Manipulation of the Nanoscale Presentation of Integrin Ligand Produces Cancer Cells with Enhanced Stemness and Robust Tumorigenicity

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c00501
• Publication Date: 2021-03-25T21:18:42Z
• Authors: Siu Hong Dexter Wong; Xiao Xu; Xi Chen; Ying Xin; Limei Xu; Chun Him Nathanae...; Jiwon Oh; Wai Ki Ricky Wong; Xuemei Wang; Shisong Han; Wenxing You; Xintao Shuai; Nathalie Wong; Youhua Tan; Li Duan; Liming Bian
• Keywords: 570; Integrins; Nanoscale tether mobility; Tumor mechanobiology; Magnetic actuation; Cancer stem-like cells; Ligands; Mechanotransduction, Cellular; 01 natural sciences; 3. Good health; 0104 chemical sciences; Cell Line, Tumor; Neoplasms; Neoplastic Stem Cells; Tumor Microenvironment; Humans; Female; Ligand presentation

Developing strategies for efficient expansion of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) in vitro will help investigate the mechanism underlying tumorigenesis and cancer recurrence. Herein, we report a dynamic culture substrate tethered with integrin ligand-bearing magnetic nanoparticles via a flexible polymeric linker to enable magnetic manipulation of the nanoscale ligand tether mobility. The cancer cells cultured on the substrate with high ligand tether mobility develop into large semispherical colonies with CSCs features, which can be abrogated by magnetically restricting the ligand tether mobility. Mechanistically, the substrate with high ligand tether mobility suppresses integrin-mediated mechanotransduction and histone-related methylation, thereby enhancing cancer cell stemness. The culture-derived high-stemness cells can generate tumors both locally and at the distant lung and uterus much more efficiently than the low-stemness cells. We believe that this magnetic nanoplatform provides a promising strategy for investigating the dynamic interaction between CSCs and the microenvironment and establishing a cost-effective tumor spheroid model.