The cancer cell glycocalyx proteoglycan Glypican-1 mediates interstitial flow mechanotransduction to enhance cell migration and metastasis

BACKGROUND:Previous studies have demonstrated that the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) heparan sulfate (HS) and hyaluronic acid (HA) are mechanosensors for interstitial flow on cancer cells. The proteins that link the GAGs to the cancer cell for mechanotransduction, however, are not known. OBJECTIVE:To a ssess whether the HS proteoglycan core proteins, Glypican-1 and Syndecan-1, or the HA receptor, CD44, provides the mechanical linkage to the cell....