文章基本信息

标题：Single cell analysis of mechanical properties and EMT-related gene expression profiles in cancer fingers
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作者：Heng Zou ; Zihan Yang ; Yuen-San Chan 等
期刊名称：iScience
印刷版ISSN：2589-0042
出版年度：2022
卷号：25
期号：3
页码：1-15
DOI：10.1016/j.isci.2022.103917
语种：English
出版社：Elsevier
摘要：SummaryCollective cell migration is associated with cancer metastasis. Cancer fingers are formed when groups of migrating cancer cells follow the leader cells in the front. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical process of cancer metastasis. However, the role of EMT in cancer finger formation remains unclear. In this work, we investigated the EMT-associated mechanical properties and gene expression at single-cell levels in non-small lung cancer fingers. We found that leader cells were more elastic and less sticky than follower cells. Spatial EMT-related gene expression profiling in cancer fingers revealed cellular heterogeneity. Particularly, SNAIL and VIM were found to be two key genes that positively correlated with leader cell phenotypes and controlled cancer finger formation. Silencing either SNAIL or VIM, decreased cancer cell elasticity, cancer finger formation and migration, and increased adhesiveness. These findings indicated that SNAIL and VIM are two driver genes for cancer finger formation.Graphical abstractDisplay OmittedHighlights•Spatial mapping of EMT genes and mechanical properties of cancer finger at single cell level•Cancer cell elasticity and adhesiveness are two physical biomarkers for leader cells•SNAIL and VIM drive finger cell formation and are potential targets for therapyCell biology; Cancer; Transcriptomics