1
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Morales-Camilo N, Liu J, Ramírez MJ, Canales-Salgado P, Alegría JJ, Liu X, Ong HT, Barrera NP, Fierro A, Toyama Y, Goult BT, Wang Y, Meng Y, Nishimura R, Fong-Ngern K, Low CSL, Kanchanawong P, Yan J, Ravasio A, Bertocchi C. Alternative molecular mechanisms for force transmission at adherens junctions via β-catenin-vinculin interaction. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5608. [PMID: 38969637 PMCID: PMC11226457 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49850-5] [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: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Force transmission through adherens junctions (AJs) is crucial for multicellular organization, wound healing and tissue regeneration. Recent studies shed light on the molecular mechanisms of mechanotransduction at the AJs. However, the canonical model fails to explain force transmission when essential proteins of the mechanotransduction module are mutated or missing. Here, we demonstrate that, in absence of α-catenin, β-catenin can directly and functionally interact with vinculin in its open conformation, bearing physiological forces. Furthermore, we found that β-catenin can prevent vinculin autoinhibition in the presence of α-catenin by occupying vinculin´s head-tail interaction site, thus preserving force transmission capability. Taken together, our findings suggest a multi-step force transmission process at AJs, where α-catenin and β-catenin can alternatively and cooperatively interact with vinculin. This can explain the graded responses needed to maintain tissue mechanical homeostasis and, importantly, unveils a force-bearing mechanism involving β-catenin and extended vinculin that can potentially explain the underlying process enabling collective invasion of metastatic cells lacking α-catenin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Morales-Camilo
- Laboratory for Molecular Mechanics of Cell Adhesion, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica De Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jingzhun Liu
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 117542, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Manuel J Ramírez
- Laboratory for Molecular Mechanics of Cell Adhesion, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica De Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Patricio Canales-Salgado
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan José Alegría
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute for Foundational Research on Data (IMFD), Santiago, Chile
| | - Xuyao Liu
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 117542, Singapore, Singapore
- Mechanobiology Institute, Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117411, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hui Ting Ong
- Mechanobiology Institute, Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117411, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nelson P Barrera
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Angélica Fierro
- Department of Organic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Yusuke Toyama
- Mechanobiology Institute, Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117411, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Benjamin T Goult
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell & Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Yilin Wang
- Mechanobiology Institute, Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117411, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yue Meng
- Mechanobiology Institute, Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117411, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ryosuke Nishimura
- Mechanobiology Institute, Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117411, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kedsarin Fong-Ngern
- Mechanobiology Institute, Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117411, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Christine Siok Lan Low
- Mechanobiology Institute, Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117411, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Pakorn Kanchanawong
- Mechanobiology Institute, Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117411, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jie Yan
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 117542, Singapore, Singapore
- Mechanobiology Institute, Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117411, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Andrea Ravasio
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Cristina Bertocchi
- Laboratory for Molecular Mechanics of Cell Adhesion, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica De Chile, Santiago, Chile.
- Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
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2
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Carlucci LA, Johnson KC, Thomas WE. FimH-mannose noncovalent bonds survive minutes to hours under force. Biophys J 2024:S0006-3495(24)00440-5. [PMID: 38961621 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The adhesin FimH is expressed by commensal Escherichia coli and is implicated in urinary tract infections, where it mediates adhesion to mannosylated glycoproteins on urinary and intestinal epithelial cells in the presence of a high-shear fluid environment. The FimH-mannose bond exhibits catch behavior in which bond lifetime increases with force, because tensile force induces a transition in FimH from a compact native to an elongated activated conformation with a higher affinity to mannose. However, the lifetime of the activated state of FimH has not been measured under force. Here we apply multiplexed magnetic tweezers to apply a preload force to activate FimH bonds with yeast mannan, then we measure the lifetime of these activated bonds under a wide range of forces above and below the preload force. A higher fraction of FimH-mannan bonds were activated above than below a critical preload force, confirming the FimH catch bond behavior. Once activated, FimH detached from mannose with multi-state kinetics, suggesting the existence of two bound states with a 20-fold difference in dissociation rates. The average lifetime of activated FimH-mannose bonds was 1000 to 10,000 s at forces of 30-70 pN. Structural explanations of the two bound states and the high force resistance provide insights into structural mechanisms for long-lived, force-resistant biomolecular interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Carlucci
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Keith C Johnson
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Wendy E Thomas
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
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3
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van Galen M, Bok A, Peshkovsky T, van der Gucht J, Albada B, Sprakel J. De novo DNA-based catch bonds. Nat Chem 2024:10.1038/s41557-024-01571-4. [PMID: 38914727 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-024-01571-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
All primary chemical interactions weaken under mechanical stress, which imposes fundamental mechanical limits on the materials constructed from them. Biological materials combine plasticity with strength, for which nature has evolved a unique solution-catch bonds, supramolecular interactions that strengthen under tension. Biological catch bonds use force-gated conformational switches to convert weak bonds into strong ones. So far, catch bonds remain exclusive to nature, leaving their potential as mechanoadaptive elements in synthetic systems untapped. Here we report the design and realization of artificial catch bonds. Starting from a minimal set of thermodynamic design requirements, we created a molecular motif capable of catch bonding. It consists of a DNA duplex featuring a cryptic domain that unfolds under tension to strengthen the interaction. We show that these catch bonds recreate force-enhanced rolling adhesion, a hallmark feature of biological catch bonds in bacteria and leukocytes. This Article introduces catch bonds into the synthetic domain, and could lead to the creation of artificial catch-bonded materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martijn van Galen
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Annemarie Bok
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Taieesa Peshkovsky
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Jasper van der Gucht
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Bauke Albada
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands.
| | - Joris Sprakel
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands.
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4
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Conboy JP, Istúriz Petitjean I, van der Net A, Koenderink GH. How cytoskeletal crosstalk makes cells move: Bridging cell-free and cell studies. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2024; 5:021307. [PMID: 38840976 PMCID: PMC11151447 DOI: 10.1063/5.0198119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Cell migration is a fundamental process for life and is highly dependent on the dynamical and mechanical properties of the cytoskeleton. Intensive physical and biochemical crosstalk among actin, microtubules, and intermediate filaments ensures their coordination to facilitate and enable migration. In this review, we discuss the different mechanical aspects that govern cell migration and provide, for each mechanical aspect, a novel perspective by juxtaposing two complementary approaches to the biophysical study of cytoskeletal crosstalk: live-cell studies (often referred to as top-down studies) and cell-free studies (often referred to as bottom-up studies). We summarize the main findings from both experimental approaches, and we provide our perspective on bridging the two perspectives to address the open questions of how cytoskeletal crosstalk governs cell migration and makes cells move.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P. Conboy
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Irene Istúriz Petitjean
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Anouk van der Net
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Gijsje H. Koenderink
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
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5
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Sebbagh M, Schwartz MA. Afadin-nectin forces its way to the front. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202403177. [PMID: 38563860 PMCID: PMC10988649 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202403177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Force transmission at cell-cell junctions critically regulates embryogenesis, tissue homeostasis, and diseases including cancer. The cadherin-catenin linkage has been considered the keystone of junctional force transmission, but new findings challenge this paradigm, arguing instead that the nectin-afadin linkage plays the more important role in mature junctions in the intestinal epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Sebbagh
- Aix-Marseille University, Inserm, DyNaMo, Turing Centre of Living Systems, Marseille, France
| | - Martin A. Schwartz
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Departments of Cell Biology and Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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6
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Lindell E, Zhang X. Exploring the Enigma: The Role of the Epithelial Protein Lost in Neoplasm in Normal Physiology and Cancer Pathogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4970. [PMID: 38732188 PMCID: PMC11084159 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094970] [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: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The cytoskeleton plays a pivotal role in maintaining the epithelial phenotype and is vital to several hallmark processes of cancer. Over the past decades, researchers have identified the epithelial protein lost in neoplasm (EPLIN, also known as LIMA1) as a key regulator of cytoskeletal dynamics, cytoskeletal organization, motility, as well as cell growth and metabolism. Dysregulation of EPLIN is implicated in various aspects of cancer progression, such as tumor growth, invasion, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. Its altered expression levels or activity can disrupt cytoskeletal dynamics, leading to aberrant cell motility and invasiveness characteristic of malignant cells. Moreover, the involvement of EPLIN in cell growth and metabolism underscores its significance in orchestrating key processes essential for cancer cell survival and proliferation. This review provides a comprehensive exploration of the intricate roles of EPLIN across diverse cellular processes in both normal physiology and cancer pathogenesis. Additionally, this review discusses the possibility of EPLIN as a potential target for anticancer therapy in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiaonan Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden;
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7
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Ilnitskaya AS, Litovka NI, Rubtsova SN, Zhitnyak IY, Gloushankova NA. Actin Cytoskeleton Remodeling Accompanied by Redistribution of Adhesion Proteins Drives Migration of Cells in Different EMT States. Cells 2024; 13:780. [PMID: 38727316 PMCID: PMC11083118 DOI: 10.3390/cells13090780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process during which epithelial cells lose epithelial characteristics and gain mesenchymal features. Here, we used several cell models to study migratory activity and redistribution of cell-cell adhesion proteins in cells in different EMT states: EGF-induced EMT of epithelial IAR-20 cells; IAR-6-1 cells with a hybrid epithelial-mesenchymal phenotype; and their more mesenchymal derivatives, IAR-6-1-DNE cells lacking adherens junctions. In migrating cells, the cell-cell adhesion protein α-catenin accumulated at the leading edges along with ArpC2/p34 and α-actinin. Suppression of α-catenin shifted cell morphology from fibroblast-like to discoid and attenuated cell migration. Expression of exogenous α-catenin in MDA-MB-468 cells devoid of α-catenin drastically increased their migratory capabilities. The Y654 phosphorylated form of β-catenin was detected at integrin adhesion complexes (IACs). Co-immunoprecipitation studies indicated that α-catenin and pY654-β-catenin were associated with IAC proteins: vinculin, zyxin, and α-actinin. Taken together, these data suggest that in cells undergoing EMT, catenins not participating in assembly of adherens junctions may affect cell migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alla S. Ilnitskaya
- Institute of Carcinogenesis, N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, 24 Kashirskoye Shosse, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (A.S.I.); (N.I.L.); (S.N.R.); (I.Y.Z.)
| | - Nikita I. Litovka
- Institute of Carcinogenesis, N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, 24 Kashirskoye Shosse, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (A.S.I.); (N.I.L.); (S.N.R.); (I.Y.Z.)
| | - Svetlana N. Rubtsova
- Institute of Carcinogenesis, N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, 24 Kashirskoye Shosse, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (A.S.I.); (N.I.L.); (S.N.R.); (I.Y.Z.)
| | - Irina Y. Zhitnyak
- Institute of Carcinogenesis, N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, 24 Kashirskoye Shosse, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (A.S.I.); (N.I.L.); (S.N.R.); (I.Y.Z.)
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 661 University Ave, MaRS West, Toronto, ON 5MG 1M1, Canada
| | - Natalya A. Gloushankova
- Institute of Carcinogenesis, N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, 24 Kashirskoye Shosse, 115478 Moscow, Russia; (A.S.I.); (N.I.L.); (S.N.R.); (I.Y.Z.)
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8
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Quinn JM, Wang Y, Wood M, Flozak AS, Le PM, Yemelyanov A, Oakes PW, Gottardi CJ. α-catenin middle- and actin-binding domain unfolding mutants differentially impact epithelial strength and sheet migration. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:ar65. [PMID: 38507238 PMCID: PMC11151094 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-01-0036] [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: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
α-catenin (α-cat) displays force-dependent unfolding and binding to actin filaments through direct and indirect means, but features of adherens junction structure and function most vulnerable to loss of these allosteric mechanisms have not been directly compared. By reconstituting an α-cat F-actin-binding domain unfolding mutant known to exhibit enhanced binding to actin (α-cat-H0-FABD+) into α-cat knockout Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells, we show that partial loss of the α-cat catch bond mechanism (via an altered H0 α-helix) leads to stronger epithelial sheet integrity with greater colocalization between the α-cat-H0-FABD+ mutant and actin. α-cat-H0-FABD+ -expressing cells are less efficient at closing scratch-wounds, suggesting reduced capacity for more dynamic cell-cell coordination. Evidence that α-cat-H0-FABD+ is equally accessible to the conformationally sensitive α18 antibody epitope as WT α-cat and shows similar vinculin recruitment suggests this mutant engages lower tension cortical actin networks, as its M-domain is not persistently open. Conversely, α-cat-M-domain salt-bridge mutants with persistent recruitment of vinculin and phosphorylated myosin light chain show only intermediate monolayer adhesive strengths, but display less directionally coordinated and thereby slower migration speeds during wound-repair. These data show α-cat M- and FABD-unfolding mutants differentially impact cell-cell cohesion and migration properties, and suggest signals favoring α-cat-cortical actin interaction without persistent M-domain opening may improve epithelial monolayer strength through enhanced coupling to lower tension actin networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne M. Quinn
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Yuou Wang
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Megan Wood
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Annette S. Flozak
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Phuong M. Le
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Alex Yemelyanov
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Patrick W. Oakes
- Department of Cell & Molecular Physiology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 60153
| | - Cara J. Gottardi
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
- Cell & Developmental Biology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
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9
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Hoving JJA, Harford-Wright E, Wingfield-Digby P, Cattin AL, Campana M, Power A, Morgan T, Torchiaro E, Quereda V, Lloyd AC. N-cadherin directs the collective Schwann cell migration required for nerve regeneration through Slit2/3-mediated contact inhibition of locomotion. eLife 2024; 13:e88872. [PMID: 38591541 PMCID: PMC11052573 DOI: 10.7554/elife.88872] [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: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Collective cell migration is fundamental for the development of organisms and in the adult for tissue regeneration and in pathological conditions such as cancer. Migration as a coherent group requires the maintenance of cell-cell interactions, while contact inhibition of locomotion (CIL), a local repulsive force, can propel the group forward. Here we show that the cell-cell interaction molecule, N-cadherin, regulates both adhesion and repulsion processes during Schwann cell (SC) collective migration, which is required for peripheral nerve regeneration. However, distinct from its role in cell-cell adhesion, the repulsion process is independent of N-cadherin trans-homodimerisation and the associated adherens junction complex. Rather, the extracellular domain of N-cadherin is required to present the repulsive Slit2/Slit3 signal at the cell surface. Inhibiting Slit2/Slit3 signalling inhibits CIL and subsequently collective SC migration, resulting in adherent, nonmigratory cell clusters. Moreover, analysis of ex vivo explants from mice following sciatic nerve injury showed that inhibition of Slit2 decreased SC collective migration and increased clustering of SCs within the nerve bridge. These findings provide insight into how opposing signals can mediate collective cell migration and how CIL pathways are promising targets for inhibiting pathological cell migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian JA Hoving
- UCL Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology and the UCL Cancer Institute, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Harford-Wright
- UCL Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology and the UCL Cancer Institute, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Patrick Wingfield-Digby
- UCL Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology and the UCL Cancer Institute, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Anne-Laure Cattin
- UCL Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology and the UCL Cancer Institute, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Mariana Campana
- UCL Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology and the UCL Cancer Institute, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Alex Power
- UCL Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology and the UCL Cancer Institute, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Toby Morgan
- UCL Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology and the UCL Cancer Institute, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Erica Torchiaro
- UCL Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology and the UCL Cancer Institute, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Victor Quereda
- UCL Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology and the UCL Cancer Institute, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Alison C Lloyd
- UCL Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology and the UCL Cancer Institute, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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10
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Liu Z, Liu H, Vera AM, Yang B, Tinnefeld P, Nash MA. Engineering an artificial catch bond using mechanical anisotropy. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3019. [PMID: 38589360 PMCID: PMC11001878 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46858-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Catch bonds are a rare class of protein-protein interactions where the bond lifetime increases under an external pulling force. Here, we report how modification of anchor geometry generates catch bonding behavior for the mechanostable Dockerin G:Cohesin E (DocG:CohE) adhesion complex found on human gut bacteria. Using AFM single-molecule force spectroscopy in combination with bioorthogonal click chemistry, we mechanically dissociate the complex using five precisely controlled anchor geometries. When tension is applied between residue #13 on CohE and the N-terminus of DocG, the complex behaves as a two-state catch bond, while in all other tested pulling geometries, including the native configuration, it behaves as a slip bond. We use a kinetic Monte Carlo model with experimentally derived parameters to simulate rupture force and lifetime distributions, achieving strong agreement with experiments. Single-molecule FRET measurements further demonstrate that the complex does not exhibit dual binding mode behavior at equilibrium but unbinds along multiple pathways under force. Together, these results show how mechanical anisotropy and anchor point selection can be used to engineer artificial catch bonds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaowei Liu
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2629HZ, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Haipei Liu
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andrés M Vera
- Faculty of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Byeongseon Yang
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
- Botnar Research Centre for Child Health, 4051, Basel, Switzerland
- National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) Molecular Systems Engineering, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philip Tinnefeld
- Faculty of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael A Nash
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
- Botnar Research Centre for Child Health, 4051, Basel, Switzerland.
- National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) Molecular Systems Engineering, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
- Swiss Nanoscience Institute, 4056, Basel, Switzerland.
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11
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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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12
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Guo Y, Yan J, Goult BT. Mechanotransduction through protein stretching. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2024; 87:102327. [PMID: 38301379 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2024.102327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Cells sense and respond to subtle changes in their physicality, and via a myriad of different mechanosensitive processes, convert these physical cues into chemical and biochemical signals. This process, called mechanotransduction, is possible due to a highly sophisticated machinery within cells. One mechanism by which this can occur is via the stretching of mechanosensitive proteins. Stretching proteins that contain force-dependent regions results in altered geometry and dimensions of the connections, as well as differential spatial organization of signals bound to the stretched protein. The purpose of this mini-review is to discuss some of the intense recent activity in this area of mechanobiology that strives to understand how protein stretching can influence signaling outputs and cellular responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyu Guo
- Department of Physics, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore 117542, Singapore
| | - Jie Yan
- Department of Physics, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore 117542, Singapore.
| | - Benjamin T Goult
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NJ, UK; Department of Biochemistry, Cell & Systems Biology, Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK.
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13
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Peifer M, Dunn AR. Bill Weis (1959-2023): Pioneering structural biologist and biochemist who revolutionized our understanding of cell adhesion and Wnt signaling. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202402091. [PMID: 38393069 PMCID: PMC10890921 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202402091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
In October 2023, cell biology lost one of its brightest stars, Bill Weis, gone too soon at the age of 64. Bill was a masterful biochemist and structural biologist who made landmark contributions to a remarkable number of fields, most notably cell–cell adhesion, Wnt signaling, and signaling by G-protein coupled receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Peifer
- Department of Biology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Alexander R. Dunn
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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14
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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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15
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Troyanovsky RB, Indra I, Troyanovsky SM. Characterization of early and late events of adherens junction assembly. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.04.583373. [PMID: 38496678 PMCID: PMC10942379 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.04.583373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Cadherins are transmembrane adhesion receptors. Cadherin ectodomains form adhesive 2D clusters through cooperative trans and cis interactions, whereas its intracellular region interacts with specific cytosolic proteins, termed catenins, to anchor the cadherin-catenin complex (CCC) to the actin cytoskeleton. How these two types of interactions are coordinated in the formation of specialized cell-cell adhesions, adherens junctions (AJ), remains unclear. We focus here on the role of the actin-binding domain of α-catenin (αABD) by showing that the interaction of αABD with actin generates actin-bound CCC oligomers (CCC/actin strands) incorporating up to six CCCs. The strands are primarily formed on the actin-rich cell protrusions. Once in cell-cell interface, the strands become involved in cadherin ectodomain clustering. Such combination of the extracellular and intracellular oligomerizations gives rise to the composite oligomers, trans CCC/actin clusters. To mature, these clusters then rearrange their actin filaments using several redundant pathways, two of which are characterized here: one depends on the α-catenin-associated protein, vinculin and the second one depends on the unstructured C-terminus of αABD. Thus, AJ assembly proceeds through spontaneous formation of trans CCC/actin clusters and their successive reorganization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina B Troyanovsky
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, The Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Indrajyoti Indra
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, The Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Sergey M Troyanovsky
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, The Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, The Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60614
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16
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Cao R, Tian H, Tian Y, Fu X. A Hierarchical Mechanotransduction System: From Macro to Micro. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2302327. [PMID: 38145330 PMCID: PMC10953595 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202302327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Mechanotransduction is a strictly regulated process whereby mechanical stimuli, including mechanical forces and properties, are sensed and translated into biochemical signals. Increasing data demonstrate that mechanotransduction is crucial for regulating macroscopic and microscopic dynamics and functionalities. However, the actions and mechanisms of mechanotransduction across multiple hierarchies, from molecules, subcellular structures, cells, tissues/organs, to the whole-body level, have not been yet comprehensively documented. Herein, the biological roles and operational mechanisms of mechanotransduction from macro to micro are revisited, with a focus on the orchestrations across diverse hierarchies. The implications, applications, and challenges of mechanotransduction in human diseases are also summarized and discussed. Together, this knowledge from a hierarchical perspective has the potential to refresh insights into mechanotransduction regulation and disease pathogenesis and therapy, and ultimately revolutionize the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Cao
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismCenter for Diabetes Metabolism ResearchState Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer CenterWest China Medical SchoolWest China HospitalSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation CenterChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Huimin Tian
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismCenter for Diabetes Metabolism ResearchState Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer CenterWest China Medical SchoolWest China HospitalSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation CenterChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Yan Tian
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismCenter for Diabetes Metabolism ResearchState Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer CenterWest China Medical SchoolWest China HospitalSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation CenterChengduSichuan610041China
| | - Xianghui Fu
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismCenter for Diabetes Metabolism ResearchState Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer CenterWest China Medical SchoolWest China HospitalSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation CenterChengduSichuan610041China
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17
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Hosawi MM, Cheng J, Fankhaenel M, Przewloka MR, Elias S. Interplay between the plasma membrane and cell-cell adhesion maintains epithelial identity for correct polarised cell divisions. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs261701. [PMID: 37888135 PMCID: PMC10729819 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261701] [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: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Polarised epithelial cell divisions represent a fundamental mechanism for tissue maintenance and morphogenesis. Morphological and mechanical changes in the plasma membrane influence the organisation and crosstalk of microtubules and actin at the cell cortex, thereby regulating the mitotic spindle machinery and chromosome segregation. Yet, the precise mechanisms linking plasma membrane remodelling to cell polarity and cortical cytoskeleton dynamics to ensure accurate execution of mitosis in mammalian epithelial cells remain poorly understood. Here, we manipulated the density of mammary epithelial cells in culture, which led to several mitotic defects. Perturbation of cell-cell adhesion formation impairs the dynamics of the plasma membrane, affecting the shape and size of mitotic cells and resulting in defects in mitotic progression and the generation of daughter cells with aberrant architecture. In these conditions, F- actin-astral microtubule crosstalk is impaired, leading to mitotic spindle misassembly and misorientation, which in turn contributes to chromosome mis-segregation. Mechanistically, we identify S100 Ca2+-binding protein A11 (S100A11) as a key membrane-associated regulator that forms a complex with E-cadherin (CDH1) and the leucine-glycine-asparagine repeat protein LGN (also known as GPSM2) to coordinate plasma membrane remodelling with E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion and LGN-dependent mitotic spindle machinery. Thus, plasma membrane-mediated maintenance of mammalian epithelial cell identity is crucial for correct execution of polarised cell divisions, genome maintenance and safeguarding tissue integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manal M. Hosawi
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Jiaoqi Cheng
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Maria Fankhaenel
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Marcin R. Przewloka
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Salah Elias
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
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18
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Mangeol P, Massey-Harroche D, Sebbagh M, Richard F, Le Bivic A, Lenne PF. The zonula adherens matura redefines the apical junction of intestinal epithelia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2316722121. [PMID: 38377188 PMCID: PMC10907237 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316722121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell-cell apical junctions of epithelia consist of multiprotein complexes that organize as belts regulating cell-cell adhesion, permeability, and mechanical tension: the tight junction (zonula occludens), the zonula adherens (ZA), and the macula adherens. The prevailing dogma is that at the ZA, E-cadherin and catenins are lined with F-actin bundles that support and transmit mechanical tension between cells. Using super-resolution microscopy on human intestinal biopsies and Caco-2 cells, we show that two distinct multiprotein belts are basal of the tight junctions as the intestinal epithelia mature. The most apical is populated with nectins/afadin and lined with F-actin; the second is populated with E-cad/catenins. We name this dual-belt architecture the zonula adherens matura. We find that the apical contraction apparatus and the dual-belt organization rely on afadin expression. Our study provides a revised description of epithelial cell-cell junctions and identifies a module regulating the mechanics of epithelia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Mangeol
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, IBDM–UMR7288, Marseille13009, France
| | - Dominique Massey-Harroche
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, IBDM–UMR7288, Marseille13009, France
| | - Michael Sebbagh
- Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, Dynamics and Nanoenvironment of Biological Membrane, DyNaMo, Turing Center for Living Systems, Marseille 13009, France
| | - Fabrice Richard
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, IBDM–UMR7288, Marseille13009, France
| | - André Le Bivic
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, IBDM–UMR7288, Marseille13009, France
| | - Pierre-François Lenne
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, IBDM–UMR7288, Turing Center for Living Systems, Marseille13009, France
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Nakamura F. The Role of Mechanotransduction in Contact Inhibition of Locomotion and Proliferation. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2135. [PMID: 38396812 PMCID: PMC10889191 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042135] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Contact inhibition (CI) represents a crucial tumor-suppressive mechanism responsible for controlling the unbridled growth of cells, thus preventing the formation of cancerous tissues. CI can be further categorized into two distinct yet interrelated components: CI of locomotion (CIL) and CI of proliferation (CIP). These two components of CI have historically been viewed as separate processes, but emerging research suggests that they may be regulated by both distinct and shared pathways. Specifically, recent studies have indicated that both CIP and CIL utilize mechanotransduction pathways, a process that involves cells sensing and responding to mechanical forces. This review article describes the role of mechanotransduction in CI, shedding light on how mechanical forces regulate CIL and CIP. Emphasis is placed on filamin A (FLNA)-mediated mechanotransduction, elucidating how FLNA senses mechanical forces and translates them into crucial biochemical signals that regulate cell locomotion and proliferation. In addition to FLNA, trans-acting factors (TAFs), which are proteins or regulatory RNAs capable of directly or indirectly binding to specific DNA sequences in distant genes to regulate gene expression, emerge as sensitive players in both the mechanotransduction and signaling pathways of CI. This article presents methods for identifying these TAF proteins and profiling the associated changes in chromatin structure, offering valuable insights into CI and other biological functions mediated by mechanotransduction. Finally, it addresses unanswered research questions in these fields and delineates their possible future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumihiko Nakamura
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
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20
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Barkan CO, Bruinsma RF. Topology of molecular deformations induces triphasic catch bonding in selectin-ligand bonds. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315866121. [PMID: 38294934 PMCID: PMC10861892 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315866121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Among the long-standing efforts to elucidate the physical mechanisms of protein-ligand catch bonding, particular attention has been directed at the family of selectin proteins. Selectins exhibit slip, catch-slip, and slip-catch-slip bonding, with minor structural modifications causing major changes in selectins' response to force. How can a single structural mechanism allow interconversion between these various behaviors? We present a unifying theory of selectin-ligand catch bonding, using a structurally motivated free energy landscape to show how the topology of force-induced deformations of the molecular system produces the full range of observed behaviors. We find that the pathway of bond rupture deforms in non-trivial ways, such that unbinding dynamics depend sensitively on force. This implies a severe breakdown of Bell's theory-a paradigmatic theory used widely in catch bond modeling-raising questions about the suitability of Bell's theory in modeling other catch bonds. Our approach can be applied broadly to other protein-ligand systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey O. Barkan
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Robijn F. Bruinsma
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
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21
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Arslan FN, Hannezo É, Merrin J, Loose M, Heisenberg CP. Adhesion-induced cortical flows pattern E-cadherin-mediated cell contacts. Curr Biol 2024; 34:171-182.e8. [PMID: 38134934 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.11.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Metazoan development relies on the formation and remodeling of cell-cell contacts. Dynamic reorganization of adhesion receptors and the actomyosin cell cortex in space and time plays a central role in cell-cell contact formation and maturation. Nevertheless, how this process is mechanistically achieved when new contacts are formed remains unclear. Here, by building a biomimetic assay composed of progenitor cells adhering to supported lipid bilayers functionalized with E-cadherin ectodomains, we show that cortical F-actin flows, driven by the depletion of myosin-2 at the cell contact center, mediate the dynamic reorganization of adhesion receptors and cell cortex at the contact. E-cadherin-dependent downregulation of the small GTPase RhoA at the forming contact leads to both a depletion of myosin-2 and a decrease of F-actin at the contact center. At the contact rim, in contrast, myosin-2 becomes enriched by the retraction of bleb-like protrusions, resulting in a cortical tension gradient from the contact rim to its center. This tension gradient, in turn, triggers centrifugal F-actin flows, leading to further accumulation of F-actin at the contact rim and the progressive redistribution of E-cadherin from the contact center to the rim. Eventually, this combination of actomyosin downregulation and flows at the contact determines the characteristic molecular organization, with E-cadherin and F-actin accumulating at the contact rim, where they are needed to mechanically link the contractile cortices of the adhering cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feyza Nur Arslan
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Am Campus 1, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria; Institute of Bioengineering, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Édouard Hannezo
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Am Campus 1, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
| | - Jack Merrin
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Am Campus 1, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
| | - Martin Loose
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Am Campus 1, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
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22
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Mierke CT. Magnetic tweezers in cell mechanics. Methods Enzymol 2024; 694:321-354. [PMID: 38492957 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2023.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The chapter provides an overview of the applications of magnetic tweezers in living cells. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of magnetic tweezers technology with a focus on individual magnetic tweezers configurations, such as electromagnetic tweezers. Solutions to the disadvantages identified are also outlined. The specific role of magnetic tweezers in the field of mechanobiology, such as mechanosensitivity, mechano-allostery and mechanotransduction are also emphasized. The specific usage of magnetic tweezers in mechanically probing cells via specific cell surface receptors, such as mechanosensitive channels is discussed and why mechanical probing has revealed the opening and closing of the channels. Finally, the future direction of magnetic tweezers is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Tanja Mierke
- Faculty of Physics and Earth System Sciences, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Biological Physics Division, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
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23
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Mann Z, Yap AS. Talking with force at cell-cell adhesions. Nat Cell Biol 2024; 26:26-28. [PMID: 38228828 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01263-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Zoya Mann
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alpha S Yap
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
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24
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Tuo H, Li X, Du H, Li M, Xu C, Yu Z, Zhao H. FOLR1-stabilized β-catenin promotes laryngeal carcinoma progression through EGFR/AKT/GSK-3β pathway. Mol Carcinog 2024; 63:34-44. [PMID: 37702010 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Folate receptor 1 (FOLR1) is overexpressed in numerous epithelial malignancies; however, its role in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) remains unclear. In the present study, we demonstrated that FOLR1 messenger RNA and protein expression levels were higher in LSCC tissues than in the adjacent normal tissues. Additionally, FOLR1 promoted the proliferation and migration of LSCC cells, whereas small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of β-catenin abolished these effects. Moreover, FOLR1 stabilizes β-catenin by inhibiting its ubiquitination and degradation. Furthermore, blocking the interaction between epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the EGFR/AKT/glycogen synthase (GSK)3β signaling axis both abolished FOLR1's effects on the expression and nuclear aggregation of β-catenin. In summary, our work reveals a novel mode in which FOLR1 promotes the proliferation and migration of LSCC by enhancing the stability and nuclear translocation of β-catenin through the EGFR/AKT/GSK3β axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huawei Tuo
- Department of Otolaryngology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Xuemei Li
- Department of Dermatology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haixia Du
- Department of Otolaryngology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Man Li
- Department of Otolaryngology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Chenli Xu
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Zizhong Yu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Huzi Zhao
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
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25
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Olcum M, Fan S, Rouhi L, Cheedipudi S, Cathcart B, Jeong HH, Zhao Z, Gurha P, Marian AJ. Genetic inactivation of β-catenin is salubrious, whereas its activation is deleterious in desmoplakin cardiomyopathy. Cardiovasc Res 2023; 119:2712-2728. [PMID: 37625794 PMCID: PMC11032201 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvad137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Mutations in the DSP gene encoding desmoplakin, a constituent of the desmosomes at the intercalated discs (IDs), cause a phenotype that spans arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) and dilated cardiomyopathy. It is typically characterized by biventricular enlargement and dysfunction, myocardial fibrosis, cell death, and arrhythmias. The canonical wingless-related integration (cWNT)/β-catenin pathway is implicated in the pathogenesis of ACM. The β-catenin is an indispensable co-transcriptional regulator of the cWNT pathway and a member of the IDs. We genetically inactivated or activated β-catenin to determine its role in the pathogenesis of desmoplakin cardiomyopathy. METHODS AND RESULTS The Dsp gene was conditionally deleted in the 2-week-old post-natal cardiac myocytes using tamoxifen-inducible MerCreMer mice (Myh6-McmTam:DspF/F). The cWNT/β-catenin pathway was markedly dysregulated in the Myh6-McmTam:DspF/F cardiac myocytes, as indicated by a concomitant increase in the expression of cWNT/β-catenin target genes, isoforms of its key co-effectors, and the inhibitors of the pathway. The β-catenin was inactivated or activated upon inducible deletion of its transcriptional or degron domain, respectively, in the Myh6-McmTam:DspF/F cardiac myocytes. Genetic inactivation of β-catenin in the Myh6-McmTam:DspF/F mice prolonged survival, improved cardiac function, reduced cardiac arrhythmias, and attenuated myocardial fibrosis, and cell death caused by apoptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis, i.e. PANoptosis. In contrast, activation of β-catenin had the opposite effects. The deleterious and the salubrious effects were independent of changes in the expression levels of the cWNT target genes and were associated with changes in several molecular and biological pathways, including cell death programmes. CONCLUSION The cWNT/β-catenin was markedly dysregulated in the cardiac myocytes in a mouse model of desmoplakin cardiomyopathy. Inactivation of β-catenin attenuated, whereas its activation aggravated the phenotype, through multiple molecular pathways, independent of the cWNT transcriptional activity. Thus, suppression but not activation of β-catenin might be beneficial in desmoplakin cardiomyopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melis Olcum
- The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- The Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Siyang Fan
- The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- The Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Leila Rouhi
- The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- The Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sirisha Cheedipudi
- The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- The Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Benjamin Cathcart
- The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- The Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hyun-Hwan Jeong
- The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- The Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhongming Zhao
- The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- The Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Priyatansh Gurha
- The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- The Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ali J Marian
- The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- The Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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26
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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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27
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Chirasani VR, Khan MAI, Malavade JN, Dokholyan NV, Hoffman BD, Campbell SL. Molecular basis and cellular functions of vinculin-actin directional catch bonding. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8300. [PMID: 38097542 PMCID: PMC10721916 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43779-x] [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: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability of cells and tissues to respond differentially to mechanical forces applied in distinct directions is mediated by the ability of load-bearing proteins to preferentially maintain physical linkages in certain directions. However, the molecular basis and biological consequences of directional force-sensitive binding remain unclear. Vinculin (Vcn) is a load-bearing linker protein that exhibits directional catch bonding due to interactions between the Vcn tail domain (Vt) and filamentous (F)-actin. We developed a computational approach to predict Vcn residues involved in directional catch bonding and produced a set of associated Vcn variants with unaltered Vt structure, actin binding, or phospholipid interactions. Incorporation of the variants did not affect Vcn activation but reduced Vcn loading and altered exchange dynamics, consistent with the loss of directional catch bonding. Expression of Vcn variants perturbed the coordination of subcellular structures and cell migration, establishing key cellular functions for Vcn directional catch bonding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkat R Chirasani
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mohammad Ashhar I Khan
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Juilee N Malavade
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
| | - Brenton D Hoffman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Sharon L Campbell
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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28
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Shoyer TC, Gates EM, Cabe JI, Urs AN, Conway DE, Hoffman BD. Coupling during collective cell migration is controlled by a vinculin mechanochemical switch. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2316456120. [PMID: 38055737 PMCID: PMC10722971 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316456120] [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: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability of cells to move in a mechanically coupled, coordinated manner, referred to as collective cell migration, is central to many developmental, physiological, and pathophysiological processes. Limited understanding of how mechanical forces and biochemical regulation interact to affect coupling has been a major obstacle to unravelling the underlying mechanisms. Focusing on the linker protein vinculin, we use a suite of Förster resonance energy transfer-based biosensors to probe its mechanical functions and biochemical regulation, revealing a switch that toggles vinculin between loadable and unloadable states. Perturbation of the switch causes covarying changes in cell speed and coordination, suggesting alteration of the friction within the system. Molecular scale modelling reveals that increasing levels of loadable vinculin increases friction, due to engagement of self-stabilizing catch bonds. Together, this work reveals a regulatory switch for controlling cell coupling and describes a paradigm for relating biochemical regulation, altered mechanical properties, and changes in cell behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. Curtis Shoyer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Evan M. Gates
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Jolene I. Cabe
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA23284
| | - Aarti N. Urs
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC27710
| | - Daniel E. Conway
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH43210
| | - Brenton D. Hoffman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC27710
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29
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Mezher M, Dumbali S, Fenn I, Lamb C, Miller C, Sharmin S, Cabe JI, Bejar-Padilla V, Conway D, Maruthamuthu V. Vinculin is essential for sustaining normal levels of endogenous forces at cell-cell contacts. Biophys J 2023; 122:4518-4527. [PMID: 38350000 PMCID: PMC10719050 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.10.029] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Transmission of cell-generated (i.e., endogenous) tension at cell-cell contacts is crucial for tissue shape changes during morphogenesis and adult tissue repair in tissues such as epithelia. E-cadherin-based adhesions at cell-cell contacts are the primary means by which endogenous tension is transmitted between cells. The E-cadherin-β-catenin-α-catenin complex mechanically couples to the actin cytoskeleton (and thereby the cell's contractile machinery) both directly and indirectly. However, the key adhesion constituents required for substantial endogenous force transmission at these adhesions in cell-cell contacts are unclear. Due to the role of α-catenin as a mechanotransducer that recruits vinculin at cell-cell contacts, we expected α-catenin to be essential for sustaining normal levels of force transmission. Instead, using the traction force imbalance method to determine the inter-cellular force at a single cell-cell contact between cell pairs, we found that it is vinculin that is essential for sustaining normal levels of endogenous force transmission, with absence of vinculin decreasing the inter-cellular tension by over 50%. Our results constrain the potential mechanical pathways of force transmission at cell-cell contacts and suggest that vinculin can transmit forces at E-cadherin adhesions independent of α-catenin, possibly through β-catenin. Furthermore, we tested the ability of lateral cell-cell contacts to withstand external stretch and found that both vinculin and α-catenin are essential to maintain cell-cell contact stability under external forces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mazen Mezher
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia
| | - Sandeep Dumbali
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia
| | - Ian Fenn
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia
| | - Carter Lamb
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia
| | - Conrad Miller
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia
| | - Saika Sharmin
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia
| | - Jolene I Cabe
- Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Vidal Bejar-Padilla
- Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Daniel Conway
- Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Venkat Maruthamuthu
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia.
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30
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Bush J, Cabe JI, Conway D, Maruthamuthu V. E-cadherin adhesion dynamics as revealed by an accelerated force ramp are dependent upon the presence of α-catenin. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 682:308-315. [PMID: 37837751 PMCID: PMC10615569 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.09.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Tissue remodeling and shape changes often rely on force-induced cell rearrangements occurring via cell-cell contact dynamics. Epithelial cell-cell contact shape changes are particularly dependent upon E-cadherin adhesion dynamics which are directly influenced by cell-generated and external forces. While both the mobility of E-cadherin adhesions and their adhesion strength have been reported before, it is not clear how these two aspects of E-cadherin adhesion dynamics are related. Here, using magnetic pulling cytometry, we applied an accelerated force ramp on the E-cadherin adhesion between an E-cadherin-coated magnetic microbead and an epithelial cell to ascertain this relationship. Our approach enables the determination of the adhesion strength and force-dependent mobility of individual adhesions, which revealed a direct correlation between these key characteristics. Since α-catenin has previously been reported to play a role in both E-cadherin mobility and adhesion strength when studied independently, we also probed epithelial cells in which α-catenin has been knocked out. We found that, in the absence of α-catenin, E-cadherin adhesions not only had lower adhesion strength, as expected, but were also more mobile. We observed that α-catenin was required for the recovery of strained cell-cell contacts and propose that the adhesion strength and force-dependent mobility of E-cadherin adhesions act in tandem to regulate cell-cell contact homeostasis. Our approach introduces a method which relates the force-dependent adhesion mobility to adhesion strength and highlights the morphological role played by α-catenin in E-cadherin adhesion dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Bush
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA; Bioengineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA
| | - Jolene I Cabe
- Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Daniel Conway
- Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Venkat Maruthamuthu
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA.
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31
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Zhang N, Häring M, Wolf F, Großhans J, Kong D. Dynamics and functions of E-cadherin complexes in epithelial cell and tissue morphogenesis. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 5:585-601. [PMID: 38045551 PMCID: PMC10689684 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-023-00206-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Cell-cell adhesion is at the center of structure and dynamics of epithelial tissue. E-cadherin-catenin complexes mediate Ca2+-dependent trans-homodimerization and constitute the kernel of adherens junctions. Beyond the basic function of cell-cell adhesion, recent progress sheds light the dynamics and interwind interactions of individual E-cadherin-catenin complex with E-cadherin superclusters, contractile actomyosin and mechanics of the cortex and adhesion. The nanoscale architecture of E-cadherin complexes together with cis-interactions and interactions with cortical actomyosin adjust to junctional tension and mechano-transduction by reinforcement or weakening of specific features of the interactions. Although post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation and glycosylation have been implicated, their role for specific aspects of in E-cadherin function has remained unclear. Here, we provide an overview of the E-cadherin complex in epithelial cell and tissue morphogenesis focusing on nanoscale architectures by super-resolution approaches and post-translational modifications from recent, in particular in vivo, studies. Furthermore, we review the computational modelling in E-cadherin complexes and highlight how computational modelling has contributed to a deeper understanding of the E-cadherin complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Zhang
- Department of Biology, Philipps University, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Häring
- Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks (CIDBN), Georg August University Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Fred Wolf
- Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks (CIDBN), Georg August University Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Großhans
- Department of Biology, Philipps University, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks (CIDBN), Georg August University Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Deqing Kong
- Department of Biology, Philipps University, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks (CIDBN), Georg August University Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
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32
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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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33
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Du WW, Qadir J, Du KY, Chen Y, Wu N, Yang BB. Nuclear Actin Polymerization Regulates Cell Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2300425. [PMID: 37566765 PMCID: PMC10558697 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202300425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Current studies on actin function primarily rely on cytoplasmic actin due to the absence of cellular models specifically expressing nuclear actin. Here, cell models capable of expressing varying levels of nuclear F/G-actin are generated and a significant role of nuclear actin in the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is uncovered. Through immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry analyses, distinct binding partners for nuclear F-actin (β-catenin, SMAD2, and SMAD3) and nuclear G-actin (MYBBP1A, NKRF, and MYPOP) are investigated, which respectively modulate EMT-promoting and EMT-repressing transcriptional events. While nuclear F-actin promotes EMT with enhanced cell migration, survival, and elongated mesenchymal morphology, nuclear G-actin represses EMT and related cell activities. Mechanistically, nuclear F-actin enhances β-catenin, SMAD2, and SMAD3 expression and stability in the nuclei, while nuclear G-actin increases MYBBP1A, NKRF, and MYPOP expression and stability in the nuclei. The association between nuclear F/G-actin and N-cadherin/E-cadherin in the cell lines (in vitro), and increased nuclear actin polymerization in the wound healing cells (in vivo) affirm a significant role of nuclear actin in EMT regulation. With evidence of nuclear actin polymerization and EMT during development, and irregularities in disease states such as cancer and fibrosis, targeting nuclear actin dynamics to trigger dysregulated EMT warrants ongoing study.
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Affiliation(s)
- William W. Du
- Sunnybrook Research Instituteand Department of Laboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoONM4N3M5Canada
| | - Javeria Qadir
- Sunnybrook Research Instituteand Department of Laboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoONM4N3M5Canada
| | - Kevin Y. Du
- Sunnybrook Research Instituteand Department of Laboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoONM4N3M5Canada
| | - Yu Chen
- Sunnybrook Research Instituteand Department of Laboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoONM4N3M5Canada
| | - Nan Wu
- Sunnybrook Research Instituteand Department of Laboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoONM4N3M5Canada
| | - Burton B. Yang
- Sunnybrook Research Instituteand Department of Laboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoONM4N3M5Canada
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Noordstra I, Hermoso MD, Schimmel L, Bonfim-Melo A, Currin-Ross D, Duong CN, Kalappurakkal JM, Morris RG, Vestweber D, Mayor S, Gordon E, Roca-Cusachs P, Yap AS. An E-cadherin-actin clutch translates the mechanical force of cortical flow for cell-cell contact to inhibit epithelial cell locomotion. Dev Cell 2023; 58:1748-1763.e6. [PMID: 37480844 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Adherens junctions (AJs) allow cell contact to inhibit epithelial migration yet also permit epithelia to move as coherent sheets. How, then, do cells identify which contacts will inhibit locomotion? Here, we show that in human epithelial cells this arises from the orientation of cortical flows at AJs. When the leader cells from different migrating sheets make head-on contact with one another, they assemble AJs that couple together oppositely directed cortical flows. This applies a tensile signal to the actin-binding domain (ABD) of α-catenin, which provides a clutch to promote lateral adhesion growth and inhibit the lamellipodial activity necessary for migration. In contrast, AJs found between leader cells in the same migrating sheet have cortical flows aligned in the same direction, and no such mechanical inhibition takes place. Therefore, α-catenin mechanosensitivity in the clutch between E-cadherin and cortical F-actin allows cells to interpret the direction of motion via cortical flows and signal for contact to inhibit locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivar Noordstra
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Mario Díez Hermoso
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), the Barcelona Institute of Technology (BIST), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lilian Schimmel
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Alexis Bonfim-Melo
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Denni Currin-Ross
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; School of Physics & EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Cao Nguyen Duong
- Department of Vascular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | | | - Richard G Morris
- School of Physics & EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Dietmar Vestweber
- Department of Vascular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Satyajit Mayor
- National Centre for Biological Science, Tata Institute for Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Emma Gordon
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Pere Roca-Cusachs
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), the Barcelona Institute of Technology (BIST), 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Alpha S Yap
- Centre for Cell Biology of Chronic Disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
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Wang Y, Yemelyanov A, Go CD, Kim S, Quinn JM, Flozak AS, Le PM, Liang S, Claude-Gingras A, Ikura M, Ishiyama N, Gottardi CJ. α-catenin mechanosensitivity as a route to cytokinesis failure through sequestration of LZTS2. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.25.554884. [PMID: 37662204 PMCID: PMC10473746 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.25.554884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial cells can become polyploid upon tissue injury, but mechanosensitive cues that trigger this state are poorly understood. Using α-catenin (α-cat) knock-out Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells reconstituted with wild-type and mutant forms of α-cat as a model system, we find that an established α-cat actin-binding domain unfolding mutant designed to reduce force-sensitive binding to F-actin (α-cat-H0-FABD+) can promote cytokinesis failure, particularly along epithelial wound-fronts. Enhanced α-cat coupling to cortical actin is neither sufficient nor mitotic cell-autonomous for cytokinesis failure, but critically requires the mechanosensitive Middle-domain (M1-M2-M3) and neighboring cells. Disease relevant α-cat M-domain missense mutations known to cause a form of retinal pattern dystrophy (α-cat E307K or L436P) are associated with elevated binucleation rates via cytokinesis failure. Similar binucleation rates are seen in cells expressing an α-cat salt-bridge destabilizing mutant (R551A) designed to promote M2-M3 domain unfurling at lower force thresholds. Since binucleation is strongly enhanced by removal of the M1 as opposed to M2-M3 domains, cytokinetic fidelity is most sensitive to α-cat M2-M3 domain opening. To identify α-cat conformation-dependent proximity partners that contribute to cytokinesis, we used a biotin-ligase approach to distinguished proximity partners that show enhanced recruitment upon α-cat M-domain unfurling (R551A). We identified Leucine Zipper Tumor Suppressor 2 (LZTS2), an abscission factor previously implicated in cytokinesis. We confirm that LZTS2 enriches at the midbody, but discover it also localizes to tight and tricellular junctions. LZTS2 knock-down promotes binucleation in both MDCK and Retinal Pigmented Epithelial (RPE) cells. α-cat mutants with persistent M2-M3 domain opening showed elevated junctional enrichment of LZTS2 from the cytosol compared α-cat wild-type cells. These data implicate LZTS2 as a mechanosensitive effector of α-cat that is critical for cytokinetic fidelity. This model rationalizes how persistent mechano-activation of α-cat may drive tension-induced polyploidization of epithelia post-injury and suggests an underlying mechanism for how pathogenic α-cat mutations drive macular dystrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuou Wang
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Alex Yemelyanov
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Christopher D. Go
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X5, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Sun Kim
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Jeanne M. Quinn
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Annette S. Flozak
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Phuong M. Le
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Shannon Liang
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Anne Claude-Gingras
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X5, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Mitsu Ikura
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University Health Network, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Noboru Ishiyama
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University Health Network, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cara J. Gottardi
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
- Cell & Developmental Biology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
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36
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Wu Y, Sun SX. Mechanics of cell-cell junctions. Biophys J 2023; 122:3354-3368. [PMID: 37475215 PMCID: PMC10465726 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.07.011] [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: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissue cells in epithelial or endothelial monolayers are connected through cell-cell junctions, which are stabilized by transmembrane E-cadherin bonds and intracellular actin filaments. These bonds and junctions play a crucial role in maintaining the barrier function of epithelia and endothelia and are believed to transmit forces between cells. Additionally, E-cadherin bonds can impact the shape of cell-cell junctions. In this study, we develop a continuum mechanical model of the cell-cell junction by explicitly incorporating the cell membrane, distributions of E-cadherin bonds, cytoplasmic fluid pressure, and F-actin dynamics. The static force-balanced version of the model is able to analyze the influences of cell cortical tension, actin dynamics, and cytoplasmic pressure on the junction shape and E-cadherin bonds. Furthermore, an extended model that incorporates fluid flow, across the cell boundary as well as around the cell, is also examined. This model can couple cell-shape changes with cell cortical tension and fluid flow, and predicts the additional effect of fluid motion on cell-cell junction mechanics. Taken together, our models serve as an intermediate link between molecular-scale models of cell-junction molecules and cell-scale models of tissue and epithelia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufei Wu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Sean X Sun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
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37
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Bush J, Cabe JI, Conway D, Maruthamuthu V. α-Catenin Dependent E-cadherin Adhesion Dynamics as Revealed by an Accelerated Force Ramp. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.28.550975. [PMID: 37645773 PMCID: PMC10461907 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.28.550975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Tissue remodeling and shape changes often rely on force-induced cell rearrangements occurring via cell-cell contact dynamics. Epithelial cell-cell contact shape changes are particularly dependent upon E-cadherin adhesion dynamics which are directly influenced by cell-generated and external forces. While both the mobility of E-cadherin adhesions and their adhesion strength have been reported before, it is not clear how these two aspects of E-cadherin adhesion dynamics are related. Here, using magnetic pulling cytometry, we applied an accelerated force ramp on the E-cadherin adhesion between an E-cadherin-coated magnetic microbead and an epithelial cell to ascertain this relationship. Our approach enables the determination of the adhesion strength and force-dependent mobility of individual adhesions, which revealed a direct correlation between these key characteristics. Since α-catenin has previously been reported to play a role in both E-cadherin mobility and adhesion strength when studied independently, we also probed epithelial cells in which α-catenin has been knocked out. We found that, in the absence of α-catenin, E-cadherin adhesions not only had lower adhesion strength, as expected, but were also more mobile. We observed that α-catenin was required for the recovery of strained cell-cell contacts and propose that the adhesion strength and force-dependent mobility of E-cadherin adhesions act in tandem to regulate cell-cell contact homeostasis. Our approach introduces a method which relates the force-dependent adhesion mobility to adhesion strength and highlights the morphological role played by α-catenin in E-cadherin adhesion dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Bush
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529 USA
- Bioengineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030
| | - Jolene I. Cabe
- Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298 USA
| | - Daniel Conway
- Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
| | - Venkat Maruthamuthu
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529 USA
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Levin JT, Pan A, Barrett MT, Alushin GM. A platform for dissecting force sensitivity and multivalency in actin networks. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.15.553463. [PMID: 37645911 PMCID: PMC10462062 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.15.553463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The physical structure and dynamics of cells are supported by micron-scale actin networks with diverse geometries, protein compositions, and mechanical properties. These networks are composed of actin filaments and numerous actin binding proteins (ABPs), many of which engage multiple filaments simultaneously to crosslink them into specific functional architectures. Mechanical force has been shown to modulate the interactions between several ABPs and individual actin filaments, but it is unclear how this phenomenon contributes to the emergent force-responsive functional dynamics of actin networks. Here, we engineer filament linker complexes and combine them with photo-micropatterning of myosin motor proteins to produce an in vitro reconstitution platform for examining how force impacts the behavior of ABPs within multi-filament assemblies. Our system enables the monitoring of dozens of actin networks with varying architectures simultaneously using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, facilitating detailed dissection of the interplay between force-modulated ABP binding and network geometry. We apply our system to study a dimeric form of the critical cell-cell adhesion protein α-catenin, a model force-sensitive ABP. We find that myosin forces increase α-catenin's engagement of small filament bundles embedded within networks. This activity is absent in a force-sensing deficient mutant, whose binding scales linearly with bundle size in both the presence and absence of force. These data are consistent with filaments in smaller bundles bearing greater per-filament loads that enhance α-catenin binding, a mechanism that could equalize α-catenin's distribution across actin-myosin networks of varying sizes in cells to regularize their stability and composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph T. Levin
- Laboratory of Structural Biophysics and Mechanobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ariel Pan
- Laboratory of Structural Biophysics and Mechanobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Michael T. Barrett
- Laboratory of Structural Biophysics and Mechanobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Gregory M. Alushin
- Laboratory of Structural Biophysics and Mechanobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
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39
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Ayres CM, Corcelli SA, Baker BM. The Energetic Landscape of Catch Bonds in TCR Interfaces. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2023; 211:325-332. [PMID: 37459192 PMCID: PMC10361606 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Recognition of peptide/MHC complexes by αβ TCRs has traditionally been viewed through the lens of conventional receptor-ligand theory. Recent work, however, has shown that TCR recognition and T cell signaling can be profoundly influenced and tuned by mechanical forces. One outcome of applied force is the catch bond, where TCR dissociation rates decrease (half-lives increase) when limited force is applied. Although catch bond behavior is believed to be widespread in biology, its counterintuitive nature coupled with the difficulties of describing mechanisms at the structural level have resulted in considerable mystique. In this review, we demonstrate that viewing catch bonds through the lens of energy landscapes, barriers, and the ensuing reaction rates can help demystify catch bonding and provide a foundation on which atomic-level TCR catch bond mechanisms can be built.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory M Ayres
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
- The Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
| | - Steve A Corcelli
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
| | - Brian M Baker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
- The Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
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40
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Sivasankar S, Xie B. Engineering the Interactions of Classical Cadherin Cell-Cell Adhesion Proteins. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2023; 211:343-349. [PMID: 37459190 PMCID: PMC10361579 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Classical cadherins are calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion proteins that play key roles in the formation and maintenance of tissues. Deficiencies in cadherin adhesion are hallmarks of numerous cancers. In this article, we review recent biophysical studies on the regulation of cadherin structure and adhesion. We begin by reviewing distinct cadherin binding conformations, their biophysical properties, and their response to mechanical stimuli. We then describe biophysical guidelines for engineering Abs that can regulate adhesion by either stabilizing or destabilizing cadherin interactions. Finally, we review molecular mechanisms by which cytoplasmic proteins regulate the conformation of cadherin extracellular regions from the inside out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjeevi Sivasankar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Bin Xie
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
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41
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Faust MA, Rasé VJ, Lamb TJ, Evavold BD. What's the Catch? The Significance of Catch Bonds in T Cell Activation. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2023; 211:333-342. [PMID: 37459191 PMCID: PMC10732538 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
One of the main goals in T cell biology has been to investigate how TCR recognition of peptide:MHC (pMHC) determines T cell phenotype and fate. Ag recognition is required to facilitate survival, expansion, and effector function of T cells. Historically, TCR affinity for pMHC has been used as a predictor for T cell fate and responsiveness, but there have now been several examples of nonfunctional high-affinity clones and low-affinity highly functional clones. Recently, more attention has been paid to the TCR being a mechanoreceptor where the key biophysical determinant is TCR bond lifetime under force. As outlined in this review, the fundamental parameters between the TCR and pMHC that control Ag recognition and T cell triggering are affinity, bond lifetime, and the amount of force at which the peak lifetime occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Faust
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Viva J Rasé
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Tracey J Lamb
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Brian D Evavold
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
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Tang Y, Thiess L, Weiler SME, Tóth M, Rose F, Merker S, Ruppert T, Schirmacher P, Breuhahn K. α-catenin interaction with YAP/FoxM1/TEAD-induced CEP55 supports liver cancer cell migration. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:162. [PMID: 37381005 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01169-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adherens junctions (AJs) facilitate cell-cell contact and contribute to cellular communication as well as signaling under physiological and pathological conditions. Aberrant expression of AJ proteins is frequently observed in human cancers; however, how these factors contribute to tumorigenesis is poorly understood. In addition, for some factors such as α-catenin contradicting data has been described. In this study we aim to decipher how the AJ constituent α-catenin contributes to liver cancer formation. METHODS TCGA data was used to detect transcript changes in 23 human tumor types. For the detection of proteins, liver cancer tissue microarrays were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Liver cancer cell lines (HLF, Hep3B, HepG2) were used for viability, proliferation, and migration analyses after RNAinterference-mediated gene silencing. To investigate the tumor initiating potential, vectors coding for α-catenin and myristoylated AKT were injected in mice by hydrodynamic gene delivery. A BioID assay combined with mass spectrometry was performed to identify α-catenin binding partners. Results were confirmed by proximity ligation and co-immunoprecipitation assays. Binding of transcriptional regulators at gene promoters was investigated using chromatin-immunoprecipitation. RESULTS α-catenin mRNA was significantly reduced in many human malignancies (e.g., colon adenocarcinoma). In contrast, elevated α-catenin expression in other cancer entities was associated with poor clinical outcome (e.g., for hepatocellular carcinoma; HCC). In HCC cells, α-catenin was detectable at the membrane as well as cytoplasm where it supported tumor cell proliferation and migration. In vivo, α-catenin facilitated moderate oncogenic properties in conjunction with AKT overexpression. Cytokinesis regulator centrosomal protein 55 (CEP55) was identified as a novel α-catenin-binding protein in the cytoplasm of HCC cells. The physical interaction between α-catenin and CEP55 was associated with CEP55 stabilization. CEP55 was highly expressed in human HCC tissues and its overexpression correlated with poor overall survival and cancer recurrence. Next to the α-catenin-dependent protein stabilization, CEP55 was transcriptionally induced by a complex consisting of TEA domain transcription factors (TEADs), forkhead box M1 (FoxM1), and yes-associated protein (YAP). Surprisingly, CEP55 did not affect HCC cell proliferation but significantly supported migration in conjunction with α-catenin. CONCLUSION Migration-supporting CEP55 is induced by two independent mechanisms in HCC cells: stabilization through interaction with the AJ protein α-catenin and transcriptional activation via the FoxM1/TEAD/YAP complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingyue Tang
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lena Thiess
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sofia M E Weiler
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marcell Tóth
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Fabian Rose
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sabine Merker
- CFMP, Core Facility for Mass Spectrometry & Proteomics at the Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Ruppert
- CFMP, Core Facility for Mass Spectrometry & Proteomics at the Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Peter Schirmacher
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kai Breuhahn
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Shi B, Matsui T, Qian S, Weiss TM, Nicholl ID, Callaway DJE, Bu Z. An ensemble of cadherin-catenin-vinculin complex employs vinculin as the major F-actin binding mode. Biophys J 2023; 122:2456-2474. [PMID: 37147801 PMCID: PMC10323030 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.04.026] [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: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The cell-cell adhesion cadherin-catenin complexes recruit vinculin to the adherens junction (AJ) to modulate the mechanical couplings between neighboring cells. However, it is unclear how vinculin influences the AJ structure and function. Here, we identified two patches of salt bridges that lock vinculin in the head-tail autoinhibited conformation and reconstituted the full-length vinculin activation mimetics bound to the cadherin-catenin complex. The cadherin-catenin-vinculin complex contains multiple disordered linkers and is highly dynamic, which poses a challenge for structural studies. We determined the ensemble conformation of this complex using small-angle x-ray and selective deuteration/contrast variation small-angle neutron scattering. In the complex, both α-catenin and vinculin adopt an ensemble of flexible conformations, but vinculin has fully open conformations with the vinculin head and actin-binding tail domains well separated from each other. F-actin binding experiments show that the cadherin-catenin-vinculin complex binds and bundles F-actin. However, when the vinculin actin-binding domain is removed from the complex, only a minor fraction of the complex binds to F-actin. The results show that the dynamic cadherin-catenin-vinculin complex employs vinculin as the primary F-actin binding mode to strengthen AJ-cytoskeleton interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bright Shi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, City University of New York (CUNY), New York; PhD Programs in Chemistry and Biochemistry, CUNY Graduate Center, New York
| | - Tsutomu Matsui
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Light Source, Menlo Park, California
| | - Shuo Qian
- Second Target Station Project, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
| | - Thomas M Weiss
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Light Source, Menlo Park, California
| | - Iain D Nicholl
- Department of Biomedical Science and Physiology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
| | - David J E Callaway
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, City University of New York (CUNY), New York.
| | - Zimei Bu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, City University of New York (CUNY), New York; PhD Programs in Chemistry and Biochemistry, CUNY Graduate Center, New York.
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44
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Choi HK, Cong P, Ge C, Natarajan A, Liu B, Zhang Y, Li K, Rushdi MN, Chen W, Lou J, Krogsgaard M, Zhu C. Catch bond models may explain how force amplifies TCR signaling and antigen discrimination. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2616. [PMID: 37147290 PMCID: PMC10163261 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38267-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The TCR integrates forces in its triggering process upon interaction with pMHC. Force elicits TCR catch-slip bonds with strong pMHCs but slip-only bonds with weak pMHCs. We develop two models and apply them to analyze 55 datasets, demonstrating the models' ability to quantitatively integrate and classify a broad range of bond behaviors and biological activities. Comparing to a generic two-state model, our models can distinguish class I from class II MHCs and correlate their structural parameters with the TCR/pMHC's potency to trigger T cell activation. The models are tested by mutagenesis using an MHC and a TCR mutated to alter conformation changes. The extensive comparisons between theory and experiment provide model validation and testable hypothesis regarding specific conformational changes that control bond profiles, thereby suggesting structural mechanisms for the inner workings of the TCR mechanosensing machinery and plausible explanations of why and how force may amplify TCR signaling and antigen discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Kyu Choi
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Peiwen Cong
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Chenghao Ge
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- Amgen Inc., One Amgen Center Dr., Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Aswin Natarajan
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Pathology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Baoyu Liu
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Yong Zhang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Kaitao Li
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Muaz Nik Rushdi
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- Medtronic CO., Minneapolis, MN, 55432, USA
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Department of Cardiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Jizhong Lou
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Michelle Krogsgaard
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Pathology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Cheng Zhu
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
- Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
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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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46
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Splitt RL, DeMali KA. Metabolic reprogramming in response to cell mechanics. Biol Cell 2023; 115:e202200108. [PMID: 36807920 PMCID: PMC10192020 DOI: 10.1111/boc.202200108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2023]
Abstract
Much attention has been dedicated to understanding how cells sense and respond to mechanical forces. The types of forces cells experience as well as the repertoire of cell surface receptors that sense these forces have been identified. Key mechanisms for transmitting that force to the cell interior have also emerged. Yet, how cells process mechanical information and integrate it with other cellular events remains largely unexplored. Here we review the mechanisms underlying mechanotransduction at cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions, and we summarize the current understanding of how cells integrate information from the distinct adhesion complexes with cell metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L. Splitt
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52242
| | - Kris A. DeMali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52242
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47
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Davis MJ, Earley S, Li YS, Chien S. Vascular mechanotransduction. Physiol Rev 2023; 103:1247-1421. [PMID: 36603156 PMCID: PMC9942936 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00053.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
This review aims to survey the current state of mechanotransduction in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs), including their sensing of mechanical stimuli and transduction of mechanical signals that result in the acute functional modulation and longer-term transcriptomic and epigenetic regulation of blood vessels. The mechanosensors discussed include ion channels, plasma membrane-associated structures and receptors, and junction proteins. The mechanosignaling pathways presented include the cytoskeleton, integrins, extracellular matrix, and intracellular signaling molecules. These are followed by discussions on mechanical regulation of transcriptome and epigenetics, relevance of mechanotransduction to health and disease, and interactions between VSMCs and ECs. Throughout this review, we offer suggestions for specific topics that require further understanding. In the closing section on conclusions and perspectives, we summarize what is known and point out the need to treat the vasculature as a system, including not only VSMCs and ECs but also the extracellular matrix and other types of cells such as resident macrophages and pericytes, so that we can fully understand the physiology and pathophysiology of the blood vessel as a whole, thus enhancing the comprehension, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of vascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Davis
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Scott Earley
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada
| | - Yi-Shuan Li
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, California
- Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Shu Chien
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, California
- Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California
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48
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Nishizawa K, Lin SZ, Chardès C, Rupprecht JF, Lenne PF. Two-point optical manipulation reveals mechanosensitive remodeling of cell-cell contacts in vivo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2212389120. [PMID: 36947511 PMCID: PMC10068846 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2212389120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Biological tissues acquire reproducible shapes during development through dynamic cell behaviors. Most of these behaviors involve the remodeling of cell-cell contacts. During epithelial morphogenesis, contractile actomyosin networks remodel cell-cell contacts by shrinking and extending junctions between lateral cell surfaces. However, actomyosin networks not only generate mechanical stresses but also respond to them, confounding our understanding of how mechanical stresses remodel cell-cell contacts. Here, we develop a two-point optical manipulation method to impose different stress patterns on cell-cell contacts in the early epithelium of the Drosophila embryo. The technique allows us to produce junction extension and shrinkage through different push and pull manipulations at the edges of junctions. We use these observations to expand classical vertex-based models of tissue mechanics, incorporating negative and positive mechanosensitive feedback depending on the type of remodeling. In particular, we show that Myosin-II activity responds to junction strain rate and facilitates full junction shrinkage. Altogether our work provides insight into how stress produces efficient deformation of cell-cell contacts in vivo and identifies unanticipated mechanosensitive features of their remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Nishizawa
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IBDM, Turing Centre for Living systems, Marseille UMR 7288, France
| | - Shao-Zhen Lin
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, CPT, Turing Centre for Living systems, Marseille UMR 7332, France
| | - Claire Chardès
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IBDM, Turing Centre for Living systems, Marseille UMR 7288, France
| | - Jean-François Rupprecht
- Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, CPT, Turing Centre for Living systems, Marseille UMR 7332, France
| | - Pierre-François Lenne
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IBDM, Turing Centre for Living systems, Marseille UMR 7288, France
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49
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Rangarajan ES, Smith EW, Izard T. Distinct inter-domain interactions of dimeric versus monomeric α-catenin link cell junctions to filaments. Commun Biol 2023; 6:276. [PMID: 36928388 PMCID: PMC10020564 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04610-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Attachment between cells is crucial for almost all aspects of the life of cells. These inter-cell adhesions are mediated by the binding of transmembrane cadherin receptors of one cell to cadherins of a neighboring cell. Inside the cell, cadherin binds β-catenin, which interacts with α-catenin. The transitioning of cells between migration and adhesion is modulated by α-catenin, which links cell junctions and the plasma membrane to the actin cytoskeleton. At cell junctions, a single β-catenin/α-catenin heterodimer slips along filamentous actin in the direction of cytoskeletal tension which unfolds clustered heterodimers to form catch bonds with F-actin. Outside cell junctions, α-catenin dimerizes and links the plasma membrane to F-actin. Under cytoskeletal tension, α-catenin unfolds and forms an asymmetric catch bond with F-actin. To understand the mechanism of this important α-catenin function, we determined the 2.7 Å cryogenic electron microscopy (cryoEM) structures of filamentous actin alone and bound to human dimeric α-catenin. Our structures provide mechanistic insights into the role of the α-catenin interdomain interactions in directing α-catenin function and suggest a bivalent mechanism. Further, our cryoEM structure of human monomeric α-catenin provides mechanistic insights into α-catenin autoinhibition. Collectively, our structures capture the initial α-catenin interaction with F-actin before the sensing of force, which is a crucial event in cell adhesion and human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emmanuel W Smith
- The Cell Adhesion Laboratory, UF Scripps, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
| | - Tina Izard
- The Cell Adhesion Laboratory, UF Scripps, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA.
- The Skaggs Graduate School, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA.
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Yuan Z, Duan X, Su X, Tian Z, Jiang A, Wan Z, Wang H, Wei P, Zhao B, Liu X, Huang J. Catch bond-inspired hydrogels with repeatable and loading rate-sensitive specific adhesion. Bioact Mater 2023; 21:566-575. [PMID: 36204280 PMCID: PMC9519436 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2022.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological receptor-ligand adhesion governed by mammalian cells involves a series of mechanochemical processes that can realize reversible, loading rate-dependent specific interfacial bonding, and even exhibit a counterintuitive behavior called catch bonds that tend to have much longer lifetimes when larger pulling forces are applied. Inspired by these catch bonds, we designed a hydrogen bonding-meditated hydrogel made from acrylic acid-N-acryloyl glycinamide (AA-NAGA) copolymers and tannic acids (TA), which formed repeatable specific adhesion to polar surfaces in an ultra-fast and robust way, but hardly adhered to nonpolar materials. It demonstrated up to five-fold increase in shear adhesive strength and interfacial adhesive toughness with external loading rates varying from 5 to 500 mm min−1. With a mechanochemical coupling model based on Monte Carlo simulations, we quantitatively revealed the nonlinear dependence of rate-sensitive interfacial adhesion on external loading, which was in good agreement with the experimental data. Likewise, the developed hydrogels were biocompatible, possessed antioxidant and antibacterial properties and promoted wound healing. This work not only reports a stimuli-responsive hydrogel adhesive suitable for multiple biomedical applications, but also offers an innovative strategy for bionic designs of smart hydrogels with loading rate-sensitive specific adhesion for various emerging areas including flexible electronics and soft robotics. Catch-bond inspired hydrogels (PNT hydrogels) were proposed. PNT hydrogels could realize loading-rate sensitive specific adhesion. The nonlinear dynamic responses of PNT hydrogels were quantitatively dissected. The optimized PNT-10 hydrogel was promotive in wound healing.
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