Researchers from National University of Science and Technology MISIS, along with partners from Kanazawa University and institutions in London, have identified changes in the elasticity of the cell surface as a potential cancer marker. The team shared these findings with socialbites.ca, highlighting a link between disease progression, anticancer treatment, and mechanical properties of cells.
In metastatic melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer, tumor development begins in the lowest layer of the epidermis. Melanoma cells then progress into the middle skin layers and can intrude into the blood or lymphatic systems. To probe the mechanical state of these cells, scientists employed a scanning ion conductance microscope, a cutting-edge instrument that measures how easily a cell resists deformation. This device, the only one of its kind in Russia, is housed at MISIS. Using it, researchers quantified Young’s modulus, a metric describing a material’s resistance to tension or compression. The results showed that cancer cells exhibit a reduced Young’s modulus, indicating a drop in rigidity compared with healthy cells.
The study also explored how different anticancer drugs impact the Young’s modulus and the cytoskeleton of these cancerous cells. The cytoskeleton, a network of microtubules, is essential for cell division and structural integrity. By observing changes after drug exposure, the team sought to understand how therapeutic agents alter cellular mechanics and what that might mean for treatment outcomes.
In trials with three anticancer drugs, investigators tracked shifts in elastic modulus following treatment. The data revealed that both paclitaxel and cisplatin markedly increased the Young’s modulus and enhanced the density of microtubules within the cytoskeleton. These changes suggest a stiffening effect on cancer cells and a disruption of their division machinery. Among the drugs tested, paclitaxel emerged as the most effective at inhibiting cell division, aligning with its known mechanism of stabilizing microtubules. By contrast, dacarbazine produced a reduction in the elastic modulus, indicating a softening effect on the cells after treatment.
These observations point to a meaningful link between mechanical properties of tumor cells and their response to chemotherapy. If validated in broader studies, measuring cell elasticity could become part of a diagnostic or prognostic toolkit, helping clinicians gauge tumor aggressiveness and monitor therapeutic efficacy in real time. The use of advanced microscopy to quantify stiffness offers a complementary perspective to molecular biomarkers, potentially enriching the clinical decision-making process for melanoma and possibly other cancers.
The research team notes that while the findings are promising, additional work is needed to translate these mechanical indicators into routine clinical practice. Factors such as tumor heterogeneity, microenvironmental influences, and the effects of combination therapies require careful consideration. Still, the demonstrated relationship between drug-induced changes in elasticity and cytoskeletal organization provides a compelling direction for future studies aimed at refining cancer diagnostics and optimizing treatment strategies.
Overall, the study underscores the value of integrating physical properties with molecular data to understand cancer biology more completely. The ability to detect shifts in cell stiffness, linked to cytoskeletal dynamics, offers a novel angle on how malignant cells respond to therapy and how their mechanical profile can inform better, more personalized care for patients facing melanoma and related cancers.