Fluidity of Poly (?-Caprolactone)-Based Material Induces Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:We propose the potential studies on material fluidity to induce epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in MCF-7 cells. In this study, we examined for the first time the effect of material fluidity on EMT using poly(?-caprolactone-co-D,L-lactide) (P(CL-co-DLLA)) with tunable elasticity and fluidity. METHODS:The fluidity was altered by chemically crosslinking the polymer networks. The crosslinked P(CL-co-DLLA) substrate showed a solid-like property with a stiffness of 261 kPa, while the non-crosslinked P(CL-co-DLLA) substrate of 100 units (high fluidity) and 500 units (low fluidity) existed in a quasi-liquid state with loss modulus of 33 kPa and 30.8 kPa, respectively, and storage modulus of 10.8 kPa and 20.1 kPa, respectively. RESULTS:We observed that MCF-7 cells on low fluidic substrates decreased the expression of E-cadherin, an epithelial marker, and increased expression of vimentin, a mesenchymal marker. This showed that the cells lose their epithelial phenotype and gain a mesenchymal property. On the other hand, MCF-7 cells on high fluidic substrates maintained their epithelial phenotype, suggesting that the cells did not undergo EMT. CONCLUSION:Considering these results as the fundamental information for material fluidity induced EMT, our system could be used to regulate the degree of EMT by turning the fluidity of the material.

SUBMITTER: Mano SS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7084864 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature