Predicting Metastasis with a Novel Cell-Adhesion Quantification Method  

Metastasis accounts for approximately 90% of all cancer deaths. Current potential methods of predicting metastasis using genetic data are tedious, but studies have shown that metastasizing cells exert stronger forces than stationary cells. However, many methods of measuring cell adhesion force are expensive, inefficient, or only measure established FAs. This project focuses on the application of a novel force-quantification method -the bead-pipette assay- and its ability to distinguish between control NIH3T3 cells and mutated RasV12 cells (a well-studied cancer model) based on cell adhesion strength.

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Control and RasV12 cells were evaluated with wound healing, spreading area, and focal adhesion (FA) measurement and quantification assays to test metastatic potential. The cells’ adhesion force was measured by the novel bead-pipette assay, which uses a fibronectin-coated bead, a glass micropipette, and the equation for spring force to quantify cell adhesion force.

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The RasV12 cells showed characteristics of metastasis: faster migration, polarized cell shape, and smaller FA area and quantity, from the wound healing assay, spreading area assay, and FA analysis, respectively. With this evidence of metastatic potential, the RasV12 cells also exerted higher adhesion forces than control cells.

The RasV12 cells had metastatic potential compared to control. The novel bead-pipette assay was able to quantify forces that distinguished the RasV12 metastatic cells from the control cells. In addition, this novel force quantification technique allows for measurement of FA formation rate and is relatively cheap and accessible. In the future, it may have potential as a drug or clinical screening trial for metastasizing cells.