Computational/experimental evaluation of liver metastasis post hepatic injury: interactions with macrophages and transitional ECM.

ABSTRACT: The complex interactions between subclinical changes to hepatic extracellular matrix (ECM) in response to injury and tumor-associated macrophage microenvironmental cues facilitating metastatic cell seeding remain poorly understood. This study implements a combined computational modeling and experimental approach to evaluate tumor growth following hepatic injury, focusing on ECM remodeling and interactions with local macrophages. Experiments were performed to determine ECM density and macrophage-associated cytokine levels. Effects of ECM remodeling along with macrophage polarization on tumor growth were evaluated via computational modeling. For primary or metastatic cells in co-culture with macrophages, TNF-α levels were 5× higher with M1 vs. M2 macrophages. Metastatic cell co-culture exhib

SUBMITTER: Hudson SV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6803648 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature