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Wang Z, Xie N, Liang X, Shu Q, Hong Y, Shi H, Wang J, Fan D, Liu N, Xu F. Gut mechanoimmunology: Shaping immune response through physical cues. Phys Life Rev 2024; 50:13-26. [PMID: 38821019 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2024.05.003] [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: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
The gut immune system embodies a complex interplay between the gut mucosal barrier, the host's immune cells, and gut microbiota. These components exist within a dynamic environment characterized by a variety of physical cues, e.g., compression, tension, shear stress, stiffness, and viscoelasticity. The physical cues can be modified under specific pathological conditions. Given their dynamic nature, comprehending the specific effects of these physical cues on the gut immune system is critical for pathological and therapeutic studies of intestinal immune-related diseases. This review aims to discuss how physical cues influence gut immunology by affecting the gut mucosal barrier, host immune cells, and gut microbiota, defining this concept as gut mechanoimmunology. This review seeks to highlight that an enhanced understanding of gut mechanoimmunology carries therapeutic implications, not only for intestinal diseases but also for extraintestinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwei Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ning Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiru Liang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Qiuai Shu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yijie Hong
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Haitao Shi
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jinhai Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Daiming Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal Cancers and National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Na Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hainan General Hospital (Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University), Haikou, China.
| | - Feng Xu
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
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Jeffreys N, Brockman JM, Zhai Y, Ingber DE, Mooney DJ. Mechanical forces amplify TCR mechanotransduction in T cell activation and function. APPLIED PHYSICS REVIEWS 2024; 11:011304. [PMID: 38434676 PMCID: PMC10848667 DOI: 10.1063/5.0166848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Adoptive T cell immunotherapies, including engineered T cell receptor (eTCR) and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell immunotherapies, have shown efficacy in treating a subset of hematologic malignancies, exhibit promise in solid tumors, and have many other potential applications, such as in fibrosis, autoimmunity, and regenerative medicine. While immunoengineering has focused on designing biomaterials to present biochemical cues to manipulate T cells ex vivo and in vivo, mechanical cues that regulate their biology have been largely underappreciated. This review highlights the contributions of mechanical force to several receptor-ligand interactions critical to T cell function, with central focus on the TCR-peptide-loaded major histocompatibility complex (pMHC). We then emphasize the role of mechanical forces in (i) allosteric strengthening of the TCR-pMHC interaction in amplifying ligand discrimination during T cell antigen recognition prior to activation and (ii) T cell interactions with the extracellular matrix. We then describe approaches to design eTCRs, CARs, and biomaterials to exploit TCR mechanosensitivity in order to potentiate T cell manufacturing and function in adoptive T cell immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yunhao Zhai
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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Mierke CT. Extracellular Matrix Cues Regulate Mechanosensing and Mechanotransduction of Cancer Cells. Cells 2024; 13:96. [PMID: 38201302 PMCID: PMC10777970 DOI: 10.3390/cells13010096] [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: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Extracellular biophysical properties have particular implications for a wide spectrum of cellular behaviors and functions, including growth, motility, differentiation, apoptosis, gene expression, cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion, and signal transduction including mechanotransduction. Cells not only react to unambiguously mechanical cues from the extracellular matrix (ECM), but can occasionally manipulate the mechanical features of the matrix in parallel with biological characteristics, thus interfering with downstream matrix-based cues in both physiological and pathological processes. Bidirectional interactions between cells and (bio)materials in vitro can alter cell phenotype and mechanotransduction, as well as ECM structure, intentionally or unintentionally. Interactions between cell and matrix mechanics in vivo are of particular importance in a variety of diseases, including primarily cancer. Stiffness values between normal and cancerous tissue can range between 500 Pa (soft) and 48 kPa (stiff), respectively. Even the shear flow can increase from 0.1-1 dyn/cm2 (normal tissue) to 1-10 dyn/cm2 (cancerous tissue). There are currently many new areas of activity in tumor research on various biological length scales, which are highlighted in this review. Moreover, the complexity of interactions between ECM and cancer cells is reduced to common features of different tumors and the characteristics are highlighted to identify the main pathways of interaction. This all contributes to the standardization of mechanotransduction models and approaches, which, ultimately, increases the understanding of the complex interaction. Finally, both the in vitro and in vivo effects of this mechanics-biology pairing have key insights and implications for clinical practice in tumor treatment and, consequently, clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Tanja Mierke
- Biological Physics Division, Peter Debye Institute of Soft Matter Physics, Faculty of Physics and Earth Science, Leipzig University, Linnéstraße 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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