The formin FMNL2 plays a role in the response of melanoma cells to substrate stiffness

This study demonstrates that substrate stiffness profoundly influences A2058 melanoma cell morphology and motility, with FMNL2 playing a pivotal regulatory role. Our observations suggest that FMNL2 is critical for maintaining motility and morphological adaptability under increased stiffness. Loss of FMNL2 enhanced stress fiber alignment and cell elongation while impairing motility, particularly on stiff substrates, revealing FMNL2 as a mechanosensitive effector. This work highlights the need to study metastatic cell behaviour on substrates with biologically relevant properties and provides the foundation for future effort to determine the mechanism by which FMNL2 participates in the melanoma cell response to substrate stiffness.