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Afting C, Walther T, Drozdowski OM, Schlagheck C, Schwarz US, Wittbrodt J, Göpfrich K. DNA microbeads for spatio-temporally controlled morphogen release within organoids. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024:10.1038/s41565-024-01779-y. [PMID: 39251862 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-024-01779-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Organoids are transformative in vitro model systems that mimic features of the corresponding tissue in vivo. However, across tissue types and species, organoids still often fail to reach full maturity and function because biochemical cues cannot be provided from within the organoid to guide their development. Here we introduce nanoengineered DNA microbeads with tissue mimetic tunable stiffness for implementing spatio-temporally controlled morphogen gradients inside of organoids at any point in their development. Using medaka retinal organoids and early embryos, we show that DNA microbeads can be integrated into embryos and organoids by microinjection and erased in a non-invasive manner with light. Coupling a recombinant surrogate Wnt to the DNA microbeads, we demonstrate the spatio-temporally controlled morphogen release from the microinjection site, which leads to morphogen gradients resulting in the formation of retinal pigmented epithelium while maintaining neuroretinal cell types. Thus, we bioengineered retinal organoids to more closely mirror the cell type diversity of in vivo retinae. Owing to the facile, one-pot fabrication process, the DNA microbead technology can be adapted to other organoid systems for improved tissue mimicry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassian Afting
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg (COS), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg International Biosciences Graduate School HBIGS, Heidelberg, Germany
- HeiKa Graduate School on "Functional Materials", Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tobias Walther
- HeiKa Graduate School on "Functional Materials", Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Biophysical Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Oliver M Drozdowski
- BioQuant Center, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Max Planck School Matter to Life, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christina Schlagheck
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg (COS), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg International Biosciences Graduate School HBIGS, Heidelberg, Germany
- HeiKa Graduate School on "Functional Materials", Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ulrich S Schwarz
- BioQuant Center, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joachim Wittbrodt
- Centre for Organismal Studies Heidelberg (COS), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Kerstin Göpfrich
- Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Biophysical Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, Germany.
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2
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Redwanz C, Pires RH, Biedenweg D, Groß S, Otto O, Könemann S. Endothelin-1 influences mechanical properties and contractility of hiPSC derived cardiomyocytes resulting in diastolic dysfunction. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2024; 194:105-117. [PMID: 39019395 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2024.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
A better understanding of the underlying pathomechanisms of diastolic dysfunction is crucial for the development of targeted therapeutic options with the aim to increase the patients' quality of life. In order to shed light on the processes involved, suitable models are required. Here, effects of endothelin-1 (ET-1) treatment on cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) were investigated. While it is well established, that ET-1 treatment induces hypertrophy in cardiomyocytes, resulting changes in cell mechanics and contractile behavior with focus on relaxation have not been examined before. Cardiomyocytes were treated with 10 nM of ET-1 for 24 h and 48 h, respectively. Hypertrophy was confirmed by real-time deformability cytometry (RT-DC) which was also used to assess the mechanical properties of cardiomyocytes. For investigation of the contractile behavior, 24 h phase contrast video microscopy was applied. To get a deeper insight into changes on the molecular biological level, gene expression analysis was performed using the NanoString nCounter® cardiovascular disease panel. Besides an increased cell size, ET-1 treated cardiomyocytes are stiffer and show an impaired relaxation. Gene expression patterns in ET-1 treated hiPSC derived cardiomyocytes showed that pathways associated with cardiovascular diseases, cardiac hypertrophy and extracellular matrix were upregulated while those associated with fatty acid metabolism were downregulated. We conclude that alterations in cardiomyocytes after ET-1 treatment go far beyond hypertrophy and represent a useful model for diastolic dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Redwanz
- Department for Internal Medicine B, Cardiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Ricardo H Pires
- Institute of Physics, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Straße 6, 17489 Greifswald, Germany; Centre for Innovation Competence - Humoral Immune Response in Cardiovascular Diseases, University Medicine Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Straße 15a, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Doreen Biedenweg
- Institute of Physics, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Straße 6, 17489 Greifswald, Germany; Centre for Innovation Competence - Humoral Immune Response in Cardiovascular Diseases, University Medicine Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Straße 15a, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Stefan Groß
- Department for Internal Medicine B, Cardiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Oliver Otto
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; Institute of Physics, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Straße 6, 17489 Greifswald, Germany; Centre for Innovation Competence - Humoral Immune Response in Cardiovascular Diseases, University Medicine Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Straße 15a, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Stephanie Könemann
- Department for Internal Medicine B, Cardiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany.
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3
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Szydlak R, Luty M, Prot VE, Øvreeide IH, Zemła J, Stokke BT, Lekka M. Detecting normal and cancer skin cells via glycosylation and adhesion signatures: A path to enhanced microfluidic phenotyping. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 258:116337. [PMID: 38703495 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116337] [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: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Recruiting circulating cells based on interactions between surface receptors and corresponding ligands holds promise for capturing cells with specific adhesive properties. Our study investigates the adhesion of skin cells to specific lectins, particularly focusing on advancements in lectin-based biosensors with diagnostic potential. We explore whether we can successfully capture normal skin (melanocytes and keratinocytes) and melanoma (WM35, WM115, WM266-4) cells in a low-shear flow environment by coating surfaces with lectins. Specifically, we coated surfaces with Dolichos biflorus (DBA) and Maackia Amurensis (MAL) lectins, which were used to detect and capture specific skin cells from the flow of cell mixture. Alterations in glycan expression (confirmed by fluorescent microscopy) demonstrated that DBA binds predominantly to normal skin cells, while MAL interacts strongly with melanoma cells. Assessing adhesion under static and dynamic low-shear stress conditions (up to 30 mPa) underscores the reliability of DBA and MAL as markers for discriminating specific cell type. Melanocytes and keratinocytes adhere to DBA-coated surfaces, while melanoma cells prefer MAL-coated surfaces. A comprehensive analysis encompassing cell shape, cytoskeleton, and focal adhesions shows the independence of our approach from the inherent characteristics of cells, thus demonstrating its robustness. Our results carry practical implications for lectin-biosensor designs, emphasizing the significance of glycan-based discrimination of pathologically altered cells. Combined with microfluidics, it demonstrates the value of cell adhesion as a discriminant of cancer-related changes, with potential applications spanning diagnostics, therapeutic interventions, and advanced biomedical technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Szydlak
- Department of Biophysical Microstructures, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Marcin Luty
- Department of Biophysical Microstructures, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342, Kraków, Poland
| | - Victorien E Prot
- Biomechanics, Department of Structural Engineering, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ingrid H Øvreeide
- Biophysics and Medical Technology, Department of Physics, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Joanna Zemła
- Department of Biophysical Microstructures, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342, Kraków, Poland
| | - Bjørn T Stokke
- Biophysics and Medical Technology, Department of Physics, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Małgorzata Lekka
- Department of Biophysical Microstructures, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342, Kraków, Poland.
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4
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Yan Y, Zhu S, Jia M, Chen X, Qi W, Gu F, Valencak TG, Liu JX, Sun HZ. Advances in single-cell transcriptomics in animal research. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2024; 15:102. [PMID: 39090689 PMCID: PMC11295521 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-024-01063-y] [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: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding biological mechanisms is fundamental for improving animal production and health to meet the growing demand for high-quality protein. As an emerging biotechnology, single-cell transcriptomics has been gradually applied in diverse aspects of animal research, offering an effective method to study the gene expression of high-throughput single cells of different tissues/organs in animals. In an unprecedented manner, researchers have identified cell types/subtypes and their marker genes, inferred cellular fate trajectories, and revealed cell‒cell interactions in animals using single-cell transcriptomics. In this paper, we introduce the development of single-cell technology and review the processes, advancements, and applications of single-cell transcriptomics in animal research. We summarize recent efforts using single-cell transcriptomics to obtain a more profound understanding of animal nutrition and health, reproductive performance, genetics, and disease models in different livestock species. Moreover, the practical experience accumulated based on a large number of cases is highlighted to provide a reference for determining key factors (e.g., sample size, cell clustering, and cell type annotation) in single-cell transcriptomics analysis. We also discuss the limitations and outlook of single-cell transcriptomics in the current stage. This paper describes the comprehensive progress of single-cell transcriptomics in animal research, offering novel insights and sustainable advancements in agricultural productivity and animal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunan Yan
- Institute of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Senlin Zhu
- Institute of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Minghui Jia
- Institute of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xinyi Chen
- Institute of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Wenlingli Qi
- Institute of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Fengfei Gu
- Institute of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Cow Genetic Improvement and Milk Quality Research of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Teresa G Valencak
- Institute of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Agency for Health and Food Safety Austria, 1220, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jian-Xin Liu
- Institute of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Hui-Zeng Sun
- Institute of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Cow Genetic Improvement and Milk Quality Research of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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Lo MCK, Siu DMD, Lee KCM, Wong JSJ, Yeung MCF, Hsin MKY, Ho JCM, Tsia KK. Information-Distilled Generative Label-Free Morphological Profiling Encodes Cellular Heterogeneity. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2307591. [PMID: 38864546 PMCID: PMC11304271 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202307591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Image-based cytometry faces challenges due to technical variations arising from different experimental batches and conditions, such as differences in instrument configurations or image acquisition protocols, impeding genuine biological interpretation of cell morphology. Existing solutions, often necessitating extensive pre-existing data knowledge or control samples across batches, have proved limited, especially with complex cell image data. To overcome this, "Cyto-Morphology Adversarial Distillation" (CytoMAD), a self-supervised multi-task learning strategy that distills biologically relevant cellular morphological information from batch variations, is introduced to enable integrated analysis across multiple data batches without complex data assumptions or extensive manual annotation. Unique to CytoMAD is its "morphology distillation", symbiotically paired with deep-learning image-contrast translation-offering additional interpretable insights into label-free cell morphology. The versatile efficacy of CytoMAD is demonstrated in augmenting the power of biophysical imaging cytometry. It allows integrated label-free classification of human lung cancer cell types and accurately recapitulates their progressive drug responses, even when trained without the drug concentration information. CytoMAD also allows joint analysis of tumor biophysical cellular heterogeneity, linked to epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity, that standard fluorescence markers overlook. CytoMAD can substantiate the wide adoption of biophysical cytometry for cost-effective diagnosis and screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle C. K. Lo
- Department of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringThe University of Hong KongHong Kong000000Hong Kong
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation CentreHong Kong Science Park, New TerritoriesHong Kong000000Hong Kong
| | - Dickson M. D. Siu
- Department of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringThe University of Hong KongHong Kong000000Hong Kong
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation CentreHong Kong Science Park, New TerritoriesHong Kong000000Hong Kong
| | - Kelvin C. M. Lee
- Department of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringThe University of Hong KongHong Kong000000Hong Kong
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation CentreHong Kong Science Park, New TerritoriesHong Kong000000Hong Kong
| | - Justin S. J. Wong
- Conzeb LimitedHong Kong Science Park, New TerritoriesHong Kong000000Hong Kong
| | - Maximus C. F. Yeung
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineThe University of Hong KongPokfulam RoadHong Kong000000Hong Kong
| | - Michael K. Y. Hsin
- Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineThe University of Hong KongPokfulam RoadHong Kong000000Hong Kong
| | - James C. M. Ho
- Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineThe University of Hong KongPokfulam RoadHong Kong000000Hong Kong
| | - Kevin K. Tsia
- Department of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringThe University of Hong KongHong Kong000000Hong Kong
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation CentreHong Kong Science Park, New TerritoriesHong Kong000000Hong Kong
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6
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Chang CY, Pearce G, Betaneli V, Kapustsenka T, Hosseini K, Fischer-Friedrich E, Corbeil D, Karbanová J, Taubenberger A, Dahncke B, Rauner M, Furesi G, Perner S, Rost F, Jessberger R. The F-actin bundler SWAP-70 promotes tumor metastasis. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202302307. [PMID: 38760173 PMCID: PMC11101836 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Dynamic rearrangements of the F-actin cytoskeleton are a hallmark of tumor metastasis. Thus, proteins that govern F-actin rearrangements are of major interest for understanding metastasis and potential therapies. We hypothesized that the unique F-actin binding and bundling protein SWAP-70 contributes importantly to metastasis. Orthotopic, ectopic, and short-term tail vein injection mouse breast and lung cancer models revealed a strong positive dependence of lung and bone metastasis on SWAP-70. Breast cancer cell growth, migration, adhesion, and invasion assays revealed SWAP-70's key role in these metastasis-related cell features and the requirement for SWAP-70 to bind F-actin. Biophysical experiments showed that tumor cell stiffness and deformability are negatively modulated by SWAP-70. Together, we present a hitherto undescribed, unique F-actin modulator as an important contributor to tumor metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Yuan Chang
- https://ror.org/042aqky30 Institute for Physiological Chemistry, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Glen Pearce
- https://ror.org/042aqky30 Institute for Physiological Chemistry, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Viktoria Betaneli
- https://ror.org/042aqky30 Institute for Physiological Chemistry, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Tatsiana Kapustsenka
- https://ror.org/042aqky30 Institute for Physiological Chemistry, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Kamran Hosseini
- https://ror.org/042aqky30 Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Fischer-Friedrich
- https://ror.org/042aqky30 Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Denis Corbeil
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC) and Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Dresden, Germany
- https://ror.org/042aqky30 Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jana Karbanová
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC) and Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Dresden, Germany
- https://ror.org/042aqky30 Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Anna Taubenberger
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC) and Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Dresden, Germany
- https://ror.org/042aqky30 Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Björn Dahncke
- https://ror.org/042aqky30 Institute for Physiological Chemistry, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Martina Rauner
- https://ror.org/042aqky30 Department of Medicine III and Center for Healthy Aging, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Giulia Furesi
- https://ror.org/042aqky30 Department of Medicine III and Center for Healthy Aging, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Sven Perner
- Institute of Pathology, University of Lübeck and University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Lübeck, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Fabian Rost
- https://ror.org/042aqky30 DRESDEN-concept Genome Center, Technology Platform at the Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering (CMCB), Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Rolf Jessberger
- https://ror.org/042aqky30 Institute for Physiological Chemistry, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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7
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Li SS, Xue CD, Li YJ, Chen XM, Zhao Y, Qin KR. Microfluidic characterization of single-cell biophysical properties and the applications in cancer diagnosis. Electrophoresis 2024; 45:1212-1232. [PMID: 37909658 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202300177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell biophysical properties play a crucial role in regulating cellular physiological states and functions, demonstrating significant potential in the fields of life sciences and clinical diagnostics. Therefore, over the last few decades, researchers have developed various detection tools to explore the relationship between the biophysical changes of biological cells and human diseases. With the rapid advancement of modern microfabrication technology, microfluidic devices have quickly emerged as a promising platform for single-cell analysis offering advantages including high-throughput, exceptional precision, and ease of manipulation. Consequently, this paper provides an overview of the recent advances in microfluidic analysis and detection systems for single-cell biophysical properties and their applications in the field of cancer. The working principles and latest research progress of single-cell biophysical property detection are first analyzed, highlighting the significance of electrical and mechanical properties. The development of data acquisition and processing methods for real-time, high-throughput, and practical applications are then discussed. Furthermore, the differences in biophysical properties between tumor and normal cells are outlined, illustrating the potential for utilizing single-cell biophysical properties for tumor cell identification, classification, and drug response assessment. Lastly, we summarize the limitations of existing microfluidic analysis and detection systems in single-cell biophysical properties, while also pointing out the prospects and future directions of their applications in cancer diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan-Shan Li
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, P. R. China
| | - Chun-Dong Xue
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, P. R. China
| | - Yong-Jiang Li
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, P. R. China
| | - Xiao-Ming Chen
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering and Instrumentation Science, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, P. R. China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Stomach Surgery, Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning, P. R. China
| | - Kai-Rong Qin
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, P. R. China
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Urbanska M, Guck J. Single-Cell Mechanics: Structural Determinants and Functional Relevance. Annu Rev Biophys 2024; 53:367-395. [PMID: 38382116 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-030822-030629] [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] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
The mechanical phenotype of a cell determines its ability to deform under force and is therefore relevant to cellular functions that require changes in cell shape, such as migration or circulation through the microvasculature. On the practical level, the mechanical phenotype can be used as a global readout of the cell's functional state, a marker for disease diagnostics, or an input for tissue modeling. We focus our review on the current knowledge of structural components that contribute to the determination of the cellular mechanical properties and highlight the physiological processes in which the mechanical phenotype of the cells is of critical relevance. The ongoing efforts to understand how to efficiently measure and control the mechanical properties of cells will define the progress in the field and drive mechanical phenotyping toward clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Urbanska
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany; ,
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jochen Guck
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany; ,
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
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9
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Yun HG, Cadierno YA, Kim TW, Muñoz-Barrutia A, Garica-Gonzalez D, Choi S. Computational Hyperspectral Microflow Cytometry. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2400019. [PMID: 38770741 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202400019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Miniaturized flow cytometry has significant potential for portable applications, such as cell-based diagnostics and the monitoring of therapeutic cell manufacturing, however, the performance of current techniques is often limited by the inability to resolve spectrally-overlapping fluorescence labels. Here, the study presents a computational hyperspectral microflow cytometer (CHC) that enables accurate discrimination of spectrally-overlapping fluorophores labeling single cells. CHC employs a dispersive optical element and an optimization algorithm to detect the full fluorescence emission spectrum from flowing cells, with a high spectral resolution of ≈3 nm in the range from 450 to 650 nm. CHC also includes a dedicated microfluidic device that ensures in-focus imaging through viscoelastic sheathless focusing, thereby enhancing the accuracy and reliability of microflow cytometry analysis. The potential of CHC for analyzing T lymphocyte subpopulations and monitoring changes in cell composition during T cell expansion is demonstrated. Overall, CHC represents a major breakthrough in microflow cytometry and can facilitate its use for immune cell monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyo Geun Yun
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoel Alonso Cadierno
- Bioengineering Department, Universidad Carlos III De Madrid, Avda. de la Universidad 30, Leganés, Madrid, 28911, Spain
| | - Tae Won Kim
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Arrate Muñoz-Barrutia
- Bioengineering Department, Universidad Carlos III De Madrid, Avda. de la Universidad 30, Leganés, Madrid, 28911, Spain
| | - Daniel Garica-Gonzalez
- Department of Continuum Mechanics and Structural Analysis, Universidad Carlos III De Madrid, Avda. de la Universidad 30, Leganés, Madrid, 28911, Spain
| | - Sungyoung Choi
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
- Hanyang Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
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10
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Chen Y, Ni C, Zhang X, Ni Z, Xiang N. High-Throughput Sorting and Single-Cell Mechanotyping by Hydrodynamic Sorting-Mechanotyping Cytometry. SMALL METHODS 2024; 8:e2301195. [PMID: 38213022 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202301195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
The existence of many background blood cells hinders the accurate identification of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood of cancer patients. To unlock this limitation, a hydrodynamic sorting-mechanotyping cytometry (HSMC) integrated with a sorting-concentration chip and a detection chip is proposed for simultaneously achieving the high-throughput cell sorting and the multi-parameter mechanotyping of the sorted tumor cells. The HSMC adopts the spiral inertial microfluidics for label-free sorting of cells in a high-throughput manner, allowing the efficient enrichment of tumor cells from the large background blood cells. Then, the sorted cells are concentrated by the concentration unit and finally passed through the detection unit for hydrodynamic deformation. The HSMC has a high throughput for sorting and detection and can successfully reveal the differences in the cellular mechanical properties. After characterizing and optimizing the single chips, the identification of white blood cells (WBCs) and three types of tumor cells (A549, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231 cells) is successfully achieved. The identification accuracies for WBCs and different tumor cells are all larger than 94%, while the highest identification accuracy is up to 99.2%. This study envisions that the HSMC will offer an avenue for the analysis of single cell intrinsic mechanics in clinical medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Chen
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Chen Ni
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Xiaozhe Zhang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Zhonghua Ni
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Nan Xiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
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11
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Mendová K, Otáhal M, Drab M, Daniel M. Size Matters: Rethinking Hertz Model Interpretation for Cell Mechanics Using AFM. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7186. [PMID: 39000293 PMCID: PMC11241038 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell mechanics are a biophysical indicator of cell state, such as cancer metastasis, leukocyte activation, and cell cycle progression. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a widely used technique to measure cell mechanics, where the Young modulus of a cell is usually derived from the Hertz contact model. However, the Hertz model assumes that the cell is an elastic, isotropic, and homogeneous material and that the indentation is small compared to the cell size. These assumptions neglect the effects of the cytoskeleton, cell size and shape, and cell environment on cell deformation. In this study, we investigated the influence of cell size on the estimated Young's modulus using liposomes as cell models. Liposomes were prepared with different sizes and filled with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) or hyaluronic acid (HA) to mimic the cytoplasm. AFM was used to obtain the force indentation curves and fit them to the Hertz model. We found that the larger the liposome, the lower the estimated Young's modulus for both PBS-filled and HA-filled liposomes. This suggests that the Young modulus obtained from the Hertz model is not only a property of the cell material but also depends on the cell dimensions. Therefore, when comparing or interpreting cell mechanics using the Hertz model, it is essential to account for cell size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarína Mendová
- Department of Mechanics, Biomechanics and Mechatronics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Technická 4, 16000 Prague, Czech Republic;
| | - Martin Otáhal
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Náměstí Sítná 3105, 27201 Kladno, Czech Republic;
| | - Mitja Drab
- Laboratory of Biophysics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Trzaska 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Matej Daniel
- Department of Mechanics, Biomechanics and Mechatronics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Technická 4, 16000 Prague, Czech Republic;
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12
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Pouraria H, Houston JP. Elasticity of Carrier Fluid: A Key Factor Affecting Mechanical Phenotyping in Deformability Cytometry. MICROMACHINES 2024; 15:822. [PMID: 39064333 PMCID: PMC11278870 DOI: 10.3390/mi15070822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Recently, microfluidics deformability cytometry has emerged as a powerful tool for high-throughput mechanical phenotyping of large populations of cells. These methods characterize cells by their mechanical fingerprints by exerting hydrodynamic forces and monitoring the resulting deformation. These devices have shown great promise for label-free cytometry, yet there is a critical need to improve their accuracy and reconcile any discrepancies with other methods, such as atomic force microscopy. In this study, we employ computational fluid dynamics simulations and uncover how the elasticity of frequently used carrier fluids, such as methylcellulose dissolved in phosphate-buffered saline, is significantly influential to the resulting cellular deformation. We conducted CFD simulations conventionally used within the deformability cytometry field, which neglect fluid elasticity. Subsequently, we incorporated a more comprehensive model that simulates the viscoelastic nature of the carrier fluid. A comparison of the predicted stresses between these two approaches underscores the significance of the emerging elastic stresses in addition to the well-recognized viscous stresses along the channel. Furthermore, we utilize a two-phase flow model to predict the deformation of a promyelocyte (i.e., HL-60 cell type) within a hydrodynamic constriction channel. The obtained results highlight a substantial impact of the elasticity of carrier fluid on cellular deformation and raise questions about the accuracy of mechanical property estimates derived by neglecting elastic stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jessica P. Houston
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA;
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13
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Smith IM, Ursitti JA, Majeti P, Givpoor N, Stemberger MB, Hengen A, Banerjee S, Stains J, Martin SS, Ward C, Stroka KM. High throughput cell mechanotyping of cell response to cytoskeletal modulations using a microfluidic cell deformation system. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.17.599307. [PMID: 38948841 PMCID: PMC11212920 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.17.599307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Cellular mechanical properties influence cellular functions across pathological and physiological systems. The observation of these mechanical properties is limited in part by methods with a low throughput of acquisition or with low accessibility. To overcome these limitations, we have designed, developed, validated, and optimized a microfluidic cellular deformation system (MCDS) capable of mechanotyping suspended cells on a population level at a high throughput rate of ∼300 cells pers second. The MCDS provides researchers with a viable method for efficiently quantifying cellular mechanical properties towards defining prognostic implications of mechanical changes in pathology or screening drugs to modulate cytoskeletal integrity.
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14
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Chapman M, Rajagopal V, Stewart A, Collins DJ. Critical review of single-cell mechanotyping approaches for biomedical applications. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:3036-3063. [PMID: 38804123 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00978e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Accurate mechanical measurements of cells has the potential to improve diagnostics, therapeutics and advance understanding of disease mechanisms, where high-resolution mechanical information can be measured by deforming individual cells. Here we evaluate recently developed techniques for measuring cell-scale stiffness properties; while many such techniques have been developed, much of the work examining single-cell stiffness is impacted by difficulties in standardization and comparability, giving rise to large variations in reported mechanical moduli. We highlight the role of underlying mechanical theories driving this variability, and note opportunities to develop novel mechanotyping devices and theoretical models that facilitate convenient and accurate mechanical characterisation. Moreover, many high-throughput approaches are confounded by factors including cell size, surface friction, natural population heterogeneity and convolution of elastic and viscous contributions to cell deformability. We nevertheless identify key approaches based on deformability cytometry as a promising direction for further development, where both high-throughput and accurate single-cell resolutions can be realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Chapman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Vijay Rajagopal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Alastair Stewart
- ARC Centre for Personalised Therapeutics Technologies, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - David J Collins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Graeme Clarke Institute University of Melbourne Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
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15
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Filipe EC, Velayuthar S, Philp A, Nobis M, Latham SL, Parker AL, Murphy KJ, Wyllie K, Major GS, Contreras O, Mok ETY, Enriquez RF, McGowan S, Feher K, Quek L, Hancock SE, Yam M, Tran E, Setargew YFI, Skhinas JN, Chitty JL, Phimmachanh M, Han JZR, Cadell AL, Papanicolaou M, Mahmodi H, Kiedik B, Junankar S, Ross SE, Lam N, Coulson R, Yang J, Zaratzian A, Da Silva AM, Tayao M, Chin IL, Cazet A, Kansara M, Segara D, Parker A, Hoy AJ, Harvey RP, Bogdanovic O, Timpson P, Croucher DR, Lim E, Swarbrick A, Holst J, Turner N, Choi YS, Kabakova IV, Philp A, Cox TR. Tumor Biomechanics Alters Metastatic Dissemination of Triple Negative Breast Cancer via Rewiring Fatty Acid Metabolism. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2307963. [PMID: 38602451 PMCID: PMC11186052 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202307963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
In recent decades, the role of tumor biomechanics on cancer cell behavior at the primary site has been increasingly appreciated. However, the effect of primary tumor biomechanics on the latter stages of the metastatic cascade, such as metastatic seeding of secondary sites and outgrowth remains underappreciated. This work sought to address this in the context of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), a cancer type known to aggressively disseminate at all stages of disease progression. Using mechanically tuneable model systems, mimicking the range of stiffness's typically found within breast tumors, it is found that, contrary to expectations, cancer cells exposed to softer microenvironments are more able to colonize secondary tissues. It is shown that heightened cell survival is driven by enhanced metabolism of fatty acids within TNBC cells exposed to softer microenvironments. It is demonstrated that uncoupling cellular mechanosensing through integrin β1 blocking antibody effectively causes stiff primed TNBC cells to behave like their soft counterparts, both in vitro and in vivo. This work is the first to show that softer tumor microenvironments may be contributing to changes in disease outcome by imprinting on TNBC cells a greater metabolic flexibility and conferring discrete cell survival advantages.
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16
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Wohlrab S, Mueller S, Gekle S. Mechanical complexity of living cells can be mapped onto simple homogeneous equivalents. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2024; 23:1067-1076. [PMID: 38411900 PMCID: PMC11101590 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-024-01823-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Biological cells are built up from different constituents of varying size and stiffness which all contribute to the cell's mechanical properties. Despite this heterogeneity, in the analysis of experimental measurements one often assumes a strongly simplified homogeneous cell and thus a single elastic modulus is assigned to the entire cell. This ad-hoc simplification has so far mostly been used without proper justification. Here, we use computer simulations to show that indeed a mechanically heterogeneous cell can effectively be replaced by a homogeneous equivalent cell with a volume averaged elastic modulus. To demonstrate the validity of this approach, we investigate a hyperelastic cell with a heterogeneous interior under compression and in shear/channel flow mimicking atomic force and microfluidic measurements, respectively. We find that the homogeneous equivalent cell reproduces quantitatively the behavior of its heterogeneous counterpart, and that this equality is largely independent of the stiffness or spatial distribution of the heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Wohlrab
- Theoretische Physik VI, Biofluid Simulation and Modeling, Universität Bayreuth, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Mueller
- Theoretische Physik VI, Biofluid Simulation and Modeling, Universität Bayreuth, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Stephan Gekle
- Theoretische Physik VI, Biofluid Simulation and Modeling, Universität Bayreuth, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany
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17
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Fink A, Fazliev S, Abele T, Spatz JP, Göpfrich K, Cavalcanti-Adam EA. Membrane localization of actin filaments stabilizes giant unilamellar vesicles against external deforming forces. Eur J Cell Biol 2024; 103:151428. [PMID: 38850712 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2024.151428] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Actin organization is crucial for establishing cell polarity, which influences processes such as directed cell motility and division. Despite its critical role in living organisms, achieving similar polarity in synthetic cells remains challenging. In this study, we employ a bottom-up approach to investigate how molecular crowders facilitate the formation of cortex-like actin networks and how these networks localize and organize based on membrane shape. Using giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) as models for cell membranes, we show that actin filaments can arrange along the membrane to form cortex-like structures. Notably, this organization is achieved using only actin and crowders as a minimal set of components. We utilize surface micropatterning to examine actin filament organization in deformed GUVs adhered to various pattern shapes. Our findings indicate that at the periphery of spherical GUVs, actin bundles align along the membrane. However, in highly curved regions of adhered GUVs, actin bundles avoid crossing the highly curved edges perpendicular to the adhesion site and instead remain in the lower curved regions by aligning parallel to the micropatterned surface. Furthermore, the actin bundles increase the stiffness of the GUVs, effectively counteracting strong deformations when GUVs adhere to micropatterns. This finding is corroborated by real-time deformability cytometry on GUVs with synthetic actin cortices. By precisely manipulating the shape of GUVs, our study provides a minimal system to investigate the interplay between actin structures and the membrane. Our findings provide insights into the spatial organization of actin structures within crowded environments, specifically inside GUVs that resemble the size and shape of cells. This study advances our understanding of actin network organization and functionality within cell-sized compartments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Fink
- Department of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Sunnatullo Fazliev
- Department of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Tobias Abele
- Biophysical Engineering Group, Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH) Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 329, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Joachim P Spatz
- Department of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Kerstin Göpfrich
- Biophysical Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69120, Germany; Biophysical Engineering Group, Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH) Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 329, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Elisabetta Ada Cavalcanti-Adam
- Department of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, Heidelberg 69120, Germany; Cellular Biomechanics, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, Bayreuth 95447, Germany.
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18
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Shiomi A, Kaneko T, Nishikawa K, Tsuchida A, Isoshima T, Sato M, Toyooka K, Doi K, Nishikii H, Shintaku H. High-throughput mechanical phenotyping and transcriptomics of single cells. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3812. [PMID: 38760380 PMCID: PMC11101642 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48088-5] [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: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The molecular system regulating cellular mechanical properties remains unexplored at single-cell resolution mainly due to a limited ability to combine mechanophenotyping with unbiased transcriptional screening. Here, we describe an electroporation-based lipid-bilayer assay for cell surface tension and transcriptomics (ELASTomics), a method in which oligonucleotide-labelled macromolecules are imported into cells via nanopore electroporation to assess the mechanical state of the cell surface and are enumerated by sequencing. ELASTomics can be readily integrated with existing single-cell sequencing approaches and enables the joint study of cell surface mechanics and underlying transcriptional regulation at an unprecedented resolution. We validate ELASTomics via analysis of cancer cell lines from various malignancies and show that the method can accurately identify cell types and assess cell surface tension. ELASTomics enables exploration of the relationships between cell surface tension, surface proteins, and transcripts along cell lineages differentiating from the haematopoietic progenitor cells of mice. We study the surface mechanics of cellular senescence and demonstrate that RRAD regulates cell surface tension in senescent TIG-1 cells. ELASTomics provides a unique opportunity to profile the mechanical and molecular phenotypes of single cells and can dissect the interplay among these in a range of biological contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akifumi Shiomi
- Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN, Saitama, Japan
- Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | - Mayuko Sato
- Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, Yokohama, Japan
| | | | - Kentaro Doi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Japan
| | | | - Hirofumi Shintaku
- Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN, Saitama, Japan.
- Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
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19
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Reichel F, Goswami R, Girardo S, Guck J. High-throughput viscoelastic characterization of cells in hyperbolic microchannels. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:2440-2453. [PMID: 38600866 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc01061a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Extensive research has demonstrated the potential of cell viscoelastic properties as intrinsic indicators of cell state, functionality, and disease. For this, several microfluidic techniques have been developed to measure cell viscoelasticity with high-throughput. However, current microchannel designs introduce complex stress distributions on cells, leading to inaccuracies in determining the stress-strain relationship and, consequently, the viscoelastic properties. Here, we introduce a novel approach using hyperbolic microchannels that enable precise measurements under a constant extensional stress and offer a straightforward stress-strain relationship, while operating at a measurement rate of up to 100 cells per second. We quantified the stresses acting in the channels using mechanical calibration particles made from polyacrylamide (PAAm) and found that the measurement buffer, a solution of methyl cellulose and phosphate buffered saline, shows strain-thickening following a power law up to 200 s-1. By measuring oil droplets with varying viscosities, we successfully detected changes in the relaxation times of the droplets and our approach could be used to get the interfacial tension and viscosity of liquid-liquid droplet systems from the same measurement. We further applied this methodology to PAAm microgel beads, demonstrating the accurate recovery of Young's moduli and the near-ideal elastic behavior of the beads. To explore the influence of altered cell viscoelasticity, we treated HL60 human leukemia cells with latrunculin B and nocodazole, resulting in clear changes in cell stiffness while relaxation times were only minimally affected. In conclusion, our approach offers a streamlined and time-efficient solution for assessing the viscoelastic properties of large cell populations and other microscale soft particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Reichel
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany.
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ruchi Goswami
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany.
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Salvatore Girardo
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany.
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jochen Guck
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany.
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
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20
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Conti S, Venturini V, Cañellas-Socias A, Cortina C, Abenza JF, Stephan-Otto Attolini C, Middendorp Guerra E, Xu CK, Li JH, Rossetti L, Stassi G, Roca-Cusachs P, Diz-Muñoz A, Ruprecht V, Guck J, Batlle E, Labernadie A, Trepat X. Membrane to cortex attachment determines different mechanical phenotypes in LGR5+ and LGR5- colorectal cancer cells. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3363. [PMID: 38637494 PMCID: PMC11026456 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47227-2] [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: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) tumors are composed of heterogeneous and plastic cell populations, including a pool of cancer stem cells that express LGR5. Whether these distinct cell populations display different mechanical properties, and how these properties might contribute to metastasis is poorly understood. Using CRC patient derived organoids (PDOs), we find that compared to LGR5- cells, LGR5+ cancer stem cells are stiffer, adhere better to the extracellular matrix (ECM), move slower both as single cells and clusters, display higher nuclear YAP, show a higher survival rate in response to mechanical confinement, and form larger transendothelial gaps. These differences are largely explained by the downregulation of the membrane to cortex attachment proteins Ezrin/Radixin/Moesin (ERMs) in the LGR5+ cells. By analyzing single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) expression patterns from a patient cohort, we show that this downregulation is a robust signature of colorectal tumors. Our results show that LGR5- cells display a mechanically dynamic phenotype suitable for dissemination from the primary tumor whereas LGR5+ cells display a mechanically stable and resilient phenotype suitable for extravasation and metastatic growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sefora Conti
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Valeria Venturini
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adrià Cañellas-Socias
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomedica en Red de Cancer (CIBERONC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carme Cortina
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomedica en Red de Cancer (CIBERONC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan F Abenza
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Camille Stephan-Otto Attolini
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Emily Middendorp Guerra
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomedica en Red de Cancer (CIBERONC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Catherine K Xu
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jia Hui Li
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Leone Rossetti
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Giorgio Stassi
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Stomatological Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Pere Roca-Cusachs
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
- Facultat de Medicina, University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alba Diz-Muñoz
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Verena Ruprecht
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jochen Guck
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
- Max-Planck Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Eduard Batlle
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomedica en Red de Cancer (CIBERONC), Barcelona, Spain.
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Anna Labernadie
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Principe Felipe (CIPF), Valencia, Spain.
| | - Xavier Trepat
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain.
- Facultat de Medicina, University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain.
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Barcelona, Spain.
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21
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Sassi A, You L. Microfluidics-Based Technologies for the Assessment of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. Cells 2024; 13:575. [PMID: 38607014 PMCID: PMC11011521 DOI: 10.3390/cells13070575] [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: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Castration-resistant prostate cancer remains a significant clinical challenge, wherein patients display no response to existing hormone therapies. The standard of care often includes aggressive treatment options using chemotherapy, radiation therapy and various drugs to curb the growth of additional metastases. As such, there is a dire need for the development of innovative technologies for both its diagnosis and its management. Traditionally, scientific exploration of prostate cancer and its treatment options has been heavily reliant on animal models and two-dimensional (2D) in vitro technologies. However, both laboratory tools often fail to recapitulate the dynamic tumor microenvironment, which can lead to discrepancies in drug efficacy and side effects in a clinical setting. In light of the limitations of traditional animal models and 2D in vitro technologies, the emergence of microfluidics as a tool for prostate cancer research shows tremendous promise. Namely, microfluidics-based technologies have emerged as powerful tools for assessing prostate cancer cells, isolating circulating tumor cells, and examining their behaviour using tumor-on-a-chip models. As such, this review aims to highlight recent advancements in microfluidics-based technologies for the assessment of castration-resistant prostate cancer and its potential to advance current understanding and to improve therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amel Sassi
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada;
| | - Lidan You
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada;
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 2V9, Canada
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22
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Storti F, Bonfadini S, Bondelli G, Vurro V, Lanzani G, Criante L. Photocell-Based Optofluidic Device for Clogging-Free Cell Transit Time Measurements. BIOSENSORS 2024; 14:154. [PMID: 38667147 PMCID: PMC11047832 DOI: 10.3390/bios14040154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Measuring the transit time of a cell forced through a bottleneck is one of the most widely used techniques for the study of cell deformability in flow. It in turn provides an accessible and rapid way of obtaining crucial information regarding cell physiology. Many techniques are currently being investigated to reliably retrieve this time, but their translation to diagnostic-oriented devices is often hampered by their complexity, lack of robustness, and the bulky external equipment required. Herein, we demonstrate the benefits of coupling microfluidics with an optical method, like photocells, to measure the transit time. We exploit the femtosecond laser irradiation followed by chemical etching (FLICE) fabrication technique to build a monolithic 3D device capable of detecting cells flowing through a 3D non-deformable constriction which is fully buried in a fused silica substrate. We validated our chip by measuring the transit times of pristine breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and MCF-7 cells treated with Latrunculin A, a drug typically used to increase their deformability. A difference in transit times can be assessed without the need for complex external instrumentation and/or demanding computational efforts. The high throughput (4000-10,000 cells/min), ease of use, and clogging-free operation of our device bring this approach much closer to real scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Storti
- Centre for Nano Science and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Rubattino 81, 20134 Milano, Italy; (F.S.); (S.B.); (G.B.); (V.V.); (G.L.)
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Silvio Bonfadini
- Centre for Nano Science and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Rubattino 81, 20134 Milano, Italy; (F.S.); (S.B.); (G.B.); (V.V.); (G.L.)
| | - Gaia Bondelli
- Centre for Nano Science and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Rubattino 81, 20134 Milano, Italy; (F.S.); (S.B.); (G.B.); (V.V.); (G.L.)
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Vito Vurro
- Centre for Nano Science and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Rubattino 81, 20134 Milano, Italy; (F.S.); (S.B.); (G.B.); (V.V.); (G.L.)
| | - Guglielmo Lanzani
- Centre for Nano Science and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Rubattino 81, 20134 Milano, Italy; (F.S.); (S.B.); (G.B.); (V.V.); (G.L.)
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Luigino Criante
- Centre for Nano Science and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Rubattino 81, 20134 Milano, Italy; (F.S.); (S.B.); (G.B.); (V.V.); (G.L.)
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23
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Mirzakhel Z, Reddy GA, Boman J, Manns B, Veer ST, Katira P. "Patchiness" in mechanical stiffness across a tumor as an early-stage marker for malignancy. BMC Ecol Evol 2024; 24:33. [PMID: 38486161 PMCID: PMC10938681 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-024-02221-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Mechanical phenotyping of tumors, either at an individual cell level or tumor cell population level is gaining traction as a diagnostic tool. However, the extent of diagnostic and prognostic information that can be gained through these measurements is still unclear. In this work, we focus on the heterogeneity in mechanical properties of cells obtained from a single source such as a tissue or tumor as a potential novel biomarker. We believe that this heterogeneity is a conventionally overlooked source of information in mechanical phenotyping data. We use mechanics-based in-silico models of cell-cell interactions and cell population dynamics within 3D environments to probe how heterogeneity in cell mechanics drives tissue and tumor dynamics. Our simulations show that the initial heterogeneity in the mechanical properties of individual cells and the arrangement of these heterogenous sub-populations within the environment can dictate overall cell population dynamics and cause a shift towards the growth of malignant cell phenotypes within healthy tissue environments. The overall heterogeneity in the cellular mechanotype and their spatial distributions is quantified by a "patchiness" index, which is the ratio of the global to local heterogeneity in cell populations. We observe that there exists a threshold value of the patchiness index beyond which an overall healthy population of cells will show a steady shift towards a more malignant phenotype. Based on these results, we propose that the "patchiness" of a tumor or tissue sample, can be an early indicator for malignant transformation and cancer occurrence in benign tumors or healthy tissues. Additionally, we suggest that tissue patchiness, measured either by biochemical or biophysical markers, can become an important metric in predicting tissue health and disease likelihood just as landscape patchiness is an important metric in ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zibah Mirzakhel
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Gudur Ashrith Reddy
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer Boman
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Brianna Manns
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Savannah Ter Veer
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Parag Katira
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
- Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
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24
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Mittelheisser V, Gensbittel V, Bonati L, Li W, Tang L, Goetz JG. Evidence and therapeutic implications of biomechanically regulated immunosurveillance in cancer and other diseases. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 19:281-297. [PMID: 38286876 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-023-01535-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Disease progression is usually accompanied by changes in the biochemical composition of cells and tissues and their biophysical properties. For instance, hallmarks of cancer include the stiffening of tissues caused by extracellular matrix remodelling and the softening of individual cancer cells. In this context, accumulating evidence has shown that immune cells sense and respond to mechanical signals from the environment. However, the mechanisms regulating these mechanical aspects of immune surveillance remain partially understood. The growing appreciation for the 'mechano-immunology' field has urged researchers to investigate how immune cells sense and respond to mechanical cues in various disease settings, paving the way for the development of novel engineering strategies that aim at mechanically modulating and potentiating immune cells for enhanced immunotherapies. Recent pioneer developments in this direction have laid the foundations for leveraging 'mechanical immunoengineering' strategies to treat various diseases. This Review first outlines the mechanical changes occurring during pathological progression in several diseases, including cancer, fibrosis and infection. We next highlight the mechanosensitive nature of immune cells and how mechanical forces govern the immune responses in different diseases. Finally, we discuss how targeting the biomechanical features of the disease milieu and immune cells is a promising strategy for manipulating therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Mittelheisser
- Tumor Biomechanics, INSERM UMR_S1109, Strasbourg, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Strasbourg, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Strasbourg, France
| | - Valentin Gensbittel
- Tumor Biomechanics, INSERM UMR_S1109, Strasbourg, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Strasbourg, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Strasbourg, France
| | - Lucia Bonati
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Weilin Li
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Li Tang
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Jacky G Goetz
- Tumor Biomechanics, INSERM UMR_S1109, Strasbourg, France.
- Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
- Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Strasbourg, France.
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Strasbourg, France.
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25
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Schuchardt JP, Kräter M, Schlögel M, Guck J, van Oirschot-Hermans BA, Bos J, van Wijk R, Tintle NL, Westra J, Kerlikowsky F, Hahn A, Harris WS. Omega-3 supplementation changes the physical properties of leukocytes but not erythrocytes in healthy individuals: An exploratory trial. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2024; 202:102636. [PMID: 39159530 DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2024.102636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
n3-PUFA impact health in several ways, including cardiovascular protection and anti-inflammatory effects, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. In this exploratory study involving 31 healthy subjects, we aimed to investigate the effects of 12 weeks of fish-oil supplementation (1500 mg EPA+DHA/day) on the physical properties of multiple blood cell types. We used deformability cytometry (DC) for all cell types and Laser-assisted Optical Rotational Red Cell Analysis (Lorrca) to assess red blood cell (RBC) deformability. We also investigated the correlation between changes in the physical properties of blood cells and changes in the Omega-3 Index (O3I), defined as the relative content of EPA+DHA in RBCs. Following supplementation, the mean±SD O3I increased from 5.3 %±1.5 % to 8.3 %±1.4 % (p < 0.001). No significant changes in RBC properties were found by both techniques. However, by DC we observed a consistent pattern of physical changes in lymphocytes, neutrophils and monocytes. Among these were significant increases in metrics correlated with the cells' deformability resulting in less stiff cells. The results suggest that leukocytes become softer and have an increased ability to deform under induced short-term physical stress such as hydrodynamic force in the circulation. These changes could impact immune function since softer leukocytes can potentially circulate more easily and could facilitate a more rapid response to systemic inflammation or infection. In conclusion, fish-oil supplementation modulates some physical properties of leukocyte-subfractions, potentially enhancing their biological function. Further studies are warranted to explore the impact of n3-PUFA on blood cell biology, particularly in disease states associated with leukocyte dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Philipp Schuchardt
- Institute of Food and One Health, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany; The Fatty Acid Research Institute, Sioux Falls, SD, USA.
| | - Martin Kräter
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Maximilian Schlögel
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jochen Guck
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany; Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Brigitte A van Oirschot-Hermans
- Central Diagnostic Laboratory - Red Blood Cell Research Group, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Jennifer Bos
- Central Diagnostic Laboratory - Red Blood Cell Research Group, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Richard van Wijk
- Central Diagnostic Laboratory - Red Blood Cell Research Group, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Nathan L Tintle
- The Fatty Acid Research Institute, Sioux Falls, SD, USA; Department of Population Health Nursing Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois - Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jason Westra
- The Fatty Acid Research Institute, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - Felix Kerlikowsky
- Institute of Food and One Health, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Andreas Hahn
- Institute of Food and One Health, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - William S Harris
- The Fatty Acid Research Institute, Sioux Falls, SD, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
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26
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Yanamandra AK, Zhang J, Montalvo G, Zhou X, Biedenweg D, Zhao R, Sharma S, Hoth M, Lautenschläger F, Otto O, Del Campo A, Qu B. PIEZO1-mediated mechanosensing governs NK-cell killing efficiency and infiltration in three-dimensional matrices. Eur J Immunol 2024; 54:e2350693. [PMID: 38279603 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202350693] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells play a vital role in eliminating tumorigenic cells. Efficient locating and killing of target cells in complex three-dimensional (3D) environments are critical for their functions under physiological conditions. However, the role of mechanosensing in regulating NK-cell killing efficiency in physiologically relevant scenarios is poorly understood. Here, we report that the responsiveness of NK cells is regulated by tumor cell stiffness. NK-cell killing efficiency in 3D is impaired against softened tumor cells, whereas it is enhanced against stiffened tumor cells. Notably, the durations required for NK-cell killing and detachment are significantly shortened for stiffened tumor cells. Furthermore, we have identified PIEZO1 as the predominantly expressed mechanosensitive ion channel among the examined candidates in NK cells. Perturbation of PIEZO1 abolishes stiffness-dependent NK-cell responsiveness, significantly impairs the killing efficiency of NK cells in 3D, and substantially reduces NK-cell infiltration into 3D collagen matrices. Conversely, PIEZO1 activation enhances NK killing efficiency as well as infiltration. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that PIEZO1-mediated mechanosensing is crucial for NK killing functions, highlighting the role of mechanosensing in NK-cell killing efficiency under 3D physiological conditions and the influence of environmental physical cues on NK-cell functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archana K Yanamandra
- Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Jingnan Zhang
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Galia Montalvo
- Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
- Department of Experimental Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
- Center for Biophysics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Xiangda Zhou
- Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Doreen Biedenweg
- Institute of Physics, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Renping Zhao
- Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Shulagna Sharma
- Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Markus Hoth
- Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Franziska Lautenschläger
- Department of Experimental Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
- Center for Biophysics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Oliver Otto
- Institute of Physics, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Aránzazu Del Campo
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbrücken, Germany
- Chemistry Department, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Bin Qu
- Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), School of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
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27
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Chen Y, Ni C, Jiang L, Ni Z, Xiang N. Inertial Multi-Force Deformability Cytometry for High-Throughput, High-Accuracy, and High-Applicability Tumor Cell Mechanotyping. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2303962. [PMID: 37789502 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202303962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Previous on-chip technologies for characterizing the cellular mechanical properties often suffer from a low throughput and limited sensitivity. Herein, an inertial multi-force deformability cytometry (IMFDC) is developed for high-throughput, high-accuracy, and high-applicability tumor cell mechanotyping. Three different deformations, including shear deformations and stretch deformations under different forces, are integrated with the IMFDC. The 3D inertial focusing of cells enables the cells to deform by an identical fluid flow, and 10 parameters, such as cell area, perimeter, deformability, roundness, and rectangle deformability, are obtained in three deformations. The IMFDC is able to evaluate the deformability of different cells that are sensitive to different forces on a single chip, demonstrating the high applicability of the IMFDC in analyzing different cell lines. In identifying cell types, the three deformations exhibit different mechanical responses to cells with different sizes and deformability. A discrimination accuracy of ≈93% for both MDA-MB-231 and MCF-10A cells and a throughput of ≈500 cells s-1 can be achieved using the multiple-parameters-based machine learning model. Finally, the mechanical properties of metastatic tumor cells in pleural and peritoneal effusions are characterized, enabling the practical application of the IMFDC in clinical cancer diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Chen
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Chen Ni
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Lin Jiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Zhonghua Ni
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
| | - Nan Xiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
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28
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Wei Q, Xiong Y, Ma Y, Liu D, Lu Y, Zhang S, Wang X, Huang H, Liu Y, Dao M, Gong X. High-throughput single-cell assay for precise measurement of the intrinsic mechanical properties and shape characteristics of red blood cells. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:305-316. [PMID: 38087958 PMCID: PMC10949978 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00323j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
The intrinsic physical and mechanical properties of red blood cells (RBCs), including their geometric and rheological characteristics, can undergo changes in various circulatory and metabolic diseases. However, clinical diagnosis using RBC biophysical phenotypes remains impractical due to the unique biconcave shape, remarkable deformability, and high heterogeneity within different subpopulations. Here, we combine the hydrodynamic mechanisms of fluid-cell interactions in micro circular tubes with a machine learning method to develop a relatively high-throughput microfluidic technology that can accurately measure the shear modulus of the membrane, viscosity, surface area, and volume of individual RBCs. The present method can detect the subtle changes of mechanical properties in various RBC components at continuum scales in response to different doses of cytoskeletal drugs. We also investigate the correlation between glycosylated hemoglobin and RBC mechanical properties. Our study develops a methodology that combines microfluidic technology and machine learning to explore the material properties of cells based on fluid-cell interactions. This approach holds promise in offering novel label-free single-cell-assay-based biophysical markers for RBCs, thereby enhancing the potential for more robust disease diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaodong Wei
- Key Laboratory of Hydrodynamics (Ministry of Education), Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Naval Architecture Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Ying Xiong
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yuhang Ma
- Endocrinology Department, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Deyun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Hydrodynamics (Ministry of Education), Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Naval Architecture Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Yunshu Lu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Shenghong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Hydrodynamics (Ministry of Education), Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Naval Architecture Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Xiaolong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Hydrodynamics (Ministry of Education), Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Naval Architecture Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Huaxiong Huang
- Research Center for Mathematics, Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, 519088, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Research and Application for Data Science, BNU-HKBU United International College, Zhuhai, Guangdong, 519088, China
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics York University, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Yingbin Liu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Dao
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551, Singapore
| | - Xiaobo Gong
- Key Laboratory of Hydrodynamics (Ministry of Education), Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Naval Architecture Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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29
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Kampen PJT, Støttrup-Als GR, Bruun-Andersen N, Secher J, Høier F, Hansen AT, Dziegiel MH, Christensen AN, Berg-Sørensen K. Classification of fetal and adult red blood cells based on hydrodynamic deformation and deep video recognition. Biomed Microdevices 2023; 26:5. [PMID: 38095813 PMCID: PMC10721708 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-023-00688-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Flow based deformation cytometry has shown potential for cell classification. We demonstrate the principle with an injection moulded microfluidic chip from which we capture videos of adult and fetal red blood cells, as they are being deformed in a microfluidic chip. Using a deep neural network - SlowFast - that takes the temporal behavior into account, we are able to discriminate between the cells with high accuracy. The accuracy was larger for adult blood cells than for fetal blood cells. However, no significant difference was observed between donors of the two types.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gustav Ragnar Støttrup-Als
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Nicklas Bruun-Andersen
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Joachim Secher
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Freja Høier
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anne Todsen Hansen
- Department of Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten Hanefeld Dziegiel
- Department of Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anders Nymark Christensen
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Kirstine Berg-Sørensen
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
- , Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
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30
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Chen Y, Jiang L, Zhang X, Ni Z, Xiang N. Viscoelastic-Sorting Integrated Deformability Cytometer for High-Throughput Sorting and High-Precision Mechanical Phenotyping of Tumor Cells. Anal Chem 2023; 95:18180-18187. [PMID: 38018866 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c03792] [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: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
The counts and phenotypes of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in whole blood are useful for disease monitoring and prognostic assessment of cancer. However, phenotyping CTCs in the blood is difficult due to the presence of a large number of background blood cells, especially some blood cells with features similar to those of tumor cells. Herein, we presented a viscoelastic-sorting integrated deformability cytometer (VSDC) for high-throughput label-free sorting and high-precision mechanical phenotyping of tumor cells. A sorting chip for removing large background blood cells and a detection chip for detecting multiple cellular mechanical properties were integrated into our VSDC. Our VSDC has a sorting efficiency and a purity of over 95% and over 81% for tumor cells, respectively. Furthermore, multiple mechanical parameters were used to distinguish tumor cells from white blood cells using machine learning. An accuracy of over 97% for identifying tumor cells was successfully achieved with the highest identification accuracy of 99.4% for MCF-7 cells. It is envisioned that our VSDC will open up new avenues for high-throughput and label-free single-cell analysis in various biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Chen
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Lin Jiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Xiaozhe Zhang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Zhonghua Ni
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Nan Xiang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Design and Manufacture of Micro-Nano Biomedical Instruments, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
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31
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Ding L, Oh S, Shrestha J, Lam A, Wang Y, Radfar P, Warkiani ME. Scaling up stem cell production: harnessing the potential of microfluidic devices. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 69:108271. [PMID: 37844769 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108271] [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: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Stem cells are specialised cells characterised by their unique ability to both self-renew and transform into a wide array of specialised cell types. The widespread interest in stem cells for regenerative medicine and cultivated meat has led to a significant demand for these cells in both research and practical applications. Despite the growing need for stem cell manufacturing, the industry faces significant obstacles, including high costs for equipment and maintenance, complicated operation, and low product quality and yield. Microfluidic technology presents a promising solution to the abovementioned challenges. As an innovative approach for manipulating liquids and cells within microchannels, microfluidics offers a plethora of advantages at an industrial scale. These benefits encompass low setup costs, ease of operation and multiplexing, minimal energy consumption, and the added advantage of being labour-free. This review presents a thorough examination of the prominent microfluidic technologies employed in stem cell research and explores their promising applications in the burgeoning stem cell industry. It thoroughly examines how microfluidics can enhance cell harvesting from tissue samples, facilitate mixing and cryopreservation, streamline microcarrier production, and efficiently conduct cell separation, purification, washing, and final cell formulation post-culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Ding
- Smart MCs Pty Ltd, Ultimo, Sydney, 2007, Australia.
| | - Steve Oh
- Stem Cell Group, Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 138668, Singapore
| | - Jesus Shrestha
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Alan Lam
- Stem Cell Group, Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, 138668, Singapore
| | - Yaqing Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Payar Radfar
- Smart MCs Pty Ltd, Ultimo, Sydney, 2007, Australia
| | - Majid Ebrahimi Warkiani
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia..
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Williams DC, Wood DK. High-throughput quantification of red blood cell deformability and oxygen saturation to probe mechanisms of sickle cell disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2313755120. [PMID: 37983504 PMCID: PMC10691249 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313755120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The complex, systemic pathology of sickle cell disease is driven by multiple mechanisms including red blood cells (RBCs) stiffened by polymerized fibers of deoxygenated sickle hemoglobin. A critical step toward understanding the pathologic role of polymer-containing RBCs is quantifying the biophysical changes in these cells in physiologically relevant oxygen environments. We have developed a microfluidic platform capable of simultaneously measuring single RBC deformability and oxygen saturation under controlled oxygen and shear stress. We found that RBCs with detectable amounts of polymer have decreased oxygen affinity and decreased deformability. Surprisingly, the deformability of the polymer-containing cells is oxygen-independent, while the fraction of these cells increases as oxygen decreases. We also find that some fraction of these cells is present at most physiologic oxygen tensions, suggesting a role for these cells in the systemic pathologies. Additionally, the ability to measure these pathological cells should provide clearer targets for evaluating therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dillon C. Williams
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN55455
| | - David K. Wood
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN55455
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Saghaei T, Weber A, Reimhult E, van Oostrum PDJ. Distinguishing cells using electro-acoustic spinning. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20466. [PMID: 37993513 PMCID: PMC10665424 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46550-w] [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: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Many diseases, including cancer and covid, result in altered mechanical and electric properties of the affected cells. These changes were proposed as disease markers. Current methods to characterize such changes either provide very limited information on many cells or have extremely low throughput. We introduce electro-acoustic spinning (EAS). Cells were found to spin in combined non-rotating AC electric and acoustic fields. The rotation velocity in EAS depends critically on a cell's electrical and mechanical properties. In contrast to existing methods, the rotation is uniform in the field of view and hundreds of cells can be characterized simultaneously. We demonstrate that EAS can distinguish cells with only minor differences in electric and mechanical properties, including differences in age or the number of passages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tayebeh Saghaei
- Department of Bionanosciences, Institute of Biologically Inspired Materials, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11-II, 1190, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Andreas Weber
- Department of Bionanosciences, Institute of Biophysics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11-II, 1190, Vienna, Austria
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, Faculty of Maths & Physical Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, UK
| | - Erik Reimhult
- Department of Bionanosciences, Institute of Biologically Inspired Materials, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11-II, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter D J van Oostrum
- Department of Bionanosciences, Institute of Biologically Inspired Materials, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 11-II, 1190, Vienna, Austria
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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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Ullrich KAM, Derdau J, Baltes C, Battistella A, Rosso G, Uderhardt S, Schulze LL, Liu LJ, Dedden M, Spocinska M, Kainka L, Kubánková M, Müller TM, Schmidt NM, Becker E, Ben Brahim O, Atreya I, Finotto S, Prots I, Wirtz S, Weigmann B, López-Posadas R, Atreya R, Ekici AB, Lautenschläger F, Guck J, Neurath MF, Zundler S. IL-3 receptor signalling suppresses chronic intestinal inflammation by controlling mechanobiology and tissue egress of regulatory T cells. Gut 2023; 72:2081-2094. [PMID: 37541770 PMCID: PMC10579496 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2023-329818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
IL-3 has been reported to be involved in various inflammatory disorders, but its role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has not been addressed so far. Here, we determined IL-3 expression in samples from patients with IBD and studied the impact of Il3 or Il3r deficiency on T cell-dependent experimental colitis. We explored the mechanical, cytoskeletal and migratory properties of Il3r -/- and Il3r +/+ T cells using real-time deformability cytometry, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching and in vitro and in vivo cell trafficking assays. We observed that, in patients with IBD, the levels of IL-3 in the inflamed mucosa were increased. In vivo, experimental chronic colitis on T cell transfer was exacerbated in the absence of Il-3 or Il-3r signalling. This was attributable to Il-3r signalling-induced changes in kinase phosphorylation and actin cytoskeleton structure, resulting in increased mechanical deformability and enhanced egress of Tregs from the inflamed colon mucosa. Similarly, IL-3 controlled mechanobiology in human Tregs and was associated with increased mucosal Treg abundance in patients with IBD. Collectively, our data reveal that IL-3 signaling exerts an important regulatory role at the interface of biophysical and migratory T cell features in intestinal inflammation and suggest that this might be an interesting target for future intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Anne-Marie Ullrich
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Julia Derdau
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Carsten Baltes
- Experimental Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Alice Battistella
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Gonzalo Rosso
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefan Uderhardt
- Department of Medicine 3, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Exploratory Research Unit, FAU Optical Imaging Competence Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lisa Lou Schulze
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Li-Juan Liu
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Mark Dedden
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marta Spocinska
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lucina Kainka
- Experimental Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Markéta Kubánková
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Tanja Martina Müller
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Nina-Maria Schmidt
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Emily Becker
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Oumaima Ben Brahim
- Department of Medicine 3, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Exploratory Research Unit, FAU Optical Imaging Competence Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Imke Atreya
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Susetta Finotto
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Molecular Pneumology, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Iryna Prots
- Dental Clinic 1 - Dental Preservation and Periodontology, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefan Wirtz
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Benno Weigmann
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Rocío López-Posadas
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Raja Atreya
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Arif Bülent Ekici
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Franziska Lautenschläger
- Experimental Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
- Center for Biophysics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Jochen Guck
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Markus F Neurath
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Zundler
- Department of Medicine 1, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
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36
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Soteriou D, Kubánková M, Schweitzer C, López-Posadas R, Pradhan R, Thoma OM, Györfi AH, Matei AE, Waldner M, Distler JHW, Scheuermann S, Langejürgen J, Eckstein M, Schneider-Stock R, Atreya R, Neurath MF, Hartmann A, Guck J. Rapid single-cell physical phenotyping of mechanically dissociated tissue biopsies. Nat Biomed Eng 2023; 7:1392-1403. [PMID: 37024677 PMCID: PMC10651479 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-023-01015-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
During surgery, rapid and accurate histopathological diagnosis is essential for clinical decision making. Yet the prevalent method of intra-operative consultation pathology is intensive in time, labour and costs, and requires the expertise of trained pathologists. Here we show that biopsy samples can be analysed within 30 min by sequentially assessing the physical phenotypes of singularized suspended cells dissociated from the tissues. The diagnostic method combines the enzyme-free mechanical dissociation of tissues, real-time deformability cytometry at rates of 100-1,000 cells s-1 and data analysis by unsupervised dimensionality reduction and logistic regression. Physical phenotype parameters extracted from brightfield images of single cells distinguished cell subpopulations in various tissues, enhancing or even substituting measurements of molecular markers. We used the method to quantify the degree of colon inflammation and to accurately discriminate healthy and tumorous tissue in biopsy samples of mouse and human colons. This fast and label-free approach may aid the intra-operative detection of pathological changes in solid biopsies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Despina Soteriou
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Markéta Kubánková
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christine Schweitzer
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Rocío López-Posadas
- Department of Medicine 1-Gastroenterology, Pneumology and Endocrinology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Rashmita Pradhan
- Department of Medicine 1-Gastroenterology, Pneumology and Endocrinology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Oana-Maria Thoma
- Department of Medicine 1-Gastroenterology, Pneumology and Endocrinology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Andrea-Hermina Györfi
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine 3-Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Alexandru-Emil Matei
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine 3-Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Maximilian Waldner
- Department of Medicine 1-Gastroenterology, Pneumology and Endocrinology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jörg H W Distler
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine 3-Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | | | - Markus Eckstein
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Regine Schneider-Stock
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Raja Atreya
- Department of Medicine 1-Gastroenterology, Pneumology and Endocrinology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Markus F Neurath
- Department of Medicine 1-Gastroenterology, Pneumology and Endocrinology, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Arndt Hartmann
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jochen Guck
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany.
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37
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Feng Y, Zhu J, Chai H, He W, Huang L, Wang W. Impedance-Based Multimodal Electrical-Mechanical Intrinsic Flow Cytometry. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2303416. [PMID: 37438542 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202303416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Reflecting various physiological states and phenotypes of single cells, intrinsic biophysical characteristics (e.g., mechanical and electrical properties) are reliable and important, label-free biomarkers for characterizing single cells. However, single-modal mechanical or electrical properties alone are not specific enough to characterize single cells accurately, and it has been long and challenging to couple the conventionally image-based mechanical characterization and impedance-based electrical characterization. In this work, the spatial-temporal characteristics of impedance sensing signal are leveraged, and an impedance-based multimodal electrical-mechanical flow cytometry framework for on-the-fly high-dimensional intrinsic measurement is proposed, that is, Young's modulus E, fluidity β, radius r, cytoplasm conductivity σi , and specific membrane capacitance Csm , of single cells. With multimodal high-dimensional characterization, the electrical-mechanical flow cytometry can better reveal the difference in cell types, demonstrated by the experimental results with three types of cancer cells (HepG2, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-468) with 93.4% classification accuracy and pharmacological perturbations of the cytoskeleton (fixed and Cytochalasin B treated cells) with 95.1% classification accuracy. It is envisioned that multimodal electrical-mechanical flow cytometry provides a new perspective for accurate label-free single-cell intrinsic characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxiang Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Junwen Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Huichao Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Weihua He
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Liang Huang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Measuring Theory and Precision Instrument, School of Instrument Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, 230002, P. R. China
| | - Wenhui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instrument, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
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38
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Ma R, Rashid SA, Velusamy A, Deal BR, Chen W, Petrich B, Li R, Salaita K. Molecular mechanocytometry using tension-activated cell tagging. Nat Methods 2023; 20:1666-1671. [PMID: 37798479 PMCID: PMC11325290 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-02030-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Flow cytometry is used routinely to measure single-cell gene expression by staining cells with fluorescent antibodies and nucleic acids. Here, we present tension-activated cell tagging (TaCT) to label cells fluorescently based on the magnitude of molecular force transmitted through cell adhesion receptors. As a proof-of-concept, we analyzed fibroblasts and mouse platelets after TaCT using conventional flow cytometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | | | - Brendan R Deal
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Wenchun Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Brian Petrich
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Renhao Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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39
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Pozzi P, Candeo A, Paiè P, Bragheri F, Bassi A. Artificial intelligence in imaging flow cytometry. FRONTIERS IN BIOINFORMATICS 2023; 3:1229052. [PMID: 37877042 PMCID: PMC10593470 DOI: 10.3389/fbinf.2023.1229052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Pozzi
- Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Alessia Candeo
- Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Petra Paiè
- Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Francesca Bragheri
- Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milano, Italy
| | - Andrea Bassi
- Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
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40
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Jahnke K, Göpfrich K. Engineering DNA-based cytoskeletons for synthetic cells. Interface Focus 2023; 13:20230028. [PMID: 37577007 PMCID: PMC10415745 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2023.0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The development and bottom-up assembly of synthetic cells with a functional cytoskeleton sets a major milestone to understand cell mechanics and to develop man-made machines on the nano- and microscale. However, natural cytoskeletal components can be difficult to purify, deliberately engineer and reconstitute within synthetic cells which therefore limits the realization of multifaceted functions of modern cytoskeletons in synthetic cells. Here, we review recent progress in the development of synthetic cytoskeletons made from deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as a complementary strategy. In particular, we explore the capabilities and limitations of DNA cytoskeletons to mimic functions of natural cystoskeletons like reversible assembly, cargo transport, force generation, mechanical support and guided polymerization. With recent examples, we showcase the power of rationally designed DNA cytoskeletons for bottom-up assembled synthetic cells as fully engineerable entities. Nevertheless, the realization of dynamic instability, self-replication and genetic encoding as well as contractile force generating motors remains a fruitful challenge for the complete integration of multifunctional DNA-based cytoskeletons into synthetic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Jahnke
- Biophysical Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kerstin Göpfrich
- Biophysical Engineering Group, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 329, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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41
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Sun J, Huang X, Chen J, Xiang R, Ke X, Lin S, Xuan W, Liu S, Cao Z, Sun L. Recent advances in deformation-assisted microfluidic cell sorting technologies. Analyst 2023; 148:4922-4938. [PMID: 37743834 DOI: 10.1039/d3an01150j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Cell sorting is an essential prerequisite for cell research and has great value in life science and clinical studies. Among the many microfluidic cell sorting technologies, label-free methods based on the size of different cell types have been widely studied. However, the heterogeneity in size for cells of the same type and the inevitable size overlap between different types of cells would result in performance degradation in size-based sorting. To tackle such challenges, deformation-assisted technologies are receiving more attention recently. Cell deformability is an inherent biophysical marker of cells that reflects the changes in their internal structures and physiological states. It provides additional dimensional information for cell sorting besides size. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the recent advances in deformation-assisted microfluidic cell sorting technologies. According to how the deformability is characterized and the form in which the force acts, the technologies can be divided into two categories: (1) the indirect category including transit-time-based and image-based methods, and (2) the direct category including microstructure-based and hydrodynamics-based methods. Finally, the separation performance and the application scenarios of each method, the existing challenges and future outlook are discussed. Deformation-assisted microfluidic cell sorting technologies are expected to realize greater potential in the label-free analysis of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Sun
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Xiwei Huang
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Jin Chen
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Rikui Xiang
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Xiang Ke
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Siru Lin
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Weipeng Xuan
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
| | - Shan Liu
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, China
| | - Zhen Cao
- College of Information Science and Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University, China
| | - Lingling Sun
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of RF Circuits and Systems, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China.
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Cioffi G, Dannhauser D, Rossi D, Netti PA, Causa F. Unknown cell class distinction via neural network based scattering snapshot recognition. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2023; 14:5060-5074. [PMID: 37854558 PMCID: PMC10581789 DOI: 10.1364/boe.492028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Neural network-based image classification is widely used in life science applications. However, it is essential to extrapolate a correct classification method for unknown images, where no prior knowledge can be utilised. Under a closed set assumption, unknown images will be inevitably misclassified, but this can be genuinely overcome choosing an open-set classification approach, which first generates an in-distribution of identified images to successively discriminate out-of-distribution images. The testing of such image classification for single cell applications in life science scenarios has yet to be done but could broaden our expertise in quantifying the influence of prediction uncertainty in deep learning. In this framework, we implemented the open-set concept on scattering snapshots of living cells to distinguish between unknown and known cell classes, targeting four different known monoblast cell classes and a single tumoral unknown monoblast cell line. We also investigated the influence on experimental sample errors and optimised neural network hyperparameters to obtain a high unknown cell class detection accuracy. We discovered that our open-set approach exhibits robustness against sample noise, a crucial aspect for its application in life science. Moreover, the presented open-set based neural network reveals measurement uncertainty out of the cell prediction, which can be applied to a wide range of single cell classifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaia Cioffi
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB) and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - David Dannhauser
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB) and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Domenico Rossi
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo A. Netti
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB) and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Filippo Causa
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB) and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
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43
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Bhosle VK, Sun C, Patel S, Ho TWW, Westman J, Ammendolia DA, Langari FM, Fine N, Toepfner N, Li Z, Sharma M, Glogauer J, Capurro MI, Jones NL, Maynes JT, Lee WL, Glogauer M, Grinstein S, Robinson LA. The chemorepellent, SLIT2, bolsters innate immunity against Staphylococcus aureus. eLife 2023; 12:e87392. [PMID: 37773612 PMCID: PMC10541174 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neutrophils are essential for host defense against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The neuro-repellent, SLIT2, potently inhibits neutrophil chemotaxis, and might, therefore, be expected to impair antibacterial responses. We report here that, unexpectedly, neutrophils exposed to the N-terminal SLIT2 (N-SLIT2) fragment kill extracellular S. aureus more efficiently. N-SLIT2 amplifies reactive oxygen species production in response to the bacteria by activating p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase that in turn phosphorylates NCF1, an essential subunit of the NADPH oxidase complex. N-SLIT2 also enhances the exocytosis of neutrophil secondary granules. In a murine model of S. aureus skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI), local SLIT2 levels fall initially but increase subsequently, peaking at 3 days after infection. Of note, the neutralization of endogenous SLIT2 worsens SSTI. Temporal fluctuations in local SLIT2 levels may promote neutrophil recruitment and retention at the infection site and hasten bacterial clearance by augmenting neutrophil oxidative burst and degranulation. Collectively, these actions of SLIT2 coordinate innate immune responses to limit susceptibility to S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikrant K Bhosle
- Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Research InstituteTorontoCanada
| | - Chunxiang Sun
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Sajedabanu Patel
- Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Research InstituteTorontoCanada
| | - Tse Wing Winnie Ho
- The Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Unity Health TorontoTorontoCanada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, Medical Sciences Building, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Johannes Westman
- Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Research InstituteTorontoCanada
| | - Dustin A Ammendolia
- Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Research InstituteTorontoCanada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Medical Sciences Building, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Fatemeh Mirshafiei Langari
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research InstituteTorontoCanada
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical Sciences Building, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Noah Fine
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Nicole Toepfner
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität DresdenDresdenGermany
| | - Zhubing Li
- Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Research InstituteTorontoCanada
| | - Manraj Sharma
- Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Research InstituteTorontoCanada
| | - Judah Glogauer
- Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Research InstituteTorontoCanada
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Mariana I Capurro
- Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Research InstituteTorontoCanada
| | - Nicola L Jones
- Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Research InstituteTorontoCanada
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
- Department of Physiology, Medical Sciences Building, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Department of Paediatrics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Jason T Maynes
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research InstituteTorontoCanada
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, The Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
- Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Warren L Lee
- The Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Unity Health TorontoTorontoCanada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, Medical Sciences Building, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical Sciences Building, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Department of Medicine and Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Michael Glogauer
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Department of Dental Oncology and Maxillofacial Prosthetics, University Health Network, Princess Margaret Cancer CentreTorontoCanada
- Centre for Advanced Dental Research and Care, Mount Sinai HospitalTorontoCanada
| | - Sergio Grinstein
- Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Research InstituteTorontoCanada
- The Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Unity Health TorontoTorontoCanada
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical Sciences Building, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Lisa A Robinson
- Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children Research InstituteTorontoCanada
- Department of Paediatrics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Division of Nephrology, The Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
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Zhou S, Chen B, Fu ES, Yan H. Computer vision meets microfluidics: a label-free method for high-throughput cell analysis. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2023; 9:116. [PMID: 37744264 PMCID: PMC10511704 DOI: 10.1038/s41378-023-00562-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we review the integration of microfluidic chips and computer vision, which has great potential to advance research in the life sciences and biology, particularly in the analysis of cell imaging data. Microfluidic chips enable the generation of large amounts of visual data at the single-cell level, while computer vision techniques can rapidly process and analyze these data to extract valuable information about cellular health and function. One of the key advantages of this integrative approach is that it allows for noninvasive and low-damage cellular characterization, which is important for studying delicate or fragile microbial cells. The use of microfluidic chips provides a highly controlled environment for cell growth and manipulation, minimizes experimental variability and improves the accuracy of data analysis. Computer vision can be used to recognize and analyze target species within heterogeneous microbial populations, which is important for understanding the physiological status of cells in complex biological systems. As hardware and artificial intelligence algorithms continue to improve, computer vision is expected to become an increasingly powerful tool for in situ cell analysis. The use of microelectromechanical devices in combination with microfluidic chips and computer vision could enable the development of label-free, automatic, low-cost, and fast cellular information recognition and the high-throughput analysis of cellular responses to different compounds, for broad applications in fields such as drug discovery, diagnostics, and personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shizheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228 China
| | - Bingbing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228 China
| | - Edgar S. Fu
- Graduate School of Computing and Information Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA
| | - Hong Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228 China
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45
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Liboz M, Allard A, Malo M, Lamour G, Letort G, Thiébot B, Labdi S, Pelta J, Campillo C. Using Adhesive Micropatterns and AFM to Assess Cancer Cell Morphology and Mechanics. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:43403-43413. [PMID: 37682772 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c07785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
The mechanical properties of living cells reflect their physiological and pathological state. In particular, cancer cells undergo cytoskeletal modifications that typically make them softer than healthy cells, a property that could be used as a diagnostic tool. However, this is challenging because cells are complex structures displaying a broad range of morphologies when cultured in standard 2D culture dishes. Here, we use adhesive micropatterns to impose the cell geometry and thus standardize the mechanics and morphologies of cancer cells, which we measure by atomic force microscopy (AFM), mechanical nanomapping, and membrane nanotube pulling. We show that micropatterning cancer cells leads to distinct morphological and mechanical changes for different cell lines. Micropatterns did not systematically lower the variability in cell elastic modulus distribution. These effects emerge from a variable cell spreading rate associated with differences in the organization of the cytoskeleton, thus providing detailed insights into the structure-mechanics relationship of cancer cells cultured on micropatterns. Combining AFM with micropatterns reveals new mechanical and morphological observables applicable to cancer cells and possibly other cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Liboz
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, CY Cergy Paris Université, CNRS, LAMBE, 91025 Evry-Courcouronnes, France
| | - Antoine Allard
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, CY Cergy Paris Université, CNRS, LAMBE, 91025 Evry-Courcouronnes, France
- Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, CV4 7AL Coventry, U.K
| | - Michel Malo
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, CY Cergy Paris Université, CNRS, LAMBE, 91025 Evry-Courcouronnes, France
| | - Guillaume Lamour
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, CY Cergy Paris Université, CNRS, LAMBE, 91025 Evry-Courcouronnes, France
| | - Gaelle Letort
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75231 Paris, France
| | - Bénédicte Thiébot
- CY Cergy Paris Université, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, LAMBE, F-95000 Cergy, France
| | - Sid Labdi
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, CY Cergy Paris Université, CNRS, LAMBE, 91025 Evry-Courcouronnes, France
| | - Juan Pelta
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, CY Cergy Paris Université, CNRS, LAMBE, 91025 Evry-Courcouronnes, France
| | - Clément Campillo
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, CY Cergy Paris Université, CNRS, LAMBE, 91025 Evry-Courcouronnes, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 75231 Paris, France
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46
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Hosseini K, Frenzel A, Fischer-Friedrich E. EMT induces characteristic changes of Rho GTPases and downstream effectors with a mitosis-specific twist. Phys Biol 2023; 20:066001. [PMID: 37652025 DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/acf5bd] [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: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key cellular transformation for many physiological and pathological processes ranging from cancer over wound healing to embryogenesis. Changes in cell migration, cell morphology and cellular contractility were identified as hallmarks of EMT. These cellular properties are known to be tightly regulated by the actin cytoskeleton. EMT-induced changes of actin-cytoskeletal regulation were demonstrated by previous reports of changes of actin cortex mechanics in conjunction with modifications of cortex-associated f-actin and myosin. However, at the current state, the changes of upstream actomyosin signaling that lead to corresponding mechanical and compositional changes of the cortex are not well understood. In this work, we show in breast epithelial cancer cells MCF-7 that EMT results in characteristic changes of the cortical association of Rho-GTPases Rac1, RhoA and RhoC and downstream actin regulators cofilin, mDia1 and Arp2/3. In the light of our findings, we propose that EMT-induced changes in cortical mechanics rely on two hitherto unappreciated signaling paths-i) an interaction between Rac1 and RhoC and ii) an inhibitory effect of Arp2/3 activity on cortical association of myosin II.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamran Hosseini
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Biotechnology Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Annika Frenzel
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Biotechnology Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Fischer-Friedrich
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Biotechnology Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Faculty of Physics, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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47
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Rubio-Lara JA, Igarashi KJ, Sood S, Johansson A, Sommerkamp P, Yamashita M, Lin DS. Expanding hematopoietic stem cell ex vivo: recent advances and technical considerations. Exp Hematol 2023; 125-126:6-15. [PMID: 37543237 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2023.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are the most primitive cell type in the hematopoietic hierarchy, which are responsible for sustaining the lifelong production of mature blood and immune cells. Due to their superior long-term regenerative capacity, HSC therapies such as stem cell transplantation have been used in a broad range of hematologic disorders. However, the rarity of this population in vivo considerably limits its clinical applications and large-scale analyses such as screening and safety studies. Therefore, ex vivo culture methods that allow long-term expansion and maintenance of functional HSCs are instrumental in overcoming the difficulties in studying HSC biology and improving HSC therapies. In this perspective, we discuss recent advances and technical considerations for three ex vivo HSC expansion methods including 1) polyvinyl alcohol-based HSC expansion, 2) mesenchymal stromal cell-HSC co-culture, and 3) two-/three-dimensional hydrogel HSC culture. This review summarizes the presentations and discussions from the 2022 International Society for Experimental Hematology (ISEH) Annual Meeting New Investigator Technology Session.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kyomi J Igarashi
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Shubhankar Sood
- Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), Heidelberg, Germany; Division of Inflammatory Stress in Stem Cells, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alban Johansson
- International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Pia Sommerkamp
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Masayuki Yamashita
- Division of Stem Cell and Molecular Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Dawn S Lin
- Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), Heidelberg, Germany; Division of Stem Cells and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
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Abraham A, Virdi S, Herrero N, Bryant I, Nwakama C, Jacob M, Khaparde G, Jordan D, McCuddin M, McKinley S, Taylor A, Peeples C, Ekpenyong A. Microfluidic Microcirculation Mimetic for Exploring Biophysical Mechanisms of Chemotherapy-Induced Metastasis. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:1653. [PMID: 37763816 PMCID: PMC10536821 DOI: 10.3390/mi14091653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
There is rapidly emerging evidence from pre-clinical studies, patient samples and patient subpopulations that certain chemotherapeutics inadvertently produce prometastatic effects. Prior to this, we showed that doxorubicin and daunorubicin stiffen cells before causing cell death, predisposing the cells to clogging and extravasation, the latter being a step in metastasis. Here, we investigate which other anti-cancer drugs might have similar prometastatic effects by altering the biophysical properties of cells. We treated myelogenous (K562) leukemic cancer cells with the drugs nocodazole and hydroxyurea and then measured their mechanical properties using a microfluidic microcirculation mimetic (MMM) device, which mimics aspects of blood circulation and enables the measurement of cell mechanical properties via transit times through the device. We also quantified the morphological properties of cells to explore biophysical mechanisms underlying the MMM results. Results from MMM measurements show that nocodazole- and hydroxyurea-treated K562 cells exhibit significantly altered transit times. Nocodazole caused a significant (p < 0.01) increase in transit times, implying a stiffening of cells. This work shows the feasibility of using an MMM to explore possible biophysical mechanisms that might contribute to chemotherapy-induced metastasis. Our work also suggests cell mechanics as a therapeutic target for much needed antimetastatic strategies in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Abraham
- Biology Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.A.); (N.H.); (M.J.); (G.K.); (D.J.); (M.M.); (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Sukhman Virdi
- Physics Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (S.V.); (I.B.); (C.P.)
| | - Nick Herrero
- Biology Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.A.); (N.H.); (M.J.); (G.K.); (D.J.); (M.M.); (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Israel Bryant
- Physics Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (S.V.); (I.B.); (C.P.)
| | - Chisom Nwakama
- Chemistry Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA;
| | - Megha Jacob
- Biology Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.A.); (N.H.); (M.J.); (G.K.); (D.J.); (M.M.); (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Gargee Khaparde
- Biology Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.A.); (N.H.); (M.J.); (G.K.); (D.J.); (M.M.); (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Destiny Jordan
- Biology Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.A.); (N.H.); (M.J.); (G.K.); (D.J.); (M.M.); (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Mackenzie McCuddin
- Biology Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.A.); (N.H.); (M.J.); (G.K.); (D.J.); (M.M.); (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Spencer McKinley
- Biology Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.A.); (N.H.); (M.J.); (G.K.); (D.J.); (M.M.); (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Adam Taylor
- Biology Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (A.A.); (N.H.); (M.J.); (G.K.); (D.J.); (M.M.); (S.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Conner Peeples
- Physics Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (S.V.); (I.B.); (C.P.)
| | - Andrew Ekpenyong
- Physics Department, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA; (S.V.); (I.B.); (C.P.)
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49
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Pfister F, Dörrie J, Schaft N, Buchele V, Unterweger H, Carnell LR, Schreier P, Stein R, Kubánková M, Guck J, Hackstein H, Alexiou C, Janko C. Human T cells loaded with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles retain antigen-specific TCR functionality. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1223695. [PMID: 37662937 PMCID: PMC10470061 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1223695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Immunotherapy of cancer is an emerging field with the potential to improve long-term survival. Thus far, adoptive transfer of tumor-specific T cells represents an effective treatment option for tumors of the hematological system such as lymphoma, leukemia or myeloma. However, in solid tumors, treatment efficacy is low owing to the immunosuppressive microenvironment, on-target/off-tumor toxicity, limited extravasation out of the blood vessel, or ineffective trafficking of T cells into the tumor region. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) can make cells magnetically controllable for the site-specific enrichment. Methods In this study, we investigated the influence of SPION-loading on primary human T cells for the magnetically targeted adoptive T cell therapy. For this, we analyzed cellular mechanics and the T cell response after stimulation via an exogenous T cell receptor (TCR) specific for the melanoma antigen MelanA or the endogenous TCR specific for the cytomegalovirus antigen pp65 and compared them to T cells that had not received SPIONs. Results SPION-loading of human T cells showed no influence on cellular mechanics, therefore retaining their ability to deform to external pressure. Additionally, SPION-loading did not impair the T cell proliferation, expression of activation markers, cytokine secretion, and tumor cell killing after antigen-specific activation mediated by the TCR. Conclusion In summary, we demonstrated that SPION-loading of T cells did not affect cellular mechanics or the functionality of the endogenous or an exogenous TCR, which allows future approaches using SPIONs for the magnetically enrichment of T cells in solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Pfister
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Section of Experimental Oncology and Nanomedicine (SEON), Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung Professorship, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jan Dörrie
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Niels Schaft
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Vera Buchele
- Department of Transfusion Medicine and Hemostaseology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Harald Unterweger
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Section of Experimental Oncology and Nanomedicine (SEON), Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung Professorship, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lucas R. Carnell
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Section of Experimental Oncology and Nanomedicine (SEON), Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung Professorship, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Organic Chemisty Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Patrick Schreier
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Section of Experimental Oncology and Nanomedicine (SEON), Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung Professorship, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences and Health, Hochschule Coburg, Coburg, Germany
| | - Rene Stein
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Section of Experimental Oncology and Nanomedicine (SEON), Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung Professorship, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Markéta Kubánková
- Max-Planck-Institute for the Science of Light & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jochen Guck
- Max-Planck-Institute for the Science of Light & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Holger Hackstein
- Department of Transfusion Medicine and Hemostaseology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christoph Alexiou
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Section of Experimental Oncology and Nanomedicine (SEON), Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung Professorship, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christina Janko
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Section of Experimental Oncology and Nanomedicine (SEON), Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung Professorship, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
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Feng Y, Li M. Micropipette-assisted atomic force microscopy for single-cell 3D manipulations and nanomechanical measurements. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:13346-13358. [PMID: 37526589 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr02404k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical cues play a crucial role in regulating physiological and pathological processes, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) has become an important and standard tool for measuring the mechanical properties of single cells. In particular, providing a capability to manipulate cells in a three-dimensional (3D) space benefits enhancing the applications of AFM measurements in cell biology. Here, we present the complementary integration of AFM and micropipette micromanipulation, which allows precise 3D manipulations and nanomechanical measurements of single living cells. A micropipette micromanipulation system under the guidance of optical microscopy was established to isolate single living cells, and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) micropillar substrates were used to physically immobilize the isolated living cells for downstream AFM detection. The viscoelastic properties (Young's modulus, relaxation time, viscosity) of cells were quantitatively measured by AFM-based indentation assay. The effectiveness of micropipette-assisted AFM in single-cell analysis was confirmed on both living animal suspended cells and living animal adherent cells, showing dramatic changes in cell mechanics in different states and revealing the dynamics of single cells grown on micropillar arrays. The study demonstrates the great potential of a micropipette to aid AFM in single-cell manipulations for better accessing the mechanical cues involved in cellular processes, which will allow additional studies of single-cell mechanics and will benefit the field of mechanobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqi Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China.
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110169, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Mi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China.
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110169, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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