Interstitial flows regulate collective cell migration heterogeneity through adhesion

TL;DR

This paper develops a stochastic theory to understand how interstitial flows influence cancer cell migration heterogeneity by modulating adhesion interactions and cell motility phenotypes, revealing flow-induced directed motion.

Contribution

It introduces a novel stochastic model linking biophysical cues, adhesion, and fluid flows to cell migration heterogeneity and plasticity during cancer metastasis.

Findings

Interstitial flows promote amoeboid over mesenchymal motility.

Flow induces a dynamical slowdown of collective migration.

Mesenchymal cells are more persistent and diffusive.

Abstract

The migration behaviors of cancer cells are known to be heterogeneous. However, the interplay between the adhesion interactions, dynamical shape changes and fluid flows in regulating cell migration heterogeneity and plasticity during cancer metastasis is still elusive. To further quantitative understanding of cell motility and morphology, we develop a theory using stochastic quantization method that describes the role of biophysical cues in regulating diverse cell motility. We show that the cumulative effect of time dependent adhesion interactions that determine the structural rearrangements and self-generated force due to actin remodeling, dictate the super-diffusive motion of mesenchymal phenotype in the absence of flow. Interstitial flows regulate cell motility phenotype and promote the amoeboid over mesenchymal motility through adhesion interactions. Cells exhibit a dynamical slowing down of collective migration, with a decreasing degree of super-diffusion. Mesenchymal cells are more persistent and diffusive compared to amoeboid cells. Our findings, suggest a mechanism of Interstitial flow induced directed motion of cancer cells through adhesion, and provide the much needed insight into a recent experimental observation concerning the diverse motility of breast cancer cells.