1
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Ngo U, Shi Y, Woodruff P, Shokat K, DeGrado W, Jo H, Sheppard D, Sundaram AB. IL-13 and IL-17A activate β1 integrin through an NF-kB/Rho kinase/PIP5K1γ pathway to enhance force transmission in airway smooth muscle. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2401251121. [PMID: 39136993 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2401251121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Integrin activation resulting in enhanced adhesion to the extracellular matrix plays a key role in fundamental cellular processes. Although integrin activation has been extensively studied in circulating cells such as leukocytes and platelets, much less is known about the regulation and functional impact of integrin activation in adherent cells such as smooth muscle. Here, we show that two different asthmagenic cytokines, IL-13 and IL-17A, activate type I and IL-17 cytokine receptor families, respectively, to enhance adhesion of airway smooth muscle. These cytokines also induce activation of β1 integrins detected by the conformation-specific antibody HUTS-4. Moreover, HUTS-4 binding is increased in the smooth muscle of patients with asthma compared to nonsmokers without lung disease, suggesting a disease-relevant role for integrin activation in smooth muscle. Indeed, integrin activation induced by the β1-activating antibody TS2/16, the divalent cation manganese, or the synthetic peptide β1-CHAMP that forces an extended-open integrin conformation dramatically enhances force transmission in smooth muscle cells and airway rings even in the absence of cytokines. We demonstrate that cytokine-induced activation of β1 integrins is regulated by a common pathway of NF-κB-mediated induction of RhoA and its effector Rho kinase, which in turn stimulates PIP5K1γ-mediated synthesis of PIP2 at focal adhesions, resulting in β1 integrin activation. Taken together, these data identify a pathway by which type I and IL-17 cytokine receptor family stimulation induces functionally relevant β1 integrin activation in adherent smooth muscle and help to explain the exaggerated force transmission that characterizes chronic airway diseases such as asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uyen Ngo
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
- Sandler Asthma Basic Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Ying Shi
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Prescott Woodruff
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
- Sandler Asthma Basic Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Kevan Shokat
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - William DeGrado
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Hyunil Jo
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Dean Sheppard
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Aparna B Sundaram
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
- Sandler Asthma Basic Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
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2
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Xue R, Chen Y, Gong Z, Jiang H. Superposition of Substrate Deformation Fields Induced by Molecular Clutches Explains Cell Spatial Sensing of Ligands. ACS NANO 2024. [PMID: 39088555 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c03667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2024]
Abstract
Cells can sense the physical properties of the extracellular matrices (ECMs), such as stiffness and ligand density, through cell adhesions to actively regulate their behaviors. Recent studies have shown that varying ligand spacing of ECMs can influence adhesion size, cell spreading, and even stem cell differentiation, indicating that cells have the spatial sensing ability of ECM ligands. However, the mechanism of the cells' spatial sensing remains unclear. In this study, we have developed a lattice-spring motor-clutch model by integrating cell membrane deformation, the talin unfolding mechanism, and the lattice spring for substrate ligand distribution to explore how the spatial distribution of integrin ligands and substrate stiffness influence cell spreading and adhesion dynamics. By applying the Gillespie algorithm, we found that large ligand spacing reduces the superposition effect of the substrate's displacement fields generated by pulling force from motor-clutch units, increasing the effective stiffness probed by the force-sensitive receptors; this finding explains a series of previous experiments. Furthermore, using the mean-field theory, we obtain the effective stiffness sensed by bound clutches analytically; our analysis shows that the bound clutch number and ligand spacing are the two key factors that affect the superposition effects of deformation fields and, hence, the effective stiffness. Overall, our study reveals the mechanism of cells' spatial sensing, i.e., ligand spacing changes the effective stiffness sensed by cells due to the superposition effect of deformation fields, which provides a physical clue for designing and developing biological materials that effectively control cell behavior and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruihao Xue
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Yonggang Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Ze Gong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
- State Key Laboratory of Nonlinear Mechanics, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Beisihuan West Road, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Hongyuan Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
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3
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Ren C, Chang Z, Li K, Wang X, Wang D, Xu Y, Li X, Li Q. Impact of uniaxial cyclic stretching on matrix-associated endothelial cell responses. Mater Today Bio 2024; 27:101152. [PMID: 39104901 PMCID: PMC11298614 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2024.101152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Uniaxial cyclic stretching plays a pivotal role in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, influencing cell behaviors and functionality based on physical properties, including matrix morphology and mechanical stimuli. This study delves into the response of endothelial cells to uniaxial cyclic strain within the geometric constraints of micro-nano fibers. Various structural scaffold forms of poly(l-lactide-co-caprolactone) (PLCL), such as flat membranes, randomly oriented fiber membranes, and aligned fiber membranes, were fabricated through solvent casting and electrospinning methods. Our investigation focuses on the morphological variation of endothelial cells under diverse geometric constraints and the mechanical-dependent release of nitric oxide (NO) on oriented fibrous membranes. Our results indicate that while uniaxial cyclic stretching promotes endothelial cell spreading, the anisotropy of the matrix morphology remains the primary driving factor for cell alignment. Additionally, uniaxial cyclic stretching significantly enhances NO release, with a notably stronger effect correlated to the increasing strain amplitude. Importantly, this study reveals that uniaxial cyclic stretching enhances the mRNA expression of key proteins, including talin, vinculin, rac, and nitric oxide synthase (eNOS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuihong Ren
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
- National Center for International Research of Micro-Nano Molding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
| | - Zhonghua Chang
- Institute of Laser Manufacturing, Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou, 450046, PR China
| | - Kecheng Li
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
- National Center for International Research of Micro-Nano Molding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
| | - Xiaofeng Wang
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
- National Center for International Research of Micro-Nano Molding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
| | - Dongfang Wang
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
- National Center for International Research of Micro-Nano Molding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
| | - Yiyang Xu
- National Center for International Research of Micro-Nano Molding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
| | - Xiaomeng Li
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
- National Center for International Research of Micro-Nano Molding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
| | - Qian Li
- School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
- National Center for International Research of Micro-Nano Molding Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, PR China
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4
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Zhang Y, Du J, Liu X, Shang F, Deng Y, Ye J, Wang Y, Yan J, Chen H, Yu M, Le S. Multi-domain interaction mediated strength-building in human α-actinin dimers unveiled by direct single-molecule quantification. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6151. [PMID: 39034324 PMCID: PMC11271494 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50430-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
α-Actinins play crucial roles in cytoskeletal mechanobiology by acting as force-bearing structural modules that orchestrate and sustain the cytoskeletal framework, serving as pivotal hubs for diverse mechanosensing proteins. The mechanical stability of α-actinin dimer, a determinant of its functional state, remains largely unexplored. Here, we directly quantify the force-dependent lifetimes of homo- and hetero-dimers of human α-actinins, revealing an ultra-high mechanical stability of the dimers associated with > 100 seconds lifetime within 40 pN forces under shear-stretching geometry. Intriguingly, we uncover that the strong dimer stability is arisen from much weaker sub-domain pair interactions, suggesting the existence of distinct dimerized functional states of the dimer, spanning a spectrum of mechanical stability, with the spectrin repeats (SRs) in folded or unfolded conformation. In essence, our study supports a potent mechanism for building strength in biomolecular dimers through weak, multiple sub-domain interactions, and illuminates multifaceted roles of α-actinin dimers in cytoskeletal mechanics and mechanotransduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhang Zhang
- Department of Physics, Research Institute for Biomimetics and Soft Matter, Fujian Provincial Key Lab for Soft Functional Materials Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361000, China
| | - Jingyi Du
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xian Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Fei Shang
- Department of Physics, Research Institute for Biomimetics and Soft Matter, Fujian Provincial Key Lab for Soft Functional Materials Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361000, China
| | - Yunxin Deng
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117411, Singapore
| | - Jiaqing Ye
- Department of Physics, Research Institute for Biomimetics and Soft Matter, Fujian Provincial Key Lab for Soft Functional Materials Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361000, China
| | - Yukai Wang
- Department of Physics, Research Institute for Biomimetics and Soft Matter, Fujian Provincial Key Lab for Soft Functional Materials Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361000, China
| | - Jie Yan
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117411, Singapore
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117542, Singapore
- Joint School of National University of Singapore and Tianjin University, International Campus of Tianjin University, Fuzhou, 350207, China
| | - Hu Chen
- Department of Physics, Research Institute for Biomimetics and Soft Matter, Fujian Provincial Key Lab for Soft Functional Materials Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361000, China.
| | - Miao Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Shimin Le
- Department of Physics, Research Institute for Biomimetics and Soft Matter, Fujian Provincial Key Lab for Soft Functional Materials Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361000, China.
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5
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Shoyer TC, Collins KL, Ham TR, Blanchard AT, Malavade JN, Johns BA, West JL, Hoffman BD. Detection of fluorescent protein mechanical switching in cellulo. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2024; 4:100815. [PMID: 38986612 PMCID: PMC11294842 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2024.100815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
The ability of cells to sense and respond to mechanical forces is critical in many physiological and pathological processes. However, determining the mechanisms by which forces affect protein function inside cells remains challenging. Motivated by in vitro demonstrations of fluorescent proteins (FPs) undergoing reversible mechanical switching of fluorescence, we investigated whether force-sensitive changes in FP function could be visualized in cells. Guided by a computational model of FP mechanical switching, we develop a formalism for its detection in Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based biosensors and demonstrate its occurrence in cellulo within a synthetic actin crosslinker and the mechanical linker protein vinculin. We find that in cellulo mechanical switching is reversible and altered by manipulation of cell force generation, external stiffness, and force-sensitive bond dynamics of the biosensor. This work describes a framework for assessing FP mechanical stability and provides a means of probing force-sensitive protein function inside cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Curtis Shoyer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham NC 27708, USA
| | - Kasie L Collins
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham NC 27708, USA
| | - Trevor R Ham
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham NC 27708, USA
| | - Aaron T Blanchard
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham NC 27708, USA
| | - Juilee N Malavade
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham NC 27708, USA
| | - Benjamin A Johns
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham NC 27708, USA
| | - Jennifer L West
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham NC 27708, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Brenton D Hoffman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham NC 27708, USA.
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6
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Ding S, Chen Y, Huang C, Song L, Liang Z, Wei B. Perception and response of skeleton to mechanical stress. Phys Life Rev 2024; 49:77-94. [PMID: 38564907 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2024.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Mechanical stress stands as a fundamental factor in the intricate processes governing the growth, development, morphological shaping, and maintenance of skeletal mass. The profound influence of stress in shaping the skeletal framework prompts the assertion that stress essentially births the skeleton. Despite this acknowledgment, the mechanisms by which the skeleton perceives and responds to mechanical stress remain enigmatic. In this comprehensive review, our scrutiny focuses on the structural composition and characteristics of sclerotin, leading us to posit that it serves as the primary structure within the skeleton responsible for bearing and perceiving mechanical stress. Furthermore, we propose that osteocytes within the sclerotin emerge as the principal mechanical-sensitive cells, finely attuned to perceive mechanical stress. And a detailed analysis was conducted on the possible transmission pathways of mechanical stress from the extracellular matrix to the nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sicheng Ding
- Department of Minimally invasive spine surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, China
| | - Yiren Chen
- Department of Minimally invasive spine surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, China
| | - Chengshuo Huang
- Department of Minimally invasive spine surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, China
| | - Lijun Song
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, China
| | - Zhen Liang
- Department of Minimally invasive spine surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, China.
| | - Bo Wei
- Department of Minimally invasive spine surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, China.
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7
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Hu Y, Li H, Zhang C, Feng J, Wang W, Chen W, Yu M, Liu X, Zhang X, Liu Z. DNA-based ForceChrono probes for deciphering single-molecule force dynamics in living cells. Cell 2024; 187:3445-3459.e15. [PMID: 38838668 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Understanding cellular force transmission dynamics is crucial in mechanobiology. We developed the DNA-based ForceChrono probe to measure force magnitude, duration, and loading rates at the single-molecule level within living cells. The ForceChrono probe circumvents the limitations of in vitro single-molecule force spectroscopy by enabling direct measurements within the dynamic cellular environment. Our findings reveal integrin force loading rates of 0.5-2 pN/s and durations ranging from tens of seconds in nascent adhesions to approximately 100 s in mature focal adhesions. The probe's robust and reversible design allows for continuous monitoring of these dynamic changes as cells undergo morphological transformations. Additionally, by analyzing how mutations, deletions, or pharmacological interventions affect these parameters, we can deduce the functional roles of specific proteins or domains in cellular mechanotransduction. The ForceChrono probe provides detailed insights into the dynamics of mechanical forces, advancing our understanding of cellular mechanics and the molecular mechanisms of mechanotransduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuru Hu
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430072, China
| | - Hongyun Li
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430072, China.
| | - Chen Zhang
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430072, China
| | - Jingjing Feng
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430072, China
| | - Wenxu Wang
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430072, China
| | - Wei Chen
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430072, China
| | - Miao Yu
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430072, China
| | - Xinping Liu
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430072, China
| | - Xinghua Zhang
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430072, China.
| | - Zheng Liu
- The Institute for Advanced Studies, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430072, China.
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8
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Litschel T, Kelley CF, Cheng X, Babl L, Mizuno N, Case LB, Schwille P. Membrane-induced 2D phase separation of the focal adhesion protein talin. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4986. [PMID: 38862544 PMCID: PMC11166923 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49222-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Focal adhesions form liquid-like assemblies around activated integrin receptors at the plasma membrane. How they achieve their flexible properties is not well understood. Here, we use recombinant focal adhesion proteins to reconstitute the core structural machinery in vitro. We observe liquid-liquid phase separation of the core focal adhesion proteins talin and vinculin for a spectrum of conditions and interaction partners. Intriguingly, we show that binding to PI(4,5)P2-containing membranes triggers phase separation of these proteins on the membrane surface, which in turn induces the enrichment of integrin in the clusters. We suggest a mechanism by which 2-dimensional biomolecular condensates assemble on membranes from soluble proteins in the cytoplasm: lipid-binding triggers protein activation and thus, liquid-liquid phase separation of these membrane-bound proteins. This could explain how early focal adhesions maintain a structured and force-resistant organization into the cytoplasm, while still being highly dynamic and able to quickly assemble and disassemble.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Litschel
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany.
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Charlotte F Kelley
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Xiaohang Cheng
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Leon Babl
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Naoko Mizuno
- Department of Structural Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
- Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lindsay B Case
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Petra Schwille
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany.
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9
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Chung M, Zhou K, Powell J, Lin C, Schwartz MA. A DNA-based molecular clamp for probing protein interactions and structure under force. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.06.597759. [PMID: 38895381 PMCID: PMC11185747 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.06.597759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Cellular mechanotransduction, a process central to cell biology, embryogenesis, adult physiology and multiple diseases, is thought to be mediated by force-driven changes in protein conformation that control protein function. However, methods to study proteins under defined mechanical loads on a biochemical scale are lacking. We report the development of a DNA based device in which the transition between single-stranded and double-stranded DNA applies tension to an attached protein. Using a fragment of the talin rod domain as a test case, negative-stain electron microscopy reveals programmable extension while pull down assays show tension-induced binding to two ligands, ARPC5L and vinculin, known to bind to cryptic sites inside the talin structure. These results demonstrate the utility of the DNA clamp for biochemical studies and potential structural analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minhwan Chung
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine (Cardiology) 300 George St., New Haven CT, 06511
| | - Kun Zhou
- Depart of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine
- Nanobiology Institute, Yale University
| | - John Powell
- Depart of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine
- Nanobiology Institute, Yale University
| | - Chenxiang Lin
- Depart of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine
- Nanobiology Institute, Yale University
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University
| | - Martin A Schwartz
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine (Cardiology) 300 George St., New Haven CT, 06511
- Depart of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University
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10
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Ferrai C, Schulte C. Mechanotransduction in stem cells. Eur J Cell Biol 2024; 103:151417. [PMID: 38729084 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2024.151417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, it is an established concept that the capability to reach a specialised cell identity via differentiation, as in the case of multi- and pluripotent stem cells, is not only determined by biochemical factors, but that also physical aspects of the microenvironment play a key role; interpreted by the cell through a force-based signalling pathway called mechanotransduction. However, the intricate ties between the elements involved in mechanotransduction, such as the extracellular matrix, the glycocalyx, the cell membrane, Integrin adhesion complexes, Cadherin-mediated cell/cell adhesion, the cytoskeleton, and the nucleus, are still far from being understood in detail. Here we report what is currently known about these elements in general and their specific interplay in the context of multi- and pluripotent stem cells. We furthermore merge this overview to a more comprehensive picture, that aims to cover the whole mechanotransductive pathway from the cell/microenvironment interface to the regulation of the chromatin structure in the nucleus. Ultimately, with this review we outline the current picture of the interplay between mechanotransductive cues and epigenetic regulation and how these processes might contribute to stem cell dynamics and fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmelo Ferrai
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Carsten Schulte
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences and Department of Physics "Aldo Pontremoli", University of Milan, Italy.
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11
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Ngo U, Shi Y, Woodruff P, Shokat K, DeGrado W, Jo H, Sheppard D, Sundaram AB. IL-13 and IL-17A Activate β1 Integrin through an NF-kB/Rho kinase/PIP5K1γ pathway to Enhance Force Transmission in Airway Smooth Muscle. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.01.592042. [PMID: 38746410 PMCID: PMC11092608 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.01.592042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Integrin activation resulting in enhanced adhesion to the extracellular matrix plays a key role in fundamental cellular processes. Although G-protein coupled receptor-mediated integrin activation has been extensively studied in non-adherent migratory cells such as leukocytes and platelets, much less is known about the regulation and functional impact of integrin activation in adherent stationary cells such as airway smooth muscle. Here we show that two different asthmagenic cytokines, IL-13 and IL-17A, activate type I and IL-17 cytokine receptor families respectively, to enhance adhesion of muscle to the matrix. These cytokines also induce activation of β1 integrins as detected by the conformation-specific antibody HUTS-4. Moreover, HUTS-4 binding is significantly increased in the smooth muscle of patients with asthma compared to healthy controls, suggesting a disease-relevant role for aberrant integrin activation. Indeed, we find integrin activation induced by a β1 activating antibody, the divalent cation manganese, or the synthetic peptide β1-CHAMP, dramatically enhances force transmission in collagen gels, mouse tracheal rings, and human bronchial rings even in the absence of cytokines. We further demonstrate that cytokine-induced activation of β1 integrins is regulated by a common pathway of NF-κB-mediated induction of RhoA and its effector Rho kinase, which in turn stimulates PIP5K1γ-mediated synthesis of PIP2 resulting in β1 integrin activation. Taken together, these data identify a previously unknown pathway by which type I and IL-17 cytokine receptor family stimulation induces functionally relevant β1 integrin activation in adherent smooth muscle and help explain the exaggerated force transmission that characterizes chronic airways diseases such as asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uyen Ngo
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Sandler Asthma Basic Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Ying Shi
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Prescott Woodruff
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Sandler Asthma Basic Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kevan Shokat
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - William DeGrado
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Hyunil Jo
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Dean Sheppard
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Aparna B. Sundaram
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Sandler Asthma Basic Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
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12
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Ball NJ, Barnett SFH, Goult BT. Mechanically operated signalling scaffolds. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:517-527. [PMID: 38572868 PMCID: PMC11088903 DOI: 10.1042/bst20221194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Cellular signalling is a complex process and involves cascades of enzymes that, in response to a specific signal, give rise to exact cellular responses. Signalling scaffold proteins organise components of these signalling pathways in space and time to co-ordinate signalling outputs. In this review we introduce a new class of mechanically operated signalling scaffolds that are built into the cytoskeletal architecture of the cell. These proteins contain force-dependent binary switch domains that integrate chemical and mechanical signals to introduce quantised positional changes to ligands and persistent alterations in cytoskeletal architecture providing mechanomemory capabilities. We focus on the concept of spatial organisation, and how the cell organises signalling molecules at the plasma membrane in response to specific signals to create order and distinct signalling outputs. The dynamic positioning of molecules using binary switches adds an additional layer of complexity to the idea of scaffolding. The switches can spatiotemporally organise enzymes and substrates dynamically, with the introduction of ∼50 nm quantised steps in distance between them as the switch patterns change. Together these different types of signalling scaffolds and the proteins engaging them, provide a way for an ordering of molecules that extends beyond current views of the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil J. Ball
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, U.K
| | | | - Benjamin T. Goult
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, U.K
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13
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Braeutigam A, Burnet AF, Gompper G, Sabass B. Clutch model for focal adhesions predicts reduced self-stabilization under oblique pulling. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2024; 36:295101. [PMID: 38574682 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/ad3ac1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Cell-matrix adhesions connect the cytoskeleton to the extracellular environment and are essential for maintaining the integrity of tissue and whole organisms. Remarkably, cell adhesions can adapt their size and composition to an applied force such that their size and strength increases proportionally to the load. Mathematical models for the clutch-like force transmission at adhesions are frequently based on the assumption that mechanical load is applied tangentially to the adhesion plane. Recently, we suggested a molecular mechanism that can explain adhesion growth under load for planar cell adhesions. The mechanism is based on conformation changes of adhesion molecules that are dynamically exchanged with a reservoir. Tangential loading drives the occupation of some states out of equilibrium, which for thermodynamic reasons, leads to the association of further molecules with the cluster, which we refer to as self-stabilization. Here, we generalize this model to forces that pull at an oblique angle to the plane supporting the cell, and examine if this idealized model also predicts self-stabilization. We also allow for a variable distance between the parallel planes representing cytoskeletal F-actin and transmembrane integrins. Simulation results demonstrate that the binding mechanism and the geometry of the cluster have a strong influence on the response of adhesion clusters to force. For oblique angles smaller than about 40∘, we observe a growth of the adhesion site under force. However this self-stabilization is reduced as the angle between the force and substrate plane increases, with vanishing self-stabilization for normal pulling. Overall, these results highlight the fundamental difference between the assumption of pulling and shearing forces in commonly used models of cell adhesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Braeutigam
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80752 Munich, Germany
- Theoretical Physics of Living Matter, Institute for Biological Information Processes, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Anton F Burnet
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80752 Munich, Germany
- Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80752 Munich, Germany
| | - Gerhard Gompper
- Theoretical Physics of Living Matter, Institute for Biological Information Processes, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Benedikt Sabass
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80752 Munich, Germany
- Theoretical Physics of Living Matter, Institute for Biological Information Processes, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80752 Munich, Germany
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14
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Guo Y, Yan J, Goult BT. Mechanotransduction through protein stretching. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2024; 87:102327. [PMID: 38301379 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2024.102327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Cells sense and respond to subtle changes in their physicality, and via a myriad of different mechanosensitive processes, convert these physical cues into chemical and biochemical signals. This process, called mechanotransduction, is possible due to a highly sophisticated machinery within cells. One mechanism by which this can occur is via the stretching of mechanosensitive proteins. Stretching proteins that contain force-dependent regions results in altered geometry and dimensions of the connections, as well as differential spatial organization of signals bound to the stretched protein. The purpose of this mini-review is to discuss some of the intense recent activity in this area of mechanobiology that strives to understand how protein stretching can influence signaling outputs and cellular responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyu Guo
- Department of Physics, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore 117542, Singapore
| | - Jie Yan
- Department of Physics, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore 117542, Singapore.
| | - Benjamin T Goult
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NJ, UK; Department of Biochemistry, Cell & Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK.
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15
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Camp D, Venkatesh B, Solianova V, Varela L, Goult BT, Tanentzapf G. The actin binding sites of talin have both distinct and complementary roles in cell-ECM adhesion. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011224. [PMID: 38662776 PMCID: PMC11075885 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell adhesion requires linkage of transmembrane receptors to the cytoskeleton through intermediary linker proteins. Integrin-based adhesion to the extracellular matrix (ECM) involves large adhesion complexes that contain multiple cytoskeletal adapters that connect to the actin cytoskeleton. Many of these adapters, including the essential cytoskeletal linker Talin, have been shown to contain multiple actin-binding sites (ABSs) within a single protein. To investigate the possible role of having such a variety of ways of linking integrins to the cytoskeleton, we generated mutations in multiple actin binding sites in Drosophila talin. Using this approach, we have been able to show that different actin-binding sites in talin have both unique and complementary roles in integrin-mediated adhesion. Specifically, mutations in either the C-terminal ABS3 or the centrally located ABS2 result in lethality showing that they have unique and non-redundant function in some contexts. On the other hand, flies simultaneously expressing both the ABS2 and ABS3 mutants exhibit a milder phenotype than either mutant by itself, suggesting overlap in function in other contexts. Detailed phenotypic analysis of ABS mutants elucidated the unique roles of the talin ABSs during embryonic development as well as provided support for the hypothesis that talin acts as a dimer in in vivo contexts. Overall, our work highlights how the ability of adhesion complexes to link to the cytoskeleton in multiple ways provides redundancy, and consequently robustness, but also allows a capacity for functional specialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darius Camp
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Bhavya Venkatesh
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Veronika Solianova
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lorena Varela
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin T. Goult
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell & Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, United Kingdom
| | - Guy Tanentzapf
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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16
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Kang M, Otani Y, Guo Y, Yan J, Goult BT, Howe AK. The focal adhesion protein talin is a mechanically gated A-kinase anchoring protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2314947121. [PMID: 38513099 PMCID: PMC10990152 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314947121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein kinase A (PKA) is a ubiquitous, promiscuous kinase whose activity is specified through subcellular localization mediated by A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs). PKA has complex roles as both an effector and a regulator of integrin-mediated cell adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM). Recent observations demonstrate that PKA is an active component of focal adhesions (FA), suggesting the existence of one or more FA AKAPs. Using a promiscuous biotin ligase fused to PKA type-IIα regulatory (RIIα) subunits and subcellular fractionation, we identify the archetypal FA protein talin1 as an AKAP. Talin is a large, mechanosensitive scaffold that directly links integrins to actin filaments and promotes FA assembly by recruiting additional components in a force-dependent manner. The rod region of talin1 consists of 62 α-helices bundled into 13 rod domains, R1 to R13. Direct binding assays and NMR spectroscopy identify helix41 in the R9 subdomain of talin as the PKA binding site. PKA binding to helix41 requires unfolding of the R9 domain, which requires the linker region between R9 and R10. Experiments with single molecules and in cells manipulated to alter actomyosin contractility demonstrate that the PKA-talin interaction is regulated by mechanical force across the talin molecule. Finally, talin mutations that disrupt PKA binding also decrease levels of total and phosphorylated PKA RII subunits as well as phosphorylation of VASP, a known PKA substrate, within FA. These observations identify a mechanically gated anchoring protein for PKA, a force-dependent binding partner for talin1, and a potential pathway for adhesion-associated mechanotransduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingu Kang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT05405
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT05405
- University of Vermont Cancer Center, Burlington, VT05405
| | - Yasumi Otani
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, KentCT2 7NJ, United Kingdom
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, LiverpoolL69 7ZB, United Kingdom
| | - Yanyu Guo
- Department of Physics, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore117542, Singapore
| | - Jie Yan
- Department of Physics, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore117542, Singapore
| | - Benjamin T. Goult
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, KentCT2 7NJ, United Kingdom
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, LiverpoolL69 7ZB, United Kingdom
| | - Alan K. Howe
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT05405
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT05405
- University of Vermont Cancer Center, Burlington, VT05405
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17
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Franchi M, Piperigkou Z, Mastronikolis NS, Karamanos N. Extracellular matrix biomechanical roles and adaptation in health and disease. FEBS J 2024; 291:430-440. [PMID: 37612040 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular matrices (ECMs) are dynamic 3D macromolecular networks that exhibit structural characteristics and composition specific to different tissues, serving various biomechanical and regulatory functions. The interactions between ECM macromolecules such as collagen, elastin, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), proteoglycans (PGs), fibronectin, and laminin, along with matrix effectors and water, contribute to the unique cellular and tissue functional properties during organ development, tissue homoeostasis, remodeling, disease development, and progression. Cells adapt to environmental changes by adjusting the composition and array of ECM components. ECMs, forming the 3D bioscaffolds of our body, provide mechanical support for tissues and organs and respond to the environmental variables influencing growth and final adult body shape in mammals. Different cell types display distinct adaptations to the respective ECM environments. ECMs regulate biological processes by controlling the diffusion of infections and inflammations, sensing and adapting to external stimuli and gravity from the surrounding habitat, and, in the context of cancer, interplaying with and regulating cancer cell invasion and drug resistance. Alterations in the ECM composition in pathological conditions drive adaptive responses of cells and could therefore result in abnormal cell behavior and tissue dysfunction. Understanding the biomechanical functionality, adaptation, and roles of distinct ECMs is essential for research on various pathologies, including cancer progression and multidrug resistance, which is of crucial importance for developing targeted therapies. In this Viewpoint article, we critically present and discuss specific biomechanical functions of ECMs and regulatory adaptation mechanisms in both health and disease, with a particular focus on cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Franchi
- Department for Life Quality Studies, University of Bologna, Rimini, Italy
| | - Zoi Piperigkou
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis and Matrix Pathobiology Res. Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, University of Patras, Greece
- Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH)/Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences (ICE-HT), Patras, Greece
| | - Nicholas S Mastronikolis
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Greece
| | - Nikos Karamanos
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis and Matrix Pathobiology Res. Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, University of Patras, Greece
- Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH)/Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences (ICE-HT), Patras, Greece
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18
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Chanduri MVL, Kumar A, Weiss D, Emuna N, Barsukov I, Shi M, Tanaka K, Wang X, Datye A, Kanyo J, Collin F, Lam T, Schwarz UD, Bai S, Nottoli T, Goult BT, Humphrey JD, Schwartz MA. Mechanosensing through talin 1 contributes to tissue mechanical homeostasis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.09.03.556084. [PMID: 38328095 PMCID: PMC10849504 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.03.556084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
It is widely believed that tissue mechanical properties, determined mainly by the extracellular matrix (ECM), are actively maintained. However, despite its broad importance to biology and medicine, tissue mechanical homeostasis is poorly understood. To explore this hypothesis, we developed mutations in the mechanosensitive protein talin1 that alter cellular sensing of ECM stiffness. Mutation of a novel mechanosensitive site between talin1 rod domain helix bundles 1 and 2 (R1 and R2) shifted cellular stiffness sensing curves, enabling cells to spread and exert tension on compliant substrates. Opening of the R1-R2 interface promotes binding of the ARP2/3 complex subunit ARPC5L, which mediates the altered stiffness sensing. Ascending aortas from mice bearing these mutations show increased compliance, less fibrillar collagen, and rupture at lower pressure. Together, these results demonstrate that cellular stiffness sensing regulates ECM mechanical properties. These data thus directly support the mechanical homeostasis hypothesis and identify a novel mechanosensitive interaction within talin that contributes to this mechanism.
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19
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Sun H, Le S, Guo Z, Chen H. Exploring the free energy landscape of proteins using magnetic tweezers. Methods Enzymol 2024; 694:237-261. [PMID: 38492953 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2023.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Proteins fold to their native states by searching through the free energy landscapes. As single-domain proteins are the basic building block of multiple-domain proteins or protein complexes composed of subunits, the free energy landscapes of single-domain proteins are of critical importance to understand the folding and unfolding processes of proteins. To explore the free energy landscapes of proteins over large conformational space, the stability of native structure is perturbed by biochemical or mechanical means, and the conformational transition process is measured. In single molecular manipulation experiments, stretching force is applied to proteins, and the folding and unfolding transitions are recorded by the extension time course. Due to the broad force range and long-time stability of magnetic tweezers, the free energy landscape over large conformational space can be obtained. In this article, we describe the magnetic tweezers instrument design, protein construct design and preparation, fluid chamber preparation, common-used measuring protocols including force-ramp and force-jump measurements, and data analysis methods to construct the free energy landscape. Single-domain cold shock protein is introduced as an example to build its free energy landscape by magnetic tweezers measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Sun
- Center of Biomedical Physics, Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, P.R. China
| | - Shimin Le
- Department of Physics, Research Institute for Biomimetics and Soft Matter, Fujian Provincial Key Lab for Soft Functional Materials Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P.R. China
| | - Zilong Guo
- Center of Biomedical Physics, Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, P.R. China.
| | - Hu Chen
- Center of Biomedical Physics, Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, P.R. China; Department of Physics, Research Institute for Biomimetics and Soft Matter, Fujian Provincial Key Lab for Soft Functional Materials Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P.R. China.
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20
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Mierke CT. Extracellular Matrix Cues Regulate Mechanosensing and Mechanotransduction of Cancer Cells. Cells 2024; 13:96. [PMID: 38201302 PMCID: PMC10777970 DOI: 10.3390/cells13010096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Extracellular biophysical properties have particular implications for a wide spectrum of cellular behaviors and functions, including growth, motility, differentiation, apoptosis, gene expression, cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion, and signal transduction including mechanotransduction. Cells not only react to unambiguously mechanical cues from the extracellular matrix (ECM), but can occasionally manipulate the mechanical features of the matrix in parallel with biological characteristics, thus interfering with downstream matrix-based cues in both physiological and pathological processes. Bidirectional interactions between cells and (bio)materials in vitro can alter cell phenotype and mechanotransduction, as well as ECM structure, intentionally or unintentionally. Interactions between cell and matrix mechanics in vivo are of particular importance in a variety of diseases, including primarily cancer. Stiffness values between normal and cancerous tissue can range between 500 Pa (soft) and 48 kPa (stiff), respectively. Even the shear flow can increase from 0.1-1 dyn/cm2 (normal tissue) to 1-10 dyn/cm2 (cancerous tissue). There are currently many new areas of activity in tumor research on various biological length scales, which are highlighted in this review. Moreover, the complexity of interactions between ECM and cancer cells is reduced to common features of different tumors and the characteristics are highlighted to identify the main pathways of interaction. This all contributes to the standardization of mechanotransduction models and approaches, which, ultimately, increases the understanding of the complex interaction. Finally, both the in vitro and in vivo effects of this mechanics-biology pairing have key insights and implications for clinical practice in tumor treatment and, consequently, clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Tanja Mierke
- Biological Physics Division, Peter Debye Institute of Soft Matter Physics, Faculty of Physics and Earth Science, Leipzig University, Linnéstraße 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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21
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Wang Y, Huang H, Weng H, Jia C, Liao B, Long Y, Yu F, Nie Y. Talin mechanotransduction in disease. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2024; 166:106490. [PMID: 37914021 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2023.106490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Talin protein (Talin 1/2) is a mechanosensitive cytoskeleton protein. The unique structure of the Talin plays a vital role in transmitting mechanical forces. Talin proteins connect the extracellular matrix to the cytoskeleton by linking to integrins and actin, thereby mediating the conversion of mechanical signals into biochemical signals and influencing disease progression as potential diagnostic indicators, therapeutic targets, and prognostic indicators of various diseases. Most studies in recent years have confirmed that mechanical forces also have a crucial role in the development of disease, and Talin has been found to play a role in several diseases. Still, more studies need to be done on how Talin is involved in mechanical signaling in disease. This review focuses on the mechanical signaling of Talin in disease, aiming to summarize the mechanisms by which Talin plays a role in disease and to provide references for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingzi Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, China
| | - Haozhong Huang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, China
| | - Huimin Weng
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, China
| | - Chunsen Jia
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, China
| | - Bin Liao
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, China; Metabolic Vascular Disease Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education & Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, China; Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Dysfunction, Luzhou, China
| | - Yang Long
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China; Metabolic Vascular Disease Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Luzhou, China; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, Luzhou, China
| | - Fengxu Yu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, China; Metabolic Vascular Disease Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education & Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, China; Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Dysfunction, Luzhou, China
| | - Yongmei Nie
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, China; Metabolic Vascular Disease Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education & Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, China; Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Dysfunction, Luzhou, China.
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22
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Yamashiro S, Rutkowski DM, Lynch KA, Liu Y, Vavylonis D, Watanabe N. Force transmission by retrograde actin flow-induced dynamic molecular stretching of Talin. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8468. [PMID: 38123541 PMCID: PMC10733299 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44018-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Force transmission at integrin-based adhesions is important for cell migration and mechanosensing. Talin is an essential focal adhesion (FA) protein that links F-actin to integrins. F-actin constantly moves on FAs, yet how Talin simultaneously maintains the connection to F-actin and transmits forces to integrins remains unclear. Here we show a critical role of dynamic Talin unfolding in force transmission. Using single-molecule speckle microscopy, we found that the majority of Talin are bound only to either F-actin or the substrate, whereas 4.1% of Talin is linked to both structures via elastic transient clutch. By reconstituting Talin knockdown cells with Talin chimeric mutants, in which the Talin rod subdomains are replaced with the stretchable β-spectrin repeats, we show that the stretchable property is critical for force transmission. Simulations suggest that unfolding of the Talin rod subdomains increases in the linkage duration and work at FAs. This study elucidates a force transmission mechanism, in which stochastic molecular stretching bridges two cellular structures moving at different speeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sawako Yamashiro
- Laboratory of Single-Molecule Cell Biology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto, Japan.
- Department of Pharmacology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
| | | | - Kelli Ann Lynch
- Department of Physics, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA
- University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Ying Liu
- Laboratory of Single-Molecule Cell Biology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto, Japan
| | | | - Naoki Watanabe
- Laboratory of Single-Molecule Cell Biology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Pharmacology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
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23
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Alonso A, Ebben A, Dabagh M. Impact of disturbed flow and arterial stiffening on mechanotransduction in endothelial cells. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2023; 22:1919-1933. [PMID: 37709992 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-023-01743-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Disturbed flow promotes progression of atherosclerosis at particular regions of arteries where the recent studies show the arterial wall becomes stiffer. Objective of this study is to show how mechanotransduction in subcellular organelles of endothelial cells (ECs) will alter with changes in blood flow profiles applied on ECs surface and mechanical properties of arterial wall where ECs are attached to. We will examine the exposure of ECs to atherogenic flow profiles (disturbed flow) and non-atherogenic flow profiles (purely forward flow), while stiffness and viscoelasticity of arterial wall will change. A multicomponent model of endothelial cell monolayer was applied to quantify the response of subcellular organelles to the changes in their microenvironment. Our results show that arterial stiffening alters mechanotransduction in intra/inter-cellular organelles of ECs by slight increase in the transmitted stresses, particularly over central stress fibers (SFs). We also observed that degradation of glycocalyx and exposure to non-atherogenic flow profiles result in significantly higher stresses in subcellular organelles, while degradation of glycocalyx and exposure to atherogenic flow profiles result in dramatically lower stresses in the organelles. Moreover, we show that increasing the arterial wall viscoelasticity leads to slight increase in the stresses transmitted to subcellular organelles. FAs are particularly influenced with the changes in the arterial wall properties and viscoelasticity. Our study suggests that changes in viscoelasticity of arterial wall and degradation state of glycocalyx have to be considered along with arterial stiffening in designing more efficient treatment strategies for atherosclerosis. Our study provides insight into significant role of mechanotransduction in the localization of atherosclerosis by quantifying the role of ECs mechanosensors and suggests that mechanotransduction may play a key role in design of more efficient and precision therapeutics to slow down or block the progression of atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Alonso
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, USA
| | - Alessandra Ebben
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, USA
| | - Mahsa Dabagh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, USA.
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Valdivia A, Avalos AM, Leyton L. Thy-1 (CD90)-regulated cell adhesion and migration of mesenchymal cells: insights into adhesomes, mechanical forces, and signaling pathways. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1221306. [PMID: 38099295 PMCID: PMC10720913 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1221306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell adhesion and migration depend on the assembly and disassembly of adhesive structures known as focal adhesions. Cells adhere to the extracellular matrix (ECM) and form these structures via receptors, such as integrins and syndecans, which initiate signal transduction pathways that bridge the ECM to the cytoskeleton, thus governing adhesion and migration processes. Integrins bind to the ECM and soluble or cell surface ligands to form integrin adhesion complexes (IAC), whose composition depends on the cellular context and cell type. Proteomic analyses of these IACs led to the curation of the term adhesome, which is a complex molecular network containing hundreds of proteins involved in signaling, adhesion, and cell movement. One of the hallmarks of these IACs is to sense mechanical cues that arise due to ECM rigidity, as well as the tension exerted by cell-cell interactions, and transduce this force by modifying the actin cytoskeleton to regulate cell migration. Among the integrin/syndecan cell surface ligands, we have described Thy-1 (CD90), a GPI-anchored protein that possesses binding domains for each of these receptors and, upon engaging them, stimulates cell adhesion and migration. In this review, we examine what is currently known about adhesomes, revise how mechanical forces have changed our view on the regulation of cell migration, and, in this context, discuss how we have contributed to the understanding of signaling mechanisms that control cell adhesion and migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Valdivia
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Ana María Avalos
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lisette Leyton
- Cellular Communication Laboratory, Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, Center for Studies on Exercise, Metabolism and Cancer (CEMC), Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences & Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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25
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Carney KR, Khan AM, Stam S, Samson SC, Mittal N, Han SJ, Bidone TC, Mendoza MC. Nascent adhesions shorten the period of lamellipodium protrusion through the Brownian ratchet mechanism. Mol Biol Cell 2023; 34:ar115. [PMID: 37672339 PMCID: PMC10846621 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-08-0314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Directional cell migration is driven by the conversion of oscillating edge motion into lasting periods of leading edge protrusion. Actin polymerization against the membrane and adhesions control edge motion, but the exact mechanisms that determine protrusion period remain elusive. We addressed this by developing a computational model in which polymerization of actin filaments against a deformable membrane and variable adhesion dynamics support edge motion. Consistent with previous reports, our model showed that actin polymerization and adhesion lifetime power protrusion velocity. However, increasing adhesion lifetime decreased the protrusion period. Measurements of adhesion lifetime and edge motion in migrating cells confirmed that adhesion lifetime is associated with and promotes protrusion velocity, but decreased duration. Our model showed that adhesions' control of protrusion persistence originates from the Brownian ratchet mechanism for actin filament polymerization. With longer adhesion lifetime or increased-adhesion density, the proportion of actin filaments tethered to the substrate increased, maintaining filaments against the cell membrane. The reduced filament-membrane distance generated pushing force for high edge velocity, but limited further polymerization needed for protrusion duration. We propose a mechanism for cell edge protrusion in which adhesion strength regulates actin filament polymerization to control the periods of leading edge protrusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith R. Carney
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
| | - Akib M. Khan
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
| | - Samantha Stam
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
| | - Shiela C. Samson
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
| | - Nikhil Mittal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931
| | - Sangyoon J. Han
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931
| | - Tamara C. Bidone
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
- Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
| | - Michelle C. Mendoza
- Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
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26
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Cheng D, Wang J, Yao M, Cox CD. Joining forces: crosstalk between mechanosensitive PIEZO1 ion channels and integrin-mediated focal adhesions. Biochem Soc Trans 2023; 51:1897-1906. [PMID: 37772664 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Both integrin-mediated focal adhesions (FAs) and mechanosensitive ion channels such as PIEZO1 are critical in mechanotransduction processes that influence cell differentiation, development, and cancer. Ample evidence now exists for regulatory crosstalk between FAs and PIEZO1 channels with the molecular mechanisms underlying this process remaining unclear. However, an emerging picture is developing based on spatial crosstalk between FAs and PIEZO1 revealing a synergistic model involving the cytoskeleton, extracellular matrix (ECM) and calcium-dependent signaling. Already cell type, cell contractility, integrin subtypes and ECM composition have been shown to regulate this crosstalk, implying a highly fine-tuned relationship between these two major mechanosensing systems. In this review, we summarize the latest advances in this area, highlight the physiological implications of this crosstalk and identify gaps in our knowledge that will improve our understanding of cellular mechanosensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delfine Cheng
- The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Junfan Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Mingxi Yao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Charles D Cox
- The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
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27
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Grudtsyna V, Packirisamy S, Bidone TC, Swaminathan V. Extracellular matrix sensing via modulation of orientational order of integrins and F-actin in focal adhesions. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202301898. [PMID: 37463754 PMCID: PMC10355215 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202301898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Specificity of cellular responses to distinct cues from the ECM requires precise and sensitive decoding of physical information. However, how known mechanisms of mechanosensing like force-dependent catch bonds and conformational changes in FA proteins can confer that this sensitivity is not known. Using polarization microscopy and computational modeling, we identify dynamic changes in an orientational order of FA proteins as a molecular organizational mechanism that can fine-tune cell sensitivity to the ECM. We find that αV integrins and F-actin show precise changes in the orientational order in an ECM-mediated integrin activation-dependent manner. These changes are sensitive to ECM density and are regulated independent of myosin-II activity though contractility can enhance this sensitivity. A molecular-clutch model demonstrates that the orientational order of integrin-ECM binding coupled to directional catch bonds can capture cellular responses to changes in ECM density. This mechanism also captures decoupling of ECM density sensing from stiffness sensing thus elucidating specificity. Taken together, our results suggest relative geometric organization of FA molecules as an important molecular architectural feature and regulator of mechanotransduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeriia Grudtsyna
- Division of Oncology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Swathi Packirisamy
- Division of Oncology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Tamara C Bidone
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Vinay Swaminathan
- Division of Oncology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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28
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Beedle AE, Roca-Cusachs P. The reversibility of cellular mechano-activation. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2023; 84:102229. [PMID: 37633090 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
The cellular microenvironment is highly heterogeneous and dynamic. Therefore, cells must be equipped with molecular tools to adapt and respond to constantly fluctuating inputs. One such input is mechanical force, which activates signalling and regulates cell behaviour in the process of mechanotransduction. Whereas the mechanisms activating mechanotransduction are well studied, the reversibility of this process, whereby cells disassemble and reverse force-activated signalling pathways upon cessation of mechanical stimulation is far less understood. In this review we will outline some of the key experimental techniques to investigate the reversibility of mechanical signalling, and key discoveries arising from them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Em Beedle
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Physics, King's College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK.
| | - Pere Roca-Cusachs
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), 08028 Barcelona, Spain; University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
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29
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Jun M, Lee YL, Zhou T, Maric M, Burke B, Park S, Low BC, Chiam KH. Subcellular Force Imbalance in Actin Bundles Induces Nuclear Repositioning and Durotaxis. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:43387-43402. [PMID: 37674326 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c07546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Durotaxis is a phenomenon in which cells migrate toward substrates of increasing stiffness. However, how cells assimilate substrate stiffness as a directional cue remains poorly understood. In this study, we experimentally show that mouse embryonic fibroblasts can discriminate between different substrate stiffnesses and develop higher traction forces at regions of the cell adhering to the stiffer pillars. In this way, the cells generate a force imbalance between adhesion sites. It is this traction force imbalance that drives durotaxis by providing directionality for cell migration. Significantly, we found that traction forces are transmitted via LINC complexes to the cell nucleus, which serves to maintain the global force imbalance. In this way, LINC complexes play an essential role in anterograde nuclear movement and durotaxis. This conclusion is supported by the fact that LINC complex-deficient cells are incapable of durotaxis and instead migrate randomly on substrates featuring a stiffness gradient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myeongjun Jun
- Bioinformatics institute, A*STAR, Singapore 138671, Singapore
- Department of Biological Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
| | - Yin Loon Lee
- A*STAR Skin Research Laboratories, A*STAR, Singapore 138648, Singapore
| | - Tianxun Zhou
- Bioinformatics institute, A*STAR, Singapore 138671, Singapore
| | - Martina Maric
- A*STAR Skin Research Laboratories, A*STAR, Singapore 138648, Singapore
| | - Brian Burke
- A*STAR Skin Research Laboratories, A*STAR, Singapore 138648, Singapore
| | - Sungsu Park
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
- Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
| | - Boon Chuan Low
- Department of Biological Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore
- NUS college, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore
| | - Keng-Hwee Chiam
- Bioinformatics institute, A*STAR, Singapore 138671, Singapore
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Doolan JA, Alesbrook LS, Baker K, Brown IR, Williams GT, Hilton KLF, Tabata M, Wozniakiewicz PJ, Hiscock JR, Goult BT. Next-generation protein-based materials capture and preserve projectiles from supersonic impacts. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 18:1060-1066. [PMID: 37400719 PMCID: PMC10501900 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-023-01431-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Extreme energy-dissipating materials are essential for a range of applications. The military and police force require ballistic armour to ensure the safety of their personnel, while the aerospace industry requires materials that enable the capture, preservation and study of hypervelocity projectiles. However, current industry standards display at least one inherent limitation, such as weight, breathability, stiffness, durability and failure to preserve captured projectiles. To resolve these limitations, we have turned to nature, using proteins that have evolved over millennia to enable effective energy dissipation. Specifically, a recombinant form of the mechanosensitive protein talin was incorporated into a monomeric unit and crosslinked, resulting in a talin shock-absorbing material (TSAM). When subjected to 1.5 km s-1 supersonic shots, TSAMs were shown to absorb the impact and capture and preserve the projectile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack A Doolan
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Luke S Alesbrook
- School of Chemistry and Forensic Science, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Karen Baker
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Ian R Brown
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - George T Williams
- School of Chemistry and Forensic Science, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Kira L F Hilton
- School of Chemistry and Forensic Science, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Makoto Tabata
- Department of Physics, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | | | - Jennifer R Hiscock
- School of Chemistry and Forensic Science, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
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31
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余 哲, 姬 彦, 黄 文, 方 颖, 吴 建. [Molecular dynamics simulation of force-regulated interaction between talin and Rap1b]. SHENG WU YI XUE GONG CHENG XUE ZA ZHI = JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING = SHENGWU YIXUE GONGCHENGXUE ZAZHI 2023; 40:645-653. [PMID: 37666754 PMCID: PMC10477389 DOI: 10.7507/1001-5515.202208022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
The binding of talin-F0 domain to ras-related protein 1b (Rap1b) plays an important role in the formation of thrombosis. However, since talin is a force-sensitive protein, it remains unclear whether and how force regulates the talin-F0/Rap1b interaction. To explore the effect of force on the binding affinity and the dynamics mechanisms of talin-F0/Rap1b, molecular dynamics simulation was used to observe and compare the changes in functional and conformational information of the complex under different forces. Our results showed that when the complex was subjected to tensile forces, there were at least two dissociation pathways with significantly different mechanical strengths. The key event determining the mechanical strength difference between the two pathways was whether the β4 sheet of the F0 domain was pulled away from the original β1-β4 parallel structure. As the force increased, the talin-F0/Rap1b interaction first strengthened and then weakened, exhibiting the signature of a transition from catch bonds to slip bonds. The mechanical load of 20 pN increased the interaction index of two residue pairs, ASP 54-ARG 41 and GLN 18-THR 65, which resulted in a significant increase in the affinity of the complex. This study predicts the regulatory mechanism of the talin-F0/Rap1b interaction by forces in the intracellular environment and provides novel ideas for the treatment of related diseases and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- 哲 余
- 华南理工大学 生物科学与工程学院(广州 510006)School of Bioscience & Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
| | - 彦儒 姬
- 华南理工大学 生物科学与工程学院(广州 510006)School of Bioscience & Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
| | - 文华 黄
- 华南理工大学 生物科学与工程学院(广州 510006)School of Bioscience & Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
| | - 颖 方
- 华南理工大学 生物科学与工程学院(广州 510006)School of Bioscience & Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
| | - 建华 吴
- 华南理工大学 生物科学与工程学院(广州 510006)School of Bioscience & Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
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Alonso-Matilla R, Provenzano PP, Odde DJ. Optimal cell traction forces in a generalized motor-clutch model. Biophys J 2023; 122:3369-3385. [PMID: 37475213 PMCID: PMC10465728 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Cells exert forces on mechanically compliant environments to sense stiffness, migrate, and remodel tissue. Cells can sense environmental stiffness via myosin-generated pulling forces acting on F-actin, which is in turn mechanically coupled to the environment via adhesive proteins, akin to a clutch in a drivetrain. In this "motor-clutch" framework, the force transmitted depends on the complex interplay of motor, clutch, and environmental properties. Previous mean-field analysis of the motor-clutch model identified the conditions for optimal stiffness for maximal force transmission via a dimensionless number that combines motor-clutch parameters. However, in this and other previous mean-field analyses, the motor-clutch system is assumed to have balanced motors and clutches and did not consider force-dependent clutch reinforcement and catch bond behavior. Here, we generalize the motor-clutch analytical framework to include imbalanced motor-clutch regimes, with clutch reinforcement and catch bonding, and investigate optimality with respect to all parameters. We found that traction force is strongly influenced by clutch stiffness, and we discovered an optimal clutch stiffness that maximizes traction force, suggesting that cells could tune their clutch mechanical properties to perform a specific function. The results provide guidance for maximizing the accuracy of cell-generated force measurements via molecular tension sensors by designing their mechanosensitive linker peptide to be as stiff as possible. In addition, we found that, on rigid substrates, the mean-field analysis identifies optimal motor properties, suggesting that cells could regulate their myosin repertoire and activity to maximize force transmission. Finally, we found that clutch reinforcement shifts the optimum substrate stiffness to larger values, whereas the optimum substrate stiffness is insensitive to clutch catch bond properties. Overall, our work reveals novel features of the motor-clutch model that can affect the design of molecular tension sensors and provide a generalized analytical framework for predicting and controlling cell adhesion and migration in immunotherapy and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Alonso-Matilla
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; University of Minnesota Physical Sciences in Oncology Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota; University of Minnesota Center for Multiparametric Imaging of Tumor Immune Microenvironments, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Paolo P Provenzano
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; University of Minnesota Physical Sciences in Oncology Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota; University of Minnesota Center for Multiparametric Imaging of Tumor Immune Microenvironments, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - David J Odde
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; University of Minnesota Physical Sciences in Oncology Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota; University of Minnesota Center for Multiparametric Imaging of Tumor Immune Microenvironments, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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Kang M, Otani Y, Guo Y, Yan J, Goult BT, Howe AK. The focal adhesion protein talin is a mechanically-gated A-kinase anchoring protein (AKAP). BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.20.554038. [PMID: 37645895 PMCID: PMC10462126 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.20.554038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The cAMP-dependent protein kinase (Protein Kinase A; PKA) is a ubiquitous, promiscuous kinase whose activity is focused and specified through subcellular localization mediated by A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs). PKA has complex roles as both an effector and a regulator of integrin-mediated cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix (ECM). Recent observations demonstrate that PKA is an active component of focal adhesions (FA), intracellular complexes coupling ECM-bound integrins to the actin cytoskeleton, suggesting the existence of one or more FA AKAPs. Using a combination of a promiscuous biotin ligase fused to PKA type-IIα regulatory (RIIα) subunits and subcellular fractionation, we identify the archetypal FA protein talin1 as an AKAP. Talin is a large, mechanosensitive scaffold that directly links integrins to actin filaments and promotes FA assembly by recruiting additional components in a force-dependent manner. The rod region of talin1 consists of 62 α-helices bundled into 13 rod domains, R1-R13. Direct binding assays and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy identify helix41 in the R9 subdomain of talin as the PKA binding site. PKA binding to helix41 requires unfolding of the R9 domain, which requires the linker region between R9 and R10. Finally, single-molecule experiments with talin1 and PKA, and experiments in cells manipulated to alter actomyosin contractility demonstrate that the PKA-talin interaction is regulated by mechanical force across the talin molecule. These observations identify the first mechanically-gated anchoring protein for PKA, a new force-dependent binding partner for talin1, and thus a new mechanism for coupling cellular tension and signal transduction.
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Franz F, Tapia-Rojo R, Winograd-Katz S, Boujemaa-Paterski R, Li W, Unger T, Albeck S, Aponte-Santamaria C, Garcia-Manyes S, Medalia O, Geiger B, Gräter F. Allosteric activation of vinculin by talin. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4311. [PMID: 37463895 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39646-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The talin-vinculin axis is a key mechanosensing component of cellular focal adhesions. How talin and vinculin respond to forces and regulate one another remains unclear. By combining single-molecule magnetic tweezers experiments, Molecular Dynamics simulations, actin-bundling assays, and adhesion assembly experiments in live cells, we here describe a two-ways allosteric network within vinculin as a regulator of the talin-vinculin interaction. We directly observe a maturation process of vinculin upon talin binding, which reinforces the binding to talin at a rate of 0.03 s-1. This allosteric transition can compete with force-induced dissociation of vinculin from talin only at forces up to 10 pN. Mimicking the allosteric activation by mutation yields a vinculin molecule that bundles actin and localizes to focal adhesions in a force-independent manner. Hence, the allosteric switch confines talin-vinculin interactions and focal adhesion build-up to intermediate force levels. The 'allosteric vinculin mutant' is a valuable molecular tool to further dissect the mechanical and biochemical signalling circuits at focal adhesions and elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Franz
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), Schloß-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University, Mathematikon, INF 205, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rafael Tapia-Rojo
- Department of Physics, Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Centre for the Physical Science of Life and London Centre for Nanotechnology, King's College London, Strand, WC2R 2LS London, UK.
- Single Molecule Mechanobiology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, London, UK.
| | - Sabina Winograd-Katz
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Wenhong Li
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tamar Unger
- The Dana and Yossie Hollander Center for Structural Proteomics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Shira Albeck
- The Dana and Yossie Hollander Center for Structural Proteomics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Camilo Aponte-Santamaria
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), Schloß-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University, Mathematikon, INF 205, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sergi Garcia-Manyes
- Department of Physics, Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Centre for the Physical Science of Life and London Centre for Nanotechnology, King's College London, Strand, WC2R 2LS London, UK
- Single Molecule Mechanobiology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, London, UK
| | - Ohad Medalia
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Benjamin Geiger
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Frauke Gräter
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), Schloß-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, 69118, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University, Mathematikon, INF 205, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
- IMSEAM, Heidelberg University, INF 225, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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35
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Grandy C, Port F, Radzinski M, Singh K, Erz D, Pfeil J, Reichmann D, Gottschalk KE. Remodeling of the focal adhesion complex by hydrogen-peroxide-induced senescence. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9735. [PMID: 37322076 PMCID: PMC10272183 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36347-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular senescence is a phenotype characterized by cessation of cell division, which can be caused by exhaustive replication or environmental stress. It is involved in age-related pathophysiological conditions and affects both the cellular cytoskeleton and the prime cellular mechanosensors, focal adhesion complexes. While the size of focal adhesions increases during senescence, it is unknown if and how this is accompanied by a remodeling of the internal focal adhesion structure. Our study uses metal-induced energy transfer to study the axial dimension of focal adhesion proteins from oxidative-stress-induced senescent cells with nanometer precision, and compares these to unstressed cells. We influenced cytoskeletal tension and the functioning of mechanosensitive ion channels using drugs and studied the combined effect of senescence and drug intervention on the focal adhesion structure. We found that H2O2-induced restructuring of the focal adhesion complex indicates a loss of tension and altered talin complexation. Mass spectroscopy-based proteomics confirmed the differential regulation of several cytoskeletal proteins induced by H2O2 treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Grandy
- Institute of Experimental Physics, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Fabian Port
- Institute of Experimental Physics, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Meytal Radzinski
- Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus-Givat Ram, 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Karmveer Singh
- Department of Dermatology and Allergic Diseases, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm,, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Dorothee Erz
- Institute of Experimental Physics, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Jonas Pfeil
- Institute of Experimental Physics, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Dana Reichmann
- Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus-Givat Ram, 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
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36
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Gallego-Paez LM, Edwards WJS, Chanduri M, Guo Y, Koorman T, Lee CY, Grexa N, Derksen P, Yan J, Schwartz MA, Mauer J, Goult BT. TLN1 contains a cancer-associated cassette exon that alters talin-1 mechanosensitivity. J Cell Biol 2023; 222:213923. [PMID: 36880935 PMCID: PMC9997659 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202209010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Talin-1 is the core mechanosensitive adapter protein linking integrins to the cytoskeleton. The TLN1 gene is comprised of 57 exons that encode the 2,541 amino acid TLN1 protein. TLN1 was previously considered to be expressed as a single isoform. However, through differential pre-mRNA splicing analysis, we discovered a cancer-enriched, non-annotated 51-nucleotide exon in TLN1 between exons 17 and 18, which we refer to as exon 17b. TLN1 is comprised of an N-terminal FERM domain, linked to 13 force-dependent switch domains, R1-R13. Inclusion of exon 17b introduces an in-frame insertion of 17 amino acids immediately after Gln665 in the region between R1 and R2 which lowers the force required to open the R1-R2 switches potentially altering downstream mechanotransduction. Biochemical analysis of this isoform revealed enhanced vinculin binding, and cells expressing this variant show altered adhesion dynamics and motility. Finally, we showed that the TGF-β/SMAD3 signaling pathway regulates this isoform switch. Future studies will need to consider the balance of these two TLN1 isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Manasa Chanduri
- Departments of Internal Medicine (Cardiology) and Yale Cardiovascular Research Center , New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yanyu Guo
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore , Singapore, Singapore
| | - Thijs Koorman
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht , Utrecht, Netherlands
| | | | - Nina Grexa
- Biomed X Institute (GmbH) , Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patrick Derksen
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht , Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Jie Yan
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore , Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Physics, National University of Singapore , Singapore, Singapore
| | - Martin A Schwartz
- Departments of Internal Medicine (Cardiology) and Yale Cardiovascular Research Center , New Haven, CT, USA.,Departments of Cell Biology and Biomedical Engineering, Yale School of Medicine , New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jan Mauer
- Biomed X Institute (GmbH) , Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Immunology, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
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37
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Liu J, Le S, Yao M, Huang W, Tio Z, Zhou Y, Yan J. Tension Gauge Tethers as Tension Threshold and Duration Sensors. ACS Sens 2023; 8:704-711. [PMID: 36731861 PMCID: PMC9973368 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.2c02218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Mechanotransduction, the process by which cells respond to tension transmitted through various supramolecular linkages, is important for understanding cellular behavior. Tension gauge tethers (TGTs), short fragments of double-stranded DNA that irreversibly break under shear-stretch conditions, have been used in live cell experiments to study mechanotransduction. However, our current understanding of TGTs' mechanical responses is limited, which limits the information that can be gleaned from experimental observations. In this study, we quantified the tension-dependent lifetime of TGTs to better understand their mechanical stability under various physiologically relevant stretching conditions. This work has broad applications for using TGTs as tension threshold and duration sensors and also suggests the need to revisit previous interpretations of experimental observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingzhun Liu
- Mechanobiology
Institute, National University of Singapore, 117411Singapore
| | - Shimin Le
- Department
of Physics, Xiamen University, Xiamen361005, People’s Repbulic of China
| | - Mingxi Yao
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University
of Science and Technology, Shenzhen518055, People’s Repbulic of China
| | - Wenmao Huang
- Department
of Physics, National University of Singapore, 117546Singapore
| | - Zhikai Tio
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117585Singapore
| | - Yu Zhou
- Mechanobiology
Institute, National University of Singapore, 117411Singapore
| | - Jie Yan
- Mechanobiology
Institute, National University of Singapore, 117411Singapore
- Department
of Physics, National University of Singapore, 117546Singapore
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38
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Geiger B, Boujemaa-Paterski R, Winograd-Katz SE, Balan Venghateri J, Chung WL, Medalia O. The Actin Network Interfacing Diverse Integrin-Mediated Adhesions. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13020294. [PMID: 36830665 PMCID: PMC9953007 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The interface between the cellular actin network and diverse forms of integrin-mediated cell adhesions displays a unique capacity to serve as accurate chemical and mechanical sensors of the cell's microenvironment. Focal adhesion-like structures of diverse cell types, podosomes in osteoclasts, and invadopodia of invading cancer cells display distinct morphologies and apparent functions. Yet, all three share a similar composition and mode of coupling between a protrusive structure (the lamellipodium, the core actin bundle of the podosome, and the invadopodia protrusion, respectively), and a nearby adhesion site. Cytoskeletal or external forces, applied to the adhesion sites, trigger a cascade of unfolding and activation of key adhesome components (e.g., talin, vinculin, integrin), which in turn, trigger the assembly of adhesion sites and generation of adhesion-mediated signals that affect cell behavior and fate. The structural and molecular mechanisms underlying the dynamic crosstalk between the actin cytoskeleton and the adhesome network are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Geiger
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
- Correspondence: (B.G.); (O.M.)
| | - Rajaa Boujemaa-Paterski
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sabina E. Winograd-Katz
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Jubina Balan Venghateri
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Wen-Lu Chung
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ohad Medalia
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Correspondence: (B.G.); (O.M.)
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39
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Yu T, Liu T, Wang Y, Zhang S, Zhang W. Thermodynamics and kinetics of an A-U RNA base pair under force studied by molecular dynamics simulations. Phys Rev E 2023; 107:024404. [PMID: 36932572 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.107.024404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical force has been widely used to study RNA folding and unfolding. Understanding how the force affects the opening and closing of a single base pair, which is a basic step for RNA folding and unfolding and a fundamental behavior in some important biological activities, is crucial to understanding the mechanism of RNA folding and unfolding under mechanical force. In this work, we investigated the opening and closing process of an RNA base pair under mechanical force with constant-force stretching molecular dynamics simulations. It was found that high mechanical force results in overstretching, and the open state is a high-energy state. The enthalpy and entropy change of the base-pair opening-closing transition were obtained and the results at low forces were in good agreement with the nearest-neighbor model. The temperature and force dependence of the opening and closing rates were also obtained. The position of the transition state for the base-pair opening-closing transition under mechanical force was determined. The free energy barrier of opening a base pair without force is the enthalpy increase, and the work done by the force from the closed state to the transition state decreases the barrier and increases the opening rate. The free energy barrier of closing the base pair without force results from the entropy loss, and the work done by the force from the open state to the transition state increases the barrier and decreases the closing rate. The transition rates are strongly dependent on the temperature and force, while the transition path times are weakly dependent on force and temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Yu
- Department of Physics, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, People's Republic of China
| | - Taigang Liu
- Department of Physics, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, People's Republic of China
- School of Medical Engineering, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, People's Republic of China
| | - Yujie Wang
- Department of Physics, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, People's Republic of China
- Department of Physics and Telecommunication Engineering, Zhoukou Normal University, Zhoukou, Henan 466000, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuhao Zhang
- Department of Physics, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenbing Zhang
- Department of Physics, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, People's Republic of China
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40
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Haage A, Tanentzapf G. Analysis of Integrin-Dependent Melanoblast Migration During Development. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2608:207-221. [PMID: 36653710 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2887-4_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The neural crest is a transient embryonic structure that gives rise to a number of important cell types and tissues, including most of the peripheral and enteric nervous systems, pigment-producing skin cells known as melanocytes, and many craniofacial structures. Melanoblasts, the precursors of melanocytes, are derived from the so-called trunk neural crest cells. These cells delaminate and migrate along a dorsolateral pathway to colonize their final destination in the skin, and consequently, defects in melanoblast migration result in pigmentation defects. Studying melanocyte migration is a topic of great interest due to the involvement of melanocytes in highly metastatic skin cancer. A role for integrin-mediated adhesion is well established in neural crest migration, and our recent work has provided direct evidence for a key role for integrin-based adhesion in melanocyte migration. Imaging of melanoblast migration in the context of intact skin has proven to be a particularly powerful tool to study integrin-based adhesion during melanoblast migration. Here, we describe the use of skin explants combined with genetically encoded markers for melanocytes and high-resolution live imaging as a powerful and informative approach to analyze melanoblast migration in an ex vivo context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Haage
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA.
| | - Guy Tanentzapf
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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41
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Tapia-Rojo R, Mora M, Board S, Walker J, Boujemaa-Paterski R, Medalia O, Garcia-Manyes S. Enhanced statistical sampling reveals microscopic complexity in the talin mechanosensor folding energy landscape. NATURE PHYSICS 2023; 19:52-60. [PMID: 36660164 PMCID: PMC7614079 DOI: 10.1038/s41567-022-01808-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Statistical mechanics can describe the major conformational ensembles determining the equilibrium free-energy landscape of a folding protein. The challenge is to capture the full repertoire of low-occurrence conformations separated by high kinetic barriers that define complex landscapes. Computationally, enhanced sampling methods accelerate the exploration of molecular rare events. However, accessing the entire protein's conformational space in equilibrium experiments requires technological developments to enable extended observation times. We developed single-molecule magnetic tweezers to capture over a million individual transitions as a single talin protein unfolds and refolds under force in equilibrium. When observed at classically-probed timescales, talin folds in an apparently uncomplicated two-state manner. As the sampling time extends from minutes to days, the underlying energy landscape exhibits gradually larger signatures of complexity, involving a finite number of well-defined rare conformations. A fluctuation analysis allows us to propose plausible structures of each low-probability conformational state. The physiological relevance of each distinct conformation can be connected to the binding of the cytoskeletal protein vinculin, suggesting an extra layer of complexity in talin-mediated mechanotransduction. More generally, our experiments directly test the fundamental notion that equilibrium dynamics depend on the observation timescale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Tapia-Rojo
- Single Molecule Mechanobiology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, London, UK
- Department of Physics, Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Centre for the Physical Science of Life and London Centre for Nanotechnology, King’s College London, Strand, WC2R 2LS London, United Kingdom
- Corresponding authors: , ,
| | - Marc Mora
- Single Molecule Mechanobiology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, London, UK
- Department of Physics, Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Centre for the Physical Science of Life and London Centre for Nanotechnology, King’s College London, Strand, WC2R 2LS London, United Kingdom
- Corresponding authors: , ,
| | - Stephanie Board
- Single Molecule Mechanobiology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, London, UK
- Department of Physics, Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Centre for the Physical Science of Life and London Centre for Nanotechnology, King’s College London, Strand, WC2R 2LS London, United Kingdom
| | - Jane Walker
- Single Molecule Mechanobiology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, London, UK
- Department of Physics, Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Centre for the Physical Science of Life and London Centre for Nanotechnology, King’s College London, Strand, WC2R 2LS London, United Kingdom
| | - Rajaa Boujemaa-Paterski
- Department of Biochemistry, Zurich University, Winterhurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ohad Medalia
- Department of Biochemistry, Zurich University, Winterhurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sergi Garcia-Manyes
- Single Molecule Mechanobiology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, London, UK
- Department of Physics, Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Centre for the Physical Science of Life and London Centre for Nanotechnology, King’s College London, Strand, WC2R 2LS London, United Kingdom
- Corresponding authors: , ,
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42
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Haage A, Dhasarathy A. Working a second job: Cell adhesion proteins that moonlight in the nucleus. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1163553. [PMID: 37169022 PMCID: PMC10164977 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1163553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cells are adept at sensing changes in their environment, transmitting signals internally to coordinate responses to external stimuli, and thereby influencing adaptive changes in cell states and behavior. Often, this response involves modulation of gene expression in the nucleus, which is seen largely as a physically separated process from the rest of the cell. Mechanosensing, whereby a cell senses physical stimuli, and integrates and converts these inputs into downstream responses including signaling cascades and gene regulatory changes, involves the participation of several macromolecular structures. Of note, the extracellular matrix (ECM) and its constituent macromolecules comprise an essential part of the cellular microenvironment, allowing cells to interact with each other, and providing both structural and biochemical stimuli sensed by adhesion transmembrane receptors. This highway of information between the ECM, cell adhesion proteins, and the cytoskeleton regulates cellular behavior, the disruption of which results in disease. Emerging evidence suggests a more direct role for some of these adhesion proteins in chromatin structure and gene regulation, RNA maturation and other non-canonical functions. While many of these discoveries were previously limited to observations of cytoplasmic-nuclear transport, recent advances in microscopy, and biochemical, proteomic and genomic technologies have begun to significantly enhance our understanding of the impact of nuclear localization of these proteins. This review will briefly cover known cell adhesion proteins that migrate to the nucleus, and their downstream functions. We will outline recent advances in this very exciting yet still emerging field, with impact ranging from basic biology to disease states like cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Haage
- *Correspondence: Amanda Haage, ; Archana Dhasarathy,
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43
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Beedle AEM, Garcia-Manyes S. The role of single protein elasticity in mechanobiology. NATURE REVIEWS. MATERIALS 2023; 8:10-24. [PMID: 37469679 PMCID: PMC7614781 DOI: 10.1038/s41578-022-00488-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
In addition to biochemical signals and genetic considerations, mechanical forces are rapidly emerging as a master regulator of human physiology. Yet the molecular mechanisms that regulate force-induced functionalities across a wide range of scales, encompassing the cell, tissue or organ levels, are comparatively not so well understood. With the advent, development and refining of single molecule nanomechanical techniques, enabling to exquisitely probe the conformational dynamics of individual proteins under the effect of a calibrated force, we have begun to acquire a comprehensive knowledge on the rich plethora of physicochemical principles that regulate the elasticity of single proteins. Here we review the major advances underpinning our current understanding of how the elasticity of single proteins regulates mechanosensing and mechanotransduction. We discuss the present limitations and future challenges of such a prolific and burgeoning field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy EM Beedle
- Department of Physics, Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Centre for the Physical Science of Life and London Centre for Nanotechnology, King’s College London, Strand, WC2R 2LS London, United Kingdom
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), the Barcelona Institute of Technology (BIST), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergi Garcia-Manyes
- Department of Physics, Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Centre for the Physical Science of Life and London Centre for Nanotechnology, King’s College London, Strand, WC2R 2LS London, United Kingdom
- Single Molecule Mechanobiology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, London, UK
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44
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Ji Y, Fang Y, Wu J. Tension Enhances the Binding Affinity of β1 Integrin by Clamping Talin Tightly: An Insight from Steered Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:5688-5698. [PMID: 36269690 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Integrin activation is a predominant step for cell-cell and cell-ECM interactions. Talin and Kindlin are mechanosensitive adaptor proteins that bind to the integrin cytoplasmic tail and mediate integrin activation, cytoskeleton rearrangement, and focal adhesion assembly. However, knowledge about how Talin and Kindlin synergistically assist integrin activation remains unclear. Here, we performed so-called "ramp-clamp" SMD simulations, which modeled the mechanosignaling from Kindlin, to investigate the effect of tension on the interaction of the β1 integrin cytoplasmic tail with the Talin-F3 domain. The present results showed that mild but not excessive stretching enhanced the binding of integrin with Talin. This mechanical regulation on integrin affinity to Talin referred to an event cascade, in which under stretching, the integrin cytoplasmic tail adopted allostery in response to the mechanical stimulus, remodeling of integrin in favor of Talin-association ensued, and finally, a stable, close-knit complex was formed. In the cascade, the torsion angle transition of integrin was the cue for the stable interaction of the complex under tensile force. The present work suggested a model for Talin and Kindlin to synergistically activate integrin. It should help understand integrin activation and its mechanochemical regulation mechanism, integrin-related innate cellular immune responses, cell adhesion, cell-cell interaction, and integrin-related drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanru Ji
- Institute of Biomechanics/School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ying Fang
- Institute of Biomechanics/School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jianhua Wu
- Institute of Biomechanics/School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
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45
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Goult BT, von Essen M, Hytönen VP. The mechanical cell - the role of force dependencies in synchronising protein interaction networks. J Cell Sci 2022; 135:283155. [PMID: 36398718 PMCID: PMC9845749 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.259769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of mechanical signals in the proper functioning of organisms is increasingly recognised, and every cell senses physical forces and responds to them. These forces are generated both from outside the cell or via the sophisticated force-generation machinery of the cell, the cytoskeleton. All regions of the cell are connected via mechanical linkages, enabling the whole cell to function as a mechanical system. In this Review, we define some of the key concepts of how this machinery functions, highlighting the critical requirement for mechanosensory proteins, and conceptualise the coupling of mechanical linkages to mechanochemical switches that enables forces to be converted into biological signals. These mechanical couplings provide a mechanism for how mechanical crosstalk might coordinate the entire cell, its neighbours, extending into whole collections of cells, in tissues and in organs, and ultimately in the coordination and operation of entire organisms. Consequently, many diseases manifest through defects in this machinery, which we map onto schematics of the mechanical linkages within a cell. This mapping approach paves the way for the identification of additional linkages between mechanosignalling pathways and so might identify treatments for diseases, where mechanical connections are affected by mutations or where individual force-regulated components are defective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin T. Goult
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, Kent, UK,Authors for correspondence (; )
| | - Magdaléna von Essen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, FI-33100 Tampere, Finland
| | - Vesa P. Hytönen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, FI-33100 Tampere, Finland,Fimlab Laboratories, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland,Authors for correspondence (; )
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46
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Barnett SFH, Goult BT. The MeshCODE to scale-visualising synaptic binary information. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1014629. [PMID: 36467609 PMCID: PMC9716431 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1014629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The Mercator projection map of the world provides a useful, but distorted, view of the relative scale of countries. Current cellular models suffer from a similar distortion. Here, we undertook an in-depth structural analysis of the molecular dimensions in the cell's computational machinery, the MeshCODE, that is assembled from a meshwork of binary switches in the scaffolding proteins talin and vinculin. Talin contains a series of force-dependent binary switches and each domain switching state introduces quantised step-changes in talin length on a micrometre scale. The average dendritic spine is 1 μm in diameter so this analysis identifies a plausible Gearbox-like mechanism for dynamic regulation of synaptic function, whereby the positioning of enzymes and substrates relative to each other, mechanically-encoded by the MeshCODE switch patterns, might control synaptic transmission. Based on biophysical rules and experimentally derived distances, this analysis yields a novel perspective on biological digital information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel F. H. Barnett
- Department of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Benjamin T. Goult
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
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47
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Integrin Conformational Dynamics and Mechanotransduction. Cells 2022; 11:cells11223584. [PMID: 36429013 PMCID: PMC9688440 DOI: 10.3390/cells11223584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The function of the integrin family of receptors as central mediators of cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) and cell-cell adhesion requires a remarkable convergence of interactions and influences. Integrins must be anchored to the cytoskeleton and bound to extracellular ligands in order to provide firm adhesion, with force transmission across this linkage conferring tissue integrity. Integrin affinity to ligands is highly regulated by cell signaling pathways, altering affinity constants by 1000-fold or more, via a series of long-range conformational transitions. In this review, we first summarize basic, well-known features of integrin conformational states and then focus on new information concerning the impact of mechanical forces on these states and interstate transitions. We also discuss how these effects may impact mechansensitive cell functions and identify unanswered questions for future studies.
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48
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Cunha AF, Matias AF, Dias C, Oliveira MB, Araújo NAM, Mano JF. Cell Response in Free-Packed Granular Systems. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:40469-40480. [PMID: 36044384 PMCID: PMC9773234 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c24095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The study of the interactions of living adherent cells with mechanically stable (visco)elastic materials enables understanding and exploitation of physiological phenomena mediated by cell-extracellular communication. Insights into the interaction of cells and surrounding objects with different stability patterns upon cell contact might unveil biological responses to engineer innovative applications. Here, we hypothesize that the efficiency of cell attachment, spreading, and movement across a free-packed granular bed of microparticles depends on the microparticle diameter, raising the possibility of a necessary minimum traction force for the reinforcement of cell-particle bonds and long-term cell adhesion. The results suggest that microparticles with diameters of 14-20 μm are prone to cell-mediated mobility, holding the potential of inducing early cell detachment, while objects with diameters from 38 to 85 μm enable long-lasting cell adhesion and proliferation. An in silico hybrid particle-based model that addresses the time-dependent biological mechanisms of cell adhesion is proposed, providing inspiration for engineering platforms to address healthcare-related challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana F. Cunha
- Department
of Chemistry, CICECO—Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - André F.
V. Matias
- Centro
de Física Teórica e Computacional, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
- Departamento
de Física, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Cristóvão
S. Dias
- Centro
de Física Teórica e Computacional, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
- Departamento
de Física, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mariana B. Oliveira
- Department
of Chemistry, CICECO—Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Nuno A. M. Araújo
- Centro
de Física Teórica e Computacional, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
- Departamento
de Física, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - João F. Mano
- Department
of Chemistry, CICECO—Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
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49
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Dahal N, Sharma S, Phan B, Eis A, Popa I. Mechanical regulation of talin through binding and history-dependent unfolding. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabl7719. [PMID: 35857491 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl7719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Talin is a force-sensing multidomain protein and a major player in cellular mechanotransduction. Here, we use single-molecule magnetic tweezers to investigate the mechanical response of the R8 rod domain of talin. We find that under various force cycles, the R8 domain of talin can display a memory-dependent behavior: At the same low force (<10 pN), the same protein molecule shows vastly different unfolding kinetics. This history-dependent behavior indicates the evolution of a unique force-induced native state. We measure through mechanical unfolding that talin R8 domain binds one of its ligands, DLC1, with much higher affinity than previously reported. This strong interaction can explain the antitumor response of DLC1 by regulating inside-out activation of integrins. Together, our results paint a complex picture for the mechanical unfolding of talin in the physiological range and a new mechanism of function of DLC1 to regulate inside-out activation of integrins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narayan Dahal
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3135 N. Maryland Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
| | - Sabita Sharma
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3135 N. Maryland Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
| | - Binh Phan
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3135 N. Maryland Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
| | - Annie Eis
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3135 N. Maryland Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
| | - Ionel Popa
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3135 N. Maryland Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
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50
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Ebben A, Dabagh M. Mechanotransduction in Endothelial Cells in Vicinity of Cancer Cells. Cell Mol Bioeng 2022; 15:313-330. [DOI: 10.1007/s12195-022-00728-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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