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Hilai K, Grubich D, Akrawi M, Zhu H, Zaghloul R, Shi C, Do M, Zhu D, Zhang J. Mechanical evolution of metastatic cancer cells in three-dimensional microenvironment. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.27.601015. [PMID: 39005477 PMCID: PMC11244934 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.27.601015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Cellular biomechanics plays critical roles in cancer metastasis and tumor progression. Existing studies on cancer cell biomechanics are mostly conducted in flat 2D conditions, where cells' behavior can differ considerably from those in 3D physiological environments. Despite great advances in developing 3D in vitro models, probing cellular elasticity in 3D conditions remains a major challenge for existing technologies. In this work, we utilize optical Brillouin microscopy to longitudinally acquire mechanical images of growing cancerous spheroids over the period of eight days. The dense mechanical mapping from Brillouin microscopy enables us to extract spatially resolved and temporally evolving mechanical features that were previously inaccessible. Using an established machine learning algorithm, we demonstrate that incorporating these extracted mechanical features significantly improves the classification accuracy of cancer cells, from 74% to 95%. Building on this finding, we have developed a deep learning pipeline capable of accurately differentiating cancerous spheroids from normal ones solely using Brillouin images, suggesting the mechanical features of cancer cells could potentially serve as a new biomarker in cancer classification and detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karlin Hilai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Daniil Grubich
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Marcus Akrawi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Hui Zhu
- Department of Computer Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Razanne Zaghloul
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Chenjun Shi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Man Do
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Dongxiao Zhu
- Department of Computer Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Jitao Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
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2
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Vos BE, Muenker TM, Betz T. Characterizing intracellular mechanics via optical tweezers-based microrheology. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2024; 88:102374. [PMID: 38824902 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2024.102374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Intracellular organization is a highly regulated homeostatic state maintained to ensure eukaryotic cells' correct and efficient functioning. Thanks to decades of research, vast knowledge of the proteins involved in intracellular transport and organization has been acquired. However, how these influence and potentially regulate the intracellular mechanical properties of the cell is largely unknown. There is a deep knowledge gap between the understanding of cortical mechanics, which is accessible by a series of experimental tools, and the intracellular situation that has been largely neglected due to the difficulty of performing intracellular mechanics measurements. Recently, tools required for such quantitative and localized analysis of intracellular mechanics have been introduced. Here, we review how these approaches and the resulting viscoelastic models lead the way to a full mechanical description of the cytoplasm, which is instrumental for a quantitative characterization of the intracellular life of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart E Vos
- Third Institute of Physics, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Till M Muenker
- Third Institute of Physics, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Timo Betz
- Third Institute of Physics, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany; Cluster of Excellence 'Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells' (MBExC), Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany.
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3
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Handler C, Testi C, Scarcelli G. Advantages of integrating Brillouin microscopy in multimodal mechanical mapping of cells and tissues. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2024; 88:102341. [PMID: 38471195 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2024.102341] [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: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Recent research has highlighted the growing significance of the mechanical properties of cells and tissues in the proper execution of physiological functions within an organism; alterations to these properties can potentially result in various diseases. These mechanical properties can be assessed using various techniques that vary in spatial and temporal resolutions as well as applications. Due to the wide range of mechanical behaviors exhibited by cells and tissues, a singular mapping technique may be insufficient in capturing their complexity and nuance. Consequently, by utilizing a combination of methods-multimodal mechanical mapping-researchers can achieve a more comprehensive characterization of mechanical properties, encompassing factors such as stiffness, modulus, viscoelasticity, and forces. Furthermore, different mapping techniques can provide complementary information and enable the exploration of spatial and temporal variations to enhance our understanding of cellular dynamics and tissue mechanics. By capitalizing on the unique strengths of each method while mitigating their respective limitations, a more precise and holistic understanding of cellular and tissue mechanics can be obtained. Here, we spotlight Brillouin microscopy (BM) as a noncontact, noninvasive, and label-free mechanical mapping modality to be coutilized alongside established mechanical probing methods. This review summarizes some of the most widely adopted individual mechanical mapping techniques and highlights several recent multimodal approaches demonstrating their utility. We envision that future studies aim to adopt multimodal techniques to drive advancements in the broader realm of mechanobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenchen Handler
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Claudia Testi
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Center for Life Nano- and Neuro- Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Giuliano Scarcelli
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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4
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So WY, Johnson B, Gordon PB, Bishop KS, Gong H, Burr HA, Staunton JR, Handler C, Sood R, Scarcelli G, Tanner K. Macrophage mediated mesoscale brain mechanical homeostasis mechanically imaged via optical tweezers and Brillouin microscopy in vivo. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.27.573380. [PMID: 38234798 PMCID: PMC10793422 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.27.573380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Tissues are active materials where epithelial turnover, immune surveillance, and remodeling of stromal cells such as macrophages all regulate form and function. Scattering modalities such as Brillouin microscopy (BM) can non-invasively access mechanical signatures at GHz. However, our traditional understanding of tissue material properties is derived mainly from modalities which probe mechanical properties at different frequencies. Thus, reconciling measurements amongst these modalities remains an active area. Here, we compare optical tweezer active microrheology (OT-AMR) and Brillouin microscopy (BM) to longitudinally map brain development in the larval zebrafish. We determine that each measurement is able to detect a mechanical signature linked to functional units of the brain. We demonstrate that the corrected BM-Longitudinal modulus using a density factor correlates well with OT-AMR storage modulus at lower frequencies. We also show that the brain tissue mechanical properties are dependent on both the neuronal architecture and the presence of macrophages. Moreover, the BM technique is able to delineate the contributions to mechanical properties of the macrophage from that due to colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) mediated stromal remodeling. Here, our data suggest that macrophage remodeling is instrumental in the maintenance of tissue mechanical homeostasis during development. Moreover, the strong agreement between the OT-AM and BM further demonstrates that scattering-based technique is sensitive to both large and minute structural modification in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woong Young So
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), MD, USA
| | - Bailey Johnson
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), MD, USA
| | | | - Kevin S. Bishop
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), MD, USA
| | - Hyeyeon Gong
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), MD, USA
- University of Maryland - College Park, MD, USA
| | - Hannah A Burr
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), MD, USA
| | | | | | - Raman Sood
- National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, MD, USA
| | | | - Kandice Tanner
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), MD, USA
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5
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Mierke CT. Phenotypic Heterogeneity, Bidirectionality, Universal Cues, Plasticity, Mechanics, and the Tumor Microenvironment Drive Cancer Metastasis. Biomolecules 2024; 14:184. [PMID: 38397421 PMCID: PMC10887446 DOI: 10.3390/biom14020184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor diseases become a huge problem when they embark on a path that advances to malignancy, such as the process of metastasis. Cancer metastasis has been thoroughly investigated from a biological perspective in the past, whereas it has still been less explored from a physical perspective. Until now, the intraluminal pathway of cancer metastasis has received the most attention, while the interaction of cancer cells with macrophages has received little attention. Apart from the biochemical characteristics, tumor treatments also rely on the tumor microenvironment, which is recognized to be immunosuppressive and, as has recently been found, mechanically stimulates cancer cells and thus alters their functions. The review article highlights the interaction of cancer cells with other cells in the vascular metastatic route and discusses the impact of this intercellular interplay on the mechanical characteristics and subsequently on the functionality of cancer cells. For instance, macrophages can guide cancer cells on their intravascular route of cancer metastasis, whereby they can help to circumvent the adverse conditions within blood or lymphatic vessels. Macrophages induce microchannel tunneling that can possibly avoid mechanical forces during extra- and intravasation and reduce the forces within the vascular lumen due to vascular flow. The review article highlights the vascular route of cancer metastasis and discusses the key players in this traditional route. Moreover, the effects of flows during the process of metastasis are presented, and the effects of the microenvironment, such as mechanical influences, are characterized. Finally, the increased knowledge of cancer metastasis opens up new perspectives for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Tanja Mierke
- Faculty of Physics and Earth System Science, Peter Debye Institute of Soft Matter Physics, Biological Physics Division, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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6
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Martinez-Vidal L, Testi C, Pontecorvo E, Pederzoli F, Alchera E, Locatelli I, Venegoni C, Spinelli A, Lucianò R, Salonia A, Podestà A, Ruocco G, Alfano M. Progressive alteration of murine bladder elasticity in actinic cystitis detected by Brillouin microscopy. Sci Rep 2024; 14:484. [PMID: 38177637 PMCID: PMC10766652 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-51006-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Bladder mechanical properties are critical for organ function and tissue homeostasis. Therefore, alterations of tissue mechanics are linked to disease onset and progression. This study aims to characterize the tissue elasticity of the murine bladder wall considering its different anatomical components, both in healthy conditions and in actinic cystitis, a state characterized by tissue fibrosis. Here, we exploit Brillouin microscopy, an emerging technique in the mechanobiology field that allows mapping tissue mechanics at the microscale, in non-contact mode and free of labeling. We show that Brillouin imaging of bladder tissues is able to recognize the different anatomical components of the bladder wall, confirmed by histopathological analysis, showing different tissue mechanical properties of the physiological bladder, as well as a significant alteration in the presence of tissue fibrosis. Our results point out the potential use of Brillouin imaging on clinically relevant samples as a complementary technique to histopathological analysis, deciphering complex mechanical alteration of each tissue layer of an organ that strongly relies on mechanical properties to perform its function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Martinez-Vidal
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132, Milan, Italy.
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.
| | - Claudia Testi
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161, Roma, Italy.
| | - Emanuele Pontecorvo
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161, Roma, Italy
- CrestOptics S.p.A., Via Di Torre Rossa, 66, 00165, Roma, Italy
| | - Filippo Pederzoli
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132, Milan, Italy
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Alchera
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Irene Locatelli
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Venegoni
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonello Spinelli
- Experimental Imaging Centre, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberta Lucianò
- Pathology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Salonia
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132, Milan, Italy
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Podestà
- Dipartimento Di Fisica "Aldo Pontremoli" and CIMAINA, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Ruocco
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161, Roma, Italy
- Dipartimento Di Fisica, Universitá Di Roma "La Sapienza", Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185, Roma, Italy
| | - Massimo Alfano
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132, Milan, Italy
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7
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So WY, Wong CS, Azubuike UF, Paul CD, Sangsari PR, Gordon PB, Gong H, Maity TK, Lim P, Yang Z, Haryanto CA, Batchelor E, Jenkins LM, Morgan NY, Tanner K. YAP localization mediates mechanical adaptation of human cancer cells during extravasation in vivo. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.14.567015. [PMID: 38076880 PMCID: PMC10705547 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.14.567015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Biophysical profiling of primary tumors has revealed that individual tumor cells fall along a highly heterogeneous continuum of mechanical phenotypes. One idea is that a subset of tumor cells is "softer" to facilitate detachment and escape from the primary site, a step required to initiate metastasis. However, it has also been postulated that cells must be able to deform and generate sufficient force to exit into distant sites. Here, we aimed to dissect the mechanical changes that occur during extravasation and organ colonization. Using multiplexed methods of intravital microscopy and optical tweezer based active microrheology, we obtained longitudinal images and mechanical profiles of cells during organ colonization in vivo. We determined that cells were softer, more liquid like upon exit of the vasculature but stiffened and became more solid like once in the new organ microenvironment. We also determined that a YAP mediated mechanogenotype influenced the global dissemination in our in vivo and in vitro models and that reducing mechanical heterogeneity could reduce extravasation. Moreover, our high throughput analysis of mechanical phenotypes of patient samples revealed that this mechanics was in part regulated by the external hydrodynamic forces that the cancer cells experienced within capillary mimetics. Our findings indicate that disseminated cancer cells can keep mutating with a continuum landscape of mechano-phenotypes, governed by the YAP-mediated mechanosensing of hydrodynamic flow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woong Young So
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), MD, USA
| | - Claudia S. Wong
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), MD, USA
| | | | - Colin D. Paul
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), MD, USA
| | - Paniz Rezvan Sangsari
- National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health
| | | | - Hyeyeon Gong
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), MD, USA
| | - Tapan K. Maity
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), MD, USA
| | - Perry Lim
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), MD, USA
| | - Zhilin Yang
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), MD, USA
| | | | | | - Lisa M. Jenkins
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), MD, USA
| | - Nicole Y. Morgan
- National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health
| | - Kandice Tanner
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), MD, USA
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8
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Wang D, Brady T, Santhanam L, Gerecht S. The extracellular matrix mechanics in the vasculature. NATURE CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH 2023; 2:718-732. [PMID: 39195965 DOI: 10.1038/s44161-023-00311-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Mechanical stimuli from the extracellular matrix (ECM) modulate vascular differentiation, morphogenesis and dysfunction of the vasculature. With innovation in measurements, we can better characterize vascular microenvironment mechanics in health and disease. Recent advances in material sciences and stem cell biology enable us to accurately recapitulate the complex and dynamic ECM mechanical microenvironment for in vitro studies. These biomimetic approaches help us understand the signaling pathways in disease pathologies, identify therapeutic targets, build tissue replacement and activate tissue regeneration. This Review analyzes how ECM mechanics regulate vascular homeostasis and dysfunction. We highlight approaches to examine ECM mechanics at tissue and cellular levels, focusing on how mechanical interactions between cells and the ECM regulate vascular phenotype, especially under certain pathological conditions. Finally, we explore the development of biomaterials to emulate, measure and alter the physical microenvironment of pathological ECM to understand cell-ECM mechanical interactions toward the development of therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dafu Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Travis Brady
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lakshmi Santhanam
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sharon Gerecht
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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9
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Hsia CR, Melters DP, Dalal Y. The Force is Strong with This Epigenome: Chromatin Structure and Mechanobiology. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:168019. [PMID: 37330288 PMCID: PMC10567996 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
All life forms sense and respond to mechanical stimuli. Throughout evolution, organisms develop diverse mechanosensing and mechanotransduction pathways, leading to fast and sustained mechanoresponses. Memory and plasticity characteristics of mechanoresponses are thought to be stored in the form of epigenetic modifications, including chromatin structure alterations. These mechanoresponses in the chromatin context share conserved principles across species, such as lateral inhibition during organogenesis and development. However, it remains unclear how mechanotransduction mechanisms alter chromatin structure for specific cellular functions, and if altered chromatin structure can mechanically affect the environment. In this review, we discuss how chromatin structure is altered by environmental forces via an outside-in pathway for cellular functions, and the emerging concept of how chromatin structure alterations can mechanically affect nuclear, cellular, and extracellular environments. This bidirectional mechanical feedback between chromatin of the cell and the environment can potentially have important physiological implications, such as in centromeric chromatin regulation of mechanobiology in mitosis, or in tumor-stroma interactions. Finally, we highlight the current challenges and open questions in the field and provide perspectives for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chieh-Ren Hsia
- Chromatin Structure and Epigenetic Mechanisms, Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States. https://twitter.com/JeremiahHsia
| | - Daniël P Melters
- Chromatin Structure and Epigenetic Mechanisms, Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States. https://twitter.com/dpmelters
| | - Yamini Dalal
- Chromatin Structure and Epigenetic Mechanisms, Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States. https://twitter.com/NCIYaminiDalal
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10
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Biophysical determinants of cancer organotropism. Trends Cancer 2023; 9:188-197. [PMID: 36494310 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2022.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis remains the leading cause of cancer lethality. The 'seed/soil' hypothesis provides the framework to explain this cancer phenomenon where the concept of organotropism has been in part mechanistically explained by the properties of the tumor cells and their compatibility with the stromal environment of the distal site. The 'mechanical' hypothesis counters that non-random seeding is driven solely by the circulation patterns and vascular networks of organ systems. We incorporate concepts of mechanobiology and revisit the two hypotheses to provide additional insights into the mechanisms that regulate organ selection during metastatic outgrowth. We focus on the latter stages of the metastatic cascade and examine the role of the endothelium in regulating organ selectivity.
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11
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Sturgess V, Azubuike UF, Tanner K. Vascular regulation of disseminated tumor cells during metastatic spread. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2023; 4:011310. [PMID: 38510161 PMCID: PMC10903479 DOI: 10.1063/5.0106675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Cancer cells can travel to other organs via interconnected vascular systems to form new lesions in a process known as metastatic spread. Unfortunately, metastasis remains the leading cause of patient lethality. In recent years, it has been demonstrated that physical cues are just as important as chemical and genetic perturbations in driving changes in gene expression, cell motility, and survival. In this concise review, we focus on the physical cues that cancer cells experience as they migrate through the lymphatic and blood vascular networks. We also present an overview of steps that may facilitate organ specific metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Sturgess
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Building 37, Room 2132, Bethesda MD 20892, USA
| | - Udochi F. Azubuike
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Building 37, Room 2132, Bethesda MD 20892, USA
| | - Kandice Tanner
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Building 37, Room 2132, Bethesda MD 20892, USA
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12
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Gorfe AA. Biophysics of cancer. Biophys J 2022; 121:E1-E2. [PMID: 36152633 PMCID: PMC9617146 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alemayehu A Gorfe
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas; Biochemistry and Cell Biology Program & Therapeutics and Pharmacology Program, UTHealth MD Anderson Cancer Center Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas.
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13
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Hockenberry MA, Legant WR. Cells in the mechanical spotlight. Biophys J 2022; 121:3571-3572. [PMID: 36115341 PMCID: PMC9617153 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Max A Hockenberry
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Wesley R Legant
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
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