Invasion and Metastasis Flashcards

1
Q

5 steps of cell metastasis

A

Penetrate vessels
Release into circulation
Survive in circulation
Arrest at organs
Penetrate vessels

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2
Q

Formation of secondary tumour

A

Colonisation

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3
Q

How does EMT allow metastasis?

A

Cancer cells become long and thin to invade basement membrane

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4
Q

Epithelial cell traits

A

Fixed cell polarity

Cell adhesion (to each other and to ECM)

Stationary

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5
Q

Mesenchymal cell traits

A

No cell polarity

Loss of cell adhesion

Ability to migrate and invade

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6
Q

Describe cadherin switching

A

Unlike epithelial cells, mesenchymal cells have low levels of E-cadherin and high levels of N-cadherin

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7
Q

What are some transcription factors that cause EMT?

A

SNAl1 - invasive ductal carcinoma

Twist - melanoma, neuroblastoma

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8
Q

How do transcription factors normally work?

A

Tightly controlled during development then permanently switched off

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9
Q

Which gene is switched on to develop chemotherapy resistance in cells?

A

FGF1

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10
Q

What are the classifications of matrix degrading proteases?

A

serine-
cysteine-
aspartyl-
metallo-

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11
Q

MMP production

A

MMPs are synthesised as inactive proenzymes and activated by the cleavage of a propeptide.

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12
Q

Gene control of MMPs

A

MMPs can be switched on and off quickly by genes

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13
Q

How do cancer cells survive in circulation?

A

Microthrombus

(cell protects itself with platelet shield and rolls through blood vessel)

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14
Q

How do cancer cells move along the membrane?

A
  • switch on proteins at leading edge
  • switch off proteins at lagging edge

actin polymerization at the lagging end end protrudes lamellipodium at the leading end

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15
Q

Examples of cell surface receptors that allow cancer cells to adhere to the membrane

A

CXCR4 and CXCR7

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16
Q

Integrins

A

Form contacts with actin cytoskeleton

17
Q

What regulates cell motility?

A

Rho
Rac
Cdc42

18
Q

How can a complex primary tumour have simple metastasis?

A

Only one clone can metastasise

19
Q

What is the most likely to allows dormancy and reawakening of primary cancer?

A

Senescence is probably not terminal

20
Q

What can senescent cells release when they come back?

A

chemokines, cytokines and proteases

21
Q

Phenotypic plasticity describes reversible phenotypes. What is this linked to?

A

disease progression and treatment resistance

22
Q

Biomarkers in cell motility

A

Cell is made more motile by increasing expression of specific protein

23
Q

Factors that encourage cancer cells to metastasise to a specific organ

A

Growth factors
Adhesion sites
Chemotaxis
ECM environment