Compressive stress against brain tumors: its effect on tumor cell growth and the underlying molecular mechanism

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Pressio neuro-brain science: principle for brain function development through compressive stresses under physiological or pathological condition
• Project/Area Number: 21H05127
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Review Section: Transformative Research Areas, Section (III)
• Research Institution: Kanazawa Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Hirata Hiroaki 金沢工業大学, バイオ・化学部, 教授 (90414028)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-23 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: メカノバイオロジー / 腫瘍細胞塊 / 三次元培養 / スフェロイド / 細胞増殖 / 力学相互作用

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Research using 2D culture systems has reported that proliferation of cancer cells is regulated by forces acting between neighboring cells. However, mechanical interactions between tumors and surrounding tissues in the 3D environment, and their impact on tumor cell proliferation, have remained unclear. In this study, we successfully visualized and quantified the mechanical interactions between growing cancer cell masses and the surrounding 3D extracellular matrix. Contrary to expectations, cancer cell masses growing within the extracellular matrix were found to continuously drag, rather than push, the surrounding matrix. It was suggested that myosin-generated force was involved in this dragging of the matrix, and inhibiting this process was suggested to suppress the growth of cancer cell masses.

Free Research Field

メカノバイオロジー

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、３次元環境でのがん細胞塊とそれを取り囲む細胞外基質との間の予想外の力学相互作用を明らかにすることができた。この力学相互作用ががん細胞塊の成長に関わっていることを示唆する結果も得られたことから、今後、力学相互作用を調節/操作する手法を開発することでがんの新規抑制・治療法の開発へつながることが期待される。