Extracellular protonation modulates cell-cell interaction mechanics and tissue invasion in human melanoma cells.

ABSTRACT: Detachment of cells from the primary tumour precedes metastatic progression by facilitating cell release into the tissue. Solid tumours exhibit altered pH homeostasis with extracellular acidification. In human melanoma, the Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger NHE1 is an important modifier of the tumour nanoenvironment. Here we tested the modulation of cell-cell-adhesion by extracellular pH and NHE1. MV3 tumour spheroids embedded in a collagen matrix unravelled the efficacy of cell-cell contact loosening and 3D emigration into an environment mimicking physiological confinement. Adhesive interaction strength between individual MV3 cells was quantified using atomic force microscopy and validated by multicellular aggregation assays. Extracellular acidification from pH_e7.4 to 6.4

SUBMITTER: Hofschroer V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5304230 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature