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Cytoskeletal Tubulin Competes with Actin to Increase Deformability of Metastatic Melanoma Cells

Ghodeejah Higgins, Jade Peres, Tamer Abdalrahman, Muhammad H Zaman, Dirk Lang, Sharon Prince, View ORCID ProfileThomas Franz
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.01.929919
Ghodeejah Higgins
University of Cape Town;
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  • For correspondence: hgggho001@myuct.ac.za
Jade Peres
University of Cape Town;
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  • For correspondence: jade.peres@uct.ac.za
Tamer Abdalrahman
University of Cape Town;
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  • For correspondence: tamer.abdalrahman@uct.ac.za
Muhammad H Zaman
Boston University
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  • For correspondence: zaman@bu.edu
Dirk Lang
University of Cape Town;
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  • For correspondence: dirk.lang@uct.ac.za
Sharon Prince
University of Cape Town;
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  • For correspondence: sharon.prince@uct.ac.za
Thomas Franz
University of Cape Town;
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Abstract

The formation of membrane protrusions during migration is reliant upon the cells' cytoskeletal structure and stiffness. It has been reported that actin disruption blocks protrusions and decreases cell stiffness whereas microtubule disruption blocks protrusion but increases stiffness in several cell types. In melanoma, cell migration is of concern as this cancer spreads unusually rapidly during early tumour development. The aim of this study was to characterise motility, structural properties and stiffness of human melanoma cells at radial growth phase (RGP), vertical growth phase (VGP), and metastatic stage (MET) in two-dimensional in vitro environments. Wound assays, western blotting and mitochondrial particle tracking were used to assess cell migration, cytoskeletal content and intracellular fluidity. Our results indicate that cell motility increase with increasing disease stage. Despite their different motility, RGP and VGP cells exhibit similar fluidity, actin and tubulin levels. MET cells, however, display increased fluidity which was associated with increased actin and tubulin content. Our findings demonstrate an interplay between actin and microtubule activity and their role in increasing motility of cells while minimizing cell stiffness at advanced disease stage. In earlier disease stages, cell stiffness may however not serve as an indicator of migratory capabilities.

Footnotes

  • http://doi.org/10.25375/uct.11764050

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The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission.
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Posted February 02, 2020.
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Cytoskeletal Tubulin Competes with Actin to Increase Deformability of Metastatic Melanoma Cells
Ghodeejah Higgins, Jade Peres, Tamer Abdalrahman, Muhammad H Zaman, Dirk Lang, Sharon Prince, Thomas Franz
bioRxiv 2020.02.01.929919; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.01.929919
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Cytoskeletal Tubulin Competes with Actin to Increase Deformability of Metastatic Melanoma Cells
Ghodeejah Higgins, Jade Peres, Tamer Abdalrahman, Muhammad H Zaman, Dirk Lang, Sharon Prince, Thomas Franz
bioRxiv 2020.02.01.929919; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.01.929919

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