Evolution of tumor invasiveness: the adaptive tumor microenvironment landscape model.

ABSTRACT: Interactions between cancer cells and their microenvironment are crucial for promoting tumor growth and invasiveness. In the tumor adaptive landscape model, hypoxic and acidic microenvironmental conditions reduce the fitness of cancer cells and significantly restrict their proliferation. This selects for enhanced motility as cancer cells may evolve an invasive phenotype if the consequent cell movement is rewarded by proliferation. Here, we used an integrative approach combining a mathematical tumor adaptive landscape model with experimental studies to examine the evolutionary dynamics that promote an invasive cancer phenotype. Computer simulation results hypothesized an explicit coupling of motility and proliferation in cancer cells. The mathematical modeling results were also experimental

SUBMITTER: Lee HO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3197231 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature