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Qiu Y, Gao T, Smith BR. Mechanical deformation and death of circulating tumor cells in the bloodstream. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024:10.1007/s10555-024-10198-3. [PMID: 38980581 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-024-10198-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
The circulation of tumor cells through the bloodstream is a significant step in tumor metastasis. To better understand the metastatic process, circulating tumor cell (CTC) survival in the circulation must be explored. While immune interactions with CTCs in recent decades have been examined, research has yet to sufficiently explain some CTC behaviors in blood flow. Studies related to CTC mechanical responses in the bloodstream have recently been conducted to further study conditions under which CTCs might die. While experimental methods can assess the mechanical properties and death of CTCs, increasingly sophisticated computational models are being built to simulate the blood flow and CTC mechanical deformation under fluid shear stresses (FSS) in the bloodstream.Several factors contribute to the mechanical deformation and death of CTCs as they circulate. While FSS can damage CTC structure, diverse interactions between CTCs and blood components may either promote or hinder the next metastatic step-extravasation at a remote site. Overall understanding of how these factors influence the deformation and death of CTCs could serve as a basis for future experiments and simulations, enabling researchers to predict CTC death more accurately. Ultimately, these efforts can lead to improved metastasis-specific therapeutics and diagnostics specific in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunxiu Qiu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- The Institute for Quantitative Health Science & Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Tong Gao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Department of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Bryan Ronain Smith
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
- The Institute for Quantitative Health Science & Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
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Rahmati N, Maftoon N. Computational analysis of cancer cell adhesion in curved vessels affected by wall shear stress for prediction of metastatic spreading. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1393413. [PMID: 38860135 PMCID: PMC11163055 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1393413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The dynamics of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) within blood vessels play a pivotal role in predicting metastatic spreading of cancer within the body. However, the limited understanding and method to quantitatively investigate the influence of vascular architecture on CTC dynamics hinders our ability to predict metastatic process effectively. To address this limitation, the present study was conducted to investigate the influence of blood vessel tortuosity on the behaviour of CTCs, focusing specifically on establishing methods and examining the role of shear stress in CTC-vessel wall interactions and its subsequent impact on metastasis. Methods: We computationally simulated CTC behaviour under various shear stress conditions induced by vessel tortuosity. Our computational model, based on the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) and a coarse-grained spectrin-link membrane model, efficiently simulates blood plasma dynamics and CTC deformability. The model incorporates fluid-structure interactions and receptor-ligand interactions crucial for CTC adhesion using the immersed boundary method (IBM). Results: Our findings reveal that uniform shear stress in straight vessels leads to predictable CTC-vessel interactions, whereas in curved vessels, asymmetrical flow patterns and altered shear stress create distinct adhesion dynamics, potentially influencing CTC extravasation. Quantitative analysis shows a 25% decrease in the wall shear stress in low-shear regions and a 58.5% increase in the high-shear region. We observed high-shear regions in curved vessels to be potential sites for increased CTC adhesion and extravasation, facilitated by elevated endothelial expression of adhesion molecules. This phenomenon correlates with the increased number of adhesion bonds, which rises to approximately 40 in high-shear regions, compared to around 12 for straight vessels and approximately 5-6 in low-shear regions. The findings also indicate an optimal cellular stiffness necessary for successful CTC extravasation in curved vessels. Discussion: By the quantitative assessment of the risk of CTC extravasation as a function of vessel tortuosity, our study offers a novel tool for the prediction of metastasis risk to support the development of personalized therapeutic interventions based on individual vascular characteristics and tumor cell properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nahid Rahmati
- Department of Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
- Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Nima Maftoon
- Department of Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
- Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
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Connaughton M, Dabagh M. Modeling Physical Forces Experienced by Cancer and Stromal Cells Within Different Organ-Specific Tumor Tissue. IEEE JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL ENGINEERING IN HEALTH AND MEDICINE 2024; 12:413-434. [PMID: 38765886 PMCID: PMC11100865 DOI: 10.1109/jtehm.2024.3388561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Mechanical force exerted on cancer cells by their microenvironment have been reported to drive cells toward invasive phenotypes by altering cells' motility, proliferation, and apoptosis. These mechanical forces include compressive, tensile, hydrostatic, and shear forces. The importance of forces is then hypothesized to be an alteration of cancer cells' and their microenvironment's biophysical properties as the indicator of a tumor's malignancy state. Our objective is to investigate and quantify the correlation between a tumor's malignancy state and forces experienced by the cancer cells and components of the microenvironment. In this study, we have developed a multicomponent, three-dimensional model of tumor tissue consisting of a cancer cell surrounded by fibroblasts and extracellular matrix (ECM). Our results on three different organs including breast, kidney, and pancreas show that: A) the stresses within tumor tissue are impacted by the organ specific ECM's biophysical properties, B) more invasive cancer cells experience higher stresses, C) in pancreas which has a softer ECM (Young modulus of 1.0 kPa) and stiffer cancer cells (Young modulus of 2.4 kPa and 1.7 kPa) than breast and kidney, cancer cells experienced significantly higher stresses, D) cancer cells in contact with ECM experienced higher stresses compared to cells surrounded by fibroblasts but the area of tumor stroma experiencing high stresses has a maximum length of 40 μm when the cancer cell is surrounded by fibroblasts and 12 μm for when the cancer cell is in vicinity of ECM. This study serves as an important first step in understanding of how the stresses experienced by cancer cells, fibroblasts, and ECM are associated with malignancy states of cancer cells in different organs. The quantification of forces exerted on cancer cells by different organ-specific ECM and at different stages of malignancy will help, first to develop theranostic strategies, second to predict accurately which tumors will become highly malignant, and third to establish accurate criteria controlling the progression of cancer cells malignancy. Furthermore, our in silico model of tumor tissue can yield critical, useful information for guiding ex vivo or in vitro experiments, narrowing down variables to be investigated, understanding what factors could be impacting cancer treatments or even biomarkers to be looking for.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Connaughton
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeMilwaukeeWI53211USA
| | - Mahsa Dabagh
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeMilwaukeeWI53211USA
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Nan J, Roychowdhury S, Randles A. Investigating the Influence of Heterogeneity Within Cell Types on Microvessel Network Transport. Cell Mol Bioeng 2023; 16:497-507. [PMID: 38099216 PMCID: PMC10716099 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-023-00790-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Current research on the biophysics of circulating tumor cells often overlooks the heterogeneity of cell populations, focusing instead on average cellular properties. This study aims to address the gap by considering the diversity of cell biophysical characteristics and their implications on cancer spread. Methods We utilized computer simulations to assess the influence of variations in cell size and membrane elasticity on the behavior of cells within fluid environments. The study controlled cell and fluid properties to systematically investigate the transport of tumor cells through a simulated network of branching channels. Results The simulations revealed that even minor differences in cellular properties, such as slight changes in cell radius or shear elastic modulus, lead to significant changes in the fluid conditions that cells experience, including velocity and wall shear stress (p < 0.001). Conclusion The findings underscore the importance of considering cell heterogeneity in biophysical studies and suggest that small variations in cellular characteristics can profoundly impact the dynamics of tumor cell circulation. This has potential implications for understanding the mechanisms of cancer metastasis and the development of therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyu Nan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, USA
| | | | - Amanda Randles
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, USA
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Chen SW, Blazeski A, Zhang S, Shelton SE, Offeddu GS, Kamm RD. Development of a perfusable, hierarchical microvasculature-on-a-chip model. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:4552-4564. [PMID: 37771308 PMCID: PMC10563829 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00512g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Several methods have been developed for generating 3D, in vitro, organ-on-chip models of human vasculature to study vascular function, transport, and tissue engineering. However, many of these existing models lack the hierarchical nature of the arterial-to-capillary-to-venous architecture that is key to capturing a more comprehensive view of the human microvasculature. Here, we present a perfusable, multi-compartmental model that recapitulates the three microvascular compartments to assess various physiological properties such as vessel permeability, vasoconstriction dynamics, and circulating cell arrest and extravasation. Viscous finger patterning and passive pumping create the larger arterial and venular lumens, while the smaller diameter capillary bed vessels are generated through self-assembly. These compartments anastomose and form a perfusable, hierarchical system that portrays the directionality of blood flow through the microvasculature. The addition of collagen channels reduces the apparent permeability of the central capillary region, likely by reducing leakage from the side channels, enabling more accurate measurements of vascular permeability-an important motivation for this study. Furthermore, the model permits modulation of fluid flow and shear stress conditions throughout the system by using hydrostatic pressure heads to apply pressure differentials across either the arteriole or the capillary. This is a pertinent system for modeling circulating tumor or T cell dissemination and extravasation. Circulating cells were found to arrest in areas conducive to physical trapping or areas with the least amount of shear stress, consistent with hemodynamic or mechanical theories of metastasis. Overall, this model captures more features of human microvascular beds and is capable of testing a broad variety of hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia W Chen
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
| | - Adriana Blazeski
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, USA
| | - Shun Zhang
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
| | - Sarah E Shelton
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, USA
| | - Giovanni S Offeddu
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
| | - Roger D Kamm
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
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6
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Xiao L, Chu J, Lin C, Zhang K, Chen S, Yang L. Simulation of a tumor cell flowing through a symmetric bifurcated microvessel. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2023; 22:297-308. [PMID: 36287312 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-022-01649-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Microvessel bifurcations serve as the major sites of tumor cell adhesion and further extravasation. In this study, the movement, deformation, and adhesion of a circulating tumor cell flowing in a symmetric microvessel with diverging and converging bifurcations were simulated by dissipative particle dynamics combined with a spring-based network model. Effects of the initial position of the CTC, externally-applied acceleration and the presence of RBCs on the motion of the CTC were investigated. The results demonstrated that the CTC released at the centerline of the parent vessel would attach to the vessel wall when arriving at the apex of diverging bifurcation and slide into the daughter branch determined by its centroid deflection and finally form firm adhesion at relatively lower flow rates. As the external acceleration increases, the increasing shear force enlarges the contact area for the adherent CTC on the one hand and reduces the residence time on the other hand. With the presence of RBCs in the bloodstream, the collision between the adherent tumor cell at the diverging bifurcation and flowing RBCs promotes the firm adhesion of CTC at lower flow rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lanlan Xiao
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Chu
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai, China
| | - Chensen Lin
- Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Incubation Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Kaixuan Zhang
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shuo Chen
- School of Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mechanics, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liu Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
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7
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Ebben A, Dabagh M. Mechanotransduction in Endothelial Cells in Vicinity of Cancer Cells. Cell Mol Bioeng 2022; 15:313-330. [DOI: 10.1007/s12195-022-00728-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Haemodynamic-dependent arrest of circulating tumour cells at large blood vessel bifurcations as new model for metastasis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23231. [PMID: 34853364 PMCID: PMC8636484 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02482-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Homing of circulating tumour cells (CTC) at distant sites represents a critical event in metastasis dissemination. In addition to physical entrapment, probably responsible of the majority of the homing events, the vascular system provides with geometrical factors that govern the flow biomechanics and impact on the fate of the CTC. Here we mathematically explored the distribution of velocities and the corresponding streamlines at the bifurcations of large blood vessel and characterized an area of low-velocity at the carina of bifurcation that favours the residence of CTC. In addition to this fluid physics effect, the adhesive capabilities of the CTC provide with a biological competitive advantage resulting in a marginal but systematic arrest as evidenced by dynamic in vitro recirculation in Y-microchannels and by perfusion in in vivo mice models. Our results also demonstrate that viscosity, as a main determinant of the Reynolds number that define flow biomechanics, may be modulated to limit or impair CTC accumulation at the bifurcation of blood vessels, in agreement with the apparent positive effect observed in the clinical setting by anticoagulants in advanced oncology disease.
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Anvari S, Osei E, Maftoon N. Interactions of platelets with circulating tumor cells contribute to cancer metastasis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15477. [PMID: 34326373 PMCID: PMC8322323 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94735-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that platelets have a crucial role in enhancing the survival of circulating tumor cells in the bloodstream and aggravating cancer metastasis. The main function of platelets is to bind to the sites of the damaged vessels to stop bleeding. However, in cancer patients, activated platelets adhere to circulating tumor cells and exacerbate metastatic spreading. Several hypotheses have been proposed about the platelet-cancer cell interactions, but the underlying mechanisms of these interactions are not completely understood yet. In this work, we quantitatively investigated the interactions between circulating tumor cells, red blood cells, platelets, plasma flow and microvessel walls via computational modelling at the cellular scale. Our highly detailed computational model allowed us to understand and quantitatively explain the role of platelets in deformation, adhesion and survival of tumor cells in their active arrest to the endothelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Anvari
- Department of Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
- Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Ernest Osei
- Department of Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
- Department of Medical Physics, Grand River Regional Cancer Centre, Kitchener, ON, Canada
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Nima Maftoon
- Department of Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.
- Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
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Wang S, Ye T, Li G, Zhang X, Shi H. Margination and adhesion dynamics of tumor cells in a real microvascular network. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008746. [PMID: 33606686 PMCID: PMC7928530 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In tumor metastasis, the margination and adhesion of tumor cells are two critical and closely related steps, which may determine the destination where the tumor cells extravasate to. We performed a direct three-dimensional simulation on the behaviors of the tumor cells in a real microvascular network, by a hybrid method of the smoothed dissipative particle dynamics and immersed boundary method (SDPD-IBM). The tumor cells are found to adhere at the microvascular bifurcations more frequently, and there is a positive correlation between the adhesion of the tumor cells and the wall-directed force from the surrounding red blood cells (RBCs). The larger the wall-directed force is, the closer the tumor cells are marginated towards the wall, and the higher the probability of adhesion behavior happen is. A relatively low or high hematocrit can help to prevent the adhesion of tumor cells, and similarly, increasing the shear rate of blood flow can serve the same purpose. These results suggest that the tumor cells may be more likely to extravasate at the microvascular bifurcations if the blood flow is slow and the hematocrit is moderate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sitong Wang
- Department of Computational Mathematics, School of Mathematics, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ting Ye
- Department of Computational Mathematics, School of Mathematics, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- * E-mail:
| | - Guansheng Li
- Department of Computational Mathematics, School of Mathematics, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xuejiao Zhang
- Department of Computational Mathematics, School of Mathematics, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Huixin Shi
- Department of Computational Mathematics, School of Mathematics, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Xiao L, Song X, Chen S. Motion of a tumour cell under the blood flow at low Reynolds number in a curved microvessel. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2020.1856377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- L.L. Xiao
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - X.J. Song
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - S. Chen
- School of Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mechanics, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
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12
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Investigating the Interaction Between Circulating Tumor Cells and Local Hydrodynamics via Experiment and Simulations. Cell Mol Bioeng 2020; 13:527-540. [PMID: 33184581 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-020-00656-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The biological and mechanical properties of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in combination with the hemodynamics affect the preference of metastatic sites in the vasculature. Despite the extensive literature on the effects of biological properties on cell adhesion, the effects of hydrodynamic forces on primary attachment remains an active area of research. Using simulations in conjunction with experimentation, we provide new insight into the interplay of CTCs dynamics and local hydrodynamics. Methods A flow experiment of CTC attachment was performed within a bioprinted, double branching endothelialized vessel. Simulations of fluid flow and CTC transport in the reconstructed and idealized bifurcated vessel were respectively performed by HARVEY, our in-house massively parallel computational fluid dynamics solver. HARVEY is based on the lattice Boltzmann and finite element methods to model the fluid and cells dynamics. The immersed boundary method is employed for resolving the fluid-structure interaction. Results CTC attachment was quantified experimentally at all regions of the complex vessel. The results demonstrate a clear preference for CTCs to attach at the branch points. To elucidate the effect of the vessel topology on the location of attachment, a fluid-only simulation was performed assessing the differences in the hydrodynamics along the vessel. CTC transport in idealized bifurcated vessels was subsequently studied to examine the effects of cell deformability on the local hydrodynamics patterns and, thus, the preference of attachment sites. Conclusions The current work provides evidence on the correlation of the hydrodynamics forces arising from the vessel topology and CTC properties on the attachment regions.
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Cui J, Liu Y, Xiao L, Chen S, Fu BM. Numerical study on the adhesion of a circulating tumor cell in a curved microvessel. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2020; 20:243-254. [PMID: 32809129 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-020-01380-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The adhesion of a circulating tumor cell (CTC) in a three-dimensional curved microvessel was numerically investigated. Simulations were first performed to characterize the differences in the dynamics and adhesion of a CTC in the straight and curved vessels. After that, a parametric study was performed to investigate the effects of the applied driven force density f (or the flow Reynolds number Re) and the CTC membrane bending modulus Kb on the CTC adhesion. Our simulation results show that the CTC prefers to adhere to the curved vessel as more bonds are formed around the transition region of the curved part due to the increased cell-wall contact by the centrifugal force. The parametric study also indicates that when the flow driven force f (or Re) increases or when the CTC becomes softer (Kb decreases), the bond formation probability increases and the bonds will be formed at more sites of a curved vessel. The increased f (or Re) brings a larger centrifugal force, while the decreased Kb generates more contact areas at the cell-wall interface, both of which are beneficial to the bond formation. In the curved vessel, it is found that the site where bonds are formed the most (hotspot) varies with the applied f and the Kb. For our vessel geometry, when f is small, the hotspot tends to be within the first bend of the vessel, while as f increases or Kb decreases, the hotspot may shift to the second bend of the vessel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Cui
- Research Centre for Fluid-Structure Interactions, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Research Centre for Fluid-Structure Interactions, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Lanlan Xiao
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuo Chen
- School of Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mechanics, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bingmei M Fu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, USA
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Dabagh M, Gounley J, Randles A. Localization of Rolling and Firm-Adhesive Interactions Between Circulating Tumor Cells and the Microvasculature Wall. Cell Mol Bioeng 2020; 13:141-154. [PMID: 32175027 PMCID: PMC7048902 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-020-00610-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The adhesion of tumor cells to vessel wall is a critical stage in cancer metastasis. Firm adhesion of cancer cells is usually followed by their extravasation through the endothelium. Despite previous studies identifying the influential parameters in the adhesive behavior of the cancer cell to a planer substrate, less is known about the interactions between the cancer cell and microvasculature wall and whether these interactions exhibit organ specificity. The objective of our study is to characterize sizes of microvasculature where a deformable circulating cell (DCC) would firmly adhere or roll over the wall, as well as to identify parameters that facilitate such firm adherence and underlying mechanisms driving adhesive interactions. METHODS A three-dimensional model of DCCs is applied to simulate the fluid-structure interaction between the DCC and surrounding fluid. A dynamic adhesion model, where an adhesion molecule is modeled as a spring, is employed to represent the stochastic receptor-ligand interactions using kinetic rate expressions. RESULTS Our results reveal that both the cell deformability and low shear rate of flow promote the firm adhesion of DCC in small vessels ( < 10 μ m ). Our findings suggest that ligand-receptor bonds of PSGL-1-P-selectin may lead to firm adherence of DCC in smaller vessels and rolling-adhesion of DCC in larger ones where cell velocity drops to facilitate the activation of integrin-ICAM-1 bonds. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides a framework to predict accurately where different DCC-types are likely to adhere firmly in microvasculature and to establish the criteria predisposing cancer cells to such firm adhesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahsa Dabagh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC USA
| | - John Gounley
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC USA
| | - Amanda Randles
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC USA
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15
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Khorram A, Vahidi B, Ahmadian B. Computational analysis of adhesion between a cancer cell and a white blood cell in a bifurcated microvessel. COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE 2020; 186:105195. [PMID: 31734471 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2019.105195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Revised: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Cancer is one of the diseases caused by irregular and uncontrolled growth of cells and their propagation into various parts of the body. The motion and adhesion of cancer cells in a blood vessel is a critical step in tumor progression that depends on some vascular parameters such as vessel branching. In this study, effect of microvessel branching on the bonds between a cancer cell and a white blood has been investigated as compared to an analogous problem in a straight vessel. METHODS The analysis is performed using finite elements and fluid-structure interaction methods. Moreover, the equations for adhesion of the cancer cell to white blood cell are coded in MATLAB for calculating forces between them and the code is coupled directly and simultaneously with the COMSOL software. For fluid-structure interaction analysis, it is assumed that the properties of the blood and the cells are homogeneous and the fluid is incompressible and Newtonian. Cancer cell is modeled as a rigid body and white blood cell is assumed as linear elastic. RESULTS The results show that although the geometry of the vessel does not affect on the separation distance of cancer cell considerably, but at the area near a bifurcation, high fluctuations in cancer cell velocity is occurred due to increasing in number of bond formation between the cancer cell and the white blood cell. Accordingly, it can be predicted that higher concentration of adhered particles occurs near the bifurcations. Moreover, shear stress at the point of contact of the cancer cell and the white blood cell in the branched vessel is greater than that in the straight path. In addition to, the probability of breaking of the bond between the cancer cell and the white blood cell increases in the branched vessel. CONCLUSIONS Through consideration in the adhesion charts of this study along with observations from medical interventions such as drug delivery to cancer patients, considerable developments on the treatment or prevention of cancer metastasis may be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asghar Khorram
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bahman Vahidi
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Bahram Ahmadian
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
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16
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Mensah SA, Nersesyan AA, Harding IC, Lee CI, Tan X, Banerjee S, Niedre M, Torchilin VP, Ebong EE. Flow-regulated endothelial glycocalyx determines metastatic cancer cell activity. FASEB J 2020; 34:6166-6184. [PMID: 32167209 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201901920r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cancer metastasis and secondary tumor initiation largely depend on circulating tumor cell (CTC) and vascular endothelial cell (EC) interactions by incompletely understood mechanisms. Endothelial glycocalyx (GCX) dysfunction may play a significant role in this process. GCX structure depends on vascular flow patterns, which are irregular in tumor environments. This work presents evidence that disturbed flow (DF) induces GCX degradation, leading to CTC homing to the endothelium, a first step in secondary tumor formation. A 2-fold greater attachment of CTCs to human ECs was found to occur under DF conditions, compared to uniform flow (UF) conditions. These results corresponded to an approximately 50% decrease in wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)-labeled components of the GCX under DF conditions, vs UF conditions, with undifferentiated levels of CTC-recruiting E-selectin under DF vs UF conditions. Confirming the role of the GCX, neuraminidase induced the degradation of WGA-labeled GCX under UF cell culture conditions or in Balb/C mice and led to an over 2-fold increase in CTC attachment to ECs or Balb/C mouse lungs, respectively, compared to untreated conditions. These experiments confirm that flow-induced GCX degradation can enable metastatic CTC arrest. This work, therefore, provides new insight into pathways of secondary tumor formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solomon A Mensah
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alina A Nersesyan
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ian C Harding
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Claire I Lee
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xuefei Tan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Selina Banerjee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mark Niedre
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Eno E Ebong
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.,Neuroscience Department, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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17
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Dabagh M, Randles A. Role of deformable cancer cells on wall shear stress-associated-VEGF secretion by endothelium in microvasculature. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0211418. [PMID: 30794550 PMCID: PMC6386247 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Endothelial surface layer (glycocalyx) is the major physiological regulator of tumor cell adhesion to endothelium. Cancer cells express vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) which increases the permeability of a microvessel wall by degrading glycocalyx. Endothelial cells lining large arteries have also been reported, in vitro and in vivo, to mediate VEGF expression significantly under exposure to high wall shear stress (WSS) > 0.6 Pa. The objective of the present study is to explore whether local hemodynamic conditions in the vicinity of a migrating deformable cancer cell can influence the function of endothelial cells to express VEGF within the microvasculature. A three-dimensional model of deformable cancer cells (DCCs) migrating within a capillary is developed by applying a massively parallel hemodynamics application to simulate the fluid-structure interaction between the DCC and fluid surrounding the DCC. We study how dynamic interactions between the DCC and its local microenvironment affect WSS exposed on endothelium, under physiological conditions of capillaries with different diameters and flow conditions. Moreover, we quantify the area of endothelium affected by the DCC. Our results show that the DCC alters local hemodynamics in its vicinity up to an area as large as 40 times the cancer cell lateral surface. In this area, endothelium experiences high WSS values in the range of 0.6–12 Pa. Endothelial cells exposed to this range of WSS have been reported to express VEGF. Furthermore, we demonstrate that stiffer cancer cells expose higher WSS on the endothelium. A strong impact of cell stiffness on its local microenvironment is observed in capillaries with diameters <16 μm. WSS-induced-VEGF by endothelium represents an important potential mechanism for cancer cell adhesion and metastasis in the microvasculature. This work serves as an important first step in understanding the mechanisms driving VEGF-expression by endothelium and identifying the underlying mechanisms of glycocalyx degradation by endothelium in microvasculature. The identification of angiogenesis factors involved in early stages of cancer cell-endothelium interactions and understanding their regulation will help, first to develop anti-angiogenic strategies applied to diagnostic studies and therapeutic interventions, second to predict accurately where different cancer cell types most likely adhere in microvasculature, and third to establish accurate criteria predisposing the cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahsa Dabagh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Amanda Randles
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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18
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Modeling Cell Adhesion and Extravasation in Microvascular System. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018. [PMID: 30315548 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-96445-4_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
The blood flow behaviors in the microvessels determine the transport modes and further affect the metastasis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Much biochemical and biological efforts have been made on CTC metastasis; however, precise experimental measurement and accurate theoretical prediction on its mechanical mechanism are limited. To complement these, numerical modeling of a CTC extravasation from the blood circulation, including the steps of adhesion and transmigration, is discussed in this chapter. The results demonstrate that CTCs prefer to adhere at the positive curvature of curved microvessels, which is attributed to the positive wall shear stress/gradient. Then, the effects of particulate nature of blood on CTC adhesion are investigated and are found to be significant in the microvessels. Furthermore, the presence of red blood cell (RBC) aggregates is also found to promote the CTC adhesion by providing an additional wall-directed force. Finally, a single cell passing through a narrow slit, mimicking CTC transmigration, was examined under the effects of cell deformability. It showed that the cell shape and surface area increase play a more important role than the cell elasticity in cell transit across the narrow slit.
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19
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Microfluidic-Based 3D Engineered Microvascular Networks and Their Applications in Vascularized Microtumor Models. MICROMACHINES 2018; 9:mi9100493. [PMID: 30424426 PMCID: PMC6215090 DOI: 10.3390/mi9100493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The microvasculature plays a critical role in human physiology and is closely associated to various human diseases. By combining advanced microfluidic-based techniques, the engineered 3D microvascular network model provides a precise and reproducible platform to study the microvasculature in vitro, which is an essential and primary component to engineer organ-on-chips and achieve greater biological relevance. In this review, we discuss current strategies to engineer microvessels in vitro, which can be broadly classified into endothelial cell lining-based methods, vasculogenesis and angiogenesis-based methods, and hybrid methods. By closely simulating relevant factors found in vivo such as biomechanical, biochemical, and biological microenvironment, it is possible to create more accurate organ-specific models, including both healthy and pathological vascularized microtissue with their respective vascular barrier properties. We further discuss the integration of tumor cells/spheroids into the engineered microvascular to model the vascularized microtumor tissue, and their potential application in the study of cancer metastasis and anti-cancer drug screening. Finally, we conclude with our commentaries on current progress and future perspective of on-chip vascularization techniques for fundamental and clinical/translational research.
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20
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Ding W, Liu S, Li S, Ge D, Li F, Gao D. Simulation of blood and oxygen distributions in a hepatic lobule with sinusoids obstructed by cancer cells. J Theor Biol 2018; 446:229-237. [PMID: 29548738 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2018.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The liver is one of the common metastatic sites for many cancers. The obstruction of sinusoids by circulating tumor cells changes liver microenvironments and is thus considered a source of hepatic metastases. To date, few studies provide detailed information, either experimentally or theoretically, concerning the changes in blood and oxygen distributions induced by the obstruction of sinusoids. In this study, we utilized a 3D porous medium-vascular tree geometric structure to mimic the hepatic lobule and studied theoretical blood flow and oxygen transport in the lobule. The simulation was validated with data from the literature. Then, the distributions of blood and oxygen in the presence of the obstruction by cancer cells were simulated. The area and degree of the liver damage induced by the obstruction were analyzed by comparing the difference of liver microenvironments between physiological (non-blocked sinusoid) and pathological (fully or partially blocked sinusoid) conditions and the minimum cancer cell sizes causing liver damage for various obstruction positions were obtained. The work presented in this study can be used to predict the degree of liver damage induced by the local ischemia caused by the obstruction of sinusoids and to characterize the relationship between hepatic metastases and liver microenvironments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiping Ding
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China; Department of Electronic Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China.
| | - Sen Liu
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China; Department of Electronic Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Shibo Li
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China; Department of Electronic Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Duobiao Ge
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China; Department of Electronic Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Fenfen Li
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China; Department of Electronic Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Dayong Gao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, WA 98195, USA
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21
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Fu BM. Tumor Metastasis in the Microcirculation. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1097:201-218. [PMID: 30315547 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-96445-4_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Tumor cell metastasis through blood circulation is a complex process and is one of the great challenges in cancer research as metastatic spread is responsible for ∼90% of cancer-related mortality. Tumor cell intravasation into, arrest and adhesion at, and extravasation from the microvessel walls are critical steps in metastatic spread. Understanding these steps may lead to new therapeutic concepts for tumor metastasis. Vascular endothelium forming the microvessel wall and the glycocalyx layer at its surface are the principal barriers to and regulators of the material exchange between circulating blood and body tissues. The cleft between adjacent endothelial cells is the principal pathway for water and solute transport through the microvessel wall in health. Recently, this cleft has been found to be the location for tumor cell adhesion and extravasation. The blood-flow-induced hydrodynamic factors such as shear rates and stresses, shear rate and stress gradients, as well as vorticities, especially at the branches and turns of microvasculatures, also play important roles in tumor cell arrest and adhesion. This chapter therefore reports the current advances from in vivo animal studies and in vitro culture cell studies to demonstrate how the endothelial integrity or microvascular permeability, hydrodynamic factors, microvascular geometry, cell adhesion molecules, and surrounding extracellular matrix affect critical steps of tumor metastasis in the microcirculation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingmei M Fu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
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22
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Liu Q, Zhang H, Jiang X, Qian C, Liu Z, Luo D. Factors involved in cancer metastasis: a better understanding to "seed and soil" hypothesis. Mol Cancer 2017; 16:176. [PMID: 29197379 PMCID: PMC5712107 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-017-0742-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastasis has intrigued researchers for more than 100 years. Despite the development of technologies and therapeutic strategies, metastasis is still the major cause of cancer-related death until today. The famous "seed and soil" hypothesis is widely cited and accepted, and it still provides significant instructions in cancer research until today. To our knowledge, there are few reviews that comprehensively and correlatively focus on both the seed and soil factors involved in cancer metastasis; moreover, despite the fact that increasingly underlying mechanisms and concepts have been defined recently, previous perspectives are appealing but may be limited. Hence, we reviewed factors involved in cancer metastasis, including both seed and soil factors. By integrating new concepts with the classic hypothesis, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the "seed and soil" hypothesis and to conceptualize the framework for understanding factors involved in cancer metastasis. Based on a dynamic overview of this field, we also discuss potential implications for future research and clinical therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Liu
- First Clinical Medical College, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongfei Zhang
- Queen Mary School, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoli Jiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Bayi Road, No.461, 330006, Nanchang, People's Republic of China
| | - Caiyun Qian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Bayi Road, No.461, 330006, Nanchang, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuoqi Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Bayi Road, No.461, 330006, Nanchang, People's Republic of China.
| | - Daya Luo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Bayi Road, No.461, 330006, Nanchang, People's Republic of China.
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathogens and Molecular Pathology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Bayi Road, No.461, 330006, Nanchang, People's Republic of China.
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23
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Evans CE, Palazon A, Sim J, Tyrakis PA, Prodger A, Lu X, Chan S, Bendahl PO, Belting M, Von Euler L, Rundqvist H, Johnson RS, Branco C. Modelling pulmonary microthrombosis coupled to metastasis: distinct effects of thrombogenesis on tumorigenesis. Biol Open 2017; 6:688-697. [PMID: 28302670 PMCID: PMC5450329 DOI: 10.1242/bio.024653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Thrombosis can cause localized ischemia and tissue hypoxia, and both of these are linked to cancer metastasis. Vascular micro-occlusion can occur as a result of arrest of circulating tumour cells in small capillaries, giving rise to microthrombotic events that affect flow, creating localized hypoxic regions. To better understand the association between metastasis and thrombotic events, we generated an experimental strategy whereby we modelled the effect of microvascular occlusion in metastatic efficiency by using inert microbeads to obstruct lung microvasculature before, during and after intravenous tumour cell injection. We found that controlled induction of a specific number of these microthrombotic insults in the lungs caused an increase in expression of the hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs), a pro-angiogenic and pro-tumorigenic environment, as well as an increase in myeloid cell infiltration. Induction of pulmonary microthrombosis prior to introduction of tumour cells to the lungs had no effect on tumorigenic success, but thrombosis at the time of tumour cell seeding increased number and size of tumours in the lung, and this effect was strikingly more pronounced when the micro-occlusion occurred on the day following introduction of tumour cells. The tumorigenic effect of microbead treatment was seen even when thrombosis was induced five days after tumour cell injection. We also found positive correlations between thrombotic factors and expression of HIF2α in human tumours. The model system described here demonstrates the importance of thrombotic insult in metastatic success and can be used to improve understanding of thrombosis-associated tumorigenesis and its treatment. Summary: Induction of pulmonary microthrombosis by three distinct methods enhances HIF-a expression and tumour formation; increases in tumorigenesis that are induced by these thrombotic insults occur in a time- and mode-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin E Evans
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK.,British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Asis Palazon
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Jingwei Sim
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Petros A Tyrakis
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Alice Prodger
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Xiao Lu
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Saria Chan
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Pär-Ola Bendahl
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, SE-221 00, Sweden
| | - Mattias Belting
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, SE-221 00, Sweden
| | - Love Von Euler
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | - Helene Rundqvist
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | - Randall S Johnson
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK .,Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | - Cristina Branco
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
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24
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Xiao LL, Liu Y, Chen S, Fu BM. Effects of flowing RBCs on adhesion of a circulating tumor cell in microvessels. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2016; 16:597-610. [PMID: 27738841 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-016-0839-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Adhesion of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) to the microvessel wall largely depends on the blood hydrodynamic conditions, one of which is the blood viscosity. Since blood is a non-Newtonian fluid, whose viscosity increases with hematocrit, in the microvessels at low shear rate. In this study, the effects of hematocrit, vessel size, flow rate and red blood cell (RBC) aggregation on adhesion of a CTC in the microvessels were numerically investigated using dissipative particle dynamics. The membrane of cells was represented by a spring-based network connected by elastic springs to characterize its deformation. RBC aggregation was modeled by a Morse potential function based on depletion-mediated assumption, and the adhesion of the CTC to the vessel wall was achieved by the interactions between receptors and ligands at the CTC and those at the endothelial cells forming the vessel wall. The results demonstrated that in the microvessel of [Formula: see text] diameter, the CTC has an increasing probability of adhesion with the hematocrit due to a growing wall-directed force, resulting in a larger number of receptor-ligand bonds formed on the cell surface. However, with the increase in microvessel size, an enhanced lift force at higher hematocrit detaches the initial adherent CTC quickly. If the microvessel is comparable to the CTC in diameter, CTC adhesion is independent of Hct. In addition, the velocity of CTC is larger than the average blood flow velocity in smaller microvessels and the relative velocity of CTC decreases with the increase in microvessel size. An increased blood flow resistance in the presence of CTC was also found. Moreover, it was found that the large deformation induced by high flow rate and the presence of aggregation promote the adhesion of CTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- L L Xiao
- School of Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mechanics, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China
| | - Y Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China
| | - S Chen
- School of Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mechanics, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
| | - B M Fu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
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25
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Zhang L, Zeng M, Fu BM. Inhibition of endothelial nitric oxide synthase decreases breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231 adhesion to intact microvessels under physiological flows. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2016; 310:H1735-47. [PMID: 27059076 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00109.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) at different concentrations may promote or inhibit tumor growth and metastasis under various conditions. To test the hypothesis that tumor cells prefer to adhere to the locations with a higher endothelial NO production in intact microvessels under physiological flows and to further test that inhibiting NO production decreases tumor cell adhesion, we used intravital fluorescence microscopy to measure NO production and tumor cell adhesion in postcapillary venules of rat mesentery under normal and reduced flow conditions, and in the presence of an endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) inhibitor, N(G)-monomethyl-l-arginine (l-NMMA). Rats (SD, 250-300 g) were anesthetized. A midline incision (∼2 inch) was made in the abdominal wall, and the mesentery was taken out from the abdominal cavity and spread over a coverslip for the measurement. An individual postcapillary venule (35-50 μm) was first loaded with 4,5-diaminofluorescein diacetate (DAF-2 DA), a fluorescent indictor for NO. Then the DAF-2 intensity was measured for 30 min under a normal or reduced flow velocity, with and without perfusion with MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, and in the presence of l-NMMA. We found that tumor cells prefer to adhere to the microvessel locations with a higher NO production such as curved portions. Inhibition of eNOS by l-NMMA attenuated the flow-induced NO production and reduced tumor cell adhesion. We also found that l-NMMA treatment for ∼40 min reduced microvessel permeability to albumin. Our results suggest that inhibition of eNOS is a good approach to preventing tumor cell adhesion to intact microvessels under physiological flows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, New York
| | - Min Zeng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, New York
| | - Bingmei M Fu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, New York
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26
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Azevedo AS, Follain G, Patthabhiraman S, Harlepp S, Goetz JG. Metastasis of circulating tumor cells: favorable soil or suitable biomechanics, or both? Cell Adh Migr 2015; 9:345-56. [PMID: 26312653 DOI: 10.1080/19336918.2015.1059563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is the end product of a multistep process where cancer cells disseminate and home themselves in distant organs. Tumor cell extravasation is a rare, inefficient and transient event in nature and makes its studies very difficult. Noteworthy, little is known about how cancer cells arrest, adhere and pass through the endothelium of capillaries. Moreover, the key events driving metastatic growth in specific organs are not well understood. Thus, although metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related death, how cancer cells acquire their abilities to colonize distant organs and why they do so in specific locations remain central questions in the understanding of this deadly disease. In this review, we would like to confront 2 concepts explaining the efficiency and location of metastatic secondary tumors. While the "seed and soil" hypothesis states that metastasis occurs at sites where the local microenvironment is favorable, the "mechanical" concept argues that metastatic seeding occurs at sites of optimal flow patterns. In addition, recent evidence suggests that the primary event driving tumor cell arrest before extravasation is mostly controlled by blood circulation patterns as well as mechanical cues during the process of extravasation. In conclusion, the organ tropism displayed by cancer cells during metastatic colonization is a multi-step process, which is regulated by the delivery and survival of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) through blood circulation, the ability of these CTCs to adhere and cross the physical barrier imposed by the endothelium and finally by the suitability of the soil to favor growth of secondary tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sofia Azevedo
- a Inserm U1109; MN3T ; Strasbourg , France.,b Université de Strasbourg ; Strasbourg , France.,c LabEx Medalis; Université de Strasbourg ; Strasbourg , France.,d Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS) ; Strasbourg , France
| | - Gautier Follain
- a Inserm U1109; MN3T ; Strasbourg , France.,b Université de Strasbourg ; Strasbourg , France.,c LabEx Medalis; Université de Strasbourg ; Strasbourg , France.,d Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS) ; Strasbourg , France
| | - Shankar Patthabhiraman
- a Inserm U1109; MN3T ; Strasbourg , France.,b Université de Strasbourg ; Strasbourg , France.,c LabEx Medalis; Université de Strasbourg ; Strasbourg , France.,d Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS) ; Strasbourg , France
| | - Sébastien Harlepp
- b Université de Strasbourg ; Strasbourg , France.,e IPCMS UMR7504 ; Strasbourg , France.,f LabEx NIE; Université de Strasbourg ; Strasbourg , France
| | - Jacky G Goetz
- a Inserm U1109; MN3T ; Strasbourg , France.,b Université de Strasbourg ; Strasbourg , France.,c LabEx Medalis; Université de Strasbourg ; Strasbourg , France.,d Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS) ; Strasbourg , France
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27
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Yen W, Cai B, Yang J, Zhang L, Zeng M, Tarbell JM, Fu BM. Endothelial surface glycocalyx can regulate flow-induced nitric oxide production in microvessels in vivo. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0117133. [PMID: 25575016 PMCID: PMC4289188 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to its unique location, the endothelial surface glycocalyx (ESG) at the luminal side of the microvessel wall may serve as a mechano-sensor and transducer of blood flow and thus regulate endothelial functions. To examine this role of the ESG, we used fluorescence microscopy to measure nitric oxide (NO) production in post-capillary venules and arterioles of rat mesentery under reduced (low) and normal (high) flow conditions, with and without enzyme pretreatment to remove heparan sulfate (HS) of the ESG and in the presence of an endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) inhibitor, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA). Rats (SD, 250–300g) were anesthetized. The mesentery was gently taken out from the abdominal cavity and arranged on the surface of a glass coverslip for the measurement. An individual post-capillary venule or arteriole was cannulated and loaded for 45 min with 5 μM 4, 5-Diaminofluorescein diacetate, a membrane permeable fluorescent indictor for NO, then the NO production was measured for ~10 min under a low flow (~300 μm/s) and for ~60 min under a high flow (~1000 μm/s). In the 15 min after switching to the high flow, DAF-2-NO fluorescence intensity increased to 1.27-fold of its baseline, DAF-2-NO continuously increased under the high flow, to 1.53-fold of its baseline in 60 min. Inhibition of eNOS by 1 mM L-NMMA attenuated the flow-induced NO production to 1.13-fold in 15 min and 1.30-fold of its baseline in 60 min, respectively. In contrast, no significant increase in NO production was observed after switching to the high flow for 60 min when 1 h pretreatment with 50 mU/mL heparanase III to degrade the ESG was applied. Similar NO production was observed in arterioles under low and high flows and under eNOS inhibition. Our results suggest that ESG participates in endothelial cell mechanosensing and transduction through its heparan sulfate to activate eNOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanyi Yen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Bin Cai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Jinlin Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Lin Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Min Zeng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - John M. Tarbell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Bingmei M. Fu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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