title: Differential effects of EGF gradient profiles on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell chemotaxis.
abstract: Chemotaxis, directed cell migration in a gradient of chemoattractant, is an important biological phenomenon that plays pivotal roles in cancer metastasis. Newly developed microfluidic chemotaxis chambers (MCC) were used to study chemotaxis of metastatic breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231, in EGF gradients of well-defined profiles. Migration behaviors of MDA-MB-231 cells in uniform concentrations of EGF (0, 25, 50, and 100 ng/ml) and EGF (0-25, 0-50, and 0-100 ng/ml) with linear and nonlinear polynomial profiles were investigated. MDA-MB-231 cells exhibited increased speed and directionality upon stimulation with uniform concentrations of EGF. The cells were viable and motile for over 24 h, confirming the compatibility of MCC with cancer cells. Linear concentration gradients of different ranges were not effective in inducing chemotactic movement as compared to nonlinear gradients. MDA-MB-231 cells migrating in EGF gradient of 0-50 ng/ml nonlinear polynomial profile exhibited marked directional movement toward higher EGF concentration. This result suggests that MDA-MB-231 cancer cell chemotaxis depends on the shape of gradient profile as well as on the range of EGF concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92612, USA.
authors.forename: Shur-Jen
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wajeeh
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Saadi
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Connie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Minh-Canh Nguyen
authors.forename: Noo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li Jeon
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D003094:Collagen / Q000494:pharmacology; D015194:Diffusion Chambers, Culture; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007797:Laminin / Q000494:pharmacology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000494:pharmacology; D019096:Vitronectin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D007797:Laminin; D011509:Proteoglycans; D019096:Vitronectin; C059485:matrigel; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D003094:Collagen