ECM Stiffness as a Regulator of Tumor Cell Dissemination and Dormancy

我们假设致密的胶原基质创造了一个机械“应力”环境， 细胞侵袭和细胞代谢，并根据ECM组成， 在转移靶位点增殖或休眠。我们认为荧光的变化 NAD（P）H和FAD的寿命可用于1）在研究环境中跟踪和了解疾病 进展、巨噬细胞浸润、播散性肿瘤细胞（DTC）和休眠;以及2）发展为 在临床环境中使用，提供有关肿瘤进展和传播的早期信息。NAD（P）H 和FAD是用于临床用途的特别有吸引力的潜在生物标志物，因为它们是内源性信号， 无需外部标记，可在新鲜或固定活检样本中成像。这些问题将 在三个具体目标中解决：1）确定增加应力的局部区域（机械， 缺氧或低血糖）改变肿瘤和基质细胞的代谢特征; 2）研究 纤维化影响DTC的休眠和代谢特征的机制;3）确定 代谢和休眠特征是否是人类疾病阶段和结果的有用预测因子 HNSCC和乳腺癌患者。

We hypothesize that dense collagen matrices create a mechanical "stress" environment that alters cellular invasion and cellular metabolism, and promotes, depending on the ECM composition, proliferation or dormancy at metastatic target sites. We propose that changes in the fluorescence lifetime of NAD(P)H and FAD can be used 1) in the research setting to track and understand disease progression, macrophage infiltration, disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) and dormancy; and 2) developed for use in the clinical setting to provide early information about tumor progression and dissemination. NAD(P)H and FAD are particularly attractive potential biomarkers for clinical use, as they are endogenous signals that require no external label and can be imaged in fresh or fixed biopsy samples. These questions will be addressed in three specific aims: 1) Determine whether local regions of increased stress (mechanical, hypoxic or hypoglycemic) alter the metabolic signature of tumor and stromal cells; 2) Investigate mechanisms by which fibrosis affects the dormancy and metabolic signatures of DTCs ;3) Determine whether metabolic and dormancy signatures are useful predictors of stage and outcome in human HNSCC and breast cancer patients.