1
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Hall AE, Klompstra D, Nance J. C. elegans Afadin is required for epidermal morphogenesis and functionally interfaces with the cadherin-catenin complex and RhoGAP PAC-1/ARHGAP21. Dev Biol 2024; 511:12-25. [PMID: 38556137 PMCID: PMC11088504 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
During epithelial morphogenesis, the apical junctions connecting cells must remodel as cells change shape and make new connections with their neighbors. In the C. elegans embryo, new apical junctions form when epidermal cells migrate and seal with one another to encase the embryo in skin ('ventral enclosure'), and junctions remodel when epidermal cells change shape to squeeze the embryo into a worm shape ('elongation'). The junctional cadherin-catenin complex (CCC), which links epithelial cells to each other and to cortical actomyosin, is essential for C. elegans epidermal morphogenesis. RNAi genetic enhancement screens have identified several genes encoding proteins that interact with the CCC to promote epidermal morphogenesis, including the scaffolding protein Afadin (AFD-1), whose depletion alone results in only minor morphogenesis defects. Here, by creating a null mutation in afd-1, we show that afd-1 provides a significant contribution to ventral enclosure and elongation on its own. Unexpectedly, we find that afd-1 mutant phenotypes are strongly modified by diet, revealing a previously unappreciated parental nutritional input to morphogenesis. We identify functional interactions between AFD-1 and the CCC by demonstrating that E-cadherin is required for the polarized distribution of AFD-1 to cell contact sites in early embryos. Finally, we show that afd-1 promotes the enrichment of polarity regulator, and CCC-interacting protein, PAC-1/ARHGAP21 to cell contact sites, and we identify genetic interactions suggesting that afd-1 and pac-1 regulate epidermal morphogenesis at least in part through parallel mechanisms. Our findings reveal that C. elegans AFD-1 makes a significant contribution to epidermal morphogenesis and functionally interfaces with core and associated CCC proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison E Hall
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA; Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA; Regis University, Biology Department, Denver, CO, 80221, USA.
| | - Diana Klompstra
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA; Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Jeremy Nance
- Department of Cell Biology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA; Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA; University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology and Center for Quantitative Cell Imaging, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
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2
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Higashi T, Saito AC, Chiba H. Damage control of epithelial barrier function in dynamic environments. Eur J Cell Biol 2024; 103:151410. [PMID: 38579602 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2024.151410] [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: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelial tissues cover the surfaces and lumens of the internal organs of multicellular animals and crucially contribute to internal environment homeostasis by delineating distinct compartments within the body. This vital role is known as epithelial barrier function. Epithelial cells are arranged like cobblestones and intricately bind together to form an epithelial sheet that upholds this barrier function. Central to the restriction of solute and fluid diffusion through intercellular spaces are occluding junctions, tight junctions in vertebrates and septate junctions in invertebrates. As part of epithelial tissues, cells undergo constant renewal, with older cells being replaced by new ones. Simultaneously, the epithelial tissue undergoes relative rearrangement, elongating, and shifting directionally as a whole. The movement or shape changes within the epithelial sheet necessitate significant deformation and reconnection of occluding junctions. Recent advancements have shed light on the intricate mechanisms through which epithelial cells sustain their barrier function in dynamic environments. This review aims to introduce these noteworthy findings and discuss some of the questions that remain unanswered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohito Higashi
- Department of Basic Pathology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan.
| | - Akira C Saito
- Department of Basic Pathology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Hideki Chiba
- Department of Basic Pathology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
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3
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Nguyen TP, Otani T, Tsutsumi M, Kinoshita N, Fujiwara S, Nemoto T, Fujimori T, Furuse M. Tight junction membrane proteins regulate the mechanical resistance of the apical junctional complex. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202307104. [PMID: 38517380 PMCID: PMC10959758 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202307104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelia must be able to resist mechanical force to preserve tissue integrity. While intercellular junctions are known to be important for the mechanical resistance of epithelia, the roles of tight junctions (TJs) remain to be established. We previously demonstrated that epithelial cells devoid of the TJ membrane proteins claudins and JAM-A completely lack TJs and exhibit focal breakages of their apical junctions. Here, we demonstrate that apical junctions fracture when claudin/JAM-A-deficient cells undergo spontaneous cell stretching. The junction fracture was accompanied by actin disorganization, and actin polymerization was required for apical junction integrity in the claudin/JAM-A-deficient cells. Further deletion of CAR resulted in the disruption of ZO-1 molecule ordering at cell junctions, accompanied by severe defects in apical junction integrity. These results demonstrate that TJ membrane proteins regulate the mechanical resistance of the apical junctional complex in epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanh Phuong Nguyen
- Division of Cell Structure, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Physiological Sciences Program, Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Tetsuhisa Otani
- Division of Cell Structure, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Physiological Sciences Program, Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Okazaki, Japan
- Japan Science and Technology Agency, Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology, Kawaguchi, Japan
| | - Motosuke Tsutsumi
- Division of Biophotonics, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Biophotonics Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Kinoshita
- Division of Embryology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan
- Basic Biology Program, Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Sachiko Fujiwara
- Division of Cell Structure, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Physiological Sciences Program, Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Tomomi Nemoto
- Physiological Sciences Program, Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Okazaki, Japan
- Division of Biophotonics, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Biophotonics Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Fujimori
- Division of Embryology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan
- Basic Biology Program, Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Mikio Furuse
- Division of Cell Structure, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Physiological Sciences Program, Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Okazaki, Japan
- Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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4
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Campàs O, Noordstra I, Yap AS. Adherens junctions as molecular regulators of emergent tissue mechanics. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024; 25:252-269. [PMID: 38093099 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00688-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Tissue and organ development during embryogenesis relies on the collective and coordinated action of many cells. Recent studies have revealed that tissue material properties, including transitions between fluid and solid tissue states, are controlled in space and time to shape embryonic structures and regulate cell behaviours. Although the collective cellular flows that sculpt tissues are guided by tissue-level physical changes, these ultimately emerge from cellular-level and subcellular-level molecular mechanisms. Adherens junctions are key subcellular structures, built from clusters of classical cadherin receptors. They mediate physical interactions between cells and connect biochemical signalling to the physical characteristics of cell contacts, hence playing a fundamental role in tissue morphogenesis. In this Review, we take advantage of the results of recent, quantitative measurements of tissue mechanics to relate the molecular and cellular characteristics of adherens junctions, including adhesion strength, tension and dynamics, to the emergent physical state of embryonic tissues. We focus on systems in which cell-cell interactions are the primary contributor to morphogenesis, without significant contribution from cell-matrix interactions. We suggest that emergent tissue mechanics is an important direction for future research, bridging cell biology, developmental biology and mechanobiology to provide a holistic understanding of morphogenesis in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Otger Campàs
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Ivar Noordstra
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alpha S Yap
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
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5
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Gurley NJ, Peifer M. Moonwalking molecular machines: Unraveling the choreography of myosin filament assembly. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202402093. [PMID: 38429998 PMCID: PMC10904331 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202402093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
We have made tremendous progress in identifying the machines that shape the architecture of actin filaments. However, we know less about the mechanisms mediating myosin assembly at the supramolecular level. In this issue, Quintanilla et al. (https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.202305023) provide important new insights into this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah J. Gurley
- Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences, UF Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Mark Peifer
- Department of Biology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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6
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Cammarota C, Dawney NS, Bellomio PM, Jüng M, Fletcher AG, Finegan TM, Bergstralh DT. The mechanical influence of densification on epithelial architecture. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012001. [PMID: 38557605 PMCID: PMC11008847 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelial tissues are the most abundant tissue type in animals, lining body cavities and generating compartment barriers. The function of a monolayered epithelial tissue-whether protective, secretory, absorptive, or filtrative-relies on the side-by-side arrangement of its component cells. The mechanical parameters that determine the shape of epithelial cells in the apical-basal plane are not well-understood. Epithelial tissue architecture in culture is intimately connected to cell density, and cultured layers transition between architectures as they proliferate. This prompted us to ask to what extent epithelial architecture emerges from two mechanical considerations: A) the constraints of densification and B) cell-cell adhesion, a hallmark feature of epithelial cells. To address these questions, we developed a novel polyline cell-based computational model and used it to make theoretical predictions about epithelial architecture upon changes to density and cell-cell adhesion. We tested these predictions using cultured cell experiments. Our results show that the appearance of extended lateral cell-cell borders in culture arises as a consequence of crowding-independent of cell-cell adhesion. However, cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion is associated with a novel architectural transition. Our results suggest that this transition represents the initial appearance of a distinctive epithelial architecture. Together our work reveals the distinct mechanical roles of densification and adhesion to epithelial layer formation and provides a novel theoretical framework to understand the less well-studied apical-basal plane of epithelial tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Cammarota
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Nicole S. Dawney
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Philip M. Bellomio
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Maren Jüng
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Alexander G. Fletcher
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Tara M. Finegan
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Dan T. Bergstralh
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
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7
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Jensen CC, Peifer M. Too old for hide-and-seek; cell maturation reveals hidden apical junctional organization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2401735121. [PMID: 38466856 PMCID: PMC10962932 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2401735121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Corbin C. Jensen
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC27599
| | - Mark Peifer
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC27599
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC27599
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8
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Cencer CS, Robinson KL, Tyska MJ. Loss of intermicrovillar adhesion impairs basolateral junctional complexes in transporting epithelia. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.19.585733. [PMID: 38562895 PMCID: PMC10983982 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.19.585733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Transporting epithelial cells in the gut and kidney rely on protocadherin-based apical adhesion complexes to organize microvilli that extend into the luminal space. In these systems, CDHR2 and CDHR5 localize to the distal ends of microvilli, where they form an intermicrovillar adhesion complex (IMAC) that links the tips of these structures, promotes the formation of a well-ordered array of protrusions, and in turn maximizes apical membrane surface area. Recently, we discovered that IMACs can also form between microvilli that extend from neighboring cells, across cell-cell junctions. As an additional point of physical contact between cells, transjunctional IMACs are well positioned to impact the integrity of canonical tight and adherens junctions that form more basolaterally. Here, we sought to test this idea using cell culture and mouse models that lacked CDHR2 expression and were unable to form IMACs. CDHR2 knockout perturbed cell and junction morphology, led to loss of key components from tight and adherens junctions, and impaired barrier function and wound healing. These results indicate that, in addition to organizing apical microvilli, IMACs provide a layer of cell-cell contact that functions in parallel with canonical tight and adherens junctions to support the physiological functions of transporting epithelia.
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9
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McParland ED, Butcher TA, Gurley NJ, Johnson RI, Slep KC, Peifer M. The Dilute domain in Canoe is not essential for linking cell junctions to the cytoskeleton but supports morphogenesis robustness. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs261734. [PMID: 38323935 PMCID: PMC11006394 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Robust linkage between adherens junctions and the actomyosin cytoskeleton allows cells to change shape and move during morphogenesis without tearing tissues apart. The Drosophila multidomain protein Canoe and its mammalian homolog afadin are crucial for this, as in their absence many events of morphogenesis fail. To define the mechanism of action for Canoe, we are taking it apart. Canoe has five folded protein domains and a long intrinsically disordered region. The largest is the Dilute domain, which is shared by Canoe and myosin V. To define the roles of this domain in Canoe, we combined biochemical, genetic and cell biological assays. AlphaFold was used to predict its structure, providing similarities and contrasts with Myosin V. Biochemical data suggested one potential shared function - the ability to dimerize. We generated Canoe mutants with the Dilute domain deleted (CnoΔDIL). Surprisingly, they were viable and fertile. CnoΔDIL localized to adherens junctions and was enriched at junctions under tension. However, when its dose was reduced, CnoΔDIL did not provide fully wild-type function. Furthermore, canoeΔDIL mutants had defects in the orchestrated cell rearrangements of eye development. This reveals the robustness of junction-cytoskeletal connections during morphogenesis and highlights the power of natural selection to maintain protein structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily D. McParland
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3280, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - T. Amber Butcher
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3280, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Noah J. Gurley
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3280, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Ruth I. Johnson
- Biology Department, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA
| | - Kevin C. Slep
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3280, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Mark Peifer
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3280, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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10
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Pinto-Dueñas DC, Hernández-Guzmán C, Marsch PM, Wadurkar AS, Martín-Tapia D, Alarcón L, Vázquez-Victorio G, Méndez-Méndez JV, Chanona-Pérez JJ, Nangia S, González-Mariscal L. The Role of ZO-2 in Modulating JAM-A and γ-Actin Junctional Recruitment, Apical Membrane and Tight Junction Tension, and Cell Response to Substrate Stiffness and Topography. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2453. [PMID: 38473701 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052453] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
This work analyzes the role of the tight junction (TJ) protein ZO-2 on mechanosensation. We found that the lack of ZO-2 reduced apical membrane rigidity measured with atomic force microscopy, inhibited the association of γ-actin and JAM-A to the cell border, and instead facilitated p114RhoGEF and afadin accumulation at the junction, leading to an enhanced mechanical tension at the TJ measured by FRET, with a ZO-1 tension probe, and increased tricellular TJ tension. Simultaneously, adherens junction tension measured with an E-cadherin probe was unaltered. The stability of JAM-A and ZO-2 binding was assessed by a collaborative in silico study. The absence of ZO-2 also impacted the cell response to the substrate, as monolayers plated in 20 kPa hydrogels developed holes not seen in parental cultures and displayed a retarded elongation and formation of cell aggregates. The absence of ZO-2 was sufficient to induce YAP and Snail nuclear accumulation in cells cultured over glass, but when ZO-2 KD cells were plated in nanostructured ridge arrays, they displayed an increased abundance of nuclear Snail and conspicuous internalization of claudin-4. These results indicate that the absence of ZO-2 also impairs the response of cells to substrate stiffness and exacerbates transformation triggered by substrate topography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Cristina Pinto-Dueñas
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neuroscience, Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Christian Hernández-Guzmán
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neuroscience, Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Patrick Matthew Marsch
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Anand Sunil Wadurkar
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Dolores Martín-Tapia
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neuroscience, Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Lourdes Alarcón
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neuroscience, Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Genaro Vázquez-Victorio
- Physics Department, Science School, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | | | | | - Shikha Nangia
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Lorenza González-Mariscal
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neuroscience, Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Mexico City 07360, Mexico
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11
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Ko EJ, Kim DY, Kim MH, An H, Kim J, Jeong JY, Song KS, Cha HJ. Functional Analysis of Membrane-Associated Scaffolding Tight Junction (TJ) Proteins in Tumorigenic Characteristics of B16-F10 Mouse Melanoma Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:833. [PMID: 38255907 PMCID: PMC10815660 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Tight junction (TJ) proteins (Tjps), Tjp1 and Tjp2, are tight junction-associated scaffold proteins that bind to the transmembrane proteins of tight junctions and the underlying cytoskeleton. In this study, we first analyzed the tumorigenic characteristics of B16-F10 melanoma cells, including cell proliferation, migration, invasion, metastatic potential, and the expression patterns of related proteins, after the CRISPR-Cas9-mediated knockout (KO) of Tjp genes. The proliferation of Tjp1 and Tjp2 KO cells significantly increased in vitro. Other tumorigenic characteristics, including migration and invasion, were significantly enhanced in Tjp1 and Tjp2 KO cells. Zonula occludens (ZO)-associated protein Claudin-1 (CLDN-1), which is a major component of tight junctions and functions in controlling cell-to-cell adhesion, was decreased in Tjp KO cells. Additionally, Tjp KO significantly stimulated tumor growth and metastasis in an in vivo mouse model. We performed a transcriptome analysis using next-generation sequencing (NGS) to elucidate the key genes involved in the mechanisms of action of Tjp1 and Tjp2. Among the various genes affected by Tjp KO-, cell cycle-, cell migration-, angiogenesis-, and cell-cell adhesion-related genes were significantly altered. In particular, we found that the Ninjurin-1 (Ninj1) and Catenin alpha-1 (Ctnna1) genes, which are known to play fundamental roles in Tjps, were significantly downregulated in Tjp KO cells. In summary, tumorigenic characteristics, including cell proliferation, migration, invasion, tumor growth, and metastatic potential, were significantly increased in Tjp1 and Tjp2 KO cells, and the knockout of Tjp genes significantly affected the expression of related proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Ji Ko
- Departments of Parasitology and Genetics, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea or (E.-J.K.); (D.-Y.K.); (M.-H.K.); (H.A.)
- Institute for Cancer Genetics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Do-Ye Kim
- Departments of Parasitology and Genetics, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea or (E.-J.K.); (D.-Y.K.); (M.-H.K.); (H.A.)
| | - Min-Hye Kim
- Departments of Parasitology and Genetics, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea or (E.-J.K.); (D.-Y.K.); (M.-H.K.); (H.A.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyojin An
- Departments of Parasitology and Genetics, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea or (E.-J.K.); (D.-Y.K.); (M.-H.K.); (H.A.)
| | - Jeongtae Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea;
- Institute for Medical Science, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea; (J.-Y.J.); (K.S.S.)
| | - Jee-Yeong Jeong
- Institute for Medical Science, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea; (J.-Y.J.); (K.S.S.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung Seob Song
- Institute for Medical Science, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea; (J.-Y.J.); (K.S.S.)
- Departments of Medical Life Science, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Jae Cha
- Departments of Parasitology and Genetics, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea or (E.-J.K.); (D.-Y.K.); (M.-H.K.); (H.A.)
- Institute for Medical Science, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea; (J.-Y.J.); (K.S.S.)
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12
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Clarke DN, Martin AC. EGFR-dependent actomyosin patterning coordinates morphogenetic movements between tissues. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.22.573057. [PMID: 38187543 PMCID: PMC10769333 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.22.573057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
The movements that give rise to the body's structure are powered by cell shape changes and rearrangements that are coordinated at supracellular scales. How such cellular coordination arises and integrates different morphogenetic programs is unclear. Using quantitative imaging, we found a complex pattern of adherens junction (AJ) levels in the ectoderm prior to gastrulation onset in Drosophila. AJ intensity exhibited a double-sided gradient, with peaks at the dorsal midline and ventral neuroectoderm. We show that this dorsal-ventral AJ pattern is regulated by epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling and that this signal is required for ectoderm cell movement during mesoderm invagination and axis extension. We identify AJ levels and junctional actomyosin as downstream effectors of EGFR signaling. Overall, our study demonstrates a mechanism of coordination between tissue folding and convergent extension that facilitates embryo-wide gastrulation movements.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adam C Martin
- Dept. of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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13
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Cho DH, Aguayo S, Cartagena-Rivera AX. Atomic force microscopy-mediated mechanobiological profiling of complex human tissues. Biomaterials 2023; 303:122389. [PMID: 37988897 PMCID: PMC10842832 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Tissue mechanobiology is an emerging field with the overarching goal of understanding the interplay between biophysical and biochemical responses affecting development, physiology, and disease. Changes in mechanical properties including stiffness and viscosity have been shown to describe how cells and tissues respond to mechanical cues and modify critical biological functions. To quantitatively characterize the mechanical properties of tissues at physiologically relevant conditions, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has emerged as a highly versatile biomechanical technology. In this review, we describe the fundamental principles of AFM, typical AFM modalities used for tissue mechanics, and commonly used elastic and viscoelastic contact mechanics models to characterize complex human tissues. Furthermore, we discuss the application of AFM-based mechanobiology to characterize the mechanical responses within complex human tissues to track their developmental, physiological/functional, and diseased states, including oral, hearing, and cancer-related tissues. Finally, we discuss the current outlook and challenges to further advance the field of tissue mechanobiology. Altogether, AFM-based tissue mechanobiology provides a mechanistic understanding of biological processes governing the unique functions of tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- David H Cho
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sebastian Aguayo
- Dentistry School, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Schools of Engineering, Medicine, and Biological Sciences, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alexander X Cartagena-Rivera
- Section on Mechanobiology, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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14
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Bridges MC, Nair-Menon J, Risner A, Jimenez DW, Daulagala AC, Kingsley C, Davis ME, Kourtidis A. Actin-dependent recruitment of AGO2 to the zonula adherens. Mol Biol Cell 2023; 34:ar129. [PMID: 37819702 PMCID: PMC10848941 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e22-03-0099-t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Adherens junctions are cadherin-based structures critical for cellular architecture. E-cadherin junctions in mature epithelial cell monolayers tether to an apical actomyosin ring to form the zonula adherens (ZA). We have previously shown that the adherens junction protein PLEKHA7 associates with and regulates the function of the core RNA interference (RNAi) component AGO2 specifically at the ZA. However, the mechanism mediating AGO2 recruitment to the ZA remained unexplored. Here, we reveal that this ZA-specific recruitment of AGO2 depends on both the structural and tensile integrity of the actomyosin cytoskeleton. We found that depletion of not only PLEKHA7, but also either of the three PLEKHA7-interacting, LIM-domain family proteins, namely LMO7, LIMCH1, and PDLIM1, results in disruption of actomyosin organization and tension, as well as disruption of AGO2 junctional localization and of its miRNA-binding ability. We also show that AGO2 binds Myosin IIB and that PLEKHA7, LMO7, LIMCH1, and PDLIM1 all disrupt interaction of AGO2 with Myosin IIB at the ZA. These results demonstrate that recruitment of AGO2 to the ZA is sensitive to actomyosin perturbations, introducing the concept of mechanosensitive RNAi machinery, with potential implications in tissue remodeling and in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Catherine Bridges
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425
| | - Joyce Nair-Menon
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425
| | - Alyssa Risner
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425
| | - Douglas W. Jimenez
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425
| | - Amanda C. Daulagala
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425
| | - Christina Kingsley
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425
| | - Madison E. Davis
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425
| | - Antonis Kourtidis
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425
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15
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Vachharajani VT, DeJong MP, Dunn AR. PDZ Domains from the Junctional Proteins Afadin and ZO-1 Act as Mechanosensors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.24.559210. [PMID: 37961673 PMCID: PMC10634676 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.24.559210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Intercellular adhesion complexes must withstand mechanical forces to maintain tissue cohesion, while also retaining the capacity for dynamic remodeling during tissue morphogenesis and repair. Most cell-cell adhesion complexes contain at least one PSD95/Dlg/ZO-1 (PDZ) domain situated between the adhesion molecule and the actin cytoskeleton. However, PDZ-mediated interactions are characteristically nonspecific, weak, and transient, with several binding partners per PDZ domain, micromolar dissociation constants, and bond lifetimes of seconds or less. Here, we demonstrate that the bonds between the PDZ domain of the cytoskeletal adaptor protein afadin and the intracellular domains of the adhesion molecules nectin-1 and JAM-A form molecular catch bonds that reinforce in response to mechanical load. In contrast, the bond between the PDZ3-SH3-GUK (PSG) domain of the cytoskeletal adaptor ZO-1 and the JAM-A intracellular domain becomes dramatically weaker in response to ∼2 pN of load, the amount generated by single molecules of the cytoskeletal motor protein myosin II. These results suggest that PDZ domains can serve as force-responsive mechanical anchors at cell-cell adhesion complexes, and that mechanical load can enhance the selectivity of PDZ-peptide interactions. These results suggest that PDZ mechanosensitivity may help to generate the intricate molecular organization of cell-cell junctions and allow junctional complexes to dynamically remodel in response to mechanical load.
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16
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McParland ED, Amber Butcher T, Gurley NJ, Johnson RI, Slep KC, Peifer M. The Dilute domain of Canoe is not essential for Canoe's role in linking adherens junctions to the cytoskeleton but contributes to robustness of morphogenesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.18.562854. [PMID: 37905001 PMCID: PMC10614895 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.18.562854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Robust linkage between cell-cell adherens junctions and the actomyosin cytoskeleton allows cells to change shape and move during morphogenesis without tearing tissues apart. The multidomain protein Drosophila Canoe and its mammalian homolog Afadin are critical for this linkage, and in their absence many events of morphogenesis fail. To define underlying mechanisms, we are taking Canoe apart, using Drosophila as our model. Canoe and Afadin share five folded protein domains, followed by a large intrinsically disordered region. The largest of these folded domains is the Dilute domain, which is found in Canoe/Afadin, their paralogs, and members of the MyosinV family. To define the roles of Canoe's Dilute domain we have combined biochemical, genetic and cell biological assays. Use of the AlphaFold tools revealed the predicted structure of the Canoe/Afadin Dilute domain, providing similarities and contrasts with that of MyosinV. Our biochemical data suggest one potential shared function: the ability to dimerize. We next generated Drosophila mutants with the Dilute domain cleanly deleted. Surprisingly, these mutants are viable and fertile, and CanoeΔDIL protein localizes to adherens junctions and is enriched at junctions under tension. However, when we reduce the dose of CanoeΔDIL protein in a sensitized assay, it becomes clear it does not provide full wildtype function. Further, canoeΔDIL mutants have defects in pupal eye development, another process that requires orchestrated cell rearrangements. Together, these data reveal the robustness in AJ-cytoskeletal connections during multiple embryonic and postembryonic events, and the power of natural selection to maintain protein structure even in robust systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily D. McParland
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3280, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - T. Amber Butcher
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3280, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Noah J. Gurley
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3280, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | | | - Kevin C. Slep
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3280, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Mark Peifer
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3280, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA
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17
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Itoh K, Ossipova O, Matsuda M, Sokol SY. Myocardin-related transcription factors regulate morphogenetic events in vertebrate embryos by controlling F-actin organization and apical constriction. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.27.559818. [PMID: 37808688 PMCID: PMC10557707 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.27.559818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Myocardin-related transcription factors (Mrtfa and Mrtfb), also known as megakaryoblastic leukemia proteins (Mkl1/MAL and Mkl2), associate with serum response factor (Srf) to regulate transcription in response to actin dynamics, however, the functions of Mrtfs in early vertebrate embryos remain largely unknown. Here we document the requirement of Mrtfs for blastopore closure at gastrulation and neural plate folding in Xenopus early embryos. Both stimulation and inhibition of Mrtf activity caused similar gross morphological phenotypes, yet the effects on F-actin distribution and cell behavior were different. Suppressing Mrtf-dependent transcription reduced overall F-actin levels and inhibited apical constriction during gastrulation and neurulation. By contrast, constitutively active Mrtf caused tricellular junction remodeling and induced apical constriction in superficial ectoderm. The underlying mechanism appeared distinct from the one utilized by known apical constriction inducers. We propose that the regulation of apical constriction is among the primary cellular responses to Mrtf. Our findings highlight a dedicated role of specific transcription factors, Mrtfs, in early morphogenetic processes.
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18
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Schmidt A, Finegan T, Häring M, Kong D, Fletcher AG, Alam Z, Grosshans J, Wolf F, Peifer M. Polychaetoid/ZO-1 strengthens cell junctions under tension while localizing differently than core adherens junction proteins. Mol Biol Cell 2023; 34:ar81. [PMID: 37163320 PMCID: PMC10398881 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-03-0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
During embryonic development, dramatic cell shape changes and movements reshape the embryonic body plan. These require robust but dynamic linkage between the cell-cell adherens junctions and the force-generating actomyosin cytoskeleton. Our view of this linkage has evolved, and we now realize linkage is mediated by mechanosensitive multiprotein complexes assembled via multivalent connections. Here we combine genetic, cell biological, and modeling approaches to define the mechanism of action and functions of an important player, Drosophila polychaetoid, homologue of mammalian ZO-1. Our data reveal that Pyd reinforces cell junctions under elevated tension, and facilitates cell rearrangements. Pyd is important to maintain junctional contractility and in its absence cell rearrangements stall. We next use structured illumination microscopy to define the molecular architecture of cell-cell junctions during these events. The cadherin-catenin complex and Cno both localize to puncta along the junctional membrane, but are differentially enriched in different puncta. Pyd, in contrast, exhibits a distinct localization to strands that extend out from the region occupied by core junction proteins. We then discuss the implications for the protein network at the junction-cytoskeletal interface, suggesting different proteins localize and function in distinct ways, perhaps in distinct subcomplexes, but combine to produce robust connections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Schmidt
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280
| | - Tara Finegan
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627-0211
| | - Matthias Häring
- Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks, Georg August University, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Institute for Dynamics of Complex Systems, Georg August University, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Deqing Kong
- Department of Biology, Philipps University, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Alexander G Fletcher
- School of Mathematics and Statistics and Bateson Centre, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
| | - Zuhayr Alam
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280
| | - Jörg Grosshans
- Department of Biology, Philipps University, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Fred Wolf
- Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks, Georg August University, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Institute for Dynamics of Complex Systems, Georg August University, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mark Peifer
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280
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19
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Rollins J, Worthington T, Dransfield A, Whitney J, Stanford J, Hooke E, Hobson J, Wengler J, Hope S, Mizrachi D. Expression of Cell-Adhesion Molecules in E. coli: A High Throughput Screening to Identify Paracellular Modulators. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9784. [PMID: 37372932 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24129784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell-adhesion molecules (CAMs) are responsible for cell-cell, cell-extracellular matrix, and cell-pathogen interactions. Claudins (CLDNs), occludin (OCLN), and junctional adhesion molecules (JAMs) are CAMs' components of the tight junction (TJ), the single protein structure tasked with safeguarding the paracellular space. The TJ is responsible for controlling paracellular permeability according to size and charge. Currently, there are no therapeutic solutions to modulate the TJ. Here, we describe the expression of CLDN proteins in the outer membrane of E. coli and report its consequences. When the expression is induced, the unicellular behavior of E. coli is replaced with multicellular aggregations that can be quantified using Flow Cytometry (FC). Our method, called iCLASP (inspection of cell-adhesion molecules aggregation through FC protocols), allows high-throughput screening (HTS) of small-molecules for interactions with CAMs. Here, we focused on using iCLASP to identify paracellular modulators for CLDN2. Furthermore, we validated those compounds in the mammalian cell line A549 as a proof-of-concept for the iCLASP method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay Rollins
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, College of Life Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Tyler Worthington
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, College of Life Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Allison Dransfield
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, College of Life Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Jordan Whitney
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, College of Life Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Jordan Stanford
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, College of Life Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Emily Hooke
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, College of Life Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Joseph Hobson
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, College of Life Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Jacob Wengler
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, College of Life Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Sandra Hope
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Dario Mizrachi
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, College of Life Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
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20
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Cammarota C, Dawney NS, Bellomio PM, Jüng M, Fletcher AG, Finegan TM, Bergstralh DT. The Mechanical Influence of Densification on Initial Epithelial Architecture. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.07.539758. [PMID: 37214914 PMCID: PMC10197549 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.07.539758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial tissues are the most abundant tissue type in animals, lining body cavities and generating compartment barriers. The function of a monolayer epithelium - whether protective, secretory, absorptive, or filtrative -relies on regular tissue architecture with respect to the apical-basal axis. Using an unbiased 3D analysis pipeline developed in our lab, we previously showed that epithelial tissue architectures in culture can be divided into distinct developmental categories, and that these are intimately connected to cell density: at sparse densities, cultured epithelial cell layers have a squamous morphology (Immature); at intermediate densities, these layers develop lateral cell-cell borders and rounded cell apices (Intermediate); cells at the highest densities reach their full height and demonstrate flattened apices (Mature). These observations prompted us to ask whether epithelial architecture emerges from the mechanical constraints of densification, and to what extent a hallmark feature of epithelial cells, namely cell-cell adhesion, contributes. In other words, to what extent is the shape of cells in an epithelial layer a simple matter of sticky, deformable objects squeezing together? We addressed this problem using a combination of computational modeling and experimental manipulations. Our results show that the first morphological transition, from Immature to Intermediate, can be explained simply by cell crowding. Additionally, we identify a new division (and thus transition) within the Intermediate category, and find that this second morphology relies on cell-cell adhesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Cammarota
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Nicole S Dawney
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | | | - Maren Jüng
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Alexander G Fletcher
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Bateson Centre, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Tara M Finegan
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Dan T Bergstralh
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
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21
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Troyanovsky SM. Adherens junction: the ensemble of specialized cadherin clusters. Trends Cell Biol 2023; 33:374-387. [PMID: 36127186 PMCID: PMC10020127 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2022.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The cell-cell connections in adherens junctions (AJs) are mediated by transmembrane receptors, type I cadherins (referred to here as cadherins). These cadherin-based connections (or trans bonds) are weak. To upregulate their strength, cadherins exploit avidity, the increased affinity of binding between cadherin clusters compared with isolated monomers. Formation of such clusters is a unique molecular process that is driven by a synergy of direct and indirect cis interactions between cadherins located at the same cell. In addition to their role in adhesion, cadherin clusters provide structural scaffolds for cytosolic proteins, which implicate cadherin into different cellular activities and signaling pathways. The cluster lifetime, which depends on the actin cytoskeleton, and on the mechanical forces it generates, determines the strength of AJs and their plasticity. The key aspects of cadherin adhesion, therefore, cannot be understood at the level of isolated cadherin molecules, but should be discussed in the context of cadherin clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey M Troyanovsky
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, The Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Northwestern University, The Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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22
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Skamrahl M, Schünemann J, Mukenhirn M, Pang H, Gottwald J, Jipp M, Ferle M, Rübeling A, Oswald T, Honigmann A, Janshoff A. Cellular segregation in cocultures is driven by differential adhesion and contractility on distinct timescales. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2213186120. [PMID: 37011207 PMCID: PMC10104523 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2213186120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular sorting and pattern formation are crucial for many biological processes such as development, tissue regeneration, and cancer progression. Prominent physical driving forces for cellular sorting are differential adhesion and contractility. Here, we studied the segregation of epithelial cocultures containing highly contractile, ZO1/2-depleted MDCKII cells (dKD) and their wild-type (WT) counterparts using multiple quantitative, high-throughput methods to monitor their dynamical and mechanical properties. We observe a time-dependent segregation process governed mainly by differential contractility on short (<5 h) and differential adhesion on long (>5 h) timescales. The overly contractile dKD cells exert strong lateral forces on their WT neighbors, thereby apically depleting their surface area. Concomitantly, the tight junction-depleted, contractile cells exhibit weaker cell-cell adhesion and lower traction force. Drug-induced contractility reduction and partial calcium depletion delay the initial segregation but cease to change the final demixed state, rendering differential adhesion the dominant segregation force at longer timescales. This well-controlled model system shows how cell sorting is accomplished through a complex interplay between differential adhesion and contractility and can be explained largely by generic physical driving forces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Skamrahl
- University of Göttingen, Institute of Physical Chemistry,37077Göttingen, Germany
| | - Justus Schünemann
- University of Göttingen, Institute of Physical Chemistry,37077Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Mukenhirn
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics,01307Dresden, Germany
| | - Hongtao Pang
- University of Göttingen, Institute of Physical Chemistry,37077Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jannis Gottwald
- University of Göttingen, Institute of Physical Chemistry,37077Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marcel Jipp
- University of Göttingen, Institute of Physical Chemistry,37077Göttingen, Germany
| | - Maximilian Ferle
- University of Göttingen, Institute of Physical Chemistry,37077Göttingen, Germany
| | - Angela Rübeling
- University of Göttingen, Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Göttingen37077, Germany
| | - Tabea A. Oswald
- University of Göttingen, Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Göttingen37077, Germany
| | - Alf Honigmann
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics,01307Dresden, Germany
| | - Andreas Janshoff
- University of Göttingen, Institute of Physical Chemistry,37077Göttingen, Germany
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23
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Fang C, Shao X, Tian Y, Chu Z, Lin Y. Size-dependent response of cells in epithelial tissue modulated by contractile stress fibers. Biophys J 2023; 122:1315-1324. [PMID: 36809876 PMCID: PMC10111366 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Although cells with distinct apical areas have been widely observed in epithelial tissues, how the size of cells affects their behavior during tissue deformation and morphogenesis as well as key physical factors modulating such influence remains elusive. Here, we showed that the elongation of cells within the monolayer under anisotropic biaxial stretching increases with their size because the strain released by local cell rearrangement (i.e., T1 transition) is more significant for small cells that possess higher contractility. On the other hand, by incorporating the nucleation, peeling, merging, and breakage dynamics of subcellular stress fibers into classical vertex formulation, we found that stress fibers with orientations predominantly aligned with the main stretching direction will be formed at tricellular junctions, in good agreement with recent experiments. The contractile forces generated by stress fibers help cells to resist imposed stretching, reduce the occurrence of T1 transitions, and, consequently, modulate their size-dependent elongation. Our findings demonstrate that epithelial cells could utilize their size and internal structure to regulate their physical and related biological behaviors. The theoretical framework proposed here can also be extended to investigate the roles of cell geometry and intracellular contraction in processes such as collective cell migration and embryo development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Fang
- School of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China; Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong; HKU-Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation (HKU-SIRI), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xueying Shao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong; HKU-Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation (HKU-SIRI), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China; Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
| | - Ye Tian
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong; HKU-Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation (HKU-SIRI), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhiqin Chu
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Yuan Lin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong; HKU-Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation (HKU-SIRI), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China; Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
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24
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Serre JM, Slabodnick MM, Goldstein B, Hardin J. SRGP-1/srGAP and AFD-1/afadin stabilize HMP-1/⍺-catenin at rosettes to seal internalization sites following gastrulation in C. elegans. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010507. [PMID: 36867663 PMCID: PMC10016700 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010507] [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] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A hallmark of gastrulation is the establishment of germ layers by internalization of cells initially on the exterior. In C. elegans the end of gastrulation is marked by the closure of the ventral cleft, a structure formed as cells internalize during gastrulation, and the subsequent rearrangement of adjacent neuroblasts that remain on the surface. We found that a nonsense allele of srgp-1/srGAP leads to 10-15% cleft closure failure. Deletion of the SRGP-1/srGAP C-terminal domain led to a comparable rate of cleft closure failure, whereas deletion of the N-terminal F-BAR region resulted in milder defects. Loss of the SRGP-1/srGAP C-terminus or F-BAR domain results in defects in rosette formation and defective clustering of HMP-1/⍺-catenin in surface cells during cleft closure. A mutant form of HMP-1/⍺-catenin with an open M domain can suppress cleft closure defects in srgp-1 mutant backgrounds, suggesting that this mutation acts as a gain-of-function allele. Since SRGP-1 binding to HMP-1/⍺-catenin is not favored in this case, we sought another HMP-1 interactor that might be recruited when HMP-1/⍺-catenin is constitutively open. A good candidate is AFD-1/afadin, which genetically interacts with cadherin-based adhesion later during embryonic elongation. AFD-1/afadin is prominently expressed at the vertex of neuroblast rosettes in wildtype, and depletion of AFD-1/afadin increases cleft closure defects in srgp-1/srGAP and hmp-1R551/554A/⍺-catenin backgrounds. We propose that SRGP-1/srGAP promotes nascent junction formation in rosettes; as junctions mature and sustain higher levels of tension, the M domain of HMP-1/⍺-catenin opens, allowing maturing junctions to transition from recruitment of SRGP-1/srGAP to AFD-1/afadin. Our work identifies new roles for ⍺-catenin interactors during a process crucial to metazoan development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel M. Serre
- Program in Genetics University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Mark M. Slabodnick
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Knox University, Galesburg, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Bob Goldstein
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jeff Hardin
- Program in Genetics University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
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25
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Schmidt A, Finegan T, Häring M, Kong D, Fletcher AG, Alam Z, Grosshans J, Wolf F, Peifer M. Polychaetoid/ZO-1 strengthens cell junctions under tension while localizing differently than core adherens junction proteins. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.01.530634. [PMID: 36909597 PMCID: PMC10002719 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.01.530634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
During embryonic development dramatic cell shape changes and movements re-shape the embryonic body plan. These require robust but dynamic linkage between the cell-cell adherens junctions and the force-generating actomyosin cytoskeleton. Our view of this linkage has evolved, and we now realize linkage is mediated by a mechanosensitive multiprotein complex assembled via multivalent connections. Here we combine genetic, cell biological and modeling approaches to define the mechanism of action and functions of an important player, Drosophila Polychaetoid, homolog of mammalian ZO-1. Our data reveal that Pyd reinforces cell junctions under elevated tension, and facilitates cell rearrangements. Pyd is important to maintain junctional contractility and in its absence cell rearrangements stall. We next use structured illumination microscopy to define the molecular architecture of cell-cell junctions during these events. The cadherin-catenin complex and Cno both localize to puncta along the junctional membrane, but are differentially enriched in different puncta. Pyd, in contrast, exhibits a distinct localization to strands that extend out from the region occupied by core junction proteins. We then discuss the implications for the protein network at the junction-cytoskeletal interface, suggesting different proteins localize and function in distinct ways but combine to produce robust connections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Schmidt
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3280, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Tara Finegan
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA 14627-0211
| | - Matthias Häring
- Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks, Georg August University, Hermann Rein Str. 3, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Am Faßberg 17, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Hermann Rein St. 3, 37075 Göttingen, German
- Institute for Dynamics of Complex Systems, Georg August University, Friedrich Hund Pl. 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Deqing Kong
- Department of Biology, Philipps University, Karl-von-Frisch-Straße 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Alexander G Fletcher
- School of Mathematics and Statistics & Bateson Centre, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Zuhayr Alam
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3280, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Jörg Grosshans
- Department of Biology, Philipps University, Karl-von-Frisch-Straße 8, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Fred Wolf
- Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks, Georg August University, Hermann Rein Str. 3, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Am Faßberg 17, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Hermann Rein St. 3, 37075 Göttingen, German
- Institute for Dynamics of Complex Systems, Georg August University, Friedrich Hund Pl. 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mark Peifer
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#3280, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
- Corresponding author
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26
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Bax NA, Wang A, Huang DL, Pokutta S, Weis WI, Dunn AR. Multi-level Force-dependent Allosteric Enhancement of αE-catenin Binding to F-actin by Vinculin. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:167969. [PMID: 36682678 PMCID: PMC9957948 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.167969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Classical cadherins are transmembrane proteins whose extracellular domains link neighboring cells, and whose intracellular domains connect to the actin cytoskeleton via β-catenin and α-catenin. The cadherin-catenin complex transmits forces that drive tissue morphogenesis and wound healing. In addition, tension-dependent changes in αE-catenin conformation enables it to recruit the actin-binding protein vinculin to cell-cell junctions, which contributes to junctional strengthening. How and whether multiple cadherin-complexes cooperate to reinforce cell-cell junctions in response to load remains poorly understood. Here, we used single-molecule optical trap measurements to examine how multiple cadherin-catenin complexes interact with F-actin under load, and how this interaction is influenced by the presence of vinculin. We show that force oriented toward the (-) end of the actin filament results in mean lifetimes 3-fold longer than when force was applied towards the barbed (+) end. We also measured force-dependent actin binding by a quaternary complex comprising the cadherin-catenin complex and the vinculin head region, which cannot itself bind actin. Binding lifetimes of this quaternary complex increased as additional complexes bound F-actin, but only when load was oriented toward the (-) end. In contrast, the cadherin-catenin complex alone did not show this form of cooperativity. These findings reveal multi-level, force-dependent regulation that enhances the strength of the association of multiple cadherin/catenin complexes with F-actin, conferring positive feedback that may strengthen the junction and polarize F-actin to facilitate the emergence of higher-order cytoskeletal organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas A Bax
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, United States. https://twitter.com/@bax1337
| | - Amy Wang
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, United States; Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University School of Engineering, United States. https://twitter.com/@amywang01
| | - Derek L Huang
- Graduate Program in Biophysics, Stanford University, United States
| | - Sabine Pokutta
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, United States
| | - William I Weis
- Departments of Structural Biology and Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, United States.
| | - Alexander R Dunn
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University School of Engineering, United States; Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford School of Medicine.
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27
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ECM Substrates Impact RNAi Localization at Adherens Junctions of Colon Epithelial Cells. Cells 2022; 11:cells11233740. [PMID: 36497003 PMCID: PMC9737857 DOI: 10.3390/cells11233740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays crucial roles in tissue homeostasis. Abnormalities in ECM composition are associated with pathological conditions, such as fibrosis and cancer. These ECM alterations are sensed by the epithelium and can influence its behavior through crosstalk with other mechanosensitive complexes, including the adherens junctions (AJs). We have previously shown that the AJs, through their component PLEKHA7, recruit the RNAi machinery to regulate miRNA levels and function. We have particularly shown that the junctional localization of RNAi components is critical for their function. Here, we investigated whether different ECM substrates can influence the junctional localization of RNAi complexes. To do this, we plated colon epithelial Caco2 cells on four key ECM substrates found in the colon under normal or pathogenic conditions, namely laminin, fibronectin, collagen I, and collagen IV, and we examined the subcellular distribution of PLEKHA7, and of the key RNAi components AGO2 and DROSHA. Fibronectin and collagen I negatively impacted the junctional localization of PLEKHA7, AGO2, and DROSHA when compared to laminin. Furthermore, fibronectin, collagen I, and collagen IV disrupted interactions of AGO2 and DROSHA with their essential partners GW182 and DGCR8, respectively, both at AJs and throughout the cell. Combinations of all substrates with fibronectin also negatively impacted junctional localization of PLEKHA7 and AGO2. Additionally, collagen I triggered accumulation of DROSHA at tri-cellular junctions, while both collagen I and collagen IV resulted in DROSHA accumulation at basal areas of cell-cell contact. Altogether, fibronectin and collagens I and IV, which are elevated in the stroma of fibrotic and cancerous tissues, altered localization patterns and disrupted complex formation of PLEKHA7 and RNAi components. Combined with our prior studies showing that apical junctional localization of the PLEKHA7-RNAi complex is critical for regulating tumor-suppressing miRNAs, this work points to a yet unstudied mechanism that could contribute to epithelial cell transformation.
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28
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Ibata N, Terentjev EM. Nucleation of cadherin clusters on cell-cell interfaces. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18485. [PMID: 36323859 PMCID: PMC9630535 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23220-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Cadherins mediate cell-cell adhesion and help the cell determine its shape and function. Here we study collective cadherin organization and interactions within cell-cell contact areas, and find the cadherin density at which a 'gas-liquid' phase transition occurs, when cadherin monomers begin to aggregate into dense clusters. We use a 2D lattice model of a cell-cell contact area, and coarse-grain to the continuous number density of cadherin to map the model onto the Cahn-Hilliard coarsening theory. This predicts the density required for nucleation, the characteristic length scale of the process, and the number density of clusters. The analytical predictions of the model are in good agreement with experimental observations of cadherin clustering in epithelial tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Ibata
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE UK
| | - Eugene M. Terentjev
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE UK
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29
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Chmiel TA, Gardel ML. Confluence and tight junction dependence of volume regulation in epithelial tissue. Mol Biol Cell 2022; 33:ar98. [PMID: 35731553 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e22-03-0073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial cell volume regulation is a key component to tissue stability and dynamics. In particular, how cells respond to osmotic stresses is of significant physiological interest in kidney epithelial tissue. For individual mammalian cells, it is well established that Na-K-2Cl cotransporter (NKCC) channels mediate cell volume homeostasis in response to hyperosmotic stress. However, whether mature epithelium responds similarly is not well known. Here we show that while small colonies of madin darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells behave similarly to single cells and exhibit volume homeostasis that is dependent on the NKCC channel function, mature epithelial tissue does not. Instead, the cell volume decreases by 33% when confluent monolayers or acini formed from MDCK cells are subjected to hyperosmotic stress. We show that the tight junction protein zonula occludins-1 (ZO-1), and Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) are essential for osmotic regulation of cell volume in mature epithelium. Because these both are known to be essential for tight junction assembly, this strongly suggests a role for tight junctions in changing volume response in mature epithelium. Thus, tight junctions act either directly or indirectly in osmotic pressure response of epithelial tissue to suppress volume homeostasis common to isolated epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa A Chmiel
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, James Franck Institute, Department of Physics, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - Margaret L Gardel
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, James Franck Institute, Department of Physics, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
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30
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Fernandez-Gonzalez R, Peifer M. Powering morphogenesis: multiscale challenges at the interface of cell adhesion and the cytoskeleton. Mol Biol Cell 2022; 33. [PMID: 35696393 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e21-09-0452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the defining features of the animal kingdom is the ability of cells to change shape and move. This underlies embryonic and postembryonic development, tissue homeostasis, regeneration, and wound healing. Cell shape change and motility require linkage of the cell's force-generating machinery to the plasma membrane at cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix junctions. Connections of the actomyosin cytoskeleton to cell-cell adherens junctions need to be both resilient and dynamic, preventing tissue disruption during the dramatic events of embryonic morphogenesis. In the past decade, new insights radically altered the earlier simple paradigm that suggested simple linear linkage via the cadherin-catenin complex as the molecular mechanism of junction-cytoskeleton interaction. In this Perspective we provide a brief overview of our current state of knowledge and then focus on selected examples highlighting what we view as the major unanswered questions in our field and the approaches that offer exciting new insights at multiple scales from atomic structure to tissue mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalez
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada.,Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada.,Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada.,Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Mark Peifer
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280.,Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280
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31
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Kuo WT, Odenwald MA, Turner JR, Zuo L. Tight junction proteins occludin and ZO-1 as regulators of epithelial proliferation and survival. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2022; 1514:21-33. [PMID: 35580994 PMCID: PMC9427709 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial cells are the first line of mucosal defense. In the intestine, a single layer of epithelial cells must establish a selectively permeable barrier that supports nutrient absorption and waste secretion while preventing the leakage of potentially harmful luminal materials. Key to this is the tight junction, which seals the paracellular space and prevents unrestricted leakage. The tight junction is a protein complex established by interactions between members of the claudin, zonula occludens, and tight junction-associated MARVEL protein (TAMP) families. Claudins form the characteristic tight junction strands seen by freeze-fracture microscopy and create paracellular channels, but the functions of ZO-1 and occludin, founding members of the zonula occludens and TAMP families, respectively, are less well defined. Recent studies have revealed that these proteins have essential noncanonical (nonbarrier) functions that allow them to regulate epithelial apoptosis and proliferation, facilitate viral entry, and organize specialized epithelial structures. Surprisingly, neither is required for intestinal barrier function or overall health in the absence of exogenous stressors. Here, we provide a brief overview of ZO-1 and occludin canonical (barrier-related) functions, and a more detailed examination of their noncanonical functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Ting Kuo
- Graduate Institute of Oral Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Laboratory of Mucosal Barrier Pathobiology, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Jerrold R Turner
- Laboratory of Mucosal Barrier Pathobiology, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Li Zuo
- Laboratory of Mucosal Barrier Pathobiology, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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32
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Matsuda M, Chu CW, Sokol SY. Lmo7 recruits myosin II heavy chain to regulate actomyosin contractility and apical domain size in Xenopus ectoderm. Development 2022; 149:275389. [PMID: 35451459 PMCID: PMC9188752 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Apical constriction, or a reduction in size of the apical domain, underlies many morphogenetic events during development. Actomyosin complexes play an essential role in apical constriction; however, the detailed analysis of molecular mechanisms is still pending. Here, we show that Lim domain only protein 7 (Lmo7), a multidomain adaptor at apical junctions, promotes apical constriction in the Xenopus superficial ectoderm, whereas apical domain size increases in Lmo7-depleted cells. Lmo7 is primarily localized at apical junctions and promotes the formation of the dense circumferential actomyosin belt. Strikingly, Lmo7 binds non-muscle myosin II (NMII) and recruits it to apical junctions and the apical cortex. This NMII recruitment is essential for Lmo7-mediated apical constriction. Lmo7 knockdown decreases NMIIA localization at apical junctions and delays neural tube closure in Xenopus embryos. Our findings suggest that Lmo7 serves as a scaffold that regulates actomyosin contractility and apical domain size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miho Matsuda
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Chih-Wen Chu
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Sergei Y. Sokol
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
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33
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Marivin A, Ho RXY, Garcia-Marcos M. DAPLE orchestrates apical actomyosin assembly from junctional polarity complexes. J Biophys Biochem Cytol 2022; 221:213115. [PMID: 35389423 PMCID: PMC8996326 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202111002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Establishment of apicobasal polarity and the organization of the cytoskeleton must operate coordinately to ensure proper epithelial cell shape and function. However, the precise molecular mechanisms by which polarity complexes directly instruct the cytoskeletal machinery to determine cell shape are poorly understood. Here, we define a mechanism by which the PAR polarity complex (PAR3–PAR6–aPKC) at apical cell junctions leads to efficient assembly of the apical actomyosin network to maintain epithelial cell morphology. We found that the PAR polarity complex recruits the protein DAPLE to apical cell junctions, which in turn triggers a two-pronged mechanism that converges upon assembly of apical actomyosin. More specifically, DAPLE directly recruits the actin-stabilizing protein CD2AP to apical junctions and, concomitantly, activates heterotrimeric G protein signaling in a GPCR-independent manner to favor RhoA-myosin activation. These observations establish DAPLE as a direct molecular link between junctional polarity complexes and the formation of apical cytoskeletal assemblies that support epithelial cell shape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Marivin
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Rachel Xi-Yeen Ho
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Mikel Garcia-Marcos
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
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34
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Vanslembrouck B, Chen JH, Larabell C, van Hengel J. Microscopic Visualization of Cell-Cell Adhesion Complexes at Micro and Nanoscale. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:819534. [PMID: 35517500 PMCID: PMC9065677 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.819534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Considerable progress has been made in our knowledge of the morphological and functional varieties of anchoring junctions. Cell-cell adhesion contacts consist of discrete junctional structures responsible for the mechanical coupling of cytoskeletons and allow the transmission of mechanical signals across the cell collective. The three main adhesion complexes are adherens junctions, tight junctions, and desmosomes. Microscopy has played a fundamental role in understanding these adhesion complexes on different levels in both physiological and pathological conditions. In this review, we discuss the main light and electron microscopy techniques used to unravel the structure and composition of the three cell-cell contacts in epithelial and endothelial cells. It functions as a guide to pick the appropriate imaging technique(s) for the adhesion complexes of interest. We also point out the latest techniques that have emerged. At the end, we discuss the problems investigators encounter during their cell-cell adhesion research using microscopic techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bieke Vanslembrouck
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Department of Anatomy, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Bieke Vanslembrouck, ; Jolanda van Hengel,
| | - Jian-hua Chen
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Department of Anatomy, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Carolyn Larabell
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Department of Anatomy, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Jolanda van Hengel
- Medical Cell Biology Research Group, Department of Human Structure and Repair, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Bieke Vanslembrouck, ; Jolanda van Hengel,
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35
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Cho Y, Haraguchi D, Shigetomi K, Matsuzawa K, Uchida S, Ikenouchi J. Tricellulin secures the epithelial barrier at tricellular junctions by interacting with actomyosin. J Biophys Biochem Cytol 2022; 221:213005. [PMID: 35148372 PMCID: PMC8847807 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202009037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The epithelial cell sheet functions as a barrier to prevent invasion of pathogens. It is necessary to eliminate intercellular gaps not only at bicellular junctions, but also at tricellular contacts, where three cells meet, to maintain epithelial barrier function. To that end, tight junctions between adjacent cells must associate as closely as possible, particularly at tricellular contacts. Tricellulin is an integral component of tricellular tight junctions (tTJs), but the molecular mechanism of its contribution to the epithelial barrier function remains unclear. In this study, we revealed that tricellulin contributes to barrier formation by regulating actomyosin organization at tricellular junctions. Furthermore, we identified α-catenin, which is thought to function only at adherens junctions, as a novel binding partner of tricellulin. α-catenin bridges tricellulin attachment to the bicellular actin cables that are anchored end-on at tricellular junctions. Thus, tricellulin mobilizes actomyosin contractility to close the lateral gap between the TJ strands of the three proximate cells that converge on tricellular junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuma Cho
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Daichi Haraguchi
- Department of Advanced Information Technology, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Kenta Shigetomi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Kenji Matsuzawa
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Seiichi Uchida
- Department of Advanced Information Technology, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Junichi Ikenouchi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
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36
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Cavanaugh KE, Staddon MF, Chmiel TA, Harmon R, Budnar S, Yap AS, Banerjee S, Gardel ML. Force-dependent intercellular adhesion strengthening underlies asymmetric adherens junction contraction. Curr Biol 2022; 32:1986-2000.e5. [PMID: 35381185 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Tissue morphogenesis arises from the culmination of changes in cell-cell junction length. Mechanochemical signaling in the form of RhoA underlies these ratcheted contractions, which occur asymmetrically. The underlying mechanisms of asymmetry remain unknown. We use optogenetically controlled RhoA in model epithelia together with biophysical modeling to uncover the mechanism lending to asymmetric vertex motion. Using optogenetic and pharmacological approaches, we find that both local and global RhoA activation can drive asymmetric junction contraction in the absence of tissue-scale patterning. We find that standard vertex models with homogeneous junction properties are insufficient to recapitulate the observed junction dynamics. Furthermore, these experiments reveal a local coupling of RhoA activation with E-cadherin accumulation. This motivates a coupling of RhoA-mediated increases in tension and E-cadherin-mediated adhesion strengthening. We then demonstrate that incorporating this force-sensitive adhesion strengthening into a continuum model is successful in capturing the observed junction dynamics. Thus, we find that a force-dependent intercellular "clutch" at tricellular vertices stabilizes vertex motion under increasing tension and is sufficient to generate asymmetries in junction contraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate E Cavanaugh
- Committee on Development, Regeneration, and Stem Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, James Franck Institute, Department of Physics, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Michael F Staddon
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - Theresa A Chmiel
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, James Franck Institute, Department of Physics, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Robert Harmon
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, James Franck Institute, Department of Physics, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Srikanth Budnar
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Alpha S Yap
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Shiladitya Banerjee
- Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Margaret L Gardel
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, James Franck Institute, Department of Physics, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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37
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Royer C, Sandham E, Slee E, Schneider F, Lagerholm CB, Godwin J, Veits N, Hathrell H, Zhou F, Leonavicius K, Garratt J, Narendra T, Vincent A, Jones C, Child T, Coward K, Graham C, Fritzsche M, Lu X, Srinivas S. ASPP2 maintains the integrity of mechanically stressed pseudostratified epithelia during morphogenesis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:941. [PMID: 35177595 PMCID: PMC8854694 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28590-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
During development, pseudostratified epithelia undergo large scale morphogenetic events associated with increased mechanical stress. Using a variety of genetic and imaging approaches, we uncover that in the mouse E6.5 epiblast, where apical tension is highest, ASPP2 safeguards tissue integrity. It achieves this by preventing the most apical daughter cells from delaminating apically following division events. In this context, ASPP2 maintains the integrity and organisation of the filamentous actin cytoskeleton at apical junctions. ASPP2 is also essential during gastrulation in the primitive streak, in somites and in the head fold region, suggesting that it is required across a wide range of pseudostratified epithelia during morphogenetic events that are accompanied by intense tissue remodelling. Finally, our study also suggests that the interaction between ASPP2 and PP1 is essential to the tumour suppressor function of ASPP2, which may be particularly relevant in the context of tissues that are subject to increased mechanical stress. The early embryo maintains its structure in the face of large mechanical stresses during morphogenesis. Here they show that ASPP2 acts to preserve epithelial integrity in regions of high apical tension during early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Royer
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK.
| | - Elizabeth Sandham
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Elizabeth Slee
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Falk Schneider
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Translational Imaging Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Christoffer B Lagerholm
- Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jonathan Godwin
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Nisha Veits
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Holly Hathrell
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Felix Zhou
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Karolis Leonavicius
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK.,Institute of Biotechnology, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Jemma Garratt
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK.,Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Level 3, Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Tanaya Narendra
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK.,Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Level 3, Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Anna Vincent
- Oxford Fertility, Institute of Reproductive Sciences, Oxford Business Park North, Oxford, OX4 2HW, UK
| | - Celine Jones
- Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Level 3, Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Tim Child
- Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Level 3, Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.,Oxford Fertility, Institute of Reproductive Sciences, Oxford Business Park North, Oxford, OX4 2HW, UK
| | - Kevin Coward
- Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Level 3, Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Chris Graham
- Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Level 3, Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Marco Fritzsche
- Kennedy Institute for Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK.,Rosalind Franklin Institute, Didcot, OX11 0QS, UK
| | - Xin Lu
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Shankar Srinivas
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK.
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38
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Yang YA, Nguyen E, Sankara Narayana GHN, Heuzé M, Fu C, Yu H, Mège RM, Ladoux B, Sheetz MP. Local contractions regulate E-cadherin rigidity sensing. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabk0387. [PMID: 35089785 PMCID: PMC8797795 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abk0387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
E-cadherin is a major cell-cell adhesion molecule involved in mechanotransduction at cell-cell contacts in tissues. Because epithelial cells respond to rigidity and tension in tissue through E-cadherin, there must be active processes that test and respond to the mechanical properties of these adhesive contacts. Using submicrometer, E-cadherin-coated polydimethylsiloxane pillars, we find that cells generate local contractions between E-cadherin adhesions and pull to a constant distance for a constant duration, irrespective of pillar rigidity. These cadherin contractions require nonmuscle myosin IIB, tropomyosin 2.1, α-catenin, and binding of vinculin to α-catenin. Cells spread to different areas on soft and rigid surfaces with contractions, but spread equally on soft and rigid without. We further observe that cadherin contractions enable cells to test myosin IIA-mediated tension of neighboring cells and sort out myosin IIA-depleted cells. Thus, we suggest that epithelial cells test and respond to the mechanical characteristics of neighboring cells through cadherin contractions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-An Yang
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Emmanuelle Nguyen
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | | | - Melina Heuzé
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Chaoyu Fu
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Hanry Yu
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
- Department of Physiology, Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore 117593, Singapore
- Institute of Bioengineering and Bioimaging, A*STAR, Singapore 138669, Singapore
- CAMP, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Singapore 138602, Singapore
| | - René-Marc Mège
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Benoit Ladoux
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
- Corresponding author. (M.P.S.); (B.L.)
| | - Michael P. Sheetz
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
- Corresponding author. (M.P.S.); (B.L.)
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39
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Yu-Kemp HC, Szymanski RA, Cortes DB, Gadda NC, Lillich ML, Maddox AS, Peifer M. Micron-scale supramolecular myosin arrays help mediate cytoskeletal assembly at mature adherens junctions. J Cell Biol 2022; 221:212872. [PMID: 34812842 PMCID: PMC8614156 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202103074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial cells assemble specialized actomyosin structures at E-Cadherin–based cell–cell junctions, and the force exerted drives cell shape change during morphogenesis. The mechanisms that build this supramolecular actomyosin structure remain unclear. We used ZO-knockdown MDCK cells, which assemble a robust, polarized, and highly organized actomyosin cytoskeleton at the zonula adherens, combining genetic and pharmacologic approaches with superresolution microscopy to define molecular machines required. To our surprise, inhibiting individual actin assembly pathways (Arp2/3, formins, or Ena/VASP) did not prevent or delay assembly of this polarized actomyosin structure. Instead, as junctions matured, micron-scale supramolecular myosin arrays assembled, with aligned stacks of myosin filaments adjacent to the apical membrane, overlying disorganized actin filaments. This suggested that myosin arrays might bundle actin at mature junctions. Consistent with this idea, inhibiting ROCK or myosin ATPase disrupted myosin localization/organization and prevented actin bundling and polarization. We obtained similar results in Caco-2 cells. These results suggest a novel role for myosin self-assembly, helping drive actin organization to facilitate cell shape change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Chia Yu-Kemp
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Rachel A Szymanski
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Daniel B Cortes
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Nicole C Gadda
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Madeline L Lillich
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Amy S Maddox
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.,Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Mark Peifer
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.,Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
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40
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Blonski S, Aureille J, Badawi S, Zaremba D, Pernet L, Grichine A, Fraboulet S, Korczyk PM, Recho P, Guilluy C, Dolega ME. Direction of epithelial folding defines impact of mechanical forces on epithelial state. Dev Cell 2021; 56:3222-3234.e6. [PMID: 34875225 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Cell shape dynamics during development is tightly regulated and coordinated with cell fate determination. Triggered by an interplay between biochemical and mechanical signals, epithelia form complex tissues by undergoing coordinated cell shape changes, but how such spatiotemporal coordination is controlled remains an open question. To dissect biochemical signaling from purely mechanical cues, we developed a microfluidic system that experimentally triggers epithelial folding to recapitulate stereotypic deformations observed in vivo. Using this system, we observe that the apical or basal direction of folding results in strikingly different mechanical states at the fold boundary, where the balance between tissue tension and torque (arising from the imposed curvature) controls the spread of folding-induced calcium waves at a short timescale and induces spatial patterns of gene expression at longer timescales. Our work uncovers that folding-associated gradients of cell shape and their resulting mechanical stresses direct spatially distinct biochemical responses within the monolayer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Slawomir Blonski
- Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, IPPT, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Biosystems and Soft Matter, 02106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Julien Aureille
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Department of Microenvironment, Cell Plasticity and Signaling, University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Sara Badawi
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Department of Microenvironment, Cell Plasticity and Signaling, University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Damian Zaremba
- Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, IPPT, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Biosystems and Soft Matter, 02106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Lydia Pernet
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Department of Microenvironment, Cell Plasticity and Signaling, University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Alexei Grichine
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Department of Microenvironment, Cell Plasticity and Signaling, University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Sandrine Fraboulet
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Department of Microenvironment, Cell Plasticity and Signaling, University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Piotr M Korczyk
- Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, IPPT, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Biosystems and Soft Matter, 02106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Pierre Recho
- LIPhy, University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS UMR 5588, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Christophe Guilluy
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Department of Microenvironment, Cell Plasticity and Signaling, University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38000 Grenoble, France.
| | - Monika E Dolega
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Department of Microenvironment, Cell Plasticity and Signaling, University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38000 Grenoble, France.
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41
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Perez-Vale KZ, Yow KD, Johnson RI, Byrnes AE, Finegan TM, Slep KC, Peifer M. Multivalent interactions make adherens junction-cytoskeletal linkage robust during morphogenesis. J Cell Biol 2021; 220:212790. [PMID: 34762121 PMCID: PMC8590279 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202104087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryogenesis requires cells to change shape and move without disrupting epithelial integrity. This requires robust, responsive linkage between adherens junctions and the actomyosin cytoskeleton. Using Drosophila morphogenesis, we define molecular mechanisms mediating junction–cytoskeletal linkage and explore the role of mechanosensing. We focus on the junction–cytoskeletal linker Canoe, a multidomain protein. We engineered the canoe locus to define how its domains mediate its mechanism of action. To our surprise, the PDZ and FAB domains, which we thought connected junctions and F-actin, are not required for viability or mechanosensitive recruitment to junctions under tension. The FAB domain stabilizes junctions experiencing elevated force, but in its absence, most cells recover, suggesting redundant interactions. In contrast, the Rap1-binding RA domains are critical for all Cno functions and enrichment at junctions under tension. This supports a model in which junctional robustness derives from a large protein network assembled via multivalent interactions, with proteins at network nodes and some node connections more critical than others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kia Z Perez-Vale
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Kristi D Yow
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Ruth I Johnson
- Department of Biology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
| | - Amy E Byrnes
- Program in Molecular and Cellular Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Tara M Finegan
- Department of Physics and BioInspired Syracuse, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
| | - Kevin C Slep
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Mark Peifer
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.,Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
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42
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Skamrahl M, Pang H, Ferle M, Gottwald J, Rübeling A, Maraspini R, Honigmann A, Oswald TA, Janshoff A. Tight Junction ZO Proteins Maintain Tissue Fluidity, Ensuring Efficient Collective Cell Migration. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2021; 8:e2100478. [PMID: 34382375 PMCID: PMC8498871 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202100478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Tight junctions (TJs) are essential components of epithelial tissues connecting neighboring cells to provide protective barriers. While their general function to seal compartments is well understood, their role in collective cell migration is largely unexplored. Here, the importance of the TJ zonula occludens (ZO) proteins ZO1 and ZO2 for epithelial migration is investigated employing video microscopy in conjunction with velocimetry, segmentation, cell tracking, and atomic force microscopy/spectroscopy. The results indicate that ZO proteins are necessary for fast and coherent migration. In particular, ZO1 and 2 loss (dKD) induces actomyosin remodeling away from the central cortex towards the periphery of individual cells, resulting in altered viscoelastic properties. A tug-of-war emerges between two subpopulations of cells with distinct morphological and mechanical properties: 1) smaller and highly contractile cells with an outward bulging apical membrane, and 2) larger, flattened cells, which, due to tensile stress, display a higher proliferation rate. In response, the cell density increases, leading to crowding-induced jamming and more small cells over time. Co-cultures comprising wildtype and dKD cells migrate inefficiently due to phase separation based on differences in contractility rather than differential adhesion. This study shows that ZO proteins are necessary for efficient collective cell migration by maintaining tissue fluidity and controlling proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Skamrahl
- Institute of Physical ChemistryUniversity of GöttingenTammannstr. 6Göttingen37077Germany
| | - Hongtao Pang
- Institute of Physical ChemistryUniversity of GöttingenTammannstr. 6Göttingen37077Germany
| | - Maximilian Ferle
- Institute of Physical ChemistryUniversity of GöttingenTammannstr. 6Göttingen37077Germany
| | - Jannis Gottwald
- Institute of Physical ChemistryUniversity of GöttingenTammannstr. 6Göttingen37077Germany
| | - Angela Rübeling
- Institute of Organic and Biomolecular ChemistryUniversity of GöttingenTammannstr. 2Göttingen37077Germany
| | - Riccardo Maraspini
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and GeneticsPfotenhauerstraße 108Dresden01307Germany
| | - Alf Honigmann
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and GeneticsPfotenhauerstraße 108Dresden01307Germany
| | - Tabea A. Oswald
- Institute of Organic and Biomolecular ChemistryUniversity of GöttingenTammannstr. 2Göttingen37077Germany
| | - Andreas Janshoff
- Institute of Physical ChemistryUniversity of GöttingenTammannstr. 6Göttingen37077Germany
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43
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Phase Separation and Mechanical Forces in Regulating Asymmetric Cell Division of Neural Stem Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910267. [PMID: 34638607 PMCID: PMC8508713 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Asymmetric cell division (ACD) of neural stem cells and progenitors not only renews the stem cell population but also ensures the normal development of the nervous system, producing various types of neurons with different shapes and functions in the brain. One major mechanism to achieve ACD is the asymmetric localization and uneven segregation of intracellular proteins and organelles into sibling cells. Recent studies have demonstrated that liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) provides a potential mechanism for the formation of membrane-less biomolecular condensates that are asymmetrically distributed on limited membrane regions. Moreover, mechanical forces have emerged as pivotal regulators of asymmetric neural stem cell division by generating sibling cell size asymmetry. In this review, we will summarize recent discoveries of ACD mechanisms driven by LLPS and mechanical forces.
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44
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Baskaran Y, Tay FPL, Ng EYW, Swa CLF, Wee S, Gunaratne J, Manser E. Proximity proteomics identifies PAK4 as a component of Afadin-Nectin junctions. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5315. [PMID: 34493720 PMCID: PMC8423818 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25011-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Human PAK4 is an ubiquitously expressed p21-activated kinase which acts downstream of Cdc42. Since PAK4 is enriched in cell-cell junctions, we probed the local protein environment around the kinase with a view to understanding its location and substrates. We report that U2OS cells expressing PAK4-BirA-GFP identify a subset of 27 PAK4-proximal proteins that are primarily cell-cell junction components. Afadin/AF6 showed the highest relative biotin labelling and links to the nectin family of homophilic junctional proteins. Reciprocally >50% of the PAK4-proximal proteins were identified by Afadin BioID. Co-precipitation experiments failed to identify junctional proteins, emphasizing the advantage of the BioID method. Mechanistically PAK4 depended on Afadin for its junctional localization, which is similar to the situation in Drosophila. A highly ranked PAK4-proximal protein LZTS2 was immuno-localized with Afadin at cell-cell junctions. Though PAK4 and Cdc42 are junctional, BioID analysis did not yield conventional cadherins, indicating their spatial segregation. To identify cellular PAK4 substrates we then assessed rapid changes (12') in phospho-proteome after treatment with two PAK inhibitors. Among the PAK4-proximal junctional proteins seventeen PAK4 sites were identified. We anticipate mammalian group II PAKs are selective for the Afadin/nectin sub-compartment, with a demonstrably distinct localization from tight and cadherin junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohendran Baskaran
- sGSK Group, Institute of Molecular & Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Felicia Pei-Ling Tay
- FB Laboratory, Institute of Molecular & Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Elsa Yuen Wai Ng
- sGSK Group, Institute of Molecular & Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Claire Lee Foon Swa
- Quantitative Proteomics Group, Institute of Molecular & Cell Biology, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sheena Wee
- Quantitative Proteomics Group, Institute of Molecular & Cell Biology, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jayantha Gunaratne
- Quantitative Proteomics Group, Institute of Molecular & Cell Biology, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Edward Manser
- sGSK Group, Institute of Molecular & Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore.
- Department of Pharmacology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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45
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Lee M, Betz C, Yin J, Paatero I, Schellinx N, Carte AN, Wilson CW, Ye W, Affolter M, Belting HG. Control of dynamic cell behaviors during angiogenesis and anastomosis by Rasip1. Development 2021; 148:271819. [PMID: 34383884 PMCID: PMC8380458 DOI: 10.1242/dev.197509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Organ morphogenesis is driven by a wealth of tightly orchestrated cellular behaviors, which ensure proper organ assembly and function. Many of these cell activities involve cell-cell interactions and remodeling of the F-actin cytoskeleton. Here, we analyze the requirement for Rasip1 (Ras-interacting protein 1), an endothelial-specific regulator of junctional dynamics, during blood vessel formation. Phenotype analysis of rasip1 mutants in zebrafish embryos reveals distinct functions of Rasip1 during sprouting angiogenesis, anastomosis and lumen formation. During angiogenic sprouting, loss of Rasip1 causes cell pairing defects due to a destabilization of tricellular junctions, indicating that stable tricellular junctions are essential to maintain multicellular organization within the sprout. During anastomosis, Rasip1 is required to establish a stable apical membrane compartment; rasip1 mutants display ectopic, reticulated junctions and the apical compartment is frequently collapsed. Loss of Ccm1 and Heg1 function mimics the junctional defects of rasip1 mutants. Furthermore, downregulation of ccm1 and heg1 leads to a delocalization of Rasip1 at cell junctions, indicating that junctional tethering of Rasip1 is required for its function in junction formation and stabilization during sprouting angiogenesis. Summary:In vivo analysis of rasip1 mutants reveals multiple roles for Rasip1 during angiogenic sprouting, anastomosis and lumen formation, including stabilization of tricellular junctions to permit coordinated cell rearrangements and multicellular tube formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minkyoung Lee
- Department of Cell Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 70, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Charles Betz
- Department of Cell Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 70, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jianmin Yin
- Department of Cell Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 70, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ilkka Paatero
- Department of Cell Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 70, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Niels Schellinx
- Department of Cell Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 70, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Adam N Carte
- Department of Cell Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 70, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christopher W Wilson
- Department of Molecular Biology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Weilan Ye
- Department of Molecular Biology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Markus Affolter
- Department of Cell Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 70, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Heinz-Georg Belting
- Department of Cell Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 70, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
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Liu C, Madl AC, Cirera‐Salinas D, Kress W, Straube F, Myung D, Fuller GG. Mucin-Like Glycoproteins Modulate Interfacial Properties of a Mimetic Ocular Epithelial Surface. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2021; 8:e2100841. [PMID: 34184839 PMCID: PMC8373091 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202100841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Dry eye disease (DED) has high personal and societal costs, but its pathology remains elusive due to intertwined biophysical and biochemical processes at the ocular surface. Specifically, mucin deficiency is reported in a subset of DED patients, but its effects on ocular interfacial properties remain unclear. Herein a novel in vitro mucin-deficient mimetic ocular surface (Mu-DeMOS) with a controllable amount of membrane-tethered mucin molecules is developed to represent the diseased ocular surfaces. Contact angle goniometry on mimetic ocular surfaces reveals that high surface roughness, but not the presence of hydrophilic mucin molecules, delivers constant hydration over native ocular surface epithelia. Live-cell rheometry confirms that the presence of mucin-like glycoproteins on ocular epithelial cells reduces shear adhesive strength at cellular interfaces. Together, optimal surface roughness and surface chemistry facilitate sustainable lubrication for healthy ocular surfaces, while an imbalance between them contributes to lubrication-related dysfunction at diseased ocular epithelial surfaces. Furthermore, the restoration of low adhesive strength at Mu-DeMOS interfaces through a mucin-like glycoprotein, recombinant human lubricin, suggests that increased frictional damage at mucin-deficient cellular surfaces may be reversible. More broadly, these results demonstrate that Mu-DeMOS is a promising platform for drug screening assays and fundamental studies on ocular physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunzi Liu
- Department of Chemical EngineeringStanford UniversityStanfordCA94305USA
| | - Amy C. Madl
- Department of Chemical EngineeringStanford UniversityStanfordCA94305USA
| | - Daniel Cirera‐Salinas
- Global Drug DevelopmentBiopharmaceutical Process & Product DevelopmentNovartis PharmaBaselAG 4002Switzerland
| | - Wolfgang Kress
- Global Drug DevelopmentBiopharmaceutical Process & Product DevelopmentNovartis PharmaBaselAG 4002Switzerland
| | - Frank Straube
- Global Drug DevelopmentBiopharmaceutical Process & Product DevelopmentNovartis PharmaBaselAG 4002Switzerland
| | - David Myung
- Department of Chemical EngineeringStanford UniversityStanfordCA94305USA
- Department of OphthalmologyStanford UniversityStanfordCA94305USA
| | - Gerald G. Fuller
- Department of Chemical EngineeringStanford UniversityStanfordCA94305USA
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Monaco A, Ovryn B, Axis J, Amsler K. The Epithelial Cell Leak Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147677. [PMID: 34299297 PMCID: PMC8305272 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The epithelial cell tight junction structure is the site of the transepithelial movement of solutes and water between epithelial cells (paracellular permeability). Paracellular permeability can be divided into two distinct pathways, the Pore Pathway mediating the movement of small ions and solutes and the Leak Pathway mediating the movement of large solutes. Claudin proteins form the basic paracellular permeability barrier and mediate the movement of small ions and solutes via the Pore Pathway. The Leak Pathway remains less understood. Several proteins have been implicated in mediating the Leak Pathway, including occludin, ZO proteins, tricellulin, and actin filaments, but the proteins comprising the Leak Pathway remain unresolved. Many aspects of the Leak Pathway, such as its molecular mechanism, its properties, and its regulation, remain controversial. In this review, we provide a historical background to the evolution of the Leak Pathway concept from the initial examinations of paracellular permeability. We then discuss current information about the properties of the Leak Pathway and present current theories for the Leak Pathway. Finally, we discuss some recent research suggesting a possible molecular basis for the Leak Pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Monaco
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Northern Boulevard, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA; (A.M.); (J.A.)
| | - Ben Ovryn
- Department of Physics, New York Institute of Technology, Northern Boulevard, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA;
| | - Josephine Axis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Northern Boulevard, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA; (A.M.); (J.A.)
| | - Kurt Amsler
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Northern Boulevard, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA; (A.M.); (J.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-516-686-3716
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Mechanoregulation of PDZ Proteins, An Emerging Function. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2256:257-275. [PMID: 34014527 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1166-1_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical forces have emerged as essential regulators of cell organization, proliferation, migration, and polarity to regulate cellular and tissue homeostasis. Changes in forces or loss of the cellular response to them can result in abnormal embryonic development and diseases. Over the past two decades, many efforts have been put in deciphering the molecular mechanisms that convert forces into biochemical signals, allowing for the identification of many mechanotransducer proteins. Here we discuss how PDZ proteins are emerging as new mechanotransducer proteins by altering their conformations or localizations upon force loads, leading to the formation of macromolecular modules tethering the cell membrane to the actin cytoskeleton.
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Abstract
In this review, we consider how the association between adherens junctions and the actomyosin cytoskeleton influences collective cell movement. We focus on recent findings which reveal different ways for adherens junctions to promote the locomotion of cells within tissues: through lamellipodia and junctional contraction. These contributions reflect how classic cadherins establish sites of cortical actin assembly and how adherens junctions couple to contractile actomyosin, respectively. The diverse interplay between cadherin adhesion and the cytoskeleton thus provides different ways for adherens junctions to support epithelial locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shafali Gupta
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 4072
| | - Alpha S Yap
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 4072
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Zakharov A, Dasbiswas K. Mechanochemical induction of wrinkling morphogenesis on elastic shells. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:4738-4750. [PMID: 33978668 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm00003a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Morphogenetic dynamics of tissue sheets require coordinated cell shape changes regulated by global patterning of mechanical forces. Inspired by such biological phenomena, we propose a minimal mechanochemical model based on the notion that cell shape changes are induced by diffusible biomolecules that influence tissue contractility in a concentration-dependent manner - and whose concentration is in turn affected by the macroscopic tissue shape. We perform computational simulations of thin shell elastic dynamics to reveal propagating chemical and three-dimensional deformation patterns arising due to a sequence of buckling instabilities. Depending on the concentration threshold that actuates cell shape change, we find qualitatively different patterns. The mechanochemically coupled patterning dynamics are distinct from those driven by purely mechanical or purely chemical factors, and emerge even without diffusion. Using numerical simulations and theoretical arguments, we analyze the elastic instabilities that result from our model and provide simple scaling laws to identify wrinkling morphologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Zakharov
- Department of Physics, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA.
| | - Kinjal Dasbiswas
- Department of Physics, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA.
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