Simulated weightlessness alters biological characteristics of human breast cancer cell line MCF-7

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the clinostat-simulated microgravity on MCF-7 cells (a breast cancer cell line) biological characteristics. MCF-7 cells were incubated for 24 h in an incubator and then rotated in a clinostat as a model of simulated microgravity for 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively. The effects of the clinostat-simulated microgravity on MCF-7 cells proliferation, invasion, migration, gelatinase production, adhesion, cell cycle, apoptosis and vinculin expression were detected. The results showed that the clinostat-simulated microgravity affected breast cancer cell invasion, migration, adhesion, cell cycle, cell apoptosis and vinculin expression. These results may explore a new field of vision to study tumor metastasis in future.