Journal Article

Cancer cell sedimentation in 3D cultures reveals active migration regulated by self-generated gradients and adhesion sites

Kyriakidou, Maria, Dimitriou, Nikolaos M., Kinsella, Joseph Matthew, Flores-Torres, Salvador, Mitsis, Georgios D.

2024

Overview

Cell sedimentation in 3D hydrogel cultures refers to the vertical migration of cells towards the bottom of the space. Understanding this poorly examined phenomenon may allow us to design better protocols to prevent it, as well as provide insights into the mechanobiology of cancer development. We conducted a multiscale experimental and mathematical examination of 3D cancer growth in triple negative breast cancer cells. Migration was examined in the presence and absence of Paclitaxel, in high and low adhesion environments and in the presence of fibroblasts. The observed behaviour was modeled by hypothesizing active migration due to self-generated chemotactic gradients. Our results did not reject this hypothesis, whereby migration was likely to be regulated by the MAPK and TGF-β pathways. The mathematical model enabled us to describe the experimental data in absence (normalized error<40%) and presence of Paclitaxel (normalized error<10%), suggesting inhibition of random motion and advection in the latter case. Inhibition of sedimentation in low adhesion and co-culture experiments further supported the conclusion that cells actively migrated downwards due to the presence of signals produced by cells already attached to the adhesive glass surface.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Adhesion / Biology and Life Sciences / Breast cancer / Cancer / Cancer cells / Cell adhesion & migration / Cell Adhesion - physiology / Cell culture / Cell Culture Techniques, Three Dimensional - methods / Cell Line, Tumor / Cell migration / Cell Movement - physiology / Chemotaxis - physiology / Computational Biology / Drug dosages / Fibroblasts - physiology / Gene expression / Health aspects / Humans / Hypotheses / Leukocyte migration / MAP kinase / Mathematical models / Medical research / Medicine and Health Sciences / Methods / Models, Biological / Paclitaxel / Paclitaxel - pharmacology / Partial differential equations / Physical Sciences / Physiological aspects / Research and Analysis Methods / Sedimentation / Sedimentation & deposition / Transforming growth factor-b / Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms - pathology / Vertical migrations