Numerical investigation on flow-induced wall shear stress variation of metastatic cancer cells in lymphatics with elastic valves

Abstract

Hematogenous metastasis occurs when cancer cells detach from the extracellular matrix in the primary tumor into the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Elucidating the response of metastatic tumor cells in suspension to the flow conditions in lymphatics with valves from a mechanical/fluidic perspective is necessary. A physiologically relevant computational model of a lymphatic vessel with valves was constructed using fully coupled fluid–cell–vessel interactions to investigate the effects of lymphatic vessel contractility, valve properties, and cell size and stiffness on the variations in magnitude and gradient of the flow-induced wall shear stress (WSS) experienced by suspended tumor cells. Results indicated that the maximum WSS_max increased with the increments in cell diameter, vessel contraction amplitude, and valve stiffness. The decrease in vessel contraction period and valve aspect ratio also increased the maximum WSS_max. The influence of the properties of the valve on the WSS was more significant among the factors mentioned above. The maximum WSS_max acting on the cancer cell when the cell reversed the direction of its motion in the valve region increased by 0.5–1.4 times that before the cell entered the valve region. The maximum change in WSS was in the range of 0.004–0.028 Pa/µm depending on the factors studied. They slightly exceeded the values associated with breast cancer cell apoptosis. The results of this study provide biofluid mechanics-based support for mechanobiological research on the metastasis of metastatic cancer cells in suspension within the lymphatics.

Keywords:

• Computational simulations
• fluid–cell–vessel interactions
• lymphatic contraction
• lymph transport
• suspended tumor cells

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data supporting this study’s findings are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51890891 and No. 51890894).