1
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Selicean SE, Felli E, Wang C, Nulan Y, Lozano JJ, Guixé-Muntet S, Ștefănescu H, Bosch J, Berzigotti A, Gracia-Sancho J. Stiffness-induced modulation of ERG transcription factor in chronic liver disease. NPJ GUT AND LIVER 2024; 1:7. [PMID: 39381160 PMCID: PMC11459910 DOI: 10.1038/s44355-024-00007-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 10/10/2024]
Abstract
Chronic liver disease (CLD) is characterised by liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) dysfunction. Mechanical forces and inflammation are among the leading factors. ETS-related gene (ERG) is an endothelial-specific transcription factor, involved in maintaining cell quiescence and homeostasis. Our study aimed to understand the expression and modulation of ERG in CLD. ERG expression was characterised and correlated to clinical data in human liver cirrhosis at different disease stages. ERG dynamics in response to stiffness and inflammation were investigated in primary healthy and cirrhotic rat LSEC and in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). ERG is markedly downregulated in cirrhosis independently of disease stage or aetiology and its expression is modulated by substrate stiffness in ECs. Inflammation downregulates ERG in cells on physiological stiffness, but not on high stiffness, suggesting a complementary role of inflammation and stiffness in suppressing ERG. This study outlines ERG as an LSEC inflammation and stiffness-responsive transcription factor in cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia-Emilia Selicean
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research, Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Eric Felli
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research, Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Cong Wang
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research, Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Yeldos Nulan
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research, Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Juan José Lozano
- Liver Vascular Biology Research Group, IDIBAPS Biomedical Research Institute, CIBEREHD, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergi Guixé-Muntet
- Liver Vascular Biology Research Group, IDIBAPS Biomedical Research Institute, CIBEREHD, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Horia Ștefănescu
- Liver Unit, Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Octavian Fodor, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Jaime Bosch
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research, Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Liver Vascular Biology Research Group, IDIBAPS Biomedical Research Institute, CIBEREHD, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Annalisa Berzigotti
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research, Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jordi Gracia-Sancho
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research, Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Liver Vascular Biology Research Group, IDIBAPS Biomedical Research Institute, CIBEREHD, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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2
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Haaker MW, Goossens V, Hoogland NAN, van Doorne H, Wang Z, Jansen JWA, Kaloyanova DV, van de Lest CHA, Houweling M, Vaandrager AB, Helms JB. Early activation of hepatic stellate cells induces rapid initiation of retinyl ester breakdown while maintaining lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) activity. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2024; 1869:159540. [PMID: 39068984 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2024.159540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Lecithin:retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) is the main enzyme producing retinyl esters (REs) in quiescent hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). When cultured on stiff plastic culture plates, quiescent HSCs activate and lose their RE stores in a process similar to that in the liver following tissue damage, leading to fibrosis. Here we validated HSC cultures in soft gels to study RE metabolism in stable quiescent HSCs and investigated RE synthesis and breakdown in activating HSCs. HSCs cultured in a soft gel maintained characteristics of quiescent HSCs, including the size, amount and composition of their characteristic large lipid droplets. Quiescent gel-cultured HSCs maintained high expression levels of Lrat and a RE storing phenotype with low levels of RE breakdown. Newly formed REs are highly enriched in retinyl palmitate (RP), similar to freshly isolated quiescent HSCs, which is associated with high LRAT activity. Comparison of these quiescent gel-cultured HSCs with activated plastic-cultured HSCs showed that although during early activation the total RE levels and RP-enrichment are reduced, levels of RE formation are maintained and mediated by LRAT. Loss of REs was caused by enhanced RE breakdown in activating HSCs. Upon prolonged culturing, activated HSCs have lost their LRAT activity and produce small amounts of REs by DGAT1. This study reveals unexpected dynamics in RE metabolism during early HSC activation, which might be important in liver disease as early stages are reversible. Soft gel cultures provide a promising model to study RE metabolism in quiescent HSCs, allowing detailed molecular investigations on the mechanisms for storage and release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya W Haaker
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Division of Cell Biology, Metabolism & Cancer, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Vera Goossens
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Division of Cell Biology, Metabolism & Cancer, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Nina A N Hoogland
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Division of Cell Biology, Metabolism & Cancer, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Hidde van Doorne
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Division of Cell Biology, Metabolism & Cancer, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ziqiong Wang
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Division of Cell Biology, Metabolism & Cancer, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jeroen W A Jansen
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Division of Cell Biology, Metabolism & Cancer, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Dora V Kaloyanova
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Division of Cell Biology, Metabolism & Cancer, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Chris H A van de Lest
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Division of Cell Biology, Metabolism & Cancer, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Martin Houweling
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Division of Cell Biology, Metabolism & Cancer, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - A Bas Vaandrager
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Division of Cell Biology, Metabolism & Cancer, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - J Bernd Helms
- Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Division of Cell Biology, Metabolism & Cancer, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Institute of Biomembranes, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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3
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Karunasagara S, Taghizadeh A, Kim SH, Kim SJ, Kim YJ, Taghizadeh M, Kim MY, Oh KY, Lee JH, Kim HS, Hyun J, Kim HW. Tissue Mechanics and Hedgehog Signaling Crosstalk as a Key Epithelial-Stromal Interplay in Cancer Development. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2400063. [PMID: 38976559 PMCID: PMC11425211 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202400063] [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: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Epithelial-stromal interplay through chemomechanical cues from cells and matrix propels cancer progression. Elevated tissue stiffness in potentially malignant tissues suggests a link between matrix stiffness and enhanced tumor growth. In this study, employing chronic oral/esophageal injury and cancer models, it is demonstrated that epithelial-stromal interplay through matrix stiffness and Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is key in compounding cancer development. Epithelial cells actively interact with fibroblasts, exchanging mechanoresponsive signals during the precancerous stage. Specifically, epithelial cells release Sonic Hh, activating fibroblasts to produce matrix proteins and remodeling enzymes, resulting in tissue stiffening. Subsequently, basal epithelial cells adjacent to the stiffened tissue become proliferative and undergo epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, acquiring migratory and invasive properties, thereby promoting invasive tumor growth. Notably, transcriptomic programs of oncogenic GLI2, mechano-activated by actin cytoskeletal tension, govern this process, elucidating the crucial role of non-canonical GLI2 activation in orchestrating the proliferation and mesenchymal transition of epithelial cells. Furthermore, pharmacological intervention targeting tissue stiffening proves highly effective in slowing cancer progression. These findings underscore the impact of epithelial-stromal interplay through chemo-mechanical (Hh-stiffness) signaling in cancer development, and suggest that targeting tissue stiffness holds promise as a strategy to disrupt chemo-mechanical feedback, enabling effective cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanika Karunasagara
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nanobiomedical Science & BK21 Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Ali Taghizadeh
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nanobiomedical Science & BK21 Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Hyun Kim
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science & Technology, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - So Jung Kim
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nanobiomedical Science & BK21 Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Jae Kim
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nanobiomedical Science & BK21 Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Mohsen Taghizadeh
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nanobiomedical Science & BK21 Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Moon-Young Kim
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu-Young Oh
- Department of Oral Pathology, College of Dentistry, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Hwan Lee
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nanobiomedical Science & BK21 Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- UCL Eastman-Korea Dental Medicine Innovation Centre, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Dentistry, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Cell & Matter Institute, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Sung Kim
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nanobiomedical Science & BK21 Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- UCL Eastman-Korea Dental Medicine Innovation Centre, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongeun Hyun
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nanobiomedical Science & BK21 Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- UCL Eastman-Korea Dental Medicine Innovation Centre, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Department of Regenerative Dental Medicine, College of Dentistry, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae-Won Kim
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nanobiomedical Science & BK21 Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- UCL Eastman-Korea Dental Medicine Innovation Centre, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Department of Regenerative Dental Medicine, College of Dentistry, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
- Cell & Matter Institute, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, Republic of Korea
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4
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Moro-López M, Farré R, Otero J, Sunyer R. Trusting the forces of our cell lines. Cells Dev 2024; 179:203931. [PMID: 38852676 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdev.2024.203931] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Cells isolated from their native tissues and cultured in vitro face different selection pressures than those cultured in vivo. These pressures induce a profound transformation that reshapes the cell, alters its genome, and transforms the way it senses and generates forces. In this perspective, we focus on the evidence that cells cultured on conventional polystyrene substrates display a fundamentally different mechanobiology than their in vivo counterparts. We explore the role of adhesion reinforcement in this transformation and to what extent it is reversible. We argue that this mechanoadaptation is often understood as a mechanical memory. We propose some strategies to mitigate the effects of on-plastic culture on mechanobiology, such as organoid-inspired protocols or mechanical priming. While isolating cells from their native tissues and culturing them on artificial substrates has revolutionized biomedical research, it has also transformed cellular forces. Only by understanding and controlling them, we can improve their truthfulness and validity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Moro-López
- Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ramon Farré
- Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBER-RES), Barcelona, Spain; Institut Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jorge Otero
- Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBER-RES), Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raimon Sunyer
- Unit of Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería (CIBER-BBN), Barcelona, Spain.
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5
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Sankhe CS, Sacco JL, Lawton J, Fair RA, Soares DVR, Aldahdooh MKR, Gomez ED, Gomez EW. Breast Cancer Cells Exhibit Mesenchymal-Epithelial Plasticity Following Dynamic Modulation of Matrix Stiffness. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2024:e2400087. [PMID: 38977422 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202400087] [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: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) is essential for tissue and organ development and is thought to contribute to cancer by enabling the establishment of metastatic lesions. Despite its importance in both health and disease, there is a lack of in vitro platforms to study MET and little is known about the regulation of MET by mechanical cues. Here, hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels with dynamic and tunable stiffnesses mimicking that of normal and tumorigenic mammary tissue are synthesized. The platform is then utilized to examine the response of mammary epithelial cells and breast cancer cells to dynamic modulation of matrix stiffness. Gradual softening of the hydrogels reduces proliferation and increases apoptosis of breast cancer cells. Moreover, breast cancer cells exhibit temporal changes in cell morphology, cytoskeletal organization, and gene expression that are consistent with mesenchymal-epithelial plasticity as the stiffness of the matrix is reduced. A reduction in matrix stiffness attenuates the expression of integrin-linked kinase, and inhibition of integrin-linked kinase impacts proliferation, apoptosis, and gene expression in cells cultured on stiff and dynamic hydrogels. Overall, these findings reveal intermediate epithelial/mesenchymal states as cells move along a matrix stiffness-mediated MET trajectory and suggest an important role for matrix mechanics in regulating mesenchymal-epithelial plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinmay S Sankhe
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Jessica L Sacco
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Jacob Lawton
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Ryan A Fair
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | | | - Mohammed K R Aldahdooh
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Enrique D Gomez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Esther W Gomez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
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6
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Min K, Karuppannan SK, Tae G. The impact of matrix stiffness on hepatic cell function, liver fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma-Based on quantitative data. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2024; 5:021306. [PMID: 38846007 PMCID: PMC11151446 DOI: 10.1063/5.0197875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Over the past few decades, extensive research has explored the development of supportive scaffold materials for in vitro hepatic cell culture, to effectively mimic in vivo microenvironments. It is crucial for hepatic disease modeling, drug screening, and therapeutic evaluations, considering the ethical concerns and practical challenges associated with in vivo experiments. This review offers a comprehensive perspective on hepatic cell culture using bioscaffolds by encompassing all stages of hepatic diseases-from a healthy liver to fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-with a specific focus on matrix stiffness. This review begins by providing physiological and functional overviews of the liver. Subsequently, it explores hepatic cellular behaviors dependent on matrix stiffness from previous reports. For hepatic cell activities, softer matrices showed significant advantages over stiffer ones in terms of cell proliferation, migration, and hepatic functions. Conversely, stiffer matrices induced myofibroblastic activation of hepatic stellate cells, contributing to the further progression of fibrosis. Elevated matrix stiffness also correlates with HCC by increasing proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metastasis, and drug resistance of HCC cells. In addition, we provide quantitative information on available data to offer valuable perspectives for refining the preparation and development of matrices for hepatic tissue engineering. We also suggest directions for further research on this topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiyoon Min
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Sathish Kumar Karuppannan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Giyoong Tae
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
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7
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Bebiano LB, Presa R, Vieira F, Lourenço BN, Pereira RF. Bioinspired and Photo-Clickable Thiol-Ene Bioinks for the Extrusion Bioprinting of Mechanically Tunable 3D Skin Models. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:228. [PMID: 38667239 PMCID: PMC11048463 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9040228] [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: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bioinks play a fundamental role in skin bioprinting, dictating the printing fidelity, cell response, and function of bioprinted 3D constructs. However, the range of bioinks that support skin cells' function and aid in the bioprinting of 3D skin equivalents with tailorable properties and customized shapes is still limited. In this study, we describe a bioinspired design strategy for bioengineering double crosslinked pectin-based bioinks that recapitulate the mechanical properties and the presentation of cell-adhesive ligands and protease-sensitive domains of the dermal extracellular matrix, supporting the bioprinting of bilayer 3D skin models. Methacrylate-modified pectin was used as a base biomaterial enabling hydrogel formation via either chain-growth or step-growth photopolymerization and providing independent control over bioink rheology, as well as the mechanical and biochemical cues of cell environment. By tuning the concentrations of crosslinker and polymer in bioink formulation, dermal constructs were bioprinted with a physiologically relevant range of stiffnesses that resulted in strikingly site-specific differences in the morphology and spreading of dermal fibroblasts. We also demonstrated that the developed thiol-ene photo-clickable bioinks allow for the bioprinting of skin models of varying shapes that support dermis and epidermis reconstruction. Overall, the engineered bioinks expand the range of printable biomaterials for the extrusion bioprinting of 3D cell-laden hydrogels and provide a versatile platform to study the impact of material cues on cell fate, offering potential for in vitro skin modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís B. Bebiano
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- INEB—Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rafaela Presa
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- INEB—Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Francisca Vieira
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- INEB—Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Bianca N. Lourenço
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- INEB—Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rúben F. Pereira
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- INEB—Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
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8
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Kim HS, Taghizadeh A, Taghizadeh M, Kim HW. Advanced materials technologies to unravel mechanobiological phenomena. Trends Biotechnol 2024; 42:179-196. [PMID: 37666712 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.08.002] [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] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Advancements in materials-driven mechanobiology have yielded significant progress. Mechanobiology explores how cellular and tissue mechanics impact development, physiology, and disease, where extracellular matrix (ECM) dynamically interacts with cells. Biomaterial-based platforms emulate synthetic ECMs, offering precise control over cellular behaviors by adjusting mechanical properties. Recent technological advances enable in vitro models replicating active mechanical stimuli in vivo. These models manipulate cellular mechanics even at a subcellular level. In this review we discuss recent material-based mechanomodulatory studies in mechanobiology. We highlight the endeavors to mimic the dynamic properties of native ECM during pathophysiological processes like cellular homeostasis, lineage specification, development, aging, and disease progression. These insights may inform the design of accurate in vitro mechanomodulatory platforms that replicate ECM mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye Sung Kim
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Department of Nanobiomedical Science and BK21 NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Ali Taghizadeh
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Department of Nanobiomedical Science and BK21 NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Mohsen Taghizadeh
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Department of Nanobiomedical Science and BK21 NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae-Won Kim
- Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Mechanobiology Dental Medicine Research Center, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea; Department of Nanobiomedical Science and BK21 NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea.
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9
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Carvalho AM, Bansal R, Barrias CC, Sarmento B. The Material World of 3D-Bioprinted and Microfluidic-Chip Models of Human Liver Fibrosis. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2307673. [PMID: 37961933 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202307673] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Biomaterials are extensively used to mimic cell-matrix interactions, which are essential for cell growth, function, and differentiation. This is particularly relevant when developing in vitro disease models of organs rich in extracellular matrix, like the liver. Liver disease involves a chronic wound-healing response with formation of scar tissue known as fibrosis. At early stages, liver disease can be reverted, but as disease progresses, reversion is no longer possible, and there is no cure. Research for new therapies is hampered by the lack of adequate models that replicate the mechanical properties and biochemical stimuli present in the fibrotic liver. Fibrosis is associated with changes in the composition of the extracellular matrix that directly influence cell behavior. Biomaterials could play an essential role in better emulating the disease microenvironment. In this paper, the recent and cutting-edge biomaterials used for creating in vitro models of human liver fibrosis are revised, in combination with cells, bioprinting, and/or microfluidics. These technologies have been instrumental to replicate the intricate structure of the unhealthy tissue and promote medium perfusion that improves cell growth and function, respectively. A comprehensive analysis of the impact of material hints and cell-material interactions in a tridimensional context is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Margarida Carvalho
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal
- INEB - Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal
- ICBAS - Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, Porto, 4050-313, Portugal
| | - Ruchi Bansal
- Translational Liver Research, Department of Medical Cell Biophysics, Technical Medical Center, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, 7522 NB, The Netherlands
| | - Cristina C Barrias
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal
- INEB - Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal
- ICBAS - Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, Porto, 4050-313, Portugal
| | - Bruno Sarmento
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal
- INEB - Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, Porto, 4200-135, Portugal
- IUCS - Instituto Universitário de Ciências da Saúde, CESPU, Rua Central de Gandra 1317, Gandra, 4585-116, Portugal
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10
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Crandell P, Stowers R. Spatial and Temporal Control of 3D Hydrogel Viscoelasticity through Phototuning. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2023; 9:6860-6869. [PMID: 38019272 PMCID: PMC10716813 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c01099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
The mechanical properties of the extracellular environment can regulate a variety of cellular functions, such as spreading, migration, proliferation, and even differentiation and phenotypic determination. Much effort has been directed at understanding the effects of the extracellular matrix (ECM) elastic modulus and, more recently, stress relaxation on cellular processes. In physiological contexts such as development, wound healing, and fibrotic disease progression, ECM mechanical properties change substantially over time or space. Dynamically tunable hydrogel platforms have been developed to spatiotemporally modulate a gel's elastic modulus. However, dynamically altering the stress relaxation rate of a hydrogel remains a challenge. Here, we present a strategy to tune hydrogel stress relaxation rates in time or space using a light-triggered tethering of poly(ethylene glycol) to alginate. We show that the stress relaxation rate can be tuned without altering the elastic modulus of the hydrogel. We found that cells are capable of sensing and responding to dynamic stress relaxation rate changes, both morphologically and through differences in proliferation rates. We also exploited the light-based technique to generate spatial patterns of stress relaxation rates in 3D hydrogels. We anticipate that user-directed control of the 3D hydrogel stress relaxation rate will be a powerful tool that enables studies that mimic dynamic ECM contexts or as a means to guide cell fate in space and time for tissue engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Crandell
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, University of
California, Santa Barbara, Santa
Barbara, California 93016, United States
| | - Ryan Stowers
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, University of
California, Santa Barbara, Santa
Barbara, California 93016, United States
- Biological
Engineering Program, University of California,
Santa Barbara, Santa
Barbara, California 93106, United States
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11
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Dudaryeva OY, Bernhard S, Tibbitt MW, Labouesse C. Implications of Cellular Mechanical Memory in Bioengineering. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2023; 9:5985-5998. [PMID: 37797187 PMCID: PMC10646820 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c01007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
The ability to maintain and differentiate cells in vitro is critical to many advances in the field of bioengineering. However, on traditional, stiff (E ≈ GPa) culture substrates, cells are subjected to sustained mechanical stress that can lead to phenotypic changes. Such changes may remain even after transferring the cells to another scaffold or engrafting them in vivo and bias the outcomes of the biological investigation or clinical treatment. This persistence─or mechanical memory─was initially observed for sustained myofibroblast activation of pulmonary fibroblasts after culturing them on stiff (E ≈ 100 kPa) substrates. Aspects of mechanical memory have now been described in many in vitro contexts. In this Review, we discuss the stiffness-induced effectors of mechanical memory: structural changes in the cytoskeleton and activity of transcription factors and epigenetic modifiers. We then focus on how mechanical memory impacts cell expansion and tissue regeneration outcomes in bioengineering applications relying on prolonged 2D plastic culture, such as stem cell therapies and disease models. We propose that alternatives to traditional cell culture substrates can be used to mitigate or erase mechanical memory and improve the efficiency of downstream cell-based bioengineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oksana Y Dudaryeva
- Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8092, Switzerland
- Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht 3584, Netherlands
| | - Stéphane Bernhard
- Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Mark W Tibbitt
- Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Céline Labouesse
- Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8092, Switzerland
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12
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Felli E, Selicean S, Guixé-Muntet S, Wang C, Bosch J, Berzigotti A, Gracia-Sancho J. Mechanobiology of portal hypertension. JHEP Rep 2023; 5:100869. [PMID: 37841641 PMCID: PMC10568428 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2023.100869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The interplay between mechanical stimuli and cellular mechanobiology orchestrates the physiology of tissues and organs in a dynamic balance characterized by constant remodelling and adaptative processes. Environmental mechanical properties can be interpreted as a complex set of information and instructions that cells read continuously, and to which they respond. In cirrhosis, chronic inflammation and injury drive liver cells dysfunction, leading to excessive extracellular matrix deposition, sinusoidal pseudocapillarization, vascular occlusion and parenchymal extinction. These pathological events result in marked remodelling of the liver microarchitecture, which is cause and result of abnormal environmental mechanical forces, triggering and sustaining the long-standing and progressive process of liver fibrosis. Multiple mechanical forces such as strain, shear stress, and hydrostatic pressure can converge at different stages of the disease until reaching a point of no return where the fibrosis is considered non-reversible. Thereafter, reciprocal communication between cells and their niches becomes the driving force for disease progression. Accumulating evidence supports the idea that, rather than being a passive consequence of fibrosis and portal hypertension (PH), mechanical force-mediated pathways could themselves represent strategic targets for novel therapeutic approaches. In this manuscript, we aim to provide a comprehensive review of the mechanobiology of PH, by furnishing an introduction on the most important mechanisms, integrating these concepts into a discussion on the pathogenesis of PH, and exploring potential therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Felli
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research, Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sonia Selicean
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research, Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sergi Guixé-Muntet
- Liver Vascular Biology Research Group, IDIBAPS Biomedical Research Institute, CIBEREHD, Spain
| | - Cong Wang
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research, Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jaume Bosch
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research, Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Liver Vascular Biology Research Group, IDIBAPS Biomedical Research Institute, CIBEREHD, Spain
| | - Annalisa Berzigotti
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research, Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jordi Gracia-Sancho
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research, Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Liver Vascular Biology Research Group, IDIBAPS Biomedical Research Institute, CIBEREHD, Spain
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13
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Falcucci T, Radke M, Sahoo JK, Hasturk O, Kaplan DL. Multifunctional silk vinyl sulfone-based hydrogel scaffolds for dynamic material-cell interactions. Biomaterials 2023; 300:122201. [PMID: 37348323 PMCID: PMC10366540 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Biochemical and mechanical interactions between cells and the surrounding extracellular matrix influence cell behavior and fate. Mimicking these features in vitro has prompted the design and development of biomaterials, with continuing efforts to improve tailorable systems that also incorporate dynamic chemical functionalities. The majority of these chemistries have been incorporated into synthetic biomaterials, here we focus on modifications of silk protein with dynamic features achieved via enzymatic, "click", and photo-chemistries. The one-pot synthesis of vinyl sulfone modified silk (SilkVS) can be tuned to manipulate the degree of functionalization. The resultant modified protein-based material undergoes three different gelation mechanisms, enzymatic, "click", and light-induced, to generate hydrogels for in vitro cell culture. Further, the versatility of this chemical functionality is exploited to mimic cell-ECM interactions via the incorporation of bioactive peptides and proteins or by altering the mechanical properties of the material to guide cell behavior. SilkVS is well-suited for use in in vitro culture, providing a natural protein with both tunable biochemistry and mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Falcucci
- Tufts University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Margaret Radke
- Tufts University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medford, MA, USA
| | | | - Onur Hasturk
- Tufts University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medford, MA, USA
| | - David L Kaplan
- Tufts University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medford, MA, USA.
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14
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Hasturk O, Sahoo JK, Kaplan DL. Synthesis and characterization of silk-poly(guluronate) hybrid polymers for the fabrication of dual crosslinked, mechanically dynamic hydrogels. POLYMER 2023; 281:126129. [PMID: 37483847 PMCID: PMC10357961 DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2023.126129] [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] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
The rapid ionic crosslinking of alginate has been actively studied for biomedical applications including hydrogel scaffolds for tissue engineering, injectable gels, and 3D bioprinting. However, the poor structural stability of ionic crosslinks under physiological conditions limits the widespread applications of these hydrogels. Moreover, the lack of cell adhesion to the material combined with the inability of proteases to degrade alginate further restrict utility as hydrogel scaffolds. Blends of alginate with silk fibroin have been proposed for improved structural and mechanical properties, but potential phase separation between the hydrophobic protein and the hydrophilic polysaccharide remains an issue. In this study, we demonstrated the synthesis of a hybrid biopolymer composed of a silk backbone with side chains of poly(guluronate) isolated from alginate to introduce rapid ionic crosslinking on enzymatically crosslinked silk-based hydrogels for on-demand and reversible stiffening and softening properties. Dual crosslinked macro- and microgels of silk fibroin-poly(guluronate) (SF-PG) hybrid polymers displayed dynamic morphology with reversible shrinking and swelling behavior. SF-PG hydrogel discs demonstrated dynamic mechanics with compressive moduli ranging from less than 5 kPa to over 80 kPa and underwent proteolytic degradation unlike covalently crosslinked alginate controls. SF-PG gels supplemented with gelatin substituted with tyramine or both tyramine and PG also supported the attachment and survival of murine fibroblasts, suggesting potential uses of these new hydrogels in mammalian cell culture to investigate cellular responses to dynamic mechanics or modeling of diseases defined by matrix mechanics, such as fibrosis and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onur Hasturk
- Tufts University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medford MA, USA
| | | | - David L Kaplan
- Tufts University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medford MA, USA
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15
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Sumey JL, Johnston PC, Harrell AM, Caliari SR. Hydrogel mechanics regulate fibroblast DNA methylation and chromatin condensation. Biomater Sci 2023; 11:2886-2897. [PMID: 36880435 PMCID: PMC10329270 DOI: 10.1039/d2bm02058k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Cellular mechanotransduction plays a central role in fibroblast activation during fibrotic disease progression, leading to increased tissue stiffness and reduced organ function. While the role of epigenetics in disease mechanotransduction has begun to be appreciated, little is known about how substrate mechanics, particularly the timing of mechanical inputs, regulate epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation and chromatin reorganization during fibroblast activation. In this work, we engineered a hyaluronic acid hydrogel platform with independently tunable stiffness and viscoelasticity to model normal (storage modulus, G' ∼ 0.5 kPa, loss modulus, G'' ∼ 0.05 kPa) to increasingly fibrotic (G' ∼ 2.5 and 8 kPa, G'' ∼ 0.05 kPa) lung mechanics. Human lung fibroblasts exhibited increased spreading and nuclear localization of myocardin-related transcription factor-A (MRTF-A) with increasing substrate stiffness within 1 day, with these trends holding steady for longer cultures. However, fibroblasts displayed time-dependent changes in global DNA methylation and chromatin organization. Fibroblasts initially displayed increased DNA methylation and chromatin decondensation on stiffer hydrogels, but both of these measures decreased with longer culture times. To investigate how culture time affected the responsiveness of fibroblast nuclear remodeling to mechanical signals, we engineered hydrogels amenable to in situ secondary crosslinking, enabling a transition from a compliant substrate mimicking normal tissue to a stiffer substrate resembling fibrotic tissue. When stiffening was initiated after only 1 day of culture, fibroblasts rapidly responded and displayed increased DNA methylation and chromatin decondensation, similar to fibroblasts on static stiffer hydrogels. Conversely, when fibroblasts experienced later stiffening at day 7, they showed no changes in DNA methylation and chromatin condensation, suggesting the induction of a persistent fibroblast phenotype. These results highlight the time-dependent nuclear changes associated with fibroblast activation in response to dynamic mechanical perturbations and may provide mechanisms to target for controlling fibroblast activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna L Sumey
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, USA.
| | | | | | - Steven R Caliari
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, USA
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16
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Ma Y, Zhang X, Tang S, Xue L, Wang J, Zhang X. Extended preconditioning on soft matrices directs human mesenchymal stem cell fate via YAP transcriptional activity and chromatin organization. APL Bioeng 2023; 7:016110. [PMID: 36845904 PMCID: PMC9949900 DOI: 10.1063/5.0124424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Dynamic extracellular matrix (ECM) mechanics plays a crucial role in tissue development and disease progression through regulation of stem cell behavior, differentiation, and fate determination. Periodontitis is a typical case characterized by decreased ECM stiffness within diseased periodontal tissues as well as with irreversible loss of osteogenesis capacity of periodontal tissue-derived human periodontal tissue-derived MSCs (hMSCs) even returning back to a physiological mechanical microenvironment. We hypothesized that the hMSCs extendedly residing in the soft ECM of diseased periodontal tissues may memorize the mechanical information and have further effect on ultimate cell fate besides the current mechanical microenvironment. Using a soft priming and subsequent stiff culture system based on collagen-modified polydimethylsiloxane substrates, we were able to discover that extended preconditioning on soft matrices (e.g., 7 days of exposure) led to approximately one-third decrease in cell spreading, two-third decrease in osteogenic markers (e.g., RUNX2 and OPN) of hMSCs, and one-thirteenth decrease in the production of mineralized nodules. The significant loss of osteogenic ability may attribute to the long-term residing of hMSCs in diseased periodontal tissue featured with reduced stiffness. This is associated with the regulation of transcriptional activity through alterations of subcellular localization of yes-associated protein and nuclear feature-mediated chromatin organization. Collectively, we reconstructed phenomena of irreversible loss of hMSC osteogenesis capacity in diseased periodontal tissues in our system and revealed the critical effect of preconditioning duration on soft matrices as well as the potential mechanisms in determining ultimate hMSC fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufei Ma
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Xu Zhang
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Shaoxin Tang
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Xue
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, Center for Mitochondrial Biology and Medicine, School of Life Science and Technology, International Joint Laboratory for Micro/Nano Manufacturing and Measurement Technology, Xi'an Key Laboratory for Biomedical Testing and High-End Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Wang
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaohui Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, Center for Mitochondrial Biology and Medicine, School of Life Science and Technology, International Joint Laboratory for Micro/Nano Manufacturing and Measurement Technology, Xi'an Key Laboratory for Biomedical Testing and High-End Equipment, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
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17
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Lee HJ, Mun SJ, Jung CR, Kang HM, Kwon JE, Ryu JS, Ahn HS, Kwon OS, Ahn J, Moon KS, Son MJ, Chung KS. In vitro modeling of liver fibrosis with 3D co-culture system using a novel human hepatic stellate cell line. Biotechnol Bioeng 2023; 120:1241-1253. [PMID: 36639871 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) play an important role in liver fibrosis; however, owing to the heterogeneity and limited supply of primary HSCs, the development of in vitro liver fibrosis models has been impeded. In this study, we established and characterized a novel human HSC line (LSC-1), and applied it to various types of three-dimensional (3D) co-culture systems with differentiated HepaRG cells. Furthermore, we compared LSC-1 with a commercially available HSC line on conventional monolayer culture. LSC-1 exhibited an overall upregulation of the expression of fibrogenic genes along with increased levels of matrix and adhesion proteins, suggesting a myofibroblast-like or transdifferentiated state. However, activated states reverted to a quiescent-like phenotype when cultured in different 3D culture formats with a relatively soft microenvironment. Additionally, LSC-1 exerted an overall positive effect on co-cultured differentiated HepaRG, which significantly increased hepatic functionality upon long-term cultivation compared with that achieved with other HSC line. In 3D spheroid culture, LSC-1 exhibited enhanced responsiveness to transforming growth factor beta 1 exposure that is caused by a different matrix-related protein expression mechanism. Therefore, the LSC-1 line developed in this study provides a reliable candidate model that can be used to address unmet needs, such as development of antifibrotic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho-Joon Lee
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seon Ju Mun
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Cho-Rok Jung
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Mi Kang
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Eun Kwon
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Sung Ryu
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo-Suk Ahn
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ok-Seon Kwon
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiwon Ahn
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Sik Moon
- General and Applied Toxicology Research Center, Korea Institute of Toxicology (KIT), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung Jin Son
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Sook Chung
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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18
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Chen G, Deng Y, Xia B, Lv Y. In Situ Regulation and Mechanisms of 3D Matrix Stiffness on the Activation and Reversion of Hepatic Stellate Cells. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 12:e2202560. [PMID: 36519640 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202202560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a key event in the progression of liver fibrosis. HSCs transdifferentiate into myofibroblasts and secrete large amounts of extracellular matrix, resulting in increased liver stiffness. It is difficult for platforms constructed in vitro to simulate the structure, composition, and stiffness of the 3D microenvironment of HSCs in vivo. Here, 3D scaffolds with different stiffness are constructed by decellularizing rat livers at different stages of fibrosis. The effects of matrix stiffness on the proliferation, activation, and reversion of HSCs are studied. The results demonstrate these scaffolds have good cytocompatibility. It is also found that the high stiffness can significantly promote the activation of HSCs, and this process is accompanied by the activation of integrin β1 as well as the nucleation and activation of Yes-associated protein (YAP). Moreover, the low stiffness of the scaffold can promote the reversion of activated HSCs, which is associated with cell apoptosis and accompanied by the inactivation of integrin β1 and YAP. These results suggest that YAP may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of liver fibrosis and the theoretical feasibility of inducing activated HSCs reversion to the resting state by regulating matrix stiffness of liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guobao Chen
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 400054, P. R. China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 400054, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology (Chongqing University), Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Yaxin Deng
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 400054, P. R. China.,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 400054, P. R. China
| | - Bin Xia
- Engineering Research Center for Waste Oil Recovery Technology and Equipment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Technology and Business University, Chongqing, 400067, P. R. China
| | - Yonggang Lv
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430200, P. R. China
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19
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Abstract
AIM Fibrosis is a common pathological feature of most types of chronic liver injuries. There is no specific treatment for liver fibrosis at present. The liver microenvironment, which fosters the survival and activity of liver cells, plays an important role in maintaining the normal structure and physiological function of the liver. The aim of this review is to deeply understand the role of the liver microenvironment in the dynamic and complicated development of liver fibrosis. METHODS After searching in Elsevier ScienceDirect, PubMed and Web of Science databases using 'liver fibrosis' and 'microenvironment' as keywords, studies related to microenvironment in liver fibrosis was compiled and examined. RESULTS The homeostasis of the liver microenvironment is disrupted during the development of liver fibrosis, affecting liver cell function, causing various types of cell reactions, and changing the cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, eventually affecting fibrosis formation. CONCLUSION Liver microenvironment may be important for identifying potential therapeutic targets, and restoring microenvironment homeostasis may be an important strategy for promoting the reversal of liver fibrosis.KEY MESSAGESThe homeostasis of the liver microenvironment is disrupted in liver fibrosis;A pro-fibrotic microenvironment is formed during the development of liver fibrosis;Restoring microenvironment homeostasis may be an important strategy for promoting the reversal of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Meng
- Department of General Medicine, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Tong Zhao
- Department of Orthopedics, Lanzhou University First Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Zhengyi Zhang
- Department of General Medicine, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Dekui Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
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20
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Brougham-Cook A, Kimmel HRC, Monckton CP, Owen D, Khetani SR, Underhill GH. Engineered matrix microenvironments reveal the heterogeneity of liver sinusoidal endothelial cell phenotypic responses. APL Bioeng 2022; 6:046102. [PMID: 36345318 PMCID: PMC9637025 DOI: 10.1063/5.0097602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibrosis is one of the hallmarks of chronic liver disease and is associated with aberrant wound healing. Changes in the composition of the liver microenvironment during fibrosis result in a complex crosstalk of extracellular cues that promote altered behaviors in the cell types that comprise the liver sinusoid, particularly liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs). Recently, it has been observed that LSECs may sustain injury before other fibrogenesis-associated cells of the sinusoid, implicating LSECs as key actors in the fibrotic cascade. A high-throughput cellular microarray platform was used to deconstruct the collective influences of defined combinations of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, substrate stiffness, and soluble factors on primary human LSEC phenotype in vitro. We observed remarkable heterogeneity in LSEC phenotype as a function of stiffness, ECM, and soluble factor context. LYVE-1 and CD-31 expressions were highest on 1 kPa substrates, and the VE-cadherin junction localization was highest on 25 kPa substrates. Also, LSECs formed distinct spatial patterns of LYVE-1 expression, with LYVE-1+ cells observed in the center of multicellular domains, and pattern size regulated by microenvironmental context. ECM composition also influenced a substantial dynamic range of expression levels for all markers, and the collagen type IV was observed to promote elevated expressions of LYVE-1, VE-cadherin, and CD-31. These studies highlight key microenvironmental regulators of LSEC phenotype and reveal unique spatial patterning of the sinusoidal marker LYVE-1. Furthermore, these data provide insight into understanding more precisely how LSECs respond to fibrotic microenvironments, which will aid drug development and identification of targets to treat liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan Brougham-Cook
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Hannah R. C. Kimmel
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Chase P. Monckton
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA
| | - Daniel Owen
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Salman R. Khetani
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA
| | - Gregory H. Underhill
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA,Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:. Tel.: 217–244-2169
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21
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Wang EY, Zhao Y, Okhovatian S, Smith JB, Radisic M. Intersection of stem cell biology and engineering towards next generation in vitro models of human fibrosis. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:1005051. [PMID: 36338120 PMCID: PMC9630603 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.1005051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Human fibrotic diseases constitute a major health problem worldwide. Fibrosis involves significant etiological heterogeneity and encompasses a wide spectrum of diseases affecting various organs. To date, many fibrosis targeted therapeutic agents failed due to inadequate efficacy and poor prognosis. In order to dissect disease mechanisms and develop therapeutic solutions for fibrosis patients, in vitro disease models have gone a long way in terms of platform development. The introduction of engineered organ-on-a-chip platforms has brought a revolutionary dimension to the current fibrosis studies and discovery of anti-fibrotic therapeutics. Advances in human induced pluripotent stem cells and tissue engineering technologies are enabling significant progress in this field. Some of the most recent breakthroughs and emerging challenges are discussed, with an emphasis on engineering strategies for platform design, development, and application of machine learning on these models for anti-fibrotic drug discovery. In this review, we discuss engineered designs to model fibrosis and how biosensor and machine learning technologies combine to facilitate mechanistic studies of fibrosis and pre-clinical drug testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Yan Wang
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yimu Zhao
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sargol Okhovatian
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jacob B. Smith
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Milica Radisic
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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22
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Braidotti N, Chen SN, Long CS, Cojoc D, Sbaizero O. Piezo1 Channel as a Potential Target for Hindering Cardiac Fibrotic Remodeling. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:8065. [PMID: 35897650 PMCID: PMC9330509 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibrotic tissues share many common features with neoplasms where there is an increased stiffness of the extracellular matrix (ECM). In this review, we present recent discoveries related to the role of the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo1 in several diseases, especially in regulating tumor progression, and how this can be compared with cardiac mechanobiology. Based on recent findings, Piezo1 could be upregulated in cardiac fibroblasts as a consequence of the mechanical stress and pro-inflammatory stimuli that occurs after myocardial injury, and its increased activity could be responsible for a positive feedback loop that leads to fibrosis progression. The increased Piezo1-mediated calcium flow may play an important role in cytoskeleton reorganization since it induces actin stress fibers formation, a well-known characteristic of fibroblast transdifferentiation into the activated myofibroblast. Moreover, Piezo1 activity stimulates ECM and cytokines production, which in turn promotes the phenoconversion of adjacent fibroblasts into new myofibroblasts, enhancing the invasive character. Thus, by assuming the Piezo1 involvement in the activation of intrinsic fibroblasts, recruitment of new myofibroblasts, and uncontrolled excessive ECM production, a new approach to blocking the fibrotic progression can be predicted. Therefore, targeted therapies against Piezo1 could also be beneficial for cardiac fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoletta Braidotti
- Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Via A. Valerio 2, 34127 Trieste, Italy;
- Institute of Materials, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IOM), Area Science Park Basovizza, Strada Statale 14, Km 163,5, 34149 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Suet Nee Chen
- CU-Cardiovascular Institute, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12700 East 19th Ave., Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Carlin S. Long
- Center for the Prevention of Heart and Vascular Disease, University of California, 555 Mission Bay Blvd South, Rm 352K, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA;
| | - Dan Cojoc
- Institute of Materials, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IOM), Area Science Park Basovizza, Strada Statale 14, Km 163,5, 34149 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Orfeo Sbaizero
- Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Via A. Valerio 6/A, 34127 Trieste, Italy
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23
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Narkar AR, Tong Z, Soman P, Henderson JH. Smart biomaterial platforms: Controlling and being controlled by cells. Biomaterials 2022; 283:121450. [PMID: 35247636 PMCID: PMC8977253 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Across diverse research and application areas, dynamic functionality-such as programmable changes in biochemical property, in mechanical property, or in microscopic or macroscopic architecture-is an increasingly common biomaterials design criterion, joining long-studied criteria such as cytocompatibility and biocompatibility, drug release kinetics, and controlled degradability or long-term stability in vivo. Despite tremendous effort, achieving dynamic functionality while simultaneously maintaining other desired design criteria remains a significant challenge. Reversible dynamic functionality, rather than one-time or one-way dynamic functionality, is of particular interest but has proven especially challenging. Such reversible functionality could enable studies that address the current gap between the dynamic nature of in vivo biological and biomechanical processes, such as cell traction, cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions, and cell-mediated ECM remodeling, and the static nature of the substrates and ECM constructs used to study the processes. This review assesses dynamic materials that have traditionally been used to control cell activity and static biomaterial constructs, experimental and computational techniques, with features that may inform continued advances in reversible dynamic materials. Taken together, this review presents a perspective on combining the reversibility of smart materials and the in-depth dynamic cell behavior probed by static polymers to design smart bi-directional ECM platforms that can reversibly and repeatedly communicate with cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ameya R Narkar
- BioInspired Syracuse: Institute for Material and Living Systems, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, United States; Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, United States.
| | - Zhuoqi Tong
- BioInspired Syracuse: Institute for Material and Living Systems, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, United States; Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, United States.
| | - Pranav Soman
- BioInspired Syracuse: Institute for Material and Living Systems, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, United States; Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, United States.
| | - James H Henderson
- BioInspired Syracuse: Institute for Material and Living Systems, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, United States; Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, United States.
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24
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Friedman SL, Pinzani M. Hepatic fibrosis 2022: Unmet needs and a blueprint for the future. Hepatology 2022; 75:473-488. [PMID: 34923653 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 90.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Steady progress over four decades toward understanding the pathogenesis and clinical consequences of hepatic fibrosis has led to the expectation of effective antifibrotic drugs, yet none has been approved. Thus, an assessment of the field is timely, to clarify priorities and accelerate progress. Here, we highlight the successes to date but, more importantly, identify gaps and unmet needs, both experimentally and clinically. These include the need to better define cell-cell interactions and etiology-specific elements of fibrogenesis and their link to disease-specific drivers of portal hypertension. Success in treating viral hepatitis has revealed the remarkable capacity of the liver to degrade scar in reversing fibrosis, yet we know little of the mechanisms underlying this response. Thus, there is an exigent need to clarify the cellular and molecular mechanisms of fibrosis regression in order for therapeutics to mimic the liver's endogenous capacity. Better refined and more predictive in vitro and animal models will hasten drug development. From a clinical perspective, current diagnostics are improving but not always biologically plausible or sufficiently accurate to supplant biopsy. More urgently, digital pathology methods that leverage machine learning and artificial intelligence must be validated in order to capture more prognostic information from liver biopsies and better quantify the response to therapies. For more refined treatment of NASH, orthogonal approaches that integrate genetic, clinical, and pathological data sets may yield treatments for specific subphenotypes of the disease. Collectively, these and other advances will strengthen and streamline clinical trials and better link histologic responses to clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott L Friedman
- Division of Liver DiseasesIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Massimo Pinzani
- Institute for Liver and Digestive HealthUniversity College LondonLondonUK
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25
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Wang AJ, Allen A, Sofman M, Sphabmixay P, Yildiz E, Griffith LG. Engineering Modular 3D Liver Culture Microenvironments In Vitro to Parse the Interplay between Biophysical and Biochemical Microenvironment Cues on Hepatic Phenotypes. ADVANCED NANOBIOMED RESEARCH 2022; 2:2100049. [PMID: 35872804 PMCID: PMC9307216 DOI: 10.1002/anbr.202100049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In vitro models of human liver functions are used across a diverse range of applications in preclinical drug development and disease modeling, with particular increasing interest in models that capture facets of liver inflammatory status. This study investigates how the interplay between biophysical and biochemical microenvironment cues influence phenotypic responses, including inflammation signatures, of primary human hepatocytes (PHH) cultured in a commercially available perfused bioreactor. A 3D printing-based alginate microwell system was designed to form thousands of hepatic spheroids in a scalable manner as a comparator 3D culture modality to the bioreactor. Soft, synthetic extracellular matrix (ECM) hydrogel scaffolds with biophysical properties mimicking features of liver were engineered to replace polystyrene scaffolds, and the biochemical microenvironment was modulated with a defined set of growth factors and signaling modulators. The supplemented media significantly increased tissue density, albumin secretion, and CYP3A4 activity but also upregulated inflammatory markers. Basal inflammatory markers were lower for cells maintained in ECM hydrogel scaffolds or spheroid formats than polystyrene scaffolds, while hydrogel scaffolds exhibited the most sensitive response to inflammation as assessed by multiplexed cytokine and RNA-seq analyses. Together, these engineered 3D liver microenvironments provide insights for probing human liver functions and inflammatory response in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex J Wang
- Biological Engineering Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Allysa Allen
- Biological Engineering Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Marianna Sofman
- Biological Engineering Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Pierre Sphabmixay
- Mechanical Engineering Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA; Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Ece Yildiz
- Biological Engineering Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA; Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Science, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Route Cantonale, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Linda G. Griffith
- Biological Engineering Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA; Center for Gynepathology Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
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26
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Walker CJ, Crocini C, Ramirez D, Killaars AR, Grim JC, Aguado BA, Clark K, Allen MA, Dowell RD, Leinwand LA, Anseth KS. Nuclear mechanosensing drives chromatin remodelling in persistently activated fibroblasts. Nat Biomed Eng 2021; 5:1485-1499. [PMID: 33875841 PMCID: PMC9102466 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-021-00709-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Fibrotic disease is caused by the continuous deposition of extracellular matrix by persistently activated fibroblasts (also known as myofibroblasts), even after the resolution of the injury. Using fibroblasts from porcine aortic valves cultured on hydrogels that can be softened via exposure to ultraviolet light, here we show that increased extracellular stiffness activates the fibroblasts, and that cumulative tension on the nuclear membrane and increases in the activity of histone deacetylases transform transiently activated fibroblasts into myofibroblasts displaying condensed chromatin with genome-wide alterations. The condensed structure of the myofibroblasts is associated with cytoskeletal stability, as indicated by the inhibition of chromatin condensation and myofibroblast persistence after detachment of the nucleus from the cytoskeleton via the displacement of endogenous nesprins from the nuclear envelope. We also show that the chromatin structure of myofibroblasts from patients with aortic valve stenosis is more condensed than that of myofibroblasts from healthy donors. Our findings suggest that nuclear mechanosensing drives distinct chromatin signatures in persistently activated fibroblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cierra J Walker
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Claudia Crocini
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Daniel Ramirez
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Anouk R Killaars
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Joseph C Grim
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Brian A Aguado
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Kyle Clark
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Mary A Allen
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Robin D Dowell
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Leslie A Leinwand
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
| | - Kristi S Anseth
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
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27
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The Combined Influence of Viscoelastic and Adhesive Cues on Fibroblast Spreading and Focal Adhesion Organization. Cell Mol Bioeng 2021; 14:427-440. [PMID: 34777602 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-021-00672-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Tissue fibrosis is characterized by progressive extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffening and loss of viscoelasticity that ultimately impairs organ functionality. Cells bind to the ECM through integrins, where αv integrin engagement in particular has been correlated with fibroblast activation into contractile myofibroblasts that drive fibrosis progression. There is a significant unmet need for in vitro hydrogel systems that deconstruct the complexity of native tissues to better understand the individual and combined effects of stiffness, viscoelasticity, and integrin engagement on fibroblast behavior. Methods We developed hyaluronic acid hydrogels with independently tunable cell-instructive properties (stiffness, viscoelasticity, ligand presentation) to address this challenge. Hydrogels with mechanics matching normal or fibrotic lung tissue were synthesized using a combination of covalent crosslinks and supramolecular interactions to tune viscoelasticity. Cell adhesion was mediated through incorporation of either RGD peptide or engineered fibronectin fragments promoting preferential integrin engagement via αvβ3 or α5β1. Results On fibrosis-mimicking stiff elastic hydrogels, preferential αvβ3 engagement promoted increased spreading, actin stress fiber organization, and focal adhesion maturation as indicated by paxillin organization in human lung fibroblasts. In contrast, preferential α5β1 binding suppressed these metrics. Viscoelasticity, mimicking the mechanics of healthy tissue, largely curtailed fibroblast spreading and focal adhesion organization independent of adhesive ligand type, highlighting its role in reducing fibroblast-activating behaviors. Conclusions Together, these results provide new insights into how mechanical and adhesive cues collectively guide disease-relevant cell behaviors. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12195-021-00672-1.
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Caligiuri A, Gentilini A, Pastore M, Gitto S, Marra F. Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Liver Fibrosis Regression. Cells 2021; 10:cells10102759. [PMID: 34685739 PMCID: PMC8534788 DOI: 10.3390/cells10102759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic liver injury of different etiologies may result in hepatic fibrosis, a scar formation process consisting in altered deposition of extracellular matrix. Progression of fibrosis can lead to impaired liver architecture and function, resulting in cirrhosis and organ failure. Although fibrosis was previous thought to be an irreversible process, recent evidence convincingly demonstrated resolution of fibrosis in different organs when the cause of injury is removed. In the liver, due to its high regenerative ability, the extent of fibrosis regression and reversion to normal architecture is higher than in other tissues, even in advanced disease. The mechanisms of liver fibrosis resolution can be recapitulated in the following main points: removal of injurious factors causing chronic hepatic damage, elimination, or inactivation of myofibroblasts (through various cell fates, including apoptosis, senescence, and reprogramming), inactivation of inflammatory response and induction of anti-inflammatory/restorative pathways, and degradation of extracellular matrix. In this review, we will discuss the major cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the regression of fibrosis/cirrhosis and the potential therapeutic approaches aimed at reversing the fibrogenic process.
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Osuna de la Peña D, Trabulo SMD, Collin E, Liu Y, Sharma S, Tatari M, Behrens D, Erkan M, Lawlor RT, Scarpa A, Heeschen C, Mata A, Loessner D. Bioengineered 3D models of human pancreatic cancer recapitulate in vivo tumour biology. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5623. [PMID: 34561461 PMCID: PMC8463670 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25921-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Patient-derived in vivo models of human cancer have become a reality, yet their turnaround time is inadequate for clinical applications. Therefore, tailored ex vivo models that faithfully recapitulate in vivo tumour biology are urgently needed. These may especially benefit the management of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), where therapy failure has been ascribed to its high cancer stem cell (CSC) content and high density of stromal cells and extracellular matrix (ECM). To date, these features are only partially reproduced ex vivo using organoid and sphere cultures. We have now developed a more comprehensive and highly tuneable ex vivo model of PDAC based on the 3D co-assembly of peptide amphiphiles (PAs) with custom ECM components (PA-ECM). These cultures maintain patient-specific transcriptional profiles and exhibit CSC functionality, including strong in vivo tumourigenicity. User-defined modification of the system enables control over niche-dependent phenotypes such as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and matrix deposition. Indeed, proteomic analysis of these cultures reveals improved matrisome recapitulation compared to organoids. Most importantly, patient-specific in vivo drug responses are better reproduced in self-assembled cultures than in other models. These findings support the use of tuneable self-assembling platforms in cancer research and pave the way for future precision medicine approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Osuna de la Peña
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Institute of Bioengineering, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Lungs for Living Research Centre, UCL Respiratory, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Estelle Collin
- Institute of Bioengineering, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Ying Liu
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Institute of Bioengineering, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Shreya Sharma
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, UK
| | - Marianthi Tatari
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Diana Behrens
- EPO - Experimental Pharmacology and Oncology GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mert Erkan
- Department of Surgery, Koç University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
- Koç University Translational Research Center - KUTTAM, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Rita T Lawlor
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- ARC-Net, Applied Research on Cancer Centre, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Aldo Scarpa
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- ARC-Net, Applied Research on Cancer Centre, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Christopher Heeschen
- Center for Single-Cell Omics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Laboratory of Pancreatic Cancer Heterogeneity, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.
| | - Alvaro Mata
- Institute of Bioengineering, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
- Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
| | - Daniela Loessner
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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30
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Hui E, Sumey JL, Caliari SR. Click-functionalized hydrogel design for mechanobiology investigations. MOLECULAR SYSTEMS DESIGN & ENGINEERING 2021; 6:670-707. [PMID: 36338897 PMCID: PMC9631920 DOI: 10.1039/d1me00049g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The advancement of click-functionalized hydrogels in recent years has coincided with rapid growth in the fields of mechanobiology, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. Click chemistries represent a group of reactions that possess high reactivity and specificity, are cytocompatible, and generally proceed under physiologic conditions. Most notably, the high level of tunability afforded by these reactions enables the design of user-controlled and tissue-mimicking hydrogels in which the influence of important physical and biochemical cues on normal and aberrant cellular behaviors can be independently assessed. Several critical tissue properties, including stiffness, viscoelasticity, and biomolecule presentation, are known to regulate cell mechanobiology in the context of development, wound repair, and disease. However, many questions still remain about how the individual and combined effects of these instructive properties regulate the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing physiologic and pathologic processes. In this review, we discuss several click chemistries that have been adopted to design dynamic and instructive hydrogels for mechanobiology investigations. We also chart a path forward for how click hydrogels can help reveal important insights about complex tissue microenvironments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Hui
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, 102 Engineer's Way, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
| | - Jenna L Sumey
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, 102 Engineer's Way, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
| | - Steven R Caliari
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, 102 Engineer's Way, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
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31
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Self-Assembling Polypeptide Hydrogels as a Platform to Recapitulate the Tumor Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13133286. [PMID: 34209094 PMCID: PMC8267709 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13133286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The tumor microenvironment is characterized by increased tissue stiffness, low (acidic) pH, and elevated temperature, all of which contribute to the development of cancer. Improving our in vitro models of cancer, therefore, requires the development of cell culture platforms that can mimic these microenvironmental properties. Here, we study a new biomaterial composed of short amino acid chains that self-assemble into a fibrous hydrogel network. This material enables simultaneous and independent tuning of substrate rigidity, extracellular pH, and temperature, allowing us to mimic both healthy tissues and the tumor microenvironment. We used this platform to study the effect of these conditions on pancreatic cancer cells and found that high substrate rigidity and low pH promote proliferation and survival of cancer cells and activate important signaling pathways associated with cancer progression. Abstract The tumor microenvironment plays a critical role in modulating cancer cell migration, metabolism, and malignancy, thus, highlighting the need to develop in vitro culture systems that can recapitulate its abnormal properties. While a variety of stiffness-tunable biomaterials, reviewed here, have been developed to mimic the rigidity of the tumor extracellular matrix, culture systems that can recapitulate the broader extracellular context of the tumor microenvironment (including pH and temperature) remain comparably unexplored, partially due to the difficulty in independently tuning these parameters. Here, we investigate a self-assembled polypeptide network hydrogel as a cell culture platform and demonstrate that the culture parameters, including the substrate stiffness, extracellular pH and temperature, can be independently controlled. We then use this biomaterial as a cell culture substrate to assess the effect of stiffness, pH and temperature on Suit2 cells, a pancreatic cancer cell line, and demonstrate that these microenvironmental factors can regulate two critical transcription factors in cancer: yes-associated protein 1 (YAP) and hypoxia inducible factor (HIF-1A).
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Ngo MT, Harley BAC. Progress in mimicking brain microenvironments to understand and treat neurological disorders. APL Bioeng 2021; 5:020902. [PMID: 33869984 PMCID: PMC8034983 DOI: 10.1063/5.0043338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurological disorders including traumatic brain injury, stroke, primary and metastatic brain tumors, and neurodegenerative diseases affect millions of people worldwide. Disease progression is accompanied by changes in the brain microenvironment, but how these shifts in biochemical, biophysical, and cellular properties contribute to repair outcomes or continued degeneration is largely unknown. Tissue engineering approaches can be used to develop in vitro models to understand how the brain microenvironment contributes to pathophysiological processes linked to neurological disorders and may also offer constructs that promote healing and regeneration in vivo. In this Perspective, we summarize features of the brain microenvironment in normal and pathophysiological states and highlight strategies to mimic this environment to model disease, investigate neural stem cell biology, and promote regenerative healing. We discuss current limitations and resulting opportunities to develop tissue engineering tools that more faithfully recapitulate the aspects of the brain microenvironment for both in vitro and in vivo applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai T. Ngo
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Brendan A. C. Harley
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:. Tel.: (217) 244-7112. Fax: (217) 333-5052
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Prince E, Chen Z, Khuu N, Kumacheva E. Nanofibrillar Hydrogel Recapitulates Changes Occurring in the Fibrotic Extracellular Matrix. Biomacromolecules 2021; 22:2352-2362. [PMID: 33783190 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c01714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Fibrosis is a pathological condition that leads to excessive deposition of collagen and increased tissue stiffness. Understanding the mechanobiology of fibrotic tissue necessitates the development of effective in vitro models that recapitulate its properties and structure; however, hydrogels that are currently used for this purpose fail to mimic the filamentous structure and mechanical properties of the fibrotic extracellular matrix (ECM). Here, we report a nanofibrillar hydrogel composed of cellulose nanocrystals and gelatin, which addresses this challenge. By altering the composition of the hydrogel, we mimicked the changes in structure, mechanical properties, and chemistry of fibrotic ECM. Furthermore, we decoupled the variations in hydrogel structure, properties, and ligand concentration. We demonstrate that this biocompatible hydrogel supports the three-dimensional culture of cells relevant to fibrotic diseases. This versatile hydrogel can be used for in vitro studies of fibrosis of different tissues, thus enabling the development of novel treatments for fibrotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Prince
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 Saint George Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3H6
| | - Zhengkun Chen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 Saint George Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3H6
| | - Nancy Khuu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 Saint George Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3H6
| | - Eugenia Kumacheva
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 Saint George Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3H6.,Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E5.,Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 4 Taddle Creek Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3G9
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Sakai M, Yoshimura R. Mechanotransduction-Targeting Drugs Attenuate Stiffness-Induced Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation in Vitro. Biol Pharm Bull 2021; 44:416-421. [PMID: 33328427 DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b20-00815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In hepatitis, activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) produce collagens, causing liver fibrosis. Microenvironmental stiffness is a known trigger of HSC activation and is communicated through mechanotransduction. Cell proliferation, alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen type Iα (Col1α) are indicative of activated HSCs. We hypothesized that certain compounds could interfere with the HSC's recognition of microenvironmental stiffness by blocking cell adhesion signaling. To verify the potential of mechanotransduction, and in particular of focal adhesion proteins, as liver fibrosis drug targets, we evaluated existing drugs. We examined the effects of the integrin antagonist, BS-1417; the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor, defactinib; the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor, roscovitine; and two microtubule modulators, paclitaxel and colchicine, on stiffness-induced HSC activation. To determine the extent of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) participation in mechanotransduction, we measured gene expression levels of α-SMA and Col1α. We also measured ATP levels to determine cell number. Results revealed that interestingly, although TGF-β did not show additional HSC activation after stiffness stimulation, the TGF-β receptor inhibitor, SB525334, markedly suppressed stiffness-induced α-SMA and Col1α mRNA expression. BS-1417, roscovitine, defactinib and colchicine suppressed α-SMA and Col1α mRNA expression as well as the number of HSCs. Paclitaxel also suppressed stiffness-induced α-SMA mRNA expression and the number of HSCs, but mildly reduced that of Col1α mRNA. Together, these results show that an integrin antagonist and mechanotransduction-targeting drugs reduced stiffness-induced HSC activation in a dose-dependent fashion. The targeting of focal adhesion proteins involved in mechanotransduction is promising in liver fibrosis drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mutsuko Sakai
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology
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Pérez-Calixto D, Amat-Shapiro S, Zamarrón-Hernández D, Vázquez-Victorio G, Puech PH, Hautefeuille M. Determination by Relaxation Tests of the Mechanical Properties of Soft Polyacrylamide Gels Made for Mechanobiology Studies. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:629. [PMID: 33672475 PMCID: PMC7923444 DOI: 10.3390/polym13040629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Following the general aim of recapitulating the native mechanical properties of tissues and organs in vitro, the field of materials science and engineering has benefited from recent progress in developing compliant substrates with physical and chemical properties similar to those of biological materials. In particular, in the field of mechanobiology, soft hydrogels can now reproduce the precise range of stiffnesses of healthy and pathological tissues to study the mechanisms behind cell responses to mechanics. However, it was shown that biological tissues are not only elastic but also relax at different timescales. Cells can, indeed, perceive this dissipation and actually need it because it is a critical signal integrated with other signals to define adhesion, spreading and even more complicated functions. The mechanical characterization of hydrogels used in mechanobiology is, however, commonly limited to the elastic stiffness (Young's modulus) and this value is known to depend greatly on the measurement conditions that are rarely reported in great detail. Here, we report that a simple relaxation test performed under well-defined conditions can provide all the necessary information for characterizing soft materials mechanically, by fitting the dissipation behavior with a generalized Maxwell model (GMM). The simple method was validated using soft polyacrylamide hydrogels and proved to be very useful to readily unveil precise mechanical properties of gels that cells can sense and offer a set of characteristic values that can be compared with what is typically reported from microindentation tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Pérez-Calixto
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (D.P.-C.); (S.A.-S.); (D.Z.-H.); (G.V.-V.)
- Laboratorio Nacional de Soluciones Biomiméticas para Diagnóstico y Terapia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
- Posgrado en Ciencia e Ingeniería de Materiales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Samuel Amat-Shapiro
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (D.P.-C.); (S.A.-S.); (D.Z.-H.); (G.V.-V.)
- Laboratorio Nacional de Soluciones Biomiméticas para Diagnóstico y Terapia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Diego Zamarrón-Hernández
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (D.P.-C.); (S.A.-S.); (D.Z.-H.); (G.V.-V.)
- Laboratorio Nacional de Soluciones Biomiméticas para Diagnóstico y Terapia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Genaro Vázquez-Victorio
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (D.P.-C.); (S.A.-S.); (D.Z.-H.); (G.V.-V.)
- Laboratorio Nacional de Soluciones Biomiméticas para Diagnóstico y Terapia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Pierre-Henri Puech
- Adhesion and Inflammation Lab (LAI), Aix Marseille University, LAI UM 61, Inserm, UMR_S 1067, CNRS, UMR 7333, F-13288 Marseille, France;
| | - Mathieu Hautefeuille
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (D.P.-C.); (S.A.-S.); (D.Z.-H.); (G.V.-V.)
- Laboratorio Nacional de Soluciones Biomiméticas para Diagnóstico y Terapia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
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Kiseleva YV, Zharikov YO, Maslennikov RV, Pavlov CS, Nikolenko VN. [Molecular factors associated with regression of liver fibrosis of alcoholic etiology]. TERAPEVT ARKH 2021; 93:204-208. [PMID: 36286638 DOI: 10.26442/00403660.2021.02.200617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis develops as a result of chronic liver damage of various etiologies, is characterized by excessive synthesis of connective tissue by activated stellate liver cells. The toxic effect of alcohol is one of the most significant and common etiological factors worldwide. Stellate cell activation results from the interaction of multiple molecular fibrogenic pathways triggered by intracellular and extracellular, hepatic and extrahepatic stimuli. Data analysis showed that knowledge about these abnormal pathways and biomolecular processes may further contribute to the improvement of approaches to assessment of disease prognosis and treatment of alcoholic liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y V Kiseleva
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University)
| | - Y O Zharikov
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University)
| | - R V Maslennikov
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University)
| | - C S Pavlov
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University)
| | - V N Nikolenko
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University)
- Lomonosov Moscow State University
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Osna NA, Ganesan M, Seth D, Wyatt TA, Kidambi S, Kharbanda KK. Second hits exacerbate alcohol-related organ damage: an update. Alcohol Alcohol 2021; 56:8-16. [PMID: 32869059 PMCID: PMC7768623 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agaa085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic and excessive alcohol abuse cause direct and indirect detrimental effects on a wide range of body organs and systems and accounts for ~4% of deaths worldwide. Many factors influence the harmful effects of alcohol. This concise review presents newer insights into the role of select second hits in influencing the progression of alcohol-induced organ damage by synergistically acting to generate a more dramatic downstream biological defect. This review specifically addresses on how a lifestyle factor of high fat intake exacerbates alcoholic liver injury and its progression. This review also provides the mechanistic insights into how increasing matrix stiffness during liver injury promotes alcohol-induced fibrogenesis. It also discusses how hepatotropic viral (HCV, HBV) infections as well as HIV (which is traditionally not known to be hepatotropic), are potentiated by alcohol exposure to promote hepatotoxicity and fibrosis progression. Finally, this review highlights the impact of reactive aldehydes generated during alcohol and cigarette smoke coexposure impair innate antimicrobial defense and increased susceptibility to infections. This review was inspired by the symposium held at the 17th Congress of the European Society for Biomedical research on Alcoholism in Lille, France entitled 'Second hits in alcohol-related organ damage'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia A Osna
- Research Service, Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Omaha, Nebraska 68105, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, USA
| | - Murali Ganesan
- Research Service, Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Omaha, Nebraska 68105, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, USA
| | - Devanshi Seth
- Drug Health Services, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, Camperdown, New South Wales 2050, Australia
- Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Todd A Wyatt
- Research Service, Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Omaha, Nebraska 68105, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, USA
- Department of Environmental, Agricultural and Occupational Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, USA
| | - Srivatsan Kidambi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA
| | - Kusum K Kharbanda
- Corresponding author: Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Research Service (151), 4101 Woolworth Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska 68105. USA. Tel.: +1-402-995-3752; Fax: +1-402-995-4600; E-mail:
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Freeberg MAT, Perelas A, Rebman JK, Phipps RP, Thatcher TH, Sime PJ. Mechanical Feed-Forward Loops Contribute to Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2020; 191:18-25. [PMID: 33031756 PMCID: PMC7768346 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2020.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive scarring disease characterized by extracellular matrix accumulation and altered mechanical properties of lung tissue. Recent studies support the hypothesis that these compositional and mechanical changes create a progressive feed-forward loop in which enhanced matrix deposition and tissue stiffening contribute to fibroblast and myofibroblast differentiation and activation, which further perpetuates matrix production and stiffening. The biomechanical properties of tissues are sensed and responded to by mechanotransduction pathways that facilitate sensing of changes in mechanical cues by tissue resident cells and convert the mechanical signals into downstream biochemical signals. Although our understanding of mechanotransduction pathways associated with pulmonary fibrosis remains incomplete, recent progress has allowed us to begin to elucidate the specific mechanisms supporting fibrotic feed-forward loops. The mechanosensors discussed here include integrins, Piezo channels, transient receptor potential channels, and nonselective ion channels. Also discussed are downstream transcription factors, including myocardin-related transcription factor and Yes-associated protein/transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif. This review describes mechanosensors and mechanotransduction pathways associated with fibrosis progression and highlights promising therapeutic insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret A T Freeberg
- Division of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Apostolos Perelas
- Division of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Jane K Rebman
- Division of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | | | - Thomas H Thatcher
- Division of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Patricia J Sime
- Division of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia.
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Guixé-Muntet S, Ortega-Ribera M, Wang C, Selicean S, Andreu I, Kechagia JZ, Fondevila C, Roca-Cusachs P, Dufour JF, Bosch J, Berzigotti A, Gracia-Sancho J. Nuclear deformation mediates liver cell mechanosensing in cirrhosis. JHEP Rep 2020; 2:100145. [PMID: 32939447 PMCID: PMC7479345 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2020.100145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Liver stiffness is increased in advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD) and accurately predicts prognosis in this population. Recent data suggest that extracellular matrix stiffness per se may modulate the phenotype of liver cells. We aimed at investigating the effect of matrix stiffness on the phenotype of liver cells of rats with cirrhosis, assessing its influence on their response to antifibrotic strategies and evaluating associated molecular mechanisms. METHODS Hepatocytes, hepatic stellate cells, and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells were isolated from healthy rats or rats with cirrhosis (carbon tetrachloride or thioacetamide), and cultured on polyacrylamide gels with different physiologically relevant stiffness for 72 h. RESULTS All cell types of rats with cirrhosis cultured at low stiffness showed a significant phenotype amelioration vs. rigid matrix (assessed by quantitative morphology, mRNA expression, protein synthesis, and electron microscopy imaging). Additionally, stiffness modified the antifibrotic effects of liraglutide in stellate cells of rats with cirrhosis. Finally, evaluation of nuclear morphology revealed that high stiffness induced nuclei deformation in all cell types, an observation confirmed in cells from human livers. Disconnecting the nucleus from the cytoskeleton by cytoskeleton disruption or a defective form of nesprin 1 significantly recovered spherical nuclear shape and quiescent phenotype of cells. CONCLUSIONS The environment's stiffness per se modulates the phenotype of healthy rats and liver cells of rats with cirrhosis by altering the nuclear morphology through cytoskeleton-derived mechanical forces. The reversibility of this mechanism suggests that targeting the stiffness-mediated intracellular mechanical tensions may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for ACLD. LAY SUMMARY During cirrhosis, the liver becomes scarred, stiff, and unable to perform its normal functions efficiently. In this study, we demonstrated that cells from diseased (stiff) livers recovered their functionality when placed in a soft environment (as that of a healthy liver). Furthermore, treatments aimed at tricking liver cells into believing they are in a healthy, soft liver improved their function and could potentially contribute to treat cirrhosis.
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Key Words
- ACLD, advanced chronic liver disease
- Cd, cytoskeleton disruptor
- Chronic liver disease
- DN-KASH, dominant negative nesprin peptide containing a KASH domain
- ECM, extracellular matrix
- HNF4α, hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α
- HSC
- HSC, hepatic stellate cell
- Hepatocyte
- KASH, Klarsicht/abnormal nuclear anchorage-1/Syne homology
- LSEC
- LSEC, liver sinusoidal endothelial cell
- Lamb1, laminin b1
- Stiffness
- TAA, thioacetamide
- eNOS, endothelial nitric oxide synthase
- α-SMA, α-smooth muscle actin
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Guixé-Muntet
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Martí Ortega-Ribera
- Liver Vascular Biology Research Group, Hepatic Hemodynamic Laboratory, IDIBAPS Biomedical Research Institute, CIBEREHD, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cong Wang
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sonia Selicean
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ion Andreu
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, Barcelona Institute of Technology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jenny Z. Kechagia
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, Barcelona Institute of Technology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Pere Roca-Cusachs
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, Barcelona Institute of Technology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jean-François Dufour
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Hepatology, University Clinic for Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jaime Bosch
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Liver Vascular Biology Research Group, Hepatic Hemodynamic Laboratory, IDIBAPS Biomedical Research Institute, CIBEREHD, Barcelona, Spain
- Hepatology, University Clinic for Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Annalisa Berzigotti
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Hepatology, University Clinic for Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jordi Gracia-Sancho
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Liver Vascular Biology Research Group, Hepatic Hemodynamic Laboratory, IDIBAPS Biomedical Research Institute, CIBEREHD, Barcelona, Spain
- Hepatology, University Clinic for Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland
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The fibrotic response of primary liver spheroids recapitulates in vivo hepatic stellate cell activation. Biomaterials 2020; 261:120335. [PMID: 32891040 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.120335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A major obstacle in the development of efficient therapies for progressive liver fibrosis is the lack of representative in vitro models of liver fibrosis to aid in understanding the mechanisms of the disease and to promote the development of pharmaceuticals. Our aim was to develop a relevant in vitro mouse liver fibrosis model, based on the central hypothesis that liver fibrosis in vitro cannot be studied using only hepatic stellate cells (HSCs)-the main producer of scar tissue during fibrosis-, but requires cultures in which at least hepatocytes are integrated. We established robust methods to generate co-culture spheroids from freshly isolated mouse hepatocytes and HSCs. Characteristics and functionality of these spheroids were analyzed by qPCR of cell-type specific markers, CYP induction and immunohistochemistry. Compound toxicity was determined by ATP-assays. Hepatocytes and HSCs maintained their cell-type specific marker expression over a 15-day culture period without major hepatocyte dedifferentiation or HSC activation. Exposure of spheroids to TGFβ can directly activate HSCs, while acetaminophen exposure mounts a hepatocyte damage dependent activation of HSCs. Pharmaceuticals with known anti-fibrotic properties, such as Valproic acid and Verteporfin, reduce HSC activation in response to hepatocyte damage in these cultures. A comparison between the fibrotic response of the spheroid co-cultures and in vivo activated HSCs showed that these 3D co-cultures are more representative than the commonly used 2D HSC monocultures. Finally, we showed that the 3D cultures can be integrated in microfluidic chips. We conclude that our hepatocyte-stellate cell-spheroid cultures are a robust in vitro model of liver fibrosis. This model could be used to further unravel the mechanism of HSC activation and facilitate the discovery of, or testing for novel anti-fibrotic compounds, as these spheroids better reproduce HSC in vivo activation compared to the more traditional 2D mono-culture models.
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Scott RA, Robinson KG, Kiick KL, Akins RE. Human Adventitial Fibroblast Phenotype Depends on the Progression of Changes in Substrate Stiffness. Adv Healthc Mater 2020; 9:e1901593. [PMID: 32105417 PMCID: PMC7274877 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201901593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Adventitial fibroblasts (AFs) are major contributors to vascular remodeling and maladaptive cascades associated with arterial disease, where AFs both contribute to and respond to alterations in their surrounding matrix. The relationships between matrix modulus and human aortic AF (AoAF) function are investigated using poly(ethylene glycol)-based hydrogels designed with matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-sensitive and integrin-binding peptides. Initial equilibrium shear storage moduli for the substrates examined are 0.33, 1.42, and 2.90 kPa; after 42 days of culture, all hydrogels exhibit similar storage moduli (0.3-0.7 kPa) regardless of initial modulus, with encapsulated AoAFs spreading and proliferating. In 10 and 7.5 wt% hydrogels, modulus decreases monotonically throughout culture; however, in 5 wt% hydrogels, modulus increases after an initial 7 days of culture, accompanied by an increase in myofibroblast transdifferentiation and expression of collagen I and III through day 28. Thereafter, significant reductions in both collagens occur, with increased MMP-9 and decreased tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1/-2 production. Releasing cytoskeletal tension or inhibiting cellular protein secretion in 5 wt% hydrogels block the stiffening of the polymer matrix. Results indicate that encapsulated AoAFs initiate cell-mediated matrix remodeling and demonstrate the utility of dynamic 3D systems to elucidate the complex interactions between cell behavior and substrate properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A. Scott
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, 201 DuPont, Hall, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
- Nemours - Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, 1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
- Delaware Biotechnology Institute, University of Delaware, 15 Innovation Way, Newark, DE 19711, United States
| | - Karyn G. Robinson
- Nemours - Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, 1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
| | - Kristi L. Kiick
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, 201 DuPont, Hall, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
- Delaware Biotechnology Institute, University of Delaware, 15 Innovation Way, Newark, DE 19711, United States
| | - Robert E. Akins
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, 201 DuPont, Hall, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
- Nemours - Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, 1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
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Davidson MD, Burdick JA, Wells RG. Engineered Biomaterial Platforms to Study Fibrosis. Adv Healthc Mater 2020; 9:e1901682. [PMID: 32181987 PMCID: PMC7274888 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201901682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Many pathologic conditions lead to the development of tissue scarring and fibrosis, which are characterized by the accumulation of abnormal extracellular matrix (ECM) and changes in tissue mechanical properties. Cells within fibrotic tissues are exposed to dynamic microenvironments that may promote or prolong fibrosis, which makes it difficult to treat. Biomaterials have proved indispensable to better understand how cells sense their extracellular environment and are now being employed to study fibrosis in many tissues. As mechanical testing of tissues becomes more routine and biomaterial tools become more advanced, the impact of biophysical factors in fibrosis are beginning to be understood. Herein, fibrosis from a materials perspective is reviewed, including the role and mechanical properties of ECM components, the spatiotemporal mechanical changes that occur during fibrosis, current biomaterial systems to study fibrosis, and emerging biomaterial systems and tools that can further the understanding of fibrosis initiation and progression. This review concludes by highlighting considerations in promoting wide-spread use of biomaterials for fibrosis investigations and by suggesting future in vivo studies that it is hoped will inspire the development of even more advanced biomaterial systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Davidson
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Jason A Burdick
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Rebecca G Wells
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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43
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Dewidar B, Meyer C, Dooley S, Meindl-Beinker N. TGF-β in Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation and Liver Fibrogenesis-Updated 2019. Cells 2019; 8:cells8111419. [PMID: 31718044 PMCID: PMC6912224 DOI: 10.3390/cells8111419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 441] [Impact Index Per Article: 88.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is an advanced liver disease condition, which could progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. To date, there is no direct approved antifibrotic therapy, and current treatment is mainly the removal of the causative factor. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is a master profibrogenic cytokine and a promising target to treat fibrosis. However, TGF-β has broad biological functions and its inhibition induces non-desirable side effects, which override therapeutic benefits. Therefore, understanding the pleiotropic effects of TGF-β and its upstream and downstream regulatory mechanisms will help to design better TGF-β based therapeutics. Here, we summarize recent discoveries and milestones on the TGF-β signaling pathway related to liver fibrosis and hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, emphasizing research of the last five years. This comprises impact of TGF-β on liver fibrogenesis related biological processes, such as senescence, metabolism, reactive oxygen species generation, epigenetics, circadian rhythm, epithelial mesenchymal transition, and endothelial-mesenchymal transition. We also describe the influence of the microenvironment on the response of HSC to TGF-β. Finally, we discuss new approaches to target the TGF-β pathway, name current clinical trials, and explain promises and drawbacks that deserve to be adequately addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bedair Dewidar
- Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; (B.D.); (C.M.); (S.D.)
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, 31527 Tanta, Egypt
| | - Christoph Meyer
- Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; (B.D.); (C.M.); (S.D.)
| | - Steven Dooley
- Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; (B.D.); (C.M.); (S.D.)
| | - Nadja Meindl-Beinker
- Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; (B.D.); (C.M.); (S.D.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-621-383-4983; Fax: +49-621-383-1467
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44
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Chen G, Xia B, Fu Q, Huang X, Wang F, Chen Z, Lv Y. Matrix Mechanics as Regulatory Factors and Therapeutic Targets in Hepatic Fibrosis. Int J Biol Sci 2019; 15:2509-2521. [PMID: 31754325 PMCID: PMC6854372 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.37500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The hallmark of liver fibrosis is excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis and deposition that improve liver matrix remodeling and stiffening. Increased matrix stiffness is not only a pathological consequence of liver fibrosis in traditional view, but also recognized as a key driver in pathological progression of hepatic fibrosis. Cells can perceive changes in the mechanical characteristics of hepatic matrix and respond by means of mechanical signal transduction pathways to regulate cell behavior. In this review, the authors first classify causes of liver matrix stiffening during fibrotic progression, such as higher degree of collagen cross-linking. The latest advances of the research on the matrix mechanics in regulating activation of HSCs or fibroblasts under two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) microenvironment is also classified and summarized. The mechanical signaling pathways involved in the process of hepatic matrix stiffening, such as YAP-TAZ signaling pathway, are further summarized. Finally, some potential therapeutic concepts and strategies based on matrix mechanics will be detailed. Collectively, these findings reinforce the importance of matrix mechanics in hepatic fibrosis, and underscore the value of clarifying its modulation in hopes of advancing the development of novel therapeutic targets and strategies for hepatic fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guobao Chen
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, P. R. China
| | - Bin Xia
- Chongqing Technology and Business University, Chongqing 400067, P. R. China
| | - Qiang Fu
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, P. R. China
| | - Xiang Huang
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, P. R. China
| | - Fuping Wang
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, P. R. China
| | - Zhongmin Chen
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, P. R. China
| | - Yonggang Lv
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology (Chongqing University), Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
- Mechanobiology and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
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45
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Li S, Li C, Zhang Y, He X, Chen X, Zeng X, Liu F, Chen Y, Chen J. Targeting Mechanics-Induced Fibroblast Activation through CD44-RhoA-YAP Pathway Ameliorates Crystalline Silica-Induced Silicosis. Theranostics 2019; 9:4993-5008. [PMID: 31410197 PMCID: PMC6691376 DOI: 10.7150/thno.35665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Silicosis is pneumoconiosis of the lung, usually resulting from prolonged exposure to crystalline silica (CS). The hallmark of silicosis is excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition produced by activated fibroblasts. Recent work demonstrated that excessive ECM-forming mechanical cues play an essential role in promoting fibroblast activation and perpetuating fibrotic pathologies. However, the detailed molecular mechanism still needs to be uncovered. Methods: NIH-3T3 fibroblasts were cultured on either 1 kappa (soft) or 60 kappa (stiff) gel-coated coverslips. A series of knockdown and reverse experiments in vitro were performed to establish the signaling for mechanics-induced fibroblast activation. An experimental model of silicosis was established by one-time intratracheal instillation of CS suspension. The cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) antibody (IM7), dihydrotanshinone I (DHI) and verteporfin (VP) were used to explore the effect of CD44-RhoA-YAP signaling blockade on mechanics-induced fibroblast activation and CS-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Results: Matrix stiffness could induce nuclear translocation of the Yes-associated protein (YAP) through CD44 in fibroblasts. This effect required RhoA activity and F-actin cytoskeleton polymerization but was independent of Hippo pathway kinases, Mst 1 and Lats 1, forming CD44-RhoA-YAP signaling pathway. Pharmacological upstream blocking by CD44 antibody or downstream blockade of YAP by DHI or VP could attenuate fibroblast migration, invasion, proliferation, and collagen deposition. Furthermore, CD44-RhoA-YAP signaling blockade could alleviate CS-induced fibrosis and improve pulmonary function in vivo. Conclusion: CD44-RhoA-YAP signaling mediates mechanics-induced fibroblast activation. Targeting this pathway could ameliorate crystalline silica-induced silicosis and provide a potential therapeutic strategy to mitigate fibrosis.
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46
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Wu L, Magaz A, Darbyshire A, Howkins A, Reynolds A, Boyd IW, Song H, Song J, Loizidou M, Emberton M, Birchall M, Song W. Thermoresponsive Stiffness Softening of Hierarchically Porous Nanohybrid Membranes Promotes Niches for Mesenchymal Stem Cell Differentiation. Adv Healthc Mater 2019; 8:e1801556. [PMID: 30945813 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201801556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2018] [Revised: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite the attention given to the development of novel responsive implants for regenerative medicine applications, the lack of integration with the surrounding tissues and the mismatch with the dynamic mechanobiological nature of native soft tissues remain in the current products. Hierarchical porous membranes based on a poly (urea-urethane) (PUU) nanohybrid have been fabricated by thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) of the polymer solution at different temperatures. Thermoresponsive stiffness softening of the membranes through phase transition from the semicrystalline phase to rubber phase and reverse self-assembly of the quasi-random nanophase structure is characterized at body temperature near the melting point of the crystalline domains of soft segments. The effects of the porous structure and stiffness softening on proliferation and differentiation of human bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) are investigated. The results of immunohistochemistry, histological, ELISA, and qPCR demonstrate that hBM-MSCs maintain their lineage commitment during stiffness relaxation; chondrogenic differentiation is favored on the soft and porous scaffold, while osteogenic differentiation is more prominent on the initial stiff one. Stiffness relaxation stimulates more osteogenic activity than chondrogenesis, the latter being more influenced by the synergetic coupling effect of softness and porosity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linxiao Wu
- Centre for Biomaterials in Surgical Reconstruction and RegenerationDivision of Surgery & Interventional ScienceUniversity College London 2QG, 10 Pond St London NW3 2PS UK
| | - Adrián Magaz
- Centre for Biomaterials in Surgical Reconstruction and RegenerationDivision of Surgery & Interventional ScienceUniversity College London 2QG, 10 Pond St London NW3 2PS UK
| | - Arnold Darbyshire
- Centre for Biomaterials in Surgical Reconstruction and RegenerationDivision of Surgery & Interventional ScienceUniversity College London 2QG, 10 Pond St London NW3 2PS UK
| | - Ashley Howkins
- Institute of Materials and ManufacturingBrunel University London Kingston Ln London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH UK
| | - Alan Reynolds
- Institute of Materials and ManufacturingBrunel University London Kingston Ln London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH UK
| | - Ian W. Boyd
- Institute of Materials and ManufacturingBrunel University London Kingston Ln London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH UK
| | - Hang Song
- School of Innovation and EntrepreneurshipDepartment of Materials Science and EngineeringSouthern University of Science and Technology No. 1088, Xueyuan Rd. Xili, Nanshan Shenzhen Guangdong 518055 China
| | - Jin‐Hua Song
- School of Innovation and EntrepreneurshipDepartment of Materials Science and EngineeringSouthern University of Science and Technology No. 1088, Xueyuan Rd. Xili, Nanshan Shenzhen Guangdong 518055 China
| | - Marilena Loizidou
- Centre for Biomaterials in Surgical Reconstruction and RegenerationDivision of Surgery & Interventional ScienceUniversity College London 2QG, 10 Pond St London NW3 2PS UK
| | - Mark Emberton
- Centre for Biomaterials in Surgical Reconstruction and RegenerationDivision of Surgery & Interventional ScienceUniversity College London 2QG, 10 Pond St London NW3 2PS UK
| | - Martin Birchall
- UCL Ear InstituteRoyal National Throat, Nose and Ear HospitalUniversity College London 330 Grays Inn Rd, Kings Cross London WC1X 8DA UK
| | - Wenhui Song
- Centre for Biomaterials in Surgical Reconstruction and RegenerationDivision of Surgery & Interventional ScienceUniversity College London 2QG, 10 Pond St London NW3 2PS UK
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47
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Matellan C, Del Río Hernández AE. Engineering the cellular mechanical microenvironment - from bulk mechanics to the nanoscale. J Cell Sci 2019; 132:132/9/jcs229013. [PMID: 31040223 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.229013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The field of mechanobiology studies how mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM), such as stiffness, and other mechanical stimuli regulate cell behaviour. Recent advancements in the field and the development of novel biomaterials and nanofabrication techniques have enabled researchers to recapitulate the mechanical properties of the microenvironment with an increasing degree of complexity on more biologically relevant dimensions and time scales. In this Review, we discuss different strategies to engineer substrates that mimic the mechanical properties of the ECM and outline how these substrates have been applied to gain further insight into the biomechanical interaction between the cell and its microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Matellan
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Armando E Del Río Hernández
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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48
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Davidson MD, Song KH, Lee MH, Llewellyn J, Du Y, Baker BM, Wells RG, Burdick JA. Engineered Fibrous Networks To Investigate the Influence of Fiber Mechanics on Myofibroblast Differentiation. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2019; 5:3899-3908. [PMID: 33438429 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b01276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Tissue fibrosis is a leading cause of mortality and is characterized by excessive protein deposition and altered tissue mechanical properties. In pathological fibrosis, as well as cancer related fibrosis, tissue pericytes and fibroblasts transition from a quiescent to a myofibroblastic phenotype. In vitro models are needed to better understand how these cells are influenced by their local microenvironment. Here, we developed a fibrous network platform to mimic the structure of the extracellular matrix, where fibers consist of cross-linked hyaluronic acid hydrogels with controlled cross-link density and mechanical properties. As a model myofibroblast precursor, primary hepatic stellate cells were seeded onto fibers with either low (soft) or high (stiff) cross-link density, either directly after isolation (quiescent) or following preculture on tissue culture plates (activated). In general, both quiescent and activated cells showed an increase in spreading, alpha smooth muscle actin expression, and the formation of multicellular clusters on soft fibers when compared to stiff fibers. Further, inhibition of alpha smooth muscle actin decreased activation of cells on soft fibers. This is likely due to fiber recruitment in soft fibers that increased local fiber density, whereas stiff fibers resisted recruitment. This work emphasizes the importance of substrate topography on cell-material interactions and shows that tunable fibrous hydrogels are a relevant culture platform for studying fibrosis and mechanotransduction in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Davidson
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.,NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Kwang Hoon Song
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Mu-Huan Lee
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Jessica Llewellyn
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.,NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Yu Du
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.,NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Brendon M Baker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Rebecca G Wells
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.,Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.,NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Jason A Burdick
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.,NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
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49
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Nguyen HD, Liu HY, Hudson BN, Lin CC. Enzymatic Cross-Linking of Dynamic Thiol-Norbornene Click Hydrogels. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2019; 5:1247-1256. [PMID: 33304998 PMCID: PMC7725231 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b01607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Enzyme-mediated in situ forming hydrogels are attractive for many biomedical applications because gelation afforded by the enzymatic reactions can be readily controlled not only by tuning macromer compositions, but also by adjusting enzyme kinetics. For example, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) has been used extensively for in situ crosslinking of macromers containing hydroxyl-phenol groups. The use of HRP on initiating thiol-allylether polymerization has also been reported, yet no prior study has demonstrated enzymatic initiation of thiol-norbornene gelation. In this study, we discovered that HRP can generate thiyl radicals needed for initiating thiol-norbornene hydrogelation, which has only been demonstrated previously using photopolymerization. Enzymatic thiol-norbornene gelation not only overcomes light attenuation issue commonly observed in photopolymerized hydrogels, but also preserves modularity of the crosslinking. In particular, we prepared modular hydrogels from two sets of norbornene-modified macromers, 8-arm poly(ethylene glycol)-norbornene (PEG8NB) and gelatin-norbornene (GelNB). Bis-cysteine-containing peptides or PEG-tetra-thiol (PEG4SH) were used as crosslinkers for forming enzymatically and orthogonally polymerized hydrogels. For HRP-initiated PEG-peptide hydrogel crosslinking, gelation efficiency was significantly improved via adding tyrosine residues on the peptide crosslinkers. Interestingly, these additional tyrosine residues did not form permanent dityrosine crosslinks following HRP-induced gelation. As a result, they remained available for tyrosinase-mediated secondary crosslinking, which dynamically increases hydrogel stiffness. In addition to material characterizations, we also found that both PEG- and gelatin-based hydrogels provide excellent cytocompatibility for dynamic 3D cell culture. The enzymatic thiol-norbornene gelation scheme presented here offers a new crosslinking mechanism for preparing modularly and dynamically crosslinked hydrogels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han D. Nguyen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue School of Engineering & Technology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Hung-Yi Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue School of Engineering & Technology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Britney N. Hudson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue School of Engineering & Technology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Chien-Chi Lin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue School of Engineering & Technology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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50
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LeValley PJ, Kloxin AM. Chemical Approaches to Dynamically Modulate the Properties of Synthetic Matrices. ACS Macro Lett 2019; 8:7-16. [PMID: 32405440 PMCID: PMC7220201 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.8b00808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
As knowledge about the dynamic nature of tissues within the human body has increased, the need for cell culture models that mimic the properties of these dynamic microenvironments has grown. Hydrogels are useful platforms for investigating cellular responses to microenvironment cues in disease and regeneration processes and recently have been designed to contain dynamic bonds to regulate the mechanical and biochemical properties of the matrix in three-dimensional cell culture applications. In this Viewpoint, we highlight recent advances in developing hydrogels with dynamic properties for modeling aspects of human tissues, providing control over the properties of the synthetic matrix on multiple length and time scales, and their application for understanding or directing cell response. We conclude by discussing how orthogonal chemistries can be utilized to design dynamic hydrogel platforms for controlling both the mechanical and biochemical environment, affording opportunities to investigate more complex questions associated with disease progression and tissue regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige J. LeValley
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | - April M. Kloxin
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
- Material Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
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