Mechanoadaptation of nuclear envelope-chromatin interface in health and disease

Epithelial carcinomas like prostate cancer are among the most common cancer types worldwide and failures to prevent its progression present an important economic burden. Studies show that mechanical forces affect tumorigenesis, invasion and metastatic processes in cancer. Reinforcing, recent findings underline the importance of mechanical forces in nuclear remodelling including nuclear envelope deformation, and changes in nuclear lamina and chromatin organization. In prostate cancer, inter-cellular mechanical forces from increased cell density or transient compression affect cell growth and genetic programming including cell growth, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and phenotypic reversion. The main aim of the study is to understand in detail how nuclear envelope co-regulates chromatin organization under increased compressive force in healthy and prostate cancer cells. Its findings will deepen the current knowledge on the causal connections between compressive force and cell fate.