title: Effect of neighboring cells on cell stiffness measured by optical tweezers indentation.
abstract: We report on the modification of mechanical properties of breast cancer cells when they get in contact with other neighboring cells of the same type. Optical tweezers vertical indentation was employed to investigate cell mechanics in isolated and contact conditions, by setting up stiffness as a marker. Two human breast cancer cell lines with different aggressiveness [MCF-7 (luminal breast cancer) and MDA-MB-231 (basal-like breast cancer)] and one normal immortalized breast cell line HBL-100 (normal and myoepithelial) were selected. We found that neighboring cells significantly alter cell stiffness: MDA-MB-231 becomes stiffer when in contact, while HBL-100 and MCF-7 exhibit softer character. Cell stiffness was probed at three cellular subregions: central (above nucleus), intermediate (cytoplasm), and near the leading edge. In an isolated condition, all cells showed a significant regional variation in stiffness: higher at the center and fading toward the leading edge. However, the regional variation becomes statistically insignificant when the cells were in contact with other neighboring cells. The proposed approach will contribute to understand the intriguing temporal sequential alterations in cancer cells during interaction with their surrounding microenvironment.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materials (IOM-CNR), Area Science Park, Basovizza, S.S. 14, Km 163.5, 34149 Trieste, ItalybUniversity of Trieste, PhD School of Nanotechnology, Via Alfonso Valerio 2, Trieste 34127, ItalycUniversity of Udine, Department of Biological and Medi.
authors.forename: Muhammad S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Yousafzai
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materials (IOM-CNR), Area Science Park, Basovizza, S.S. 14, Km 163.5, 34149 Trieste, ItalybUniversity of Trieste, PhD School of Nanotechnology, Via Alfonso Valerio 2, Trieste 34127, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Coceano
authors.affiliation: University of Udine, Department of Biological and Medical Science, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Piazzale Kolbe 4, Udine 33100, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mariutti
authors.affiliation: The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Via Beirut 6, Trieste 34149, ItalyeCheikh Anta Diop University, Department of Physics, Dakar 5005, Senegal.
authors.forename: Fatou
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ndoye
authors.affiliation: International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Neuroscience Area, Via Bonomea 265, Trieste 34136, Italy.
authors.forename: Ladan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.affiliation: The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Via Beirut 6, Trieste 34149, Italy.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Niemela
authors.affiliation: University of Trieste, Department of Medical Sciences, Cattinara Hospital, Strada di Fiume 447, Trieste 34149, Italy.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonin
authors.affiliation: University of Udine, Department of Biological and Medical Science, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Piazzale Kolbe 4, Udine 33100, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacinto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scoles
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materials (IOM-CNR), Area Science Park, Basovizza, S.S. 14, Km 163.5, 34149 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cojoc
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena; D060833:Cellular Microenvironment; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D052898:Optical Tweezers