Solid stress compression enhances breast cancer cell migration through the upregulation of Interleukin-6

Apart from biochemical signals, tumour cells respond to biophysical and mechanical cues from their environment. The mechanical forces from the tumour microenvironment could be in the form of shear stress, tension, or solid stress compression. In this study, we explore the effects of solid stress com...

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Main Authors: Farouq Azizan, Ryna Shireen Sheriff, Corinna Jie Hui Goh, Keng Hwee Chiam, Cheng-Gee Koh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1541953/full
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author Farouq Azizan
Ryna Shireen Sheriff
Corinna Jie Hui Goh
Keng Hwee Chiam
Cheng-Gee Koh
author_facet Farouq Azizan
Ryna Shireen Sheriff
Corinna Jie Hui Goh
Keng Hwee Chiam
Cheng-Gee Koh
author_sort Farouq Azizan
collection DOAJ
description Apart from biochemical signals, tumour cells respond to biophysical and mechanical cues from their environment. The mechanical forces from the tumour microenvironment could be in the form of shear stress, tension, or solid stress compression. In this study, we explore the effects of solid stress compression on tumour cells. Solid stress compression, a prevalent biomechanical stimulus accumulated during tumour growth, has been shown to enhance invasive and metastatic phenotypes in cancer cells. However, the underlying molecular mechanism that elicits this aggressive metastatic phenotype, especially in breast cancer, is not extensively studied. Using an established 2D in vitro setup to apply incremental solid stress compression, we found that migratory and invasive capacities of aggressive breast cancer cells were enhanced in a biphasic manner. We also found that the transcript and protein levels of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and SNAI1 were upregulated in response to solid stress. The resultant increased secretion of IL-6 could in turn lead to autocrine activation of downstream signalling pathways and impact on cancer cell migration and invasion.
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issn 2296-634X
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publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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series Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
spelling doaj-art-bf0abd7f93e24c8c8a78533095daeeb22025-08-20T02:55:42ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology2296-634X2025-04-011310.3389/fcell.2025.15419531541953Solid stress compression enhances breast cancer cell migration through the upregulation of Interleukin-6Farouq Azizan0Ryna Shireen Sheriff1Corinna Jie Hui Goh2Keng Hwee Chiam3Cheng-Gee Koh4School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, SingaporeSchool of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, SingaporeBioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), Biopolis, Singapore, SingaporeBioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), Biopolis, Singapore, SingaporeSchool of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, SingaporeApart from biochemical signals, tumour cells respond to biophysical and mechanical cues from their environment. The mechanical forces from the tumour microenvironment could be in the form of shear stress, tension, or solid stress compression. In this study, we explore the effects of solid stress compression on tumour cells. Solid stress compression, a prevalent biomechanical stimulus accumulated during tumour growth, has been shown to enhance invasive and metastatic phenotypes in cancer cells. However, the underlying molecular mechanism that elicits this aggressive metastatic phenotype, especially in breast cancer, is not extensively studied. Using an established 2D in vitro setup to apply incremental solid stress compression, we found that migratory and invasive capacities of aggressive breast cancer cells were enhanced in a biphasic manner. We also found that the transcript and protein levels of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and SNAI1 were upregulated in response to solid stress. The resultant increased secretion of IL-6 could in turn lead to autocrine activation of downstream signalling pathways and impact on cancer cell migration and invasion.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1541953/fullsolid stress compressioncell migrationInterleukin-6mechanosensitive genestranscriptome
spellingShingle Farouq Azizan
Ryna Shireen Sheriff
Corinna Jie Hui Goh
Keng Hwee Chiam
Cheng-Gee Koh
Solid stress compression enhances breast cancer cell migration through the upregulation of Interleukin-6
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
solid stress compression
cell migration
Interleukin-6
mechanosensitive genes
transcriptome
title Solid stress compression enhances breast cancer cell migration through the upregulation of Interleukin-6
title_full Solid stress compression enhances breast cancer cell migration through the upregulation of Interleukin-6
title_fullStr Solid stress compression enhances breast cancer cell migration through the upregulation of Interleukin-6
title_full_unstemmed Solid stress compression enhances breast cancer cell migration through the upregulation of Interleukin-6
title_short Solid stress compression enhances breast cancer cell migration through the upregulation of Interleukin-6
title_sort solid stress compression enhances breast cancer cell migration through the upregulation of interleukin 6
topic solid stress compression
cell migration
Interleukin-6
mechanosensitive genes
transcriptome
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1541953/full
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AT kenghweechiam solidstresscompressionenhancesbreastcancercellmigrationthroughtheupregulationofinterleukin6
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