The Mechanical Microenvironment in Breast Cancer
Abstract
Mechanotransduction is the interpretation of physical cues by cells through mechanosensation mechanisms that elegantly translate mechanical stimuli into biochemical signaling pathways. While mechanical stress and their resulting cellular responses occur in normal physiologic contexts, there are a variety of cancer-associated physical cues present in the tumor microenvironment that are pathological in breast cancer. Mechanistic in vitro data and in vivo evidence currently support three mechanical stressors as mechanical modifiers in breast cancer that will be the focus of this review: stiffness, interstitial fluid pressure, and solid stress. Increases in stiffness, interstitial fluid pressure, and solid stress are thought to promote malignant phenotypes in normal breast epithelial cells, as well as exacerbate malignant phenotypes in breast cancer cells.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Jun 03, 2020
- Source ID
- 10.3390/cancers12061452
Entities
People
- Rachel M Lee
- Stephen J.p. Pratt
- Stuart S. Martin
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Foundation for the National Institutes of Health