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Onwudiwe K, Najera J, Holen L, Burchett AA, Rodriguez D, Zarodniuk M, Siri S, Datta M. Single-cell mechanical assay unveils viscoelastic similarities in normal and neoplastic brain cells. Biophys J 2024; 123:1098-1105. [PMID: 38544410 PMCID: PMC11079864 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.03.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding cancer cell mechanics allows for the identification of novel disease mechanisms, diagnostic biomarkers, and targeted therapies. In this study, we utilized our previously established fluid shear stress assay to investigate and compare the viscoelastic properties of normal immortalized human astrocytes and invasive human glioblastoma (GBM) cells when subjected to physiological levels of shear stress that are present in the brain microenvironment. We used a parallel-flow microfluidic shear system and a camera-coupled optical microscope to expose single cells to fluid shear stress and monitor the resulting deformation in real time, respectively. From the video-rate imaging, we fed cell deformation information from digital image correlation into a three-parameter generalized Maxwell model to quantify the nuclear and cytoplasmic viscoelastic properties of single cells. We further quantified actin cytoskeleton density and alignment in immortalized human astrocytes and GBM cells via fluorescence microscopy and image analysis techniques. Results from our study show that contrary to the behavior of many extracranial cells, normal and cancerous brain cells do not exhibit significant differences in their viscoelastic properties. Moreover, we also found that the viscoelastic properties of the nucleus and cytoplasm as well as the actin cytoskeletal densities of both brain cell types are similar. Our work suggests that malignant GBM cells exhibit unique mechanical behaviors not seen in other cancer cell types. These results warrant future studies to elucidate the distinct biophysical characteristics of the brain and reveal novel mechanical attributes of GBM and other primary brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Killian Onwudiwe
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana
| | - Julian Najera
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana
| | - Luke Holen
- Department of Pre-Professional Studies, College of Science, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana
| | - Alice A Burchett
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana
| | - Dorielis Rodriguez
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana; Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Maksym Zarodniuk
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana
| | - Saeed Siri
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana
| | - Meenal Datta
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana.
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2
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Liu N, Zhang T, Chen Z, Wang Y, Yue T, Shi J, Li G, Yang C, Jiang H, Sun Y. An AFM-Based Model-Fitting-Free Viscoelasticity Characterization Method for Accurate Grading of Primary Prostate Tumor. IEEE Trans Nanobioscience 2024; 23:319-327. [PMID: 38194381 DOI: 10.1109/tnb.2024.3351768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Viscoelasticity is a crucial property of cells, which plays an important role in label-free cell characterization. This paper reports a model-fitting-free viscoelasticity calculation method, correcting the effects of frequency, surface adhesion and liquid resistance on AFM force-distance (FD) curves. As demonstrated by quantifying the viscosity and elastic modulus of PC-3 cells, this method shows high self-consistency and little dependence on experimental parameters such as loading frequency, and loading mode (Force-volume vs. PeakForce Tapping). The rapid calculating speed of less than 1ms per curve without the need for a model fitting process is another advantage. Furthermore, this method was utilized to characterize the viscoelastic properties of primary clinical prostate cells from 38 patients. The results demonstrate that the reported characterization method a comparable performance with the Gleason Score system in grading prostate cancer cells, This method achieves a high average accuracy of 97.6% in distinguishing low-risk prostate tumors (BPH and GS6) from higher-risk (GS7-GS10) prostate tumors and a high average accuracy of 93.3% in distinguishing BPH from prostate cancer.
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3
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Massey A, Stewart J, Smith C, Parvini C, McCormick M, Do K, Cartagena-Rivera AX. Mechanical properties of human tumour tissues and their implications for cancer development. NATURE REVIEWS. PHYSICS 2024; 6:269-282. [PMID: 38706694 PMCID: PMC11066734 DOI: 10.1038/s42254-024-00707-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
The mechanical properties of cells and tissues help determine their architecture, composition and function. Alterations to these properties are associated with many diseases, including cancer. Tensional, compressive, adhesive, elastic and viscous properties of individual cells and multicellular tissues are mostly regulated by reorganization of the actomyosin and microtubule cytoskeletons and extracellular glycocalyx, which in turn drive many pathophysiological processes, including cancer progression. This Review provides an in-depth collection of quantitative data on diverse mechanical properties of living human cancer cells and tissues. Additionally, the implications of mechanical property changes for cancer development are discussed. An increased knowledge of the mechanical properties of the tumour microenvironment, as collected using biomechanical approaches capable of multi-timescale and multiparametric analyses, will provide a better understanding of the complex mechanical determinants of cancer organization and progression. This information can lead to a further understanding of resistance mechanisms to chemotherapies and immunotherapies and the metastatic cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Massey
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jamie Stewart
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- These authors contributed equally: Jamie Stewart, Chynna Smith
| | - Chynna Smith
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- These authors contributed equally: Jamie Stewart, Chynna Smith
| | - Cameron Parvini
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Moira McCormick
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kun Do
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Alexander X. Cartagena-Rivera
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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4
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Shu W, Kaplan CN. A multiscale theory for spreading and migration of adhesion-reinforced mesenchymal cells. J R Soc Interface 2023; 20:20230317. [PMID: 38086406 PMCID: PMC10715917 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
We present a chemomechanical whole-cell theory for the spreading and migration dynamics of mesenchymal cells that can actively reinforce their adhesion to an underlying viscoelastic substrate as a function of its stiffness. Our multiscale model couples the adhesion reinforcement effect at the subcellular scale with the nonlinear mechanics of the nucleus-cytoskeletal network complex at the cellular scale to explain the concurrent monotonic area-stiffness and non-monotonic speed-stiffness relationships observed in experiments: we consider that large cell spreading on stiff substrates flattens the nucleus, increasing the viscous drag force on it. The resulting force balance dictates a reduction in the migration speed on stiff substrates. We also reproduce the experimental influence of the substrate viscosity on the cell spreading area and migration speed by elucidating how the viscosity may either maintain adhesion reinforcement or prevent it depending on the substrate stiffness. Additionally, our model captures the experimental directed migration behaviour of the adhesion-reinforced cells along a stiffness gradient, known as durotaxis, as well as up or down a viscosity gradient (viscotaxis or anti-viscotaxis), the cell moving towards an optimal viscosity in either case. Overall, our theory explains the intertwined mechanics of the cell spreading, migration speed and direction in the presence of the molecular adhesion reinforcement mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenya Shu
- Department of Physics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Center for Soft Matter and Biological Physics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - C. Nadir Kaplan
- Department of Physics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Center for Soft Matter and Biological Physics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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Ren K, Feng J, Bi H, Sun Q, Li X, Han D. AFM-Based Poroelastic@Membrane Analysis of Cells and its Opportunities for Translational Medicine. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2303610. [PMID: 37403276 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202303610] [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: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Cell mechanics is an emerging field of research for translational medicine. Here, the cell is modeled as poroelastic cytoplasm wrapped by tensile membrane (poroelastic@membrane model) and is characterized by the atomic force microscopy (AFM). The parameters of cytoskeleton network modulus EC , cytoplasmic apparent viscosity ηC , and cytoplasmic diffusion coefficient DC are used to describe the mechanical behavior of cytoplasm, and membrane tension γ is used to evaluate the cell membrane. Poroelastic@membrane analysis of breast cells and urothelial cells show that non-cancer cells and cancer cells have different distribution regions and distribution trends in the four-dimensional space composed of EC , ηC . From non-cancer to cancer cells, there is often a trend of γ, EC , ηC decreases and DC increases. Patients with urothelial carcinoma at different malignant stages can be distinguished at high sensitivity and specificity by analyzing the urothelial cells from tissue or urine. However, sampling directly from tumor tissues is an invasive method, may lead to undesirable consequences. Thus, AFM-based poroelastic@membrane analysis of urothelial cells from urine may provide a non-invasive and no-bio-label method to detecting urothelial carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keli Ren
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, No.11 ZhongGuanCun BeiYiTiao, Haidian, Beijing, 100191, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1 Yanqihu East Rd, Huairou Distric, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Jiantao Feng
- Artemisinin Research Center and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, No.16, Nanxiao street, Dongzhimen, Dongcheng, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Hai Bi
- Department of Urology, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Rd., Haidian, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Quanmei Sun
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, No.11 ZhongGuanCun BeiYiTiao, Haidian, Beijing, 100191, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1 Yanqihu East Rd, Huairou Distric, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Xiang Li
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, No.11 ZhongGuanCun BeiYiTiao, Haidian, Beijing, 100191, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1 Yanqihu East Rd, Huairou Distric, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Dong Han
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, No.11 ZhongGuanCun BeiYiTiao, Haidian, Beijing, 100191, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1 Yanqihu East Rd, Huairou Distric, Beijing, 100190, China
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6
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Gilbert RJC. Peptide-based pore formation and cell membrane deformation: European Biophysics Journal Prizes at EBSA 2023. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL : EBJ 2023; 52:619-623. [PMID: 37994943 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-023-01691-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
The European Biophysics Journal Prizes awarded at the European Biophysical Societies Association (EBSA) Congress in Stockholm in the Summer of 2023 recognised papers published in 2020 and 2021 which made use of multiple complementing experimental, theoretical and computational approaches. One of the winning papers addressed the specific role of arginine residues within antimicrobial and cell-penetrating peptides, in promoting membrane defect stabilisation and pore formation. The other winning paper described the influence of atomic force microscopy probe geometry on the measurement of surface deformability, assessed for investigation of the differing viscoelastic properties of non-malignant and cancerous cells. These papers showcase biophysical science; the importance of combining different experimental, modelling and molecular dynamics methods; and how researchers need to understand the theoretical basis and the limitations of the techniques they use. EBSA warmly congratulates the authors on their work and its subsequent recognition. Publication of these papers also demonstrates the ongoing commitment of the European Biophysics Journal to molecular scale and to systems biophysics, and to support of the international biophysical community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J C Gilbert
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.
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7
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Onwudiwe K, Najera J, Holen L, Burchett AA, Rodriguez D, Zarodniuk M, Siri S, Datta M. Single-cell mechanical analysis reveals viscoelastic similarities between normal and neoplastic brain cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.23.559055. [PMID: 37808779 PMCID: PMC10557591 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.23.559055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Understanding cancer cell mechanics allows for the identification of novel disease mechanisms, diagnostic biomarkers, and targeted therapies. In this study, we utilized our previously established fluid shear stress assay to investigate and compare the viscoelastic properties of normal immortalized human astrocytes (IHAs) and invasive human glioblastoma (GBM) cells when subjected to physiological levels of shear stress that are present in the brain microenvironment. We used a parallel-flow microfluidic shear system and a camera-coupled optical microscope to expose single cells to fluid shear stress and monitor the resulting deformation in real-time, respectively. From the video-rate imaging, we fed cell deformation information from digital image correlation into a three-parameter generalized Maxwell model to quantify the nuclear and cytoplasmic viscoelastic properties of single cells. We further quantified actin cytoskeleton density and alignment in IHAs and GBM cells via immunofluorescence microscopy and image analysis techniques. Results from our study show that contrary to the behavior of many extracranial cells, normal and cancerous brain cells do not exhibit significant differences in their viscoelastic behavior. Moreover, we also found that the viscoelastic properties of the nucleus and cytoplasm as well as the actin cytoskeletal densities of both brain cell types are similar. Our work suggests that malignant GBM cells exhibit unique mechanical behaviors not seen in other cancer cell types. These results warrant future study to elucidate the distinct biophysical characteristics of the brain and reveal novel mechanical attributes of GBM and other primary brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Killian Onwudiwe
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Julian Najera
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Luke Holen
- Department of Pre-Professional Studies, College of Science, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Alice A. Burchett
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Dorielis Rodriguez
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR 00918, USA
| | - Maksym Zarodniuk
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Saeed Siri
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Meenal Datta
- Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
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8
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Hervas-Raluy S, Wirthl B, Guerrero PE, Robalo Rei G, Nitzler J, Coronado E, Font de Mora Sainz J, Schrefler BA, Gomez-Benito MJ, Garcia-Aznar JM, Wall WA. Tumour growth: An approach to calibrate parameters of a multiphase porous media model based on in vitro observations of Neuroblastoma spheroid growth in a hydrogel microenvironment. Comput Biol Med 2023; 159:106895. [PMID: 37060771 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.106895] [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: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
To unravel processes that lead to the growth of solid tumours, it is necessary to link knowledge of cancer biology with the physical properties of the tumour and its interaction with the surrounding microenvironment. Our understanding of the underlying mechanisms is however still imprecise. We therefore developed computational physics-based models, which incorporate the interaction of the tumour with its surroundings based on the theory of porous media. However, the experimental validation of such models represents a challenge to its clinical use as a prognostic tool. This study combines a physics-based model with in vitro experiments based on microfluidic devices used to mimic a three-dimensional tumour microenvironment. By conducting a global sensitivity analysis, we identify the most influential input parameters and infer their posterior distribution based on Bayesian calibration. The resulting probability density is in agreement with the scattering of the experimental data and thus validates the proposed workflow. This study demonstrates the huge challenges associated with determining precise parameters with usually only limited data for such complex processes and models, but also demonstrates in general how to indirectly characterise the mechanical properties of neuroblastoma spheroids that cannot feasibly be measured experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Hervas-Raluy
- Multiscale in Mechanical and Biological Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Zaragoza, Aragon Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), Maria de Luna 3, Zaragoza, 50018, Spain.
| | - Barbara Wirthl
- Institute for Computational Mechanics, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Engineering and Design, Department of Engineering Physics & Computation, Boltzmannstraße 15, Garching b. Munich, 85748, Germany
| | - Pedro E Guerrero
- Multiscale in Mechanical and Biological Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Zaragoza, Aragon Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), Maria de Luna 3, Zaragoza, 50018, Spain
| | - Gil Robalo Rei
- Institute for Computational Mechanics, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Engineering and Design, Department of Engineering Physics & Computation, Boltzmannstraße 15, Garching b. Munich, 85748, Germany
| | - Jonas Nitzler
- Institute for Computational Mechanics, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Engineering and Design, Department of Engineering Physics & Computation, Boltzmannstraße 15, Garching b. Munich, 85748, Germany; Professorship for Data-Driven Materials Modeling, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Engineering and Design, Department of Engineering Physics & Computation, Boltzmannstraße 15, Garching b. Munich, 85748, Germany
| | - Esther Coronado
- Clinical and Translational Oncology Research Group, Instituto de Investigación La Fe,, Fernando Abril Martorell 106, Valencia, 46026, Spain
| | - Jaime Font de Mora Sainz
- Clinical and Translational Oncology Research Group, Instituto de Investigación La Fe,, Fernando Abril Martorell 106, Valencia, 46026, Spain
| | - Bernhard A Schrefler
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Padua, Marzolo 9, Padua, 35131, Italy; Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Boltzmannstraße 15, Garching b. Munich, 85748, Germany
| | - Maria Jose Gomez-Benito
- Multiscale in Mechanical and Biological Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Zaragoza, Aragon Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), Maria de Luna 3, Zaragoza, 50018, Spain
| | - Jose Manuel Garcia-Aznar
- Multiscale in Mechanical and Biological Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Zaragoza, Aragon Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), Maria de Luna 3, Zaragoza, 50018, Spain
| | - Wolfgang A Wall
- Institute for Computational Mechanics, Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Engineering and Design, Department of Engineering Physics & Computation, Boltzmannstraße 15, Garching b. Munich, 85748, Germany
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Kerdegari S, Canepa P, Odino D, Oropesa-Nuñez R, Relini A, Cavalleri O, Canale C. Insights in Cell Biomechanics through Atomic Force Microscopy. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:2980. [PMID: 37109816 PMCID: PMC10142950 DOI: 10.3390/ma16082980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
We review the advances obtained by using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)-based approaches in the field of cell/tissue mechanics and adhesion, comparing the solutions proposed and critically discussing them. AFM offers a wide range of detectable forces with a high force sensitivity, thus allowing a broad class of biological issues to be addressed. Furthermore, it allows for the accurate control of the probe position during the experiments, providing spatially resolved mechanical maps of the biological samples with subcellular resolution. Nowadays, mechanobiology is recognized as a subject of great relevance in biotechnological and biomedical fields. Focusing on the past decade, we discuss the intriguing issues of cellular mechanosensing, i.e., how cells sense and adapt to their mechanical environment. Next, we examine the relationship between cell mechanical properties and pathological states, focusing on cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. We show how AFM has contributed to the characterization of pathological mechanisms and discuss its role in the development of a new class of diagnostic tools that consider cell mechanics as new tumor biomarkers. Finally, we describe the unique ability of AFM to study cell adhesion, working quantitatively and at the single-cell level. Again, we relate cell adhesion experiments to the study of mechanisms directly or secondarily involved in pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajedeh Kerdegari
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy; (S.K.); (P.C.); (D.O.); (A.R.)
| | - Paolo Canepa
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy; (S.K.); (P.C.); (D.O.); (A.R.)
| | - Davide Odino
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy; (S.K.); (P.C.); (D.O.); (A.R.)
| | - Reinier Oropesa-Nuñez
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Uppsala University, Ångströmlaboratoriet, Box 35, SE-751 03 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Annalisa Relini
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy; (S.K.); (P.C.); (D.O.); (A.R.)
| | - Ornella Cavalleri
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy; (S.K.); (P.C.); (D.O.); (A.R.)
| | - Claudio Canale
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy; (S.K.); (P.C.); (D.O.); (A.R.)
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10
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Stoian D, Borlea A, Sporea I, Popa A, Moisa-Luca L, Popescu A. Assessment of Thyroid Stiffness and Viscosity in Autoimmune Thyroiditis Using Novel Ultrasound-Based Techniques. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11030938. [PMID: 36979917 PMCID: PMC10046469 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11030938] [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: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The estimation of viscosity by measuring the shear-wave dispersion (SWD) using ultrasound 2D shear-wave elastography (SWE) is becoming more and more popular. Recent research suggests that SWD can be used in addition to 2D-SWE (shear-wave speed) to diagnose diffuse liver disease. Viscosity was studied for the assessment of normal thyroid tissue. This study aims to evaluate the use of viscosity measurements in patients with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis using the SuperSonic MACH®30 ultrasound machine (Hologic SuperSonic Imagine, Aix-en-Provence, France) which provides the Vi PLUS mode for viscosity and the 2D SWE PLUS mode for shear-wave speed measurements. Valid measurements were obtained in 308 cases, 153 with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (CAT) and 155 with no thyroid pathology (95.95% feasibility of the methods). The differences between the healthy group and the CAT group were statistically significant both for Vi PLUS (2.5 ± 0.4 vs. 2.8 ± 0.5, p < 0.0001) and for 2D-SWE PLUS (13.5 ± 3.3 vs. 23.1 ± 8.3, p < 0.0001). The diagnostic performance was poor for Vi PLUS alone (AUC = 0.69; cut-off > 2.5 Pa·s, se = 68.6%; sp = 64.52%) and good for 2D-SWE PLUS alone (AUC = 0.861; cut-off > 18.4 kPa, se = 69.9%; sp = 92.2%). Vi PLUS correlated with 2D-SWE PLUS, with the presence of CAT, the thyroid volume, levothyroxine replacement therapy and age. Statistically significant differences were found between the CAT subgroup receiving thyroid replacement therapy and the subgroup without therapy: 24.74 ± 8.33 vs. 21.93 ± 8.12 kPa for 2D-SWE (p = 0.0380) and 3 ± 0.5 vs. 2.7 ± 0.4 Pa·s for Vi PLUS (p = 0.0193). Elastography-based methods improve the classic ultrasound evaluation: 2D-SWE PLUS performed somewhat better in distinguishing CAT from normal thyroid tissue, while Vi PLUS made a slightly better assessment regarding the functional status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Stoian
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine II, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- DrD Ultrasound Center, M. Cristea Nr. 9, 300029 Timisoara, Romania
- Centre for Molecular Research in Nephrology and Vascular Disease, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Andreea Borlea
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine II, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- DrD Ultrasound Center, M. Cristea Nr. 9, 300029 Timisoara, Romania
- Centre for Molecular Research in Nephrology and Vascular Disease, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Ioan Sporea
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Advanced Regional Research Center in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Alexandru Popa
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Advanced Regional Research Center in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | | | - Alina Popescu
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Advanced Regional Research Center in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
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11
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Liu S, Li Y, Hong Y, Wang M, Zhang H, Ma J, Qu K, Huang G, Lu TJ. Mechanotherapy in oncology: Targeting nuclear mechanics and mechanotransduction. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 194:114722. [PMID: 36738968 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Mechanotherapy is proposed as a new option for cancer treatment. Increasing evidence suggests that characteristic differences are present in the nuclear mechanics and mechanotransduction of cancer cells compared with those of normal cells. Recent advances in understanding nuclear mechanics and mechanotransduction provide not only further insights into the process of malignant transformation but also useful references for developing new therapeutic approaches. Herein, we present an overview of the alterations of nuclear mechanics and mechanotransduction in cancer cells and highlight their implications in cancer mechanotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaobao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China; MIIT Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Lightweight Materials and Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China
| | - Yuan Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China
| | - Yuan Hong
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Ming Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China
| | - Hao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China; MIIT Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Lightweight Materials and Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China
| | - Jinlu Ma
- Department of Radiation Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Xian Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, PR China
| | - Kai Qu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Xian Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, PR China
| | - Guoyou Huang
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Civil Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, PR China.
| | - Tian Jian Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China; MIIT Key Laboratory of Multifunctional Lightweight Materials and Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics, Nanjing 210016, PR China.
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12
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Marchant CL, Malmi-Kakkada AN, Espina JA, Barriga EH. Cell clusters softening triggers collective cell migration in vivo. NATURE MATERIALS 2022; 21:1314-1323. [PMID: 35970965 PMCID: PMC9622418 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-022-01323-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Embryogenesis, tissue repair and cancer metastasis rely on collective cell migration. In vitro studies propose that cells are stiffer while migrating in stiff substrates, but softer when plated in compliant surfaces which are typically considered as non-permissive for migration. Here we show that cells within clusters from embryonic tissue dynamically decrease their stiffness in response to the temporal stiffening of their native substrate to initiate collective cell migration. Molecular and mechanical perturbations of embryonic tissues reveal that this unexpected mechanical response involves a mechanosensitive pathway relying on Piezo1-mediated microtubule deacetylation. We further show that decreasing microtubule acetylation and consequently cluster stiffness is sufficient to trigger collective cell migration in soft non-permissive substrates. This suggests that reaching an optimal cluster-to-substrate stiffness ratio is essential to trigger the onset of this collective process. Overall, these in vivo findings challenge the current understanding of collective cell migration and its physiological and pathological roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian L Marchant
- Mechanisms of Morphogenesis Laboratory, Gulbenkian Institute of Science (IGC), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Abdul N Malmi-Kakkada
- Computational Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Physics, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Jaime A Espina
- Mechanisms of Morphogenesis Laboratory, Gulbenkian Institute of Science (IGC), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Elias H Barriga
- Mechanisms of Morphogenesis Laboratory, Gulbenkian Institute of Science (IGC), Oeiras, Portugal.
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13
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Viscosity Plane-Wave UltraSound (Vi PLUS) in the Evaluation of Thyroid Gland in Healthy Volunteers-A Preliminary Study. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12102474. [PMID: 36292163 PMCID: PMC9600479 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12102474] [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: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Viscosity and elasticity represent biomechanical properties of soft tissues that suffer changes during the pathophysiological alterations of the tissue in various conditions. This study aimed to determine average viscosity values for the thyroid gland and to evaluate the potential influences of age, gender and body mass index (BMI), using a recent technique Viscosity Plane-wave UltraSound (Vi PLUS). A total of 85 healthy Caucasian volunteers (56 women and 29 men, median age of 29 years, range 17−81 years) were included in this prospective monocentric study conducted between January 2022 and March 2022. Thyroid viscosity was measured using the SuperSonic MACH 30® Ultrasound system (Aixplorer, SuperSonic Imagine, Aix-en-Provence, France), equipped with a curvilinear C6-IX transducer that allows simultaneous quantification of the viscosity and stiffness. The mean thyroid viscosity measurement value was 2.63 ± 0.47 Pa.s. No statistically significant differences were detected between the left and the right lobes of the thyroid gland. A significant positive correlation was found between thyroid viscosity and elasticity (r = 0.685, p < 0.0001). There was no statistically significant correlation between body mass index (BMI) and thyroid gland viscosity and elasticity values (r = 0.215, p = 0.053; r = 0.106, p = 0.333). No correlation between viscosity and gender was established (p > 0.05). Vi PLUS represents a new and promising ultrasonographic technique that can provide helpful information for evaluating the thyroid parenchyma, similar to elastography. The effect of the potential confounding factors on thyroid viscosity was negligible, except for BMI.
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14
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Selyutina OY, Babailov SP. Holmium Complex with Phospholipids as 1H NMR Relaxational Sensor of Temperature and Viscosity. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27196691. [PMID: 36235229 PMCID: PMC9573588 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27196691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The sensitivity of Ho-phospholipid complexes to changes in the membrane viscosity of liposomes was checked. An increase in viscosity was observed for DPPC and DMPC near the phase-transition temperature. Ho-phospholipid complexes could be used as sensors of local membrane viscosity in NMR and MRI technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Yu. Selyutina
- Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion, Institutskaya St. 3, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
- Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry, Kutateladze St. 18, 630128 Novosibirsk, Russia
- Correspondence:
| | - Sergei P. Babailov
- A. V. Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Av. Lavrentyev 3, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
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15
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Nardini M, Ciasca G, Lauria A, Rossi C, Di Giacinto F, Romanò S, Di Santo R, Papi M, Palmieri V, Perini G, Basile U, Alcaro FD, Di Stasio E, Bizzarro A, Masullo C, De Spirito M. Sensing red blood cell nano-mechanics: Toward a novel blood biomarker for Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:932354. [PMID: 36204549 PMCID: PMC9530048 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.932354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Red blood cells (RBCs) are characterized by a remarkable elasticity, which allows them to undergo very large deformation when passing through small vessels and capillaries. This extreme deformability is altered in various clinical conditions, suggesting that the analysis of red blood cell (RBC) mechanics has potential applications in the search for non-invasive and cost-effective blood biomarkers. Here, we provide a comparative study of the mechanical response of RBCs in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and healthy subjects. For this purpose, RBC viscoelastic response was investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) in the force spectroscopy mode. Two types of analyses were performed: (i) a conventional analysis of AFM force-distance (FD) curves, which allowed us to retrieve the apparent Young's modulus, E; and (ii) a more in-depth analysis of time-dependent relaxation curves in the framework of the standard linear solid (SLS) model, which allowed us to estimate cell viscosity and elasticity, independently. Our data demonstrate that, while conventional analysis of AFM FD curves fails in distinguishing the two groups, the mechanical parameters obtained with the SLS model show a very good classification ability. The diagnostic performance of mechanical parameters was assessed using receiving operator characteristic (ROC) curves, showing very large areas under the curves (AUC) for selected biomarkers (AUC > 0.9). Taken all together, the data presented here demonstrate that RBC mechanics are significantly altered in AD, also highlighting the key role played by viscous forces. These RBC abnormalities in AD, which include both a modified elasticity and viscosity, could be considered a potential source of plasmatic biomarkers in the field of liquid biopsy to be used in combination with more established indicators of the pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Nardini
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriele Ciasca
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Lauria
- Unitá Operativa Complessa Neuroriabilitazione ad Alta Intensitá, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Rossi
- Department of Laboratory Diagnostic and Infectious Diseases, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Flavio Di Giacinto
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Sabrina Romanò
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Riccardo Di Santo
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Papi
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Palmieri
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Istituto dei Sistemi Complessi (ISC), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Rome, Italy
| | - Giordano Perini
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Umberto Basile
- Department of Laboratory Diagnostic and Infectious Diseases, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca D. Alcaro
- Department of Laboratory Diagnostic and Infectious Diseases, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Di Stasio
- Department of Laboratory Diagnostic and Infectious Diseases, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bizzarro
- Unitáă Operativa Complessa Continuità assistenziale, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Masullo
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Sezione di Neurologia, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco De Spirito
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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16
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Stoian D, Moisa L, Taban L, Sporea I, Popa A, Bende F, Popescu A, Borlea A. Quantification of Thyroid Viscosity in Healthy Subjects Using Ultrasound Shear Wave Dispersion (Viscosity PLUS). Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12092194. [PMID: 36140595 PMCID: PMC9497532 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12092194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Shear-wave elastography (SWE) is widely used in thyroid evaluation, but multiple factors influence thyroid stiffness. Estimating tissue viscosity may enhance the ultrasound diagnosis of thyroid diseases, along with the ultrasound (US) and the SWE assessment. In order to be able to detect diffuse thyroid disease by viscosity measurements, it is essential to firstly define the normal values of thyroid viscosity in healthy subjects. Currently there are no published data on thyroid viscosity measurements. This first prospective study aimed to determine the normal range of thyroid viscosity values in a cohort of healthy thyroids, as well as to determine the factors that may influence them. One hundred and twenty-one consecutive subjects without thyroid pathology were evaluated in the study by means of conventional ultrasound, two-dimensional SWE (2D SWE PLUS) and viscosity plane-wave ultrasound (ViPLUS) embedded in the Supersonic MACH® 30 ultrasound system. Five valid tissue viscosity measurements were obtained for each thyroid lobe in every patient and the median values were analyzed and correlated with the biological and demographic parameters of each patient. Our results reveal that ViPLUS is a highly feasible and reproducible technique for thyroid evaluation. Thyroid stiffness, age, gender, BMI and depth of measurements did not influence the thyroid viscosity values. The mean thyroid viscosity by ViPLUS for normal thyroid tissue was of 2.42 ± 0.41 Pa·s. Viscosity assessment by Supersonic ViPLUS is an innovative, non-invasive technique that has proven to be useful for thyroid US evaluation and remains to demonstrate its effectiveness in identifying patients with thyroid disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Stoian
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine II, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- DrD Ultrasound Center, M. Cristea Nr. 9, 300029 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Luciana Moisa
- DrD Ultrasound Center, M. Cristea Nr. 9, 300029 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Laura Taban
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine II, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- DrD Ultrasound Center, M. Cristea Nr. 9, 300029 Timisoara, Romania
- Correspondence:
| | - Ioan Sporea
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Center for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Alexandru Popa
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Center for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Felix Bende
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Center for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Alina Popescu
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Center for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Andreea Borlea
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine II, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- DrD Ultrasound Center, M. Cristea Nr. 9, 300029 Timisoara, Romania
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17
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Merino-Casallo F, Gomez-Benito MJ, Martinez-Cantin R, Garcia-Aznar JM. A mechanistic protrusive-based model for 3D cell migration. Eur J Cell Biol 2022; 101:151255. [PMID: 35843121 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2022.151255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell migration is essential for a variety of biological processes, such as embryogenesis, wound healing, and the immune response. After more than a century of research-mainly on flat surfaces-, there are still many unknowns about cell motility. In particular, regarding how cells migrate within 3D matrices, which more accurately replicate in vivo conditions. We present a novel in silico model of 3D mesenchymal cell migration regulated by the chemical and mechanical profile of the surrounding environment. This in silico model considers cell's adhesive and nuclear phenotypes, the effects of the steric hindrance of the matrix, and cells ability to degradate the ECM. These factors are crucial when investigating the increasing difficulty that migrating cells find to squeeze their nuclei through dense matrices, which may act as physical barriers. Our results agree with previous in vitro observations where fibroblasts cultured in collagen-based hydrogels did not durotax toward regions with higher collagen concentrations. Instead, they exhibited an adurotactic behavior, following a more random trajectory. Overall, cell's migratory response in 3D domains depends on its phenotype, and the properties of the surrounding environment, that is, 3D cell motion is strongly dependent on the context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Merino-Casallo
- Multiscale in Mechanical and Biological Engineering (M2BE), Aragon Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), Zaragoza 50018, Spain; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50009, Spain
| | - Maria Jose Gomez-Benito
- Multiscale in Mechanical and Biological Engineering (M2BE), Aragon Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), Zaragoza 50018, Spain; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50009, Spain
| | - Ruben Martinez-Cantin
- Robotics, Perception and Real Time Group (RoPeRT), Aragon Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), Zaragoza 50018, Spain; Department of Computer Science and System Engineering, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50009, Spain
| | - Jose Manuel Garcia-Aznar
- Multiscale in Mechanical and Biological Engineering (M2BE), Aragon Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), Zaragoza 50018, Spain; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50009, Spain.
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18
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Mohammad Mirzaei N, Tatarova Z, Hao W, Changizi N, Asadpoure A, Zervantonakis IK, Hu Y, Chang YH, Shahriyari L. A PDE Model of Breast Tumor Progression in MMTV-PyMT Mice. J Pers Med 2022; 12:807. [PMID: 35629230 PMCID: PMC9145520 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12050807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolution of breast tumors greatly depends on the interaction network among different cell types, including immune cells and cancer cells in the tumor. This study takes advantage of newly collected rich spatio-temporal mouse data to develop a data-driven mathematical model of breast tumors that considers cells' location and key interactions in the tumor. The results show that cancer cells have a minor presence in the area with the most overall immune cells, and the number of activated immune cells in the tumor is depleted over time when there is no influx of immune cells. Interestingly, in the case of the influx of immune cells, the highest concentrations of both T cells and cancer cells are in the boundary of the tumor, as we use the Robin boundary condition to model the influx of immune cells. In other words, the influx of immune cells causes a dominant outward advection for cancer cells. We also investigate the effect of cells' diffusion and immune cells' influx rates in the dynamics of cells in the tumor micro-environment. Sensitivity analyses indicate that cancer cells and adipocytes' diffusion rates are the most sensitive parameters, followed by influx and diffusion rates of cytotoxic T cells, implying that targeting them is a possible treatment strategy for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navid Mohammad Mirzaei
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; (N.M.M.); (Y.H.)
| | - Zuzana Tatarova
- Department of Radiology, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Wenrui Hao
- Department of Mathematics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA;
| | - Navid Changizi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA; (N.C.); (A.A.)
| | - Alireza Asadpoure
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA; (N.C.); (A.A.)
| | - Ioannis K. Zervantonakis
- Department of Bioengineering, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA;
| | - Yu Hu
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; (N.M.M.); (Y.H.)
| | - Young Hwan Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA;
| | - Leili Shahriyari
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; (N.M.M.); (Y.H.)
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19
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Sun W, Gao X, Lei H, Wang W, Cao Y. Biophysical Approaches for Applying and Measuring Biological Forces. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2105254. [PMID: 34923777 PMCID: PMC8844594 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202105254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Over the past decades, increasing evidence has indicated that mechanical loads can regulate the morphogenesis, proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of living cells. Investigations of how cells sense mechanical stimuli or the mechanotransduction mechanism is an active field of biomaterials and biophysics. Gaining a further understanding of mechanical regulation and depicting the mechanotransduction network inside cells require advanced experimental techniques and new theories. In this review, the fundamental principles of various experimental approaches that have been developed to characterize various types and magnitudes of forces experienced at the cellular and subcellular levels are summarized. The broad applications of these techniques are introduced with an emphasis on the difficulties in implementing these techniques in special biological systems. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique are discussed, which can guide readers to choose the most suitable technique for their questions. A perspective on future directions in this field is also provided. It is anticipated that technical advancement can be a driving force for the development of mechanobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxu Sun
- School of SciencesNantong UniversityNantong226019P. R. China
| | - Xiang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Optical Sensing and IntegrationNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructureand Department of PhysicsCollaborative Innovation Center of Advanced MicrostructuresNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
- Institute of Brain ScienceNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
| | - Hai Lei
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Optical Sensing and IntegrationNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructureand Department of PhysicsCollaborative Innovation Center of Advanced MicrostructuresNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
- Institute of Brain ScienceNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation CenterNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
| | - Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Optical Sensing and IntegrationNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructureand Department of PhysicsCollaborative Innovation Center of Advanced MicrostructuresNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
- Institute of Brain ScienceNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
| | - Yi Cao
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Optical Sensing and IntegrationNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructureand Department of PhysicsCollaborative Innovation Center of Advanced MicrostructuresNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
- Institute of Brain ScienceNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
- MOE Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and TechnologyDepartment of Polymer Science & EngineeringCollege of Chemistry & Chemical EngineeringNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation CenterNanjing UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
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20
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Mierke CT. Viscoelasticity Acts as a Marker for Tumor Extracellular Matrix Characteristics. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:785138. [PMID: 34950661 PMCID: PMC8691700 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.785138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological materials such as extracellular matrix scaffolds, cancer cells, and tissues are often assumed to respond elastically for simplicity; the viscoelastic response is quite commonly ignored. Extracellular matrix mechanics including the viscoelasticity has turned out to be a key feature of cellular behavior and the entire shape and function of healthy and diseased tissues, such as cancer. The interference of cells with their local microenvironment and the interaction among different cell types relies both on the mechanical phenotype of each involved element. However, there is still not yet clearly understood how viscoelasticity alters the functional phenotype of the tumor extracellular matrix environment. Especially the biophysical technologies are still under ongoing improvement and further development. In addition, the effect of matrix mechanics in the progression of cancer is the subject of discussion. Hence, the topic of this review is especially attractive to collect the existing endeavors to characterize the viscoelastic features of tumor extracellular matrices and to briefly highlight the present frontiers in cancer progression and escape of cancers from therapy. Finally, this review article illustrates the importance of the tumor extracellular matrix mechano-phenotype, including the phenomenon viscoelasticity in identifying, characterizing, and treating specific cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Tanja Mierke
- Faculty of Physics and Earth Science, Peter Debye Institute of Soft Matter Physics, Biological Physics Division, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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21
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Gil-Redondo JC, Weber A, Zbiral B, Vivanco MDM, Toca-Herrera JL. Substrate stiffness modulates the viscoelastic properties of MCF-7 cells. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2021; 125:104979. [PMID: 34826769 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Cells sense stiffness of surrounding tissues and adapt their activity, proliferation, motility and mechanical properties based on such interactions. Cells probe the stiffness of the substrate by anchoring and pulling to their surroundings, transmitting force to the extracellular matrix and other cells, and respond to the resistance they sense, mainly through changes in their cytoskeleton. Cancer and other diseases alter stiffness of tissues, and the response of cancer cells to this stiffness can also be affected. In the present study we show that MCF-7 breast cancer cells seeded on polyacrylamide gels have the ability to detect the stiffness of the substrate and alter their mechanical properties in response. MCF-7 cells plated on soft substrates display lower stiffness and viscosity when compared to those seeded on stiffer gels or glass. These differences can be associated with differences in the morphology and cytoskeleton organisation, since cells seeded on soft substrates have a round morphology, while cells seeded on stiffer substrates acquire a flat and spread morphology with formation of actin filaments, similar to that observed when seeded on glass. These findings show that MCF-7 cells can detect the stiffness of the surrounding microenvironment and thus, modify their mechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Gil-Redondo
- Institute of Biophysics, Department of Nanobiotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Muthgasse 11, 1190, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Andreas Weber
- Institute of Biophysics, Department of Nanobiotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Muthgasse 11, 1190, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Barbara Zbiral
- Institute of Biophysics, Department of Nanobiotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Muthgasse 11, 1190, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Maria dM Vivanco
- Cancer Heterogeneity Lab, CIC BioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance, BRTA, Bizkaia Technology Park, 48160, Derio, Spain.
| | - José L Toca-Herrera
- Institute of Biophysics, Department of Nanobiotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Muthgasse 11, 1190, Vienna, Austria.
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22
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Di Santo R, Romanò S, Mazzini A, Jovanović S, Nocca G, Campi G, Papi M, De Spirito M, Di Giacinto F, Ciasca G. Recent Advances in the Label-Free Characterization of Exosomes for Cancer Liquid Biopsy: From Scattering and Spectroscopy to Nanoindentation and Nanodevices. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 11:1476. [PMID: 34199576 PMCID: PMC8230295 DOI: 10.3390/nano11061476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Exosomes (EXOs) are nano-sized vesicles secreted by most cell types. They are abundant in bio-fluids and harbor specific molecular constituents from their parental cells. Due to these characteristics, EXOs have a great potential in cancer diagnostics for liquid biopsy and personalized medicine. Despite this unique potential, EXOs are not yet widely applied in clinical settings, with two main factors hindering their translational process in diagnostics. Firstly, conventional extraction methods are time-consuming, require large sample volumes and expensive equipment, and often do not provide high-purity samples. Secondly, characterization methods have some limitations, because they are often qualitative, need extensive labeling or complex sampling procedures that can induce artifacts. In this context, novel label-free approaches are rapidly emerging, and are holding potential to revolutionize EXO diagnostics. These methods include the use of nanodevices for EXO purification, and vibrational spectroscopies, scattering, and nanoindentation for characterization. In this progress report, we summarize recent key advances in label-free techniques for EXO purification and characterization. We point out that these methods contribute to reducing costs and processing times, provide complementary information compared to the conventional characterization techniques, and enhance flexibility, thus favoring the discovery of novel and unexplored EXO-based biomarkers. In this process, the impact of nanotechnology is systematically highlighted, showing how the effectiveness of these techniques can be enhanced using nanomaterials, such as plasmonic nanoparticles and nanostructured surfaces, which enable the exploitation of advanced physical phenomena occurring at the nanoscale level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Di Santo
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (R.D.S.); (S.R.); (A.M.); (G.N.); (M.P.); (F.D.G.)
| | - Sabrina Romanò
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (R.D.S.); (S.R.); (A.M.); (G.N.); (M.P.); (F.D.G.)
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Alberto Mazzini
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (R.D.S.); (S.R.); (A.M.); (G.N.); (M.P.); (F.D.G.)
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Svetlana Jovanović
- “Vinča” Institute of Nuclear Sciences—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Giuseppina Nocca
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (R.D.S.); (S.R.); (A.M.); (G.N.); (M.P.); (F.D.G.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Gaetano Campi
- Rome International Centre Materials Science Superstripes RICMASS, via dei Sabelli 119A, 00185 Rome, Italy;
- Institute of Crystallography, CNR, via Salaria Km 29. 300, Monterotondo Stazione, 00016 Roma, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Papi
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (R.D.S.); (S.R.); (A.M.); (G.N.); (M.P.); (F.D.G.)
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Marco De Spirito
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (R.D.S.); (S.R.); (A.M.); (G.N.); (M.P.); (F.D.G.)
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Flavio Di Giacinto
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (R.D.S.); (S.R.); (A.M.); (G.N.); (M.P.); (F.D.G.)
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Gabriele Ciasca
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (R.D.S.); (S.R.); (A.M.); (G.N.); (M.P.); (F.D.G.)
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
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23
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Rheinlaender J, Wirbel H, Schäffer TE. Spatial correlation of cell stiffness and traction forces in cancer cells measured with combined SICM and TFM. RSC Adv 2021; 11:13951-13956. [PMID: 35423943 PMCID: PMC8697701 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra01277k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanical properties of cancer cells at the single-cell and the subcellular level might be the key for answering long-standing questions in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. However, the subcellular distribution of two main mechanical properties, cell stiffness and traction forces, has been investigated only rarely and qualitatively yet. Here, we present the first direct combination of scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) and traction force microscopy (TFM), which we used to identify a correlation between the local stiffness and the local traction force density in living cells. We found a correlation in normal breast epithelial cells, but no correlation in cancerous breast epithelial cells. This indicates that the interplay between cell stiffness and traction forces is altered in cancer cells as compared to healthy cells, which might give new insight in the research field of cancer cell mechanobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Rheinlaender
- Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tübingen Auf der Morgenstelle 10 72076 Tübingen Germany +49 7071 29 5093 +49 7071 29 76030
| | - Hannes Wirbel
- Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tübingen Auf der Morgenstelle 10 72076 Tübingen Germany +49 7071 29 5093 +49 7071 29 76030
| | - Tilman E Schäffer
- Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tübingen Auf der Morgenstelle 10 72076 Tübingen Germany +49 7071 29 5093 +49 7071 29 76030
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24
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Schmidt P, Lajoie J, Sivasankar S. Robust scan synchronized force-fluorescence imaging. Ultramicroscopy 2020; 221:113165. [PMID: 33352414 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2020.113165] [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: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Simultaneous atomic force microscope (AFM) and sample scanning confocal fluorescence microscope measurements are widely used to obtain mechanistic and structural insights into protein dynamics in live cells. However, the absence of a robust technique to synchronously scan both AFM and confocal microscope piezo stages makes it difficult to visualize force-induced changes in fluorescent protein distribution in cells. To address this challenge, we have built an integrated AFM-confocal fluorescence microscope platform that implements a synchronous scanning method which eliminates image artifacts from piezo motion ramping, produces accurate pixel binning and enables the collection of a scanned image of a sample while applying force to a single point on the sample. As proof of principle, we use this instrument to monitor the redistribution of fluorescent E-cadherin, an essential transmembrane protein, in live cells, upon application of mechanical force.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Schmidt
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - John Lajoie
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Sanjeevi Sivasankar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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25
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Abstract
The study aims to investigate the role of viscoelastic interactions between cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) in avascular tumor growth. Computer simulations of glioma multicellular tumor spheroid (MTS) growth are being carried out for various conditions. The calculations are based on a continuous model, which simulates oxygen transport into MTS; transitions between three cell phenotypes, cell transport, conditioned by hydrostatic forces in cell–ECM composite system, cell motility and cell adhesion. Visco-elastic cell aggregation and elastic ECM scaffold represent two compressible constituents of the composite. Cell–ECM interactions form a Transition Layer on the spheroid surface, where mechanical characteristics of tumor undergo rapid transition. This layer facilitates tumor progression to a great extent. The study demonstrates strong effects of ECM stiffness, mechanical deformations of the matrix and cell–cell adhesion on tumor progression. The simulations show in particular that at certain, rather high degrees of matrix stiffness a formation of distant multicellular clusters takes place, while at further increase of ECM stiffness subtumors do not form. The model also illustrates to what extent mere mechanical properties of cell–ECM system may contribute into variations of glioma invasion scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Kalinin
- R&D Sector, Techno-Modeling Arts Ireland, Unit 8, Cul na Raithe, A91K8KR, Louth, Ireland
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26
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Kubiak A, Zieliński T, Pabijan J, Lekka M. Nanomechanics in Monitoring the Effectiveness of Drugs Targeting the Cancer Cell Cytoskeleton. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E8786. [PMID: 33233645 PMCID: PMC7699791 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing attention is devoted to the use of nanomechanics as a marker of various pathologies. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is one of the techniques that could be applied to quantify the nanomechanical properties of living cells with a high spatial resolution. Thus, AFM offers the possibility to trace changes in the reorganization of the cytoskeleton in living cells. Impairments in the structure, organization, and functioning of two main cytoskeletal components, namely, actin filaments and microtubules, cause severe effects, leading to cell death. That is why these cytoskeletal components are targets for antitumor therapy. This review intends to describe the gathered knowledge on the capability of AFM to trace the alterations in the nanomechanical properties of living cells induced by the action of antitumor drugs that could translate into their effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Małgorzata Lekka
- Department of Biophysical Microstructures, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342 Kraków, Poland; (A.K.); (T.Z.); (J.P.)
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27
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Di Giacinto F, Tartaglione L, Nardini M, Mazzini A, Romanò S, Rizzo GE, Papi M, De Spirito M, Pitocco D, Ciasca G. Searching for the Mechanical Fingerprint of Pre-diabetes in T1DM: A Case Report Study. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:569978. [PMID: 33117782 PMCID: PMC7552738 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.569978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
We report the case of a 38 year-old Caucasian man enrolled in a study aimed at investigating the physical properties of red blood cells (RBCs) using advanced microscopy techniques, including Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). At the time of his first enrolment in the study, he had normal Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) values, a BMI of 24.1, and no other symptoms of diabetes, including fatigue, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, and altered inflammatory and corpuscular RBC indices. The subject reported no family history of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. Despite his apparently healthy conditions, the biomechanics of his RBCs was altered, showing increased values of stiffness and viscosity. More than 1 year after the mechanical measurements, the subject was admitted to the Operational Unit of Diabetology of the Policlinico Gemelli Hospital with high blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). Here, we show these data, and we discuss the hypothesis that RBC mechanical properties could be sensitive to changes occurring during the pre-diabetic phase of T1DM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavio Di Giacinto
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Linda Tartaglione
- Diabetes Care Unit, Catholic University School of Medicine and Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Nardini
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Mazzini
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Sabrina Romanò
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Gaetano Emanuele Rizzo
- Diabetes Care Unit, Catholic University School of Medicine and Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Papi
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco De Spirito
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Dario Pitocco
- Diabetes Care Unit, Catholic University School of Medicine and Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriele Ciasca
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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28
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Leo M, DI Giacinto F, Nardini M, Mazzini A, Rossi C, Porceddu E, Papi M, Grieco A, DE Spirito M, Ciasca G. Erythrocyte viscoelastic recovery after liver transplantation in a cirrhotic patient affected by spur cell anaemia. J Microsc 2020; 280:287-296. [PMID: 32885445 DOI: 10.1111/jmi.12958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
In physiological conditions, red blood cells (RBCs) are capable of dramatic deformations when passing through the microvasculature. This extreme deformability is closely related to the RBC biconcave shape, to the fluidic nature of the haemoglobin and the cell membrane structure, primarily consisting of a phospholipid bilayer with an underlying two-dimensional spectrin network. In many pathological and inflammatory conditions, the shape and the extreme deformability of erythrocytes appear to be significantly altered. These findings have stimulated intense research towards the search and validation of novel erythrocyte-based mechanical biomarkers, useful for disease diagnosis and therapy monitoring. In this study, we investigated with Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) the mechanical properties of erythrocytes obtained from a 68 years old cirrhotic man diagnosed with spur cell anaemia and cold agglutinated disease, before and after liver transplantation. Mechanical changes are compared with ultrastructural alterations as studied by scanning electron microscopy and discussed according to confocal fluorescence microscopy results, showing possible alterations induced by the cirrhotic environment at the level of the RBCs cytoskeletal organisation and lipidic composition. Taken together, the results here presented show that liver transplantation not only contributes to restoring the proper RBC morphology, but it also induces recovery of the physiological viscous behaviour of cells, further stressing the relevance of viscous and dissipative forces in determining the RBC biomechanical response.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Leo
- Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario, Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - F DI Giacinto
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italy.,Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy
| | - M Nardini
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italy.,Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy
| | - A Mazzini
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italy.,Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy
| | - C Rossi
- Area Diagnostica di Laboratorio UOC Chimica, Biochimica e Biologia Molecolare, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italy
| | - E Porceddu
- Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario, Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - M Papi
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italy.,Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy
| | - A Grieco
- Liver Transplant Medicine Unit, Department of Gastroenterological, Endocrine and Metabolic Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Gemelli IRCCS, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - M DE Spirito
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italy.,Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy
| | - G Ciasca
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italy.,Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Sezione di Fisica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy
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29
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Rheinlaender J, Dimitracopoulos A, Wallmeyer B, Kronenberg NM, Chalut KJ, Gather MC, Betz T, Charras G, Franze K. Cortical cell stiffness is independent of substrate mechanics. NATURE MATERIALS 2020; 19:1019-1025. [PMID: 32451510 PMCID: PMC7610513 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-020-0684-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Cortical stiffness is an important cellular property that changes during migration, adhesion and growth. Previous atomic force microscopy (AFM) indentation measurements of cells cultured on deformable substrates have suggested that cells adapt their stiffness to that of their surroundings. Here we show that the force applied by AFM to a cell results in a significant deformation of the underlying substrate if this substrate is softer than the cell. This 'soft substrate effect' leads to an underestimation of a cell's elastic modulus when analysing data using a standard Hertz model, as confirmed by finite element modelling and AFM measurements of calibrated polyacrylamide beads, microglial cells and fibroblasts. To account for this substrate deformation, we developed a 'composite cell-substrate model'. Correcting for the substrate indentation revealed that cortical cell stiffness is largely independent of substrate mechanics, which has major implications for our interpretation of many physiological and pathological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Rheinlaender
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Andrea Dimitracopoulos
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Bernhard Wallmeyer
- Centre for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, Institute of Cell Biology, Excellence Cluster Cells in Motion, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Nils M Kronenberg
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- Centre for Nanobiophotonics, Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kevin J Chalut
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Malte C Gather
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- Centre for Nanobiophotonics, Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Timo Betz
- Centre for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, Institute of Cell Biology, Excellence Cluster Cells in Motion, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Guillaume Charras
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kristian Franze
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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30
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Gu J, Hu W, Liu Y, Zhang X, Yuan L, Du L, Bai M. Role of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor on the Fibrosis Process in Thyroid Carcinoma: Evaluation by Shear Wave Elastography. JOURNAL OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE 2020; 39:1709-1719. [PMID: 32191354 DOI: 10.1002/jum.15269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We aimed to determine the correlation between fibrosis and elastic values in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) by shear wave elastography and to evaluate the effect of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) on the fibrosis process. METHODS Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-PDGF and normal BCPAP cell lines were injected subcutaneously into the backs of nude mice. The elastic values of all tumors were measured by shear wave elastography. The content of collagen fibers and the expression of PDGF and type IV collagen (COL4) were evaluated by Masson staining and western blotting. RESULTS There were 32 tumors in the control group and 30 tumors in the siRNA-PDGF group. The tumors were divided into 4 subgroups based on maximum diameters of the tumors. The mean elastic values ± SD (Emean , 29.79 ± 11.04 kPa; Emin , 16.98 ± 7.51 kPa, Emax , 39.99 ± 15.30 kPa; and SD, 5.92 ± 2.00 kPa) in the siRNA-PDGF group were lower than in the control group (Emean , 35.73 ± 18.49 kPa; Emin , 23.65 ± 14.92 kPa, Emax , 45.73 ± 22.88 kPa; and SD, 6.02 ± 3.38 kPa). The content of collagen fibers and the expression of platelet-derived growth factor B (PDGFB) and COL4 proteins in the siRNA-PDGF group were lower than in the control group (11.43% ± 6.99% and 19.80% ± 11.70%; P = .010; 0.14 ± 0.06 and 0.27 ± 0.10; P = .002; and 0.11 ± 0.06 and 0.15 ± 0.07; P = .101). The elastic values, collagen fiber content, and PDGFB and COL4 in the 4 subgroups gradually increased with the maximum diameter of tumors. CONCLUSIONS There was a positive correlation among PDGF, tumor stiffness, and fibrosis in the growth of PTC. Thus, PDGF might play an important role in the development of PTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiying Gu
- Department of Ultrasound, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenjie Hu
- Department of Ultrasound, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Ultrasound, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuemei Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin Yuan
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lianfang Du
- Department of Ultrasound, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Bai
- Department of Ultrasound, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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31
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Efremov YM, Kotova SL, Timashev PS. Viscoelasticity in simple indentation-cycle experiments: a computational study. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13302. [PMID: 32764637 PMCID: PMC7413555 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70361-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Instrumented indentation has become an indispensable tool for quantitative analysis of the mechanical properties of soft polymers and biological samples at different length scales. These types of samples are known for their prominent viscoelastic behavior, and attempts to calculate such properties from the indentation data are constantly made. The simplest indentation experiment presents a cycle of approach (deepening into the sample) and retraction of the indenter, with the output of the force and indentation depth as functions of time and a force versus indentation dependency (force curve). The linear viscoelastic theory based on the elastic–viscoelastic correspondence principle might predict the shape of force curves based on the experimental conditions and underlying relaxation function of the sample. Here, we conducted a computational analysis based on this theory and studied how the force curves were affected by the indenter geometry, type of indentation (triangular or sinusoidal ramp), and the relaxation functions. The relaxation functions of both traditional and fractional viscoelastic models were considered. The curves obtained from the analytical solutions, numerical algorithm and finite element simulations matched each other well. Common trends for the curve-related parameters (apparent Young’s modulus, normalized hysteresis area, and curve exponent) were revealed. Importantly, the apparent Young’s modulus, obtained by fitting the approach curve to the elastic model, demonstrated a direct relation to the relaxation function for all the tested cases. The study will help researchers to verify which model is more appropriate for the sample description without extensive calculations from the basic curve parameters and their dependency on the indentation rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu M Efremov
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov University, 8 Trubetskaya St., Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - S L Kotova
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov University, 8 Trubetskaya St., Moscow, 119991, Russia.,N.N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, 4 Kosygin St., Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - P S Timashev
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov University, 8 Trubetskaya St., Moscow, 119991, Russia.,N.N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, 4 Kosygin St., Moscow, 119991, Russia.,Institute of Photon Technologies of Federal Scientific Research Centre "Crystallography and Photonics" of Russian Academy of Sciences, Pionerskaya 2, Troitsk, Moscow, 108840, Russia.,Chemistry Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory 1-3, Moscow, 119991, Russia
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32
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Northcutt LA, Suarez-Arnedo A, Rafat M. Emerging Biomimetic Materials for Studying Tumor and Immune Cell Behavior. Ann Biomed Eng 2020; 48:2064-2077. [PMID: 31617045 PMCID: PMC7156320 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-019-02384-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death both in the United States and worldwide. The dynamic microenvironment in which tumors grow consists of fibroblasts, immune cells, extracellular matrix (ECM), and cytokines that enable progression and metastasis. Novel biomaterials that mimic these complex surroundings give insight into the biological, chemical, and physical environment that cause cancer cells to metastasize and invade into other tissues. Two-dimensional (2D) cultures are useful for gaining limited information about cancer cell behavior; however, they do not accurately represent the environments that cells experience in vivo. Recent advances in the design and tunability of diverse three-dimensional (3D) biomaterials complement biological knowledge and allow for improved recapitulation of in vivo conditions. Understanding cell-ECM and cell-cell interactions that facilitate tumor survival will accelerate the design of more effective therapies. This review discusses innovative materials currently being used to study tumor and immune cell behavior and interactions, including materials that mimic the ECM composition, mechanical stiffness, and integrin binding sites of the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan A Northcutt
- Program in Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - Marjan Rafat
- Program in Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Engineering and Science Building, Rm. 426, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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33
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Adams MR, Moody CT, Sollinger JL, Brudno Y. Extracellular-Matrix-Anchored Click Motifs for Specific Tissue Targeting. Mol Pharm 2020; 17:392-403. [PMID: 31829613 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.9b00589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Local presentation of cancer drugs by injectable drug-eluting depots reduces systemic side effects and improves efficacy. However, local depots deplete their drug stores and are difficult to introduce into stiff tissues, or organs, such as the brain, that cannot accommodate increased pressure. We present a method for introducing targetable depots through injection of activated ester molecules into target tissues that react with and anchor themselves to the local extracellular matrix (ECM) and subsequently capture systemically administered small molecules through bioorthogonal click chemistry. A computational model of tissue-anchoring depot formation and distribution was verified by histological analysis and confocal imaging of cleared tissues. ECM-anchored click groups do not elicit any noticeable local or systemic toxicity or immune response and specifically capture systemically circulating molecules at intradermal, intratumoral, and intracranial sites for multiple months. Taken together, ECM anchoring of click chemistry motifs is a promising approach to specific targeting of both small and large therapeutics, enabling repeated local presentation for cancer therapy and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary R Adams
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering , University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University , Raleigh. 911 Oval Drive , Raleigh , North Carolina 27695 , United States
| | - Christopher T Moody
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering , University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University , Raleigh. 911 Oval Drive , Raleigh , North Carolina 27695 , United States
| | - Jennifer L Sollinger
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering , University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University , Raleigh. 911 Oval Drive , Raleigh , North Carolina 27695 , United States
| | - Yevgeny Brudno
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering , University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University , Raleigh. 911 Oval Drive , Raleigh , North Carolina 27695 , United States.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center , University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill , 450 West Dr. , Chapel Hill , North Carolina 27599 , United States
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34
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Rianna C, Radmacher M, Kumar S. Direct evidence that tumor cells soften when navigating confined spaces. Mol Biol Cell 2020; 31:1726-1734. [PMID: 31995446 PMCID: PMC7521845 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e19-10-0588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanical properties of cells strongly regulate many physiological and pathological processes. For example, in cancer, invasive and metastatic tumor cells have often been reported to be softer than nontumor cells, raising speculation that cancer cells might adaptively soften to facilitate migration through narrow tissue spaces. Despite growing interest in targeting cell softening to impede invasion and metastasis, it remains to be directly demonstrated that tumor cells soften as they migrate through confined spaces. Here, we address this open question by combining topographically patterned substrates with atomic force microscopy (AFM). Using a polydimethylsiloxane open-roof microdevice featuring tapered, fibronectin-coated channels, we followed the migration of U2OS cells through various stages of confinement while simultaneously performing AFM indentation. As cells progress from unconfined migration to fully confined migration, cells soften and exclude Yes-associated protein from the nucleus. Superresolution imaging reveals that confinement induces remodeling of actomyosin stress fiber architecture. Companion studies with flat one-dimensional microlines indicate that the changes in cytoarchitecture and mechanics are intrinsically driven by topographical confinement rather than changes in cellular aspect ratio. Our studies represent among the most direct evidence to date that tumor cells soften during confined migration and support cell softening as a mechanoadaptive mechanism during invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmela Rianna
- Institute of Biophysics, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany.,Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Manfred Radmacher
- Institute of Biophysics, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Sanjay Kumar
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
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35
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Efremov YM, Okajima T, Raman A. Measuring viscoelasticity of soft biological samples using atomic force microscopy. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:64-81. [PMID: 31720656 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm01020c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical properties play important roles at different scales in biology. At the level of a single cell, the mechanical properties mediate mechanosensing and mechanotransduction, while at the tissue and organ levels, changes in mechanical properties are closely connected to disease and physiological processes. Over the past three decades, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has become one of the most widely used tools in the mechanical characterization of soft samples, ranging from molecules, cell organoids and cells to whole tissue. AFM methods can be used to quantify both elastic and viscoelastic properties, and significant recent developments in the latter have been enabled by the introduction of new techniques and models for data analysis. Here, we review AFM techniques developed in recent years for examining the viscoelastic properties of cells and soft gels, describe the main steps in typical data acquisition and analysis protocols, and discuss relevant viscoelastic models and how these have been used to characterize the specific features of cellular and other biological samples. We also discuss recent trends and potential directions for this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri M Efremov
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. and Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Takaharu Okajima
- Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Arvind Raman
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. and Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
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36
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Tabatabaei M, Tafazzoli-Shadpour M, Khani MM. Correlation of the cell mechanical behavior and quantified cytoskeletal parameters in normal and cancerous breast cell lines. Biorheology 2019; 56:207-219. [DOI: 10.3233/bir-190214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mohammad Mehdi Khani
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, , Iran
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37
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Viji Babu PK, Rianna C, Mirastschijski U, Radmacher M. Nano-mechanical mapping of interdependent cell and ECM mechanics by AFM force spectroscopy. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12317. [PMID: 31444369 PMCID: PMC6707266 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48566-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular matrix (ECM), as a dynamic component of the tissue, influences cell behavior and plays an important role in cell mechanics and tissue homeostasis. Reciprocally, this three-dimensional scaffold is dynamically, structurally and mechanically modified by cells. In the field of biophysics, the independent role of cell and ECM mechanics has been largely investigated; however, there is a lack of experimental data reporting the interdependent interplay between cell and ECM mechanics, measured simultaneously. Here, using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) we have characterized five different decellularized matrices diverse in their topography, ECM composition and stiffness and cultured them with normal and pathological fibroblasts (scar and Dupuytren's). We investigated the change in topography and elasticity of these matrices due to cell seeding, by using AFM peak force imaging and mechanical mapping, respectively. We found normal fibroblasts soften these matrices more than pathological fibroblasts, suggesting that pathological fibroblasts are profoundly influencing tissue stiffening in fibrosis. We detected different ECM composition of decellularized matrices used here influences fibroblast stiffness, thus highlighting that cell mechanics not only depends on ECM stiffness but also on their composition. We used confocal microscopy to assess fibroblasts invasion and found pathological fibroblasts were invading the matrices deeper than normal fibroblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carmela Rianna
- Institute of Biophysics, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Ursula Mirastschijski
- Wound Repair Unit, Centre for Biomolecular Interactions Bremen, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
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38
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Towards more reliable AFM force-curve evaluation: A method for spring constant selection, adaptive lever sensitivity calibration and fitting boundary identification. Micron 2019; 125:102717. [PMID: 31376576 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2019.102717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
This work discusses key issues regarding the atomic force microscopy (AFM) force-curve evaluation practice, which can affect the determined Young's modulus of the investigated sample. These issues are 1) the proper calibration of lever sensitivity and the effect of its variation between the measurements; 2) the selection of proper cantilever spring constant for the investigated sample; and 3) the selection of the fitting boundaries for the contact mechanics model-based force-curve evaluation. A method is proposed, which solves the above mentioned issues, namely, categorizes the obtained force-curves based on the relation between the elastic properties of the sample and the spring constant of the cantilever, and thus helps in the selection of the proper spring constant for the given surface; helps in the identification of the optimal model-fitting boundaries, and also, provides a way of adaptive lever sensitivity calibration. The method is demonstrated on PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) samples, which were irradiated with various fluences of ion beams to control their elastic properties in the 4 MPa - 22 GPa range. Our proposed method, if applied correctly can significantly increase the reliability of AFM force-curve evaluation.
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39
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Yang Y, Xiao X, Peng Y, Yang C, Wu S, Liu Y, Yue T, Pu H, Liu N, Jiang H. The comparison between force volume and peakforce quantitative nanomechanical mode of atomic force microscope in detecting cell's mechanical properties. Microsc Res Tech 2019; 82:1843-1851. [PMID: 31361070 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.23351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Atomic force microscope (AFM) has been widely used in the biological field owing to its high sensitivity (subnanonewton), high spatial resolution (nanometer), and adaptability to physiological environments. Nowadays, force volume (FV) and peakforce quantitative nanomechanical (QNM) are two distinct modes of AFM used in biomechanical research. However, numerous studies have revealed an extremely confusing phenomenon that FV mode has a significant difference with QNM in determining the mechanical properties of the same samples. In this article, for the case of human benign prostatic hyperplasia cells (BPH) and two cancerous prostate cells with different grades of malignancy (PC3 and DU145), the differences were compared between FV and QNM modes in detecting mechanical properties. The results show measured Young's modulus of the same cells in FV mode was much lower than that obtained by QNM mode. Combining experimental results with working principles of two modes, it is indicated that surface adhesion is highly suspected to be a critical factor resulting in the measurement difference between two modes. To further confirm this conjecture, various weight ratios of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were assessed by two modes, respectively. The results show that the difference of Young's modulus measured by two modes increases with the surface adhesion of PDMS, confirming that adhesion is one of the significant elements that lead to the measurement difference between FV and QNM modes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- School of Mechatronics Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Xiao
- School of Mechatronics Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Peng
- School of Mechatronics Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Yang
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Siqi Wu
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuanyuan Liu
- School of Mechatronics Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Yue
- School of Mechatronics Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huayan Pu
- School of Mechatronics Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Na Liu
- School of Mechatronics Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haowen Jiang
- Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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40
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Efremov YM, Shpichka AI, Kotova SL, Timashev PS. Viscoelastic mapping of cells based on fast force volume and PeakForce Tapping. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:5455-5463. [PMID: 31231747 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm00711c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Development of fast force volume (FFV), PeakForce Tapping (PFT), and related AFM techniques allow fast acquisition and mapping of a sample's mechanical properties. The methods are well-suited for studying soft biological samples like living cells in a liquid environment. However, the question remains how the measured mechanical properties are related to those acquired with the classical force volume (FV) technique conducted at low indentation rates. The difference is coming mostly from the pronounced viscoelastic behavior of cells, making apparent elastic parameters depending on the probing rate. Here, the viscoelastic analysis was applied directly to the force curves acquired with force volume or PeakForce Tapping by their post-processing based on the Ting's model. Maps from classical force volume, FFV and PFT obtained using special PFT cantilevers and cantilevers modified with microspheres were compared here. With the correct viscoelastic model, which was found to be the power-law rheology model, all the techniques have provided self-consistent results. The techniques were further modified for the mapping of the viscoelastic model-independent complex Young's modulus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu M Efremov
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov University, 8 Trubetskaya St., Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - A I Shpichka
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov University, 8 Trubetskaya St., Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - S L Kotova
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov University, 8 Trubetskaya St., Moscow, 119991, Russia. and N.N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, 4 Kosygin St., Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - P S Timashev
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov University, 8 Trubetskaya St., Moscow, 119991, Russia. and N.N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, 4 Kosygin St., Moscow, 119991, Russia and Institute of Photonic Technologies, Research center "Crystallography and Photonics", 2 Pionerskaya St., Troitsk, Moscow 108840, Russia
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41
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A Feasibility Study of a Novel Piezo MEMS Tweezer for Soft Materials Characterization. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/app9112277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The opportunity to know the status of a soft tissue (ST) in situ can be very useful for microsurgery or early diagnosis. Since normal and diseased tissues have different mechanical characteristics, many systems have been developed to carry out such measurements locally. Among them, MEMS tweezers are very relevant for their efficiency and relative simplicity compared to the other systems. In this paper a novel piezoelectric MEMS tweezer for soft materials analysis and characterization is presented. A theoretical approach has developed in order to carry out the values of the stiffness, the equivalent Young’s modulus, and the viscous damping coefficients of the analyzed samples. The method has been validated by using both Finite Element Analysis and data from the literature.
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42
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Chang YN, Liang Y, Gu W, Wang J, Qin Y, Chen K, Li J, Bai X, Zhang J, Xing G. Microfluidic Analysis for Separating and Measuring the Deformability of Cancer Cell Subpopulations. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:8318-8323. [PMID: 31459919 PMCID: PMC6648663 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b02249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Increased deformability and softness endow tumor cells with highly invasive and metastatic capabilities. We exploited these characteristics to fabricate a high-throughput microfluidic device to measure cell deformability and separate cancer cells. Driven by hydrodynamic forces, the cells with better deformability passed through the chip faster, whereas stiffer cells passed through the device over a longer time period. The MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines were used to evaluate the device because their metastatic potentials were known. We found that MDA-MB-231 cells, which were softer and exhibited stronger deformability, passed through the device more quickly. HeLa cells were also successfully separated into softer and stiffer subpopulations, whose distinct mechanical properties were confirmed by atomic force microscopy. We also measured the expression of metastasis-associated proteins (epidermal growth factor receptor and integrin β 1) and found that subpopulations with varied deformabilities had different expression levels. Our results suggested that this high-throughput microfluidic device could be used to screen and evaluate the curative effects of drug and cancer progression by simultaneously testing cell deformability and expression levels of metastasis-associated proteins in separated cell subpopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Nan Chang
- CAS
Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterial & Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy
of Science, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuelan Liang
- CAS
Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterial & Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy
of Science, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Weihong Gu
- CAS
Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterial & Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy
of Science, Beijing 100049, China
- School
of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese
Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jiayi Wang
- CAS
Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterial & Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy
of Science, Beijing 100049, China
- School
of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese
Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yanxia Qin
- CAS
Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterial & Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy
of Science, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Kui Chen
- CAS
Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterial & Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy
of Science, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Juan Li
- CAS
Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterial & Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy
of Science, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xue Bai
- CAS
Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterial & Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy
of Science, Beijing 100049, China
- School
of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese
Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jiaxin Zhang
- CAS
Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterial & Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy
of Science, Beijing 100049, China
- School
of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese
Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - Gengmei Xing
- CAS
Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterial & Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy
of Science, Beijing 100049, China
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43
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Janel S, Popoff M, Barois N, Werkmeister E, Divoux S, Perez F, Lafont F. Stiffness tomography of eukaryotic intracellular compartments by atomic force microscopy. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:10320-10328. [PMID: 31106790 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr08955h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Precise localization and biophysical characterization of cellular structures is a key to the understanding of biological processes happening both inside the cell and at the cell surface. Atomic force microscopy is a powerful tool to study the cell surface - topography, elasticity, viscosity, interactions - and also the viscoelastic behavior of the underlying cytoplasm, cytoskeleton or the nucleus. Here, we demonstrate the ability of atomic force microscopy to also map and characterize organelles and microorganisms inside cells, at the nanoscale, by combining stiffness tomography with super-resolution fluorescence and electron microscopy. By using this correlative approach, we could both identify and characterize intracellular compartments. The validation of this approach was performed by monitoring the stiffening effect according to the metabolic status of the mitochondria in living cells in real-time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Janel
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, CNRS UMR 8204, INSERM U1019, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Univ Lille, F-59000 Lille, France.
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44
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Rubiano A, Galitz C, Simmons CS. Mechanical Characterization by Mesoscale Indentation: Advantages and Pitfalls for Tissue and Scaffolds. Tissue Eng Part C Methods 2019; 25:619-629. [PMID: 30848168 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tec.2018.0372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Regenerative medicine and tissue engineering are hindered by the lack of consistent measurements and standards for the mechanical characterization of tissue and scaffolds. Indentation methods for soft matter are favored because of their compatibility with small, arbitrarily shaped samples, but contact mechanics models required to interpret data are often inappropriate for soft, viscous materials. In this study, we demonstrate indentation experiments on a variety of human biopsies, animal tissue, and engineered scaffolds, and we explore the complexities of fitting analytical models to these data. Although objections exist to using Hertz contact models for soft, viscoelastic biological materials since soft matter violates their original assumptions, we demonstrate the experimental conditions that enable consistency and comparability (regardless of arguable misappropriation). Appropriate experimental conditions involving sample hydration, the indentation depth, and the ratio of the probe size to sample thickness enable repeatable metrics that are valuable when comparing synthetic scaffolds and host tissue, and bounds on these parameters are carefully described and discussed. We have also identified a reliable quasistatic parameter that can be derived from indentation data to help researchers compare results across materials and experiments. Although Hertz contact mechanics and linear viscoelastic models may constitute oversimplification for biological materials, the reporting of such simple metrics alongside more complex models is expected to support researchers in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine by providing consistency across efforts to characterize soft matter. Impact Statement To engineer replacement tissue requires a deep understanding of its biomechanical properties. Mesoscale indentation (between micron and millimeter length scales) is well-suited to characterize tissue and engineered replacements as it accommodates small, oddly shaped samples. However, it is easy to run afoul of the assumptions for common contact models when working with biological materials. In this study, we describe experimental procedures and modeling approaches that allow researchers to take advantage of indentation for biomechanical characterization while minimizing its weaknesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Rubiano
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Carly Galitz
- Department of Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Chelsey S Simmons
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, Gainesville, Florida.,J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, Gainesville, Florida.,Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
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45
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Levayer R. Solid stress, competition for space and cancer: The opposing roles of mechanical cell competition in tumour initiation and growth. Semin Cancer Biol 2019; 63:69-80. [PMID: 31077845 PMCID: PMC7221353 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2019.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The regulation of cell growth, cell proliferation and cell death is at the basis of the homeostasis of tissues. While they can be regulated by intrinsic and genetic factors, their response to external signals emanating from the local environment is also essential for tissue homeostasis. Tumour initiation and progression is based on the misregulation of growth, proliferation and death mostly through the accumulation of genetic mutations. Yet, there is an increasing body of evidences showing that tumour microenvironment also has a strong impact on cancer initiation and progression. This includes the mechanical constrains and the compressive forces generated by the resistance of the surrounding tissue/matrix to tumour expansion. Recently, mechanical stress has been proposed to promote competitive interactions between cells through a process called mechanical cell competition. Cell population with a high proliferative rate can compact and eliminate the neighbouring cells which are more sensitive to compaction. While this emerging concept has been recently validated in vivo, the relevance of this process during tumour progression has never been discussed extensively. In this review, I will first describe the phenomenology of mechanical cell competition focusing on the main parameters and the pathways regulating cell elimination. I will then discuss the relevance of mechanical cell competition in tumour initiation and expansion while emphasizing its potential opposing contributions to tumourogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Levayer
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, 25 rue du Dr. Roux, 75015 Paris, France.
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46
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Abstract
Cancer cells are usually found to be softer than normal cells, but their stiffness changes when they are in contact with different environments because of mechanosensitivity. For example, they adhere to a given substrate by tuning their cytoskeleton, thus affecting their rheological properties. This mechanism could become efficient when cancer cells invade the surrounding tissues, and they have to remodel their cytoskeleton in order to achieve particular deformations. Here we use an atomic force microscope in force modulation mode to study how local rheological properties of cancer cells are affected by a change of the environment. Cancer cells were plated on functionalized polyacrylamide substrates of different stiffnesses as well as on an endothelium substrate. A new correction of the Hertz model was developed because measurements require one to account for the precise properties of the thin, layered viscoelastic substrates. The main results show the influence of local cell rheology (the nucleus, perinuclear region, and edge locations) and the role of invasiveness. A general mechanosensitive trend is found by which the cell elastic modulus and transition frequency increase with substrate elasticity, but this tendency breaks down with a real endothelium substrate. These effects are investigated further during cell transmigration, when the actin cytoskeleton undergoes a rapid reorganization process necessary to push through the endothelial gap, in agreement with the local viscoelastic changes measured by atomic force microscopy. Taken together, these results introduce a paradigm for a new-to our knowledge-possible extravasation mechanism.
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Gong Z, Fang C, You R, Shao X, Wei X, Chang RCC, Lin Y. Distinct relaxation timescales of neurites revealed by rate-dependent indentation, relaxation and micro-rheology tests. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:166-174. [PMID: 30420982 DOI: 10.1039/c8sm01747f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Although the dynamic response of neurites is believed to play crucial roles in processes like axon outgrowth and formation of the neural network, the dynamic mechanical properties of such protrusions remain poorly understood. In this study, by using AFM (atomic force microscopy) indentation, we systematically examined the dynamic behavior of well-developed neurites on primary neurons under different loading modes (step loading, oscillating loading and ramp loading). Interestingly, the response was found to be strongly rate-dependent, with an apparent initial and long-term elastic modulus around 800 and 80 Pa, respectively. To better analyze the measurement data and extract information of key interest, the finite element simulation method (FEM) was also conducted where the neurite was treated as a viscoelastic solid consisting of multiple characteristic relaxation times. It was found that a minimum of three relaxation timescales, i.e. ∼0.01, 0.1 and 1 seconds, are needed to explain the observed relaxation curve as well as fit simulation results to the indentation and rheology data under different loading rates and driving frequencies. We further demonstrated that these three characteristic relaxation times likely originate from the thermal fluctuations of the microtubule, membrane relaxation and cytosol viscosity, respectively. By identifying key parameters describing the time-dependent behavior of neurites, as well as revealing possible physical mechanisms behind, this study could greatly help us understand how neural cells perform their biological duties over a wide spectrum of timescales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze Gong
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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Jannatbabaei A, Tafazzoli-Shadpour M, Seyedjafari E, Fatouraee N. Cytoskeletal remodeling induced by substrate rigidity regulates rheological behaviors in endothelial cells. J Biomed Mater Res A 2018; 107:71-80. [PMID: 30242964 DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.36533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Altered microenvrionmental mechanical cues induce cytoskeletal remodeling in cells and have a profound impact on their functions as well as rheological properties. This article is aimed to characterize the viscoelastic behavior of endothelial cells, cultivated on variably compliant substrates. Synthetic tunable poly(dimethylsyloxane) substrates, with elastic moduli ranging from 1.5 MPa to 3 kPa, were used to trigger cytoskeletal remodeling of endothelial cells, verified by morphological analysis and actin fluorescent labeling. Elasticity and stress relaxation tests were conducted using an AFM, resulting in a wide range of data. To account for this heterogeneity, fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm was applied to partition elastic data into biologically meaningful groups, representative of different regions in cells. Nanocharacterization of biomechanical properties, along with cytoskeletal studies, proved a significant correlation between substrate flexibility and viscoelasticity of the cells. Regardless of the viscoelastic model applied, increasing substrate rigidity was related to an overall increase in cell stiffness and apparent viscosity (2.95 ± 1.56 kPa and 921.45 ± 102.46 Pa.s for the stiff substrate; 2.17 ± 1.30 kPa and 557.37 ± 494.11 Pa.s for the intermediate substrate), associated with an organized actin cytoskeleton. Conversely, cells on soft substrate were more deformable (1.84 ± 1.3 kPa) and less viscous (327.13 ± 124.25 Pa.s), exhibiting an increased actin disorganization. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 107A: 71-80, 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atefeh Jannatbabaei
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Ehsan Seyedjafari
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nasser Fatouraee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
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Diabetes can change the viscoelastic properties of lymphocytes. Prog Biomater 2018; 7:219-224. [PMID: 30173382 PMCID: PMC6173677 DOI: 10.1007/s40204-018-0096-z] [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: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/25/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanical properties of the cells are among the most highlighted area of interests among researchers for decades. Not only many of the cells' crucial functional characteristics such as adherence to the cellular substrate, migration abilities and morphological factors are directly influenced by their mechanical properties but also changes in these traits could have importance in diagnosis and even treatments of some serious diseases. The general mechanical properties of the cells are associated with some intercellular characteristics such as arrangement and organization of the actin fibers and cytoskeleton architecture. Any changes due to pathological conditions in the molecular and cellular processes related to these elements can alter the cells' mechanical characteristics. In this paper, the viscoelastic properties of diabetic and normal lymphocytes were analyzed and compared by application of the iron nanoparticles attached to the cellular membrane and putting the cells in a magnetic field with certain frequency and intensity. Step force was applied to the normal and diabetic lymphocytes and their membrane displacement was tracked by special software and plotted with respect to time. Fitting the experimental data on theoretical formulation of standard linear viscoelastic model, it was demonstrated that diabetic lymphocytes have significantly different viscoelastic characteristics. The results of this paper can be of importance in assessments of diabetic lymphocytes' abilities to fulfill their immune surveillance tasks.
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Zemła J, Stachura T, Gross-Sondej I, Górka K, Okoń K, Pyka-Fościak G, Soja J, Sładek K, Lekka M. AFM-based nanomechanical characterization of bronchoscopic samples in asthma patients. J Mol Recognit 2018; 31:e2752. [PMID: 30019775 DOI: 10.1002/jmr.2752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Asthma is not a single disease, but recently, it is considered as a syndrome characterized through various clinical presentations and different etiopathologies. Large degree of the disease heterogeneity manifests in distinct characteristics that translate into variability of properties at single cell and molecular levels. Here, we conducted measurements of mechanical properties of bronchial tissue samples collected from patients suffering from asthma. The results obtained from different applied protocols for sample preparation may indicate that deep freezing and storage in liquid nitrogen, followed by consecutive unfreezing of tissue samples, preserve tissue mechanical properties as indicated by a parameter referred here as a tissue relative stiffness index. Tissue relative stiffness index quantifies both the degree of heterogeneity and deformability of tissue samples regarding healthy one. These studies demonstrate that the freezing protocol, optimized towards asthma tissue, can facilitate atomic force microscopy use what, together with recent findings on standardization of elasticity measurements, enables the measurements of large group of samples with minimized influence of errors stemming from the applied methodology of tissue stiffness determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Zemła
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342, Kraków, Poland
| | - Tomasz Stachura
- 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Śniadeckich 10, 31-531, Kraków, Poland
| | - Iwona Gross-Sondej
- 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Śniadeckich 10, 31-531, Kraków, Poland
| | - Karolina Górka
- 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Śniadeckich 10, 31-531, Kraków, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Okoń
- Department of Pathomorphology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Grzegórzecka 16, 31-531, Kraków, Poland
| | - Grażyna Pyka-Fościak
- Department of Histology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kopernika 7, 31-034, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jerzy Soja
- 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Śniadeckich 10, 31-531, Kraków, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Sładek
- 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Śniadeckich 10, 31-531, Kraków, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Lekka
- Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342, Kraków, Poland
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