Mario Cabodi1,2
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, United States of America.
Biofabrication
|August 17, 2017
Summary
Metastatic cancer cells invade extracellular matrix by interacting with endothelial cells. A new microfluidic platform reveals cancer cells exploit inactivated endothelial cells to invade collagen gel, aiding metastasis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Extracellular matrix invasion is crucial for tumor metastasis.
- Endothelial cells and chemokine signaling influence cancer cell invasion.
- Existing Transwell and microfluidic models have limitations in imaging cell-matrix interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel microfluidic platform for imaging interactions driving metastatic cancer cell invasion.
- To investigate how endothelial cells and their secreted matrix proteins affect cancer cell invasion.
- To understand the role of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions in metastasis.
Main Methods:
- Development of a new microfluidic device for high-resolution imaging of cell invasion.
- Co-culture of metastatic breast cancer cells with endothelial cells on a type I collagen gel.
- Utilizing the microfluidic platform to visualize interactions between cancer cells, endothelial cells, and the matrix.
Main Results:
- Cancer cell invasion of the collagen matrix was significantly enhanced by the presence of live endothelial cells.
- Endothelial cell-secreted fibronectin matrix alone did not drive invasion.
- Metastatic cells utilized components of inactivated endothelial cells to facilitate matrix invasion.
Conclusions:
- Novel cell-cell interactions involving inactivated endothelial cells promote cancer cell matrix invasion.
- The developed microfluidic platform enables detailed imaging of invasion dynamics.
- Findings offer insights for developing anti-metastasis therapies targeting these interactions.
