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Toscano E, Cimmino E, Pennacchio FA, Riccio P, Poli A, Liu YJ, Maiuri P, Sepe L, Paolella G. Methods and computational tools to study eukaryotic cell migration in vitro. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1385991. [PMID: 38887515 PMCID: PMC11180820 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1385991] [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: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Cellular movement is essential for many vital biological functions where it plays a pivotal role both at the single cell level, such as during division or differentiation, and at the macroscopic level within tissues, where coordinated migration is crucial for proper morphogenesis. It also has an impact on various pathological processes, one for all, cancer spreading. Cell migration is a complex phenomenon and diverse experimental methods have been developed aimed at dissecting and analysing its distinct facets independently. In parallel, corresponding analytical procedures and tools have been devised to gain deep insight and interpret experimental results. Here we review established experimental techniques designed to investigate specific aspects of cell migration and present a broad collection of historical as well as cutting-edge computational tools used in quantitative analysis of cell motion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvira Toscano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, Università Degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore, Naples, Italy
| | - Elena Cimmino
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, Università Degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Fabrizio A. Pennacchio
- Laboratory of Applied Mechanobiology, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Patrizia Riccio
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, Università Degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Yan-Jun Liu
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Paolo Maiuri
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, Università Degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Leandra Sepe
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, Università Degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Paolella
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, Università Degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore, Naples, Italy
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Chang HY, Huynh M, Roopra A, Callander NS, Miyamoto S. HAPLN1 matrikine: a bone marrow homing factor linked to poor outcomes in patients with MM. Blood Adv 2023; 7:6859-6872. [PMID: 37647592 PMCID: PMC10685165 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023010139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The bone marrow (BM) microenvironment is critical for dissemination, growth, and survival of multiple myeloma (MM) cells. Homing of myeloma cells to the BM niche is a crucial step in MM dissemination, but the mechanisms involved are incompletely understood. In particular, any role of matrikines, neofunctional peptides derived from extracellular matrix proteins, remains unknown. Here, we report that a matrikine derived from hyaluronan and proteoglycan link protein 1 (HAPLN1) induces MM cell adhesion to the BM stromal components, such as fibronectin, endothelial cells, and stromal cells and, furthermore, induces their chemotactic and chemokinetic migration. In a mouse xenograft model, we show that MM cells preferentially home to HAPLN1 matrikine-conditioned BM. The transcription factor STAT1 is activated by HAPLN1 matrikine and is necessary to induce MM cell adhesion, migration, migration-related genes, and BM homing. STAT1 activation is mediated by interferon beta (IFN-β), which is induced by NF-κB after stimulation by HAPLN1 matrikine. Finally, we also provide evidence that higher levels of HAPLN1 in BM samples correlate with poorer progression-free survival of patients with newly diagnosed MM. These data reveal that a matrikine present in the BM microenvironment acts as a chemoattractant, plays an important role in BM homing of MM cells via NF-κB-IFN-β-STAT1 signaling, and may help identify patients with poor outcomes. This study also provides a mechanistic rationale for targeting HAPLN1 matrikine in MM therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hae Yeun Chang
- Department of Oncology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Mailee Huynh
- Department of Oncology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Avtar Roopra
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Natalie S. Callander
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Shigeki Miyamoto
- Department of Oncology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
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3
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Stöberl S, Balles M, Kellerer T, Rädler JO. Photolithographic microfabrication of hydrogel clefts for cell invasion studies. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:1886-1895. [PMID: 36867426 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc01105k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Invasion of migrating cells into surrounding tissue plays a key role in cancer metastasis and immune response. In order to assess invasiveness, most in vitro invasion assays measure the degree to which cells migrate between microchambers that provide a chemoattractant gradient across a polymeric membrane with defined pores. However, in real tissue cells experience soft, mechanically deformable microenvironments. Here we introduce RGD-functionalized hydrogel structures that present pressurized clefts for invasive migration of cells between reservoirs maintaining a chemotactic gradient. Using UV-photolithography, equally spaced blocks of polyethylene glycol-norbornene (PEG-NB) hydrogels are formed, which subsequently swell and close the interjacent gaps. The swelling ratio and final contours of the hydrogel blocks were determined using confocal microscopy confirming a swelling induced closure of the structures. The velocity profile of cancer cells transmigrating through the clefts, which we name 'sponge clamp', is found to depend on the elastic modulus as well as the gap size between the swollen blocks. The 'sponge clamp' discriminates the invasiveness of two distinct cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and HT-1080. The approach provides soft 3D-microstructures mimicking invasion conditions in extracellular matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Stöberl
- Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
| | - Miriam Balles
- Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
| | - Thomas Kellerer
- Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
- Department of Applied Science and Mechatronics, University of Applied Science, Munich, Germany
| | - Joachim O Rädler
- Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
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Jun BH, Ahmadzadegan A, Ardekani AM, Solorio L, Vlachos PP. Multi-feature-Based Robust Cell Tracking. Ann Biomed Eng 2023; 51:604-617. [PMID: 36103061 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-022-03073-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cell tracking algorithms have been used to extract cell counts and motility information from time-lapse images of migrating cells. However, these algorithms often fail when the collected images have cells with spatially and temporally varying features, such as morphology, position, and signal-to-noise ratio. Consequently, state-of-the-art algorithms are not robust or reliable because they require manual inputs to overcome the cell feature changes. To address these issues, we present a fully automated, adaptive, and robust feature-based cell tracking algorithm for the accurate detection and tracking of cells in time-lapse images. Our algorithm tackles measurement limitations twofold. First, we use Hessian filtering and adaptive thresholding to detect the cells in images, overcoming spatial feature variations among the existing cells without manually changing the input thresholds. Second, cell feature parameters are measured, including position, diameter, mean intensity, area, and orientation, and these parameters are simultaneously used to accurately track the cells between subsequent frames, even under poor temporal resolution. Our technique achieved a minimum of 92% detection and tracking accuracy, compared to 16% from Mosaic and Trackmate. Our improved method allows for extended tracking and characterization of heterogeneous cell behavior that are of particular interest for intravital imaging users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian H Jun
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Adib Ahmadzadegan
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Arezoo M Ardekani
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Luis Solorio
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
- Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
| | - Pavlos P Vlachos
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
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Miguel-Jiménez S, Borao S, Portolés-Bayod V, Casao A, Pérez-Pe R. In vitro approach points to a chemotactic effect of melatonin on ram spermatozoa. Theriogenology 2023; 198:36-46. [PMID: 36542876 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Sperm orientation mechanisms, such as chemotaxis, are essential for the sperm to reach the oocyte and fertilize it. Melatonin is secreted by the cumulus cells and is also present in the follicular fluid in mammals. The presence of membrane receptors for melatonin in ram spermatozoa, and its proven involvement in the sperm functionality, may suggest a possible role in the guided movement towards the oocyte. Hence, the objective of the present work is to study the in vitro potential chemotactic action of melatonin on ram spermatozoa, analysing the influence of the season (breeding and non-breeding) and the sperm capacitation state. The first experimental approach consisted in the inclusion of melatonin in the upper layer of a swim-up selection method. During the non-breeding season, the presence of melatonin at 100 pM and 1 μM concentrations significantly increased the cell recovery rate, and induced changes in the sperm location of the MT2 melatonin receptor, compared with the standard swim-up. Moreover, the selected sperm population with 100 pM melatonin presented a higher percentage of capacitated spermatozoa. The greater recovery rate obtained with melatonin could be due to the stimulation of sperm movement in random directions, i.e., a chemokinetic effect, or due to a guided movement (chemotaxis) towards the gradient of the melatonin. To elucidate this issue, together with the study of the influence of the sperm capacitation status, we performed a second experimental approach which consisted in the use of chemotaxis chambers and an open-source software (Open-CASA) that analyses the sperm trajectories towards the hormone gradient and calculates a chemotaxis index (SL index). There was a significant difference between the SL index in the presence of 1 μM melatonin and the control without hormone. This effect was only observed in capacitated spermatozoa with cAMP-elevating agents (Cap-CK samples) obtained during the non-breeding season. These results would point to an in vitro chemotactic effect of melatonin on ram spermatozoa, although chemokinesis cannot be ruled out. Nonetheless, the inclusion of this hormone in the swim-up procedure could enhance the sperm recovery rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Miguel-Jiménez
- Grupo BIOFITER-Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular - Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales de Aragón (IUCA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Sonia Borao
- Grupo BIOFITER-Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular - Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales de Aragón (IUCA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Virginia Portolés-Bayod
- Grupo BIOFITER-Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular - Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales de Aragón (IUCA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Adriana Casao
- Grupo BIOFITER-Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular - Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales de Aragón (IUCA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Rosaura Pérez-Pe
- Grupo BIOFITER-Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular - Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales de Aragón (IUCA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain.
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Mahale S, Setia M, Prajapati B, Subhash S, Yadav MP, Thankaswamy Kosalai S, Deshpande A, Kuchlyan J, Di Marco M, Westerlund F, Wilhelmsson LM, Kanduri C, Kanduri M. HnRNPK maintains single strand RNA through controlling double-strand RNA in mammalian cells. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4865. [PMID: 36038571 PMCID: PMC9424213 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32537-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Although antisense transcription is a widespread event in the mammalian genome, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) formation between sense and antisense transcripts is very rare and mechanisms that control dsRNA remain unknown. By characterizing the FGF-2 regulated transcriptome in normal and cancer cells, we identified sense and antisense transcripts IER3 and IER3-AS1 that play a critical role in FGF-2 controlled oncogenic pathways. We show that IER3 and IER3-AS1 regulate each other's transcription through HnRNPK-mediated post-transcriptional regulation. HnRNPK controls the mRNA stability and colocalization of IER3 and IER3-AS1. HnRNPK interaction with IER3 and IER3-AS1 determines their oncogenic functions by maintaining them in a single-stranded form. hnRNPK depletion neutralizes their oncogenic functions through promoting dsRNA formation and cytoplasmic accumulation. Intriguingly, hnRNPK loss-of-function and gain-of-function experiments reveal its role in maintaining global single- and double-stranded RNA. Thus, our data unveil the critical role of HnRNPK in maintaining single-stranded RNAs and their physiological functions by blocking RNA-RNA interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagar Mahale
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Meenakshi Setia
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bharat Prajapati
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Santhilal Subhash
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Mukesh Pratap Yadav
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Subazini Thankaswamy Kosalai
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ananya Deshpande
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jagannath Kuchlyan
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Mirco Di Marco
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Westerlund
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chemical Biology, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - L Marcus Wilhelmsson
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Chandrasekhar Kanduri
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Meena Kanduri
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Evers TMJ, Sheikhhassani V, Tang H, Haks MC, Ottenhoff THM, Mashaghi A. Single‐Cell Mechanical Characterization of Human Macrophages. ADVANCED NANOBIOMED RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/anbr.202100133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tom M. J. Evers
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Leiden University Einsteinweg 55 2333 CC Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Vahid Sheikhhassani
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Leiden University Einsteinweg 55 2333 CC Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Huaqi Tang
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Leiden University Einsteinweg 55 2333 CC Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Mariëlle C. Haks
- Department of Infectious Diseases Leiden University Medical Center Albinusdreef 2 2333 ZA Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Tom H. M. Ottenhoff
- Department of Infectious Diseases Leiden University Medical Center Albinusdreef 2 2333 ZA Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Alireza Mashaghi
- Medical Systems Biophysics and Bioengineering Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Leiden University Einsteinweg 55 2333 CC Leiden The Netherlands
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Zhang X, Falagan-Lotsch P, Murphy CJ. Nanoparticles Interfere with Chemotaxis: An Example of Nanoparticles as Molecular "Knockouts" at the Cellular Level. ACS NANO 2021; 15:8813-8825. [PMID: 33886273 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c01262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Engineered colloidal nanoparticles show great promise in biomedical applications. While much of the work of assessing nanoparticle impact on living systems has been focused on the direct interactions of nanoparticles with cells/organisms, indirect effects via the extracellular matrix have been observed and may provide deeper insight into nanoparticle fate and effects in living systems. In particular, the large surface area of colloidal nanoparticles may sequester molecules from the biological milieu, make these molecules less bioavailable, and therefore function indirectly as "molecular knockouts" to exert effects at the cellular level and beyond. In this paper, the hypothesis that molecules that control cellular behavior (in this case, chemoattract molecules that promote migration of a human monocytic cell line, THP-1) will be less bioavailable in the presence of appropriately functionalized nanoparticles, and therefore the cellular behavior will be altered, was investigated. Three-dimensional chemotaxis assays for the characterization and comparison of THP-1 cell migration upon exposure to a gradient of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), with and without gold nanoparticles with four different surface chemistries, were performed. By time-lapse microscopy, characteristic parameters for chemotaxis, along with velocity and directionality of the cells, were quantified. Anionic poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate)-coated gold nanoparticles were found to significantly reduce THP-1 chemotaxis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results show adsorption of MCP-1 on the poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate)-coated gold nanoparticle surface, supporting the hypothesis that adsorption of chemoattractants to nanoparticle surfaces interferes with chemotaxis. Free anionic sulfonated polyelectrolytes also interfered with cell migrational behavior, showing that nanoparticles can also act as carriers of chemotactic-interfering molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Priscila Falagan-Lotsch
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
| | - Catherine J Murphy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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Synergistic effect of CNTF and GDNF on directed neurite growth in chick embryo dorsal root ganglia. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0240235. [PMID: 33017447 PMCID: PMC7535060 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
It is often critical to improve the limited regenerative capacity of the peripheral nerves and direct neural growth towards specific targets, such as surgically implanted bioengineered constructs. One approach to accomplish this goal is to use extrinsic neurotrophic factors. The candidate factors first need to be identified and characterized in in vitro tests for their ability to direct the neurite growth. Here, we present a simple guidance assay that allows to assess the chemotactic effect of signaling molecules on the growth of neuronal processes from dorsal root ganglia (DRG) using only standard tissue culture materials. We used this technique to quantitatively determine the combined and individual effects of the ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) on neurite outgrowth. We demonstrated that these two neurotrophic factors, when applied in a 1:1 combination, but not individually, induced directed growth of neuronal processes towards the source of the gradient. This chemotactic effect persists without significant changes over a wide (10-fold) concentration range. Moreover, we demonstrated that other, more general growth parameters that do not evaluate growth in a specific direction (such as, neurite length and trajectory) were differentially affected by the concentration of the CNTF/GNDF mixture. Furthermore, GDNF, when applied individually, did not have any chemotactic effect, but caused significant neurite elongation and an increase in the number of neurites per ganglion.
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Jun BH, Guo T, Libring S, Chanda MK, Paez JS, Shinde A, Wendt MK, Vlachos PP, Solorio L. Fibronectin-Expressing Mesenchymal Tumor Cells Promote Breast Cancer Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12092553. [PMID: 32911713 PMCID: PMC7565075 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary For cancer to metastasize, tumor cells must not only invade the local tissue but must also grow and proliferate once they arrive. Tumor cell heterogeneity, the presence of multiple types of cancer cells within a tumor, can increase cell proliferation and invasion through cooperative interactions, increasing the potential for metastasis. We recently found that pro-invasion cancer cells express the protein fibronectin and increase metastasis for pro-growth cancer cells. We investigated this interaction by analyzing these two cell types’ migration and survival, both alone and in co-cultures. We find that pro-invasion cells have a protective effect on pro-growth cells, which otherwise die after two days in nutrient-starved conditions. Further, we find that adding soluble fibronectin to pro-growth cells in culture was sufficient to improve survival. However, their survival was higher for co-culturing conditions. These studies highlight the importance of cancer cell heterogeneity and the role of fibronectin in metastasis. Abstract Tumor metastasis is connected to epithelial-mesenchymal heterogeneity (EMH) and the extracellular matrix (ECM) within the tumor microenvironment. Mesenchymal-like fibronectin (FN) expressing tumor cells enhance metastasis within tumors that have EMH. However, the secondary tumors are primarily composed of the FN null population. Interestingly, during tumor cell dissemination, the invasive front has more mesenchymal-like characteristics, although the outgrowths of metastatic colonies consist of a more epithelial-like population of cells. We hypothesize that soluble FN provided by mesenchymal-like tumor cells plays a role in supporting the survival of the more epithelial-like tumor cells within the metastatic niche in a paracrine manner. Furthermore, due to a lower rate of proliferation, the mesenchymal-like tumor cells become a minority population within the metastatic niche. In this study, we utilized a multi-parametric cell-tracking algorithm and immunoblotting to evaluate the effect of EMH on the growth and invasion of an isogenic cell series within a 3D collagen network using a microfluidic platform. Using the MCF10A progression series, we demonstrated that co-culture with FN-expressing MCF10CA1h cells significantly enhanced the survival of the more epithelial MCF10CA1a cells, with a two-fold increase in the population after 5 days in co-culture, whereas the population of the MCF10CA1a cells began to decrease after 2.5 days when cultured alone (p < 0.001). However, co-culture did not significantly alter the rate of proliferation for the more mesenchymal MCF10CA1h cells. Epithelial tumor cells not only showed prolonged survival, but migrated significantly longer distances (350 µm compared with 150 µm, respectively, p < 0.01) and with greater velocity magnitude (4.5 µm/h compared with 2.1 µm/h, respectively, p < 0.001) under co-culture conditions and in response to exogenously administered FN. Genetic depletion of FN from the MCF10CA1h cells resulted in a loss of survival and migration capacity of the epithelial and mesenchymal populations. These data suggest that mesenchymal tumor cells may function to support the survival and outgrowth of more epithelial tumor cells within the metastatic niche and that inhibition of FN production may provide a valuable target for treating metastatic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian H. Jun
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA;
| | - Tianqi Guo
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA;
| | - Sarah Libring
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (S.L.); (M.K.C.)
| | - Monica K. Chanda
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (S.L.); (M.K.C.)
| | - Juan Sebastian Paez
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (J.S.P.); (A.S.); (M.K.W.)
| | - Aparna Shinde
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (J.S.P.); (A.S.); (M.K.W.)
| | - Michael K. Wendt
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (J.S.P.); (A.S.); (M.K.W.)
- Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Pavlos P. Vlachos
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA;
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (S.L.); (M.K.C.)
- Correspondence: (P.P.V.); (L.S.)
| | - Luis Solorio
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (S.L.); (M.K.C.)
- Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Correspondence: (P.P.V.); (L.S.)
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11
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Wan L, Neumann CA, LeDuc PR. Tumor-on-a-chip for integrating a 3D tumor microenvironment: chemical and mechanical factors. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:873-888. [PMID: 32025687 PMCID: PMC7067141 DOI: 10.1039/c9lc00550a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Tumor progression, including metastasis, is significantly influenced by factors in the tumor microenvironment (TME) such as mechanical force, shear stress, chemotaxis, and hypoxia. At present, most cancer studies investigate tumor metastasis by conventional cell culture methods and animal models, which are limited in data interpretation. Although patient tissue analysis, such as human patient-derived xenografts (PDX), can provide important clinical relevant information, they may not be feasible for functional studies as they are costly and time-consuming. Thus, in vitro three-dimensional (3D) models are rapidly being developed that mimic TME and allow functional investigations of metastatic mechanisms and drug responses. One of those new 3D models is tumor-on-a-chip technology that provides a powerful in vitro platform for cancer research, with the ability to mimic the complex physiological architecture and precise spatiotemporal control. Tumor-on-a-chip technology can provide integrated features including 3D scaffolding, multicellular culture, and a vasculature system to simulate dynamic flow in vivo. Here, we review a select set of recent achievements in tumor-on-a-chip approaches and present potential directions for tumor-on-a-chip systems in the future for areas including mechanical and chemical mimetic systems. We also discuss challenges and perspectives in both biological factors and engineering methods for tumor-on-a-chip progress. These approaches will allow in the future for the tumor-on-a-chip systems to test therapeutic approaches for individuals through using their cancerous cells gathered through approaches like biopsies, which then will contribute toward personalized medicine treatments for improving their outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Wan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213 US.
| | - C A Neumann
- Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hillman Cancer Center, Magee Womens Research Institute, 204 Craft Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213 US.
| | - P R LeDuc
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213 US.
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