Actin stress fiber organization promotes cell stiffening and proliferation of pre-invasive breast cancer cells
Tavares S, Vieira AF, Taubenberger AV, Araujo M, Martins NP, Bras-Pereira C, Polonia A, Herbig M, Barreto C, Otto O, Cardoso J, Pereira-Leal JB, Guck J, Paredes J, Janody F (2017)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2017
Journal
Book Volume: 8
Article Number: 15237
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15237
Abstract
Studies of the role of actin in tumour progression have highlighted its key contribution in cell softening associated with cell invasion. Here, using a human breast cell line with conditional Src induction, we demonstrate that cells undergo a stiffening state prior to acquiring malignant features. This state is characterized by the transient accumulation of stress fibres and upregulation of Ena/VASP-like (EVL). EVL, in turn, organizes stress fibres leading to transient cell stiffening, ERK-dependent cell proliferation, as well as enhancement of Src activation and progression towards a fully transformed state. Accordingly, EVL accumulates predominantly in premalignant breast lesions and is required for Src-induced epithelial overgrowth in Drosophila. While cell softening allows for cancer cell invasion, our work reveals that stress fibre-mediated cell stiffening could drive tumour growth during premalignant stages. A careful consideration of the mechanical properties of tumour cells could therefore offer new avenues of exploration when designing cancer-targeting therapies.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência
Portugal (PT)
Universidade do Porto
Portugal (PT)
Technische Universität Dresden
Germany (DE)
Portugal (PT)
Universidade do Porto
Portugal (PT)
Technische Universität Dresden
Germany (DE)
How to cite
APA:
Tavares, S., Vieira, A.F., Taubenberger, A.V., Araujo, M., Martins, N.P., Bras-Pereira, C.,... Janody, F. (2017). Actin stress fiber organization promotes cell stiffening and proliferation of pre-invasive breast cancer cells. Nature Communications, 8. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15237
MLA:
Tavares, Sandra, et al. "Actin stress fiber organization promotes cell stiffening and proliferation of pre-invasive breast cancer cells." Nature Communications 8 (2017).
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