Mechanical properties of adipose tissue mediates breast cancer invasion

We carry out computational studies of breast cancer cell migration into white adipose tissue (WAT) to better understand tumor growth and invasion. We model the adipocytes and cancer cells as deformable particles that can explicitly change their shape. By varying the cancer cell deformability, adhesion, and activity, and the pressure from the invading canceer cells, we identify three invasion "phenotypes": 1) no invasion; 2) "single-cell" invasion where highly active cancer cells invade one-by-one; and 3) "collective" invasion where groups of cells penetrate the adipose tissue together. We also vary the stiffness and rate of lypolysis of adipocytes to determine how high fat diet and changes in WAT mechanical properties affect cancer cell invasion.