Mechanobiological roles of tropomyosin in cancer progression and metastasis

Cancer progression is increasingly recognized as a mechanically regulated process, where cells sense and respond to physical cues from the tumor microenvironment. Central to this process is the actin cytoskeleton, which governs force generation and mechanotransduction signaling. Tropomyosin (TPM) isoforms, as key regulators of actin filament stability and actomyosin contractility, play critical roles in shaping these mechanical responses. Emerging evidence suggests that TPM-mediated cytoskeletal organization not only controls cellular mechanics but also influences mechanosensitive signaling pathways that drive cancer cell migration and metastasis. Despite these advances, the precise mechanisms linking TPM-dependent cytoskeletal regulation to mechanotransduction remain incompletely understood. Thus, this review provides new insights into TPM-related cancer progression and metastasis, potentially uncovering novel, mechanobiology-based therapeutic targets.