title: Nano-mechanical signature of brain tumours.
abstract: Glioblastoma (GBM) and meningothelial meningioma (MM) are the most frequent malignant and benign brain lesions, respectively. Mechanical cues play a major role in the progression of both malignancies that is modulated by the occurrence of aberrant physical interactions between neoplastic cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Here we investigate the nano-mechanical properties of human GBM and MM tissues by atomic force microscopy. Our measures unveil the mechanical fingerprint of the main hallmark features of both lesions, such as necrosis in GBM and dural infiltration in MM. These findings have the potential to positively impact on the development of novel AFM-based diagnostic methods to assess the tumour grade. Most importantly, they provide a quantitative description of the tumour-induced mechanical modifications in the brain ECM, thus being of potential help in the search for novel ECM targets for brain tumours and especially for GBM that, despite years of intense research, has still very limited therapeutic options.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy. massimiliano.papi@unicatt.it.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciasca
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Division of Neurosurgery, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico, 155 Rome, Italy 00161.
authors.forename: Tanya Enny
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Sassun
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy. massimiliano.papi@unicatt.it.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6415-491X
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Minelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Manila
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Antonelli
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy. massimiliano.papi@unicatt.it.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Division of Neurosurgery, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico, 155 Rome, Italy 00161.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Felice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giangaspero
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Division of Neurosurgery, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico, 155 Rome, Italy 00161.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Delfini
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy. massimiliano.papi@unicatt.it.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Spirito
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008875:Middle Aged; D036103:Nanotechnology