Predicting Metastasis with a Novel Biophysical Cell-Adhesion Force Technique

Metastasis accounts for approximately 90% of all cancer deaths, but current methods of metastasis prediction rely on genome-sequence datasets that may not account for the complexity of metastasis. Measuring cell-adhesion force greatly simplifies the system, however, current techniques are expensive and inefficient. This work tests the novel bead-pipette diagnostic to distinguish between control NIH3T3 cells and mutated RasV12 cells (metastasis model) based on cell adhesion strength. Control cells and RasV12 cells were evaluated with wound healing, spreading area, and focal adhesion (FA) analysis assays to test metastatic potential. Then the cells were tested for adhesion force by the novel bead-pipette assay, which uses a fibronectin-coated bead and a glass micropipette. The RasV12 cells showed faster migration, polarized cell shape, and smaller FA area than control cells. 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 force-quantification assay was able to measure forces that distinguished the RasV12 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 develop as a drug or clinical screening trial for metastasis.