Peristaltic forces drive tumor cell invasion in colorectal cancer [scRNA-seq]

With the advent of organ-on-chip (OOC) technology, preclinical models can now incorporate human-relevant physiological forces and allow for more precise investigation of their effects. In this study, we explore how the peristaltic motions of the gut influence the early metastatic spread of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Specifically, we use a CRC OOC model consisting of tumor epithelial and endothelial channels separated by a porous membrane to investigate, through live cell imaging and ‘omics-based approaches, how peristaltic compressions enhance the invasiveness of colorectal cancer cells. scRNA-seq analysis revealed that invaded tumor cells exhibited significantly higher expression of mechanosensitive genes compared to non-invaded cells.