Microsphere-Based Nanoindentation for the Monitoring of Cellular Cortical Stiffness Regulated by MT1-MMP

Minhee Ku, Hyun Joon Kim, Su Yee Yau, Nara Yoon, Nam Hee Kim, Jong In Yook, Jin Suck Suh, Dae Eun Kim, Jaemoon Yang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Biophysical properties are intimately connected to metastatic functions and aggressiveness in cancers. Especially, cellular stiffness is regarded as a biomarker for the understanding of metastatic potential and drug sensitivity. Here, protease-mediated changes of cortical stiffness are identified due to the deformation of cytoskeleton alignment at a cortex. For the past few decades, membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) has been well known as a kernel protease enriched in podosomes during metastasis for extracellular matrix degradation. However, the biophysical significance of MT1-MMP expressing cancer cells is still unknown. Therefore, the nanomechanics of cancer cells is analyzed by a nanoindentation using a microsphere-attached cantilever of atomic force microscopy (AFM). In conclusion, the results suggest that MT1-MMP has contributed as a key regulator in cytoskeletal deformation related with cancer metastasis. Particularly, the AFM-based nanoindentation system for the monitoring of cortical nanomechanics will be crucial to understand molecular networks in cancers.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1803000
JournalSmall
Volume14
Issue number41
DOIs
StatePublished - 11 Oct 2018

Keywords

  • atomic force microscopy
  • cancer mechanobiology
  • cortical stiffness
  • MT1-MMP
  • nanoindentation

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