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Strohm EM, Callaghan NI, Ding Y, Latifi N, Rafatian N, Funakoshi S, Fernandes I, Reitz CJ, Di Paola M, Gramolini AO, Radisic M, Keller G, Kolios MC, Simmons CA. Noninvasive Quantification of Contractile Dynamics in Cardiac Cells, Spheroids, and Organs-on-a-Chip Using High-Frequency Ultrasound. ACS NANO 2024; 18:314-327. [PMID: 38147684 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c06325] [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] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Cell-based models that mimic in vivo heart physiology are poised to make significant advances in cardiac disease modeling and drug discovery. In these systems, cardiomyocyte (CM) contractility is an important functional metric, but current measurement methods are inaccurate and low-throughput or require complex setups. To address this need, we developed a standalone noninvasive, label-free ultrasound technique operating at 40-200 MHz to measure the contractile kinetics of cardiac models, ranging from single adult CMs to 3D microtissue constructs in standard cell culture formats. The high temporal resolution of 1000 fps resolved the beat profile of single mouse CMs paced at up to 9 Hz, revealing limitations of lower speed optical based measurements to resolve beat kinetics or characterize aberrant beats. Coupling of ultrasound with traction force microscopy enabled the measurement of the CM longitudinal modulus and facile estimation of adult mouse CM contractile forces of 2.34 ± 1.40 μN, comparable to more complex measurement techniques. Similarly, the beat rate, rhythm, and drug responses of CM spheroid and microtissue models were measured, including in configurations without optical access. In conclusion, ultrasound can be used for the rapid characterization of CM contractile function in a wide range of commonly studied configurations ranging from single cells to 3D tissue constructs using standard well plates and custom microdevices, with applications in cardiac drug discovery and cardiotoxicity evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M Strohm
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G8, Canada
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Neal I Callaghan
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, M5G 1M1, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Yu Ding
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, M5G 1M1, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Neda Latifi
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G8, Canada
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Naimeh Rafatian
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, M5G 2C4, Canada
| | - Shunsuke Funakoshi
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Ian Fernandes
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Cristine J Reitz
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, M5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Michelle Di Paola
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, M5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Anthony O Gramolini
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, M5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Milica Radisic
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G9, Canada
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, M5G 2C4, Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3E5, Canada
| | - Gordon Keller
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Michael C Kolios
- Department of Physics, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Craig A Simmons
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G8, Canada
- Translational Biology and Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Center for Heart Research, Toronto, M5G 1M1, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3G9, Canada
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2
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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: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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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3
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DePalma SJ, Jillberto J, Stis AE, Huang DD, Lo J, Davidson CD, Chowdhury A, Jewett ME, Kobeissi H, Chen CS, Lejeune E, Helms AS, Nordsletten DA, Baker BM. Matrix architecture and mechanics regulate myofibril organization, costamere assembly, and contractility of engineered myocardial microtissues. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.20.563346. [PMID: 37961415 PMCID: PMC10634701 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.20.563346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The mechanical function of the myocardium is defined by cardiomyocyte contractility and the biomechanics of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Understanding this relationship remains an important unmet challenge due to limitations in existing approaches for engineering myocardial tissue. Here, we established arrays of cardiac microtissues with tunable mechanics and architecture by integrating ECM-mimetic synthetic, fiber matrices and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs), enabling real-time contractility readouts, in-depth structural assessment, and tissue-specific computational modeling. We find that the stiffness and alignment of matrix fibers distinctly affect the structural development and contractile function of pure iPSC-CM tissues. Further examination into the impact of fibrous matrix stiffness enabled by computational models and quantitative immunofluorescence implicates cell-ECM interactions in myofibril assembly and notably costamere assembly, which correlates with improved contractile function of tissues. These results highlight how iPSC-CM tissue models with controllable architecture and mechanics can inform the design of translatable regenerative cardiac therapies.
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Nielsen MS, van Opbergen CJM, van Veen TAB, Delmar M. The intercalated disc: a unique organelle for electromechanical synchrony in cardiomyocytes. Physiol Rev 2023; 103:2271-2319. [PMID: 36731030 PMCID: PMC10191137 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00021.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The intercalated disc (ID) is a highly specialized structure that connects cardiomyocytes via mechanical and electrical junctions. Although described in some detail by light microscopy in the 19th century, it was in 1966 that electron microscopy images showed that the ID represented apposing cell borders and provided detailed insight into the complex ID nanostructure. Since then, much has been learned about the ID and its molecular composition, and it has become evident that a large number of proteins, not all of them involved in direct cell-to-cell coupling via mechanical or gap junctions, reside at the ID. Furthermore, an increasing number of functional interactions between ID components are emerging, leading to the concept that the ID is not the sum of isolated molecular silos but an interacting molecular complex, an "organelle" where components work in concert to bring about electrical and mechanical synchrony. The aim of the present review is to give a short historical account of the ID's discovery and an updated overview of its composition and organization, followed by a discussion of the physiological implications of the ID architecture and the local intermolecular interactions. The latter will focus on both the importance of normal conduction of cardiac action potentials as well as the impact on the pathophysiology of arrhythmias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morten S Nielsen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Chantal J M van Opbergen
- The Leon Charney Division of Cardiology, New York University Grossmann School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States
| | - Toon A B van Veen
- Department of Medical Physiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mario Delmar
- The Leon Charney Division of Cardiology, New York University Grossmann School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States
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5
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Henley T, Goudy J, Easterling M, Donley C, Wirka R, Bressan M. Local tissue mechanics control cardiac pacemaker cell embryonic patterning. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202201799. [PMID: 36973005 PMCID: PMC10043993 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiac pacemaker cells (CPCs) initiate the electric impulses that drive the rhythmic beating of the heart. CPCs reside in a heterogeneous, ECM-rich microenvironment termed the sinoatrial node (SAN). Surprisingly, little is known regarding the biochemical composition or mechanical properties of the SAN, and how the unique structural characteristics present in this region of the heart influence CPC function remains poorly understood. Here, we have identified that SAN development involves the construction of a "soft" macromolecular ECM that specifically encapsulates CPCs. In addition, we demonstrate that subjecting embryonic CPCs to substrate stiffnesses higher than those measured in vivo results in loss of coherent electrical oscillation and dysregulation of the HCN4 and NCX1 ion channels required for CPC automaticity. Collectively, these data indicate that local mechanics play a critical role in maintaining the embryonic CPC function while also quantitatively defining the range of material properties that are optimal for embryonic CPC maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor Henley
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Julie Goudy
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Marietta Easterling
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Carrie Donley
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Robert Wirka
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Michael Bressan
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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6
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Chin IL, Amos SE, Jeong JH, Hool L, Hwang Y, Choi YS. Volume adaptation of neonatal cardiomyocyte spheroids in 3D stiffness gradient GelMA. J Biomed Mater Res A 2023; 111:801-813. [PMID: 36239543 PMCID: PMC10952714 DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.37456] [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: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Present understandings of cardiomyocyte mechanobiology have primarily been developed using 2-dimensional, monocellular cell cultures, however the emergence of 3-dimensional (3D) multicellular cardiac constructs has enabled us to develop more sophisticated recapitulations of the cardiac microenvironment. Several of these strategies have illustrated that incorporating elements of the extracellular matrix (ECM) can promote greater maturation and enhance desirable cardiac functions, such as contractility, but the responses of these cardiac constructs to biophysically aberrant conditions, such as in the post-infarct heart, has remained relatively unexplored. In our study, we employ a stiffness gradient gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel platform to unpack the mechanobiology of cardiac spheroids. We encapsulated neonatal rat cardiac cell spheroids in a 4.4-18.7 kPa linear stiffness gradient up to 120 h. We found the proportion of viable cells within the spheroids increased over time, but the cell number per spheroid decreased. Spheroids expand more in softer matrices while stiffer matrices promote larger nuclei without changing nuclei shape. Volume expansion came primarily from cells expressing vimentin. We did not observe any correlations between stiffness and mechanomarker expression, however we found that after 120 h post-encapsulation, the localization of YAP, the localization of MRTF-A and the expression of Lamin-A was correlated with spheroid morphology. The same trends were not observed 24 h post-encapsulation, indicating that volume adaptation can take a relatively long time. Our data demonstrates that cardiac spheroids are mechanosensitive and that their capacity to respond to ECM-based cues depends on their capacity to adapt their volume with a 3D microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian L. Chin
- School of Human SciencesThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Sebastian E. Amos
- School of Human SciencesThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Ji Hoon Jeong
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi‐bio Science (SIMS)Soonchunhyang UniversityCheonan‐siChungnam‐doRepublic of Korea
- Department of Integrated Biomedical ScienceSoonchunhyang UniversityAsan‐siChungnam‐doRepublic of Korea
| | - Livia Hool
- School of Human SciencesThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research InstituteSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Yongsung Hwang
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi‐bio Science (SIMS)Soonchunhyang UniversityCheonan‐siChungnam‐doRepublic of Korea
- Department of Integrated Biomedical ScienceSoonchunhyang UniversityAsan‐siChungnam‐doRepublic of Korea
| | - Yu Suk Choi
- School of Human SciencesThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
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7
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Optimized Conditions for the Long-Term Maintenance of Precision-Cut Murine Myocardium in Biomimetic Tissue Culture. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:bioengineering10020171. [PMID: 36829664 PMCID: PMC9952453 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10020171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Organotypic heart slices from mice might provide a promising in vitro model for cardiac research because of the vast availability of genetically modified specimens, combined with the unrestricted feasibility of experimental interventions. However, murine heart slices undergo rapid degeneration in culture. Therefore, we developed optimal conditions to preserve their structure and function in culture. Mouse ventricular heart samples were transversely cut into 300 µm thick slices. Slices were then cultured under various conditions of diastolic preload, systolic compliance and medium agitation. Continuous stimulation was performed either by optical stimulation or by electrical field stimulation. Contractility was continuously measured, and cellular survival, structure and gene expression were analyzed. Significant improvements in viability and function were achieved by elastic fixation with the appropriate diastolic preload and the rapid shaking of a ß-mercaptoethanol-supplemented medium. At 1 Hz pacing, mouse heart slices maintained stable contractility for up to 48 h under optogenetic pacing and for one week under electrical pacing. In cultured slices, the native myofibril structure was well preserved, and the mRNAs of myosin light chain, titin and connexin 43 were constantly expressed. Conclusions: Adult murine heart slices can be preserved for one week and provide a new opportunity to study cardiac functions.
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8
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Chen X, Song X, Li J, Zhang R, Yu C, Zhou Z, Liu J, Liao S, Klionsky DJ, Kroemer G, Liu J, Tang D, Kang R. Identification of HPCAL1 as a specific autophagy receptor involved in ferroptosis. Autophagy 2023; 19:54-74. [PMID: 35403545 PMCID: PMC9809962 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2022.2059170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Selective macroautophagy/autophagy maintains cellular homeostasis through the lysosomal degradation of specific cellular proteins or organelles. The pro-survival effect of selective autophagy has been well-characterized, but the mechanism by which it drives cell death is still poorly understood. Here, we use a quantitative proteomic approach to identify HPCAL1 (hippocalcin like 1) as a novel autophagy receptor for the selective degradation of CDH2 (cadherin 2) during ferroptosis. HPCAL1-dependent CDH2 depletion increases susceptibility to ferroptotic death by reducing membrane tension and favoring lipid peroxidation. Site-directed mutagenesis aided by bioinformatic analyses revealed that the autophagic degradation of CDH2 requires PRKCQ (protein kinase C theta)-mediated HPCAL1 phosphorylation on Thr149, as well as a non-classical LC3-interacting region motif located between amino acids 46-51. An unbiased drug screening campaign involving 4208 small molecule compounds led to the identification of a ferroptosis inhibitor that suppressed HPCAL1 expression. The genetic or pharmacological inhibition of HPCAL1 prevented ferroptosis-induced tumor suppression and pancreatitis in suitable mouse models. These findings provide a framework for understanding how selective autophagy promotes ferroptotic cell death.Abbreviations: ANXA7: annexin A7; ARNTL: aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator like; CCK8: cell counting kit-8; CDH2: cadherin 2; CETSAs: cellular thermal shift assays; CPT2: carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2; DAMP, danger/damage-associated molecular pattern; DPPH: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; DFO: deferoxamine; EBNA1BP2: EBNA1 binding protein 2; EIF4G1: eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4 gamma 1; FBL: fibrillarin; FKBP1A: FKBP prolyl isomerase 1A; FTH1: ferritin heavy chain 1; GPX4: glutathione peroxidase 4; GSDMs: gasdermins; HBSS: Hanks' buffered salt solution; HMGB1: high mobility group box 1; HNRNPUL1: heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein U like 1; HPCAL1: hippocalcin like 1; H1-3/HIST1H1D: H1.3 linker histone, cluster member; IKE: imidazole ketone erastin; KD: knockdown; LDH: lactate dehydrogenase; LIR: LC3-interacting region; MAGOH: mago homolog, exon junction complex subunit; MAP1LC3B: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta; MDA: malondialdehyde; MLKL: mixed lineage kinase domain like pseudokinase; MPO: myeloperoxidase; MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; OE: overexpressing; OSTM1: osteoclastogenesis associated transmembrane protein 1; PRKC/PKC: protein kinase C; PRKAR1A: protein kinase cAMP-dependent type I regulatory subunit alpha; PRDX3: peroxiredoxin 3; PTGS2: prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SLC7A11: solute carrier family 7 member 11; SLC40A1: solute carrier family 40 member 1; SPTAN1: spectrin alpha, non-erythrocytic 1; STS: staurosporine; UBE2M: ubiquitin conjugating enzyme E2 M; ZYX: zyxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chen
- DAMP Lab, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China,Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China,Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA,CONTACT Xin Chen DAMP Lab, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xinxin Song
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jingbo Li
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ruoxi Zhang
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Chunhua Yu
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Zhuan Zhou
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jiao Liu
- DAMP Lab, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Siyan Liao
- Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Daniel J. Klionsky
- Life Sciences Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Guido Kroemer
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, INSERM U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France,Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France,Pôle de Biologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Jinbao Liu
- DAMP Lab, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China,Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China,Jinbao Liu Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Daolin Tang
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA,Daolin Tang Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, USA
| | - Rui Kang
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA,Rui Kang Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, USA
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9
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Chin IL, Amos SE, Jeong JH, Hool L, Hwang Y, Choi YS. Mechanosensation mediates volume adaptation of cardiac cells and spheroids in 3D. Mater Today Bio 2022; 16:100391. [PMID: 36042852 PMCID: PMC9420370 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2022.100391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
With the adoption of 3-dimensional (3D) cell culture for in vitro modelling of cardiac function and regenerative medicine applications, there is an increased need to understand cardiomyocyte mechanosensation in 3D. With existing studies of cardiomyocyte mechanosensation primarily focussed on the behaviour of individual cells in a 2-Dimensional context, it is unclear whether mechanosensation is the same in a 3D, multicellular context. In this study, H9C2 cardiac-derived myoblasts were encapsulated as individual cells and as cell spheroids within stiffness gradient gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels to investigate individual and collective cardiac cell mechanosensation in 3D. Over a 3.68–17.52 kPa stiffness range, it was found that H9C2 cells have a limited capacity to adapt their volume to increasing substrate stiffness, demonstrated by the lack of changes in cell volume and shape across the stiffness gradient. Morphological trends were reflected by the expression of the mechanomarkers YAP, MRTF-A and Lamin-A, which were better correlated with cell and nuclear volume than with substrate stiffness. The localisation of YAP and MRTF-A were dependent on the relative volumes of the cytoplasm and nucleus while Lamin-A expression was elevated with increasing cytoplasmic and nuclear volumes. When cultured as spheroids rather than as individual cells, H9C2 cells adopted a distinct morphology with comparably smaller nuclei than individually cultured cells, while retaining the same overall cell volume. As spheroids, H9C2 cells were sensitive to stiffness cues, shown by decreasing YAP and MRTF-A nuclear localisation, increasing Lamin-A expression, and increasing vinculin expression with increasing substrate stiffness. Like the individually cultured H9C2 cells, mechanomarker expression was correlated to volume adaptation. With increasing cytoplasmic volume, YAP and MRTF-A became less nuclear localised, vinculin expression was increased, and with increasing nuclear volume, the Lamin-A expression fincreased. Together, these data suggest that cardiac cell volume adaptation may be enhanced by cell-cell interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian L Chin
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Sebastian E Amos
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Ji Hoon Jeong
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-bio Science (SIMS), Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan-si, Chungnam-do, 31151, Republic of Korea.,Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Asan-si, Chungnam-do, 31538, Republic of Korea
| | - Livia Hool
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Yongsung Hwang
- Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-bio Science (SIMS), Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan-si, Chungnam-do, 31151, Republic of Korea.,Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Asan-si, Chungnam-do, 31538, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu Suk Choi
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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10
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Merino-Casallo F, Gomez-Benito MJ, Martinez-Cantin R, Garcia-Aznar JM. A mechanistic protrusive-based model for 3D cell migration. Eur J Cell Biol 2022; 101:151255. [PMID: 35843121 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2022.151255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell migration is essential for a variety of biological processes, such as embryogenesis, wound healing, and the immune response. After more than a century of research-mainly on flat surfaces-, there are still many unknowns about cell motility. In particular, regarding how cells migrate within 3D matrices, which more accurately replicate in vivo conditions. We present a novel in silico model of 3D mesenchymal cell migration regulated by the chemical and mechanical profile of the surrounding environment. This in silico model considers cell's adhesive and nuclear phenotypes, the effects of the steric hindrance of the matrix, and cells ability to degradate the ECM. These factors are crucial when investigating the increasing difficulty that migrating cells find to squeeze their nuclei through dense matrices, which may act as physical barriers. Our results agree with previous in vitro observations where fibroblasts cultured in collagen-based hydrogels did not durotax toward regions with higher collagen concentrations. Instead, they exhibited an adurotactic behavior, following a more random trajectory. Overall, cell's migratory response in 3D domains depends on its phenotype, and the properties of the surrounding environment, that is, 3D cell motion is strongly dependent on the context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Merino-Casallo
- Multiscale in Mechanical and Biological Engineering (M2BE), Aragon Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), Zaragoza 50018, Spain; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50009, Spain
| | - Maria Jose Gomez-Benito
- Multiscale in Mechanical and Biological Engineering (M2BE), Aragon Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), Zaragoza 50018, Spain; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50009, Spain
| | - Ruben Martinez-Cantin
- Robotics, Perception and Real Time Group (RoPeRT), Aragon Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), Zaragoza 50018, Spain; Department of Computer Science and System Engineering, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50009, Spain
| | - Jose Manuel Garcia-Aznar
- Multiscale in Mechanical and Biological Engineering (M2BE), Aragon Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), Zaragoza 50018, Spain; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50009, Spain.
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11
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Abstract
An ensemble of in vitro cardiac tissue models has been developed over the past several decades to aid our understanding of complex cardiovascular disorders using a reductionist approach. These approaches often rely on recapitulating single or multiple clinically relevant end points in a dish indicative of the cardiac pathophysiology. The possibility to generate disease-relevant and patient-specific human induced pluripotent stem cells has further leveraged the utility of the cardiac models as screening tools at a large scale. To elucidate biological mechanisms in the cardiac models, it is critical to integrate physiological cues in form of biochemical, biophysical, and electromechanical stimuli to achieve desired tissue-like maturity for a robust phenotyping. Here, we review the latest advances in the directed stem cell differentiation approaches to derive a wide gamut of cardiovascular cell types, to allow customization in cardiac model systems, and to study diseased states in multiple cell types. We also highlight the recent progress in the development of several cardiovascular models, such as cardiac organoids, microtissues, engineered heart tissues, and microphysiological systems. We further expand our discussion on defining the context of use for the selection of currently available cardiac tissue models. Last, we discuss the limitations and challenges with the current state-of-the-art cardiac models and highlight future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilip Thomas
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (D.T., C.A., J.C.W.).,Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (D.T., C.A., J.C.W.)
| | - Suji Choi
- Disease Biophysics Group, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, MA (S.C., K.K.P.)
| | - Christina Alamana
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (D.T., C.A., J.C.W.).,Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (D.T., C.A., J.C.W.)
| | - Kevin Kit Parker
- Disease Biophysics Group, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, MA (S.C., K.K.P.).,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Boston, MA (K.K.P.)
| | - Joseph C Wu
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (D.T., C.A., J.C.W.).,Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (D.T., C.A., J.C.W.).,Greenstone Biosciences, Palo Alto, CA (J.C.W.)
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12
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Zhao Y, Godier-Furnemont A, Bax NA, Bouten CV, Brown LM, Fine B, Vunjak-Novakovic G. Changes in extracellular matrix in failing human non-ischemic and ischemic hearts with mechanical unloading. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2022; 166:137-151. [PMID: 35219725 PMCID: PMC9035113 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2022.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathies have distinct etiologies and underlying disease mechanisms, which require in-depth investigation for improved therapeutic interventions. The goal of this study was to use clinically obtained myocardium from healthy and heart failure patients, and characterize the changes in extracellular matrix (ECM) in ischemic and non-ischemic failing hearts, with and without mechanical unloading. Using tissue engineering methodologies, we also investigated how diseased human ECM, in the absence of systemic factors, can influence cardiomyocyte function. Heart tissues from heart failure patients with ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy were compared to explore differential disease phenotypes and reverse remodeling potential of left ventricular assisted device (LVAD) support at transcriptomic, proteomic and structural levels. The collected data demonstrated that the differential ECM compositions recapitulated the disease microenvironment and induced cardiomyocytes to undergo disease-like functional alterations. In addition, our study also revealed molecular profiles of non-ischemic and ischemic heart failure patients and explored the underlying mechanisms of etiology-specific impact on clinical outcome of LVAD support and tendency towards reverse remodeling.
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13
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Pathologic Proteolytic Processing of N-Cadherin as a Marker of Human Fibrotic Disease. Cells 2022; 11:cells11010156. [PMID: 35011717 PMCID: PMC8750447 DOI: 10.3390/cells11010156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Prior research has implicated the involvement of cell adhesion molecule N-cadherin in tissue fibrosis and remodeling. We hypothesize that anomalies in N-cadherin protein processing are involved in pathological fibrosis. Diseased tissues associated with fibrosis of the heart, lung, and liver were probed for the precursor form of N-cadherin, pro-N-cadherin (PNC), by immunohistochemistry and compared to healthy tissues. Myofibroblast cell lines were analyzed for cell surface pro-N-cadherin by flow cytometry and immunofluorescent microscopy. Soluble PNC products were immunoprecipitated from patient plasmas and an enzyme-linked immunoassay was developed for quantification. All fibrotic tissues examined show aberrant PNC localization. Cell surface PNC is expressed in myofibroblast cell lines isolated from cardiomyopathy and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis but not on myofibroblasts isolated from healthy tissues. PNC is elevated in the plasma of patients with cardiomyopathy (p ≤ 0.0001), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (p ≤ 0.05), and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with cirrhosis (p ≤ 0.05). Finally, we have humanized a murine antibody and demonstrate that it significantly inhibits migration of PNC expressing myofibroblasts. Collectively, the aberrant localization of PNC is observed in all fibrotic tissues examined in our study and our data suggest a role for cell surface PNC in the pathogenesis of fibrosis.
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14
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Seleit A, Aulehla A, Paix A. Endogenous protein tagging in medaka using a simplified CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in approach. eLife 2021; 10:75050. [PMID: 34870593 PMCID: PMC8691840 DOI: 10.7554/elife.75050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been used to generate fluorescently labelled fusion proteins by homology-directed repair in a variety of species. Despite its revolutionary success, there remains an urgent need for increased simplicity and efficiency of genome editing in research organisms. Here, we establish a simplified, highly efficient, and precise strategy for CRISPR/Cas9-mediated endogenous protein tagging in medaka (Oryzias latipes). We use a cloning-free approach that relies on PCR-amplified donor fragments containing the fluorescent reporter sequences flanked by short homology arms (30–40 bp), a synthetic single-guide RNA and Cas9 mRNA. We generate eight novel knock-in lines with high efficiency of F0 targeting and germline transmission. Whole genome sequencing results reveal single-copy integration events only at the targeted loci. We provide an initial characterization of these fusion protein lines, significantly expanding the repertoire of genetic tools available in medaka. In particular, we show that the mScarlet-pcna line has the potential to serve as an organismal-wide label for proliferative zones and an endogenous cell cycle reporter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Seleit
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexander Aulehla
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexandre Paix
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
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15
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Gil-Redondo JC, Weber A, Zbiral B, Vivanco MDM, Toca-Herrera JL. Substrate stiffness modulates the viscoelastic properties of MCF-7 cells. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2021; 125:104979. [PMID: 34826769 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Cells sense stiffness of surrounding tissues and adapt their activity, proliferation, motility and mechanical properties based on such interactions. Cells probe the stiffness of the substrate by anchoring and pulling to their surroundings, transmitting force to the extracellular matrix and other cells, and respond to the resistance they sense, mainly through changes in their cytoskeleton. Cancer and other diseases alter stiffness of tissues, and the response of cancer cells to this stiffness can also be affected. In the present study we show that MCF-7 breast cancer cells seeded on polyacrylamide gels have the ability to detect the stiffness of the substrate and alter their mechanical properties in response. MCF-7 cells plated on soft substrates display lower stiffness and viscosity when compared to those seeded on stiffer gels or glass. These differences can be associated with differences in the morphology and cytoskeleton organisation, since cells seeded on soft substrates have a round morphology, while cells seeded on stiffer substrates acquire a flat and spread morphology with formation of actin filaments, similar to that observed when seeded on glass. These findings show that MCF-7 cells can detect the stiffness of the surrounding microenvironment and thus, modify their mechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Gil-Redondo
- Institute of Biophysics, Department of Nanobiotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Muthgasse 11, 1190, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Andreas Weber
- Institute of Biophysics, Department of Nanobiotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Muthgasse 11, 1190, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Barbara Zbiral
- Institute of Biophysics, Department of Nanobiotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Muthgasse 11, 1190, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Maria dM Vivanco
- Cancer Heterogeneity Lab, CIC BioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance, BRTA, Bizkaia Technology Park, 48160, Derio, Spain.
| | - José L Toca-Herrera
- Institute of Biophysics, Department of Nanobiotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Muthgasse 11, 1190, Vienna, Austria.
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16
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Zhang K, Cloonan PE, Sundaram S, Liu F, Das SL, Ewoldt JK, Bays JL, Tomp S, Toepfer CN, Marsiglia JDC, Gorham J, Reichart D, Eyckmans J, Seidman JG, Seidman CE, Chen CS. Plakophilin-2 truncating variants impair cardiac contractility by disrupting sarcomere stability and organization. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabh3995. [PMID: 34652945 PMCID: PMC8519574 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abh3995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Progressive loss of cardiac systolic function in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) has recently gained attention as an important clinical consideration in managing the disease. However, the mechanisms leading to reduction in cardiac contractility are poorly defined. Here, we use CRISPR gene editing to generate human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) that harbor plakophilin-2 truncating variants (PKP2tv), the most prevalent ACM-linked mutations. The PKP2tv iPSC–derived cardiomyocytes are shown to have aberrant action potentials and reduced systolic function in cardiac microtissues, recapitulating both the electrical and mechanical pathologies reported in ACM. By combining cell micropatterning with traction force microscopy and live imaging, we found that PKP2tvs impair cardiac tissue contractility by destabilizing cell-cell junctions and in turn disrupting sarcomere stability and organization. These findings highlight the interplay between cell-cell adhesions and sarcomeres required for stabilizing cardiomyocyte structure and function and suggest fundamental pathogenic mechanisms that may be shared among different types of cardiomyopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kehan Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Paige E. Cloonan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Subramanian Sundaram
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Feng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Nonlinear Mechanics, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Shoshana L. Das
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jourdan K. Ewoldt
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jennifer L. Bays
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Samuel Tomp
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Christopher N. Toepfer
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | | | - Joshua Gorham
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Daniel Reichart
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jeroen Eyckmans
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Christine E. Seidman
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Christopher S. Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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17
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Schussler O, Chachques JC, Alifano M, Lecarpentier Y. Key Roles of RGD-Recognizing Integrins During Cardiac Development, on Cardiac Cells, and After Myocardial Infarction. J Cardiovasc Transl Res 2021; 15:179-203. [PMID: 34342855 DOI: 10.1007/s12265-021-10154-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cardiac cells interact with the extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins through integrin mechanoreceptors that control many cellular events such as cell survival, apoptosis, differentiation, migration, and proliferation. Integrins play a crucial role in cardiac development as well as in cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy. Integrins recognize oligopeptides present on ECM proteins and are involved in three main types of interaction, namely with collagen, laminin, and the oligopeptide RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) present on vitronectin and fibronectin proteins. To date, the specific role of integrins recognizing the RGD has not been addressed. In this review, we examine their role during cardiac development, their role on cardiac cells, and their upregulation during pathological processes such as heart fibrosis and hypertrophy. We also examine their role in regenerative and angiogenic processes after myocardial infarction (MI) in the peri-infarct area. Specific targeting of these integrins may be a way of controlling some of these pathological events and thereby improving medical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Schussler
- Thoracic Surgery Department, Cochin Hospital, APHP Centre, University of Paris, Paris, France.
| | - Juan C Chachques
- Department of Cardiac Surgery Pompidou Hospital, Laboratory of Biosurgical Research, Carpentier Foundation, University Paris Descartes, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Marco Alifano
- Thoracic Surgery Department, Cochin Hospital, APHP Centre, University of Paris, Paris, France.,INSERM U1138 Team "Cancer, Immune Control, and Escape", Cordeliers Research Center, University of Paris, Paris, France
| | - Yves Lecarpentier
- Centre de Recherche Clinique, Grand Hôpital de l'Est Francilien, Meaux, France
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18
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Cardiac Biomarkers and Autoantibodies in Endurance Athletes: Potential Similarities with Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy Pathogenic Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22126500. [PMID: 34204386 PMCID: PMC8235133 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The “Extreme Exercise Hypothesis” states that when individuals perform training beyond the ideal exercise dose, a decline in the beneficial effects of physical activity occurs. This is due to significant changes in myocardial structure and function, such as hemodynamic alterations, cardiac chamber enlargement and hypertrophy, myocardial inflammation, oxidative stress, fibrosis, and conduction changes. In addition, an increased amount of circulating biomarkers of exercise-induced damage has been reported. Although these changes are often reversible, long-lasting cardiac damage may develop after years of intense physical exercise. Since several features of the athlete’s heart overlap with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), the syndrome of “exercise-induced ACM” has been postulated. Thus, the distinction between ACM and the athlete’s heart may be challenging. Recently, an autoimmune mechanism has been discovered in ACM patients linked to their characteristic junctional impairment. Since cardiac junctions are similarly impaired by intense physical activity due to the strong myocardial stretching, we propose in the present work the novel hypothesis of an autoimmune response in endurance athletes. This investigation may deepen the knowledge about the pathological remodeling and relative activated mechanisms induced by intense endurance exercise, potentially improving the early recognition of whom is actually at risk.
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19
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Thomas K, Henley T, Rossi S, Costello MJ, Polacheck W, Griffith BE, Bressan M. Adherens junction engagement regulates functional patterning of the cardiac pacemaker cell lineage. Dev Cell 2021; 56:1498-1511.e7. [PMID: 33891897 PMCID: PMC8137639 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cardiac pacemaker cells (CPCs) rhythmically initiate the electrical impulses that drive heart contraction. CPCs display the highest rate of spontaneous depolarization in the heart despite being subjected to inhibitory electrochemical conditions that should theoretically suppress their activity. While several models have been proposed to explain this apparent paradox, the actual molecular mechanisms that allow CPCs to overcome electrogenic barriers to their function remain poorly understood. Here, we have traced CPC development at single-cell resolution and uncovered a series of cytoarchitectural patterning events that are critical for proper pacemaking. Specifically, our data reveal that CPCs dynamically modulate adherens junction (AJ) engagement to control characteristics including surface area, volume, and gap junctional coupling. This allows CPCs to adopt a structural configuration that supports their overall excitability. Thus, our data have identified a direct role for local cellular mechanics in patterning critical morphological features that are necessary for CPC electrical activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kandace Thomas
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Trevor Henley
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Simone Rossi
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - M Joseph Costello
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - William Polacheck
- McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Boyce E Griffith
- McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Departments of Mathematics, Applied Physical Sciences, and Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Carolina Center for Interdisciplinary Applied Mathematics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Computational Medicine Program, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Michael Bressan
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; McAllister Heart Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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20
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Bose S, Dasbiswas K, Gopinath A. Matrix Stiffness Modulates Mechanical Interactions and Promotes Contact between Motile Cells. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9040428. [PMID: 33920918 PMCID: PMC8077938 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9040428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanical micro-environment of cells and tissues influences key aspects of cell structure and function, including cell motility. For proper tissue development, cells need to migrate, interact, and form contacts. Cells are known to exert contractile forces on underlying soft substrates and sense deformations in them. Here, we propose and analyze a minimal biophysical model for cell migration and long-range cell–cell interactions through mutual mechanical deformations of the substrate. We compute key metrics of cell motile behavior, such as the number of cell-cell contacts over a given time, the dispersion of cell trajectories, and the probability of permanent cell contact, and analyze how these depend on a cell motility parameter and substrate stiffness. Our results elucidate how cells may sense each other mechanically and generate coordinated movements and provide an extensible framework to further address both mechanical and short-range biophysical interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhaya Bose
- Department of Physics, University of California Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA; (S.B.); (K.D.)
| | - Kinjal Dasbiswas
- Department of Physics, University of California Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA; (S.B.); (K.D.)
| | - Arvind Gopinath
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
- Correspondence:
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21
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Inbody SC, Sinquefield BE, Lewis JP, Horton RE. Biomimetic microsystems for cardiovascular studies. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2021; 320:C850-C872. [PMID: 33760660 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00026.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Traditional tissue culture platforms have been around for several decades and have enabled key findings in the cardiovascular field. However, these platforms failed to recreate the mechanical and dynamic features found within the body. Organs-on-chips (OOCs) are cellularized microfluidic-based devices that can mimic the basic structure, function, and responses of organs. These systems have been successfully utilized in disease, development, and drug studies. OOCs are designed to recapitulate the mechanical, electrical, chemical, and structural features of the in vivo microenvironment. Here, we review cardiovascular-themed OOC studies, design considerations, and techniques used to generate these cellularized devices. Furthermore, we will highlight the advantages of OOC models over traditional cell culture vessels, discuss implementation challenges, and provide perspectives on the state of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby C Inbody
- Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Biomedical Engineering Department, Cullen College of Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Bridgett E Sinquefield
- Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Biomedical Engineering Department, Cullen College of Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Joshua P Lewis
- Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Biomedical Engineering Department, Cullen College of Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Renita E Horton
- Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Biomedical Engineering Department, Cullen College of Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
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22
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Petersen AP, Cho N, Lyra-Leite DM, Santoso JW, Gupta D, Ariyasinghe NR, McCain ML. Regulation of calcium dynamics and propagation velocity by tissue microstructure in engineered strands of cardiac tissue. Integr Biol (Camb) 2021; 12:34-46. [PMID: 32118279 DOI: 10.1093/intbio/zyaa003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Disruptions to cardiac tissue microstructure are common in diseased or injured myocardium and are known substrates for arrhythmias. However, we have a relatively coarse understanding of the relationships between myocardial tissue microstructure, propagation velocity and calcium cycling, due largely to the limitations of conventional experimental tools. To address this, we used microcontact printing to engineer strands of cardiac tissue with eight different widths, quantified several structural and functional parameters and established correlation coefficients. As strand width increased, actin alignment, nuclei density, sarcomere index and cell aspect ratio decreased with unique trends. The propagation velocity of calcium waves decreased and the rise time of calcium transients increased with increasing strand width. The decay time constant of calcium transients decreased and then slightly increased with increasing strand width. Based on correlation coefficients, actin alignment was the strongest predictor of propagation velocity and calcium transient rise time. Sarcomere index and cell aspect ratio were also strongly correlated with propagation velocity. Actin alignment, sarcomere index and cell aspect ratio were all weak predictors of the calcium transient decay time constant. We also measured the expression of several genes relevant to propagation and calcium cycling and found higher expression of the genes that encode for connexin 43 (Cx43) and a subunit of L-type calcium channels in thin strands compared to isotropic tissues. Together, these results suggest that thinner strands have higher values of propagation velocity and calcium transient rise time due to a combination of favorable tissue microstructure and enhanced expression of genes for Cx43 and L-type calcium channels. These data are important for defining how microstructural features regulate intercellular and intracellular calcium handling, which is needed to understand mechanisms of propagation in physiological situations and arrhythmogenesis in pathological situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P Petersen
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nathan Cho
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Davi M Lyra-Leite
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey W Santoso
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Divya Gupta
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nethika R Ariyasinghe
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Megan L McCain
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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23
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Liu Y, Li J, Yao B, Wang Y, Wang R, Yang S, Li Z, Zhang Y, Huang S, Fu X. The stiffness of hydrogel-based bioink impacts mesenchymal stem cells differentiation toward sweat glands in 3D-bioprinted matrix. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2021; 118:111387. [DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2020.111387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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24
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Effects of High-Fat Diet Induced Obesity and Fructooligosaccharide Supplementation on Cardiac Protein Expression. Nutrients 2020; 12:nu12113404. [PMID: 33167590 PMCID: PMC7694524 DOI: 10.3390/nu12113404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanism by which high fat-diet induced obesity affects cardiac protein expression is unclear, and the extent to which this is modulated by prebiotic treatment is not known. These outcomes were assessed in rats initially fed a high-fat diet, then the top 40% weight gain group were randomly allocated to control (CON), high-fat (HF) and HF supplemented with fructooligosaccharide (32 g; HF-FOS) treatments for 12 weeks (n = 10/group). At sacrifice, left ventricles were either frozen or preserved in formalin. Serum was stored for glucose and insulin measurements. Protein spectra was obtained using an Orbitrap analyzer, processed with Sequest and fold changes assessed with Scaffold Q +. Treatment effects for body weights, glucose and insulin were assessed using one-way ANOVA, and the differential protein expression was assessed by a Mann-Whitney U test. The Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes identified pathways containing overrepresented proteins. Hematoxylin and eosin sections were graded for hypertrophy and also quantified; differences were identified using Chi-square analyses and Mann-Whitney U tests. HF diet fed rats were significantly (p < 0.05) heavier than CON, and 23 proteins involved in mitochondrial function and lipid metabolism were differentially expressed between HF and CON. Between HF-FOS and HF, 117 proteins involved in contractility, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism were differentially expressed. HF cardiomyocytes were significantly (p < 0.05) more hypertrophic than CON. We conclude that high-fat feeding and FOS are associated with subcellular deviations in cardiac metabolism and contractility, which may influence myocardial function and alter the risk of cardiovascular disease.
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25
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Distinct effects of different matrix proteoglycans on collagen fibrillogenesis and cell-mediated collagen reorganization. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19065. [PMID: 33149218 PMCID: PMC7642422 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76107-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex mixture composed of fibrillar collagens as well as additional protein and carbohydrate components. Proteoglycans (PGs) contribute to the heterogeneity of the ECM and play an important role in its structure and function. While the small leucine rich proteoglycans (SLRPs), including decorin and lumican, have been studied extensively as mediators of collagen fibrillogenesis and organization, the function of large matrix PGs in collagen matrices is less well known. In this study, we showed that different matrix PGs have distinct roles in regulating collagen behaviors. We found that versican, a large chondroitin sulfate PG, promotes collagen fibrillogenesis in a turbidity assay and upregulates cell-mediated collagen compaction and reorganization, whereas aggrecan, a structurally-similar large PG, has different and often opposing effects on collagen. Compared to versican, decorin and lumican also have distinct functions in regulating collagen behaviors. The different ways in which matrix PGs interact with collagen have important implications for understanding the role of the ECM in diseases such as fibrosis and cancer, and suggest that matrix PGs are potential therapeutic targets.
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26
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Wei A, Wang Z, Rancu AL, Yang Z, Tan S, Borg TK, Gao BZ. In Vivo-Like Morphology of Intercalated Discs Achieved in a Neonatal Cardiomyocyte Culture Model. Tissue Eng Part A 2020; 26:1209-1221. [PMID: 32515285 PMCID: PMC7699015 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tea.2020.0068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In vitro cultures to be used in various analytical investigations of cardiomyocyte (CM) growth and function for enhancing insight into physiological and pathological mechanisms should closely express in vivo morphology. The aim of the studies is to explore how to use microfabrication and physical-cue-addition techniques to establish a neonatal rat CM culture model that expresses an end-to-end connected rod shape with in vivo-like intercalated discs (ICDs). Freshly isolated neonatal rat CMs were cultured on microgrooved polydimethylsiloxane substrate. Cell alignment and ICD orientation were evaluated using confocal fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy under various combinations of different culture conditions. Cyclic stretch and blebbistatin tests were conducted to explore mechanical and electrical effects. Laboratory-made MATLAB software was developed to quantify cell alignment and ICD orientation. Our results demonstrate that the mechanical effect associated with the electrical stimulation may contribute to step-like ICD formation viewed from the top. In addition, our study reveals that a suspended elastic substrate that was slack with scattered folds, not taut, enabled CM contraction of equal strength on both apical and basal cell surfaces, allowing the cultured CMs to express a three-dimensional rod shape with disc-like ICDs viewed cross-sectionally. Impact statement In this article, we describe how the tugging forces generated by cardiomyocytes (CMs) facilitate the formation of the morphology of the intercalated discs (ICDs) to achieve mechanoelectrical coupling between CMs. Correspondingly, we report experimental techniques we developed to enable the in vivo-like behavior of the tugging forces to support the development of in vivo-like morphology in ICDs. These techniques will enhance insight into physiological and pathological mechanisms related to the development of tissue-engineered cardiac constructs in various analytical investigations of CM growth and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ailin Wei
- Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Zhonghai Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | | | - Zongming Yang
- Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Shenghao Tan
- Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Thomas Keith Borg
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Bruce Zhi Gao
- Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
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27
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Rens EG, Merks RM. Cell Shape and Durotaxis Explained from Cell-Extracellular Matrix Forces and Focal Adhesion Dynamics. iScience 2020; 23:101488. [PMID: 32896767 PMCID: PMC7482025 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Many cells are small and rounded on soft extracellular matrices (ECM), elongated on stiffer ECMs, and flattened on hard ECMs. Cells also migrate up stiffness gradients (durotaxis). Using a hybrid cellular Potts and finite-element model extended with ODE-based models of focal adhesion (FA) turnover, we show that the full range of cell shape and durotaxis can be explained in unison from dynamics of FAs, in contrast to previous mathematical models. In our 2D cell-shape model, FAs grow due to cell traction forces. Forces develop faster on stiff ECMs, causing FAs to stabilize and, consequently, cells to spread on stiff ECMs. If ECM stress further stabilizes FAs, cells elongate on substrates of intermediate stiffness. We show that durotaxis follows from the same set of assumptions. Our model contributes to the understanding of the basic responses of cells to ECM stiffness, paving the way for future modeling of more complex cell-ECM interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth G. Rens
- Scientific Computing, CWI, Science Park 123, 1098 XG Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Mathematics Department, University of British Columbia, Mathematics Road 1984, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2, Canada
| | - Roeland M.H. Merks
- Scientific Computing, CWI, Science Park 123, 1098 XG Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Mathematical Institute, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 1, 2333 CA Leiden, the Netherlands
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28
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Rheinlaender J, Dimitracopoulos A, Wallmeyer B, Kronenberg NM, Chalut KJ, Gather MC, Betz T, Charras G, Franze K. Cortical cell stiffness is independent of substrate mechanics. NATURE MATERIALS 2020; 19:1019-1025. [PMID: 32451510 PMCID: PMC7610513 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-020-0684-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Cortical stiffness is an important cellular property that changes during migration, adhesion and growth. Previous atomic force microscopy (AFM) indentation measurements of cells cultured on deformable substrates have suggested that cells adapt their stiffness to that of their surroundings. Here we show that the force applied by AFM to a cell results in a significant deformation of the underlying substrate if this substrate is softer than the cell. This 'soft substrate effect' leads to an underestimation of a cell's elastic modulus when analysing data using a standard Hertz model, as confirmed by finite element modelling and AFM measurements of calibrated polyacrylamide beads, microglial cells and fibroblasts. To account for this substrate deformation, we developed a 'composite cell-substrate model'. Correcting for the substrate indentation revealed that cortical cell stiffness is largely independent of substrate mechanics, which has major implications for our interpretation of many physiological and pathological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Rheinlaender
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Andrea Dimitracopoulos
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Bernhard Wallmeyer
- Centre for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, Institute of Cell Biology, Excellence Cluster Cells in Motion, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Nils M Kronenberg
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- Centre for Nanobiophotonics, Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kevin J Chalut
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Malte C Gather
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- Centre for Nanobiophotonics, Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Timo Betz
- Centre for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, Institute of Cell Biology, Excellence Cluster Cells in Motion, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Guillaume Charras
- London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kristian Franze
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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29
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Liu Y, Li Z, Li J, Yang S, Zhang Y, Yao B, Song W, Fu X, Huang S. Stiffness-mediated mesenchymal stem cell fate decision in 3D-bioprinted hydrogels. BURNS & TRAUMA 2020; 8:tkaa029. [PMID: 32733974 PMCID: PMC7382973 DOI: 10.1093/burnst/tkaa029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Background Hydrogels with tuneable mechanical properties are an attractive material platform for 3D bioprinting. Thus far, numerous studies have confirmed that the biophysical cues of hydrogels, such as stiffness, are known to have a profound impact on mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation; however, their differentiation potential within 3D-bioprinted hydrogels is not completely understood. Here, we propose a protocol for the exploration of how the stiffness of alginate-gelatin (Alg-Gel) composite hydrogels (the widely used bioink) affects the differentiation of MSCs in the presence or absence of differentiation inducing factors. Methods Two types of Alg-Gel composite hydrogels (Young's modulus: 50 kPa vs. 225 kPa) were bioprinted independently of porosity. Then, stiffness-induced biases towards adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation of the embedded MSCs were analysed by co-staining with alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and oil red O. The expression of specific markers at the gene level was detected after a 3-day culture. Results Confocal microscopy indicated that all tested hydrogels supported MSC growth and viability during the culture period. Higher expression of adipogenic and osteogenic markers (ALP and lipoprotein lipase (LPL)) in stiffer 3D-bioprinted matrices demonstrated a more significant response of MSCs to stiffer hydrogels with respect to differentiation, which was more robust in differentiation-inducing medium. However, the LPL expression in stiffer 3D-bioprinted constructs was reduced at day 3 regardless of the presence of differentiation-inducing factors. Although MSCs embedded in softer hydrogels to some extent proceeded toward adipogenic and osteogenic lineages within a few days, their differentiation seemed to be slower and more limited. Interestingly, the hydrogel itself (without differentiation-inducing factors) exhibited a slight effect on whether MSCs differentiated towards an adipogenic or an osteogenic fate. Considering that the mechano-regulated protein Yes-associated protein (YAP) is involved in MSC fate decisions, we further found that inhibition of YAP significantly downregulated the expression of ALP and LPL in MSCs in stiffer constructs regardless of the induced growth factors present. Conclusions These results demonstrate that the differentiation of MSCs in 3D-bioprinted matrices is dependent on hydrogel stiffness, which emphasizes the importance of biophysical cues as a determinant of cellular behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufan Liu
- Research Center for Tissue Repair and Regeneration affiliated to the Medical Innovation Research Department, PLA General Hospital and PLA Medical College, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, P. R. China.,PLA Key Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regenerative Medicine and Beijing Key Research Laboratory of Skin Injury, Repair and Regeneration; Research Unit of Trauma Care, Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU051, 51 Fu Cheng Road, Beijing 100048, P. R. China
| | - Zhao Li
- Research Center for Tissue Repair and Regeneration affiliated to the Medical Innovation Research Department, PLA General Hospital and PLA Medical College, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, P. R. China.,PLA Key Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regenerative Medicine and Beijing Key Research Laboratory of Skin Injury, Repair and Regeneration; Research Unit of Trauma Care, Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU051, 51 Fu Cheng Road, Beijing 100048, P. R. China
| | - Jianjun Li
- Research Center for Tissue Repair and Regeneration affiliated to the Medical Innovation Research Department, PLA General Hospital and PLA Medical College, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, P. R. China.,PLA Key Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regenerative Medicine and Beijing Key Research Laboratory of Skin Injury, Repair and Regeneration; Research Unit of Trauma Care, Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU051, 51 Fu Cheng Road, Beijing 100048, P. R. China
| | - Siming Yang
- Research Center for Tissue Repair and Regeneration affiliated to the Medical Innovation Research Department, PLA General Hospital and PLA Medical College, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, P. R. China.,PLA Key Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regenerative Medicine and Beijing Key Research Laboratory of Skin Injury, Repair and Regeneration; Research Unit of Trauma Care, Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU051, 51 Fu Cheng Road, Beijing 100048, P. R. China
| | - Yijie Zhang
- Research Center for Tissue Repair and Regeneration affiliated to the Medical Innovation Research Department, PLA General Hospital and PLA Medical College, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, P. R. China.,PLA Key Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regenerative Medicine and Beijing Key Research Laboratory of Skin Injury, Repair and Regeneration; Research Unit of Trauma Care, Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU051, 51 Fu Cheng Road, Beijing 100048, P. R. China
| | - Bin Yao
- Research Center for Tissue Repair and Regeneration affiliated to the Medical Innovation Research Department, PLA General Hospital and PLA Medical College, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, P. R. China.,PLA Key Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regenerative Medicine and Beijing Key Research Laboratory of Skin Injury, Repair and Regeneration; Research Unit of Trauma Care, Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU051, 51 Fu Cheng Road, Beijing 100048, P. R. China
| | - Wei Song
- Research Center for Tissue Repair and Regeneration affiliated to the Medical Innovation Research Department, PLA General Hospital and PLA Medical College, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, P. R. China.,PLA Key Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regenerative Medicine and Beijing Key Research Laboratory of Skin Injury, Repair and Regeneration; Research Unit of Trauma Care, Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU051, 51 Fu Cheng Road, Beijing 100048, P. R. China
| | - Xiaobing Fu
- Research Center for Tissue Repair and Regeneration affiliated to the Medical Innovation Research Department, PLA General Hospital and PLA Medical College, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, P. R. China.,PLA Key Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regenerative Medicine and Beijing Key Research Laboratory of Skin Injury, Repair and Regeneration; Research Unit of Trauma Care, Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU051, 51 Fu Cheng Road, Beijing 100048, P. R. China
| | - Sha Huang
- Research Center for Tissue Repair and Regeneration affiliated to the Medical Innovation Research Department, PLA General Hospital and PLA Medical College, 28 Fu Xing Road, Beijing 100853, P. R. China.,PLA Key Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Regenerative Medicine and Beijing Key Research Laboratory of Skin Injury, Repair and Regeneration; Research Unit of Trauma Care, Tissue Repair and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU051, 51 Fu Cheng Road, Beijing 100048, P. R. China
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30
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The intercalated disc: a mechanosensing signalling node in cardiomyopathy. Biophys Rev 2020; 12:931-946. [PMID: 32661904 PMCID: PMC7429531 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-020-00737-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiomyocytes, the cells generating contractile force in the heart, are connected to each other through a highly specialised structure, the intercalated disc (ID), which ensures force transmission and transduction between neighbouring cells and allows the myocardium to function in synchrony. In addition, cardiomyocytes possess an intrinsic ability to sense mechanical changes and to regulate their own contractile output accordingly. To achieve this, some of the components responsible for force transmission have evolved to sense changes in tension and to trigger a biochemical response that results in molecular and cellular changes in cardiomyocytes. This becomes of particular importance in cardiomyopathies, where the heart is exposed to increased mechanical load and needs to adapt to sustain its contractile function. In this review, we will discuss key mechanosensing elements present at the intercalated disc and provide an overview of the signalling molecules involved in mediating the responses to changes in mechanical force.
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31
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Castillo EA, Lane KV, Pruitt BL. Micromechanobiology: Focusing on the Cardiac Cell-Substrate Interface. Annu Rev Biomed Eng 2020; 22:257-284. [PMID: 32501769 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-bioeng-092019-034950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Engineered, in vitro cardiac cell and tissue systems provide test beds for the study of cardiac development, cellular disease processes, and drug responses in a dish. Much effort has focused on improving the structure and function of engineered cardiomyocytes and heart tissues. However, these parameters depend critically on signaling through the cellular microenvironment in terms of ligand composition, matrix stiffness, and substrate mechanical properties-that is, matrix micromechanobiology. To facilitate improvements to in vitro microenvironment design, we review how cardiomyocytes and their microenvironment change during development and disease in terms of integrin expression and extracellular matrix (ECM) composition. We also discuss strategies used to bind proteins to common mechanobiology platforms and describe important differences in binding strength to the substrate. Finally, we review example biomaterial approaches designed to support and probe cell-ECM interactions of cardiomyocytes in vitro, as well as open questions and challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica A Castillo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA; .,Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA;
| | - Kerry V Lane
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA;
| | - Beth L Pruitt
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA; .,Biomolecular Science and Engineering Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA.,Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93117, USA;
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32
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Abstract
Physical stimuli are essential for the function of eukaryotic cells, and changes in physical signals are important elements in normal tissue development as well as in disease initiation and progression. The complexity of physical stimuli and the cellular signals they initiate are as complex as those triggered by chemical signals. One of the most important, and the focus of this review, is the effect of substrate mechanical properties on cell structure and function. The past decade has produced a nearly exponentially increasing number of mechanobiological studies to define how substrate stiffness alters cell biology using both purified systems and intact tissues. Here we attempt to identify common features of mechanosensing in different systems while also highlighting the numerous informative exceptions to what in early studies appeared to be simple rules by which cells respond to mechanical stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A Janmey
- Department of Physiology, Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Bioengineering, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, California; and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Daniel A Fletcher
- Department of Physiology, Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Bioengineering, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, California; and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Cynthia A Reinhart-King
- Department of Physiology, Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Bioengineering, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, California; and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
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33
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Contour Models of Cellular Adhesion. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019. [PMID: 31612451 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-17593-1_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
The development of traction-force microscopy, in the past two decades, has created the unprecedented opportunity of performing direct mechanical measurements on living cells as they adhere or crawl on uniform or micro-patterned substrates. Simultaneously, this has created the demand for a theoretical framework able to decipher the experimental observations, shed light on the complex biomechanical processes that govern the interaction between the cell and the extracellular matrix and offer testable predictions. Contour models of cellular adhesion, represent one of the simplest and yet most insightful approach in this problem. Rooted in the paradigm of active matter, these models allow to explicitly determine the shape of the cell edge and calculate the traction forces experienced by the substrate, starting from the internal and peripheral contractile stresses as well as the passive restoring forces and bending moments arising within the actin cortex and the plasma membrane. In this chapter I provide a general overview of contour models of cellular adhesion and review the specific cases of cells equipped with isotropic and anisotropic actin cytoskeleton as well as the role of bending elasticity.
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34
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Ribeiro AJS, Guth BD, Engwall M, Eldridge S, Foley CM, Guo L, Gintant G, Koerner J, Parish ST, Pierson JB, Brock M, Chaudhary KW, Kanda Y, Berridge B. Considerations for an In Vitro, Cell-Based Testing Platform for Detection of Drug-Induced Inotropic Effects in Early Drug Development. Part 2: Designing and Fabricating Microsystems for Assaying Cardiac Contractility With Physiological Relevance Using Human iPSC-Cardiomyocytes. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:934. [PMID: 31555128 PMCID: PMC6727630 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Contractility of the myocardium engines the pumping function of the heart and is enabled by the collective contractile activity of its muscle cells: cardiomyocytes. The effects of drugs on the contractility of human cardiomyocytes in vitro can provide mechanistic insight that can support the prediction of clinical cardiac drug effects early in drug development. Cardiomyocytes differentiated from human-induced pluripotent stem cells have high potential for overcoming the current limitations of contractility assays because they attach easily to extracellular materials and last long in culture, while having human- and patient-specific properties. Under these conditions, contractility measurements can be non-destructive and minimally invasive, which allow assaying sub-chronic effects of drugs. For this purpose, the function of cardiomyocytes in vitro must reflect physiological settings, which is not observed in cultured cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells because of the fetal-like properties of their contractile machinery. Primary cardiomyocytes or tissues of human origin fully represent physiological cellular properties, but are not easily available, do not last long in culture, and do not attach easily to force sensors or mechanical actuators. Microengineered cellular systems with a more mature contractile function have been developed in the last 5 years to overcome this limitation of stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes, while simultaneously measuring contractile endpoints with integrated force sensors/actuators and image-based techniques. Known effects of engineered microenvironments on the maturity of cardiomyocyte contractility have also been discovered in the development of these systems. Based on these discoveries, we review here design criteria of microengineered platforms of cardiomyocytes derived from pluripotent stem cells for measuring contractility with higher physiological relevance. These criteria involve the use of electromechanical, chemical and morphological cues, co-culture of different cell types, and three-dimensional cellular microenvironments. We further discuss the use and the current challenges for developing and improving these novel technologies for predicting clinical effects of drugs based on contractility measurements with cardiomyocytes differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells. Future research should establish contexts of use in drug development for novel contractility assays with stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre J S Ribeiro
- Division of Applied Regulatory Science, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Office of Translation Sciences, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Brian D Guth
- Department of Drug Discovery Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany.,PreClinical Drug Development Platform (PCDDP), North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Michael Engwall
- Safety Pharmacology and Animal Research Center, Amgen Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, United States
| | - Sandy Eldridge
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - C Michael Foley
- Department of Integrative Pharmacology, Integrated Sciences and Technology, AbbVie, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Liang Guo
- Laboratory of Investigative Toxicology, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Gary Gintant
- Department of Integrative Pharmacology, Integrated Sciences and Technology, AbbVie, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - John Koerner
- Division of Applied Regulatory Science, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Office of Translation Sciences, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Stanley T Parish
- Health and Environmental Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Jennifer B Pierson
- Health and Environmental Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Mathew Brock
- Department of Safety Assessment, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Khuram W Chaudhary
- Global Safety Pharmacology, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Collegeville, PA, United States
| | - Yasunari Kanda
- Division of Pharmacology, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Brian Berridge
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
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Pang SM, Le S, Kwiatkowski AV, Yan J. Mechanical stability of αT-catenin and its activation by force for vinculin binding. Mol Biol Cell 2019; 30:1930-1937. [PMID: 31318313 PMCID: PMC6727763 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e19-02-0102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
αT (Testes)-catenin, a critical factor regulating cell-cell adhesion in the heart, directly couples the cadherin-catenin complex to the actin cytoskeleton at the intercalated disk (ICD), a unique cell-cell junction that couples cardiomyocytes. Loss of αT-catenin in mice reduces plakophilin2 and connexin 43 recruitment to the ICD. Since αT-catenin is subjected to mechanical stretch during actomyosin contraction in cardiomyocytes, its activity could be regulated by mechanical force. To provide insight in how force regulates αT-catenin function, we investigated the mechanical stability of the putative, force-sensing middle (M) domain of αT-catenin and determined how force impacts vinculin binding to αT-catenin. We show that 1) physiological levels of force, <15 pN, are sufficient to unfold the three M domains; 2) the M1 domain that harbors the vinculin-binding site is unfolded at ∼6 pN; and 3) unfolding of the M1 domain is necessary for high-affinity vinculin binding. In addition, we quantified the binding kinetics and affinity of vinculin to the mechanically exposed binding site in M1 and observed that αT-catenin binds vinculin with low nanomolar affinity. These results provide important new insights into the mechanosensing properties of αT-catenin and how αT-catenin regulates cell-cell adhesion at the cardiomyocyte ICD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Ming Pang
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411
| | - Shimin Le
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542
| | - Adam V. Kwiatkowski
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
| | - Jie Yan
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411
- Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542
- Centre for Bioimaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117546
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36
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Schroer A, Pardon G, Castillo E, Blair C, Pruitt B. Engineering hiPSC cardiomyocyte in vitro model systems for functional and structural assessment. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 144:3-15. [PMID: 30579630 PMCID: PMC6919215 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The study of human cardiomyopathies and the development and testing of new therapies has long been limited by the availability of appropriate in vitro model systems. Cardiomyocytes are highly specialized cells whose internal structure and contractile function are sensitive to the local microenvironment and the combination of mechanical and biochemical cues they receive. The complementary technologies of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) derived cardiomyocytes (CMs) and microphysiological systems (MPS) allow for precise control of the genetics and microenvironment of human cells in in vitro contexts. These combined systems also enable quantitative measurement of mechanical function and intracellular organization. This review describes relevant factors in the myocardium microenvironment that affect CM structure and mechanical function and demonstrates the application of several engineered microphysiological systems for studying development, disease, and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Schroer
- Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Gaspard Pardon
- Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Erica Castillo
- Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Santa Barbara, USA
| | - Cheavar Blair
- Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Santa Barbara, USA
| | - Beth Pruitt
- Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Santa Barbara, USA
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37
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Corbin EA, Vite A, Peyster EG, Bhoopalam M, Brandimarto J, Wang X, Bennett AI, Clark AT, Cheng X, Turner KT, Musunuru K, Margulies KB. Tunable and Reversible Substrate Stiffness Reveals a Dynamic Mechanosensitivity of Cardiomyocytes. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:20603-20614. [PMID: 31074953 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b02446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
New directions in material applications have allowed for the fresh insight into the coordination of biophysical cues and regulators. Although the role of the mechanical microenvironment on cell responses and mechanics is often studied, most analyses only consider static environments and behavior, however, cells and tissues are themselves dynamic materials that adapt in myriad ways to alterations in their environment. Here, we introduce an approach, through the addition of magnetic inclusions into a soft poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomer, to fabricate a substrate that can be stiffened nearly instantaneously in the presence of cells through the use of a magnetic gradient to investigate short-term cellular responses to dynamic stiffening or softening. This substrate allows us to observe time-dependent changes, such as spreading, stress fiber formation, Yes-associated protein translocation, and sarcomere organization. The identification of temporal dynamic changes on a short time scale suggests that this technology can be more broadly applied to study targeted mechanisms of diverse biologic processes, including cell division, differentiation, tissue repair, pathological adaptations, and cell-death pathways. Our method provides a unique in vitro platform for studying the dynamic cell behavior by better mimicking more complex and realistic microenvironments. This platform will be amenable to future studies aimed at elucidating the mechanisms underlying mechanical sensing and signaling that influence cellular behaviors and interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Andy T Clark
- Department of Physics , Bryn Mawr College , Bryn Mawr , Pennsylvania 19010 , United States
| | - Xuemei Cheng
- Department of Physics , Bryn Mawr College , Bryn Mawr , Pennsylvania 19010 , United States
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38
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Chin IL, Hool L, Choi YS. A Review of in vitro Platforms for Understanding Cardiomyocyte Mechanobiology. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019; 7:133. [PMID: 31231644 PMCID: PMC6560053 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanobiology—a cell's interaction with its physical environment—can influence a myriad of cellular processes including how cells migrate, differentiate and proliferate. In many diseases, remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is observed such as tissue stiffening in rigid scar formation after myocardial infarct. Utilizing knowledge of cell mechanobiology in relation to ECM remodeling during pathogenesis, elucidating the role of the ECM in the progression—and perhaps regression—of disease is a primary focus of the field. Although the importance of mechanical signaling in the cardiac cell is well-appreciated, our understanding of how these signals are sensed and transduced by cardiomyocytes is limited. To overcome this limitation, recently developed tools and resources have provided exciting opportunities to further our understandings by better recapitulating pathological spatiotemporal ECM stiffness changes in an in vitro setting. In this review, we provide an overview of a conventional model of mechanotransduction and present understandings of cardiomyocyte mechanobiology, followed by a review of emerging tools and resources that can be used to expand our knowledge of cardiomyocyte mechanobiology toward more clinically relevant applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian L Chin
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Livia Hool
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Yu Suk Choi
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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39
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Saucerman JJ, Tan PM, Buchholz KS, McCulloch AD, Omens JH. Mechanical regulation of gene expression in cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts. Nat Rev Cardiol 2019; 16:361-378. [PMID: 30683889 PMCID: PMC6525041 DOI: 10.1038/s41569-019-0155-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The intact heart undergoes complex and multiscale remodelling processes in response to altered mechanical cues. Remodelling of the myocardium is regulated by a combination of myocyte and non-myocyte responses to mechanosensitive pathways, which can alter gene expression and therefore function in these cells. Cellular mechanotransduction and its downstream effects on gene expression are initially compensatory mechanisms during adaptations to the altered mechanical environment, but under prolonged and abnormal loading conditions, they can become maladaptive, leading to impaired function and cardiac pathologies. In this Review, we summarize mechanoregulated pathways in cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts that lead to altered gene expression and cell remodelling under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Developments in systems modelling of the networks that regulate gene expression in response to mechanical stimuli should improve integrative understanding of their roles in vivo and help to discover new combinations of drugs and device therapies targeting mechanosignalling in heart disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey J Saucerman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Philip M Tan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Kyle S Buchholz
- Departments of Bioengineering and Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Andrew D McCulloch
- Departments of Bioengineering and Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Jeffrey H Omens
- Departments of Bioengineering and Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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40
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Toepfer CN, Sharma A, Cicconet M, Garfinkel AC, Mücke M, Neyazi M, Willcox JA, Agarwal R, Schmid M, Rao J, Ewoldt J, Pourquié O, Chopra A, Chen CS, Seidman JG, Seidman CE. SarcTrack. Circ Res 2019; 124:1172-1183. [PMID: 30700234 PMCID: PMC6485312 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.118.314505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) in combination with CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing provide unparalleled opportunities to study cardiac biology and disease. However, sarcomeres, the fundamental units of myocyte contraction, are immature and nonlinear in hiPSC-CMs, which technically challenge accurate functional interrogation of contractile parameters in beating cells. Furthermore, existing analysis methods are relatively low-throughput, indirectly assess contractility, or only assess well-aligned sarcomeres found in mature cardiac tissues. OBJECTIVE We aimed to develop an analysis platform that directly, rapidly, and automatically tracks sarcomeres in beating cardiomyocytes. The platform should assess sarcomere content, contraction and relaxation parameters, and beat rate. METHODS AND RESULTS We developed SarcTrack, a MatLab software that monitors fluorescently tagged sarcomeres in hiPSC-CMs. The algorithm determines sarcomere content, sarcomere length, and returns rates of sarcomere contraction and relaxation. By rapid measurement of hundreds of sarcomeres in each hiPSC-CM, SarcTrack provides large data sets for robust statistical analyses of multiple contractile parameters. We validated SarcTrack by analyzing drug-treated hiPSC-CMs, confirming the contractility effects of compounds that directly activate (CK-1827452) or inhibit (MYK-461) myosin molecules or indirectly alter contractility (verapamil and propranolol). SarcTrack analysis of hiPSC-CMs carrying a heterozygous truncation variant in the myosin-binding protein C ( MYBPC3) gene, which causes hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, recapitulated seminal disease phenotypes including cardiac hypercontractility and diminished relaxation, abnormalities that normalized with MYK-461 treatment. CONCLUSIONS SarcTrack provides a direct and efficient method to quantitatively assess sarcomere function. By improving existing contractility analysis methods and overcoming technical challenges associated with functional evaluation of hiPSC-CMs, SarcTrack enhances translational prospects for sarcomere-regulating therapeutics and accelerates interrogation of human cardiac genetic variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher N. Toepfer
- From the Department of Genetics (C.N.T., A.S., A.C.G., M.N., J.A.L.W., R.A., M.S., J.R., O.P., J.G.S., C.E.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine (C.N.T.), University of Oxford, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics (C.N.T.), University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Arun Sharma
- From the Department of Genetics (C.N.T., A.S., A.C.G., M.N., J.A.L.W., R.A., M.S., J.R., O.P., J.G.S., C.E.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Marcelo Cicconet
- Image and Data Analysis Core (M.C.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Amanda C. Garfinkel
- From the Department of Genetics (C.N.T., A.S., A.C.G., M.N., J.A.L.W., R.A., M.S., J.R., O.P., J.G.S., C.E.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Michael Mücke
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany (M.M.)
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Berlin, Germany (M.M.)
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany (M.M.)
| | - Meraj Neyazi
- From the Department of Genetics (C.N.T., A.S., A.C.G., M.N., J.A.L.W., R.A., M.S., J.R., O.P., J.G.S., C.E.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Hannover Medical School, Germany (M.N.)
| | - Jon A.L. Willcox
- From the Department of Genetics (C.N.T., A.S., A.C.G., M.N., J.A.L.W., R.A., M.S., J.R., O.P., J.G.S., C.E.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Radhika Agarwal
- From the Department of Genetics (C.N.T., A.S., A.C.G., M.N., J.A.L.W., R.A., M.S., J.R., O.P., J.G.S., C.E.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Manuel Schmid
- From the Department of Genetics (C.N.T., A.S., A.C.G., M.N., J.A.L.W., R.A., M.S., J.R., O.P., J.G.S., C.E.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Deutsches Herzzentrum München, Technische Universität München, Germany (M.S.)
| | - Jyoti Rao
- From the Department of Genetics (C.N.T., A.S., A.C.G., M.N., J.A.L.W., R.A., M.S., J.R., O.P., J.G.S., C.E.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Pathology (J.R., O.P.), Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA (J.R., O.P.)
| | - Jourdan Ewoldt
- Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, MA (J.E., A.C., C.S.C.)
- The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA (J.E., A.C., C.S.C.)
| | - Olivier Pourquié
- From the Department of Genetics (C.N.T., A.S., A.C.G., M.N., J.A.L.W., R.A., M.S., J.R., O.P., J.G.S., C.E.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Pathology (J.R., O.P.), Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA (J.R., O.P.)
| | - Anant Chopra
- Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, MA (J.E., A.C., C.S.C.)
- The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA (J.E., A.C., C.S.C.)
| | - Christopher S. Chen
- Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, MA (J.E., A.C., C.S.C.)
- The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA (J.E., A.C., C.S.C.)
| | - Jonathan G. Seidman
- From the Department of Genetics (C.N.T., A.S., A.C.G., M.N., J.A.L.W., R.A., M.S., J.R., O.P., J.G.S., C.E.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Christine E. Seidman
- From the Department of Genetics (C.N.T., A.S., A.C.G., M.N., J.A.L.W., R.A., M.S., J.R., O.P., J.G.S., C.E.S.), Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine (C.E.S.), Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD (C.E.S.)
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41
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Rodriguez ML, Beussman KM, Chun KS, Walzer MS, Yang X, Murry CE, Sniadecki NJ. Substrate Stiffness, Cell Anisotropy, and Cell-Cell Contact Contribute to Enhanced Structural and Calcium Handling Properties of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2019; 5:3876-3888. [PMID: 33438427 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b01256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) can be utilized to understand the mechanisms underlying the development and progression of heart disease, as well as to develop better interventions and treatments for this disease. However, these cells are structurally and functionally immature, which undermines some of their adequacy in modeling adult heart tissue. Previous studies with immature cardiomyocytes have shown that altering substrate stiffness, cell anisotropy, and/or cell-cell contact can enhance the contractile and structural maturation of hPSC-CMs. In this study, the structural and calcium handling properties of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) were enhanced by exposure to a downselected combination of these three maturation stimuli. First, hESC-CMs were seeded onto substrates composed of two commercial formulations of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), Sylgard 184 and Sylgard 527, whose stiffness ranged from 5 kPa to 101 kPa. Upon analyzing the morphological and calcium transient properties of these cells, it was concluded that a 21 kPa substrate yielded cells with the highest degree of maturation. Next, these PDMS substrates were microcontact-printed with laminin to force the cultured cells into rod-shaped geometries using line patterns that were 12, 18, or 24 μm in width. We found that cells on the 18 and 24 μm pattern widths had structural and functional properties that were superior to those on the 12 μm pattern. The hESC-CMs were then seeded onto these line-stamped surfaces at a density of 500 000 cells per 25-mm-diameter substrate, to enable the formation of cell-cell contacts at their distal ends. We discovered that this combination of culture conditions resulted in cells that were more structurally and functionally mature than those that were only exposed to one or two stimuli. Our results suggest that downselecting a combination of mechanobiological stimuli could prove to be an effective means of maturing hPSC-CMs in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marita L Rodriguez
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Kevin M Beussman
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Katherine S Chun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Melissa S Walzer
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Xiulan Yang
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States.,Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States.,Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
| | - Charles E Murry
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States.,Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States.,Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States.,Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States.,Department of Medicine/Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Nathan J Sniadecki
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States.,Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States.,Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States.,Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
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42
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Banerjee S, Marchetti MC. Continuum Models of Collective Cell Migration. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1146:45-66. [PMID: 31612453 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-17593-1_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Collective cell migration plays a central role in tissue development, morphogenesis, wound repair and cancer progression. With the growing realization that physical forces mediate cell motility in development and physiology, a key biological question is how cells integrate molecular activities for force generation on multicellular scales. In this review we discuss recent advances in modeling collective cell migration using quantitative tools and approaches rooted in soft matter physics. We focus on theoretical models of cell aggregates as continuous active media, where the feedback between mechanical forces and regulatory biochemistry gives rise to rich collective dynamical behavior. This class of models provides a powerful predictive framework for the physiological dynamics that underlies many developmental processes, where cells need to collectively migrate like a viscous fluid to reach a target region, and then stiffen to support mechanical stresses and maintain tissue cohesion.
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43
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Mrozik KM, Blaschuk OW, Cheong CM, Zannettino ACW, Vandyke K. N-cadherin in cancer metastasis, its emerging role in haematological malignancies and potential as a therapeutic target in cancer. BMC Cancer 2018; 18:939. [PMID: 30285678 PMCID: PMC6167798 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-4845-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 207] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In many types of solid tumours, the aberrant expression of the cell adhesion molecule N-cadherin is a hallmark of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, resulting in the acquisition of an aggressive tumour phenotype. This transition endows tumour cells with the capacity to escape from the confines of the primary tumour and metastasise to secondary sites. In this review, we will discuss how N-cadherin actively promotes the metastatic behaviour of tumour cells, including its involvement in critical signalling pathways which mediate these events. In addition, we will explore the emerging role of N-cadherin in haematological malignancies, including bone marrow homing and microenvironmental protection to anti-cancer agents. Finally, we will discuss the evidence that N-cadherin may be a viable therapeutic target to inhibit cancer metastasis and increase tumour cell sensitivity to existing anti-cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Marek Mrozik
- Myeloma Research Laboratory, Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.,Cancer Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia
| | | | - Chee Man Cheong
- Myeloma Research Laboratory, Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.,Cancer Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Andrew Christopher William Zannettino
- Myeloma Research Laboratory, Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.,Cancer Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia.,Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Kate Vandyke
- Myeloma Research Laboratory, Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia. .,Cancer Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia.
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44
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Courchaine K, Rykiel G, Rugonyi S. Influence of blood flow on cardiac development. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 137:95-110. [PMID: 29772208 PMCID: PMC6109420 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2018.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The role of hemodynamics in cardiovascular development is not well understood. Indeed, it would be remarkable if it were, given the dauntingly complex array of intricately synchronized genetic, molecular, mechanical, and environmental factors at play. However, with congenital heart defects affecting around 1 in 100 human births, and numerous studies pointing to hemodynamics as a factor in cardiovascular morphogenesis, this is not an area in which we can afford to remain in the dark. This review seeks to present the case for the importance of research into the biomechanics of the developing cardiovascular system. This is accomplished by i) illustrating the basics of some of the highly complex processes involved in heart development, and discussing the known influence of hemodynamics on those processes; ii) demonstrating how altered hemodynamic environments have the potential to bring about morphological anomalies, citing studies in multiple animal models with a variety of perturbation methods; iii) providing examples of widely used technological innovations which allow for accurate measurement of hemodynamic parameters in embryos; iv) detailing the results of studies in avian embryos which point to exciting correlations between various hemodynamic manipulations in early development and phenotypic defect incidence in mature hearts; and finally, v) stressing the relevance of uncovering specific biomechanical pathways involved in cardiovascular formation and remodeling under adverse conditions, to the potential treatment of human patients. The time is ripe to unravel the contributions of hemodynamics to cardiac development, and to recognize their frequently neglected role in the occurrence of heart malformation phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Courchaine
- Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR, USA
| | - Graham Rykiel
- Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR, USA
| | - Sandra Rugonyi
- Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR, USA.
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Cardiomyocytes cultured on mechanically compliant substrates, but not on conventional culture devices, exhibit prominent mitochondrial dysfunction due to reactive oxygen species and insulin resistance under high glucose. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201891. [PMID: 30138395 PMCID: PMC6107143 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale Diabetes causes cardiac dysfunction, and understanding of its mechanism is still incomplete. One reason could be limitations in modeling disease conditions by current in vitro cardiomyocyte culture. Emerging evidence suggests that the mechanical properties of the microenvironment affect cardiomyocyte function. Nevertheless, the impact of high glucose on cardiomyocytes cultured on substrates whose stiffness matches that of the heart (approximately 15 kPa) is untested. Objective To test the hypothesis that cardiomyocytes cultured in microenvironments that mimic the mechanical properties of those for cardiomyocytes in vivo may reproduce the pathophysiology characteristics of diabetic cardiomyocytes ex vivo, such as the morphological appearance, ROS accumulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. Methods and results Isolated neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were seeded on 15 kPa polyacrylamide (PAA) gels, whose stiffness mimics that of heart tissues, or on glass coverslips, which represent conventional culture devices but are unphysiologically stiff. Cells were then cultured at 5 mM glucose, corresponding to the normal blood glucose level, or at high glucose levels (10 to 25 mM). Cytoskeletal disorganization, ROS accumulation, attenuated mitochondrial membrane potential and attenuated ATP level caused by high glucose and their reversal by a ROS scavenger were prominent in cells on gels, but not in cells on coverslips. The lack of response to ROS scavenging could be attributable to enhanced apoptosis in cells on glass, shown by enhanced DNA fragmentation and higher caspase 3/7 activity in cells on glass coverslips. High-glucose treatment also downregulated GLUT4 expression and attenuated insulin-stimulated glucose uptake only in cells on 15 kPa gels. Conclusion Our data suggest that a mechanically compliant microenvironment increases the susceptibility of primary cardiomyocytes to elevated glucose levels, which enables these cells to serve as an innovative model for diabetic heart research.
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Genetics of and pathogenic mechanisms in arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. Biophys Rev 2018; 10:973-982. [PMID: 29995277 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-018-0437-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is an inherited heart disease, associated with a high risk of sudden cardiac death. ARVC has been termed a 'disease of the desmosome' based on the fact that in many cases, it is caused by mutations in genes encoding desmosomal proteins at the specialised intercellular junctions between cardiomyocytes, the intercalated discs. Desmosomes maintain the structural integrity of the ventricular myocardium and are also implicated in signal transduction pathways. Mutated desmosomal proteins are thought to cause detachment of cardiac myocytes by the loss of cellular adhesions and also affect signalling pathways, leading to cell death and substitution by fibrofatty adipocytic tissue. However, mutations in desmosomal proteins are not the sole cause for ARVC as mutations in non-desmosomal genes were also implicated in its pathogenesis. This review will consider the pathology, genetic basis and mechanisms of pathogenesis for ARVC.
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Yuan H, Marzban B, Kit Parker K. Myofibrils in Cardiomyocytes Tend to Assemble Along the Maximal Principle Stress Directions. J Biomech Eng 2018; 139:2653368. [PMID: 28857113 DOI: 10.1115/1.4037795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying the spatial organization of self-assembled myofibrils in cardiac tissues remain incompletely understood. By modeling cells as elastic solids under active cytoskeletal contraction, we found a good correlation between the predicted maximal principal stress directions and the in vitro myofibril orientations in individual cardiomyocytes. This implies that actomyosin fibers tend to assemble along the maximal tensile stress (MTS) directions. By considering the dynamics of focal adhesion and myofibril formation in the model, we showed that different patterns of myofibril organizations in mature versus immature cardiomyocytes can be explained as the consequence of the different levels of force-dependent remodeling of focal adhesions. Further, we applied the mechanics model to cell pairs and showed that the myofibril organizations can be regulated by a combination of multiple factors including cell shape, cell-substrate adhesions, and cell-cell adhesions. This mechanics model can guide the rational design in cardiac tissue engineering where recapitulating in vivo myofibril organizations is crucial to the contractile function of the heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyan Yuan
- Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881 e-mail:
| | - Bahador Marzban
- Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881
| | - Kevin Kit Parker
- Disease Biophysics Group, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 e-mail:
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Zhang H, Caudle Y, Shaikh A, Yao B, Yin D. Inhibition of microRNA-23b prevents polymicrobial sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction by modulating TGIF1 and PTEN. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 103:869-878. [PMID: 29710503 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.04.092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular dysfunction is a major complication associated with sepsis induced mortality. Cardiac fibrosis plays a critical role in sepsis induced cardiac dysfunction. The mechanisms of the activation of cardiac fibrosis is unclarified. In this study, we found that microRNA-23b (miR-23b) was up-regulated in heart tissue during cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis and transfection of miR-23b inhibitor improved survival in late sepsis. Inhibition of miR-23b in the myocardium protected against cardiac output and enhanced left ventricular systolic function. miR-23b inhibitor also alleviated cardiac fibrosis in late sepsis. MiR-23b mediates the activation of TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling to promote the differentiation of cardiac fibroblasts through suppression of 5'TG3'-interacting factor 1 (TGIF1). MiR-23b also induces AKT/N-Cadherin signaling to contribute to the deposition of extracellular matrix by inhibiting phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN). TGIF1 and PTEN were confirmed as the targets of miR-23b in vitro by Dual-Glo Luciferase assay. miR-23b inhibitor blocked the activation of adhesive molecules and restored the imbalance of pro-fibrotic and anti-fibrotic factors. These data provide direct evidence that miR-23b is a critical contributor to the activation of cardiac fibrosis to mediate the development of myocardial dysfunction in late sepsis. Blockade of miR-23b expression may be an effective approach for prevention sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiju Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi Caudle
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States
| | - Aamir Shaikh
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States
| | - Baozhen Yao
- Department of Pediatrics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Deling Yin
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States.
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Gabriel-Costa D. The pathophysiology of myocardial infarction-induced heart failure. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 25:277-284. [PMID: 29685587 DOI: 10.1016/j.pathophys.2018.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Heart failure (HF) is a multifactorial disorder and is usually the end stage of many cardiovascular diseases (CVD). HF presents one of the highest morbidity and mortality indices worldwide and high costs to public health organizations. Myocardial infarction (MI) is the most prevalent CVD in the Western world and leads to HF when its management is inadequate. It has a destructive potential for heart cells and abruptly reduces the cardiac output, a clinical condition known as heart dysfunction that might progress to HF. Many acute and chronic adaptations occur due to MI that progress to HF, e.g., neurohumoral hyperactivity, inflammatory response and cardiac remodeling. Herein, we reviewed in simplistic manner the processes involved in setting of MI until the establishment of HF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Gabriel-Costa
- Universidade da Força Aérea, Instituto de Ciências da Atividade Física, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Desempenho Humano Operacional, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
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Vite A, Zhang C, Yi R, Emms S, Radice GL. α-Catenin-dependent cytoskeletal tension controls Yap activity in the heart. Development 2018; 145:dev.149823. [PMID: 29467248 PMCID: PMC5868989 DOI: 10.1242/dev.149823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Shortly after birth, muscle cells of the mammalian heart lose their ability to divide. At the same time, the N-cadherin/catenin cell adhesion complex accumulates at the cell termini, creating a specialized type of cell-cell contact called the intercalated disc (ICD). To investigate the relationship between ICD maturation and proliferation, αE-catenin (Ctnna1) and αT-catenin (Ctnna3) genes were deleted to generate cardiac-specific α-catenin double knockout (DKO) mice. DKO mice exhibited aberrant N-cadherin expression, mislocalized actomyosin activity and increased cardiomyocyte proliferation that was dependent on Yap activity. To assess effects on tension, cardiomyocytes were cultured on deformable polyacrylamide hydrogels of varying stiffness. When grown on a stiff substrate, DKO cardiomyocytes exhibited increased cell spreading, nuclear Yap and proliferation. A low dose of either a myosin or RhoA inhibitor was sufficient to block Yap accumulation in the nucleus. Finally, activation of RhoA was sufficient to increase nuclear Yap in wild-type cardiomyocytes. These data demonstrate that α-catenins regulate ICD maturation and actomyosin contractility, which, in turn, control Yap subcellular localization, thus providing an explanation for the loss of proliferative capacity in the newborn mammalian heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia Vite
- Center for Translational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Caimei Zhang
- Center for Translational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Roslyn Yi
- Center for Translational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Sabrina Emms
- Center for Translational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Glenn L Radice
- Center for Translational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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