Experimental raw data.zip

Considering the relationship between matrix stiffness and cancer, it’s become the purpose of our study to explore the potential implication of stiffness in oral cancer (OC). In this study, the polyacrylamide gel substrates were prepared and the effects of stiffness on the survival, migration, invasion and invadopodia formation were explored based on cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), Transwell and confocal microscopy. Meanwhile, the levels of markers relevant to phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT), apoptosis (BAX and BCL2) as well as metastasis (Cadherin-1, CDH1; Cadherin-2, CDH2) were calculated via western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR. According to the results, high matrix stiffness was seen to contribute to the increased number of migrated and invaded cells as well as the enhanced viability of OC cells, along with the aggravated invadopodia formation and the up-regulation in CDH2 and BCL2 levels yet the down-regulation in CDH1 and BAX levels. Elevated PI3K/AKT phosphorylation levels were also seen in high matrix stiffness-mediated OC cells, and the intervention using AKT inhibitor could visibly overturned the effects of high matrix stiffness on the cell migration, invasion and invadopodia formation of OC cells. Collectively speaking, our current study highlighted the matrix stiffness-mediated positive modulation on cell migration, invasion and invadopodia formation of OC cells.