Low shear stress is a component of the tumor microenvironment in vivo and plays a key role in regulating
cancer cell migration and invasion. The
integrin, as a mechano-sensors mediating and integrating mechanical and chemical signals, induce the adhesion between cells and extracellular matrix (ECM). The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of low shear stress (1.4 dyn/cm2)on the migration of HepG2 cells and the expression of
integrin. Scratch
wound migration assay was performed to examine the effect of low shear stress on the migration of HepG2 cells at 0 h, 1 h, 2 h and 4 h, respectively.
F-actin staining was used to detect the expression of
F-actin in HepG2 cells treated with low shear stress at 2 h and 4 h. Western blot analysis was carried out to determine the effect of low shear stress on the expression of
integrin at different durations. The results showed that the migrated distance of HepG2 cells and the expression of
F-actin increased significantly compared with the controls. The
integrin alpha subunits showed a different time-dependent expression, suggesting that various subunits of
integrin exhibit different effects in low shear stress regulating
cancer cells migration.