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Zeng Y, Liu X, Wang Z, Gao W, Zhang S, Wang Y, Liu Y, Yu H. Multi-scale characterization and analysis of cellular viscoelastic mechanical phenotypes by atomic force microscopy. Microsc Res Tech 2024; 87:1157-1167. [PMID: 38284615 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.24505] [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: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
The viscoelasticity of cells serves as a biomarker that reveals changes induced by malignant transformation, which aids the cytological examinations. However, differences in the measurement methods and parameters have prevented the consistent and effective characterization of the viscoelastic phenotype of cells. To address this issue, nanomechanical indentation experiments were conducted using an atomic force microscope (AFM). Multiple indentation methods were applied, and the indentation parameters were gradually varied to measure the viscoelasticity of normal liver cells and cancerous liver cells to create a database. This database was employed to train machine-learning algorithms in order to analyze the differences in the viscoelasticity of different types of cells and as well as to identify the optimal measurement methods and parameters. These findings indicated that the measurement speed significantly influenced viscoelasticity and that the classification difference between the two cell types was most evident at 5 μm/s. In addition, the precision and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were comparatively analyzed for various widely employed machine-learning algorithms. Unlike previous studies, this research validated the effectiveness of measurement parameters and methods with the assistance of machine-learning algorithms. Furthermore, the results confirmed that the viscoelasticity obtained from the multiparameter indentation measurement could be effectively used for cell classification. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: This study aimed to analyze the viscoelasticity of liver cancer cells and liver cells. Different nano-indentation methods and parameters were used to measure the viscoelasticity of the two kinds of cells. The neural network algorithm was used to reverse analyze the dataset, and the methods and parameters for accurate classification and identification of cells are successfully found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zeng
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Xianping Liu
- School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Zuobin Wang
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- JR3CN & IRAC, University of Bedfordshire, Luton, UK
| | - Wei Gao
- School of Electronic Information Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- School of Electronic Information Engineering, Changchun University, Changchun, China
| | - Shengli Zhang
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Ying Wang
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Yunqing Liu
- School of Electronic Information Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
| | - Haiyue Yu
- International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Cross-Scale Micro and Nano Manufacturing, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, China
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2
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Li M. Harnessing atomic force microscopy-based single-cell analysis to advance physical oncology. Microsc Res Tech 2024; 87:631-659. [PMID: 38053519 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.24467] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell analysis is an emerging and promising frontier in the field of life sciences, which is expected to facilitate the exploration of fundamental laws of physiological and pathological processes. Single-cell analysis allows experimental access to cell-to-cell heterogeneity to reveal the distinctive behaviors of individual cells, offering novel opportunities to dissect the complexity of severe human diseases such as cancers. Among the single-cell analysis tools, atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a powerful and versatile one which is able to nondestructively image the fine topographies and quantitatively measure multiple mechanical properties of single living cancer cells in their native states under aqueous conditions with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution. Over the past few decades, AFM has been widely utilized to detect the structural and mechanical behaviors of individual cancer cells during the process of tumor formation, invasion, and metastasis, yielding numerous unique insights into tumor pathogenesis from the biomechanical perspective and contributing much to the field of cancer mechanobiology. Here, the achievements of AFM-based analysis of single cancer cells to advance physical oncology are comprehensively summarized, and challenges and future perspectives are also discussed. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Achievements of AFM in characterizing the structural and mechanical behaviors of single cancer cells are summarized, and future directions are discussed. AFM is not only capable of visualizing cellular fine structures, but can also measure multiple cellular mechanical properties as well as cell-generated mechanical forces. There is still plenty of room for harnessing AFM-based single-cell analysis to advance physical oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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3
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Massey A, Stewart J, Smith C, Parvini C, McCormick M, Do K, Cartagena-Rivera AX. Mechanical properties of human tumour tissues and their implications for cancer development. NATURE REVIEWS. PHYSICS 2024; 6:269-282. [PMID: 38706694 PMCID: PMC11066734 DOI: 10.1038/s42254-024-00707-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
The mechanical properties of cells and tissues help determine their architecture, composition and function. Alterations to these properties are associated with many diseases, including cancer. Tensional, compressive, adhesive, elastic and viscous properties of individual cells and multicellular tissues are mostly regulated by reorganization of the actomyosin and microtubule cytoskeletons and extracellular glycocalyx, which in turn drive many pathophysiological processes, including cancer progression. This Review provides an in-depth collection of quantitative data on diverse mechanical properties of living human cancer cells and tissues. Additionally, the implications of mechanical property changes for cancer development are discussed. An increased knowledge of the mechanical properties of the tumour microenvironment, as collected using biomechanical approaches capable of multi-timescale and multiparametric analyses, will provide a better understanding of the complex mechanical determinants of cancer organization and progression. This information can lead to a further understanding of resistance mechanisms to chemotherapies and immunotherapies and the metastatic cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Massey
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jamie Stewart
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- These authors contributed equally: Jamie Stewart, Chynna Smith
| | - Chynna Smith
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- These authors contributed equally: Jamie Stewart, Chynna Smith
| | - Cameron Parvini
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Moira McCormick
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kun Do
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Alexander X. Cartagena-Rivera
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Gisbert VG, Espinosa FM, Sanchez JG, Serrano MC, Garcia R. Nanorheology and Nanoindentation Revealed a Softening and an Increased Viscous Fluidity of Adherent Mammalian Cells upon Increasing the Frequency. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2304884. [PMID: 37775942 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202304884] [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] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
The nanomechanical response of a cell depends on the frequency at which the cell is probed. The components of the cell that contribute to this property and their interplay are not well understood. Here, two force microscopy methods are integrated to characterize the frequency and/or the velocity-dependent properties of living cells. It is shown on HeLa and fibroblasts, that cells soften and fluidize upon increasing the frequency or the velocity of the deformation. This property was independent of the type and values (25 or 1000 nm) of the deformation. At low frequencies (2-10 Hz) or velocities (1-10 µm s-1 ), the response is dominated by the mechanical properties of the cell surface. At higher frequencies (>10 Hz) or velocities (>10 µm s-1 ), the response is dominated by the hydrodynamic drag of the cytosol. Softening and fluidization does not seem to involve any structural remodeling. It reflects a redistribution of the applied stress between the solid and liquid-like elements of the cell as the frequency or the velocity is changed. The data indicates that the quasistatic mechanical properties of a cell featuring a cytoskeleton pathology might be mimicked by the response of a non-pathological cell which is probed at a high frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor G Gisbert
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Francsico M Espinosa
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Juan G Sanchez
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Maria Concepcion Serrano
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Ricardo Garcia
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/ Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid, 28049, Spain
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Maja M, Verfaillie M, Van Der Smissen P, Henriet P, Pierreux CE, Sounni NE, Tyteca D. Targeting cholesterol impairs cell invasion of all breast cancer types. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:27. [PMID: 38200575 PMCID: PMC10782689 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-03206-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer clinical outcome relies on its intrinsic molecular subtype and mortality is almost exclusively due to metastasis, whose mechanism remains unclear. We recently revealed the specific contribution of plasma membrane cholesterol to the invasion of malignant MCF10CAIa but not premalignant MCF10AT and normal MCF10A cell lines in 2D, through invadopodia formation and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. In the present study, we address the impact of breast cancer subtypes, mutations and aggressiveness on cholesterol implication in breast cancer cell invasion and 3D spheroid invasion and growth. METHODS We used nine breast cancer cell lines grouped in four subtypes matching breast tumor classification. Four of these cell lines were also used to generate 3D spheroids. These cell lines were compared for cell invasion in 2D and 3D, spheroid growth in 3D, gelatin degradation, cortactin expression, activation and subcellular distribution as well as cell surface cholesterol distribution and lipid droplets. The effect of plasma membrane cholesterol depletion on all these parameters was determined in parallel and systematically compared with the impact of global matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibition. RESULTS The six invasive cell lines in 2D were sensitive to partial cholesterol depletion, independently of their subtype, aggressiveness or mutation. Nevertheless, the effect was stronger in the three cell lines able to degrade gelatin. 3D spheroid invasion was also reduced after cholesterol depletion in all breast cancer subtypes tested. Notably, targeting cholesterol was more powerful than MMP inhibition in reducing invasion in both 2D and 3D culture models. Moreover, cholesterol depletion in the six invasive cell lines impaired cortactin distribution in the perinuclear region where invadopodia localized. Breast cancer cell line aggressiveness relied on cholesterol-enriched domains at the ECM-free side and intracellular lipid droplets. Furthermore, the three gelatin-degrading cell lines were characterized by increased cholesterol-enriched submicrometric domains at their ECM-contact side. CONCLUSION Together, our data suggest cell surface cholesterol combined with lipid droplet labeling as a breast cancer cell aggressiveness marker. They also open the way to test other cholesterol-targeting drugs in more complex models to further evaluate whether cholesterol could represent a strategy in breast cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauriane Maja
- CELL Unit and PICT Imaging Platform, de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marie Verfaillie
- CELL Unit and PICT Imaging Platform, de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Patrick Henriet
- CELL Unit and PICT Imaging Platform, de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christophe E Pierreux
- CELL Unit and PICT Imaging Platform, de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nor Eddine Sounni
- Laboratory of Tumor and Development Biology, GIGA-Cancer, University of Liège, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Donatienne Tyteca
- CELL Unit and PICT Imaging Platform, de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
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Daphnis T, Tomasetti B, Delmez V, Vanvarenberg K, Préat V, Thieffry C, Henriet P, Dupont-Gillain C, Delcorte A. Improvement of Lipid Detection in Mouse Brain and Human Uterine Tissue Sections Using In Situ Matrix Enhanced Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2023; 34:2259-2268. [PMID: 37712225 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.3c00195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
The potential of mass spectrometry imaging, and especially ToF-SIMS 2D and 3D imaging, for submicrometer-scale, label-free molecular localization in biological tissues is undisputable. Nevertheless, sensitivity issues remain, especially when one wants to achieve the best lateral and vertical (nanometer-scale) resolution. In this study, the interest of in situ matrix transfer for tissue analysis with cluster ion beams (Bin+, Arn+) is explored in detail, using a series of six low molecular weight acidic (MALDI) matrices. After estimating the sensitivity enhancements for phosphatidylcholine (PC), an abundant lipid type present in almost any kind of cell membrane, the most promising matrices were softly transferred in situ on mouse brain and human uterine tissue samples using a 10 keV Ar3000+ cluster beam. Signal enhancements up to 1 order of magnitude for intact lipid signals were observed in both tissues under Bi5+ and Ar3000+ bombardment. The main findings of this study lie in the in-depth characterization of uterine tissue samples, the demonstration that the transferred matrices also improve signal efficiency in the negative ion polarity and that they perform as well when using Bin+ and Arn+ primary ions for analysis and imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Daphnis
- Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanoscience, Université catholique de Louvain, 1 Place Louis Pasteur, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Benjamin Tomasetti
- Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanoscience, Université catholique de Louvain, 1 Place Louis Pasteur, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Vincent Delmez
- Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanoscience, Université catholique de Louvain, 1 Place Louis Pasteur, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Kevin Vanvarenberg
- Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Avenue Mounier 73, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Véronique Préat
- Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Avenue Mounier 73, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Charlotte Thieffry
- Institut De Duve, Université catholique de Louvain, Avenue Hippocrate 75, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Patrick Henriet
- Institut De Duve, Université catholique de Louvain, Avenue Hippocrate 75, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christine Dupont-Gillain
- Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanoscience, Université catholique de Louvain, 1 Place Louis Pasteur, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Arnaud Delcorte
- Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanoscience, Université catholique de Louvain, 1 Place Louis Pasteur, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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7
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Dumitru AC, Koehler M. Recent advances in the application of atomic force microscopy to structural biology. J Struct Biol 2023; 215:107963. [PMID: 37044358 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2023.107963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
The application of atomic force microscopy (AFM) for (functional) imaging and manipulating biomolecules at all levels of organization has enabled great progress in the structural biology field over the last decades, contributing to the discovery of novel structural entities of biological significance across many disciplines ranging from biochemistry, biomedicine and biophysics to molecular and cell biology, up to food systems and beyond. AFM has the capability to generate high-resolution topographic images spanning from the submolecular to the (sub)cellular range and can probe biochemical and biophysical sample properties in close to native conditions with excellent temporal resolution. Instrumental developments in the past decade enable dynamical structural and conformational studies of single biomolecules and new techniques for structural and chemical modification of the AFM probe have converted the cantilever into a versatile tool to study different biological phenomena, such as the mechanical stability of biomolecular complexes or the force induced dynamic changes of mechanically stressed proteins at the nanoscopic level. To improve the functionality of AFM and approach dynamic processes of complex biological systems ex vivo, AFM is combined with complementary microscopy, nanoscopy and spectroscopy tools. These multimethodological approaches provide unprecedented possibilities of probing physical, chemical and biological properties of complex cellular systems with high spatio-temporal resolution, leading to novel applications that correlate structural results with functional biochemical, biophysical, immunological, or genetic data on the system under study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andra C Dumitru
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid 28029, Spain.
| | - Melanie Koehler
- Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University Munich, Freising, Germany.
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Feng Y, Liu M, Li X, Li M, Xing X, Liu L. Nanomechanical Signatures of Extracellular Vesicles from Hematologic Cancer Patients Unraveled by Atomic Force Microscopy for Liquid Biopsy. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:1591-1599. [PMID: 36723485 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c00093] [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: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Cells release extracellular vesicles (EVs) as the carriers for intercellular communications to regulate life activities. Particularly, it is increasingly apparent that mechanical forces play an essential role in biological systems. The nanomechanical properties of EVs and their dynamics in cancer development are still not fully understood. Herein, with the use of atomic force microscopy (AFM), the nanomechanical signatures of EVs from the liquid biopsies of hematologic cancer patients were unraveled. Single native EVs were probed by AFM under aqueous conditions. The elastic and viscous properties of EVs were measured and visualized to correlate EV mechanics with EV geometry. Experimental results remarkably reveal the significant differences in EV mechanics among multiple myeloma patients, lymphoma patients, and healthy volunteers. The study unveils the unique nanomechanical signatures of EVs in hematologic cancers, which will benefit the studies of liquid biopsies for cancer diagnosis and prognosis with translational significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqi Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, People's Republic of China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110169, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Meichen Liu
- Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110042, People's Republic of China
- Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang 110042, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinxin Li
- Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110042, People's Republic of China
- Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang 110042, People's Republic of China
| | - Mi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, People's Republic of China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110169, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaojing Xing
- Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110042, People's Republic of China
- Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang 110042, People's Republic of China
| | - Lianqing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, People's Republic of China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110169, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China
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9
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Maja M, Tyteca D. Alteration of cholesterol distribution at the plasma membrane of cancer cells: From evidence to pathophysiological implication and promising therapy strategy. Front Physiol 2022; 13:999883. [PMID: 36439249 PMCID: PMC9682260 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.999883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol-enriched domains are nowadays proposed to contribute to cancer cell proliferation, survival, death and invasion, with important implications in tumor progression. They could therefore represent promising targets for new anticancer treatment. However, although diverse strategies have been developed over the years from directly targeting cholesterol membrane content/distribution to adjusting sterol intake, all approaches present more or less substantial limitations. Those data emphasize the need to optimize current strategies, to develop new specific cholesterol-targeting anticancer drugs and/or to combine them with additional strategies targeting other lipids than cholesterol. Those objectives can only be achieved if we first decipher (i) the mechanisms that govern the formation and deformation of the different types of cholesterol-enriched domains and their interplay in healthy cells; (ii) the mechanisms behind domain deregulation in cancer; (iii) the potential generalization of observations in different types of cancer; and (iv) the specificity of some alterations in cancer vs. non-cancer cells as promising strategy for anticancer therapy. In this review, we will discuss the current knowledge on the homeostasis, roles and membrane distribution of cholesterol in non-tumorigenic cells. We will then integrate documented alterations of cholesterol distribution in domains at the surface of cancer cells and the mechanisms behind their contribution in cancer processes. We shall finally provide an overview on the potential strategies developed to target those cholesterol-enriched domains in cancer therapy.
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10
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Maja M, Mohammed D, Dumitru AC, Verstraeten S, Lingurski M, Mingeot-Leclercq MP, Alsteens D, Tyteca D. Surface cholesterol-enriched domains specifically promote invasion of breast cancer cell lines by controlling invadopodia and extracellular matrix degradation. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:417. [PMID: 35819726 PMCID: PMC9276565 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04426-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Tumor cells exhibit altered cholesterol content. However, cholesterol structural subcellular distribution and implication in cancer cell invasion are poorly understood mainly due to difficulties to investigate cholesterol both quantitatively and qualitatively and to compare isogenic cell models. Here, using the MCF10A cell line series (non-tumorigenic MCF10A, pre-malignant MCF10AT and malignant MCF10CAIa cells) as a model of breast cancer progression and the highly invasive MDA-MB-231 cell line which exhibits the common TP53 mutation, we investigated if cholesterol contributes to cancer cell invasion, whether the effects are specific to cancer cells and the underlying mechanism. We found that partial membrane cholesterol depletion specifically and reversibly decreased invasion of the malignant cell lines. Those cells exhibited dorsal surface cholesterol-enriched submicrometric domains and narrow ER-plasma membrane and ER-intracellular organelles contact sites. Dorsal cholesterol-enriched domains can be endocytosed and reach the cell ventral face where they were involved in invadopodia formation and extracellular matrix degradation. In contrast, non-malignant cells showed low cell invasion, low surface cholesterol exposure and cholesterol-dependent focal adhesions. The differential cholesterol distribution and role in breast cancer cell invasion provide new clues for the understanding of the molecular events underlying cellular mechanisms in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauriane Maja
- CELL Unit and PICT Imaging Platform, de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, B1.75.05, avenue Hippocrate, 75, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Danahe Mohammed
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Andra C Dumitru
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Sandrine Verstraeten
- Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology Unit (FACM), Louvain Drug Research Institute, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Maxime Lingurski
- CELL Unit and PICT Imaging Platform, de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, B1.75.05, avenue Hippocrate, 75, 1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - David Alsteens
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Donatienne Tyteca
- CELL Unit and PICT Imaging Platform, de Duve Institute, UCLouvain, B1.75.05, avenue Hippocrate, 75, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
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11
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Simpson JD, Ray A, Koehler M, Mohammed D, Alsteens D. Atomic force microscopy applied to interrogate nanoscale cellular chemistry and supramolecular bond dynamics for biomedical applications. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:5072-5087. [PMID: 35315846 DOI: 10.1039/d1cc07200e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Understanding biological interactions at a molecular level grants valuable information relevant to improving medical treatments and outcomes. Among the suite of technologies available, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is unique in its ability to quantitatively probe forces and receptor-ligand interactions in real-time. The ability to assess the formation of supramolecular bonds and intermediates in real-time on surfaces and living cells generates important information relevant to understanding biological phenomena. Combining AFM with fluorescence-based techniques allows for an unprecedented level of insight not only concerning the formation and rupture of bonds, but understanding medically relevant interactions at a molecular level. As the ability of AFM to probe cells and more complex models improves, being able to assess binding kinetics, chemical topographies, and garner spectroscopic information will likely become key to developing further improvements in fields such as cancer, nanomaterials, and virology. The rapid response to the COVID-19 crisis, producing information regarding not just receptor affinities, but also strain-dependent efficacy of neutralizing nanobodies, demonstrates just how viable and integral to the pre-clinical development of information AFM techniques are in this era of medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua D Simpson
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve 1348, Belgium.
| | - Ankita Ray
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve 1348, Belgium.
| | - Melanie Koehler
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve 1348, Belgium.
| | - Danahe Mohammed
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve 1348, Belgium.
| | - David Alsteens
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve 1348, Belgium.
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12
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Mohammed D, Koehler M, Dumitru AC, Aravamudhan P, Sutherland DM, Dermody TS, Alsteens D. Altered Glycan Expression on Breast Cancer Cells Facilitates Infection by T3 Seroptype Oncolytic Reovirus. NANO LETTERS 2021; 21:9720-9728. [PMID: 34762801 PMCID: PMC8631336 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c03608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Although current therapies have increased survival rates for some breast cancer types, other aggressive invasive breast cancers remain difficult to treat. As the onset of breast cancer is often associated with the appearance of extracellular markers, these could be used to better target therapeutic agents. Here, we demonstrated by nanobiophysical approaches that overexpression of α-sialylated glycans in breast cancer provides an opportunity to combat cancer cells with oncolytic reoviruses. Notably, a correlation between cellular glycan expression and the mechanical properties of reovirus attachment and infection is observed in a serotype-dependent manner. Furthermore, we enhance the infectivity of reoviruses in malignant cells by the coinjection of α-sialylated glycans. In conclusion, this study supports both the use of reoviruses as an oncolytic agent in nanomedicine and the role of α-sialylated glycans as adjuvants in oncolysis, offering new perspective in oncolytic cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danahe Mohammed
- Louvain
Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), Université Catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Melanie Koehler
- Louvain
Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), Université Catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Andra C. Dumitru
- Louvain
Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), Université Catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Pavithra Aravamudhan
- Department
of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh
School of Medicine, 4401
Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15224 Pennsylvania United States
- Institute
of Infection, Inflammation, and Immunity, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15224 Pennsylvania United States
| | - Danica M. Sutherland
- Department
of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh
School of Medicine, 4401
Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15224 Pennsylvania United States
- Institute
of Infection, Inflammation, and Immunity, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15224 Pennsylvania United States
| | - Terence S. Dermody
- Department
of Pediatrics and Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15224 Pennsylvania United States
- Institute
of Infection, Inflammation, and Immunity, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15224 Pennsylvania United States
| | - David Alsteens
- Louvain
Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), Université Catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Walloon
Excellence in Life sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), 1300 Wavre, Belgium
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13
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Mohammed D, Park CY, Fredberg JJ, Weitz DA. Tumorigenic mesenchymal clusters are less sensitive to moderate osmotic stresses due to low amounts of junctional E-cadherin. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16279. [PMID: 34381087 PMCID: PMC8358034 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95740-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The migration of tumorigenic cells is a critical step for metastatic breast cancer progression. Although the role of the extracellular matrix in breast cancer cell migration has been extensively described, the effect of osmotic stress on the migration of tumor breast cohorts remains unclear. Most of our understanding on the effect of osmotic stresses on cell migration comes from studies at the level of the single cell in isolation and does not take cell-cell interactions into account. Here, we study the impact of moderate osmotic stress on the migration of cell clusters composed of either non-tumorigenic or tumorigenic cells. We observe a decrease in migration distance and speed for non-tumorigenic cells but not for tumorigenic ones. To explain these differences, we investigate how osmotic stress impacts the mechanical properties of cell clusters and affects their volumes. Our findings show that tumorigenic mesenchymal cells are less sensitive to osmotic stress than non-tumorigenic cells and suggest that this difference is associated with a lower expression of E-cadherin. Using EGTA treatments, we confirm that the establishment of cell-cell adhesive interactions is a key component of the behavior of cell clusters in response to osmotic stress. This study provides evidence on the low sensitivity of mesenchymal tumorigenic clusters to moderate osmotic stress and highlights the importance of cadherin-based junctions in the response to osmotic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danahe Mohammed
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XJohn A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA USA ,grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Chan Young Park
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Jeffrey J. Fredberg
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - David A. Weitz
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XJohn A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA USA ,grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA USA
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14
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Jung P, Zhou X, Iden S, Bischoff M, Qu B. T cell stiffness is enhanced upon formation of immunological synapse. eLife 2021; 10:66643. [PMID: 34313220 PMCID: PMC8360652 DOI: 10.7554/elife.66643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
T cells are activated by target cells via an intimate contact, termed immunological synapse (IS). Cellular mechanical properties, especially stiffness, are essential to regulate cell functions. However, T cell stiffness at a subcellular level at the IS still remains largely elusive. In this work, we established an atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based elasticity mapping method on whole T cells to obtain an overview of the stiffness with a resolution of ~60 nm. Using primary human CD4+ T cells, we show that when T cells form IS with stimulating antibody-coated surfaces, the lamellipodia are stiffer than the cell body. Upon IS formation, T cell stiffness is enhanced both at the lamellipodia and on the cell body. Chelation of intracellular Ca2+ abolishes IS-induced stiffening at the lamellipodia but has no influence on cell-body-stiffening, suggesting different regulatory mechanisms of IS-induced stiffening at the lamellipodia and the cell body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Jung
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Xiangda Zhou
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Sandra Iden
- Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, Center of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Markus Bischoff
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Bin Qu
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany.,Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbrücken, Germany
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15
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Li M, Xi N, Liu L. Peak force tapping atomic force microscopy for advancing cell and molecular biology. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:8358-8375. [PMID: 33913463 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr01303c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The advent of atomic force microscopy (AFM) provides an exciting tool to detect molecular and cellular behaviors under aqueous conditions. AFM is able to not only visualize the surface topography of the specimens, but also can quantify the mechanical properties of the specimens by force spectroscopy assay. Nevertheless, integrating AFM topographic imaging with force spectroscopy assay has long been limited due to the low spatiotemporal resolution. In recent years, the appearance of a new AFM imaging mode called peak force tapping (PFT) has shattered this limit. PFT allows AFM to simultaneously acquire the topography and mechanical properties of biological samples with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution. The practical applications of PFT in the field of life sciences in the past decade have demonstrated the excellent capabilities of PFT in characterizing the fine structures and mechanics of living biological systems in their native states, offering novel possibilities to reveal the underlying mechanisms guiding physiological/pathological activities. In this paper, the recent progress in cell and molecular biology that has been made with the utilization of PFT is summarized, and future perspectives for further progression and biomedical applications of PFT are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China and Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110169, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Ning Xi
- Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Lianqing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China and Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110169, China and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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16
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Runel G, Lopez-Ramirez N, Chlasta J, Masse I. Biomechanical Properties of Cancer Cells. Cells 2021; 10:cells10040887. [PMID: 33924659 PMCID: PMC8069788 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the crucial role of the microenvironment has been highlighted, many studies have been focused on the role of biomechanics in cancer cell growth and the invasion of the surrounding environment. Despite the search in recent years for molecular biomarkers to try to classify and stratify cancers, much effort needs to be made to take account of morphological and nanomechanical parameters that could provide supplementary information concerning tissue complexity adaptation during cancer development. The biomechanical properties of cancer cells and their surrounding extracellular matrix have actually been proposed as promising biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. The present review first describes the main methods used to study the mechanical properties of cancer cells. Then, we address the nanomechanical description of cultured cancer cells and the crucial role of the cytoskeleton for biomechanics linked with cell morphology. Finally, we depict how studying interaction of tumor cells with their surrounding microenvironment is crucial to integrating biomechanical properties in our understanding of tumor growth and local invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaël Runel
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, CNRS-UMR5286, INSREM U1052, Université de Lyon, F-69008 Lyon, France; (G.R.); (N.L.-R.)
- BioMeca, F-69008 Lyon, France;
| | - Noémie Lopez-Ramirez
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, CNRS-UMR5286, INSREM U1052, Université de Lyon, F-69008 Lyon, France; (G.R.); (N.L.-R.)
| | | | - Ingrid Masse
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, CNRS-UMR5286, INSREM U1052, Université de Lyon, F-69008 Lyon, France; (G.R.); (N.L.-R.)
- Correspondence:
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