EphA2 Drives the Segregation of Ras-Transformed Epithelial Cells from Normal Neighbors

Tumor Promoters and Opportunities for Molecular Cancer Prevention

Environmental carcinogens increase cancer incidence via both mutagenic and non-mutagenic mechanisms. There are over 500 known or suspected carcinogens classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Sequencing of both cancerous and histologically non-cancerous tissue has been instrumental in improving our understanding of how environmental carcinogens cause cancer. Understanding how and defining which environmental or lifestyle exposures drive cancer will support cancer prevention. Recent research is revisiting the mechanisms of early tumorigenesis, paving the way for an era of molecular cancer prevention. Significance: Recent data have improved our understanding of how carcinogens cause cancer, which may reveal novel opportunities for molecular cancer prevention.

A mismatch in the expression of cell surface molecules induces tissue-intrinsic defense against aberrant cells

Tissue-intrinsic error correction enables epithelial cells to detect abnormal neighboring cells and facilitate their removal from the tissue. One of these pathways, "interface surveillance," is triggered by cells with aberrant developmental and cell-fate-patterning pathways. It remains unknown which molecular mechanisms provide cells with the ability to compare fate between neighboring cells. We demonstrate that Drosophila imaginal discs express an array of cell surface molecules previously implicated in neuronal axon guidance processes. They include members of the Robo, Teneurin, Ephrin, Toll-like, or atypical cadherin families. Importantly, a mismatch in expression levels of these cell surface molecules between adjacent cells is sufficient to induce interface surveillance, indicating that differences in expression levels between neighboring cells, rather than their absolute expression levels, are crucial. Specifically, a mismatch in Robo2 and Robo3, but not Robo1, induces enrichment of actin, myosin II, and Ena/Vasp, as well as activation of JNK and apoptosis at clonal interfaces. Moreover, Robo2 can induce interface surveillance independently of its cytosolic domain and without the need for the Robo-ligand Slit. The expression of Robo2 and other cell surface molecules, such as Teneurins or the Ephrin receptor is regulated by fate-patterning pathways intrinsic and extrinsic to the wing disc, as well as by expression of oncogenic RasV12. Combined, we demonstrate that neighboring cells respond to a mismatch in surface code patterns mediated by specific transmembrane proteins and reveal a novel function for these cell surface proteins in cell fate recognition and removal of aberrant cells during development and homeostasis of epithelial tissues.

Cell competition and cancer from Drosophila to mammals

Throughout an individual's life, somatic cells acquire cancer-associated mutations. A fraction of these mutations trigger tumour formation, a phenomenon partly driven by the interplay of mutant and wild-type cell clones competing for dominance; conversely, other mutations function against tumour initiation. This mechanism of 'cell competition', can shift clone dynamics by evaluating the relative status of clonal populations, promoting 'winners' and eliminating 'losers'. This review examines the role of cell competition in the context of tumorigenesis, tumour progression and therapeutic intervention.

Epithelial recognition and elimination against aberrant cells

Epithelial cells, which are non-immune cells, not only function as a physical defence barrier but also continuously monitor and eliminate aberrant epithelial cells in their vicinity. In other words, it has become evident that epithelial cells possess immune cell-like functions. In fact, recent research has revealed that epithelial cells recognise the Major Histocompatibility Complex I (MHC-I) of aberrant cells as a mechanism for surveillance. This cellular defence mechanism of epithelial cells probably detects aberrant cells more promptly than the conventional immune response, making it a novel and primary biological defence. Furthermore, there is the potential for this new immune-like biological defence mechanism to establish innovative treatment for disease prevention, leading to increasing anticipation for its future medical applications. In this review, we aim to summarise the recognition and attack mechanisms of aberrant cells by epithelial cells in mammals, with a particular focus on the field of cancer. Additionally, we discuss the potential therapeutic applications of epithelial cell-based defence against cancer, including novel prophylactic treatment methods based on molecular mechanisms.

Eph receptors and ephrins in cancer progression

Evidence implicating Eph receptor tyrosine kinases and their ephrin ligands (that together make up the 'Eph system') in cancer development and progression has been accumulating since the discovery of the first Eph receptor approximately 35 years ago. Advances in the past decade and a half have considerably increased the understanding of Eph receptor-ephrin signalling mechanisms in cancer and have uncovered intriguing new roles in cancer progression and drug resistance. This Review focuses mainly on these more recent developments. I provide an update on the different mechanisms of Eph receptor-ephrin-mediated cell-cell communication and cell autonomous signalling, as well as on the interplay of the Eph system with other signalling systems. I further discuss recent advances in elucidating how the Eph system controls tumour expansion, invasiveness and metastasis, supports cancer stem cells, and drives therapy resistance. In addition to functioning within cancer cells, the Eph system also mediates the reciprocal communication between cancer cells and cells of the tumour microenvironment. The involvement of the Eph system in tumour angiogenesis is well established, but recent findings also demonstrate roles in immune cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts and the extracellular matrix. Lastly, I discuss strategies under evaluation for therapeutic targeting of Eph receptors-ephrins in cancer and conclude with an outlook on promising future research directions.

Interfacial Organization and Forces Arising from Epithelial-Cancerous Monolayer Interactions

The interfacial interactions between epithelia and cancer cells have profound relevance for tumor development and metastasis. Through monolayer confrontation of MCF10A (nontumorigenic human breast epithelial cells) and MDA-MB-231 (human epithelial breast cancer cells) cells, we investigate the epithelial-cancerous interfacial interactions at the tissue level. We show that the monolayer interaction leads to competitive interfacial morphodynamics and drives an intricate spatial organization of MCF10A cells into multicellular finger-like structures, which further branch into multiple subfinger-like structures. These hierarchical interfacial structures penetrate the cancer monolayer and can spontaneously segregate or even envelop cancer cell clusters, consistent with our theoretical prediction. By tracking the substrate displacements via embedded fluorescent nanobeads and implementing nanomechanical modeling that combines atomic force microscopy and finite element simulations, we computed mechanical force patterns, including traction forces and monolayer stresses, caused by the monolayer interaction. It is found that the heterogeneous mechanical forces accumulated in the monolayers are able to squeeze cancer cells, leading to three-dimensional interfacial bulges or cell extrusion, initiating the p53 apoptosis signaling pathways of cancer cells. We reveal that intercellular E-cadherin and P-cadherin of epithelial cells differentially regulate the interfacial organization including migration speed, directionality, spatial correlation, F-actin alignment, and subcellular protrusions of MCF10A cells; whereas E-cadherin governs interfacial geometry that is relevant to force localization and cancer cell extrusion, P-cadherin maintains interfacial integrity that enables long-range force transmission. Our findings suggest that the collaborative molecular and mechanical behaviors are crucial for preventing epithelial tissues from undergoing tumor invasion.

Ectopic expression of HNF4α in Het1A cells induces an invasive phenotype

Barrett's oesophagus (BO) is a pathological condition in which the squamous epithelium of the distal oesophagus is replaced by an intestinal-like columnar epithelium originating from the gastric cardia. Several somatic mutations contribute to the intestinal-like metaplasia. Once these have occurred in a single cell, it will be unable to expand further unless the altered cell can colonise the surrounding squamous epithelium of the oesophagus. The mechanisms by which this happens are still unknown. Here we have established an in vitro system for examining the competitive behaviour of two epithelia. We find that when an oesophageal epithelium model (Het1A cells) is confronted by an intestinal epithelium model (Caco-2 cells), the intestinal cells expand into the oesophageal domain. In this case the boundary involves overgrowth by the Caco-2 cells and the formation of isolated colonies. Two key transcription factors, normally involved in intestinal development, HNF4α and CDX2, are both expressed in BO. We examined the competitive ability of Het1A cells stably expressing HNF4α or CDX2 and placed in confrontation with unmodified Het1A cells. The key result is that stable expression of HNF4α, but not CDX2, increased the ability of the cells to migrate and push into the unmodified Het1A domain. In this situation the boundary between the cell types is a sharp one, as is normally seen in BO. The experiments were conducted using a variety of extracellular substrates, which all tended to increase the cell migration compared to uncoated plastic. These data provide evidence that HNF4α expression could have a potential role in the competitive spread of BO into the oesophagus as HNF4α increases the ability of cells to invade into the adjacent stratified squamous epithelium, thus enabling a single mutant cell eventually to generate a macroscopic patch of metaplasia.

An E-cadherin-actin clutch translates the mechanical force of cortical flow for cell-cell contact to inhibit epithelial cell locomotion

Adherens junctions (AJs) allow cell contact to inhibit epithelial migration yet also permit epithelia to move as coherent sheets. How, then, do cells identify which contacts will inhibit locomotion? Here, we show that in human epithelial cells this arises from the orientation of cortical flows at AJs. When the leader cells from different migrating sheets make head-on contact with one another, they assemble AJs that couple together oppositely directed cortical flows. This applies a tensile signal to the actin-binding domain (ABD) of α-catenin, which provides a clutch to promote lateral adhesion growth and inhibit the lamellipodial activity necessary for migration. In contrast, AJs found between leader cells in the same migrating sheet have cortical flows aligned in the same direction, and no such mechanical inhibition takes place. Therefore, α-catenin mechanosensitivity in the clutch between E-cadherin and cortical F-actin allows cells to interpret the direction of motion via cortical flows and signal for contact to inhibit locomotion.

Clonal interactions in cancer: integrating quantitative models with experimental and clinical data

Tumors consist of different genotypically distinct subpopulations-or subclones-of cells. These subclones can influence neighboring clones in a process called "clonal interaction." Conventionally, research on driver mutations in cancer has focused on their cell-autonomous effects that lead to an increase in fitness of the cells containing the driver. Recently, with the advent of improved experimental and computational technologies for investigating tumor heterogeneity and clonal dynamics, new studies have shown the importance of clonal interactions in cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis. In this review we provide an overview of clonal interactions in cancer, discussing key discoveries from a diverse range of approaches to cancer biology research. We discuss common types of clonal interactions, such as cooperation and competition, its mechanisms, and the overall effect on tumorigenesis, with important implications for tumor heterogeneity, resistance to treatment, and tumor suppression. Quantitative models-in coordination with cell culture and animal model experiments-have played a vital role in investigating the nature of clonal interactions and the complex clonal dynamics they generate. We present mathematical and computational models that can be used to represent clonal interactions and provide examples of the roles they have played in identifying and quantifying the strength of clonal interactions in experimental systems. Clonal interactions have proved difficult to observe in clinical data; however, several very recent quantitative approaches enable their detection. We conclude by discussing ways in which researchers can further integrate quantitative methods with experimental and clinical data to elucidate the critical-and often surprising-roles of clonal interactions in human cancers.

Pleiotropic effects of cell competition between normal and transformed cells in mammalian cancers

PURPOSE

In the course of tumor progression, cancer clones interact with host normal cells, and these interactions make them under selection pressure all the time. Cell competition, which can eliminate suboptimal cells and optimize organ development via comparison of cell fitness information, is found to take place between host cells and transformed cells in mammals and play important roles in different phases of tumor progression. The aim of this study is to summarize the current knowledge about the roles and corresponding mechanisms of different cell competition interactions between host normal cells and transformed cells involved in mammalian tumor development.

METHODS

We reviewed the published relevant articles in the Pubmed.

RESULTS

So far, the role of several cell competition interactions have been well described in the different phases of mammalian tumor genesis and development. While cell competitions for trophic factors and epithelial defense against cancer (EDAC) prevent the emergence of transformed cells and suppress carcinogenesis, fitness-fingerprints-comparison system and Myc supercompetitors promote the local expansion of transformed cells after the early tumor lesion is formatted. In addition, various preclinical tumor-suppression models which based on the molecular mechanisms of these competition interactions show potential clinical value of boosting the fitness of host normal cells.

CONCLUSION

Cell competition between host and transformed cells has pleiotropic effects in mammalian tumor genesis and development. The clarification of specific molecular mechanisms shed light on novel ideas for the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Cell competition in development, homeostasis and cancer

Organ development and homeostasis involve dynamic interactions between individual cells that collectively regulate tissue architecture and function. To ensure the highest tissue fidelity, equally fit cell populations are continuously renewed by stochastic replacement events, while cells perceived as less fit are actively removed by their fitter counterparts. This renewal is mediated by surveillance mechanisms that are collectively known as cell competition. Recent studies have revealed that cell competition has roles in most, if not all, developing and adult tissues. They have also established that cell competition functions both as a tumour-suppressive mechanism and as a tumour-promoting mechanism, thereby critically influencing cancer initiation and development. This Review discusses the latest insights into the mechanisms of cell competition and its different roles during embryonic development, homeostasis and cancer.

Cell polarity and extrusion: How to polarize extrusion and extrude misspolarized cells?

The barrier function of epithelia is one of the cornerstones of the body plan organization of metazoans. It relies on the polarity of epithelial cells which organizes along the apico-basal axis the mechanical properties, signaling as well as transport. This barrier function is however constantly challenged by the fast turnover of epithelia occurring during morphogenesis or adult tissue homeostasis. Yet, the sealing property of the tissue can be maintained thanks to cell extrusion: a series of remodeling steps involving the dying cell and its neighbors leading to seamless cell expulsion. Alternatively, the tissue architecture can also be challenged by local damages or the emergence of mutant cells that may alter its organization. This includes mutants of the polarity complexes which can generate neoplastic overgrowths or be eliminated by cell competition when surrounded by wild type cells. In this review, we will provide an overview of the regulation of cell extrusion in various tissues focusing on the relationship between cell polarity, cell organization and the direction of cell expulsion. We will then describe how local perturbations of polarity can also trigger cell elimination either by apoptosis or by cell exclusion, focusing specifically on how polarity defects can be directly causal to cell elimination. Overall, we propose a general framework connecting the influence of polarity on cell extrusion and its contribution to aberrant cell elimination.

Non-degradable autophagic vacuoles are indispensable for cell competition

Cell competition is a process by which unwanted cells are eliminated from tissues. Apical extrusion is one mode whereby normal epithelial cells remove transformed cells, but it remains unclear how this process is mechanically effected. In this study, we show that autophagic and endocytic fluxes are attenuated in RasV12-transformed cells surrounded by normal cells due to lysosomal dysfunction, and that chemical manipulation of lysosomal activity compromises apical extrusion. We further find that RasV12 cells deficient in autophagy initiation machinery are resistant to elimination pressure exerted by normal cells, suggesting that non-degradable autophagic vacuoles are required for cell competition. Moreover, in vivo analysis revealed that autophagy-ablated RasV12 cells are less readily eliminated by cell competition, and remaining transformed cells destroy ductal integrity, leading to chronic pancreatitis. Collectively, our findings illuminate a positive role for autophagy in cell competition and reveal a homeostasis-preserving function of autophagy upon emergence of transformed cells.

Self-assembly of tessellated tissue sheets by expansion and collision

Tissues do not exist in isolation—they interact with other tissues within and across organs. While cell-cell interactions have been intensely investigated, less is known about tissue-tissue interactions. Here, we studied collisions between monolayer tissues with different geometries, cell densities, and cell types. First, we determine rules for tissue shape changes during binary collisions and describe complex cell migration at tri-tissue boundaries. Next, we propose that genetically identical tissues displace each other based on pressure gradients, which are directly linked to gradients in cell density. We present a physical model of tissue interactions that allows us to estimate the bulk modulus of the tissues from collision dynamics. Finally, we introduce TissEllate, a design tool for self-assembling complex tessellations from arrays of many tissues, and we use cell sheet engineering techniques to transfer these composite tissues like cellular films. Overall, our work provides insight into the mechanics of tissue collisions, harnessing them to engineer tissue composites as designable living materials.

Tissue boundaries in our body separate organs and enable healing, but boundary mechanics are not well known. Here, the authors define mechanical rules for colliding cell monolayers and use these rules to make complex, predictable tessellations.

Src activation in lipid rafts confers epithelial cells with invasive potential to escape from apical extrusion during cell competition

Abnormal/cancerous cells within healthy epithelial tissues undergo apical extrusion to protect against carcinogenesis, although they acquire invasive capacity once carcinogenesis progresses. However, the molecular mechanisms by which cancer cells escape from apical extrusion and invade surrounding tissues remain elusive. In this study, we demonstrate a molecular mechanism for cell fate switching during epithelial cell competition. We found that during competition within epithelial cell layers, Src transformation promotes maturation of focal adhesions and degradation of extracellular matrix. Src-transformed cells underwent basal delamination by Src activation within sphingolipid/cholesterol-enriched membrane microdomains/lipid rafts, whereas they were apically extruded when Src was outside of lipid rafts. A comparative analysis of contrasting phenotypes revealed that activation of the Src-STAT3-MMP axis through lipid rafts was required for basal delamination. CUB-domain-containing protein 1 (CDCP1) was identified as an Src-activating scaffold and as a Met regulator in lipid rafts, and its overexpression induced basal delamination. In renal cancer models, CDCP1 promoted epithelial-mesenchymal transition-mediated invasive behavior by activating the Src-STAT3-MMP axis through Met activation. Overall, these results suggest that spatial activation of Src signaling in lipid rafts confers resistance to apical extrusion and invasive potential on epithelial cells to promote carcinogenesis.

Accounting for dimensional differences in stochastic domain invasion with applications to precancerous cell removal

We consider a specific form of domain invasion that is an abstraction of pancreatic tissue eliminating precancerous mutant cells through juxtacrine signalling. The model is explored discretely, continuously, stochastically and deterministically, highlighting unforeseen nonlinear dependencies on the dimension of the solution domain. Specifically, stochastically simulated populations invade with a dimension dependent wave speed that can be over twice as fast as their deterministic analogues. Although the wave speed can be analytically derived in the cases of small domains, the probabilistic state space grows exponentially and, thus, we use numeric simulation and curve fitting to predict limiting dynamics.

Extracellular ATP facilitates cell extrusion from epithelial layers mediated by cell competition or apoptosis

For the maintenance of epithelial homeostasis, various aberrant or dysfunctional cells are actively eliminated from epithelial layers. This cell extrusion process mainly falls into two modes: cell-competition-mediated extrusion and apoptotic extrusion. However, it is not clearly understood whether and how these processes are governed by common molecular mechanisms. In this study, we demonstrate that the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels are elevated within a wide range of epithelial layers around extruding transformed or apoptotic cells. The downregulation of ROS suppresses the extrusion process. Furthermore, ATP is extracellularly secreted from extruding cells, which promotes the ROS level and cell extrusion. Moreover, the extracellular ATP and ROS pathways positively regulate the polarized movements of surrounding cells toward extruding cells in both cell-competition-mediated and apoptotic extrusion. Hence, extracellular ATP acts as an "extrude me" signal and plays a prevalent role in cell extrusion, thereby sustaining epithelial homeostasis and preventing pathological conditions or disorders.

Ligands with different dimeric configurations potently activate the EphA2 receptor and reveal its potential for biased signaling

The EphA2 receptor tyrosine kinase activates signaling pathways with different, and sometimes opposite, effects in cancer and other pathologies. Thus, highly specific and potent biased ligands that differentially control EphA2 signaling responses could be therapeutically valuable. Here, we use EphA2-specific monomeric peptides to engineer dimeric ligands with three different geometric configurations to combine a potential ability to differentially modulate EphA2 signaling responses with the high potency and prolonged receptor residence time characteristic of dimeric ligands. The different dimeric peptides readily induce EphA2 clustering, autophosphorylation and signaling, the best with sub-nanomolar potency. Yet, there are differences in two EphA2 signaling responses induced by peptides with different configurations, which exhibit distinct potency and efficacy. The peptides bias signaling when compared with the ephrinA1-Fc ligand and do so via different mechanisms. These findings provide insights into Eph receptor signaling, and proof-of-principle that different Eph signaling responses can be distinctly modulated.

Nuclear-capture of endosomes depletes nuclear G-actin to promote SRF/MRTF activation and cancer cell invasion

Signals are relayed from receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) at the cell surface to effector systems in the cytoplasm and nucleus, and coordination of this process is important for the execution of migratory phenotypes, such as cell scattering and invasion. The endosomal system influences how RTK signalling is coded, but the ways in which it transmits these signals to the nucleus to influence gene expression are not yet clear. Here we show that hepatocyte growth factor, an activator of MET (an RTK), promotes Rab17- and clathrin-dependent endocytosis of EphA2, another RTK, followed by centripetal transport of EphA2-positive endosomes. EphA2 then mediates physical capture of endosomes on the outer surface of the nucleus; a process involving interaction between the nuclear import machinery and a nuclear localisation sequence in EphA2's cytodomain. Nuclear capture of EphA2 promotes RhoG-dependent phosphorylation of the actin-binding protein, cofilin to oppose nuclear import of G-actin. The resulting depletion of nuclear G-actin drives transcription of Myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF)/serum-response factor (SRF)-target genes to implement cell scattering and the invasive behaviour of cancer cells.

Oncogenic RAS instructs morphological transformation of human epithelia via differential tissue mechanics

The loss of epithelial homeostasis and the disruption of normal tissue morphology are hallmarks of tumor development. Here, we ask how the uniform activation oncogene RAS affects the morphology and tissue mechanics in a normal epithelium. We found that inducible induction of HRAS in confined epithelial monolayers on soft substrates drives a morphological transformation of a 2D monolayer into a compact 3D cell aggregate. This transformation was initiated by the loss of monolayer integrity and formation of two distinct cell layers with differential cell-cell junctions, cell-substrate adhesion, and tensional states. Computational modeling revealed how adhesion and active peripheral tension induces inherent mechanical instability in the system, which drives the 2D-to-3D morphological transformation. Consistent with this, removal of epithelial tension through the inhibition of actomyosin contractility halted the process. These findings reveal the mechanisms by which oncogene activation within an epithelium can induce mechanical instability to drive morphological tissue transformation.

Hinfp is a guardian of the somatic genome by repressing transposable elements

Germ cells possess the Piwi-interacting RNA pathway to repress transposable elements and maintain genome stability across generations. Transposable element mobilization in somatic cells does not affect future generations, but nonetheless can lead to pathological outcomes in host tissues. We show here that loss of function of the conserved zinc-finger transcription factor Hinfp causes dysregulation of many host genes and derepression of most transposable elements. There is also substantial DNA damage in somatic tissues of Drosophila after loss of Hinfp. Interference of transposable element mobilization by reverse-transcriptase inhibitors can suppress some of the DNA damage phenotypes. The key cell-autonomous target of Hinfp in this process is Histone1, which encodes linker histones essential for higher-order chromatin assembly. Transgenic expression of Hinfp or Histone1, but not Histone4 of core nucleosome, is sufficient to rescue the defects in repressing transposable elements and host genes. Loss of Hinfp enhances Ras-induced tissue growth and aging-related phenotypes. Therefore, Hinfp is a physiological regulator of Histone1-dependent silencing of most transposable elements, as well as many host genes, and serves as a venue for studying genome instability, cancer progression, neurodegeneration, and aging.

Genetically variant human pluripotent stem cells selectively eliminate wild-type counterparts through YAP-mediated cell competition

The appearance of genetic changes in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) presents a concern for their use in research and regenerative medicine. Variant hPSCs that harbor recurrent culture-acquired aneuploidies display growth advantages over wild-type diploid cells, but the mechanisms that yield a drift from predominantly wild-type to variant cell populations remain poorly understood. Here, we show that the dominance of variant clones in mosaic cultures is enhanced through competitive interactions that result in the elimination of wild-type cells. This elimination occurs through corralling and mechanical compression by faster-growing variants, causing a redistribution of F-actin and sequestration of yes-associated protein (YAP) in the cytoplasm that induces apoptosis in wild-type cells. YAP overexpression or promotion of YAP nuclear localization in wild-type cells alleviates their "loser" phenotype. Our results demonstrate that hPSC fate is coupled to mechanical cues imposed by neighboring cells and reveal that hijacking this mechanism allows variants to achieve clonal dominance in cultures.

Microenvironmental innate immune signaling and cell mechanical responses promote tumor growth

Tissue homeostasis is achieved by balancing stem cell maintenance, cell proliferation and differentiation, as well as the purging of damaged cells. Elimination of unfit cells maintains tissue health; however, the underlying mechanisms driving competitive growth when homeostasis fails, for example, during tumorigenesis, remain largely unresolved. Here, using a Drosophila intestinal model, we find that tumor cells outcompete nearby enterocytes (ECs) by influencing cell adhesion and contractility. This process relies on activating the immune-responsive Relish/NF-κB pathway to induce EC delamination and requires a JNK-dependent transcriptional upregulation of the peptidoglycan recognition protein PGRP-LA. Consequently, in organisms with impaired PGRP-LA function, tumor growth is delayed and lifespan extended. Our study identifies a non-cell-autonomous role for a JNK/PGRP-LA/Relish signaling axis in mediating death of neighboring normal cells to facilitate tumor growth. We propose that intestinal tumors "hijack" innate immune signaling to eliminate enterocytes in order to support their own growth.

EPHA2-dependent outcompetition of KRASG12D mutant cells by wild-type neighbors in the adult pancreas

As we age, our tissues are repeatedly challenged by mutational insult, yet cancer occurrence is a relatively rare event. Cells carrying cancer-causing genetic mutations compete with normal neighbors for space and survival in tissues. However, the mechanisms underlying mutant-normal competition in adult tissues and the relevance of this process to cancer remain incompletely understood. Here, we investigate how the adult pancreas maintains tissue health in vivo following sporadic expression of oncogenic Kras (KrasG12D), the key driver mutation in human pancreatic cancer. We find that when present in tissues in low numbers, KrasG12D mutant cells are outcompeted and cleared from exocrine and endocrine compartments in vivo. Using quantitative 3D tissue imaging, we show that before being cleared, KrasG12D cells lose cell volume, pack into round clusters, and E-cadherin-based cell-cell adhesions decrease at boundaries with normal neighbors. We identify EphA2 receptor as an essential signal in the clearance of KrasG12D cells from exocrine and endocrine tissues in vivo. In the absence of functional EphA2, KrasG12D cells do not alter cell volume or shape, E-cadherin-based cell-cell adhesions increase and KrasG12D cells are retained in tissues. The retention of KRasG12D cells leads to the early appearance of premalignant pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanINs) in tissues. Our data show that adult pancreas tissues remodel to clear KrasG12D cells and maintain tissue health. This study provides evidence to support a conserved functional role of EphA2 in Ras-driven cell competition in epithelial tissues and suggests that EphA2 is a novel tumor suppressor in pancreatic cancer.

EPH/EPHRIN regulates cellular organization by actomyosin contractility effects on cell contacts

EPH/EPHRIN signaling is essential to many aspects of tissue self-organization and morphogenesis, but little is known about how EPH/EPHRIN signaling regulates cell mechanics during these processes. Here, we use a series of approaches to examine how EPH/EPHRIN signaling drives cellular self-organization. Contact angle measurements reveal that EPH/EPHRIN signaling decreases the stability of heterotypic cell:cell contacts through increased cortical actomyosin contractility. We find that EPH/EPHRIN-driven cell segregation depends on actomyosin contractility but occurs independently of directed cell migration and without changes in cell adhesion. Atomic force microscopy and live cell imaging of myosin localization support that EPH/EPHRIN signaling results in increased cortical tension. Interestingly, actomyosin contractility also nonautonomously drives increased EPHB2:EPHB2 homotypic contacts. Finally, we demonstrate that changes in tissue organization are driven by minimization of heterotypic contacts through actomyosin contractility in cell aggregates and by mouse genetics experiments. These data elucidate the biomechanical mechanisms driving EPH/EPHRIN-based cell segregation wherein differences in interfacial tension, regulated by actomyosin contractility, govern cellular self-organization.

The CD44/COL17A1 pathway promotes the formation of multilayered, transformed epithelia

At the early stage of cancer development, oncogenic mutations often cause multilayered epithelial structures. However, the underlying molecular mechanism still remains enigmatic. By performing a series of screenings targeting plasma membrane proteins, we have found that collagen XVII (COL17A1) and CD44 accumulate in RasV12-, Src-, or ErbB2-transformed epithelial cells. In addition, the expression of COL17A1 and CD44 is also regulated by cell density and upon apical cell extrusion. We further demonstrate that the expression of COL17A1 and CD44 is profoundly upregulated at the upper layers of multilayered, transformed epithelia in vitro and in vivo. The accumulated COL17A1 and CD44 suppress mitochondrial membrane potential and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. The diminished intracellular ROS level then promotes resistance against ferroptosis-mediated cell death upon cell extrusion, thereby positively regulating the formation of multilayered structures. To further understand the functional role of COL17A1, we performed comprehensive metabolome analysis and compared intracellular metabolites between RasV12 and COL17A1-knockout RasV12 cells. The data imply that COL17A1 regulates the metabolic pathway from the GABA shunt to mitochondrial complex I through succinate, thereby suppressing the ROS production. Moreover, we demonstrate that CD44 regulates membrane accumulation of COL17A1 in multilayered structures. These results suggest that CD44 and COL17A1 are crucial regulators for the clonal expansion of transformed cells within multilayered epithelia, thus being potential targets for early diagnosis and preventive treatment for precancerous lesions.

Cell competition-induced apical elimination of transformed cells, EDAC, orchestrates the cellular homeostasis

Newly emerging transformed cells are often eliminated from the epithelium via cell competition with the surrounding normal cells. A number of recent studies using mammalian cell competition systems have demonstrated that cells with various types of oncogenic insults are extruded from the tissue in a cell death-dependent or -independent manner. Cell competition-mediated elimination of transformed cells, called EDAC (epithelial defense against cancer), represents an intrinsic anti-tumor activity within the epithelial cell society to reduce the risk of oncogenesis. Here we delineate roles and molecular mechanisms of this homeostatic process, especially focusing on mammalian models.

EphA2 and EGFR: Friends in Life, Partners in Crime. Can EphA2 Be a Predictive Biomarker of Response to Anti-EGFR Agents?

The Eph receptors represent the largest group among Receptor Tyrosine kinase (RTK) families. The Eph/ephrin signaling axis plays center stage during development, and the deep perturbation of signaling consequent to its dysregulation in cancer reveals the multiplicity and complexity underlying its function. In the last decades, they have emerged as key players in solid tumors, including colorectal cancer (CRC); however, what causes EphA2 to switch between tumor-suppressive and tumor-promoting function is still an active theater of investigation. This review summarizes the recent advances in understanding EphA2 function in cancer, with detail on the molecular determinants of the oncogene-tumor suppressor switch function of EphA2. We describe tumor context-specific examples of EphA2 signaling and the emerging role EphA2 plays in supporting cancer-stem-cell-like populations and overcoming therapy-induced stress. In such a frame, we detail the interaction of the EphA2 and EGFR pathway in solid tumors, including colorectal cancer. We discuss the contribution of the EphA2 oncogenic signaling to the resistance to EGFR blocking agents, including cetuximab and TKIs.

S100A8/A9 mediate the reprograming of normal mammary epithelial cells induced by dynamic cell-cell interactions with adjacent breast cancer cells

To understand the potential effects of cancer cells on surrounding normal mammary epithelial cells, we performed direct co-culture of non-tumorigenic mammary epithelial MCF10A cells and various breast cancer cells. Firstly, we observed dynamic cell-cell interactions between the MCF10A cells and breast cancer cells including lamellipodia or nanotube-like contacts and transfer of extracellular vesicles. Co-cultured MCF10A cells exhibited features of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and showed increased capacity of cell proliferation, migration, colony formation, and 3-dimensional sphere formation. Direct co-culture showed most distinct phenotype changes in MCF10A cells followed by conditioned media treatment and indirect co-culture. Transcriptome analysis and phosphor-protein array suggested that several cancer-related pathways are significantly dysregulated in MCF10A cells after the direct co-culture with breast cancer cells. S100A8 and S100A9 showed distinct up-regulation in the co-cultured MCF10A cells and their microenvironmental upregulation was also observed in the orthotropic xenograft of syngeneic mouse mammary tumors. When S100A8/A9 overexpression was induced in MCF10A cells, the cells showed phenotypic features of directly co-cultured MCF10A cells in terms of in vitro cell behaviors and signaling activities suggesting a S100A8/A9-mediated transition program in non-tumorigenic epithelial cells. This study suggests the possibility of dynamic cell-cell interactions between non-tumorigenic mammary epithelial cells and breast cancer cells that could lead to a substantial transition in molecular and functional characteristics of mammary epithelial cells.

Tracking collective cell motion by topological data analysis

By modifying and calibrating an active vertex model to experiments, we have simulated numerically a confluent cellular monolayer spreading on an empty space and the collision of two monolayers of different cells in an antagonistic migration assay. Cells are subject to inertial forces and to active forces that try to align their velocities with those of neighboring ones. In agreement with experiments in the literature, the spreading test exhibits formation of fingers in the moving interfaces, there appear swirls in the velocity field, and the polar order parameter and the correlation and swirl lengths increase with time. Numerical simulations show that cells inside the tissue have smaller area than those at the interface, which has been observed in recent experiments. In the antagonistic migration assay, a population of fluidlike Ras cells invades a population of wild type solidlike cells having shape parameters above and below the geometric critical value, respectively. Cell mixing or segregation depends on the junction tensions between different cells. We reproduce the experimentally observed antagonistic migration assays by assuming that a fraction of cells favor mixing, the others segregation, and that these cells are randomly distributed in space. To characterize and compare the structure of interfaces between cell types or of interfaces of spreading cellular monolayers in an automatic manner, we apply topological data analysis to experimental data and to results of our numerical simulations. We use time series of data generated by numerical simulations to automatically group, track and classify the advancing interfaces of cellular aggregates by means of bottleneck or Wasserstein distances of persistent homologies. These techniques of topological data analysis are scalable and could be used in studies involving large amounts of data. Besides applications to wound healing and metastatic cancer, these studies are relevant for tissue engineering, biological effects of materials, tissue and organ regeneration.

Symmetry Breaking and Epithelial Cell Extrusion

Cell extrusion is a striking morphological event found in epithelia and endothelia. It is distinguished by two symmetry-breaking events: a loss of planar symmetry, as cells are extruded in either apical or basal directions; and loss of mechanochemical homogeneity within monolayers, as cells that are fated to be extruded become biochemically and mechanically distinct from their neighbors. Cell extrusion is elicited by many diverse events, from apoptosis to the expression of transforming oncogenes. Does the morphological outcome of extrusion reflect cellular processes that are common to these diverse biological phenomena? To address this question, in this review we compare the progress that has been made in understanding how extrusion is elicited by epithelial apoptosis and cell transformation.

Caveolae Control Contractile Tension for Epithelia to Eliminate Tumor Cells

Epithelia are active materials where mechanical tension governs morphogenesis and homeostasis. But how that tension is regulated remains incompletely understood. We now report that caveolae control epithelial tension and show that this is necessary for oncogene-transfected cells to be eliminated by apical extrusion. Depletion of caveolin-1 (CAV1) increased steady-state tensile stresses in epithelial monolayers. As a result, loss of CAV1 in the epithelial cells surrounding oncogene-expressing cells prevented their apical extrusion. Epithelial tension in CAV1-depleted monolayers was increased by cortical contractility at adherens junctions. This reflected a signaling pathway, where elevated levels of phosphoinositide-4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P₂) recruited the formin, FMNL2, to promote F-actin bundling. Steady-state monolayer tension and oncogenic extrusion were restored to CAV1-depleted monolayers when tension was corrected by depleting FMNL2, blocking PtdIns(4,5)P₂, or disabling the interaction between FMNL2 and PtdIns(4,5)P₂. Thus, caveolae can regulate active mechanical tension for epithelial homeostasis by controlling lipid signaling to the actin cytoskeleton.

Outcompeting cancer

The tumour microenvironment plays a critical role in determining tumour fate. Within that environment, and indeed throughout epithelial tissues, cells experience competition with their neighbours, with those less fit being eliminated by fitter adjacent cells. Herein we discuss evidence suggesting that mutations in cancer cells may be selected for their ability to exploit cell competition to kill neighbouring host cells, thereby facilitating tumour expansion. In some instances, cell competition may help host tissues to defend against cancer, by removing neoplastic and aneuploid cells. Cancer risk factors, such as high-sugar or high-fat diet and inflammation, impact cell competition-based host defences, suggesting that their effect on tumour risk may in part be accounted for by their influence on cell competition. We propose that interventions aimed at modifying the strength and direction of cell competition could induce cancer cell killing and form the basis for novel anticancer therapies.

Rho-ROCK Signaling in Normal Physiology and as a Key Player in Shaping the Tumor Microenvironment

The Rho-ROCK signaling network has a range of specialized functions of key biological importance, including control of essential developmental processes such as morphogenesis and physiological processes including homeostasis, immunity, and wound healing. Deregulation of Rho-ROCK signaling actively contributes to multiple pathological conditions, and plays a major role in cancer development and progression. This dynamic network is critical in modulating the intricate communication between tumor cells, surrounding diverse stromal cells and the matrix, shaping the ever-changing microenvironment of aggressive tumors. In this chapter, we overview the complex regulation of the Rho-ROCK signaling axis, its role in health and disease, and analyze progress made with key approaches targeting the Rho-ROCK pathway for therapeutic benefit. Finally, we conclude by outlining likely future trends and key questions in the field of Rho-ROCK research, in particular surrounding Rho-ROCK signaling within the tumor microenvironment.

Localized Intercellular Transfer of Ephrin-As by Trans-endocytosis Enables Long-Term Signaling

Ephrins can elicit either contact-mediated cell-cell adhesion or repulsion, depending on the efficiency of the removal of their ligand-receptor complexes from the cell surface, thus controlling tissue morphogenesis and oncogenic development. However, the dynamic of the turnover of newly assembled ephrin-Eph complexes during cell-cell interactions remains mostly unexplored. Here, we show that ephrin-A1-EphA2 complexes are locally formed at the tip of the filopodia, at cell-to-cell contacts. Clusters of ephrin-A1 from donor cells surf on filopodia associated to EphA2-bearing subdomains of acceptor cells. Full-length ephrin-A1 is transferred to acceptor cells by trans-endocytosis through a proteolysis-independent mechanism. Trans-endocytosed ephrin-A1 bound to its receptor enables signaling to be emitted from endo-lysosomes of acceptor cells. Localized trans-endocytosis of ephrin-A1 sustains contact-mediated repulsion on cancer cells. Our results uncover the essential role played by local concentration at the tip of filopodia and the trans-endocytosis of full-length ephrin to maintain long-lasting ephrin signaling.

Heterotypic contact inhibition of locomotion can drive cell sorting between epithelial and mesenchymal cell populations

Interactions between different cell types can induce distinct contact inhibition of locomotion (CIL) responses that are hypothesised to control population-wide behaviours during embryogenesis. However, our understanding of the signals that lead to cell-type specific repulsion and the precise capacity of heterotypic CIL responses to drive emergent behaviours is lacking. Using a new model of heterotypic CIL, we show that fibrosarcoma cells, but not fibroblasts, are actively repelled by epithelial cells in culture. We show that knocking down EphB2 or ERK in fibrosarcoma cells specifically leads to disruption of the repulsion phase of CIL in response to interactions with epithelial cells. We also examine the population-wide effects when these various cell combinations are allowed to interact in culture. Unlike fibroblasts, fibrosarcoma cells completely segregate from epithelial cells and inhibiting their distinct CIL response by knocking down EphB2 or ERK family proteins also disrupts this emergent sorting behaviour. These data suggest that heterotypic CIL responses, in conjunction with processes such as differential adhesion, may aid the sorting of cell populations.

Summary: Active cell repulsion, driven by ephrin and ERK signalling, is required for fibrosarcoma cells to segregate from epithelial cells in culture.

Solid stress, competition for space and cancer: The opposing roles of mechanical cell competition in tumour initiation and growth

The regulation of cell growth, cell proliferation and cell death is at the basis of the homeostasis of tissues. While they can be regulated by intrinsic and genetic factors, their response to external signals emanating from the local environment is also essential for tissue homeostasis. Tumour initiation and progression is based on the misregulation of growth, proliferation and death mostly through the accumulation of genetic mutations. Yet, there is an increasing body of evidences showing that tumour microenvironment also has a strong impact on cancer initiation and progression. This includes the mechanical constrains and the compressive forces generated by the resistance of the surrounding tissue/matrix to tumour expansion. Recently, mechanical stress has been proposed to promote competitive interactions between cells through a process called mechanical cell competition. Cell population with a high proliferative rate can compact and eliminate the neighbouring cells which are more sensitive to compaction. While this emerging concept has been recently validated in vivo, the relevance of this process during tumour progression has never been discussed extensively. In this review, I will first describe the phenomenology of mechanical cell competition focusing on the main parameters and the pathways regulating cell elimination. I will then discuss the relevance of mechanical cell competition in tumour initiation and expansion while emphasizing its potential opposing contributions to tumourogenesis.

Collective stresses drive competition between monolayers of normal and Ras-transformed cells

We study the competition for space between two cell lines that differ only in the expression of the Ras oncogene. The two cell populations are initially separated and set to migrate antagonistically towards an in-between stripe of free substrate. After contact, their interface moves towards the population of normal cells. We interpret the velocity and traction force data taken before and after contact thanks to a hydrodynamic description of collectively migrating cohesive cell sheets. The kinematics of cells, before and after contact, allows us to estimate the relative material parameters for both cell lines. As predicted by the model, the transformed cell population with larger collective stresses pushes the wild type cell population.

Src-transformed cells hijack mitosis to extrude from the epithelium

At the initial stage of carcinogenesis single mutated cells appear within an epithelium. Mammalian in vitro experiments show that potentially cancerous cells undergo live apical extrusion from normal monolayers. However, the mechanism underlying this process in vivo remains poorly understood. Mosaic expression of the oncogene vSrc in a simple epithelium of the early zebrafish embryo results in extrusion of transformed cells. Here we find that during extrusion components of the cytokinetic ring are recruited to adherens junctions of transformed cells, forming a misoriented pseudo-cytokinetic ring. As the ring constricts, it separates the basal from the apical part of the cell releasing both from the epithelium. This process requires cell cycle progression and occurs immediately after vSrc-transformed cell enters mitosis. To achieve extrusion, vSrc coordinates cell cycle progression, junctional integrity, cell survival and apicobasal polarity. Without vSrc, modulating these cellular processes reconstitutes vSrc-like extrusion, confirming their sufficiency for this process.

Potentially cancerous cells undergo live apical extrusion from normal monolayers and vSrc expression induces this in zebrafish epithelia. Here, the authors show that vSrc coordinates cytokinetic ring formation, cell cycle progression, junctional integrity, cell survival and apicobasal polarity to induce extrusion of transformed cells.

EphA2/Ephrin-A1 Mediate Corneal Epithelial Cell Compartmentalization via ADAM10 Regulation of EGFR Signaling

Purpose

Progenitor cells of the limbal epithelium reside in a discrete area peripheral to the more differentiated corneal epithelium and maintain tissue homeostasis. What regulates the limbal-corneal epithelial boundary is a major unanswered question. Ephrin-A1 ligand is enriched in the limbal epithelium, whereas EphA2 receptor is concentrated in the corneal epithelium. This reciprocal pattern led us to assess the role of ephrin-A1 and EphA2 in limbal-corneal epithelial boundary organization.

Methods

EphA2-expressing corneal epithelial cells engineered to express ephrin-A1 were used to study boundary formation in vitro in a manner that mimicked the relative abundance of these juxtamembrane signaling proteins in the limbal and corneal epithelium in vivo. Interaction of these two distinct cell populations following initial seeding into discrete culture compartments was assessed by live cell imaging. Immunofluoresence and immunoblotting was used to evaluate the contribution of downstream growth factor signaling and cell-cell adhesion systems to boundary formation at sites of heterotypic contact between ephrin-A1 and EphA2 expressing cells.

Results

Ephrin-A1-expressing cells impeded and reversed the migration of EphA2-expressing corneal epithelial cells upon heterotypic contact formation leading to coordinated migration of the two cell populations in the direction of an ephrin-A1-expressing leading front. Genetic silencing and pharmacologic inhibitor studies demonstrated that the ability of ephrin-A1 to direct migration of EphA2-expressing cells depended on an a disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain-containing protein 10 (ADAM10) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway that limited E-cadherin-mediated adhesion at heterotypic boundaries.

Conclusions

Ephrin-A1/EphA2 signaling complexes play a key role in limbal-corneal epithelial compartmentalization and the response of these tissues to injury.

Cell segregation and border sharpening by Eph receptor-ephrin-mediated heterotypic repulsion

Eph receptor and ephrin signalling has a major role in cell segregation and border formation, and may act through regulation of cell adhesion, repulsion or tension. To elucidate roles of cell repulsion and adhesion, we combined experiments in cell culture assays with quantitations of cell behaviour which are used in computer simulations. Cells expressing EphB2, or kinase-inactive EphB2 (kiEphB2), segregate and form a sharp border with ephrinB1-expressing cells, and this is disrupted by knockdown of N-cadherin. Measurements of contact inhibition of locomotion reveal that EphB2-, kiEphB2- and ephrinB1-expressing cells have strong heterotypic and weak homotypic repulsion. EphB2 cells have a transient increase in migration after heterotypic activation, which underlies a shift in the EphB2–ephrinB1 border but is not required for segregation or border sharpening. Simulations with the measured values of cell behaviour reveal that heterotypic repulsion can account for cell segregation and border sharpening, and is more efficient than decreased heterotypic adhesion. By suppressing homotypic repulsion, N-cadherin creates a sufficient difference between heterotypic and homotypic repulsion, and enables homotypic cohesion, both of which are required to sharpen borders.

Differential Expression Patterns of Eph Receptors and Ephrin Ligands in Human Cancers

Eph receptors constitute the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinases, which are activated by ephrin ligands that either are anchored to the membrane or contain a transmembrane domain. These molecules play important roles in the development of multicellular organisms, and the physiological functions of these receptor-ligand pairs have been extensively documented in axon guidance, neuronal development, vascular patterning, and inflammation during tissue injury. The recognition that aberrant regulation and expression of these molecules lead to alterations in proliferative, migratory, and invasive potential of a variety of human cancers has made them potential targets for cancer therapeutics. We present here the involvement of Eph receptors and ephrin ligands in lung carcinoma, breast carcinoma, prostate carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma, glioblastoma, and medulloblastoma. The aberrations in their abundances are described in the context of multiple signaling pathways, and differential expression is suggested as the mechanism underlying tumorigenesis.

Cell Extrusion: A Stress-Responsive Force for Good or Evil in Epithelial Homeostasis

Epithelial tissues robustly respond to internal and external stressors via dynamic cellular rearrangements. Cell extrusion acts as a key regulator of epithelial homeostasis by removing apoptotic cells, orchestrating morphogenesis, and mediating competitive cellular battles during tumorigenesis. Here, we delineate the diverse functions of cell extrusion during development and disease. We emphasize the expanding role for apoptotic cell extrusion in exerting morphogenetic forces, as well as the strong intersection of cell extrusion with cell competition, a homeostatic mechanism that eliminates aberrant or unfit cells. While cell competition and extrusion can exert potent, tumor-suppressive effects, dysregulation of either critical homeostatic program can fuel cancer progression.

Local cellular neighborhood controls proliferation in cell competition

Cell competition is a quality-control mechanism through which tissues eliminate unfit cells. Cell competition can result from short-range biochemical inductions or long-range mechanical cues. However, little is known about how cell-scale interactions give rise to population shifts in tissues, due to the lack of experimental and computational tools to efficiently characterize interactions at the single-cell level. Here, we address these challenges by combining long-term automated microscopy with deep-learning image analysis to decipher how single-cell behavior determines tissue makeup during competition. Using our high-throughput analysis pipeline, we show that competitive interactions between MDCK wild-type cells and cells depleted of the polarity protein scribble are governed by differential sensitivity to local density and the cell type of each cell's neighbors. We find that local density has a dramatic effect on the rate of division and apoptosis under competitive conditions. Strikingly, our analysis reveals that proliferation of the winner cells is up-regulated in neighborhoods mostly populated by loser cells. These data suggest that tissue-scale population shifts are strongly affected by cellular-scale tissue organization. We present a quantitative mathematical model that demonstrates the effect of neighbor cell-type dependence of apoptosis and division in determining the fitness of competing cell lines.

Asymmetry at cell-cell interfaces direct cell sorting, boundary formation, and tissue morphogenesis

During development, cells of seemingly homogenous character sort themselves out into distinct compartments in order to generate cell types with specialized features that support tissue morphogenesis and function. This process is often driven by receptors at the cell membrane that probe the extracellular microenvironment for specific ligands and alter downstream signaling pathways impacting transcription, cytoskeletal organization, and cell adhesion to regulate cell sorting and subsequent boundary formation. This review will focus on two of these receptor families, Eph and Notch, both of which are intrinsically non-adhesive and are activated by a unique set of ligands that are asymmetrically distributed from their receptor on neighboring cells. Understanding the requirement of asymmetric ligand-receptor signaling at the membrane under homeostatic conditions gives insight into how misregulation of these pathways contributes to boundary disruption in diseases like cancer.

Inference of Cell Mechanics in Heterogeneous Epithelial Tissue Based on Multivariate Clone Shape Quantification

Cell populations in multicellular organisms show genetic and non-genetic heterogeneity, even in undifferentiated tissues of multipotent cells during development and tumorigenesis. The heterogeneity causes difference of mechanical properties, such as, cell bond tension or adhesion, at the cell–cell interface, which determine the shape of clonal population boundaries via cell sorting or mixing. The boundary shape could alter the degree of cell–cell contacts and thus influence the physiological consequences of sorting or mixing at the boundary (e.g., tumor suppression or progression), suggesting that the cell mechanics could help clarify the physiology of heterogeneous tissues. While precise inference of mechanical tension loaded at each cell–cell contacts has been extensively developed, there has been little progress on how to distinguish the population-boundary geometry and identify the cause of geometry in heterogeneous tissues. We developed a pipeline by combining multivariate analysis of clone shape with tissue mechanical simulations. We examined clones with four different genotypes within Drosophila wing imaginal discs: wild-type, tartan (trn) overexpression, hibris (hbs) overexpression, and Eph RNAi. Although the clones were previously known to exhibit smoothed or convoluted morphologies, their mechanical properties were unknown. By applying a multivariate analysis to multiple criteria used to quantify the clone shapes based on individual cell shapes, we found the optimal criteria to distinguish not only among the four genotypes, but also non-genetic heterogeneity from genetic one. The efficient segregation of clone shape enabled us to quantitatively compare experimental data with tissue mechanical simulations. As a result, we identified the mechanical basis contributed to clone shape of distinct genotypes. The present pipeline will promote the understanding of the functions of mechanical interactions in heterogeneous tissue in a non-invasive manner.