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Rahmati N, Keshavarz Motamed P, Maftoon N. Numerical study of ultra-large von Willebrand factor multimers in coagulopathy. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 2024; 23:737-756. [PMID: 38217745 DOI: 10.1007/s10237-023-01803-5] [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: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
An excessive von Willebrand factor (VWF) secretion, coupled with a moderate to severe deficiency of ADAMTS13 activity, serves as a linking mechanism between inflammation to thrombosis. The former facilitates platelet adhesion to the vessel wall and the latter is required to cleave VWF multimers. As a result, the ultra-large VWF (UL-VWF) multimers released by Weibel-Palade bodies remain uncleaved. In this study, using a computational model based on first principles, we quantitatively show how the uncleaved UL-VWF multimers interact with the blood cells to initiate microthrombosis. We observed that platelets first adhere to unfolded and stretched uncleaved UL-VWF multimers anchored to the microvessel wall. By the end of this initial adhesion phase, the UL-VWF multimers and platelets make a mesh-like trap in which the red blood cells increasingly accumulate to initiate a gradually growing microthrombosis. Although high-shear rate and blood flow velocity are required to activate platelets and unfold the UL-VWFs, during the initial adhesion phase, the blood velocity drastically drops after thrombosis, and as a result, the wall shear stress is elevated near UL-VWF roots, and the pressure drops up to 6 times of the healthy condition. As the time passes, these trends progressively continue until the microthrombosis fully develops and the effective size of the microthrombosis and these flow quantities remain almost constant. Our findings quantitatively demonstrate the potential role of UL-VWF in coagulopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nahid Rahmati
- Department of Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
- Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Pouyan Keshavarz Motamed
- Department of Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
- Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Nima Maftoon
- Department of Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.
- Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
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Du Y, Cheng D, Yang Z, Liu Y, Zhao Q, Sun M, Li H, Zhao X. A Simulation of the Mechanical Testing of the Cell Membrane and Cytoskeleton. MICROMACHINES 2024; 15:431. [PMID: 38675243 PMCID: PMC11052030 DOI: 10.3390/mi15040431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Cell models play a crucial role in analyzing the mechanical response of cells and quantifying cellular damage incurred during micromanipulation. While traditional models can capture the overall mechanical behavior of cells, they often lack the ability to discern among distinct cellular components. Consequently, by employing dissipative particle dynamics, this study constructed a triangular network-like representation of the cell membrane along with cross-linked cytoskeletal chains. The mechanical properties of both the membrane and cytoskeleton were then analyzed through a series of simulated mechanical tests, validated against real-world experiments. The investigation utilized particle-tracking rheology to monitor changes in the mean square displacements of membrane particles over time, facilitating the analysis of the membrane's storage and loss moduli. Additionally, the cytoskeletal network's storage and loss moduli were examined via a double-plate oscillatory shear experiment. The simulation results revealed that both the membrane and cytoskeleton exhibit viscoelastic behavior, as evidenced by the power-law dependency of their storage and loss moduli on frequency. Furthermore, indentation and microinjection simulations were conducted to examine the overall mechanical properties of cells. In the indentation experiments, an increase in the shear modulus of the membrane's WLCs correlated with a higher Young's modulus for the entire cell. Regarding the microinjection experiment, augmenting the microinjection speed resulted in reduced deformation of the cell at the point of membrane rupture and a lower percentage of high strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Du
- The School of Computer and Information Science, Qinghai University of Science and Technology, Xining 810016, China;
- The Department of Computer Technology and Application, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
| | - Dai Cheng
- Institute of Robotics and Automatic Information System, The Tianjin Key Laboratory of Intelligent Robotics, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; (D.C.); (Z.Y.); (Y.L.); (Q.Z.); (M.S.)
| | - Zhanli Yang
- Institute of Robotics and Automatic Information System, The Tianjin Key Laboratory of Intelligent Robotics, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; (D.C.); (Z.Y.); (Y.L.); (Q.Z.); (M.S.)
| | - Yaowei Liu
- Institute of Robotics and Automatic Information System, The Tianjin Key Laboratory of Intelligent Robotics, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; (D.C.); (Z.Y.); (Y.L.); (Q.Z.); (M.S.)
- Institute of Intelligence Technology and Robotic Systems, Shenzhen Research Institute of Nankai University, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Qili Zhao
- Institute of Robotics and Automatic Information System, The Tianjin Key Laboratory of Intelligent Robotics, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; (D.C.); (Z.Y.); (Y.L.); (Q.Z.); (M.S.)
- Institute of Intelligence Technology and Robotic Systems, Shenzhen Research Institute of Nankai University, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Mingzhu Sun
- Institute of Robotics and Automatic Information System, The Tianjin Key Laboratory of Intelligent Robotics, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; (D.C.); (Z.Y.); (Y.L.); (Q.Z.); (M.S.)
- Institute of Intelligence Technology and Robotic Systems, Shenzhen Research Institute of Nankai University, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Haifeng Li
- The School of Computer and Information Science, Qinghai University of Science and Technology, Xining 810016, China;
- The Department of Computer Technology and Application, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Institute of Robotics and Automatic Information System, The Tianjin Key Laboratory of Intelligent Robotics, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; (D.C.); (Z.Y.); (Y.L.); (Q.Z.); (M.S.)
- Institute of Intelligence Technology and Robotic Systems, Shenzhen Research Institute of Nankai University, Shenzhen 518083, China
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Li G, Qiang Y, Li H, Li X, Buffet PA, Dao M, Karniadakis GE. A combined computational and experimental investigation of the filtration function of splenic macrophages in sickle cell disease. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011223. [PMID: 38091361 PMCID: PMC10752522 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011223] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Being the largest lymphatic organ in the body, the spleen also constantly controls the quality of red blood cells (RBCs) in circulation through its two major filtration components, namely interendothelial slits (IES) and red pulp macrophages. In contrast to the extensive studies in understanding the filtration function of IES, fewer works investigate how the splenic macrophages retain the aged and diseased RBCs, i.e., RBCs in sickle cell disease (SCD). Herein, we perform a computational study informed by companion experiments to quantify the dynamics of RBCs captured and retained by the macrophages. We first calibrate the parameters in the computational model based on microfluidic experimental measurements for sickle RBCs under normoxia and hypoxia, as those parameters are not available in the literature. Next, we quantify the impact of key factors expected to dictate the RBC retention by the macrophages in the spleen, namely, blood flow conditions, RBC aggregation, hematocrit, RBC morphology, and oxygen levels. Our simulation results show that hypoxic conditions could enhance the adhesion between the sickle RBCs and macrophages. This, in turn, increases the retention of RBCs by as much as four-fold, which could be a possible cause of RBC congestion in the spleen of patients with SCD. Our study on the impact of RBC aggregation illustrates a 'clustering effect', where multiple RBCs in one aggregate can make contact and adhere to the macrophages, leading to a higher retention rate than that resulting from RBC-macrophage pair interactions. Our simulations of sickle RBCs flowing past macrophages for a range of blood flow velocities indicate that the increased blood velocity could quickly attenuate the function of the red pulp macrophages on detaining aged or diseased RBCs, thereby providing a possible rationale for the slow blood flow in the open circulation of the spleen. Furthermore, we quantify the impact of RBC morphology on their tendency to be retained by the macrophages. We find that the sickle and granular-shaped RBCs are more likely to be filtered by macrophages in the spleen. This finding is consistent with the observation of low percentages of these two forms of sickle RBCs in the blood smear of SCD patients. Taken together, our experimental and simulation results aid in our quantitative understanding of the function of splenic macrophages in retaining the diseased RBCs and provide an opportunity to combine such knowledge with the current knowledge of the interaction between IES and traversing RBCs to apprehend the complete filtration function of the spleen in SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guansheng Li
- Division of Applied Mathematics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Yuhao Qiang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - He Li
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Xuejin Li
- Department of Engineering Mechanics and Center for X-Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Pierre A. Buffet
- Université Paris Cité and Université des Antilles, Inserm, Biologie Intégrée du Globule Rouge, Paris, France
| | - Ming Dao
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - George Em Karniadakis
- Division of Applied Mathematics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
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Li G, Qiang Y, Li H, Li X, Dao M, Karniadakis GE. In silico and in vitro study of the adhesion dynamics of erythrophagocytosis in sickle cell disease. Biophys J 2023; 122:2590-2604. [PMID: 37231647 PMCID: PMC10323029 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Erythrophagocytosis occurring in the spleen is a critical process for removing senescent and diseased red blood cells (RBCs) from the microcirculation. Although some progress has been made in understanding how the biological signaling pathways mediate the phagocytic processes, the role of the biophysical interaction between RBCs and macrophages, particularly under pathological conditions such as sickle cell disease, has not been adequately studied. Here, we combine computational simulations with microfluidic experiments to quantify RBC-macrophage adhesion dynamics under flow conditions comparable to those in the red pulp of the spleen. We also investigate the RBC-macrophage interaction under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. First, we calibrate key model parameters in the adhesion model using microfluidic experiments for normal and sickle RBCs under normoxia and hypoxia. We then study the adhesion dynamics between the RBC and the macrophage. Our simulation illustrates three typical adhesion states, each characterized by a distinct dynamic motion of the RBCs, namely firm adhesion, flipping adhesion, and no adhesion (either due to no contact with macrophages or detachment from the macrophages). We also track the number of bonds formed when RBCs and macrophages are in contact, as well as the contact area between the two interacting cells, providing mechanistic explanations for the three adhesion states observed in the simulations and microfluidic experiments. Furthermore, we quantify, for the first time to our knowledge, the adhesive forces between RBCs (normal and sickle) and macrophages under different oxygenated conditions. Our results show that the adhesive forces between normal cells and macrophages under normoxia are in the range of 33-58 pN and 53-92 pN for sickle cells under normoxia and 155-170 pN for sickle cells under hypoxia. Taken together, our microfluidic and simulation results improve our understanding of the biophysical interaction between RBCs and macrophages in sickle cell disease and provide a solid foundation for investigating the filtration function of the splenic macrophages under physiological and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guansheng Li
- Division of Applied Mathematics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Yuhao Qiang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - He Li
- School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.
| | - Xuejin Li
- Department of Engineering Mechanics and Center for X-Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ming Dao
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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Wang P, Sheriff J, Zhang P, Deng Y, Bluestein D. A Multiscale Model for Shear-Mediated Platelet Adhesion Dynamics: Correlating In Silico with In Vitro Results. Ann Biomed Eng 2023; 51:1094-1105. [PMID: 37020171 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-023-03193-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Platelet adhesion to blood vessel walls is a key initial event in thrombus formation in both vascular disease processes and prosthetic cardiovascular devices. We extended a deformable multiscale model (MSM) of flowing platelets, incorporating Dissipative Particle Dynamics (DPD) and Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics (CGMD) describing molecular-scale intraplatelet constituents and their interaction with surrounding flow, to predict platelet adhesion dynamics under physiological flow shear stresses. Binding of platelet glycoprotein receptor Ibα (GPIbα) to von Willebrand factor (vWF) on the blood vessel wall was modeled by a molecular-level hybrid force field and validated with in vitro microchannel experiments of flowing platelets at 30 dyne/cm2. High frame rate videos of flipping platelets were analyzed with a Semi-Unsupervised Learning System (SULS) machine learning-guided imaging approach to segment platelet geometries and quantify adhesion dynamics parameters. In silico flipping dynamics followed in vitro measurements at 15 and 45 dyne/cm2 with high fidelity, predicting GPIbα-vWF bonding and debonding processes, distribution of bonds strength, and providing a biomechanical insight into initiation of the complex platelet adhesion process. The adhesion model and simulation framework can be further integrated with our established MSMs of platelet activation and aggregation to simulate initial mural thrombus formation on blood vessel walls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peineng Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, T08-50 Health Sciences Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-8084, USA
| | - Jawaad Sheriff
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, T08-50 Health Sciences Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-8084, USA
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Yuefan Deng
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Danny Bluestein
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, T08-50 Health Sciences Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-8084, USA.
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