1
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Sakellakis M, Yoon SM, Reet J, Chalkias A. Novel insights into voltage-gated ion channels: Translational breakthroughs in medical oncology. Channels (Austin) 2024; 18:2297605. [PMID: 38154047 PMCID: PMC10761148 DOI: 10.1080/19336950.2023.2297605] [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: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Preclinical evidence suggests that voltage gradients can act as a kind of top-down master regulator during embryogenesis and orchestrate downstream molecular-genetic pathways during organ regeneration or repair. Moreover, electrical stimulation shifts response to injury toward regeneration instead of healing or scarring. Cancer and embryogenesis not only share common phenotypical features but also commonly upregulated molecular pathways. Voltage-gated ion channel activity is directly or indirectly linked to the pathogenesis of cancer hallmarks, while experimental and clinical studies suggest that their modulation, e.g., by anesthetic agents, may exert antitumor effects. A large recent clinical trial served as a proof-of-principle for the benefit of preoperative use of topical sodium channel blockade as a potential anticancer strategy against early human breast cancers. Regardless of whether ion channel aberrations are primary or secondary cancer drivers, understanding the functional consequences of these events may guide us toward the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minas Sakellakis
- Department of Medicine, Jacobi North Central Bronx Hospital, Bronx, USA
| | - Sung Mi Yoon
- Department of Medicine, Jacobi North Central Bronx Hospital, Bronx, USA
| | - Jashan Reet
- Department of Medicine, Jacobi North Central Bronx Hospital, Bronx, USA
| | - Athanasios Chalkias
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Outcomes Research Consortium, Cleveland, OH, USA
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2
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Shrivastava A, Kumar A, Aggarwal LM, Pradhan S, Choudhary S, Ashish A, Kashyap K, Mishra S. Evolution of Bioelectric Membrane Potentials: Implications in Cancer Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Strategies. J Membr Biol 2024:10.1007/s00232-024-00323-2. [PMID: 39183198 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-024-00323-2] [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: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Electrophysiology typically deals with the electrical properties of excitable cells like neurons and muscles. However, all other cells (non-excitable) also possess bioelectric membrane potentials for intracellular and extracellular communications. These membrane potentials are generated by different ions present in fluids available in and outside the cell, playing a vital role in communication and coordination between the cell and its organelles. Bioelectric membrane potential variations disturb cellular ionic homeostasis and are characteristic of many diseases, including cancers. A rapidly increasing interest has emerged in sorting out the electrophysiology of cancer cells. Compared to healthy cells, the distinct electrical properties exhibited by cancer cells offer a unique way of understanding cancer development, migration, and progression. Decoding the altered bioelectric signals influenced by fluctuating electric fields benefits understanding cancer more closely. While cancer research has predominantly focussed on genetic and molecular traits, the delicate area of electrophysiological characteristics has increasingly gained prominence. This review explores the historical exploration of electrophysiology in the context of cancer cells, shedding light on how alterations in bioelectric membrane potentials, mediated by ion channels and gap junctions, contribute to the pathophysiology of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anju Shrivastava
- Department of Physiology, Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences, Bilaspur, India.
| | - Amit Kumar
- Department of Anatomy, Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences, Bilaspur, India
| | - Lalit Mohan Aggarwal
- Radiotherapy and Radiation Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Satyajit Pradhan
- Radiation Oncology, Mahamana Pandit Madhan Mohan Malaviya Cancer Centre, Varanasi, India
| | - Sunil Choudhary
- Radiotherapy and Radiation Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Ashish Ashish
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Keshav Kashyap
- Department of Physiology, Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences, Bilaspur, India
| | - Shivani Mishra
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
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3
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Sun Y, Ferreira F, Reid B, Zhu K, Ma L, Young BM, Hagan CE, Tsolis RM, Mogilner A, Zhao M. Gut epithelial electrical cues drive differential localization of enterobacteria. Nat Microbiol 2024:10.1038/s41564-024-01778-8. [PMID: 39164392 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01778-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024]
Abstract
Salmonella translocate to the gut epithelium via microfold cells lining the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE). How Salmonella localize to the FAE is not well characterized. Here we use live imaging and competitive assays between wild-type and chemotaxis-deficient mutants to show that Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) localize to the FAE independently of chemotaxis in an ex vivo mouse caecum infection model. Electrical recordings revealed polarized FAE with sustained outward current and small transepithelial potential, while the surrounding villus is depolarized with inward current and large transepithelial potential. The distinct electrical potentials attracted S. Typhimurium to the FAE while Escherichia coli (E. coli) localized to the villi, through a process called galvanotaxis. Chloride flux involving the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) generated the ionic currents around the FAE. Pharmacological inhibition of CFTR decreased S. Typhimurium FAE localization but increased E. coli recruitment. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that bioelectric cues contribute to S. Typhimurium targeting of specific gut epithelial locations, with potential implications for other enteric bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaohui Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.
| | - Fernando Ferreira
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Biologia Molecular e Ambiental (CBMA), Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Brian Reid
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Kan Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Li Ma
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Coty R&D Technology and Innovation, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Briana M Young
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Catherine E Hagan
- Department of Comparative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Renée M Tsolis
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Alex Mogilner
- Courant Institute and Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Min Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.
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4
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Suarato G, Pressi S, Menna E, Ruben M, Petrini EM, Barberis A, Miele D, Sandri G, Salerno M, Schirato A, Alabastri A, Athanassiou A, Proietti Zaccaria R, Papadopoulou EL. Modified Carbon Nanotubes Favor Fibroblast Growth by Tuning the Cell Membrane Potential. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:3093-3105. [PMID: 38206310 PMCID: PMC10811621 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c14527] [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: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
As is known, carbon nanotubes favor cell growth in vitro, although the underlying mechanisms are not yet fully elucidated. In this study, we explore the hypothesis that electrostatic fields generated at the interface between nonexcitable cells and appropriate scaffold might favor cell growth by tuning their membrane potential. We focused on primary human fibroblasts grown on electrospun polymer fibers (poly(lactic acid)─PLA) with embedded multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The MWCNTs were functionalized with either the p-methoxyphenyl (PhOME) or the p-acetylphenyl (PhCOMe) moiety, both of which allowed uniform dispersion in a solvent, good mixing with PLA and the consequent smooth and homogeneous electrospinning process. The inclusion of the electrically conductive MWCNTs in the insulating PLA matrix resulted in differences in the surface potential of the fibers. Both PLA and PLA/MWCNT fiber samples were found to be biocompatible. The main features of fibroblasts cultured on different substrates were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, immunocytochemistry, Rt-qPCR, and electrophysiology revealing that fibroblasts grown on PLA/MWCNT reached a healthier state as compared to pure PLA. In particular, we observed physiological spreading, attachment, and Vmem of fibroblasts on PLA/MWCNT. Interestingly, the electrical functionalization of the scaffold resulted in a more suitable extracellular environment for the correct biofunctionality of these nonexcitable cells. Finally, numerical simulations were also performed in order to understand the mechanism behind the different cell behavior when grown either on PLA or PLA/MWCNT samples. The results show a clear effect on the cell membrane potential, depending on the underlying substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Suarato
- Istituto
Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Samuel Pressi
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Padua, via Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Interdepartmental
Centre Giorgio Levi Cases for Energy Economics and Technology, University of Padua, via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Enzo Menna
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Padua, via Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Interdepartmental
Centre Giorgio Levi Cases for Energy Economics and Technology, University of Padua, via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Massimo Ruben
- Istituto
Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Barberis
- Istituto
Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Dalila Miele
- Department
of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, via Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Sandri
- Department
of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, via Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Marco Salerno
- Istituto
Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Andrea Schirato
- Istituto
Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
- Dipartimento
di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Pizza Leonardo da Vinci 32, Milan 20133, Italy
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Alessandro Alabastri
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
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5
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Murugan NJ, Cariba S, Abeygunawardena S, Rouleau N, Payne SL. Biophysical control of plasticity and patterning in regeneration and cancer. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 81:9. [PMID: 38099951 PMCID: PMC10724343 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-05054-6] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Cells and tissues display a remarkable range of plasticity and tissue-patterning activities that are emergent of complex signaling dynamics within their microenvironments. These properties, which when operating normally guide embryogenesis and regeneration, become highly disordered in diseases such as cancer. While morphogens and other molecular factors help determine the shapes of tissues and their patterned cellular organization, the parallel contributions of biophysical control mechanisms must be considered to accurately predict and model important processes such as growth, maturation, injury, repair, and senescence. We now know that mechanical, optical, electric, and electromagnetic signals are integral to cellular plasticity and tissue patterning. Because biophysical modalities underly interactions between cells and their extracellular matrices, including cell cycle, metabolism, migration, and differentiation, their applications as tuning dials for regenerative and anti-cancer therapies are being rapidly exploited. Despite this, the importance of cellular communication through biophysical signaling remains disproportionately underrepresented in the literature. Here, we provide a review of biophysical signaling modalities and known mechanisms that initiate, modulate, or inhibit plasticity and tissue patterning in models of regeneration and cancer. We also discuss current approaches in biomedical engineering that harness biophysical control mechanisms to model, characterize, diagnose, and treat disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirosha J Murugan
- Department of Health Sciences, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
- Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA.
| | - Solsa Cariba
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | | | - Nicolas Rouleau
- Department of Health Sciences, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
- Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Samantha L Payne
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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6
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Bettinger JS, Friston KJ. Conceptual foundations of physiological regulation incorporating the free energy principle and self-organized criticality. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 155:105459. [PMID: 37956880 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105459] [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: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Bettinger, J. S., K. J. Friston. Conceptual Foundations of Physiological Regulation incorporating the Free Energy Principle & Self-Organized Criticality. NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV 23(x) 144-XXX, 2022. Since the late nineteen-nineties, the concept of homeostasis has been contextualized within a broader class of "allostatic" dynamics characterized by a wider-berth of causal factors including social, psychological and environmental entailments; the fundamental nature of integrated brain-body dynamics; plus the role of anticipatory, top-down constraints supplied by intrinsic regulatory models. Many of these evidentiary factors are integral in original descriptions of homeostasis; subsequently integrated; and/or cite more-general operating principles of self-organization. As a result, the concept of allostasis may be generalized to a larger category of variational systems in biology, engineering and physics in terms of advances in complex systems, statistical mechanics and dynamics involving heterogenous (hierarchical/heterarchical, modular) systems like brain-networks and the internal milieu. This paper offers a three-part treatment. 1) interpret "allostasis" to emphasize a variational and relational foundation of physiological stability; 2) adapt the role of allostasis as "stability through change" to include a "return to stability" and 3) reframe the model of homeostasis with a conceptual model of criticality that licenses the upgrade to variational dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse S Bettinger
- Center for Process Studies, Claremont, CA, United States; The Cobb Institute, Claremont, CA, United States.
| | - Karl J Friston
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK; Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3AR, UK; The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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7
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Watson R. Agency, Goal-Directed Behavior, and Part-Whole Relationships in Biological Systems. BIOLOGICAL THEORY 2023; 19:22-36. [PMID: 38463532 PMCID: PMC10920425 DOI: 10.1007/s13752-023-00447-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
In this essay we aim to present some considerations regarding a minimal but concrete notion of agency and goal-directed behavior that are useful for characterizing biological systems at different scales. These considerations are a particular perspective, bringing together concepts from dynamical systems, combinatorial problem-solving, and connectionist learning with an emphasis on the relationship between parts and wholes. This perspective affords some ways to think about agents that are concrete and quantifiable, and relevant to some important biological issues. Instead of advocating for a strict definition of minimally agential characteristics, we focus on how (even for a modest notion of agency) the agency of a system can be more than the sum of the agency of its parts. We quantify this in terms of the problem-solving competency of a system with respect to resolution of the frustrations between its parts. This requires goal-directed behavior in the sense of delayed gratification, i.e., taking dynamical trajectories that forego short-term gains (or sustain short-term stress or frustration) in favor of long-term gains. In order for this competency to belong to the system (rather than to its parts or given by its construction or design), it can involve distributed systemic knowledge that is acquired through experience, i.e., changes in the organization of the relationships among its parts (without presupposing a system-level reward function for such changes). This conception of agency helps us think about the ways in which cells, organisms, and perhaps other biological scales, can be agential (i.e., more agential than their parts) in a quantifiable sense, without denying that the behavior of the whole depends on the behaviors of the parts in their current organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Watson
- Institute for Life Sciences/Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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8
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Alvarez-Lorenzo C, Zarur M, Seijo-Rabina A, Blanco-Fernandez B, Rodríguez-Moldes I, Concheiro A. Physical stimuli-emitting scaffolds: The role of piezoelectricity in tissue regeneration. Mater Today Bio 2023; 22:100740. [PMID: 37521523 PMCID: PMC10374602 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The imbalance between life expectancy and quality of life is increasing due to the raising prevalence of chronic diseases. Musculoskeletal disorders and chronic wounds affect a growing percentage of people and demand more efficient tools for regenerative medicine. Scaffolds that can better mimic the natural physical stimuli that tissues receive under healthy conditions and during healing may significantly aid the regeneration process. Shape, mechanical properties, pore size and interconnectivity have already been demonstrated to be relevant scaffold features that can determine cell adhesion and differentiation. Much less attention has been paid to scaffolds that can deliver more dynamic physical stimuli, such as electrical signals. Recent developments in the precise measurement of electrical fields in vivo have revealed their key role in cell movement (galvanotaxis), growth, activation of secondary cascades, and differentiation to different lineages in a variety of tissues, not just neural. Piezoelectric scaffolds can mimic the natural bioelectric potentials and gradients in an autonomous way by generating the electric stimuli themselves when subjected to mechanical loads or, if the patient or the tissue lacks mobility, ultrasound irradiation. This review provides an analysis on endogenous bioelectrical signals, recent developments on piezoelectric scaffolds for bone, cartilage, tendon and nerve regeneration, and their main outcomes in vivo. Wound healing with piezoelectric dressings is addressed in the last section with relevant examples of performance in animal models. Results evidence that a fine adjustment of material composition and processing (electrospinning, corona poling, 3D printing, annealing) provides scaffolds that act as true emitters of electrical stimuli that activate endogenous signaling pathways for more efficient and long-term tissue repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Alvarez-Lorenzo
- Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, I+D Farma (GI-1645), Facultad de Farmacia, Instituto de Materiales (iMATUS) and Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Mariana Zarur
- Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, I+D Farma (GI-1645), Facultad de Farmacia, Instituto de Materiales (iMATUS) and Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Alejandro Seijo-Rabina
- Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, I+D Farma (GI-1645), Facultad de Farmacia, Instituto de Materiales (iMATUS) and Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Barbara Blanco-Fernandez
- Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, I+D Farma (GI-1645), Facultad de Farmacia, Instituto de Materiales (iMATUS) and Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Isabel Rodríguez-Moldes
- Grupo NEURODEVO, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Angel Concheiro
- Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, I+D Farma (GI-1645), Facultad de Farmacia, Instituto de Materiales (iMATUS) and Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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9
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Fernandez Cabada T, Ruben M, El Merhie A, Proietti Zaccaria R, Alabastri A, Petrini EM, Barberis A, Salerno M, Crepaldi M, Davis A, Ceseracciu L, Catelani T, Athanassiou A, Pellegrino T, Cingolani R, Papadopoulou EL. Electrostatic polarization fields trigger glioblastoma stem cell differentiation. NANOSCALE HORIZONS 2022; 8:95-107. [PMID: 36426604 PMCID: PMC9765404 DOI: 10.1039/d2nh00453d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Over the last few years it has been understood that the interface between living cells and the underlying materials can be a powerful tool to manipulate cell functions. In this study, we explore the hypothesis that the electrical cell/material interface can regulate the differentiation of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs). Electrospun polymer fibres, either polyamide 66 or poly(lactic acid), with embedded graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs), have been fabricated as CSC scaffolds, providing both the 3D microenvironment and a suitable electrical environment favorable for CSCs adhesion, growth and differentiation. We have investigated the impact of these scaffolds on the morphological, immunostaining and electrophysiological properties of CSCs extracted from human glioblastoma multiform (GBM) tumor cell line. Our data provide evidence in favor of the ability of GnP-incorporating scaffolds to promote CSC differentiation to the glial phenotype. Numerical simulations support the hypothesis that the electrical interface promotes the hyperpolarization of the cell membrane potential, thus triggering the CSC differentiation. We propose that the electrical cell/material interface can regulate endogenous bioelectrical cues, through the membrane potential manipulation, resulting in the differentiation of CSCs. Material-induced differentiation of stem cells and particularly of CSCs, can open new horizons in tissue engineering and new approaches to cancer treatment, especially GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Massimo Ruben
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy.
| | - Amira El Merhie
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy.
| | | | - Alessandro Alabastri
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX, 77005, USA
| | | | - Andrea Barberis
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy.
| | - Marco Salerno
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy.
| | - Marco Crepaldi
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Melen 83, 16152 Genova, Italy
| | - Alexander Davis
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy.
| | - Luca Ceseracciu
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy.
| | - Tiziano Catelani
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy.
| | | | - Teresa Pellegrino
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy.
| | - Roberto Cingolani
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy.
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10
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Haroutunian GG, Tsaghikian A, Fedorova E, Chaurasia P, Gusella GL, Mosoian A. Electromagnetic Fields Generated by the IteraCoil Device Differentiate Mesenchymal Stem Progenitor Cells Into the Osteogenic Lineage. Bioelectromagnetics 2022; 43:245-256. [PMID: 35391494 PMCID: PMC9325380 DOI: 10.1002/bem.22401] [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: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Rapid advances in mesenchymal stem progenitor cells (MSPCs) have rendered impetus into the area of cell therapy and regenerative medicine. The main promise of future stem cell therapies is their reliance on autologous stem cells derived from adipose tissue, which also includes treatments of bone fractures and degeneration. The effectiveness of different electric devices utilized to reprogram MSPCs toward osteogenic differentiation has provided varying degrees of effectiveness for clinical use. Adipose tissue-derived MSPCs were flow-cytometrically characterized and further differentiated into osteoblasts by culturing either in growth medium with pro-osteogenic supplements or without supplements with alternating electromagnetic field (EMF) generated by IteraCoil. IteraCoil is a multi-solenoid coil with a specific complex geometry that creates a 3D-EMF with desired parameters without directly applying electrodes to the cells and tissues. The flow-cytometric analysis of highly enriched (≥95%) adipose-derived MSPCs (CD34- , CD73+ , CD90+ , and CD105+ ) was utilized for the study. Osteoblasts and chondrocyte differentiations were then assessed by specific staining and quantified using ImageJ (National Institutes of Health). The osteoblastic differentiation of MSPCs cultured in regular medium and exposed to EMF at 0.05 and 1 kHz frequencies was compared with MSPCs cultured in a pro-osteogenic supplemented medium. In this study, we demonstrated that EMF from IteraCoil might have affected the signaling pathways that induce the osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived MSPCs in the absence of exogenous osteogenic factors. Therefore, EMF-generated osteogenic differentiation of reprogrammed adipose-derived autologous MSPCs may treat the loss of osteoblasts and osteoporosis and open new avenues for the development of regenerative cellular therapy. © 2022 Bioelectromagnetics Society.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ashot Tsaghikian
- Data Processing and Field Engineering Corp., Glendale, California
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11
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Chaudhari SD, Sharma KK, Marchetto JJ, Hydren JR, Burton BM, Moreno AP. Modulating OPG and TGF-β1 mRNA expression via bioelectrical stimulation. Bone Rep 2021; 15:101141. [PMID: 34692946 PMCID: PMC8517839 DOI: 10.1016/j.bonr.2021.101141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bone remodeling is a lifelong process that ranges from orthodontic tooth movement/alignment to bone damage/healing, to overall bone health. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) are secreted by osteoblasts and participate in bone remodeling. OPG promotes bone remineralization and stabilization prominent in post-mechanical repositioning of the teeth in the dental alveolus. TGF-β1 participates in regulatory processes to promote osteoblast and osteoclast equilibrium. In the context of orthodontic tooth movement, post-treatment fixation requires additional, exogenous, stabilization support. Recent research showcases supplementary solutions, in conjunction to standard tooth fixation techniques, such as OPG injections into gum and periodontal tissues to accelerate tooth anchorage; however, injections are prone to post-procedure complications and discomfort. This study utilizes noninvasive bioelectric stimulation (BES) to modulate OPG and TGF-β1 as a novel solution to regulate bone remineralization specifically in the context of post-orthodontic tooth movement. PURPOSE The aim of this study was to investigate a spectrum of BES parameters that would modulate OPG and TGF-β1 expression in osteoblasts. METHODS Osteoblasts were cultured and stimulated using frequencies from 25 Hz to 3 MHz. RT-qPCR was used to quantify changes in OPG and TGFb-1 mRNA expression. RESULTS OPG mRNA expression was significantly increased at frequencies above 10,000 Hz with a maximum expression increase of 332 ± 8% at 100 kHz. Conversely, OPG mRNA expression was downregulated at frequencies lower than 1000 Hz. TGF-β1 mRNA expression increased throughout all stimulation frequencies with a peak of 332 ± 72% at 250 kHz. Alizarin Red tests for calcium, indicated that mineralization of stimulated osteoblasts in vitro increased 28% after 6 weeks in culture. DISCUSSION Results support the working hypothesis that OPG and TGF-β1 mRNA expression can be modulated through BES. Noninvasive BES approaches have the potential to accelerate bone remineralization by providing a novel tool to supplement the anchorage process, reduce complications, and promote patient compliance and reduce post-treatment relapse. Noninvasive BES may be applicable to other clinical applications as a novel therapeutic tool to modulate bone remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sejal D. Chaudhari
- OrthodontiCell Inc., Leonhardt Launchpads Utah, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT 84115, United States of America
| | - Kapil K. Sharma
- OrthodontiCell Inc., Leonhardt Launchpads Utah, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT 84115, United States of America
| | - John J. Marchetto
- OrthodontiCell Inc., Leonhardt Launchpads Utah, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT 84115, United States of America
- John J. Marchetto DMD, Weston, FL 33326, United States of America
| | - Jay R. Hydren
- OrthodontiCell Inc., Leonhardt Launchpads Utah, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT 84115, United States of America
| | - Brett M. Burton
- OrthodontiCell Inc., Leonhardt Launchpads Utah, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT 84115, United States of America
| | - Alonso P. Moreno
- OrthodontiCell Inc., Leonhardt Launchpads Utah, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT 84115, United States of America
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12
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Arabiyat AS, Chen H, Erndt-Marino J, Burkhard K, Scola L, Fleck A, Wan LQ, Hahn MS. Hyperosmolar Ionic Solutions Modulate Inflammatory Phenotype and sGAG Loss in a Cartilage Explant Model. Cartilage 2021; 13:713S-721S. [PMID: 32975437 PMCID: PMC8804856 DOI: 10.1177/1947603520961167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to compare the effects of hyperosmolar sodium (Na+), lithium (Li+) and potassium (K+) on catabolic and inflammatory osteoarthritis (OA) markers and sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) loss in TNF-α-stimulated cartilage explants. METHODS Explants from bovine stifle joints were stimulated with TNF-α for 1 day to induce cartilage degradation followed by supplementation with 50 mM potassium chloride (KCl), 50 mM lithium chloride (LiCl), 50 mM sodium chloride (NaCl), or 100 nM dexamethasone for an additional 6 days. We assessed the effect of TNF-α stimulation and hyperosmolar ionic treatment on sGAG loss and expression of OA-associated proteins: ADAMTS-5, COX-2, MMP-1, MMP-13, and VEGF. RESULTS TNF-α treatment increased sGAG loss (P < 0.001) and expression of COX-2 (P = 0.018), MMP-13 (P < 0.001), and VEGF (P = 0.017) relative to unstimulated controls. Relative to activated controls, LiCl and dexamethasone treatment attenuated sGAG loss (P = 0.008 and P = 0.042, respectively) and expression of MMP-13 (P = 0.005 and P = 0.036, respectively). In contrast, KCl treatment exacerbated sGAG loss (P = 0.032) and MMP-1 protein expression (P = 0.010). NaCl treatment, however, did not alter sGAG loss or expression of OA-related proteins. Comparing LiCl and KCl treatment shows a potent reduction (P < 0.05) in catabolic and inflammatory mediators following LiCl treatment. CONCLUSION These results suggest that these ionic species elicit varying responses in TNF-α-stimulated explants. Cumulatively, these findings support additional studies of hyperosmolar ionic solutions for potential development of novel intraarticular injections targeting OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad S. Arabiyat
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY, USA
- Center for Biotechnology and
Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY,
USA
| | - Hongyu Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY, USA
- Center for Biotechnology and
Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY,
USA
| | - Josh Erndt-Marino
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Katie Burkhard
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY, USA
| | - Lisa Scola
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY, USA
| | - Allison Fleck
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY, USA
- Center for Biotechnology and
Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY,
USA
| | - Leo Q. Wan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY, USA
- Center for Biotechnology and
Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY,
USA
| | - Mariah S. Hahn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY, USA
- Center for Biotechnology and
Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY,
USA
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13
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Jiang TX, Li A, Lin CM, Chiu C, Cho JH, Reid B, Zhao M, Chow RH, Widelitz RB, Chuong CM. Global feather orientations changed by electric current. iScience 2021; 24:102671. [PMID: 34179734 PMCID: PMC8214094 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
During chicken skin development, each feather bud exhibits its own polarity, but a population of buds organizes with a collective global orientation. We used embryonic dorsal skin, with buds aligned parallel to the rostral-caudal body axis, to explore whether exogenous electric fields affect feather polarity. Interestingly, brief exogenous current exposure prior to visible bud formation later altered bud orientations. Applying electric pulses perpendicular to the body rostral-caudal axis realigned bud growth in a collective swirl, resembling an electric field pointing toward the anode. Perturbed buds show normal molecular expression and morphogenesis except for their altered orientation. Epithelial-mesenchymal recombination demonstrates the effects of exogenous electric fields are mediated through the epithelium. Small-molecule channel inhibitor screens show Ca2+ channels and PI3 Kinase are involved in controlling feather bud polarity. This work reveals the importance of bioelectricity in organ development and regeneration and provides an explant culture platform for experimentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Xin Jiang
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2011 Zonal Avenue, Los Ángeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Ang Li
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2011 Zonal Avenue, Los Ángeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Chih-Min Lin
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2011 Zonal Avenue, Los Ángeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Cathleen Chiu
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2011 Zonal Avenue, Los Ángeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Jung-Hwa Cho
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Brian Reid
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, and Department of Dermatology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95816, USA
| | - Min Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, and Department of Dermatology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95816, USA
| | - Robert H. Chow
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Randall Bruce Widelitz
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2011 Zonal Avenue, Los Ángeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Cheng-Ming Chuong
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2011 Zonal Avenue, Los Ángeles, CA 90033, USA
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14
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Abstract
Increased control of biological growth and form is an essential gateway to transformative medical advances. Repairing of birth defects, restoring lost or damaged organs, normalizing tumors, all depend on understanding how cells cooperate to make specific, functional large-scale structures. Despite advances in molecular genetics, significant gaps remain in our understanding of the meso-scale rules of morphogenesis. An engineering approach to this problem is the creation of novel synthetic living forms, greatly extending available model systems beyond evolved plant and animal lineages. Here, we review recent advances in the emerging field of synthetic morphogenesis, the bioengineering of novel multicellular living bodies. Emphasizing emergent self-organization, tissue-level guided self-assembly, and active functionality, this work is the essential next generation of synthetic biology. Aside from useful living machines for specific functions, the rational design and analysis of new, coherent anatomies will greatly increase our understanding of foundational questions in evolutionary developmental and cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mo R. Ebrahimkhani
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, A809B Scaife Hall, 3550 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Michael Levin
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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15
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Cancer Niches and Their Kikuchi Free Energy. ENTROPY 2021; 23:e23050609. [PMID: 34069097 PMCID: PMC8156740 DOI: 10.3390/e23050609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Biological forms depend on a progressive specialization of pluripotent stem cells. The differentiation of these cells in their spatial and functional environment defines the organism itself; however, cellular mutations may disrupt the mutual balance between a cell and its niche, where cell proliferation and specialization are released from their autopoietic homeostasis. This induces the construction of cancer niches and maintains their survival. In this paper, we characterise cancer niche construction as a direct consequence of interactions between clusters of cancer and healthy cells. Explicitly, we evaluate these higher-order interactions between niches of cancer and healthy cells using Kikuchi approximations to the free energy. Kikuchi's free energy is measured in terms of changes to the sum of energies of baseline clusters of cells (or nodes) minus the energies of overcounted cluster intersections (and interactions of interactions, etc.). We posit that these changes in energy node clusters correspond to a long-term reduction in the complexity of the system conducive to cancer niche survival. We validate this formulation through numerical simulations of apoptosis, local cancer growth, and metastasis, and highlight its implications for a computational understanding of the etiopathology of cancer.
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16
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Isomura T, Friston K. Reverse-Engineering Neural Networks to Characterize Their Cost Functions. Neural Comput 2020; 32:2085-2121. [PMID: 32946704 DOI: 10.1162/neco_a_01315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
This letter considers a class of biologically plausible cost functions for neural networks, where the same cost function is minimized by both neural activity and plasticity. We show that such cost functions can be cast as a variational bound on model evidence under an implicit generative model. Using generative models based on partially observed Markov decision processes (POMDP), we show that neural activity and plasticity perform Bayesian inference and learning, respectively, by maximizing model evidence. Using mathematical and numerical analyses, we establish the formal equivalence between neural network cost functions and variational free energy under some prior beliefs about latent states that generate inputs. These prior beliefs are determined by particular constants (e.g., thresholds) that define the cost function. This means that the Bayes optimal encoding of latent or hidden states is achieved when the network's implicit priors match the process that generates its inputs. This equivalence is potentially important because it suggests that any hyperparameter of a neural network can itself be optimized-by minimization with respect to variational free energy. Furthermore, it enables one to characterize a neural network formally, in terms of its prior beliefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Isomura
- Brain Intelligence Theory Unit, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Karl Friston
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3AR, U.K.
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17
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Erndt-Marino J, Yeisley DJ, Chen H, Levin M, Kaplan DL, Hahn MS. Interferon-Gamma Stimulated Murine Macrophages In Vitro: Impact of Ionic Composition and Osmolarity and Therapeutic Implications. Bioelectricity 2020; 2:48-58. [PMID: 32292895 PMCID: PMC7107958 DOI: 10.1089/bioe.2019.0032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Injections of osmolytes are promising immunomodulatory treatments for medical benefit, although the rationale and underlying mechanisms are often lacking. The goals of the present study were twofold: (1) to clarify the anti-inflammatory role of the potassium ion and (2) to begin to decouple the effects that ionic strength, ionic species, and osmolarity have on macrophage biology. Materials and Methods: RAW 264.7 murine macrophages were encapsulated in three-dimensional, poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate hydrogels and activated with interferon-gamma to yield M(IFN). Gene and protein profiles were made of M(IFN) exposed to different hyperosmolar treatments (80 mM potassium gluconate, 80 mM sodium gluconate, and 160 mM sucrose). Results: Relative to M(IFN), all hyperosmolar treatments suppressed expression of pro-inflammatory markers (nitric oxide synthase-2 [NOS-2], tumor necrosis factor-alpha, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 [MCP-1]) and increased messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of the pleiotropic and angiogenic markers interleukin-6 (IL-6) and vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF), respectively. Ionic osmolytes also demonstrated a greater level of change compared to the nonionic treatments, with mRNA levels of IL-6 the most significantly affected. M(IFN) exposed to K+ exhibited the lowest levels of NOS-2 and MCP-1, and this ion limited IL-6 release induced by osmolarity. Conclusion: Cumulatively, these data suggest that osmolyte composition, ionic strength, and osmolarity are all parameters that can influence therapeutic outcomes. Future work is necessary to further decouple and mechanistically understand the influence that these biophysical parameters have on cell biology, including their impact on other macrophage functions, intracellular osmolyte composition, and cellular and organellular membrane potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Erndt-Marino
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
- Department of Biology, Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
| | - Daniel J. Yeisley
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
| | - Hongyu Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
| | - Michael Levin
- Department of Biology, Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
| | - David L. Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
- Department of Biology, Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
| | - Mariah S. Hahn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
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18
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Pai VP, Adams DS. Preventing Ethanol-Induced Brain and Eye Morphology Defects Using Optogenetics. Bioelectricity 2019; 1:260-272. [PMID: 32685918 DOI: 10.1089/bioe.2019.0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Embryonic exposure to the teratogen ethanol leads to dysmorphias, including eye and brain morphology defects associated with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Exposure of Xenopus laevis embryos to ethanol leads to similar developmental defects, including brain and eye dysmorphism, confirming our work and the work of others showing Xenopus as a useful system for studies of the brain and eye birth defects associated with FASD. Several targets of ethanol action have been hypothesized, one being regulation of Kir2.1 potassium channel. Endogenous ion fluxes and membrane voltage variation (bioelectric signals) have been shown to be powerful regulators of embryonic cell behaviors that are required for correct brain and eye morphology. Disruptions to these voltage patterns lead to spatially correlated disruptions in gene expression patterns and corresponding morphology. Materials and Methods: Here, we use controlled membrane voltage modulation to determine when and where voltage modulation is sufficient to rescue ethanol-induced brain and eye defects in Xenopus embryos. Results: We found (1) that modulating membrane voltage using light activation of the channelrhodopsin-2 variant D156A rescues ethanol exposed embryos, resulting in normal brain and eye morphologies; (2) hyperpolarization is required for the full duration of ethanol exposure; (3) hyperpolarization of only superficial ectoderm is sufficient for this effect; and(4) the rescue effect acts at a distance. Conclusions: These results, particularly the last, raise the exciting possibility of using bioelectric modulation to treat ethanol-induced brain and eye birth defects, possibly with extant ion channel drugs already prescribed to pregnant women. This may prove to be a simple and cost-effective strategy for reducing the impact of FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaibhav P Pai
- Department of Biology, Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
| | - Dany Spencer Adams
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts.,Ion Diagnostics LLC, Watertown, Massachusetts
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19
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Surface charge regulation of functionalized conical nanopore conductance by divalent cations and anions. Electrochim Acta 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2019.134914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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20
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W. King M, Chen J, Deshpande M, He T, Ramakrishna H, Xie Y, Zhang F, Zhao F. Structural Design, Fabrication and Evaluation of Resorbable Fiber-Based Tissue Engineering Scaffolds. Biotechnol Bioeng 2019. [DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.84643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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21
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Burgos-Panadero R, Lucantoni F, Gamero-Sandemetrio E, Cruz-Merino LDL, Álvaro T, Noguera R. The tumour microenvironment as an integrated framework to understand cancer biology. Cancer Lett 2019; 461:112-122. [PMID: 31325528 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2019.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Cancer cells all share the feature of being immersed in a complex environment with altered cell-cell/cell-extracellular element communication, physicochemical information, and tissue functions. The so-called tumour microenvironment (TME) is becoming recognised as a key factor in the genesis, progression and treatment of cancer lesions. Beyond genetic mutations, the existence of a malignant microenvironment forms the basis for a new perspective in cancer biology where connections at the system level are fundamental. From this standpoint, different aspects of tumour lesions such as morphology, aggressiveness, prognosis and treatment response can be considered under an integrated vision, giving rise to a new field of study and clinical management. Nowadays, somatic mutation theory is complemented with study of TME components such as the extracellular matrix, immune compartment, stromal cells, metabolism and biophysical forces. In this review we examine recent studies in this area and complement them with our own research data to propose a classification of stromal changes. Exploring these avenues and gaining insight into malignant phenotype remodelling, could reveal better ways to characterize this disease and its potential treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebeca Burgos-Panadero
- Departament of Pathology, Medical School, University of Valencia - INCLIVA Biomedical Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain; CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Federico Lucantoni
- Departament of Pathology, Medical School, University of Valencia - INCLIVA Biomedical Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
| | - Esther Gamero-Sandemetrio
- Departament of Pathology, Medical School, University of Valencia - INCLIVA Biomedical Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain; CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Tomás Álvaro
- CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain; Hospital Verge de la Cinta, Tortosa, Tarragona, Spain.
| | - Rosa Noguera
- Departament of Pathology, Medical School, University of Valencia - INCLIVA Biomedical Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain; CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain.
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22
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Ionic transport characteristics of negatively and positively charged conical nanopores in 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 2:2, 1:2, and 1:3 electrolytes. J Colloid Interface Sci 2019; 553:639-646. [PMID: 31247503 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2019.06.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
We study experimentally the current (I)-voltage (V) curves of 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 2:2, 1:2, and 1:3 electrolytes in positively and negatively charged conically-shaped pores of nanoscale dimensions. The positive charges are poly(allylamine hydrochloride) chains functionalized on the pore surface by electrostatic interactions while the negative charges are carboxylic acid groups. Under physiological conditions, these fixed-charge groups are ionized and strongly interact with the different monovalent, divalent, and trivalent ions in the pore solution. The current rectification of the I-V curves and the membrane potentials provide fundamental information on the interaction of the pore charge groups with the mobile ions present at electrochemically and biologically relevant concentrations. The different pores and electrolytes studied, together with the abundant experimental data provided, can be useful to develop new theoretical simulations of transport phenomena in nanoscale solutions that are confined within charged surfaces.
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23
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Cervera J, Manzanares JA, Mafe S, Levin M. Synchronization of Bioelectric Oscillations in Networks of Nonexcitable Cells: From Single-Cell to Multicellular States. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:3924-3934. [PMID: 31003574 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.9b01717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Biological networks use collective oscillations for information processing tasks. In particular, oscillatory membrane potentials have been observed in nonexcitable cells and bacterial communities where specific ion channel proteins contribute to the bioelectric coordination of large populations. We aim at describing theoretically the oscillatory spatiotemporal patterns that emerge at the multicellular level from the single-cell bioelectric dynamics. To this end, we focus on two key questions: (i) What single-cell properties are relevant to multicellular behavior? (ii) What properties defined at the multicellular level can allow an external control of the bioelectric dynamics? In particular, we explore the interplay between transcriptional and translational dynamics and membrane potential dynamics in a model multicellular ensemble, describe the spatiotemporal patterns that arise when the average electric potential allows groups of cells to act as a coordinated multicellular patch, and characterize the resulting synchronization phenomena. The simulations concern bioelectric networks and collective communication across different scales based on oscillatory and synchronization phenomena, thus shedding light on the physiological dynamics of a wide range of endogenous contexts across embryogenesis and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Cervera
- Departament de Termodinàmica, Facultat de Física , Universitat de València , E-46100 Burjassot , Spain
| | - José Antonio Manzanares
- Departament de Termodinàmica, Facultat de Física , Universitat de València , E-46100 Burjassot , Spain
| | - Salvador Mafe
- Departament de Termodinàmica, Facultat de Física , Universitat de València , E-46100 Burjassot , Spain
| | - Michael Levin
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Department of Biology , Tufts University Medford , Massachusetts 02155-4243 , United States
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24
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Noguera R, Burgos-Panadero R, Gamero-Sandemetrio E, de la Cruz-Merino L, Álvaro Naranjo T. [An integral view of cancer (I). The study, classification and reprogramming of the tumoral microclimate]. REVISTA ESPAÑOLA DE PATOLOGÍA : PUBLICACIÓN OFICIAL DE LA SOCIEDAD ESPAÑOLA DE ANATOMÍA PATOLÓGICA Y DE LA SOCIEDAD ESPAÑOLA DE CITOLOGÍA 2019; 52:92-102. [PMID: 30902384 DOI: 10.1016/j.patol.2018.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The group of diseases that we call cancer share a biological structure formed by a complex ecosystem, with altered intercellular communication, information fields, development and tissue function. Beyond the genetic alterations of the tumor cell, the demonstration of an altered ecosystem, with interconnections at systemic levels, opens up a new perspective on cancer biology and behavior. Different tumor facets, such as morphology, classification, clinical aggressiveness, prognosis and response to treatment now appear under a comprehensive vision that offers a new horizon of study, research and clinical management. The Somatic Mutation Theory in cancer, in force for more than one hundred years, is now completed by the study of the tumor microenvironment, the extracellular matrix, the stromal cells, the immune response, the innervation, the nutrition, the mitochondria, the metabolism, the interstitial fluid, the mechanical and electromagnetic properties of the tissue and many other areas of emerging knowledge; thus opening the door to a reprogramming exercise of the tumor phenotype through the modification of the keys offered by this new paradigm. Its recognition makes it possible to go from considering the oncological process as a cellular problem to a supracellular alteration based on the disorganization of tissues, immersed in the relationships of the complex system of the living being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Noguera
- Departamento de Patología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia/Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias INCLIVA, Valencia, España; CIBERONC, Madrid, España
| | - Rebeca Burgos-Panadero
- Departamento de Patología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia/Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias INCLIVA, Valencia, España; CIBERONC, Madrid, España
| | - Esther Gamero-Sandemetrio
- Departamento de Patología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia/Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias INCLIVA, Valencia, España; CIBERONC, Madrid, España
| | | | - Tomás Álvaro Naranjo
- CIBERONC, Madrid, España; Hospital Verge de la Cinta, Tortosa, Tarragona, España.
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25
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Bérard A, Levin M, Sadler T, Healy D. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Use During Pregnancy and Major Malformations: The Importance of Serotonin for Embryonic Development and the Effect of Serotonin Inhibition on the Occurrence of Malformations. Bioelectricity 2019; 1:18-29. [PMID: 34471805 DOI: 10.1089/bioe.2018.0003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioelectric signaling is transduced by neurotransmitter pathways in many cell types. One of the key mediators of bioelectric control mechanisms is serotonin, and its transporter SERT, which is targeted by a broad class of blocker drugs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors [SSRIs]). Studies showing an increased risk of multiple malformations associated with gestational use of SSRI have been accumulating but debate remains on whether SSRI as a class has the potential to generate these malformations. This review highlights the importance of serotonin for embryonic development; the effect of serotonin inhibition during early pregnancy on the occurrence of multiple diverse malformations that have been shown to occur in human pregnancies; that the risks outweigh the benefits of SSRI use during gestation in populations of mild to moderately depressed pregnant women, which encompass the majority of pregnant depressed women; and that the malformations seen in human pregnancies constitute a pattern of malformations consistent with the known mechanisms of action of SSRIs. We present at least three mechanisms by which SSRI can affect development. These studies highlight the relevance of basic bioelectric and neurotransmitter mechanism for biomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anick Bérard
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Montreal; Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michael Levin
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Department of Biology, Medford, Massachusetts
| | - Thomas Sadler
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - David Healy
- Department of Psychiatry, Hergest Unit, Bangor, United Kingdom
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26
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27
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Kamm RD, Bashir R, Arora N, Dar RD, Gillette MU, Griffith LG, Kemp ML, Kinlaw K, Levin M, Martin AC, McDevitt TC, Nerem RM, Powers MJ, Saif TA, Sharpe J, Takayama S, Takeuchi S, Weiss R, Ye K, Yevick HG, Zaman MH. Perspective: The promise of multi-cellular engineered living systems. APL Bioeng 2018; 2:040901. [PMID: 31069321 PMCID: PMC6481725 DOI: 10.1063/1.5038337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent technological breakthroughs in our ability to derive and differentiate induced pluripotent stem cells, organoid biology, organ-on-chip assays, and 3-D bioprinting have all contributed to a heightened interest in the design, assembly, and manufacture of living systems with a broad range of potential uses. This white paper summarizes the state of the emerging field of "multi-cellular engineered living systems," which are composed of interacting cell populations. Recent accomplishments are described, focusing on current and potential applications, as well as barriers to future advances, and the outlook for longer term benefits and potential ethical issues that need to be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger D. Kamm
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Rashid Bashir
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61820, USA
| | - Natasha Arora
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Roy D. Dar
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61820, USA
| | | | - Linda G. Griffith
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Melissa L. Kemp
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
| | | | | | - Adam C. Martin
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | | | - Robert M. Nerem
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
| | - Mark J. Powers
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Frederick, Maryland 21704, USA
| | - Taher A. Saif
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61820, USA
| | - James Sharpe
- EMBL Barcelona, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | | | | | - Ron Weiss
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Kaiming Ye
- Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, USA
| | - Hannah G. Yevick
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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28
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Cervera J, Meseguer S, Mafe S. Intercellular Connectivity and Multicellular Bioelectric Oscillations in Nonexcitable Cells: A Biophysical Model. ACS OMEGA 2018; 3:13567-13575. [PMID: 30411043 PMCID: PMC6217649 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b01514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Bioelectricity is emerging as a crucial mechanism for signal transmission and processing from the single-cell level to multicellular domains. We explore theoretically the oscillatory dynamics that result from the coupling between the genetic and bioelectric descriptions of nonexcitable cells in multicellular ensembles, connecting the genetic prepatterns defined over the ensemble with the resulting spatio-temporal map of cell potentials. These prepatterns assume the existence of a small patch in the ensemble with locally low values of the genetic rate constants that produce a specific ion channel protein whose conductance promotes the cell-polarized state (inward-rectifying channel). In this way, the short-range interactions of the cells within the patch favor the depolarized membrane potential state, whereas the long-range interaction of the patch with the rest of the ensemble promotes the polarized state. The coupling between the local and long-range bioelectric signals allows a binary control of the patch membrane potentials, and alternating cell polarization and depolarization states can be maintained for optimal windows of the number of cells and the intercellular connectivity in the patch. The oscillatory phenomena emerge when the feedback between the single-cell bioelectric and genetic dynamics is coupled at the multicellular level. In this way, the intercellular connectivity acts as a regulatory mechanism for the bioelectrical oscillations. The simulation results are qualitatively discussed in the context of recent experimental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Cervera
- Departamento
de Termodinàmica, Facultat de Física,
Universitat de València, E-46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - Salvador Meseguer
- Laboratory
of RNA Modification and Mitochondrial Diseases, Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, 46012 Valencia, Spain
| | - Salvador Mafe
- Departamento
de Termodinàmica, Facultat de Física,
Universitat de València, E-46100 Burjassot, Spain
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29
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Bioelectrical coupling in multicellular domains regulated by gap junctions: A conceptual approach. Bioelectrochemistry 2018; 123:45-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2018.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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30
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Purnell MC, Butawan MB, Ramsey RD. Bio-field array: a dielectrophoretic electromagnetic toroidal excitation to restore and maintain the golden ratio in human erythrocytes. Physiol Rep 2018; 6:e13722. [PMID: 29890049 PMCID: PMC5995311 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.13722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Erythrocytes must maintain a biconcave discoid shape in order to efficiently deliver oxygen (O2 ) molecules and to recycle carbon dioxide (CO2 ) molecules. The erythrocyte is a small toroidal dielectrophoretic (DEP) electromagnetic field (EMF) driven cell that maintains its zeta potential (ζ) with a dielectric constant (ԑ) between a negatively charged plasma membrane surface and the positively charged adjacent Stern layer. Here, we propose that zeta potential is also driven by both ferroelectric influences (chloride ion) and ferromagnetic influences (serum iron driven). The Golden Ratio, a function of Phi φ, offers a geometrical mathematical measure within the distinct and desired curvature of the red blood cell that is governed by this zeta potential and is required for the efficient recycling of CO2 in our bodies. The Bio-Field Array (BFA) shows potential to both drive/fuel the zeta potential and restore the Golden Ratio in human erythrocytes thereby leading to more efficient recycling of CO2 . Live Blood Analyses and serum CO2 levels from twenty human subjects that participated in immersion therapy sessions with the BFA for 2 weeks (six sessions) were analyzed. Live Blood Analyses (LBA) and serum blood analyses performed before and after the BFA immersion therapy sessions in the BFA pilot study participants showed reversal of erythrocyte rheological alterations (per RBC metric; P = 0.00000075), a morphological return to the Golden Ratio and a significant decrease in serum CO2 (P = 0.017) in these participants. Immersion therapy sessions with the BFA show potential to modulate zeta potential, restore this newly defined Golden Ratio and reduce rheological alterations in human erythrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcy C. Purnell
- The Loewenberg College of NursingUniversity of MemphisMemphisTennessee
| | | | - Risa D. Ramsey
- The Loewenberg College of NursingUniversity of MemphisMemphisTennessee
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31
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Pai VP, Pietak A, Willocq V, Ye B, Shi NQ, Levin M. HCN2 Rescues brain defects by enforcing endogenous voltage pre-patterns. Nat Commun 2018. [PMID: 29519998 PMCID: PMC5843655 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03334-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Endogenous bioelectrical signaling coordinates cell behaviors toward correct anatomical outcomes. Lack of a model explaining spatialized dynamics of bioelectric states has hindered the understanding of the etiology of some birth defects and the development of predictive interventions. Nicotine, a known neuroteratogen, induces serious defects in brain patterning and learning. Our bio-realistic computational model explains nicotine’s effects via the disruption of endogenous bioelectrical gradients and predicts that exogenous HCN2 ion channels would restore the endogenous bioelectric prepatterns necessary for brain patterning. Voltage mapping in vivo confirms these predictions, and exogenous expression of the HCN2 ion channel rescues nicotine-exposed embryos, resulting in normal brain morphology and molecular marker expression, with near-normal learning capacity. By combining molecular embryology, electrophysiology, and computational modeling, we delineate a biophysical mechanism of developmental brain damage and its functional rescue. The authors have previously shown that membrane voltage can influence embryonic patterning during development. Here, the authors computationally model how nicotine disrupts Xenopus embryogenesis by perturbing voltage gradients, and rescue nicotine-inducted defects with HCN2 channel expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaibhav P Pai
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Alexis Pietak
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Valerie Willocq
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Bin Ye
- Veridian Biotechnology Limited, Biotech Center 2, Hong Kong, China
| | - Nian-Qing Shi
- Department of Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology, Tufts University, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Michael Levin
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA.
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32
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Sullivan KG, Levin M. Inverse Drug Screening of Bioelectric Signaling and Neurotransmitter Roles: Illustrated Using a Xenopus Tail Regeneration Assay. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2018; 2018:pdb.prot099937. [PMID: 29437995 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot099937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Xenopus embryos and larvae are an ideal model system in which to study the interplay between genetics, physiology, and anatomy in the control of structure and function. An important emerging field is the study of bioelectric signaling, the exchange of ion- and neurotransmitter-mediated messages among all types of cells (not just nerve and muscle cells), in the regulation of growth and form during embryogenesis, regeneration, and cancer. To facilitate the mechanistic investigation of bioelectric events in vivo, it is necessary to identify the endogenous signaling machinery involved in any patterning process of interest. This protocol uses the tail regeneration assay in Xenopus to perform an inverse drug screen; tiers of known compounds are used to probe the involvement of increasingly specific classes of bioelectric and neurotransmitter machinery. By using a hierarchical approach, large classes of targets are ruled out in early rounds, focusing attention on progressively narrower sets of proteins. Such a screen avoids many of the limitations of a molecular-genetic targeting approach and provides a rapid and efficient way to focus on specific targets. Usually, <10 experiments are needed to determine whether bioelectrics and/or neurotransmitter signaling are involved in the process of interest. This protocol describes the strategy in the context of a semiquantitative analysis of tail regeneration but can be applied to any assay in Xenopus or other small aquatic model system (e.g., zebrafish). Given the ever-increasing toolkit of chemical genetics, such screens represent a powerful and versatile methodology for probing the physiological circuits underlying pattern regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly G Sullivan
- Biology Department, and Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155
| | - Michael Levin
- Biology Department, and Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155
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33
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Romanenko S, Begley R, Harvey AR, Hool L, Wallace VP. The interaction between electromagnetic fields at megahertz, gigahertz and terahertz frequencies with cells, tissues and organisms: risks and potential. J R Soc Interface 2017; 14:20170585. [PMID: 29212756 PMCID: PMC5746568 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2017.0585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Since regular radio broadcasts started in the 1920s, the exposure to human-made electromagnetic fields has steadily increased. These days we are not only exposed to radio waves but also other frequencies from a variety of sources, mainly from communication and security devices. Considering that nearly all biological systems interact with electromagnetic fields, understanding the affects is essential for safety and technological progress. This paper systematically reviews the role and effects of static and pulsed radio frequencies (100-109 Hz), millimetre waves (MMWs) or gigahertz (109-1011 Hz), and terahertz (1011-1013 Hz) on various biomolecules, cells and tissues. Electromagnetic fields have been shown to affect the activity in cell membranes (sodium versus potassium ion conductivities) and non-selective channels, transmembrane potentials and even the cell cycle. Particular attention is given to millimetre and terahertz radiation due to their increasing utilization and, hence, increasing human exposure. MMWs are known to alter active transport across cell membranes, and it has been reported that terahertz radiation may interfere with DNA and cause genomic instabilities. These and other phenomena are discussed along with the discrepancies and controversies from published studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergii Romanenko
- School of Physics, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ryan Begley
- School of Physics, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Alan R Harvey
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Livia Hool
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Vincent P Wallace
- School of Physics, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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34
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McDowell G, Rajadurai S, Levin M. From cytoskeletal dynamics to organ asymmetry: a nonlinear, regulative pathway underlies left-right patterning. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 371:rstb.2015.0409. [PMID: 27821521 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Consistent left-right (LR) asymmetry is a fundamental aspect of the bodyplan across phyla, and errors of laterality form an important class of human birth defects. Its molecular underpinning was first discovered as a sequential pathway of left- and right-sided gene expression that controlled positioning of the heart and visceral organs. Recent data have revised this picture in two important ways. First, the physical origin of chirality has been identified; cytoskeletal dynamics underlie the asymmetry of single-cell behaviour and patterning of the LR axis. Second, the pathway is not linear: early disruptions that alter the normal sidedness of upstream asymmetric genes do not necessarily induce defects in the laterality of the downstream genes or in organ situs Thus, the LR pathway is a unique example of two fascinating aspects of biology: the interplay of physics and genetics in establishing large-scale anatomy, and regulative (shape-homeostatic) pathways that correct molecular and anatomical errors over time. Here, we review aspects of asymmetry from its intracellular, cytoplasmic origins to the recently uncovered ability of the LR control circuitry to achieve correct gene expression and morphology despite reversals of key 'determinant' genes. We provide novel functional data, in Xenopus laevis, on conserved elements of the cytoskeleton that drive asymmetry, and comparatively analyse it together with previously published results in the field. Our new observations and meta-analysis demonstrate that despite aberrant expression of upstream regulatory genes, embryos can progressively normalize transcriptional cascades and anatomical outcomes. LR patterning can thus serve as a paradigm of how subcellular physics and gene expression cooperate to achieve developmental robustness of a body axis.This article is part of the themed issue 'Provocative questions in left-right asymmetry'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary McDowell
- Biology Department, Tufts University, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155-4243, USA.,Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155-4243, USA
| | - Suvithan Rajadurai
- Biology Department, Tufts University, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155-4243, USA.,Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155-4243, USA
| | - Michael Levin
- Biology Department, Tufts University, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155-4243, USA .,Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155-4243, USA
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35
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Use of genetically encoded, light-gated ion translocators to control tumorigenesis. Oncotarget 2017; 7:19575-88. [PMID: 26988909 PMCID: PMC4991402 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.8036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2015] [Accepted: 02/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
It has long been known that the resting potential of tumor cells is depolarized relative to their normal counterparts. More recent work has provided evidence that resting potential is not just a readout of cell state: it regulates cell behavior as well. Thus, the ability to control resting potential in vivo would provide a powerful new tool for the study and treatment of tumors, a tool capable of revealing living-state physiological information impossible to obtain using molecular tools applied to isolated cell components. Here we describe the first use of optogenetics to manipulate ion-flux mediated regulation of membrane potential specifically to prevent and cause regression of oncogene-induced tumors. Injection of mutant-KRAS mRNA induces tumor-like structures with many documented similarities to tumors, in Xenopus tadpoles. We show that expression and activation of either ChR2D156A, a blue-light activated cation channel, or Arch, a green-light activated proton pump, both of which hyperpolarize cells, significantly lowers the incidence of KRAS tumor formation. Excitingly, we also demonstrate that activation of co-expressed light-activated ion translocators after tumor formation significantly increases the frequency with which the tumors regress in a process called normalization. These data demonstrate an optogenetic approach to dissect the biophysics of cancer. Moreover, they provide proof-of-principle for a novel class of interventions, directed at regulating cell state by targeting physiological regulators that can over-ride the presence of mutations.
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36
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Fields C, Levin M. Multiscale memory and bioelectric error correction in the cytoplasm-cytoskeleton-membrane system. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-SYSTEMS BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2017; 10. [DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 08/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chris Fields
- 21 Rue des Lavandiéres, 11160 Caunes Minervois; France
| | - Michael Levin
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University; Medford MA USA
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37
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Pezzulo G, Levin M. Top-down models in biology: explanation and control of complex living systems above the molecular level. J R Soc Interface 2017; 13:rsif.2016.0555. [PMID: 27807271 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2016.0555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
It is widely assumed in developmental biology and bioengineering that optimal understanding and control of complex living systems follows from models of molecular events. The success of reductionism has overshadowed attempts at top-down models and control policies in biological systems. However, other fields, including physics, engineering and neuroscience, have successfully used the explanations and models at higher levels of organization, including least-action principles in physics and control-theoretic models in computational neuroscience. Exploiting the dynamic regulation of pattern formation in embryogenesis and regeneration requires new approaches to understand how cells cooperate towards large-scale anatomical goal states. Here, we argue that top-down models of pattern homeostasis serve as proof of principle for extending the current paradigm beyond emergence and molecule-level rules. We define top-down control in a biological context, discuss the examples of how cognitive neuroscience and physics exploit these strategies, and illustrate areas in which they may offer significant advantages as complements to the mainstream paradigm. By targeting system controls at multiple levels of organization and demystifying goal-directed (cybernetic) processes, top-down strategies represent a roadmap for using the deep insights of other fields for transformative advances in regenerative medicine and systems bioengineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Pezzulo
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | - Michael Levin
- Biology Department, Allen Discovery Center at Tufts, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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38
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Pai VP, Willocq V, Pitcairn EJ, Lemire JM, Paré JF, Shi NQ, McLaughlin KA, Levin M. HCN4 ion channel function is required for early events that regulate anatomical left-right patterning in a nodal and lefty asymmetric gene expression-independent manner. Biol Open 2017; 6:1445-1457. [PMID: 28818840 PMCID: PMC5665463 DOI: 10.1242/bio.025957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 08/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Laterality is a basic characteristic of all life forms, from single cell organisms to complex plants and animals. For many metazoans, consistent left-right asymmetric patterning is essential for the correct anatomy of internal organs, such as the heart, gut, and brain; disruption of left-right asymmetry patterning leads to an important class of birth defects in human patients. Laterality functions across multiple scales, where early embryonic, subcellular and chiral cytoskeletal events are coupled with asymmetric amplification mechanisms and gene regulatory networks leading to asymmetric physical forces that ultimately result in distinct left and right anatomical organ patterning. Recent studies have suggested the existence of multiple parallel pathways regulating organ asymmetry. Here, we show that an isoform of the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) family of ion channels (hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 4, HCN4) is important for correct left-right patterning. HCN4 channels are present very early in Xenopus embryos. Blocking HCN channels (Ih currents) with pharmacological inhibitors leads to errors in organ situs. This effect is only seen when HCN4 channels are blocked early (pre-stage 10) and not by a later block (post-stage 10). Injections of HCN4-DN (dominant-negative) mRNA induce left-right defects only when injected in both blastomeres no later than the 2-cell stage. Analysis of key asymmetric genes' expression showed that the sidedness of Nodal, Lefty, and Pitx2 expression is largely unchanged by HCN4 blockade, despite the randomization of subsequent organ situs, although the area of Pitx2 expression was significantly reduced. Together these data identify a novel, developmental role for HCN4 channels and reveal a new Nodal-Lefty-Pitx2 asymmetric gene expression-independent mechanism upstream of organ positioning during embryonic left-right patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaibhav P Pai
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, 200 Boston Ave, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Valerie Willocq
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, 200 Boston Ave, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Emily J Pitcairn
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, 200 Boston Ave, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Joan M Lemire
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, 200 Boston Ave, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Jean-François Paré
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, 200 Boston Ave, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Nian-Qing Shi
- Department of Medicine at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Kelly A McLaughlin
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, 200 Boston Ave, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Michael Levin
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, 200 Boston Ave, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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39
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Zahn N, Levin M, Adams DS. The Zahn drawings: new illustrations of Xenopus embryo and tadpole stages for studies of craniofacial development. Development 2017; 144:2708-2713. [PMID: 28765211 PMCID: PMC5560046 DOI: 10.1242/dev.151308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The embryos and tadpoles of the frog Xenopus are increasingly important subjects for studies of the development of the head and face - studies that are providing novel and crucial insight into the causes and prevention of a suite of devastating birth defects, as well as basic evolutionary and developmental biology. However, many studies are conducted on a range of embryonic stages that are not fully represented in the beloved Xenopus resource, Nieuwkoop and Faber's classic Normal Table of Xenopus laevis (Daudin) The lack of standardized images at these stages acts as a barrier to the efficient and accurate representation and communication of experimental methodology and expression data. To fill this gap, we have created 27 new high-quality illustrations. Like their oft-used predecessors from Nieuwkoop and Faber, these drawings can be freely downloaded and used, and will, we hope, serve as an essential resource for this important model system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael Levin
- Department of Biology and Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA.,Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Dany Spencer Adams
- Department of Biology and Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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40
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Moore D, Walker SI, Levin M. Cancer as a disorder of patterning information: computational and biophysical perspectives on the cancer problem. CONVERGENT SCIENCE PHYSICAL ONCOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1088/2057-1739/aa8548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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41
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Tyler SEB. Nature's Electric Potential: A Systematic Review of the Role of Bioelectricity in Wound Healing and Regenerative Processes in Animals, Humans, and Plants. Front Physiol 2017; 8:627. [PMID: 28928669 PMCID: PMC5591378 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural endogenous voltage gradients not only predict and correlate with growth and development but also drive wound healing and regeneration processes. This review summarizes the existing literature for the nature, sources, and transmission of information-bearing bioelectric signals involved in controlling wound healing and regeneration in animals, humans, and plants. It emerges that some bioelectric characteristics occur ubiquitously in a range of animal and plant species. However, the limits of similarities are probed to give a realistic assessment of future areas to be explored. Major gaps remain in our knowledge of the mechanistic basis for these processes, on which regenerative therapies ultimately depend. In relation to this, it is concluded that the mapping of voltage patterns and the processes generating them is a promising future research focus, to probe three aspects: the role of wound/regeneration currents in relation to morphology; the role of endogenous flux changes in driving wound healing and regeneration; and the mapping of patterns in organisms of extreme longevity, in contrast with the aberrant voltage patterns underlying impaired healing, to inform interventions aimed at restoring them.
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Cervera J, Meseguer S, Mafe S. MicroRNA Intercellular Transfer and Bioelectrical Regulation of Model Multicellular Ensembles by the Gap Junction Connectivity. J Phys Chem B 2017; 121:7602-7613. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b04774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Javier Cervera
- Dept.
de Termodinàmica, Facultat de Física, Universitat de València, E-46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - Salvador Meseguer
- Laboratory
of RNA Modification and Mitochondrial Diseases, Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia 46012, Spain
| | - Salvador Mafe
- Dept.
de Termodinàmica, Facultat de Física, Universitat de València, E-46100 Burjassot, Spain
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Stocum DL. Mechanisms of urodele limb regeneration. REGENERATION (OXFORD, ENGLAND) 2017; 4:159-200. [PMID: 29299322 PMCID: PMC5743758 DOI: 10.1002/reg2.92] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
This review explores the historical and current state of our knowledge about urodele limb regeneration. Topics discussed are (1) blastema formation by the proteolytic histolysis of limb tissues to release resident stem cells and mononucleate cells that undergo dedifferentiation, cell cycle entry and accumulation under the apical epidermal cap. (2) The origin, phenotypic memory, and positional memory of blastema cells. (3) The role played by macrophages in the early events of regeneration. (4) The role of neural and AEC factors and interaction between blastema cells in mitosis and distalization. (5) Models of pattern formation based on the results of axial reversal experiments, experiments on the regeneration of half and double half limbs, and experiments using retinoic acid to alter positional identity of blastema cells. (6) Possible mechanisms of distalization during normal and intercalary regeneration. (7) Is pattern formation is a self-organizing property of the blastema or dictated by chemical signals from adjacent tissues? (8) What is the future for regenerating a human limb?
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Affiliation(s)
- David L. Stocum
- Department of BiologyIndiana University−Purdue University Indianapolis723 W. Michigan StIndianapolisIN 46202USA
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Paré JF, Martyniuk CJ, Levin M. Bioelectric regulation of innate immune system function in regenerating and intact Xenopus laevis. NPJ Regen Med 2017; 2:15. [PMID: 29302351 PMCID: PMC5677984 DOI: 10.1038/s41536-017-0019-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Revised: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/02/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Two key inputs that regulate regeneration are the function of the immune system, and spatial gradients of transmembrane potential (Vmem). Endogenous bioelectric signaling in somatic tissues during regenerative patterning is beginning to be understood, but its role in the context of immune response has never been investigated. Here, we show that Vmem levels modulate innate immunity activity in Xenopus laevis embryos. We developed an assay in which X. laevis embryos are infected with a uropathogenic microorganism, in the presence or absence of reagents that modify Vmem, prior to the ontogenesis of the adaptive immune system. General depolarization of the organism's Vmem by pharmacological or molecular genetic (ion channel misexpression) methods increased resistance to infection, while hyperpolarization made the embryos more susceptible to death by infection. Hyperpolarized specimens harbored a higher load of infectious microorganisms when compared to controls. We identified two mechanisms by which Vmem mediates immune function: serotonergic signaling involving melanocytes and an increase in the number of primitive myeloid cells. Bioinformatics analysis of genes whose transcription is altered by depolarization revealed a number of immune system targets consistent with mammalian data. Remarkably, amputation of the tail bud potentiates systemic resistance to infection by increasing the number of peripheral myeloid cells, revealing an interplay of regenerative response, innate immunity, and bioelectric regulation. Our study identifies bioelectricity as a new mechanism by which innate immune response can be regulated in the context of infection or regeneration. Vmem modulation using drugs already approved for human use could be exploited to improve resistance to infections in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-François Paré
- Biology Department, and Allen Discovery Center at Tufts, Tufts University, Medford, MA USA
| | - Christopher J. Martyniuk
- Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology and Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida Genetics Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Michael Levin
- Biology Department, and Allen Discovery Center at Tufts, Tufts University, Medford, MA USA
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Durant F, Morokuma J, Fields C, Williams K, Adams DS, Levin M. Long-Term, Stochastic Editing of Regenerative Anatomy via Targeting Endogenous Bioelectric Gradients. Biophys J 2017; 112:2231-2243. [PMID: 28538159 PMCID: PMC5443973 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2017] [Revised: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 04/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We show that regenerating planarians' normal anterior-posterior pattern can be permanently rewritten by a brief perturbation of endogenous bioelectrical networks. Temporary modulation of regenerative bioelectric dynamics in amputated trunk fragments of planaria stochastically results in a constant ratio of regenerates with two heads to regenerates with normal morphology. Remarkably, this is shown to be due not to partial penetrance of treatment, but a profound yet hidden alteration to the animals' patterning circuitry. Subsequent amputations of the morphologically normal regenerates in water result in the same ratio of double-headed to normal morphology, revealing a cryptic phenotype that is not apparent unless the animals are cut. These animals do not differ from wild-type worms in histology, expression of key polarity genes, or neoblast distribution. Instead, the altered regenerative bodyplan is stored in seemingly normal planaria via global patterns of cellular resting potential. This gradient is functionally instructive, and represents a multistable, epigenetic anatomical switch: experimental reversals of bioelectric state reset subsequent regenerative morphology back to wild-type. Hence, bioelectric properties can stably override genome-default target morphology, and provide a tractable control point for investigating cryptic phenotypes and the stochasticity of large-scale epigenetic controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fallon Durant
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, and Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
| | - Junji Morokuma
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, and Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
| | | | - Katherine Williams
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, and Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
| | - Dany Spencer Adams
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, and Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
| | - Michael Levin
- Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, and Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts.
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Blackiston DJ, Vien K, Levin M. Serotonergic stimulation induces nerve growth and promotes visual learning via posterior eye grafts in a vertebrate model of induced sensory plasticity. NPJ Regen Med 2017; 2:8. [PMID: 29302344 PMCID: PMC5665622 DOI: 10.1038/s41536-017-0012-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Revised: 01/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The major goal of regenerative medicine is to repair damaged tissues and organ systems, thereby restoring their native functions in the host. Control of innervation by re-grown or implanted structures, and integration of the nascent nerves into behavioral/cognitive programs of the host, remains a critical barrier. In the case of sensory organs, this is particularly true, as afferent neurons must form connections with the host to communicate auditory, visual, and tactile information. Xenopus embryos and tadpoles are powerful models for such studies, as grafting techniques allow for the creation of eyes and other sensory structures along the body axis, and the behavior of the resulting organism can be quantitatively analyzed. Previous work has demonstrated that ectopic eyes could be grafted in blinded tadpoles, allowing some of the animals to learn in a simple light-preference assay. Here, we show that it is possible to improve the efficiency of the process in the context of a novel image-forming vision assay, using a drug already approved for human use. Innervation of the host by ectopic eyes can be increased by targeting a serotonergic signaling mechanism: grafts treated with a 5-HT1B/D agonist strongly innervate the recipient compared with untreated grafts, without large-scale disruption of the host nervous system. Blind animals possessing eye grafts with the augmented innervation demonstrate increased performance over untreated siblings in wavelength-based learning assays. Furthermore, treated animals also exhibit enhanced visual pattern recognition, suggesting that the increased innervation in response to 5-HT1B/D activation leads to enhanced functional integration of the ectopic organ with the host central nervous system and behavioral programs. These data establish a model system and reveal a new roadmap using small molecule neurotransmitter drugs to augment innervation, integration, and function of transplanted heterologous organs in regenerative medicine. A migraine drug that modulates neurotransmitter signaling can boost the neural connections of eyes grafted onto tadpoles to enhance vision. Michael Levin and colleagues from Tufts University in Medford, MA, USA, built on previous work from their lab showing that eyes could be attached along the body axis of blind tadpoles, allowing the developing frogs to distinguish between light and dark. Following the surgery, the researchers have now added the drug zolmitriptan, an activator of serotonin receptors, and the tadpoles formed many more neural connections that sprouted from their ectopic eyes. These animals performed better in visual-learning and pattern-movement tests than control tadpoles that did not get the drug. The findings suggest that drugs used to treat neurological and psychiatric diseases could be repurposed to augment the innervation, integration, and function of organs transplanted in regenerative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas J Blackiston
- Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155 USA
| | - Khanh Vien
- Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155 USA
| | - Michael Levin
- Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, 200 Boston Avenue, Suite 4600, Medford, MA 02155 USA
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Abd Rahman N, Ibrahim F, Yafouz B. Dielectrophoresis for Biomedical Sciences Applications: A Review. SENSORS 2017; 17:s17030449. [PMID: 28245552 PMCID: PMC5375735 DOI: 10.3390/s17030449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2016] [Revised: 12/10/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is a label-free, accurate, fast, low-cost diagnostic technique that uses the principles of polarization and the motion of bioparticles in applied electric fields. This technique has been proven to be beneficial in various fields, including environmental research, polymer research, biosensors, microfluidics, medicine and diagnostics. Biomedical science research is one of the major research areas that could potentially benefit from DEP technology for diverse applications. Nevertheless, many medical science research investigations have yet to benefit from the possibilities offered by DEP. This paper critically reviews the fundamentals, recent progress, current challenges, future directions and potential applications of research investigations in the medical sciences utilizing DEP technique. This review will also act as a guide and reference for medical researchers and scientists to explore and utilize the DEP technique in their research fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurhaslina Abd Rahman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Centre for Innovation in Medical Engineering (CIME), Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Fatimah Ibrahim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Centre for Innovation in Medical Engineering (CIME), Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Bashar Yafouz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Centre for Innovation in Medical Engineering (CIME), Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, Taiz University, 6803 Taiz, Yemen.
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Discovering novel phenotypes with automatically inferred dynamic models: a partial melanocyte conversion in Xenopus. Sci Rep 2017; 7:41339. [PMID: 28128301 PMCID: PMC5269672 DOI: 10.1038/srep41339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Progress in regenerative medicine requires reverse-engineering cellular control networks to infer perturbations with desired systems-level outcomes. Such dynamic models allow phenotypic predictions for novel perturbations to be rapidly assessed in silico. Here, we analyzed a Xenopus model of conversion of melanocytes to a metastatic-like phenotype only previously observed in an all-or-none manner. Prior in vivo genetic and pharmacological experiments showed that individual animals either fully convert or remain normal, at some characteristic frequency after a given perturbation. We developed a Machine Learning method which inferred a model explaining this complex, stochastic all-or-none dataset. We then used this model to ask how a new phenotype could be generated: animals in which only some of the melanocytes converted. Systematically performing in silico perturbations, the model predicted that a combination of altanserin (5HTR2 inhibitor), reserpine (VMAT inhibitor), and VP16-XlCreb1 (constitutively active CREB) would break the all-or-none concordance. Remarkably, applying the predicted combination of three reagents in vivo revealed precisely the expected novel outcome, resulting in partial conversion of melanocytes within individuals. This work demonstrates the capability of automated analysis of dynamic models of signaling networks to discover novel phenotypes and predictively identify specific manipulations that can reach them.
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Keijzer F, Arnellos A. The animal sensorimotor organization: a challenge for the environmental complexity thesis. BIOLOGY & PHILOSOPHY 2017; 32:421-441. [PMID: 28713189 PMCID: PMC5491640 DOI: 10.1007/s10539-017-9565-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Godfrey-Smith's environmental complexity thesis (ECT) is most often applied to multicellular animals and the complexity of their macroscopic environments to explain how cognition evolved. We think that the ECT may be less suited to explain the origins of the animal bodily organization, including this organization's potentiality for dealing with complex macroscopic environments. We argue that acquiring the fundamental sensorimotor features of the animal body may be better explained as a consequence of dealing with internal bodily-rather than environmental complexity. To press and elucidate this option, we develop the notion of an animal sensorimotor organization (ASMO) that derives from an internal coordination account for the evolution of early nervous systems. The ASMO notion is a reply to the question how a collection of single cells can become integrated such that the resulting multicellular organization becomes sensitive to and can manipulate macroscopic features of both the animal body and its environment. In this account, epithelial contractile tissues play the central role in the organization behind complex animal bodies. In this paper, we relate the ASMO concept to recent work on epithelia, which provides empirical evidence that supports central assumptions behind the ASMO notion. Second, we discuss to what extent the notion applies to basic animal architectures, exemplified by sponges and jellyfish. We conclude that the features exhibited by the ASMO are plausibly explained by internal constraints acting on and within this multicellular organization, providing a challenge for the role the ECT plays in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fred Keijzer
- Department of Theoretical Philosophy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Argyris Arnellos
- Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science, IAS-Research Centre for Life, Mind and Society, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
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50
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Bronfman ZZ, Ginsburg S, Jablonka E. The Transition to Minimal Consciousness through the Evolution of Associative Learning. Front Psychol 2016; 7:1954. [PMID: 28066282 PMCID: PMC5177968 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The minimal state of consciousness is sentience. This includes any phenomenal sensory experience - exteroceptive, such as vision and olfaction; interoceptive, such as pain and hunger; or proprioceptive, such as the sense of bodily position and movement. We propose unlimited associative learning (UAL) as the marker of the evolutionary transition to minimal consciousness (or sentience), its phylogenetically earliest sustainable manifestation and the driver of its evolution. We define and describe UAL at the behavioral and functional level and argue that the structural-anatomical implementations of this mode of learning in different taxa entail subjective feelings (sentience). We end with a discussion of the implications of our proposal for the distribution of consciousness in the animal kingdom, suggesting testable predictions, and revisiting the ongoing debate about the function of minimal consciousness in light of our approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zohar Z Bronfman
- The Cohn Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Ideas, Tel Aviv UniversityTel Aviv, Israel; School of Psychology, Tel Aviv UniversityTel Aviv, Israel
| | - Simona Ginsburg
- Department of Natural Science, The Open University of Israel Raanana, Israel
| | - Eva Jablonka
- The Cohn Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Ideas, Tel Aviv UniversityTel Aviv, Israel; The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv UniversityTel Aviv, Israel
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