Mechanical Modulation of Ovarian Cancer Tumor Nodules Under Flow

Perfusion models are valuable tools to mimic complex features of the tumor microenvironment and to study cell behavior. In ovarian cancer, mimicking disease pathology of ascites has been achieved by seeding tumor nodules on a basement membrane and subjecting them to long-term continuous flow. In this scenario it is particularly important to study the role of mechanical stress on cancer progression. Mechanical cues are already known to be important in key cancer processes such as survival, proliferation, and migration. However, probing cell mechanical properties within microfluidic platforms has not been achievable with current technologies since samples are not easily accessible within most microfluidic channels.

Here, to analyze the mechanical properties of cells within a perfusion chamber, we use Brillouin confocal microscopy, an all-optical technique that requires no contact or perturbation to the sample.

Our results indicate that ovarian cancer nodules under long-term continuous flow have a significantly lower longitudinal modulus compared to nodules maintained in a static condition.

We further dissect the role of distinct mechanical perturbations (e.g., shear flow, osmolality) on tumor nodule properties.

In summary, the unique combination of a long-term microfluidic culture and noninvasive mechanical analysis technique provides insights on the effects of physical forces in ovarian cancer pathology.