Electromagnetic fields alter the motility of metastatic breast cancer cells
Abstract
Interactions between cells and their environment influence key physiologic processes such as their propensity to migrate. However, directed migration controlled by extrinsically applied electrical signals is poorly understood. Using a novel microfluidic platform, we found that metastatic breast cancer cells sense and respond to the net direction of weak (∼100 µV cm−1), asymmetric, non-contact induced Electric Fields (iEFs). iEFs inhibited EGFR (Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor) activation, prevented formation of actin-rich filopodia, and hindered the motility of EGF-treated breast cancer cells. The directional effects of iEFs were nullified by inhibition of Akt phosphorylation. Moreover, iEFs in combination with Akt inhibitor reduced EGF-promoted motility below the level of untreated controls. These results represent a step towards isolating the coupling mechanism between cell motility and iEFs, provide valuable insights into how iEFs target multiple diverging cancer cell signaling mechanisms, and demonstrate that electrical signals are a fundamental regulator of cancer cell migration.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Aug 08, 2019
- Source ID
- 10.1038/s42003-019-0550-z
Entities
People
- Ayush Arpit Garg
- Deepa Subramaniam
- Dinesh K. Ahirwar
- Jessica Ferree
- Jonathan W. Song
- Kirti Kaul
- Prabhat Kumar
- Ramesh K. Ganju
- Sanjay Mishra
- Sarah M. Moss
- Travis H. Jones
- Vish V. Subramaniam
Organizations
- American Cancer Society
- Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
- Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems
- Division of Materials Research
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute