Regensburg 2016 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 49: Posters - Cell Mechanics and Migration & Physics of Cancer
BP 49.21: Poster
Mittwoch, 9. März 2016, 17:00–19:00, Poster C
Corellation of Adhesive and Viscoelastic Tumor Markers — •Erik W. Morawetz1, Lars Christian Horn2, Michael Höckel3, and Josef A. Käs1 — 1Universität Leipzig, Physik der weichen Materie, Fakultät für Physik und Geowissenschaften, Leipzig, Deutschland — 2Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Institut für Pathologie, Leipzig, Deutschland — 3Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Klinik für Frauenheilkunde, Leipzig, Deutschland
Compartmentalization is a developmental process, functioning independently from the generation of organ structures. Metastasizing cancer cells are able to pass organ boundaries, but seem to be restricted by compartmental ones, as impressively shown by the success of the Leipzig School of Radical Pelvic Surgery. A transition to different cellular phenotypes is necessary to surpass compartment boundaries, including changes in protein expression, e.g. levels of the Cadherin (Cad) family of adhesion molecules, as well as altered physical properties of the cell body. Cancer cells become softer, providing possibilities for migration and cellular streaming and Cad expression is shifted from E- to P- and N-Cad, what is linked to the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. We conduct clinical studies to directly correlate this two fundamental markers. By the means of optical rheology, coupled with fluorescence microscopy, we are able to link E-Cad levels to viscoelastic properties in the case of tumor samples. Control experiments show no correlations, hinting at the basic change in developmental levels of cancer cells. This interplay of tumor markers in combination with theoretical models may shed new light on mechanisms and development of cancer.