Prostate cancer exhibits a propensity to metastasize to the bone, which often leads to fatality. Bone metastasis is characterized by complex biochemical, morphological, pathophysiological, and genetic changes to cancer cells as they colonize at bone sites. In this study, we report the evaluation of MDA PCa2b prostate cancer cells' nanomechanical properties during the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) and during disease progression at the metastatic site. Bone-mimetic tissue-engineered 3D nanoclay scaffolds have been used to create in vitro metastatic site for prostate cancer. A significant softening of the prostate cancer cells during MET and further softening as disease progression occurs at metastasis is also reported. The significant reduction in elastic modulus of prostate cancer cells during MET was attributed to actin reorganization and depolymerization. This study provides input towards direct nanomechanical measurements to evaluate the time evolution of cells' mechanical behavior in tumors at bone metastasis site.

前列腺癌表现出转移至骨骼的倾向，这通常会导致死亡。骨转移的特点是癌细胞在骨部位定殖时发生复杂的生化、形态学、病理生理学和遗传变化。在这项研究中，我们报告了 MDA PCa2b 前列腺癌细胞在间充质到上皮转化 (MET) 期间和转移部位疾病进展期间的纳米力学特性的评估。仿骨组织工程 3D 纳米粘土支架已用于创建前列腺癌的体外转移部位。还报道了 MET 期间前列腺癌细胞显着软化，并且随着疾病进展在转移时发生进一步软化。 MET期间前列腺癌细胞弹性模量的显着降低归因于肌动蛋白重组和解聚。这项研究为直接纳米力学测量提供了输入，以评估骨转移部位肿瘤中细胞机械行为的时间演变。