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Tan YH, Wang KCW, Chin IL, Sanderson RW, Li J, Kennedy BF, Noble PB, Choi YS. Stiffness Mediated-Mechanosensation of Airway Smooth Muscle Cells on Linear Stiffness Gradient Hydrogels. Adv Healthc Mater 2024; 13:e2304254. [PMID: 38593989 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202304254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
In obstructive airway diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein amount and composition of the airway smooth muscle (ASM) is often remodelled, likely altering tissue stiffness. The underlying mechanism of how human ASM cell (hASMC) mechanosenses the aberrant microenvironment is not well understood. Physiological stiffnesses of the ASM were measured by uniaxial compression tester using porcine ASM layers under 0, 5 and 10% longitudinal stretch above in situ length. Linear stiffness gradient hydrogels (230 kPa range) were fabricated and functionalized with ECM proteins, collagen I (ColI), fibronectin (Fn) and laminin (Ln), to recapitulate the above-measured range of stiffnesses. Overall, hASMC mechanosensation exhibited a clear correlation with the underlying hydrogel stiffness. Cell size, nuclear size and contractile marker alpha-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) expression showed a strong correlation to substrate stiffness. Mechanosensation, assessed by Lamin-A intensity and nuc/cyto YAP, exhibited stiffness-mediated behaviour only on ColI and Fn-coated hydrogels. Inhibition studies using blebbistatin or Y27632 attenuated most mechanotransduction-derived cell morphological responses, αSMA and Lamin-A expression and nuc/cyto YAP (blebbistatin only). This study highlights the interplay and complexities between stiffness and ECM protein type on hASMC mechanosensation, relevant to airway remodelling in obstructive airway diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Hwee Tan
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Kimberley C W Wang
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Ian L Chin
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Rowan W Sanderson
- BRITElab, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
- Department of Electrical, Electronic & Computer Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Jiayue Li
- BRITElab, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
- Department of Electrical, Electronic & Computer Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Brendan F Kennedy
- BRITElab, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
- Department of Electrical, Electronic & Computer Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
- Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Grudziadzka 5, Torun, 87-100, Poland
| | - Peter B Noble
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Yu Suk Choi
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
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2
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Keshavanarayana P, Spill F. A mechanical modeling framework to study endothelial permeability. Biophys J 2024; 123:334-348. [PMID: 38169215 PMCID: PMC10870174 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The inner lining of blood vessels, the endothelium, is made up of endothelial cells. Vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin protein forms a bond with VE-cadherin from neighboring cells to determine the size of gaps between the cells and thereby regulate the size of particles that can cross the endothelium. Chemical cues such as thrombin, along with mechanical properties of the cell and extracellular matrix are known to affect the permeability of endothelial cells. Abnormal permeability is found in patients suffering from diseases including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and COVID-19. Even though some of the regulatory mechanisms affecting endothelial permeability are well studied, details of how several mechanical and chemical stimuli acting simultaneously affect endothelial permeability are not yet understood. In this article, we present a continuum-level mechanical modeling framework to study the highly dynamic nature of the VE-cadherin bonds. Taking inspiration from the catch-slip behavior that VE-cadherin complexes are known to exhibit, we model the VE-cadherin homophilic bond as cohesive contact with damage following a traction-separation law. We explicitly model the actin cytoskeleton and substrate to study their role in permeability. Our studies show that mechanochemical coupling is necessary to simulate the influence of the mechanical properties of the substrate on permeability. Simulations show that shear between cells is responsible for the variation in permeability between bicellular and tricellular junctions, explaining the phenotypic differences observed in experiments. An increase in the magnitude of traction force due to disturbed flow that endothelial cells experience results in increased permeability, and it is found that the effect is higher on stiffer extracellular matrix. Finally, we show that the cylindrical monolayer exhibits higher permeability than the planar monolayer under unconstrained cases. Thus, we present a contact mechanics-based mechanochemical model to investigate the variation in the permeability of endothelial monolayer due to multiple loads acting simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fabian Spill
- School of Mathematics, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
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3
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Asgeirsson DO, Mehta A, Scheeder A, Li F, Wang X, Christiansen MG, Hesse N, Ward R, De Micheli AJ, Ildiz ES, Menghini S, Aceto N, Schuerle S. Magnetically controlled cyclic microscale deformation of in vitro cancer invasion models. Biomater Sci 2023; 11:7541-7555. [PMID: 37855703 DOI: 10.1039/d3bm00583f] [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: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical cues play an important role in the metastatic cascade of cancer. Three-dimensional (3D) tissue matrices with tunable stiffness have been extensively used as model systems of the tumor microenvironment for physiologically relevant studies. Tumor-associated cells actively deform these matrices, providing mechanical cues to other cancer cells residing in the tissue. Mimicking such dynamic deformation in the surrounding tumor matrix may help clarify the effect of local strain on cancer cell invasion. Remotely controlled microscale magnetic actuation of such 3D in vitro systems is a promising approach, offering a non-invasive means for in situ interrogation. Here, we investigate the influence of cyclic deformation on tumor spheroids embedded in matrices, continuously exerted for days by cell-sized anisotropic magnetic probes, referred to as μRods. Particle velocimetry analysis revealed the spatial extent of matrix deformation produced in response to a magnetic field, which was found to be on the order of 200 μm, resembling strain fields reported to originate from contracting cells. Intracellular calcium influx was observed in response to cyclic actuation, as well as an influence on cancer cell invasion from 3D spheroids, as compared to unactuated controls. Furthermore, RNA sequencing revealed subtle upregulation of certain genes associated with migration and stress, such as induced through mechanical deformation, for spheroids exposed to actuation vs. controls. Localized actuation at one side of a tumor spheroid tended to result in anisotropic invasion toward the μRods causing the deformation. In summary, our approach offers a strategy to test and control the influence of non-invasive micromechanical cues on cancer cell invasion and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphne O Asgeirsson
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Avni Mehta
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Anna Scheeder
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, U.K
| | - Fan Li
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Xiang Wang
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Michael G Christiansen
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Nicolas Hesse
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Rachel Ward
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Andrea J De Micheli
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Department of Oncology, Children's Research Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich 8032, Switzerland
| | - Ece Su Ildiz
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stefano Menghini
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Nicola Aceto
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Simone Schuerle
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
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4
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Wang KCW, Elliot JG, Saglani S, Donovan GM, James AL, Noble PB. The airway smooth muscle layer is structurally abnormal in low birth weight infants: implications for obstructive disease. Eur Respir J 2023; 62:2301176. [PMID: 37827575 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.01176-2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley C W Wang
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia
| | - John G Elliot
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
- Department of Pulmonary Physiology and Sleep Medicine, West Australian Sleep Disorders Research Institute, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Australia
| | - Sejal Saglani
- Respiratory Paediatrics, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Graham M Donovan
- Department of Mathematics, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Alan L James
- Department of Pulmonary Physiology and Sleep Medicine, West Australian Sleep Disorders Research Institute, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Australia
- Medical School, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia
| | - Peter B Noble
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
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5
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Lagowala DA, Wally A, Wilmsen K, Kim B, Yeung-Luk B, Choi JS, Swaby C, Luk M, Feller L, Ghosh B, Niedrkofler A, Tieng E, Sherman E, Chen D, Upadya N, Zhang R, Kim DH, Sidhaye V. Microphysiological Models of Lung Epithelium-Alveolar Macrophage Co-Cultures to Study Chronic Lung Disease. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2023:e2300165. [PMID: 37840439 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202300165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
The interactions between immune cells and epithelial cells influence the progression of many respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In vitro models allow for the examination of cells in controlled environments. However, these models lack the complex 3D architecture and vast multicellular interactions between the lung resident cells and infiltrating immune cells that can mediate cellular response to insults. In this study, three complementary microphysiological systems are presented to delineate the effects of cigarette smoke and respiratory disease on the lung epithelium. First, the Transwell system allows the co-culture of pulmonary immune and epithelial cells to evaluate cellular and monolayer phenotypic changes in response to cigarette smoke exposure. Next, the human and mouse precision-cut lung slices system provides a physiologically relevant model to study the effects of chronic insults like cigarette smoke with the dissection of specific interaction of immune cell subtypes within the structurally complex tissue environment. Finally, the lung-on-a-chip model provides an adaptable system for live imaging of polarized epithelial tissues that mimic the in vivo environment of the airways. Using a combination of these models, a complementary approach is provided to better address the intricate mechanisms of lung disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dave A Lagowala
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Arabelis Wally
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Kai Wilmsen
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Byunggik Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Bonnie Yeung-Luk
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Jong Seob Choi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Carter Swaby
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Matthew Luk
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Laine Feller
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Baishakhi Ghosh
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Austin Niedrkofler
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ethan Tieng
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ethan Sherman
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Daniel Chen
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Nisha Upadya
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Rachel Zhang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Deok-Ho Kim
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Venkataramana Sidhaye
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
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6
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Dezzani EO. Pneumological problems in surgical practice. Minerva Surg 2023; 78:469-480. [PMID: 37870534 DOI: 10.23736/s2724-5691.23.10122-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
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7
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Tjong J, Pendlmayr S, Barter J, Chen J, Maksym GN, Quinn TA, Frampton JP. Cell-contact-mediated assembly of contractile airway smooth muscle rings. Biomed Mater 2023; 18. [PMID: 36801856 DOI: 10.1088/1748-605x/acbd09] [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: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Microtissues in the shape of toroidal rings provide an ideal geometry to better represent the structure and function of the airway smooth muscle present in the small airways, and to better understand diseases such as asthma. Here, polydimethylsiloxane devices consisting of a series of circular channels surrounding central mandrels are used to form microtissues in the shape of toroidal rings by way of the self-aggregation and -assembly of airway smooth muscle cell (ASMC) suspensions. Over time, the ASMCs present in the rings become spindle-shaped and axially align along the ring circumference. Ring strength and elastic modulus increase over 14 d in culture, without significant changes in ring size. Gene expression analysis indicates stable expression of mRNA for extracellular matrix-associated proteins, including collagen I and lamininsα1 andα4 over 21 d in culture. Cells within the rings respond to TGF-β1 treatment, leading to dramatic decreases in ring circumference, with increases in mRNA and protein levels for extracellular matrix and contraction-associated markers. These data demonstrate the utility of ASMC rings as a platform for modeling diseases of the small airways such as asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Tjong
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Stefan Pendlmayr
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Jena Barter
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Julie Chen
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Geoffrey N Maksym
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.,Department of Physics & Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - T Alexander Quinn
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.,Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - John P Frampton
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
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8
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Airway Smooth Muscle Regulated by Oxidative Stress in COPD. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:antiox12010142. [PMID: 36671004 PMCID: PMC9854973 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12010142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Since COPD is a heterogeneous disease, a specific anti-inflammatory therapy for this disease has not been established yet. Oxidative stress is recognized as a major predisposing factor to COPD related inflammatory responses, resulting in pathological features of small airway fibrosis and emphysema. However, little is known about effects of oxidative stress on airway smooth muscle. Cigarette smoke increases intracellular Ca2+ concentration and enhances response to muscarinic agonists in human airway smooth muscle. Cigarette smoke also enhances proliferation of these cells with altered mitochondrial protein. Hydrogen peroxide and 8-isoprostans are increased in the exhaled breath condensate in COPD. These endogenous oxidants cause contraction of tracheal smooth muscle with Ca2+ dynamics through Ca2+ channels and with Ca2+ sensitization through Rho-kinase. TNF-α and growth factors potentiate proliferation of these cells by synthesis of ROS. Oxidative stress can alter the function of airway smooth muscle through Ca2+ signaling. These phenotype changes are associated with manifestations (dyspnea, wheezing) and pathophysiology (airflow limitation, airway remodeling, airway hyperresponsiveness). Therefore, airway smooth muscle is a therapeutic target against COPD; oxidative stress should be included in treatable traits for COPD to advance precision medicine. Research into Ca2+ signaling related to ROS may contribute to the development of a novel agent for COPD.
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9
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Xiong D(JP, Martin JG, Lauzon AM. Airway smooth muscle function in asthma. Front Physiol 2022; 13:993406. [PMID: 36277199 PMCID: PMC9581182 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.993406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Known to have affected around 340 million people across the world in 2018, asthma is a prevalent chronic inflammatory disease of the airways. The symptoms such as wheezing, dyspnea, chest tightness, and cough reflect episodes of reversible airway obstruction. Asthma is a heterogeneous disease that varies in clinical presentation, severity, and pathobiology, but consistently features airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR)—excessive airway narrowing due to an exaggerated response of the airways to various stimuli. Airway smooth muscle (ASM) is the major effector of exaggerated airway narrowing and AHR and many factors may contribute to its altered function in asthma. These include genetic predispositions, early life exposure to viruses, pollutants and allergens that lead to chronic exposure to inflammatory cells and mediators, altered innervation, airway structural cell remodeling, and airway mechanical stress. Early studies aiming to address the dysfunctional nature of ASM in the etiology and pathogenesis of asthma have been inconclusive due to the methodological limitations in assessing the intrapulmonary airways, the site of asthma. The study of the trachealis, although convenient, has been misleading as it has shown no alterations in asthma and it is not as exposed to inflammatory cells as intrapulmonary ASM. Furthermore, the cartilage rings offer protection against stress and strain of repeated contractions. More recent strategies that allow for the isolation of viable intrapulmonary ASM tissue reveal significant mechanical differences between asthmatic and non-asthmatic tissues. This review will thus summarize the latest techniques used to study ASM mechanics within its environment and in isolation, identify the potential causes of the discrepancy between the ASM of the extra- and intrapulmonary airways, and address future directions that may lead to an improved understanding of ASM hypercontractility in asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dora (Jun Ping) Xiong
- Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - James G. Martin
- Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Anne-Marie Lauzon
- Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Anne-Marie Lauzon,
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10
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Yan Y, Gu Z, Li B, Guo X, Zhang Z, Zhang R, Bian Z, Qiu J. Metabonomics profile analysis in inflammation-induced preterm birth and the potential role of metabolites in regulating premature cervical ripening. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2022; 20:135. [PMID: 36068532 PMCID: PMC9446521 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-022-01008-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preterm birth (PTB) is the primary cause of infant morbidity and mortality. Moreover, previous studies have established that PTB is related to premature cervical ripening. However, the underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated. This study sought to identify differentially expressed metabolites and investigate their potential biological functions in PTB. METHODS Pregnant C57BL/6 J mice were treated with either LPS or normal saline and cervical alterations before labor were detected by staining. Metabolic profiles in the plasma of PTB and control mice were examined through non-targeted metabonomics analyses, quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence staining were performed on human cervical smooth cells. RESULTS The study demonstrated that the mRNA and protein levels of α-SMA, SM-22, and calponin in cervical smooth muscle cells of PTB mice were lower while OR was higher at both mRNA and protein levels compared to the CTL group. A total of 181 differentially expressed metabolites were analyzed, among them, 96 were upregulated, while 85 were downregulated in the PTB group. Differentially expressed metabolites may play a role in STAT3, RhoA, mTOR, TGF-β, and NK-κB signaling pathways. Furthermore, when treated with taurine, the levels of α-SMA and SM-22 in human cervical smooth muscle cells were elevated, whereas that of connexin-43 was decreased. CONCLUSION Our study highlighted the changes of metabolites in the peripheral blood changed prior to PTB and revealed that these differentially expressed metabolites might participate in the development of premature cervical ripening. Taurine was identified as an important metabolite may modulate human cervical smooth muscle cells. Our study provided new insights into the mechanism underlying premature cervical ripening in PTB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Yan
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.1111, XianXia Road, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Zhuorong Gu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.1111, XianXia Road, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Baihe Li
- Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.1111, XianXia Road, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Xirong Guo
- Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.1111, XianXia Road, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Zhongxiao Zhang
- Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.1111, XianXia Road, Shanghai, 200336, China
| | - Runjie Zhang
- Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.1111, XianXia Road, Shanghai, 200336, China.
| | - Zheng Bian
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.1111, XianXia Road, Shanghai, 200336, China.
| | - Jin Qiu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.1111, XianXia Road, Shanghai, 200336, China.
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11
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Saunders RM, Biddle M, Amrani Y, Brightling CE. Stressed out - The role of oxidative stress in airway smooth muscle dysfunction in asthma and COPD. Free Radic Biol Med 2022; 185:97-119. [PMID: 35472411 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2022.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The airway smooth muscle (ASM) surrounding the airways is dysfunctional in both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), exhibiting; increased contraction, increased mass, increased inflammatory mediator release and decreased corticosteroid responsiveness. Due to this dysfunction, ASM is a key contributor to symptoms in patients that remain symptomatic despite optimal provision of currently available treatments. There is a significant body of research investigating the effects of oxidative stress/ROS on ASM behaviour, falling into the following categories; cigarette smoke and associated compounds, air pollutants, aero-allergens, asthma and COPD relevant mediators, and the anti-oxidant Nrf2/HO-1 signalling pathway. However, despite a number of recent reviews addressing the role of oxidative stress/ROS in asthma and COPD, the potential contribution of oxidative stress/ROS-related ASM dysfunction to asthma and COPD pathophysiology has not been comprehensively reviewed. We provide a thorough review of studies that have used primary airway, bronchial or tracheal smooth muscle cells to investigate the role of oxidative stress/ROS in ASM dysfunction and consider how they could contribute to the pathophysiology of asthma and COPD. We summarise the current state of play with regards to clinical trials/development of agents targeting oxidative stress and associated limitations, and the adverse effects of oxidative stress on the efficacy of current therapies, with reference to ASM related studies where appropriate. We also identify limitations in the current knowledge of the role of oxidative stress/ROS in ASM dysfunction and identify areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth M Saunders
- The Institute for Lung Health, NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
| | - Michael Biddle
- The Institute for Lung Health, NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Yassine Amrani
- The Institute for Lung Health, NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Christopher E Brightling
- The Institute for Lung Health, NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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12
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Koziol-White C. Human Precision-Cut Lung Slices: Generation of and Measurement of Contractility and Relaxation of Small Airways. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2506:111-117. [PMID: 35771467 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2364-0_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Lung slices have been used since the mid-1990's to study various aspects of lung biology that include, but are not limited to, mechanisms of airway contraction and relaxation; the pulmonary immune response in the context of inflammatory diseases of the lung like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; mast cell-mediated airway contractility and inflammation; modulation of airway cells following pathogen exposure; and consequences of environmental toxicant exposure. Here we describe the generation of human precision-cut lung slices (hPCLS) and measurement of contraction and relaxation of small airways within the slices.
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13
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Abstract
Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) are now considered important contributors to the pathophysiological and biophysical mechanisms underlying arterial stiffening in aging. Here, we review mechanisms whereby VSMC stiffening alters vascular function and contributes to the changes in vascular stiffening observed in aging and cardiovascular disease. Vascular stiffening in arterial aging was historically associated with changes in the extracellular matrix; however, new evidence suggests that endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cell stiffness also contribute to overall blood vessel stiffness. Furthermore, VSMC play an integral role in regulating matrix deposition and vessel wall contractility via interaction between the actomyosin contractile unit and adhesion structures that anchor the cell within the extracellular matrix. Aged-induce phenotypic modulation of VSMC from a contractile to a synthetic phenotype is associated with decreased cellular contractility and increased cell stiffness. Aged VSMC also display reduced mechanosensitivity and adaptation to mechanical signals from their microenvironment due to impaired intracellular signaling. Finally, evidence for decreased contractility in arteries from aged animals demonstrate that changes at the cellular level result in decreased functional properties at the tissue level.
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14
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Asgeirsson DO, Christiansen MG, Valentin T, Somm L, Mirkhani N, Nami AH, Hosseini V, Schuerle S. 3D magnetically controlled spatiotemporal probing and actuation of collagen networks from a single cell perspective. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:3850-3862. [PMID: 34505607 PMCID: PMC8507888 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00657f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Cells continuously sense and react to mechanical cues from their surrounding matrix, which consists of a fibrous network of biopolymers that influences their fate and behavior. Several powerful methods employing magnetic control have been developed to assess the micromechanical properties within extracellular matrix (ECM) models hosting cells. However, many of these are limited to in-plane sensing and actuation, which does not allow the matrix to be probed within its full 3D context. Moreover, little attention has been given to factors specific to the model ECM systems that can profoundly influence the cells contained there. Here we present methods to spatiotemporally probe and manipulate extracellular matrix networks at the scale relevant to cells using magnetic microprobes (μRods). Our techniques leverage 3D magnetic field generation, physical modeling, and image analysis to examine and apply mechanical stimuli to fibrous collagen matrices. We determined shear moduli ranging between hundreds of Pa to tens of kPa and modeled the effects of proximity to rigid surfaces and local fiber densification. We analyzed the spatial extent and dynamics of matrix deformation produced in response to magnetic torques on the order of 10 pNm, deflecting fibers over an area spanning tens of micrometers. Finally, we demonstrate 3D actuation and pose extraction of fluorescently labelled μRods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphne O Asgeirsson
- Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Michael G Christiansen
- Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Thomas Valentin
- Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Luca Somm
- Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Nima Mirkhani
- Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Amin Hosseini Nami
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417614411, Iran
| | - Vahid Hosseini
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Simone Schuerle
- Responsive Biomedical Systems Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
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15
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Tuday E, Nakano M, Akiyoshi K, Fu X, Shah AP, Yamaguchi A, Steenbergen C, Santhanam L, An SS, Berkowitz D, Baraban JM, Das S. Degradation of Premature-miR-181b by the Translin/Trax RNase Increases Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Stiffness. Hypertension 2021; 78:831-839. [PMID: 34304585 PMCID: PMC8363557 DOI: 10.1161/hypertensionaha.120.16690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Tuday
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), Veterans Affairs: Salt Lake City, UT 84148
- Department of Internal Medicine: Division of Cardiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132
| | | | - Kei Akiyoshi
- Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine
| | - Xiuping Fu
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205
| | - Aparna P. Shah
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205
| | - Atsushi Yamaguchi
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Saitama Medical Center, Jichi Medical University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Charles Steenbergen
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205
| | | | - Steven S. An
- Department of Pharmacology, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854
- Rutgers Institute of Translational Medicine & Science, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
| | - Dan Berkowitz
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294
| | - Jay M. Baraban
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205
| | - Samarjit Das
- Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205
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16
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Wang KCW, James AL, Noble PB. Fetal Growth Restriction and Asthma: Is the Damage Done? Physiology (Bethesda) 2021; 36:256-266. [PMID: 34159809 DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00042.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Trajectories of airway remodeling and functional impairment in asthma are consistent with the notion that airway pathology precedes or coincides with the onset of asthma symptoms and may be present at birth. An association between intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and asthma development has also been established, and there is value in understanding the underlying mechanism. This review considers airway pathophysiology as a consequence of IUGR that increases susceptibility to asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley C W Wang
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.,Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Alan L James
- Department of Pulmonary Physiology and Sleep Medicine, West Australian Sleep Disorders Research Institute, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,Medical School, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Peter B Noble
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
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17
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Gebski EB, Anaspure O, Panettieri RA, Koziol-White CJ. Airway smooth muscle and airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma - mechanisms of airway smooth muscle dysfunction. Minerva Med 2021; 113:4-16. [PMID: 33496164 DOI: 10.23736/s0026-4806.21.07283-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric B Gebski
- Drexel College of Arts and Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Omkar Anaspure
- Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Reynold A Panettieri
- Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Cynthia J Koziol-White
- Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA -
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18
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Vink J, Yu V, Dahal S, Lohner J, Stern-Asher C, Mourad M, Davis G, Xue Z, Wang S, Myers K, Kitajewski J, Chen X, Wapner RJ, Ananth CV, Sheetz M, Gallos G. Extracellular Matrix Rigidity Modulates Human Cervical Smooth Muscle Contractility-New Insights into Premature Cervical Failure and Spontaneous Preterm Birth. Reprod Sci 2021; 28:237-251. [PMID: 32700284 PMCID: PMC9344974 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-020-00268-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB), a major cause of infant morbidity and mortality, must involve premature cervical softening/dilation for a preterm vaginal delivery to occur. Yet, the mechanism behind premature cervical softening/dilation in humans remains unclear. We previously reported the non-pregnant human cervix contains considerably more cervical smooth muscle cells (CSMC) than historically appreciated and the CSMC organization resembles a sphincter. We hypothesize that premature cervical dilation leading to sPTB may be due to (1) an inherent CSMC contractility defect resulting in sphincter failure and/or (2) altered cervical extracellular matrix (ECM) rigidity which influences CSMC contractility. To test these hypotheses, we utilized immunohistochemistry to confirm this CSMC phenotype persists in the human pregnant cervix and then assessed in vitro arrays of contractility (F:G actin ratios, PDMS pillar arrays) using primary CSMC from pregnant women with and without premature cervical failure (PCF). We show that CSMC from pregnant women with PCF do not have an inherent CSMC contractility defect but that CSMC exhibit decreased contractility when exposed to soft ECM. Given this finding, we used UPLC-ESI-MS/MS to evaluate collagen cross-link profiles in the cervical tissue from non-pregnant women with and without PCF and found that women with PCF have decreased collagen cross-link maturity ratios, which correlates to softer cervical tissue. These findings suggest having soft cervical ECM may lead to decreased CSMC contractile tone and a predisposition to sphincter laxity that contributes to sPTB. Further studies are needed to explore the interaction between cervical ECM properties and CSMC cellular behavior when investigating the pathophysiology of sPTB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joy Vink
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 622 West 168th St. PH16-66, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
- Preterm Birth Prevention Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Victoria Yu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 622 West 168th St. PH16-66, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Sudip Dahal
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 622 West 168th St. PH16-66, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - James Lohner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Conrad Stern-Asher
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 622 West 168th St. PH16-66, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Mirella Mourad
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 622 West 168th St. PH16-66, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Preterm Birth Prevention Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - George Davis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Camden, NJ, USA
| | - Zenghui Xue
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shuang Wang
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kristin Myers
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jan Kitajewski
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Xiaowei Chen
- Department of Pathology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ronald J Wapner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 622 West 168th St. PH16-66, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Cande V Ananth
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Michael Sheetz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - George Gallos
- Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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19
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Cairncross A, Jones RL, Elliot JG, McFawn PK, James AL, Noble PB. Airway narrowing and response to simulated deep inspiration in bronchial segments from subjects with fixed airflow obstruction. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2020; 128:757-767. [PMID: 32105523 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00439.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The volume fraction of extracellular matrix (ECM) within the layer of airway smooth muscle (ASM) is increased in subjects with fixed airflow obstruction. We postulated that changes in ECM within the ASM layer will impact force transmission during induced contraction and/or in response to externally applied stresses like a deep inspiration (DI). Subjects were patients undergoing lung resection surgery who were categorized as unobstructed (n = 12) or "fixed" obstructed (n = 6) on the basis of preoperative spirometry. The response to a DI, assessed by the ratio of isovolumic flows from maximal and partial inspirations (M/P), was also measured preoperatively. M/P was reduced in the obstructed group (P = 0.02). Postoperatively, bronchial segments were obtained from resected tissue, and luminal narrowing to acetylcholine and bronchodilation to simulated DI were assessed in vitro. Airway wall dimensions and the volume fraction of ECM within the ASM were quantified. Maximal airway narrowing to acetylcholine (P = 0.01) and the volume fraction of ECM within the ASM layer (P = 0.02) were increased in the obstructed group, without a change in ASM thickness. Whereas bronchodilation to simulated DI in vitro was not different between obstructed and unobstructed groups, it was correlated with increased M/P (bronchodilation/less bronchoconstriction) in vivo (P = 0.03). The volume fraction of ECM was inversely related to forced expiratory volume in 1 s FEV1 %predicted (P = 0.04) and M/P (P = 0.01). Results show that in subjects with fixed airflow obstruction the mechanical behavior of the airway wall is altered and there is a contemporaneous shift in the structural composition of the ASM layer.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Cartilaginous airways from subjects with fixed airflow obstruction have an increase in the volume fraction of extracellular matrix within the airway smooth muscle layer. These airways are also intrinsically more reactive to a contractile stimulus, which is expected to contribute to airway hyperresponsiveness in this population, often attributed to geometric mechanisms. In view of these results, we speculate on how changes in extracellular matrix may impact airway mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvenia Cairncross
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Robyn L Jones
- Department of Pulmonary Physiology and Sleep Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - John G Elliot
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.,Department of Pulmonary Physiology and Sleep Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Peter K McFawn
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Alan L James
- Department of Pulmonary Physiology and Sleep Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Peter B Noble
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
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20
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21
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Noble PB, Kowlessur D, Larcombe AN, Donovan GM, Wang KCW. Mechanical Abnormalities of the Airway Wall in Adult Mice After Intrauterine Growth Restriction. Front Physiol 2019; 10:1073. [PMID: 31507442 PMCID: PMC6716216 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental abnormalities of airways may impact susceptibility to asthma in later life. We used a maternal hypoxia-induced mouse model of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) to examine changes in mechanical properties of the airway wall. Pregnant BALB/c mice were housed under hypoxic conditions (10.5% O2) from gestational day (GD) 11 to GD 17.5 (IUGR; term, GD 21). Following hypoxic exposure, mice were returned to a normoxic environment (21% O2). A control group of pregnant mice were housed under normoxic conditions throughout pregnancy. At 8 weeks postnatal age, offspring were euthanized and a tracheasectomy performed. Tracheal segments were studied in organ baths to measure active airway smooth muscle (ASM) stress to carbachol and assess passive mechanical properties (stiffness) from stress-strain curves. In a separate group of anesthetized offspring, the forced oscillation technique was used to examine airway mechanics from relative changes in airway conductance during slow inflation and deflation between 0 and 20 cmH2O transrespiratory pressure. From predicted radius-pressure loops, storage and loss moduli and hysteresivity were calculated. IUGR offspring were lighter at birth (p < 0.05) and remained lighter at 8 weeks of age (p < 0.05) compared with Controls. Maximal stress was reduced in male IUGR offspring compared with Controls (p < 0.05), but not in females. Sensitivity to contractile agonist was not affected by IUGR or sex. Compared with the Control group, airways from IUGR animals were stiffer in vitro (p < 0.05). In vivo, airway hysteresivity (p < 0.05) was increased in the IUGR group, but there was no difference in storage or loss moduli between groups. In summary, the effects of IUGR persist to the mature airway wall, where there are clear abnormalities to ASM contractile properties and passive wall mechanics. We propose that mechanical abnormalities of the airway wall acquired through disrupted fetal growth impact susceptibility to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter B Noble
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Darshinee Kowlessur
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Alexander N Larcombe
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Graham M Donovan
- Department of Mathematics, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kimberley C W Wang
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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22
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Noble PB, Kowlessur D, Larcombe AN, Donovan GM, Wang KCW. Mechanical Abnormalities of the Airway Wall in Adult Mice After Intrauterine Growth Restriction. Front Physiol 2019. [PMID: 31507442 PMCID: PMC6716216 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01073,+10.3389/fpls.2019.01073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental abnormalities of airways may impact susceptibility to asthma in later life. We used a maternal hypoxia-induced mouse model of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) to examine changes in mechanical properties of the airway wall. Pregnant BALB/c mice were housed under hypoxic conditions (10.5% O2) from gestational day (GD) 11 to GD 17.5 (IUGR; term, GD 21). Following hypoxic exposure, mice were returned to a normoxic environment (21% O2). A control group of pregnant mice were housed under normoxic conditions throughout pregnancy. At 8 weeks postnatal age, offspring were euthanized and a tracheasectomy performed. Tracheal segments were studied in organ baths to measure active airway smooth muscle (ASM) stress to carbachol and assess passive mechanical properties (stiffness) from stress-strain curves. In a separate group of anesthetized offspring, the forced oscillation technique was used to examine airway mechanics from relative changes in airway conductance during slow inflation and deflation between 0 and 20 cmH2O transrespiratory pressure. From predicted radius-pressure loops, storage and loss moduli and hysteresivity were calculated. IUGR offspring were lighter at birth (p < 0.05) and remained lighter at 8 weeks of age (p < 0.05) compared with Controls. Maximal stress was reduced in male IUGR offspring compared with Controls (p < 0.05), but not in females. Sensitivity to contractile agonist was not affected by IUGR or sex. Compared with the Control group, airways from IUGR animals were stiffer in vitro (p < 0.05). In vivo, airway hysteresivity (p < 0.05) was increased in the IUGR group, but there was no difference in storage or loss moduli between groups. In summary, the effects of IUGR persist to the mature airway wall, where there are clear abnormalities to ASM contractile properties and passive wall mechanics. We propose that mechanical abnormalities of the airway wall acquired through disrupted fetal growth impact susceptibility to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter B. Noble
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Darshinee Kowlessur
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia,Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Alexander N. Larcombe
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia,School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Graham M. Donovan
- Department of Mathematics, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kimberley C. W. Wang
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia,Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia,*Correspondence: Kimberley C. W. Wang,
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23
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Noble PB, Kowlessur D, Larcombe AN, Donovan GM, Wang KCW. Mechanical Abnormalities of the Airway Wall in Adult Mice After Intrauterine Growth Restriction. Front Physiol 2019. [PMID: 31507442 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01073, 10.3389/fpls.2019.01073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental abnormalities of airways may impact susceptibility to asthma in later life. We used a maternal hypoxia-induced mouse model of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) to examine changes in mechanical properties of the airway wall. Pregnant BALB/c mice were housed under hypoxic conditions (10.5% O2) from gestational day (GD) 11 to GD 17.5 (IUGR; term, GD 21). Following hypoxic exposure, mice were returned to a normoxic environment (21% O2). A control group of pregnant mice were housed under normoxic conditions throughout pregnancy. At 8 weeks postnatal age, offspring were euthanized and a tracheasectomy performed. Tracheal segments were studied in organ baths to measure active airway smooth muscle (ASM) stress to carbachol and assess passive mechanical properties (stiffness) from stress-strain curves. In a separate group of anesthetized offspring, the forced oscillation technique was used to examine airway mechanics from relative changes in airway conductance during slow inflation and deflation between 0 and 20 cmH2O transrespiratory pressure. From predicted radius-pressure loops, storage and loss moduli and hysteresivity were calculated. IUGR offspring were lighter at birth (p < 0.05) and remained lighter at 8 weeks of age (p < 0.05) compared with Controls. Maximal stress was reduced in male IUGR offspring compared with Controls (p < 0.05), but not in females. Sensitivity to contractile agonist was not affected by IUGR or sex. Compared with the Control group, airways from IUGR animals were stiffer in vitro (p < 0.05). In vivo, airway hysteresivity (p < 0.05) was increased in the IUGR group, but there was no difference in storage or loss moduli between groups. In summary, the effects of IUGR persist to the mature airway wall, where there are clear abnormalities to ASM contractile properties and passive wall mechanics. We propose that mechanical abnormalities of the airway wall acquired through disrupted fetal growth impact susceptibility to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter B Noble
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Darshinee Kowlessur
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Alexander N Larcombe
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Graham M Donovan
- Department of Mathematics, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kimberley C W Wang
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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24
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Polio SR, Stasiak SE, Jamieson RR, Balestrini JL, Krishnan R, Parameswaran H. Extracellular matrix stiffness regulates human airway smooth muscle contraction by altering the cell-cell coupling. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9564. [PMID: 31267003 PMCID: PMC6606622 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45716-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
For an airway or a blood vessel to narrow, there must be a connected path that links the smooth muscle (SM) cells with each other, and transmits forces around the organ, causing it to constrict. Currently, we know very little about the mechanisms that regulate force transmission pathways in a multicellular SM ensemble. Here, we used extracellular matrix (ECM) micropatterning to study force transmission in a two-cell ensemble of SM cells. Using the two-SM cell ensemble, we demonstrate (a) that ECM stiffness acts as a switch that regulates whether SM force is transmitted through the ECM or through cell-cell connections. (b) Fluorescent imaging for adherens junctions and focal adhesions show the progressive loss of cell-cell borders and the appearance of focal adhesions with the increase in ECM stiffness (confirming our mechanical measurements). (c) At the same ECM stiffness, we show that the presence of a cell-cell border substantially decreases the overall contractility of the SM cell ensemble. Our results demonstrate that connectivity among SM cells is a critical factor to consider in the development of diseases such as asthma and hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel R Polio
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Suzanne E Stasiak
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ryan R Jamieson
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jenna L Balestrini
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ramaswamy Krishnan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
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25
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Sun S, Adyshev D, Dudek S, Paul A, McColloch A, Cho M. Cholesterol-dependent Modulation of Stem Cell Biomechanics: Application to Adipogenesis. J Biomech Eng 2019; 141:2729412. [PMID: 30901381 DOI: 10.1115/1.4043253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Cell mechanics has been shown to regulate stem cell differentiation. We have previously reported that altered cell stiffness of mesenchymal stem cells can delay or facilitate biochemically directed differentiation. One of the factors that can affect the cell stiffness is cholesterol. However, the effect of cholesterol on differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) remains elusive. In this paper, we demonstrate that cholesterol is involved in the modulation of the cell stiffness and subsequent adipogenic differentiation. Rapid cytoskeletal actin reorganization was evident and correlated with the cell's Young's modulus measured using atomic force microscopy (AFM). In addition, the level of membrane-bound cholesterol was found to increase during adipogenic differentiation and inversely varied with the cell stiffness. Furthermore, cholesterol played a key role in the regulation of the cell morphology and biomechanics, suggesting its crucial involvement in mechanotransduction. To better understand the underlying mechanisms, we investigated the effect of cholesterol on the membrane-cytoskeleton linker proteins (ezrin and moesin). Cholesterol depletion was found to up-regulate the ezrin expression which promoted cell spreading, increased Young's modulus, and hindered adipogenesis. In contrast, cholesterol enrichment increased the moesin expression, decreased Young's modulus, and induced cell rounding and facilitated adipogenesis. Taken together, cholesterol appears to regulate the stem cell mechanics and adipogenesis through the membrane-associated linker proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Sun
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - Djanybek Adyshev
- Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - Steve Dudek
- Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - Amit Paul
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - Andrew McColloch
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019
| | - Michael Cho
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019
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26
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Wang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang M, Li J, Pan Y, Liu L, Deng L. Saponins of Dioscorea Nipponicae Inhibits IL-17A-Induced Changes in Biomechanical Behaviors of In Vitro Cultured Human Airway Smooth Muscle Cells. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 2:0110021-110027. [PMID: 32328572 PMCID: PMC7164499 DOI: 10.1115/1.4042317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is one of the main pathologic features of bronchial asthma, which is largely attributable to enhanced contractile response of asthmatic airway smooth muscle. Although β2 adrenergic receptor agonists are commonly used to relax airway smooth muscle for treating AHR, there are side effects such as desensitization of long-term use. Therefore, it is desirable to develop alternative relaxant for airway smooth muscle, preferably based on natural products. One potential candidate is the inexpensive and widely available natural herb saponins of Dioscorea nipponicae (SDN), which has recently been reported to suppress the level of inflammatory factor IL-17A in ovalbumin-induced mice, thereby alleviating the inflammation symptoms of asthma. Here, we evaluated the biomechanical effect of SDN on IL-17A-mediated changes of cultured human airway smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) in vitro. The stiffness and traction force of the cells were measured by optical magnetic twisting cytometry (OMTC), and Fourier transform traction microscopy (FTTM), respectively. The cell proliferation was evaluated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetry, the cell migration was measured by cell scratch test, and the changes of cell cytoskeleton were assessed by laser confocal microscopy. We found that the stiffness and traction force of HASMCs were enhanced along with the increases of IL-17A concentration and exposure time, and SDN treatment dose-dependently reduced these IL-17A-induced changes in cell mechanical properties. Furthermore, SDN alleviated IL-17A-mediated effects on HASMCs proliferation, migration, and cytoskeleton remodeling. These results demonstrate that SDN could potentially be a novel drug candidate as bronchodilator for treating asthma-associated AHR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Wang
- Changzhou Key Laboratory ofRespiratory Medical Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences
| | - Yifan Zhang
- Changzhou Key Laboratory ofRespiratory Medical Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences; School of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Life Science/School of Nursing, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213164, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213003, China
| | - Jingjing Li
- Changzhou Key Laboratory of Respiratory Medical Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213164, China
| | - Yan Pan
- Changzhou Key Laboratory of Respiratory Medical Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213164, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Changzhou Key Laboratory of Respiratory Medical Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213164, China
| | - Linhong Deng
- Changzhou Key Laboratory of Respiratory Medical Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences; School of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Life Science/School of Nursing, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213164, China e-mail:
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27
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Martin JG. Airway smooth muscle may drive mucus hypersecretion in asthma. Eur Respir J 2018; 52:52/2/1801166. [PMID: 30093557 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.01166-2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- James G Martin
- Dept of Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada .,Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
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28
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Hammad S, Cavalcanti E, Werle J, Caruso ML, Dropmann A, Ignazzi A, Ebert MP, Dooley S, Giannelli G. Galunisertib modifies the liver fibrotic composition in the Abcb4Ko mouse model. Arch Toxicol 2018; 92:2297-2309. [PMID: 29808285 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-018-2231-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β stimulates extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition during development of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, the most important risk factor for the onset of hepatocellular carcinoma. In liver cancer, TGF-β is responsible for a more aggressive and invasive phenotype, orchestrating remodeling of the tumor microenvironment and triggering epithelial-mesenchymal transition of cancer cells. This is the scientific rationale for targeting the TGF-β pathway via a small molecule, galunisertib (intracellular inhibitor of ALK5) in clinical trials to treat liver cancer patients at an advanced disease stage. In this study, the hypothesis that galunisertib modifies the tissue microenvironment via inhibition of the TGF-β pathway is tested in an experimental preclinical model. At the age of 6 months, Abcb4ko mice-a well-established model for chronic liver disease development and progression-are treated twice daily with galunisertib (150 mg/kg) via oral gavage for 14 consecutive days. Two days after the last treatment, blood plasma and livers are harvested for further assessment, including fibrosis scoring and ECM components. The reduction of Smad2 phosphorylation in both parenchymal and non-parenchymal liver cells following galunisertib administration confirms the treatment effectiveness. Damage-related galunisertib does not change cell proliferation, macrophage numbers and leucocyte recruitment. Furthermore, no clear impact on the amount of fibrosis is evident, as documented by PicroSirius red and Gomori-trichome scoring. On the other hand, several fibrogenic genes, e.g., collagens (Col1α1 and Col1α2), Tgf-β1 and Timp1, mRNA levels are significantly downregulated by galunisertib administration when compared to controls. Most interestingly, ECM/stromal components, fibronectin and laminin-332, as well as the carcinogenic β-catenin pathway, are remarkably reduced by galunisertib-treated Abcb5ko mice. In conclusion, TGF-β inhibition by galunisertib interferes, to some extent, with chronic liver progression, not by reducing the stage of liver fibrosis as measured by different scoring systems, but rather by modulating the biochemical composition of the deposited ECM, likely affecting the fate of non-parenchymal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seddik Hammad
- Molecular Hepatology Section, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
- Department of Forensic and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt.
| | - Elisabetta Cavalcanti
- National Institute of Gastroenterology, "S. de Bellis" Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | - Julia Werle
- Molecular Hepatology Section, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Maria Lucia Caruso
- National Institute of Gastroenterology, "S. de Bellis" Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | - Anne Dropmann
- Molecular Hepatology Section, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Antonia Ignazzi
- National Institute of Gastroenterology, "S. de Bellis" Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | - Matthias Philip Ebert
- Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Steven Dooley
- Molecular Hepatology Section, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Gianluigi Giannelli
- National Institute of Gastroenterology, "S. de Bellis" Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy.
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29
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Zhu W, Kim BC, Wang M, Huang J, Isak A, Bexiga NM, Monticone R, Ha T, Lakatta EG, An SS. TGFβ1 reinforces arterial aging in the vascular smooth muscle cell through a long-range regulation of the cytoskeletal stiffness. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2668. [PMID: 29422510 PMCID: PMC5805716 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20763-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Here we report exquisitely distinct material properties of primary vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells isolated from the thoracic aorta of adult (8 months) vs. aged (30 months) F344XBN rats. Individual VSM cells derived from the aged animals showed a tense internal network of the actin cytoskeleton (CSK), exhibiting increased stiffness (elastic) and frictional (loss) moduli than those derived from the adult animals over a wide frequency range of the imposed oscillatory deformation. This discrete mechanical response was long-lived in culture and persistent across a physiological range of matrix rigidity. Strikingly, the pro-fibrotic transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) emerged as a specific modifier of age-associated VSM stiffening in vitro. TGFβ1 reinforced the mechanical phenotype of arterial aging in VSM cells on multiple time and length scales through clustering of mechanosensitive α5β1 and αvβ3 integrins. Taken together, these studies identify a novel nodal point for the long-range regulation of VSM stiffness and serve as a proof-of-concept that the broad-based inhibition of TGFβ1 expression, or TGFβ1 signal transduction in VSM, may be a useful therapeutic approach to mitigate the pathologic progression of central arterial wall stiffening associated with aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanqu Zhu
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Byoung Choul Kim
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218, USA.,Division of Nano-Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Mingyi Wang
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Science, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Jessie Huang
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Abraham Isak
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Natalia M Bexiga
- Immunobiological and Biopharmaceutical Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry Technology, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Robert Monticone
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Science, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Taekjip Ha
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218, USA
| | - Edward G Lakatta
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Science, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
| | - Steven S An
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA. .,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Republic of Korea.
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30
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Pandya P, Orgaz JL, Sanz-Moreno V. Actomyosin contractility and collective migration: may the force be with you. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2017; 48:87-96. [PMID: 28715714 PMCID: PMC6137077 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2017.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Collective migration relies on the ability of a multicellular co-ordinated unit to efficiently respond to physical changes in their surrounding matrix. Conversely, migrating cohorts physically alter their microenvironment using mechanical forces. During collective migration, actomyosin contractility acts as a central hub coordinating mechanosensing and mechanotransduction responses.
Collective cell migration is essential during physiological processes such as development or wound healing and in pathological conditions such as cancer dissemination. Cells migrating within multicellular tissues experiment different forces which play an intricate role during tissue formation, development and maintenance. How cells are able to respond to these forces depends largely on how they interact with the extracellular matrix. In this review, we focus on mechanics and mechanotransduction in collective migration. In particular, we discuss current knowledge on how cells integrate mechanical signals during collective migration and we highlight actomyosin contractility as a central hub coordinating mechanosensing and mechanotransduction responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pahini Pandya
- Tumour Plasticity Team, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt's House, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Jose L Orgaz
- Tumour Plasticity Team, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt's House, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Victoria Sanz-Moreno
- Tumour Plasticity Team, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt's House, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK.
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31
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González-Tarragó V, Elosegui-Artola A, Bazellières E, Oria R, Pérez-González C, Roca-Cusachs P. Binding of ZO-1 to α5β1 integrins regulates the mechanical properties of α5β1-fibronectin links. Mol Biol Cell 2017; 28:1847-1852. [PMID: 28251923 PMCID: PMC5541835 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e17-01-0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2017] [Revised: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Fundamental processes in cell adhesion, motility, and rigidity adaptation are regulated by integrin-mediated adhesion to the extracellular matrix (ECM). The link between the ECM component fibronectin (fn) and integrin α5β1 forms a complex with ZO-1 in cells at the edge of migrating monolayers, regulating cell migration. However, how this complex affects the α5β1-fn link is unknown. Here we show that the α5β1/ZO-1 complex decreases the resistance to force of α5β1-fn adhesions located at the edge of migrating cell monolayers while also increasing α5β1 recruitment. Consistently with a molecular clutch model of adhesion, this effect of ZO-1 leads to a decrease in the density and intensity of adhesions in cells at the edge of migrating monolayers. Taken together, our results unveil a new mode of integrin regulation through modification of the mechanical properties of integrin-ECM links, which may be harnessed by cells to control adhesion and migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor González-Tarragó
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.,University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Elsa Bazellières
- IBDM, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, UMR 7288, 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Roger Oria
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.,University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Pérez-González
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.,University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pere Roca-Cusachs
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, 08028 Barcelona, Spain .,University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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32
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An SS, Liggett SB. Taste and smell GPCRs in the lung: Evidence for a previously unrecognized widespread chemosensory system. Cell Signal 2017; 41:82-88. [PMID: 28167233 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2017.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Taste and smell receptor expression has been traditionally limited to the tongue and nose. We have identified bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) and olfactory receptors (ORs) on human airway smooth muscle (HASM) cells. TAS2Rs signal to PLCβ evoking an increase in [Ca2+]i causing membrane hyperpolarization and marked HASM relaxation ascertained by single cell, ex vivo, and in vivo methods. The presence of TAS2Rs in the lung was unexpected, as was the bronchodilatory function which has been shown to be due to signaling within specific microdomains of the cell. Unlike β2-adrenergic receptor-mediated bronchodilation, TAS2R function is not impaired in asthma and shows little tachyphylaxis. HASM ORs do not bronchodilate, but rather modulate cytoskeletal remodeling and hyperplasia, two cardinal features of asthma. We have shown that short chain fatty acids, byproducts of fermentation of polysaccharides by the gut microbiome, activate HASM ORs. This establishes a non-immune gut-lung mechanism that ties observations on gut microbial communities to asthma phenotypes. Subsequent studies by multiple investigators have revealed expression and specialized functions of TAS2Rs and ORs in multiple cell-types and organs throughout the body. Collectively, the data point towards a previously unrecognized chemosensory system which recognizes endogenous and exogenous agonists. These receptors and their ligands play roles in normal homeostatic functions, predisposition or adaptation to disease, and represent drug targets for novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven S An
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States.
| | - Stephen B Liggett
- Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Personalized Medicine and Genomics, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MDC 2, Tampa, FL 33612, United States; Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Center for Personalized Medicine and Genomics, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MDC 2, Tampa, FL 33612, United States.
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33
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Ano S, Panariti A, Allard B, O'Sullivan M, McGovern TK, Hamamoto Y, Ishii Y, Yamamoto M, Powell WS, Martin JG. Inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness after chlorine exposure are prolonged by Nrf2 deficiency in mice. Free Radic Biol Med 2017; 102:1-15. [PMID: 27847240 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2016.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Revised: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Chlorine gas (Cl2) is a potent oxidant and trigger of irritant induced asthma. We explored NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-dependent mechanisms in the asthmatic response to Cl2, using Nrf2-deficient mice, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of glutathione (GSH) synthesis and sulforaphane (SFN), a phytochemical regulator of Nrf2. METHODS Airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) were assessed 24 and 48h after a 5-min nose-only exposure to 100ppm Cl2 of Nrf2-deficient and wild type Balb/C mice treated with BSO or SFN. Animals were anesthetized, paralyzed and mechanically ventilated (FlexiVent™) and challenged with aerosolized methacholine. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed and lung tissues were harvested for assessment of gene expression. RESULTS Cl2 exposure induced a robust AHR and an intense neutrophilic inflammation that, although similar in Nrf2-deficient mice and wild-type mice at 24h after Cl2 exposure, were significantly greater at 48h post exposure in Nrf2-deficient mice. Lung GSH and mRNA for Nrf2-dependent phase II enzymes (NQO-1 and GPX2) were significantly lower in Nrf2-deficient than wild-type mice after Cl2 exposure. BSO reduced GSH levels and promoted Cl2-induced airway inflammation in wild-type mice, but not in Nrf2-deficient mice, whereas SFN suppressed Cl2-induced airway inflammation in wild-type but not in Nrf2-deficient mice. AHR was not affected by either BSO or SFN at 48h post Cl2 exposure. CONCLUSIONS Nrf2-dependent phase II enzymes play a role in the resolution of airway inflammation and AHR after Cl2 exposure. Moderate deficiency of GSH affects the magnitude of acute inflammation but not AHR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Ano
- Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alice Panariti
- Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Benoit Allard
- Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michael O'Sullivan
- Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Toby K McGovern
- Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yoichiro Hamamoto
- Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yukio Ishii
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Masayuki Yamamoto
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - William S Powell
- Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - James G Martin
- Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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34
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The alterations in the extracellular matrix composition guide the repair of damaged liver tissue. Sci Rep 2016; 6:27398. [PMID: 27264108 PMCID: PMC4893701 DOI: 10.1038/srep27398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
While the cellular mechanisms of liver regeneration have been thoroughly studied, the role of extracellular matrix (ECM) in liver regeneration is still poorly understood. We utilized a proteomics-based approach to identify the shifts in ECM composition after CCl4 or DDC treatment and studied their effect on the proliferation of liver cells by combining biophysical and cell culture methods. We identified notable alterations in the ECM structural components (eg collagens I, IV, V, fibronectin, elastin) as well as in non-structural proteins (eg olfactomedin-4, thrombospondin-4, armadillo repeat-containing x-linked protein 2 (Armcx2)). Comparable alterations in ECM composition were seen in damaged human livers. The increase in collagen content and decrease in elastic fibers resulted in rearrangement and increased stiffness of damaged liver ECM. Interestingly, the alterations in ECM components were nonhomogenous and differed between periportal and pericentral areas and thus our experiments demonstrated the differential ability of selected ECM components to regulate the proliferation of hepatocytes and biliary cells. We define for the first time the alterations in the ECM composition of livers recovering from damage and present functional evidence for a coordinated ECM remodelling that ensures an efficient restoration of liver tissue.
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35
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An SS, Mitzner W, Tang WY, Ahn K, Yoon AR, Huang J, Kilic O, Yong HM, Fahey JW, Kumar S, Biswal S, Holgate ST, Panettieri RA, Solway J, Liggett SB. An inflammation-independent contraction mechanophenotype of airway smooth muscle in asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2016; 138:294-297.e4. [PMID: 26936804 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2015.12.1315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Revised: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Steven S An
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.
| | - Wayne Mitzner
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md
| | - Wan-Yee Tang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md
| | | | - A-Rum Yoon
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md
| | - Jessie Huang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md
| | - Onur Kilic
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md
| | - Hwan Mee Yong
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md
| | - Jed W Fahey
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Cullman Chemoprotection Center, The Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md
| | - Sarvesh Kumar
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md
| | - Shyam Biswal
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md
| | - Stephen T Holgate
- School of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Reynold A Panettieri
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Airways Biology Initiative, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pa
| | - Julian Solway
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill
| | - Stephen B Liggett
- Department of Internal Medicine and Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, and the Center for Personalized Medicine and Genomics, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Fla.
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36
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Yoon AR, Stasinopoulos I, Kim JH, Yong HM, Kilic O, Wirtz D, Bhujwalla ZM, An SS. COX-2 dependent regulation of mechanotransduction in human breast cancer cells. Cancer Biol Ther 2016; 16:430-7. [PMID: 25701047 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2014.1003004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability of living cells to exert physical forces upon their surrounding is a necessary prerequisite for diverse biological processes, such as local cellular migrations in wound healing to metastatic-invasion of cancer. How forces are coopted in metastasis has remained unclear, however, because the mechanical interplay between cancer cells and the various stromal components has not been experimentally accessible. Current dogma implicates inflammation in these mechanical processes. Using Fourier transform traction microscopy, we measured the force-generating capacity of human breast cancer cells occupying a spectrum of invasiveness as well as basal and inducible COX-2 expression (MCF-7<SUM-149<MDA-MB-231). Compared with non-invasive MCF-7 and moderately-invasive SUM-149, poorly-differentiated MDA-MB-231 cells showed increased cellular dispersion on collagen matrix that was accompanied by emergent distribution of contractile stresses at the interface between the adherent cell and its substrate, defined herein as the traction field. In metastatic MDA-MB-231 cells, the local tractions were precisely tuned to the surrounding matrix rigidity in a physiologic range with the concomitant expression of mechanosensitive integrin β1. These discrete responses at the single-cell resolution were correlated with PGE2 secretion and were ablated by shRNA-mediated knockdown of COX-2. Both COX-2-silenced and COX-2-expressing cells expressed EP2 and EP4 receptors, but not EP1 and EP3. Exogenous addition of PGE2 increased cell tractions and stiffened the underlying cytoskeletal network. To our knowledge this is the first report linking the expression of COX-2 with mechanotransduction of human breast cancer cells, and the regulation of COX-2-PGE2-EP signaling with physical properties of the tumor microenvironment. Drug treatments aimed at reducing this mechanical interplay may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- A-Rum Yoon
- a Environmental Health Science ; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health ; Baltimore , MD USA
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37
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Brown RH, Reynolds C, Brooker A, Talalay P, Fahey JW. Sulforaphane improves the bronchoprotective response in asthmatics through Nrf2-mediated gene pathways. Respir Res 2015; 16:106. [PMID: 26369337 PMCID: PMC4570035 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-015-0253-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 07/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background It is widely recognized that deep inspiration (DI), either before methacholine (MCh) challenge (Bronchoprotection, BP) or after MCh challenge (Bronchodilation, BD) protects against this challenge in healthy individuals, but not in asthmatics. Sulforaphane, a dietary antioxidant and antiinflammatory phytochemical derived from broccoli, may affect the pulmonary bronchoconstrictor responses to MCh and the responses to DI in asthmatic patients. Methods Forty-five moderate asthmatics were administered sulforaphane (100 μmol daily for 14 days), BP, BD, lung volumes by body-plethsmography, and airway morphology by computed tomography (CT) were measured pre- and post sulforaphane consumption. Results Sulforaphane ameliorated the bronchoconstrictor effects of MCh on FEV1 significantly (on average by 21 %; p = 0.01) in 60 % of these asthmatics. Interestingly, in 20 % of the asthmatics, sulforaphane aggravated the bronchoconstrictor effects of MCh and in a similar number was without effect, documenting the great heterogeneity of the responsiveness of these individuals to sulforaphane. Moreover, in individuals in whom the FEV1 response to MCh challenge decreased after sulforaphane administration, i.e., sulforaphane was protective, the activities of Nrf2-regulated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory genes decreased. In contrast, individuals in whom sulforaphane treatment enhanced the FEV1 response to MCh, had increased expression of the activities of these genes. High resolution CT scans disclosed that in asthmatics sulforaphane treatment resulted in a significant reduction in specific airway resistance and also increased small airway luminal area and airway trapping modestly but significantly. Conclusion These findings suggest the potential value of blocking the bronchoconstrictor hyperresponsiveness in some types of asthmatics by phytochemicals such as sulforaphane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert H Brown
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. .,Division of Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. .,Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. .,Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Room E7614, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Curt Reynolds
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Room E7614, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Allison Brooker
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Room E7614, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Paul Talalay
- Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Chemoprotection Center, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jed W Fahey
- Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Chemoprotection Center, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Harvey BC, Parameswaran H, Lutchen KR. Can breathing-like pressure oscillations reverse or prevent narrowing of small intact airways? J Appl Physiol (1985) 2015; 119:47-54. [PMID: 25953836 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01100.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Periodic length fluctuations of airway smooth muscle during breathing are thought to modulate airway responsiveness in vivo. Recent animal and human intact airway studies have shown that pressure fluctuations simulating breathing can only marginally reverse airway narrowing and are ineffective at protecting against future narrowing. However, these previous studies were performed on relatively large (>5 mm diameter) airways, which are inherently stiffer than smaller airways for which a preponderance of airway constriction in asthma likely occurs. The goal of this study was to determine the effectiveness of breathing-like transmural pressure oscillations to reverse induced narrowing and/or protect against future narrowing of smaller, more compliant intact airways. We constricted smaller (luminal diameter = 2.92 ± 0.29 mm) intact airway segments twice with ACh (10(-6) M), once while applying tidal-like pressure oscillations (5-15 cmH2O) before, during, and after inducing constriction (Pre + Post) and again while only imposing the tidal-like pressure oscillation after induced constriction (Post Only). Smaller airways were 128% more compliant than previously studied larger airways. This increased compliance translated into 196% more strain and 76% greater recovery (41 vs. 23%) because of tidal-like pressure oscillations. Larger pressure oscillations (5-25 cmH2O) caused more recovery (77.5 ± 16.5%). However, pressure oscillations applied before and during constriction resulted in the same steady-state diameter as when pressure oscillations were only applied after constriction. These data show that reduced straining of the airways before a challenge likely does not contribute to the emergence of airway hyperreactivity observed in asthma but may serve to sustain a given level of constriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C Harvey
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Kenneth R Lutchen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
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Nesmith AP, Agarwal A, McCain ML, Parker KK. Human airway musculature on a chip: an in vitro model of allergic asthmatic bronchoconstriction and bronchodilation. LAB ON A CHIP 2014; 14:3925-36. [PMID: 25093641 PMCID: PMC4167568 DOI: 10.1039/c4lc00688g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Many potential new asthma therapies that show promise in the pre-clinical stage of drug development do not demonstrate efficacy during clinical trials. One factor contributing to this problem is the lack of human-relevant models of the airway that recapitulate the tissue-level structural and functional phenotypes of asthma. Hence, we sought to build a model of a human airway musculature on a chip that simulates healthy and asthmatic bronchoconstriction and bronchodilation in vitro by engineering anisotropic, laminar bronchial smooth muscle tissue on elastomeric thin films. In response to a cholinergic agonist, the muscle layer contracts and induces thin film bending, which serves as an in vitro analogue for bronchoconstriction. To mimic asthmatic inflammation, we exposed the engineered tissues to interleukin-13, which resulted in hypercontractility and altered relaxation in response to cholinergic challenge, similar to responses observed clinically in asthmatic patients as well as in studies with animal tissue. Moreover, we reversed asthmatic hypercontraction using a muscarinic antagonist and a β-agonist which are used clinically to relax constricted airways. Importantly, we demonstrated that targeting RhoA-mediated contraction using HA1077 decreased basal tone, prevented hypercontraction, and improved relaxation of the engineered tissues exposed to IL-13. These data suggest that we can recapitulate the structural and functional hallmarks of human asthmatic musculature on a chip, including responses to drug treatments for evaluation of safety and efficacy of new drugs. Further, our airway musculature on a chip provides an important tool for enabling mechanism-based search for new therapeutic targets through the ability to evaluate engineered muscle at the levels of protein expression, tissue structure, and tissue function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Peyton Nesmith
- Disease Biophysics Group, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 29 Oxford St., Pierce Hall 321, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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40
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Rosner SR, Ram-Mohan S, Paez-Cortez JR, Lavoie TL, Dowell ML, Yuan L, Ai X, Fine A, Aird WC, Solway J, Fredberg JJ, Krishnan R. Airway contractility in the precision-cut lung slice after cryopreservation. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2014; 50:876-81. [PMID: 24313705 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2013-0166ma] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
An emerging tool in airway biology is the precision-cut lung slice (PCLS). Adoption of the PCLS as a model for assessing airway reactivity has been hampered by the limited time window within which tissues remain viable. Here we demonstrate that the PCLS can be frozen, stored long-term, and then thawed for later experimental use. Compared with the never-frozen murine PCLS, the frozen-thawed PCLS shows metabolic activity that is decreased to an extent comparable to that observed in other cryopreserved tissues but shows no differences in cell viability or in airway caliber responses to the contractile agonist methacholine or the relaxing agonist chloroquine. These results indicate that freezing and long-term storage is a feasible solution to the problem of limited viability of the PCLS in culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia R Rosner
- 1 Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
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41
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Noble PB, Pascoe CD, Lan B, Ito S, Kistemaker LEM, Tatler AL, Pera T, Brook BS, Gosens R, West AR. Airway smooth muscle in asthma: linking contraction and mechanotransduction to disease pathogenesis and remodelling. Pulm Pharmacol Ther 2014; 29:96-107. [PMID: 25062835 DOI: 10.1016/j.pupt.2014.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2014] [Revised: 07/12/2014] [Accepted: 07/15/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Asthma is an obstructive airway disease, with a heterogeneous and multifactorial pathogenesis. Although generally considered to be a disease principally driven by chronic inflammation, it is becoming increasingly recognised that the immune component of the pathology poorly correlates with the clinical symptoms of asthma, thus highlighting a potentially central role for non-immune cells. In this context airway smooth muscle (ASM) may be a key player, as it comprises a significant proportion of the airway wall and is the ultimate effector of acute airway narrowing. Historically, the contribution of ASM to asthma pathogenesis has been contentious, yet emerging evidence suggests that ASM contractile activation imparts chronic effects that extend well beyond the temporary effects of bronchoconstriction. In this review article we describe the effects that ASM contraction, in combination with cellular mechanotransduction and novel contraction-inflammation synergies, contribute to asthma pathogenesis. Specific emphasis will be placed on the effects that ASM contraction exerts on the mechanical properties of the airway wall, as well as novel mechanisms by which ASM contraction may contribute to more established features of asthma such as airway wall remodelling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter B Noble
- School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, University of Western Australia, WA, Australia
| | - Chris D Pascoe
- Center for Heart Lung Innovation, University of British Columbia, BC, Canada
| | - Bo Lan
- Center for Heart Lung Innovation, University of British Columbia, BC, Canada; Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Satoru Ito
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Nagoya University, Aichi, Japan
| | - Loes E M Kistemaker
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Amanda L Tatler
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Tonio Pera
- Center for Translational Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bindi S Brook
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Reinoud Gosens
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Adrian R West
- Department of Physiology, University of Manitoba, MB, Canada; Biology of Breathing, Manitoba Institute of Child Health, MB, Canada.
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Fitzgerald R, DeSantiago B, Lee DY, Yang G, Kim JY, Foster DB, Chan-Li Y, Horton MR, Panettieri RA, Wang R, An SS. H2S relaxes isolated human airway smooth muscle cells via the sarcolemmal K(ATP) channel. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2014; 446:393-8. [PMID: 24613832 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.02.129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Here we explored the impact of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on biophysical properties of the primary human airway smooth muscle (ASM)-the end effector of acute airway narrowing in asthma. Using magnetic twisting cytometry (MTC), we measured dynamic changes in the stiffness of isolated ASM, at the single-cell level, in response to varying doses of GYY4137 (1-10mM). GYY4137 slowly released appreciable levels of H2S in the range of 10-275 μM, and H2S released was long lived. In isolated human ASM cells, GYY4137 acutely decreased stiffness (i.e. an indicator of the single-cell relaxation) in a dose-dependent fashion, and stiffness decreases were sustained in culture for 24h. Human ASM cells showed protein expressions of cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE; a H2S synthesizing enzyme) and ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels. The KATP channel opener pinacidil effectively relaxed isolated ASM cells. In addition, pinacidil-induced ASM relaxation was completely inhibited by the treatment of cells with the KATP channel blocker glibenclamide. Glibenclamide also markedly attenuated GYY4137-mediated relaxation of isolated human ASM cells. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that H2S causes the relaxation of human ASM and implicate as well the role for sarcolemmal KATP channels. Finally, given that ASM cells express intrinsic enzymatic machinery of generating H2S, we suggest thereby this class of gasotransmitter can be further exploited for potential therapy against obstructive lung disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Fitzgerald
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Breann DeSantiago
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Danielle Y Lee
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Guangdong Yang
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research Unit, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
| | - Jae Yeon Kim
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - D Brian Foster
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yee Chan-Li
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Maureen R Horton
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Reynold A Panettieri
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Airways Biology Initiative, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of Biology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
| | - Steven S An
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Lee PF, Bai Y, Smith RL, Bayless KJ, Yeh AT. Angiogenic responses are enhanced in mechanically and microscopically characterized, microbial transglutaminase crosslinked collagen matrices with increased stiffness. Acta Biomater 2013; 9:7178-90. [PMID: 23571003 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2013.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2012] [Revised: 03/12/2013] [Accepted: 04/01/2013] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
During angiogenesis, endothelial cells (ECs) use both soluble and insoluble cues to expand the existing vascular network to meet the changing trophic needs of the tissue. Fundamental to this expansion are physical interactions between ECs and extracellular matrix (ECM) that influence sprout migration, lumen formation and stabilization. These physical interactions suggest that ECM mechanical properties may influence sprouting ECs and, therefore, angiogenic responses. In a three-dimensional angiogenic model in which a monolayer of ECs is induced to invade an underlying collagen matrix, angiogenic responses were measured as a function of collagen matrix stiffness by inducing collagen crosslinking with microbial transglutaminase (mTG). By biaxial mechanical testing, stiffer collagen matrices were measured with both mTG treatment and incubation time. Using two-photon excited fluorescence (TPF) and second harmonic generation (SHG), it was shown that collagen TPF intensity increased with mTG treatment, and the TPF/SHG ratio correlated with biaxially tested mechanical stiffness. SHG and OCM were further used to show that other ECM physical properties such as porosity and pore size did not change with mTG treatment, thus verifying that matrix stiffness was tuned independently of matrix density. The results showed that stiffer matrices promote more angiogenic sprouts that invade deeper. No differences in lumen size were observed between control and mTG stiffened matrices, but greater remodeling was revealed in stiffer gels using SHG and OCM. The results of this study show that angiogenic responses are influenced by stiffness and suggest that ECM properties may be useful in regenerative medicine applications to engineer angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- P-F Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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44
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West AR, Zaman N, Cole DJ, Walker MJ, Legant WR, Boudou T, Chen CS, Favreau JT, Gaudette GR, Cowley EA, Maksym GN. Development and characterization of a 3D multicell microtissue culture model of airway smooth muscle. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2012; 304:L4-16. [PMID: 23125251 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00168.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Airway smooth muscle (ASM) cellular and molecular biology is typically studied with single-cell cultures grown on flat 2D substrates. However, cells in vivo exist as part of complex 3D structures, and it is well established in other cell types that altering substrate geometry exerts potent effects on phenotype and function. These factors may be especially relevant to asthma, a disease characterized by structural remodeling of the airway wall, and highlights a need for more physiologically relevant models of ASM function. We utilized a tissue engineering platform known as microfabricated tissue gauges to develop a 3D culture model of ASM featuring arrays of ∼0.4 mm long, ∼350 cell "microtissues" capable of simultaneous contractile force measurement and cell-level microscopy. ASM-only microtissues generated baseline tension, exhibited strong cellular organization, and developed actin stress fibers, but lost structural integrity and dissociated from the cantilevers within 3 days. Addition of 3T3-fibroblasts dramatically improved survival times without affecting tension development or morphology. ASM-3T3 microtissues contracted similarly to ex vivo ASM, exhibiting reproducible responses to a range of contractile and relaxant agents. Compared with 2D cultures, microtissues demonstrated identical responses to acetylcholine and KCl, but not histamine, forskolin, or cytochalasin D, suggesting that contractility is regulated by substrate geometry. Microtissues represent a novel model for studying ASM, incorporating a physiological 3D structure, realistic mechanical environment, coculture of multiple cells types, and comparable contractile properties to existing models. This new model allows for rapid screening of biochemical and mechanical factors to provide insight into ASM dysfunction in asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian R West
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
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West AR, Syyong HT, Siddiqui S, Pascoe CD, Murphy TM, Maarsingh H, Deng L, Maksym GN, Bossé Y. Airway contractility and remodeling: links to asthma symptoms. Pulm Pharmacol Ther 2012; 26:3-12. [PMID: 22989721 DOI: 10.1016/j.pupt.2012.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2012] [Revised: 08/14/2012] [Accepted: 08/16/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Respiratory symptoms are largely caused by obstruction of the airways. In asthma, airway narrowing mediated by airway smooth muscle (ASM) contraction contributes significantly to obstruction. The spasmogens produced following exposure to environmental triggers, such as viruses or allergens, are initially responsible for ASM activation. However, the extent of narrowing of the airway lumen due to ASM shortening can be influenced by many factors and it remains a real challenge to decipher the exact role of ASM in causing asthmatic symptoms. Innovative tools, such as the forced oscillation technique, continue to develop and have been proven useful to assess some features of ASM function in vivo. Despite these technologic advances, it is still not clear whether excessive narrowing in asthma is driven by ASM abnormalities, by other alterations in non-muscle factors or simply because of the overexpression of spasmogens. This is because a multitude of forces are acting on the airway wall, and because not only are these forces constantly changing but they are also intricately interconnected. To counteract these limitations, investigators have utilized in vitro and ex vivo systems to assess and compare asthmatic and non-asthmatic ASM contractility. This review describes: 1- some muscle and non-muscle factors that are altered in asthma that may lead to airway narrowing and asthma symptoms; 2- some technologies such as the forced oscillation technique that have the potential to unveil the role of ASM in airway narrowing in vivo; and 3- some data from ex vivo and in vitro methods that probe the possibility that airway hyperresponsiveness is due to the altered environment surrounding the ASM or, alternatively, to a hypercontractile ASM phenotype that can be either innate or acquired.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian R West
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada
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46
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Wright D, Sharma P, Ryu MH, Rissé PA, Ngo M, Maarsingh H, Koziol-White C, Jha A, Halayko AJ, West AR. Models to study airway smooth muscle contraction in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro: implications in understanding asthma. Pulm Pharmacol Ther 2012; 26:24-36. [PMID: 22967819 DOI: 10.1016/j.pupt.2012.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2012] [Revised: 08/14/2012] [Accepted: 08/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Asthma is a chronic obstructive airway disease characterised by airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and airway wall remodelling. The effector of airway narrowing is the contraction of airway smooth muscle (ASM), yet the question of whether an inherent or acquired dysfunction in ASM contractile function plays a significant role in the disease pathophysiology remains contentious. The difficulty in determining the role of ASM lies in limitations with the models used to assess contraction. In vivo models provide a fully integrated physiological response but ASM contraction cannot be directly measured. Ex vivo and in vitro models can provide more direct assessment of ASM contraction but the loss of factors that may modulate ASM responsiveness and AHR, including interaction between multiple cell types and disruption of the mechanical environment, precludes a complete understanding of the disease process. In this review we detail key advantages of common in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro models of ASM contraction, as well as emerging tissue engineered models of ASM and whole airways. We also highlight important findings from each model with respect to the pathophysiology of asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Wright
- Medical Research Council and Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, King's College London, United Kingdom
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Dao Thi MU, Trocmé C, Montmasson MP, Fanchon E, Toussaint B, Tracqui P. Investigating metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 mechanosensitivity to feedback loops involved in the regulation of in vitro angiogenesis by endogenous mechanical stresses. Acta Biotheor 2012; 60:21-40. [PMID: 22271286 DOI: 10.1007/s10441-012-9147-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2011] [Accepted: 01/11/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Angiogenesis is a complex morphogenetic process regulated by growth factors, but also by the force balance between endothelial cells (EC) traction stresses and extracellular matrix (ECM) viscoelastic resistance. Studies conducted with in vitro angiogenesis assays demonstrated that decreasing ECM stiffness triggers an angiogenic switch that promotes organization of EC into tubular cords or pseudo-capillaries. Thus, mechano-sensitivity of EC with regard to proteases secretion, and notably matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), should likely play a pivotal role in this switching mechanism. While most studies analysing strain regulation of MMPs used cell cultured on stretched membranes, this work focuses on MMP expression during self-assembly of EC into capillary-like structures within fibrin gels, i.e. on conditions that mimics more closely the in vivo cellular mechanical microenvironment. The activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9, two MMPs that have a pivotal role in capillaries formation, has been monitored in pace with the progressive elongation of EAhy926 cells that takes place during the emergence of cellular cords. We found an increase of the zymogen proMMP-2 that correlates with the initial stages of EC cords formation. However, MMP-2 was not detected. ProMMP-9 secretion decreased, with levels of MMP-9 kept at a rather low value. In order to analyse more precisely the observed differences of EAhy926 response on fibrin and plastic substrates, we proposed a theoretical model of the mechano-regulation of proMMP-2 activation in the presence of type 2 tissue inhibitor of MMPs (TIMP-2). Using association/dissociation rates experimentally reported for this enzymatic network, the model adequately describes the synergism of proMMP-2 and TIMP-2 strain activation during pseudo-capillary morphogenesis. All together, these results provide a first step toward a systems biology approach of angiogenesis mechano-regulation by cell-generated extracellular stresses and strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minh-Uyen Dao Thi
- Faculté de Médecine de Grenoble, DyCTiM team, UJF-Grenoble, CNRS, Laboratoire TIMC-IMAG UMR, France
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48
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Zhou EH, Krishnan R, Stamer WD, Perkumas KM, Rajendran K, Nabhan JF, Lu Q, Fredberg JJ, Johnson M. Mechanical responsiveness of the endothelial cell of Schlemm's canal: scope, variability and its potential role in controlling aqueous humour outflow. J R Soc Interface 2011; 9:1144-55. [PMID: 22171066 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2011.0733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary open-angle glaucoma is associated with elevated intraocular pressure, which in turn is believed to result from impaired outflow of aqueous humour. Aqueous humour outflow passes mainly through the trabecular meshwork (TM) and then through pores formed in the endothelium of Schlemm's canal (SC), which experiences a basal-to-apical pressure gradient. This gradient dramatically deforms the SC endothelial cell and potentially contributes to the formation of those pores. However, mechanical properties of the SC cell are poorly defined. Using optical magnetic twisting cytometry and traction force microscopy, here we characterize the mechanical properties of primary cultures of the human SC cell, and for the first time, the scope of their changes in response to pharmacological agents that are known to modulate outflow resistance. Lysophosphatidic acid, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and thrombin caused an increase in cell stiffness by up to 200 per cent, whereas in most cell strains, exposure to latrunculin A, isoproterenol, dibutryl cyclic-AMP or Y-27632 caused a decrease in cell stiffness by up to 80 per cent, highlighting that SC cells possess a remarkably wide contractile scope. Drug responses were variable across donors. S1P, for example, caused 200 per cent stiffening in one donor strain but only 20 per cent stiffening in another. Isoproterenol caused dose-dependent softening in three donor strains but little or no response in two others, a finding mirrored by changes in traction forces and consistent with the level of expression of β(2)-adrenergic receptors. Despite donor variability, those drugs that typically increase outflow resistance systematically caused cell stiffness to increase, while in most cases, those drugs that typically decrease outflow resistance caused cell stiffness to decrease. These findings establish the endothelial cell of SC as a reactive but variable mechanical component of the aqueous humour outflow pathway. Although the mechanism and locus of increased outflow resistance remain unclear, these data suggest the SC endothelial cell to be a modulator of outflow resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- E H Zhou
- Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
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The effect of stress and tissue fluid microenvironment on allogeneic chondrocytes in vivo and the immunological properties of engineered cartilage. Biomaterials 2011; 32:6017-24. [PMID: 21676457 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2011.04.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2011] [Accepted: 04/18/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Engineered implants derived from neonatal rabbit chondrocytes and collagen type I hydrogel, were loaded in dialyzer pockets and implanted in muscle and articular cavity of rabbits to simulate different stress and tissue fluid micro-environments. After 4 and 12 weeks, the expressions of main histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules as well as the mixed lymphocyte chondrocytes reactions (MLChR) levels of the seeded cells were detected. The results indicated that with stress and synovial fluid microenvironment, the formation of chondroid tissue was prominently promoted in articular cavity. It gave the seeded chondrocytes lower and gradually decreasing levels of allogeneic lymphocytes activation, however, with the higher cell mortality, the MHC molecules expression, especially MHC-I were up-regulated obviously in early stage. These results are very different to those seen in muscle and prove that stress and tissue fluid micro-environments can greatly impact the differentiation and immunological properties of the engineered cartilage. From the perspective of avoiding severe rejection, to promote the formation of the matrix as fast and select scaffold with higher "isolation" ability may be meaningful. Furthermore, the suitably treated dialyzer pockets model can be used for the study of the differentiation and immunological properties of the tissue engineered cartilage.
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Lenormand G, Millet E, Park CY, Hardin CC, Butler JP, Moldovan NI, Fredberg JJ. Dynamics of the cytoskeleton: how much does water matter? PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2011; 83:061918. [PMID: 21797414 PMCID: PMC3879600 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.83.061918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2011] [Revised: 04/20/2011] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The principal constituent of the living cell is water. The role of the hydration shell and bulk H(2)O solvent is well recognized in the dynamics of isolated proteins, but the role of water in the dynamics of the integrated living cytoskeleton (CSK) remains obscure. Here we report a direct connection of dynamics of water to dynamics of the integrated CSK. The latter are known to be scale-free and to hinge upon a frequency f(0) that is roughly invariant across cell types. Although f(0) is comparable in magnitude to the rotational relaxation frequency of water (gigahertz range), the physical basis of f(0) remains unknown. Using the human airway smooth muscle cell as a model system, we show here that replacing water acutely with deuterium oxide impacts CSK dynamics in major ways, slowing CSK remodeling dynamics appreciably, and lowering f(0) by up to four orders of magnitude. Although these observations do not distinguish contributions of bulk solvent versus hydration shell, they suggest a unifying hypothesis, namely, that dynamics of integrated CSK networks are slaved in a direct fashion to fluctuations arising in intracellular water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Lenormand
- School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
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