title: Shape in migration: quantitative image analysis of migrating chemoresistant HCT-8 colon cancer cells.
abstract: Unsuccessful cytotoxic anticancer treatments may contribute to tumor morphologic instability and consequent tissue invasion, promoting the selection of a more malignant phenotype. Indeed, morphological changes have been demonstrated to be more pronounced in strongly vs. weakly metastatic cells. By means of normalized bending energy, we have previously quantitatively defined the link between cell shape modifications and the acquisition of a more malignant phenotype by 5-FU-resistant colon cancer cells (HCT-8FUres). Such changes were significantly correlated with an increase in motility speed. Herein, we propose a method to quantitatively analyze the shape of wild and chemoresistant HCT-8 migration front cells during wound healing assay. We evaluated the reliability of parameters (area/perimeter ratio [A/p], circularity, roundness, fractal dimension, and solidity) in describing the biological behavior of the two cell lines, enabling hence in distinguishing the chemoresistant line from the other one. We found solidity index the parameter that better described the difference between chemoresistant and wild cells. Moreover, solidity is able to capture the differences between chemoresistant and wild cells at each time point of the migration process. Indeed, motility speed was found to be inversely correlated with solidity, a quantitative index of cell deformability. Deformability is an outstanding hallmark of the process leading to metastatic spread; consequently, solidity may be considered a marker of acquired metastatic property.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery "P. Valdoni"; "Sapienza" University of Rome; Roma, Italy; Department of Neuroscience and Imaging; Section of Physiology and Physiopathology; University "G. d'Annunzio"; Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pasqualato
authors.affiliation: Farnia S.r.l.; Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery "P. Valdoni"; "Sapienza" University of Rome; Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cucina
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery "P. Valdoni"; "Sapienza" University of Rome; Roma, Italy; Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine; "Sapienza" University of Rome; Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dinicola
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery "P. Valdoni"; "Sapienza" University of Rome; Roma, Italy; Department of Experimental Medicine; "Sapienza" University of Rome; Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Anselmi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery "P. Valdoni"; "Sapienza" University of Rome; Roma, Italy; Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine; "Sapienza" University of Rome; Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Proietti
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery "P. Valdoni"; "Sapienza" University of Rome; Roma, Italy; Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine; "Sapienza" University of Rome; Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Masiello
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery "P. Valdoni"; "Sapienza" University of Rome; Roma, Italy; University of Rome "Tor Vergata"; Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palombo
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine; "Sapienza" University of Rome; Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bizzarri
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics*; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000235:genetics*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: cell shape; chemoresistance; deformability; metastasis; solidity; wound healing assay