Investigating the Effects of Cyclic Stretching on Lung Cancer Cells using an Automated Microfluidic System

Despite extensive past lung cancer research, there still lacks an understanding of the relationship between the disease and its environmental factors, notably the cyclic mechanical stress induced by breathing. Here, a cell stretching platform, consisting of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based cell culture device and a vacuum pump-based actuation system controlled and automated by an Arduino microcontroller was proposed to induce physiologically relevant levels of stretching stimuli on PC-9 human lung cancer cells. This system is inexpensive and easy to use, and ahs a novel membrane design that allows the platform to be miniaturized and operated in cell culture incubators. Results show cyclic stretching altered PC-9 cell morphology and reduced cell viability. Stretched cells also exhibited lower expressions of epithelial markers such as E-cadherin as well as higher expressions of mesenchymal markers and EMT transcription factors such as ZEB1/2 and Twist1/2. Stretching also led to increased cell motility due to the deterioration of vinculin.M.A.S