OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of cyclic biaxial mechanical stimulation on adhesion of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma(SACC) extracellular matrix (ECM) and expression of E-cadherin/cateninin complex in the SACC high metastasis cell lines ACC-M, SACC low metastasis cells line ACC-2, we observed the functions of mechanical stimulation in the adhesion of SACC cell-ECM and investigate the mechanism in the adhesion of ACC.

METHODSMechanical stimulation were applied to the cells for periods of 1, 3 and 6 hours every day, lasting for 2 days. The amplitude of mechanical stimulation applied to the cells were 1000, 4000 micro strain, at a frequency of 3 Hz. Unstrained cells were used as control. The expression of E-cadherin/cateninin complex on the cell of ACC-M, ACC-2 were studied with laser scanning confocal microscope and image analysis. SACC cell-ECM adhesion was assayed by MTT technique.

RESULTSThe results showed that expressions of alpha, beta, gamma-cateninin on the cell of ACC-2 were obviously higher than that ACC-M and E-cadherin on the cell of ACC-M were obviously higher than that ACC-2 without mechanical stimulation. Mechanical stimulation can change the expression of E-cadherin/cateninin complex on the cell of ACC-2 and ACC-M with time. The results also showed that cell-ECM adhesion on the cell of ACC-2 were obviously higher than that of ACC-M without mechanical stimulation. Mechanical stimulation can change the cell-ECM adhesion of ACC-2 and ACC-M with time.

CONCLUSIONMechanical stimulation can change the adhesion of the SACC cell-ECM and expression of E-cadherin/cateninin complex of the SACC cell. We think it played an important role in metastasis of the cancer.