The biophysical properties of cells change with cancer invasion to fulfill their metastatic behavior. Cell softening induced by cancer is highly associated with alterations in cytoskeleton fibers. Changes in the mechanical properties of cytoskeletal fibers have not been quantified due to technical limitations. In this study, we used the micropipette aspiration technique to calculate and compare the viscoelastic properties of non-invasive and invasive breast cancer cells. We evaluated the mechanical properties of actin fibers and microtubules of two cancerous cell lines by using multiscale tensegrity modeling and an optimization method. Cancer invasion caused altered viscoelastic behavior of cells and the results of modeling showed changes in mechanical properties of major cytoskeleton fibers. The stiffness and viscosity constant of actin fibers in non-invasive cells were 1.28 and 2.27 times higher than those of the invasive cells, respectively. However, changes in mechanical properties of microtubules were minor. Immunofluorescent staining of fibers and their quantified distributions confirmed altered actin distribution among two cell lines, in contrast to microtubule distribution. This study highlights the function of cytoskeletal fibers in cancer progression, which could be of interest in designing therapeutic strategies to target cancer progress.

Graphical abstract

中文翻译：

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由于乳腺癌侵袭而改变肌动蛋白纤维的机械性能：基于微量移液器抽吸和多尺度张拉整体模型的参数识别

细胞的生物物理特性随着癌症侵袭而改变，以实现其转移行为。癌症引起的细胞软化与细胞骨架纤维的改变高度相关。由于技术限制，细胞骨架纤维机械性能的变化尚未量化。在这项研究中，我们使用微量移液器抽吸技术来计算和比较非侵入性和侵入性乳腺癌细胞的粘弹性。我们通过使用多尺度张拉整体模型和优化方法评估了两种癌细胞系的肌动蛋白纤维和微管的机械性能。癌症侵袭导致细胞粘弹性行为改变，建模结果显示主要细胞骨架纤维的机械特性发生变化。非侵入细胞中肌动蛋白纤维的刚度和粘度常数分别比侵入细胞高 1.28 和 2.27 倍。然而，微管机械性能的变化很小。与微管分布相反，纤维的免疫荧光染色及其定量分布证实了两种细胞系中肌动蛋白分布的改变。这项研究强调了细胞骨架纤维在癌症进展中的作用，这可能有助于设计针对癌症进展的治疗策略。与微管分布相反，纤维的免疫荧光染色及其定量分布证实了两种细胞系中肌动蛋白分布的改变。这项研究强调了细胞骨架纤维在癌症进展中的作用，这可能有助于设计针对癌症进展的治疗策略。与微管分布相反，纤维的免疫荧光染色及其定量分布证实了两种细胞系中肌动蛋白分布的改变。这项研究强调了细胞骨架纤维在癌症进展中的作用，这可能有助于设计针对癌症进展的治疗策略。

图形概要