25 Oct, 2018 · 12:00 al 25 Oct, 2018 · 13:30 Facultad de Ciencias

Conferencia: «The impact of active and passive forces on cancercell proliferation and metastatic processes»

Ralph Sinkus

Conferencias, seminarios, divulgación científica

Conferencia impartida por el Profesor Ralph Sinkus (King’s College, London).

Resumen: The cancer invasion process is regulated by chemical and mechanical clues. Recent insight into the metastatic process suggests an intricate and active interplay between primary tumour and its habitat. In the context of breast-cancer, it was found that cancer-associated fibroblasts initially assembled a strained, viscous, and unfolded Fibronectin matrix. Furthermore, the malignant phenotype has been shown to have higher contractility and this elevated contractility was actively
promoted by the stiffness of the extracellular matrix and the local fibre realignment. Local cell invasion was found predominantly to be oriented along certain aligned collagen fibres, suggesting that radial alignment of collagen fibres relative to tumours facilitates invasion. Finally, recent data from invasive cancer cells indicate that firstly there is a sweetspots regarding the matrix stiffness and viscosity that enable metastatic spread.

Non-invasive elasticity imaging via MRI (MR-Elastography) enables the precise mapping of elastic and viscous properties at the millimetre resolution. Hence, MRE has the potential to add valuable diagnostic information in the context of staging and gauging metastatic propensity. For breast cancer for instance, a clear correlation between cancer grade and enhanced viscosity is found. Equally, malignant liver lesions are found to be more viscous than benign. Furthermore, the value of MRE for evaluating response to therapy will be discussed as preclinical data suggest an enormous potential due to high sensitivity to vascular density. Clinical data show the ability to distinguish fibrosis from inflammation hence providing a motivation to investigate immune-therapies and potentially the ability to detect a response at early time points. Preliminary data in mice will be discussed. The Fibroscan (US-based elasticity imaging) has shown to predict the incidence of HCC using liver stiffness measurements. This opens an exciting opportunity of new possibilities in the context of patient management. Finally, we ask the following question: If the metastatic process requires a sophisticated interplay between
tumour and habitat, could we perturb that interplay actively via focussed shear waves? Initial in-vitro results will be presented and the potential in the context of therapy discussed.

Detalles

Fecha:

25 de octubre de 2018

Hora:
12:00 - 13:30

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