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Attar AG, Paturej J, Banigan EJ, Erbaş A. Chromatin phase separation and nuclear shape fluctuations are correlated in a polymer model of the nucleus. Nucleus 2024; 15:2351957. [PMID: 38753956 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2024.2351957] [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: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Abnormal cell nuclear shapes are hallmarks of diseases, including progeria, muscular dystrophy, and many cancers. Experiments have shown that disruption of heterochromatin and increases in euchromatin lead to nuclear deformations, such as blebs and ruptures. However, the physical mechanisms through which chromatin governs nuclear shape are poorly understood. To investigate how heterochromatin and euchromatin might govern nuclear morphology, we studied chromatin microphase separation in a composite coarse-grained polymer and elastic shell simulation model. By varying chromatin density, heterochromatin composition, and heterochromatin-lamina interactions, we show how the chromatin phase organization may perturb nuclear shape. Increasing chromatin density stabilizes the lamina against large fluctuations. However, increasing heterochromatin levels or heterochromatin-lamina interactions enhances nuclear shape fluctuations by a "wetting"-like interaction. In contrast, fluctuations are insensitive to heterochromatin's internal structure. Our simulations suggest that peripheral heterochromatin accumulation could perturb nuclear morphology, while nuclear shape stabilization likely occurs through mechanisms other than chromatin microphase organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Goktug Attar
- UNAM-National Nanotechnology Research Center and Institute of Materials Science & Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Edward J Banigan
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science and Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Aykut Erbaş
- UNAM-National Nanotechnology Research Center and Institute of Materials Science & Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
- Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Chorzów, Poland
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2
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Ghagre A, Delarue A, Srivastava LK, Koushki N, Ehrlicher A. Nuclear curvature determines Yes-associated protein localization and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. Biophys J 2024; 123:1222-1239. [PMID: 38605521 PMCID: PMC11140468 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Controlling mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation remains a critical challenge in MSCs' therapeutic application. Numerous biophysical and mechanical stimuli influence stem cell fate; however, their relative efficacy and specificity in mechanically directed differentiation remain unclear. Yes-associated protein (YAP) is one key mechanosensitive protein that controls MSC differentiation. Previous studies have related nuclear mechanics with YAP activity, but we still lack an understanding of what nuclear deformation specifically regulates YAP and its relationship with mechanical stimuli. Here, we report that maximum nuclear curvature is the most precise biophysical determinant for YAP mechanotransduction-mediated MSC differentiation and is a relevant parameter for stem cell-based therapies. We employed traction force microscopy and confocal microscopy to characterize the causal relationships between contractility and nuclear deformation in regulating YAP activity in MSCs. We observed that an increase in contractility compresses nuclei anisotropically, whereby the degree of asymmetric compression increased the bending curvature of the nuclear membrane. We then examined membrane curvature and tension using thin micropatterned adhesive substrate lines and an FRET-based tension sensor, revealing the direct role of curvature in YAP activity driven by both active and passive nuclear import. Finally, we employed micropatterned lines to control nuclear curvature and precisely direct MSC differentiation. This work illustrates that nuclear curvature subsumes other biophysical aspects to control YAP-mediated differentiation in MSCs and may provide a deterministic solution to some of the challenges in mesenchymal stem cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajinkya Ghagre
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Alice Delarue
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Newsha Koushki
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Allen Ehrlicher
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Centre for Structural Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
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3
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Azam I, Benson JD. Multiscale transport and 4D time-lapse imaging in precision-cut liver slices (PCLS). PeerJ 2024; 12:e16994. [PMID: 38426134 PMCID: PMC10903333 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Monitoring cellular processes across different levels of complexity, from the cellular to the tissue scale, is important for understanding tissue structure and function. However, it is challenging to monitor and estimate these structural and dynamic interactions within three-dimensional (3D) tissue models. Objective The aim of this study was to design a method for imaging, tracking, and quantifying 3D changes in cell morphology (shape and size) within liver tissue, specifically a precision-cut liver slice (PCLS). A PCLS is a 3D model of the liver that allows the study of the structure and function of liver cells in their native microenvironment. Methods Here, we present a method for imaging liver tissue during anisosmotic exposure in a multispectral four-dimensional manner. Three metrics of tissue morphology were measured to quantify the effects of osmotic stress on liver tissue. We estimated the changes in the volume of whole precision cut liver slices, quantified the changes in nuclei position, and calculated the changes in volumetric responses of tissue-embedded cells. Results During equilibration with cell-membrane-permeating and non-permeating solutes, the whole tissue experiences shrinkage and expansion. As nuclei showed a change in position and directional displacement under osmotic stress, we demonstrate that nuclei could be used as a probe to measure local osmotic and mechanical stress. Moreover, we demonstrate that cells change their volume within tissue slices as a result of osmotic perturbation and that this change in volume is dependent on the position of the cell within the tissue and the duration of the exposure. Conclusion The results of this study have implications for a better understanding of multiscale transport, mechanobiology, and triggered biological responses within complex biological structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iqra Azam
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - James D. Benson
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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4
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Attar AG, Paturej J, Banigan EJ, Erbas A. Chromatin phase separation and nuclear shape fluctuations are correlated in a polymer model of the nucleus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.16.571697. [PMID: 38168411 PMCID: PMC10760070 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.16.571697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Abnormalities in the shapes of mammalian cell nuclei are hallmarks of a variety of diseases, including progeria, muscular dystrophy, and various cancers. Experiments have shown that there is a causal relationship between chromatin organization and nuclear morphology. Decreases in heterochromatin levels, perturbations to heterochromatin organization, and increases in euchromatin levels all lead to misshapen nuclei, which exhibit deformations, such as nuclear blebs and nuclear ruptures. However, the polymer physical mechanisms of how chromatin governs nuclear shape and integrity are poorly understood. To investigate how heterochromatin and euchromatin, which are thought to microphase separate in vivo , govern nuclear morphology, we implemented a composite coarse-grained polymer and elastic shell model. By varying chromatin volume fraction (density), heterochromatin levels and structure, and heterochromatin-lamina interactions, we show how the spatial organization of chromatin polymer phases within the nucleus could perturb nuclear shape in some scenarios. Increasing the volume fraction of chromatin in the cell nucleus stabilizes the nuclear lamina against large fluctuations. However, surprisingly, we find that increasing heterochromatin levels or heterochromatin-lamina interactions enhances nuclear shape fluctuations in our simulations by a "wetting"-like interaction. In contrast, shape fluctuations are largely insensitive to the internal structure of the heterochromatin, such as the presence or absence of chromatin-chromatin crosslinks. Therefore, our simulations suggest that heterochromatin accumulation at the nuclear periphery could perturb nuclear morphology in a nucleus or nuclear region that is sufficiently soft, while stabilization of the nucleus via heterochromatin likely occurs through mechanisms other than chromatin microphase organization.
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5
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Yousafzai MS, Hammer JA. Using Biosensors to Study Organoids, Spheroids and Organs-on-a-Chip: A Mechanobiology Perspective. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:905. [PMID: 37887098 PMCID: PMC10605946 DOI: 10.3390/bios13100905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
The increasing popularity of 3D cell culture models is being driven by the demand for more in vivo-like conditions with which to study the biochemistry and biomechanics of numerous biological processes in health and disease. Spheroids and organoids are 3D culture platforms that self-assemble and regenerate from stem cells, tissue progenitor cells or cell lines, and that show great potential for studying tissue development and regeneration. Organ-on-a-chip approaches can be used to achieve spatiotemporal control over the biochemical and biomechanical signals that promote tissue growth and differentiation. These 3D model systems can be engineered to serve as disease models and used for drug screens. While culture methods have been developed to support these 3D structures, challenges remain to completely recapitulate the cell-cell and cell-matrix biomechanical interactions occurring in vivo. Understanding how forces influence the functions of cells in these 3D systems will require precise tools to measure such forces, as well as a better understanding of the mechanobiology of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Biosensors will prove powerful for measuring forces in both of these contexts, thereby leading to a better understanding of how mechanical forces influence biological systems at the cellular and tissue levels. Here, we discussed how biosensors and mechanobiological research can be coupled to develop accurate, physiologically relevant 3D tissue models to study tissue development, function, malfunction in disease, and avenues for disease intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Sulaiman Yousafzai
- Cell and Developmental Biology Center, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - John A. Hammer
- Cell and Developmental Biology Center, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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6
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Canat A, Atilla D, Torres‐Padilla M. Hyperosmotic stress induces 2-cell-like cells through ROS and ATR signaling. EMBO Rep 2023; 24:e56194. [PMID: 37432066 PMCID: PMC10481651 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202256194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) display pluripotency features characteristic of the inner cell mass of the blastocyst. Mouse embryonic stem cell cultures are highly heterogeneous and include a rare population of cells, which recapitulate characteristics of the 2-cell embryo, referred to as 2-cell-like cells (2CLCs). Whether and how ESC and 2CLC respond to environmental cues has not been fully elucidated. Here, we investigate the impact of mechanical stress on the reprogramming of ESC to 2CLC. We show that hyperosmotic stress induces 2CLC and that this induction can occur even after a recovery time from hyperosmotic stress, suggesting a memory response. Hyperosmotic stress in ESCs leads to accumulation of reactive-oxygen species (ROS) and ATR checkpoint activation. Importantly, preventing either elevated ROS levels or ATR activation impairs hyperosmotic-mediated 2CLC induction. We further show that ROS generation and the ATR checkpoint act within the same molecular pathway in response to hyperosmotic stress to induce 2CLCs. Altogether, these results shed light on the response of ESC to mechanical stress and on our understanding of 2CLC reprogramming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Canat
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells (IES)Helmholtz Zentrum MünchenMünchenGermany
| | - Derya Atilla
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells (IES)Helmholtz Zentrum MünchenMünchenGermany
| | - Maria‐Elena Torres‐Padilla
- Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells (IES)Helmholtz Zentrum MünchenMünchenGermany
- Faculty of BiologyLudwig‐Maximilians UniversitätMünchenGermany
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7
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Koushki N, Ghagre A, Srivastava LK, Molter C, Ehrlicher AJ. Nuclear compression regulates YAP spatiotemporal fluctuations in living cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2301285120. [PMID: 37399392 PMCID: PMC10334804 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2301285120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a key mechanotransduction protein in diverse physiological and pathological processes; however, a ubiquitous YAP activity regulatory mechanism in living cells has remained elusive. Here, we show that YAP nuclear translocation is highly dynamic during cell movement and is driven by nuclear compression arising from cell contractile work. We resolve the mechanistic role of cytoskeletal contractility in nuclear compression by manipulation of nuclear mechanics. Disrupting the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton complex reduces nuclear compression for a given contractility and correspondingly decreases YAP localization. Conversely, decreasing nuclear stiffness via silencing of lamin A/C increases nuclear compression and YAP nuclear localization. Finally, using osmotic pressure, we demonstrated that nuclear compression even without active myosin or filamentous actin regulates YAP localization. The relationship between nuclear compression and YAP localization captures a universal mechanism for YAP regulation with broad implications in health and biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Newsha Koushki
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 0E9, Canada
| | - Ajinkya Ghagre
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 0E9, Canada
| | | | - Clayton Molter
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 0E9, Canada
| | - Allen J. Ehrlicher
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 0E9, Canada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 0C7, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 2B4, Canada
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 0C3, Canada
- Centre for Structural Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3G 0B1, Canada
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 1A3, Canada
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8
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Sutton AA, Molter CW, Amini A, Idicula J, Furman M, Tirgar P, Tao Y, Ghagre A, Koushki N, Khavari A, Ehrlicher AJ. Cell monolayer deformation microscopy reveals mechanical fragility of cell monolayers following EMT. Biophys J 2022; 121:629-643. [PMID: 34999131 PMCID: PMC8873957 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tissue and cell mechanics are crucial factors in maintaining homeostasis and in development, with aberrant mechanics contributing to many diseases. During the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a highly conserved cellular program in organismal development and cancer metastasis, cells gain the ability to detach from their original location and autonomously migrate. While a great deal of biochemical and biophysical changes at the single-cell level have been revealed, how the physical properties of multicellular assemblies change during EMT, and how this may affect disease progression, is unknown. Here we introduce cell monolayer deformation microscopy (CMDM), a new methodology to measure the planar mechanical properties of cell monolayers by locally applying strain and measuring their resistance to deformation. We employ this new method to characterize epithelial multicellular mechanics at early and late stages of EMT, finding the epithelial monolayers to be relatively compliant, ductile, and mechanically homogeneous. By comparison, the transformed mesenchymal monolayers, while much stiffer, were also more brittle, mechanically heterogeneous, displayed more viscoelastic creep, and showed sharp yield points at significantly lower strains. Here, CMDM measurements identify specific biophysical functional states of EMT and offer insight into how cell aggregates fragment under mechanical stress. This mechanical fingerprinting of multicellular assemblies using new quantitative metrics may also offer new diagnostic applications in healthcare to characterize multicellular mechanical changes in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy A. Sutton
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Clayton W. Molter
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ali Amini
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Johanan Idicula
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Max Furman
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Pouria Tirgar
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yuanyuan Tao
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ajinkya Ghagre
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Newsha Koushki
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Adele Khavari
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Allen J. Ehrlicher
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Centre for Structural Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Goodman Cancer Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Corresponding author
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9
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Cell3: a new vision for study of the endomembrane system in mammalian cells. Biosci Rep 2021; 41:230388. [PMID: 34874399 PMCID: PMC8655501 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20210850c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The endomembrane system of mammalian cells provides massive capacity for the segregation of biochemical reactions into discrete locations. The individual organelles of the endomembrane system also require the ability to precisely transport material between these compartments in order to maintain cell homeostasis; this process is termed membrane traffic. For several decades, researchers have been systematically identifying and dissecting the molecular machinery that governs membrane trafficking pathways, with the overwhelming majority of these studies being carried out in cultured cells growing as monolayers. In recent years, a number of methodological innovations have provided the opportunity for cultured cells to be grown as 3-dimensional (3D) assemblies, for example as spheroids and organoids. These structures have the potential to better replicate the cellular environment found in tissues and present an exciting new opportunity for the study of cell function. In this mini-review, we summarize the main methods used to generate 3D cell models and highlight emerging studies that have started to use these models to study basic cellular processes. We also describe a number of pieces of work that potentially provide the basis for adaptation for deeper study of how membrane traffic is coordinated in multicellular assemblies. Finally, we comment on some of the technological challenges that still need to be overcome if 3D cell biology is to become a mainstream tool toward deepening our understanding of the endomembrane system in mammalian cells.
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10
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Hobson CM, Falvo MR, Superfine R. A survey of physical methods for studying nuclear mechanics and mechanobiology. APL Bioeng 2021; 5:041508. [PMID: 34849443 PMCID: PMC8604565 DOI: 10.1063/5.0068126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
It is increasingly appreciated that the cell nucleus is not only a home for DNA but also a complex material that resists physical deformations and dynamically responds to external mechanical cues. The molecules that confer mechanical properties to nuclei certainly contribute to laminopathies and possibly contribute to cellular mechanotransduction and physical processes in cancer such as metastasis. Studying nuclear mechanics and the downstream biochemical consequences or their modulation requires a suite of complex assays for applying, measuring, and visualizing mechanical forces across diverse length, time, and force scales. Here, we review the current methods in nuclear mechanics and mechanobiology, placing specific emphasis on each of their unique advantages and limitations. Furthermore, we explore important considerations in selecting a new methodology as are demonstrated by recent examples from the literature. We conclude by providing an outlook on the development of new methods and the judicious use of the current techniques for continued exploration into the role of nuclear mechanobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael R. Falvo
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
| | - Richard Superfine
- Department of Applied Physical Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
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11
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Kang W, Ferruzzi J, Spatarelu CP, Han YL, Sharma Y, Koehler SA, Mitchel JA, Khan A, Butler JP, Roblyer D, Zaman MH, Park JA, Guo M, Chen Z, Pegoraro AF, Fredberg JJ. A novel jamming phase diagram links tumor invasion to non-equilibrium phase separation. iScience 2021; 24:103252. [PMID: 34755092 PMCID: PMC8564056 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established that the early malignant tumor invades surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) in a manner that depends upon material properties of constituent cells, surrounding ECM, and their interactions. Recent studies have established the capacity of the invading tumor spheroids to evolve into coexistent solid-like, fluid-like, and gas-like phases. Using breast cancer cell lines invading into engineered ECM, here we show that the spheroid interior develops spatial and temporal heterogeneities in material phase which, depending upon cell type and matrix density, ultimately result in a variety of phase separation patterns at the invasive front. Using a computational approach, we further show that these patterns are captured by a novel jamming phase diagram. We suggest that non-equilibrium phase separation based upon jamming and unjamming transitions may provide a unifying physical picture to describe cellular migratory dynamics within, and invasion from, a tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenying Kang
- Department of Environmental Science, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jacopo Ferruzzi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | | | - Yu Long Han
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Yasha Sharma
- Department of Environmental Science, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Stephan A. Koehler
- Department of Environmental Science, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jennifer A. Mitchel
- Department of Environmental Science, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Adil Khan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA
| | - James P. Butler
- Department of Environmental Science, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Darren Roblyer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Muhammad H. Zaman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jin-Ah Park
- Department of Environmental Science, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ming Guo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Zi Chen
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey J. Fredberg
- Department of Environmental Science, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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12
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Boghdady CM, Kalashnikov N, Mok S, McCaffrey L, Moraes C. Revisiting tissue tensegrity: Biomaterial-based approaches to measure forces across length scales. APL Bioeng 2021; 5:041501. [PMID: 34632250 PMCID: PMC8487350 DOI: 10.1063/5.0046093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-generated forces play a foundational role in tissue dynamics and homeostasis and are critically important in several biological processes, including cell migration, wound healing, morphogenesis, and cancer metastasis. Quantifying such forces in vivo is technically challenging and requires novel strategies that capture mechanical information across molecular, cellular, and tissue length scales, while allowing these studies to be performed in physiologically realistic biological models. Advanced biomaterials can be designed to non-destructively measure these stresses in vitro, and here, we review mechanical characterizations and force-sensing biomaterial-based technologies to provide insight into the mechanical nature of tissue processes. We specifically and uniquely focus on the use of these techniques to identify characteristics of cell and tissue “tensegrity:” the hierarchical and modular interplay between tension and compression that provide biological tissues with remarkable mechanical properties and behaviors. Based on these observed patterns, we highlight and discuss the emerging role of tensegrity at multiple length scales in tissue dynamics from homeostasis, to morphogenesis, to pathological dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nikita Kalashnikov
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3A 0C5, Canada
| | - Stephanie Mok
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3A 0C5, Canada
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13
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Srivastava LK, Ju Z, Ghagre A, Ehrlicher AJ. Spatial distribution of lamin A/C determines nuclear stiffness and stress-mediated deformation. J Cell Sci 2021; 134:268336. [PMID: 34028539 PMCID: PMC8186481 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.248559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
While diverse cellular components have been identified as mechanotransduction elements, the deformation of the nucleus itself is a critical mechanosensory mechanism, implying that nuclear stiffness is essential in determining responses to intracellular and extracellular stresses. Although the nuclear membrane protein lamin A/C is known to contribute to nuclear stiffness, bulk moduli of nuclei have not been reported for various levels of lamin A/C. Here, we measure the nuclear bulk moduli as a function of lamin A/C expression and applied osmotic stress, revealing a linear dependence within the range of 2-4 MPa. We also find that the nuclear compression is anisotropic, with the vertical axis of the nucleus being more compliant than the minor and major axes in the substrate plane. We then related the spatial distribution of lamin A/C with submicron 3D nuclear envelope deformation, revealing that local areas of the nuclear envelope with higher density of lamin A/C have correspondingly lower local deformations. These findings describe the complex dispersion of nuclear deformations as a function of lamin A/C expression and distribution, implicating a lamin A/C role in mechanotransduction. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zhaoping Ju
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal H3A 0C7, Canada
| | - Ajinkya Ghagre
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal H3A 0E9
| | - Allen J Ehrlicher
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal H3A 0E9.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal H3A 0C7, Canada.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal H3A 2B4, Canada.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal H3A 0C3.,Centre for Structural Biology, McGill University, Montreal H3G 0B1, Canada.,Goodman Cancer Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal H3A 1A3, Canada
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14
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Ort C, Chen Y, Ghagre A, Ehrlicher A, Moraes C. Bioprintable, Stiffness-Tunable Collagen-Alginate Microgels for Increased Throughput 3D Cell Culture Studies. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2021; 7:2814-2822. [PMID: 34019377 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
3D culture platforms with tunable stiffness have the potential to improve many applications, such as drug discovery, organoid studies, and stem cell differentiation. Both dimensionality and stiffness regulate crucial and relevant cellular processes. However, 3D culture models are often limited in throughput and difficult to adopt for widespread use. Here, we demonstrate an accessible 3D, stiffness-tunable tissue culture platform, based on an interpenetrating network of collagen-1 and alginate. When blended with polymers that induce phase separation, these networks can be bioprinted at microliter volumes, using standard liquid handling infrastructure. We demonstrate robust reproducibility in printing these microgels, consistent tunability of mechanical properties, and maintained viability of multiple printed cell types. To highlight the utility and importance of this system, we demonstrate distinct morphological changes to cells in culture, use the system to probe the role of matrix mechanics and soluble factors in a collagen contraction assay, and perform a prototype viability screen against a candidate chemotherapeutic, demonstrating stiffness-dependent responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carley Ort
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 rue University, Montreal H3A 0G4, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yimai Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 rue University, Montreal H3A 0G4, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ajinkya Ghagre
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, 817 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal H3A 2K6, Quebec, Canada
| | - Allen Ehrlicher
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, 3775 rue University, Montreal H3A 2B4, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, 817 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal H3A 2K6, Quebec, Canada.,Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Center, McGill University, Montreal H3A 1A3, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal H3A 0C7, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal H3A 0C3, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christopher Moraes
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 rue University, Montreal H3A 0G4, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, 3775 rue University, Montreal H3A 2B4, Quebec, Canada.,Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Center, McGill University, Montreal H3A 1A3, Quebec, Canada
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15
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Fuentes-Chandía M, Vierling A, Kappelmann-Fenzl M, Monavari M, Letort G, Höne L, Parma B, Antara SK, Ertekin Ö, Palmisano R, Dong M, Böpple K, Boccaccini AR, Ceppi P, Bosserhoff AK, Leal-Egaña A. 3D Spheroids Versus 3D Tumor-Like Microcapsules: Confinement and Mechanical Stress May Lead to the Expression of Malignant Responses in Cancer Cells. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2021; 5:e2000349. [PMID: 33960743 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202000349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
As 2D surfaces fail to resemble the tumoral milieu, current discussions are focused on which 3D cell culture strategy may better lead the cells to express in vitro most of the malignant hints described in vivo. In this study, this question is assessed by analyzing the full genetic profile of MCF7 cells cultured either as 3D spheroids-considered as "gold standard" for in vitro cancer research- or immobilized in 3D tumor-like microcapsules, by RNA-Seq and transcriptomic methods, allowing to discriminate at big-data scale, which in vitro strategy can better resemble most of the malignant features described in neoplastic diseases. The results clearly show that mechanical stress, rather than 3D morphology only, stimulates most of the biological processes involved in cancer pathogenicity, such as cytoskeletal organization, migration, and stemness. Furthermore, cells entrapped in hydrogel-based scaffolds are likely expressing other physiological hints described in malignancy, such as the upregulated expression of metalloproteinases or the resistance to anticancer drugs, among others. According to the knowledge, this study represents the first attempt to answer which 3D experimental system can better mimic the neoplastic architecture in vitro, emphasizing the relevance of confinement in cancer pathogenicity, which can be easily achieved by using hydrogel-based matrices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Fuentes-Chandía
- Institute of Biomaterials, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 6, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vierling
- Institute of Biomaterials, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 6, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Melanie Kappelmann-Fenzl
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Fahrstraße 17, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.,Faculty of Applied Informatics, University of Applied Science Deggendorf, 94469, Deggendorf, Germany
| | - Mahshid Monavari
- Institute of Biomaterials, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 6, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Gaelle Letort
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France UMR7241/U1050. 11, place Marcelin Berthelot, Paris Cedex 05, 75231, France
| | - Lucas Höne
- Institute of Biomaterials, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 6, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Beatrice Parma
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF), Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Glueckstraße 6, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sharmin Khan Antara
- Institute of Biomaterials, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 6, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Özlem Ertekin
- Institute of Biomaterials, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 6, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ralph Palmisano
- Optical Imaging Centre Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 3, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Meng Dong
- Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch-Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and University of Tübingen, Auerbachstraße 112, 70376, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Kathrin Böpple
- Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch-Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and University of Tübingen, Auerbachstraße 112, 70376, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Aldo R Boccaccini
- Institute of Biomaterials, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 6, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Paolo Ceppi
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF), Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Glueckstraße 6, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, Odense M, DK-5230, Denmark
| | - Anja K Bosserhoff
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Fahrstraße 17, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Aldo Leal-Egaña
- Institute of Biomaterials, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 6, 91058, Erlangen, Germany.,Institute for Molecular Systems Engineering, Heidelberg University, In Neuenheimer Feld 253, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
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