Actin cytoskeletal structure and the statistical variations of the mechanical properties of non-tumorigenic breast and triple-negative breast cancer cells

• Published in: Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials 2021-07, Vol.119, p.104505-104505, Article 104505
• Main Authors: Onwudiwe, Killian, Hu, Jingjie, Obayemi, John, Uzonwanne, Vanessa, Ani, Chukwuemeka, Nwazojie, Chukwudalu, Onyekanne, Chinyerem, Ezenwafor, Theresa, Odusanya, Olushola, Soboyejo, Winston
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actin cytoskeleton; Shear assay technique; Statistical variations; Viscoelastic properties
• ISSN: 1751-6161; 1878-0180
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104505

This paper presents the results of a study of the actin cytoskeletal structures and the statistical variations in the actin fluorescence intensities and viscoelastic properties of non-tumorigenic breast cells and triple-negative breast cancer cells at different stages of tumor progression. The variation in the actin content of the cell cytoskeletal structures is shown to be consistent with the viscoelastic properties of the cell as it progresses from non-tumorigenic to more metastatic states. The corresponding viscoelastic properties of the nuclei and the cytoplasm (Young's moduli, viscosities, and relaxation times) of the cells are also measured using Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and shear assay techniques. These properties are shown to exhibit statistical variations that are well characterized by normal distributions. The changes in the mean properties of individual cancer cells are tested using Fisher pairwise comparisons and the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The implications of the results are then discussed for the development of shear assay techniques and mechanical biomarkers for the detection of triple-negative breast cancer at different stages of tumor progression. •Measurement of Young's moduli, viscosities, and relaxation times of non-tumorigenic cells versus metastatic cells.•New insights in the measurement of actin cytoskeletal structure fluorescence intensities of cells.•New insights in finding the average Young's moduli of non-tumorigenic cells versus metastatic cells.•Statistical variations of moduli, viscosities, and relaxation times of cells.•Combined shear assay and DIC methods to measure cell mechanical properties.