Association between Cell Microenvironment Altered by Gold Nanowire Array and Regulation of Partial Epithelial‐Mesenchymal Transition

Abstract

Cell microenvironment is an essential factor in determining cell growth and cell fate. Many studies have been carried out to understand the functions and mechanisms of small molecules or growth factors/cytokines; however, the effects of the physical environment on cells are relatively unknown. Changes in the cell's physical microenvironment affect cell adhesion and modify intracellular signaling controlled by adhesion properties, resulting in altering the cytoskeletal structure and cellular properties. Herein, it is demonstrated that the changes in cell adhesion can affect the epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) of epithelial cells by implementing a cell microenvironment with a gold (Au) nanowire array to influence cell adhesion. A forcible decrease in cell adhesion leads to the downregulation of epithelial biomarkers and the upregulation of mesenchymal biomarkers. The results of force‐distance experiments using atomic force microscopy showed that the overall stiffness of epithelial cells declined similarly to the case for mesenchymal‐like cells. With this comprehensive analysis of cellular properties, a physical microenvironment for cell adhesion alteration is suggested, that can induce mesenchymal characteristics in both epithelial and mesenchymal cells through partial EMT.

Magnetically Stimulated Integrin Binding Alters Cell Polarity and Affects Epithelial–Mesenchymal Plasticity in Metastatic Cancer Cells

“…Our previous studies showed that controlling the cell microenvironment with nanowire arrays influences changes in cell adhesion and alters the expression of paxillin, which is responsible for signal transduction among the protein complexes involved in integrin-mediated focal adhesion . The CME is the local environment around the cell, containing physical and chemical signals that can affect the cell growth and behavior.…”

“…42 Our previous studies showed that controlling the cell microenvironment with nanowire arrays influences changes in cell adhesion and alters the expression of paxillin, which is responsible for signal transduction among the protein complexes involved in integrin-mediated focal adhesion. 43 The CME is the local environment around the cell, containing physical and chemical signals that can affect the cell growth and behavior. The signals include extracellular matrix for cell adhesion, diverse cytokines, hormones, reactive species, local physical properties of a cell, and external stimulus through mechanical forces that induce alteration of protein expression inside a cell.…”

Silicon nanowire array overcomes chemotherapeutic resistance by inducing the differentiation of breast cancer stem cells

“…Biophysical cues such as electrical stimulation, mechanical properties, and surface topography can guide various stem cell differentiation 21,27,30 . Nanowires provide a unique microenvironment for transmitting specific stimulus to cells, in which decode the stimulus into biochemical signals 47 . However, the molecular mechanism of these stimulus on CSCs behavior has not been fully elucidated.…”

“…21,27,30 Nanowires provide a unique microenvironment for transmitting specific stimulus to cells, in which decode the stimulus into biochemical signals. 47 However, the molecular mechanism of these stimulus on CSCs behavior has not been fully elucidated. MSCs.…”

Biophysical cues of in vitro biomaterials-based artificial extracellular matrix guide cancer cell plasticity

“…Kim et al. [ 53 ] constructed a cell microenvironment by a template-based electrodeposition method and changed physical properties such as topography using gold nanowire arrays, which had a density characteristic of 86.17 ​± ​12.47 wire μm −2 (average diameter of nanowire ​= ​77.6 ​± ​5.2 ​nm; average length of nanowire ​= ​595 ​± ​161 ​nm). The Takai team [ 54 , 55 ] performed the investigation of microgroove-based structures of specific geometrical parameters with different angels (60–120°).…”