ABSTRACT: This model builds upon two published models focused on the early steps of metastasis by Cohen et al. and on EMT process by Selvaggio et. al. The initial model of Cohen and colleagues was built with two inputs: the ECMenv, which monitored the status of the extracellular matrix, and DNA_damage, which considered DNA alterations that trigger death signals. Four additional inputs were added to account for the presence of Oxygen, growth factors (as GF), TGFbeta and the contact with other neighboring cells (as Neigh). The phenotypes, or outputs of the model include CellCycleArrest, Apoptosis, EMT, ECM_adh (for cell adhesion), ECM_degrad (for cell degradation), Cell_growth (for the dynamics of the tumor growth) and Cell_freeze (for cell motility ability). New genes and pathways include mechanisms around p63 and SRC. Genes from the Hippo pathway and RhoGTPases, such as YAP1, FAK and RAC1 were also inserted to link external signals (i.e., cell–cell contact, stiffness of the extracellular matrix, and stress signals) and intracellular regulation. The resulting network encompasses 45 nodes, with 6 input nodes, representing the possible interactions of an individual cell with external elements, and 8 output nodes or read-outs describing the possible observed phenotypes.
This model was initially developed as a MaBoSS model for a multi-scale model of tumor invasion, developed with PhysiBoSS. As SBML-qual cannot describe fully a MaBoSS model yet, we also include the MaBoSS BND and CFG files.