Matrix Stiffness Induces Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition Via Piezo1-regulated Calcium Flux in Prostate Cancer Cells

Overview

Journal iScience

Publisher Cell Press

Date 2023 Mar 23

PMID 36950111

Authors

Maria Lopez-Cavestany

Su Bin Hahn

Jacob M Hope

Noah T Reckhorn

Joshua D Greenlee

Samantha C Schwager

Jacob A VanderBurgh

Cynthia A Reinhart-King

Michael R King

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Cells utilize calcium channels as one of the main signaling mechanisms to sense changes in the extracellular space and convert these changes to intracellular signals. Calcium regulates several key signaling networks, such as the induction of EMT. The current study expands on the understanding of how EMT is controlled via the mechanosensitive calcium channel Piezo1 in cancerous cells, which senses changes in the extracellular matrix stiffness. We model the biophysical environment of healthy and cancerous prostate tissue using polyacrylamide gels of different stiffnesses. Significant increases in calcium steady-state concentration, vimentin expression, and aspect ratio, and decreases in E-cadherin expression were observed by increasing matrix stiffness and also after treatment with Yoda1, a chemical agonist of Piezo1. Overall, this study concludes that Piezo1-regulated calcium flux plays a role in prostate cancer cell metastatic potential by sensing changes in ECM stiffness and modulating EMT markers.

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