On the biophysics of cathodal galvanotaxis in rat prostate cancer cells: Poisson-Nernst-Planck equation approach

Eur Biophys J. 2012 Jun;41(6):527-34. doi: 10.1007/s00249-012-0807-7. Epub 2012 Mar 31.

Abstract

Rat prostate cancer cells have been previously investigated using two cell lines: a highly metastatic one (Mat-Ly-Lu) and a nonmetastatic one (AT-2). It turns out that the highly metastatic Mat-Ly-Lu cells exhibit a phenomenon of cathodal galvanotaxis in an electric field which can be blocked by interrupting the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) activity. The VGSC activity is postulated to be characteristic for metastatic cells and seems to be a reasonable driving force for motile behavior. However, the classical theory of cellular motion depends on calcium ions rather than sodium ions. The current research provides a theoretical connection between cellular sodium inflow and cathodal galvanotaxis of Mat-Ly-Lu cells. Electrical repulsion of intracellular calcium ions by entering sodium ions is proposed after depolarization starting from the cathodal side. The disturbance in the calcium distribution may then drive actin polymerization and myosin contraction. The presented modeling is done within a continuous one-dimensional Poisson-Nernst-Planck equation framework.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biophysics
  • Calcium / metabolism*
  • Cell Movement / physiology*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Electrodes
  • Male
  • Membrane Potentials / physiology
  • Models, Biological*
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Rats
  • Sodium Channels / metabolism*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Sodium Channels
  • Calcium