Interstitial flows regulate collective cell migration heterogeneity through adhesion

Abstract

The migration behaviors of cancer cells are known to be heterogeneous. However, the interplay between the adhesion interactions, dynamical shape changes, and fluid flow in regulating cell migration heterogeneity and plasticity during cancer metastasis is still elusive. To further quantitative understanding of cell motility and morphology, we develop a theory using a stochastic quantization method that describes the role of biophysical cues in regulating diverse cell motility. We show that the cumulative effect of time-dependent adhesion interactions that determine the structural rearrangements and self-generated force due to actin remodeling dictate the superdiffusive motion of mesenchymal phenotype in the absence of flow. Interstitial flows regulate cell motility phenotype and promote the amoeboid over mesenchymal motility through adhesion interactions. Cells exhibit a dynamical slowing down of collective migration, with a decreasing degree of superdiffusion. Mesenchymal cells are more persistent and diffusive compared to amoeboid cells. Our findings suggest a mechanism of interstitial flow-induced directed motion of cancer cells through adhesion and provide the much-needed insight into a recent experimental observation concerning the diverse motility of breast cancer cells.