Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine
Volume 8, Issue 1 , Pages 93-102, January 2012

The effects of cancer progression on the viscoelasticity of ovarian cell cytoskeleton structures

  • Alperen N. Ketene, BSc

      Affiliations

    • Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
    • VT MEMS Lab, The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
    • ,
  • Eva M. Schmelz, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
    • ,
  • Paul C. Roberts, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
    • ,
  • Masoud Agah, PhD

      Affiliations

    • VT MEMS Lab, The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author: The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061.

Received 4 February 2011; accepted 19 May 2011. published online 06 June 2011.

Abstract 

Alterations in the biomechanical properties and cytoskeletal organization of cancer cells in addition to genetic changes have been correlated with their aggressive phenotype. In this study, we investigated changes in the viscoelasticity of mouse ovarian surface epithelial (MOSE) cells, a mouse model for progressive ovarian cancer. We demonstrate that the elasticity of late-stage MOSE cells (0.549 ± 0.281 kPa) were significantly less than that of their early-stage counterparts (1.097 ± 0.632 kPa). Apparent cell viscosity also decreased significantly from early (144.7 ± 102.4 Pa-s) to late stage (50.74 ± 29.72 Pa-s). This indicates that ovarian cells are stiffer and more viscous when they are benign. The increase in cell deformability directly correlates with the progression of a transformed phenotype from a nontumorigenic, benign cell to a tumorigenic, malignant one. The decrease in the level of actin in the cytoskeleton and its organization is directly associated with the changes in cell biomechanical property.

From the Clinical Editor

The authors have investigated changes in the viscoelasticity of mouse ovarian surface epithelial (MOSE) cells and demonstrated that ovarian cells are stiffer and more viscous when they are benign.

Graphical Abstract 

The use of Atomic Force Microscopy (top left figure item) for the study of mouse (top right figure item) ovarian cells that have transformed from the benign/healthy state to a malignant/diseased one (middle figure item). Studies have resulted in graphical data along with calculation of key mechanical property parameters in conjunction with cell cytoskeleton component images to link change mechanical behavior with alterations in physiological morphology (bottom left, middle, and right figure items).

Key words: Atomic Force Microscopy, Viscoelasticity, Biomechanics, Cytoskeleton, Ovarian cancer

 

 Conflict of interest: No conflict of interest was reported by the authors of this paper.

 E.M.S. and P.C.R. are supported in part by NIH/NCI CA118846. This study was made possible by the support of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Award No. ECCS-IDR 0925945 as well as the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS).

PII: S1549-9634(11)00184-5

doi:10.1016/j.nano.2011.05.012

Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine
Volume 8, Issue 1 , Pages 93-102, January 2012

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