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Juang TD, Riendeau J, Geiger PG, Datta R, Lares M, Yada RC, Singh AM, Seroogy CM, Gern JE, Skala MC, Beebe DJ, Kerr SC. Micro blood analysis technology (μBAT): multiplexed analysis of neutrophil phenotype and function from microliter whole blood samples. LAB ON A CHIP 2024. [PMID: 39104301 DOI: 10.1039/d4lc00333k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
There is an ongoing need to do more with less and provide highly multiplexed analysis from limited sample volumes. Improved "sample sparing" assays would have a broad impact across pediatric and other rare sample type studies in addition to enabling sequential sampling. This capability would advance both clinical and basic research applications. Here we report the micro blood analysis technology (μBAT), a microfluidic platform that supports multiplexed analysis of neutrophils from a single drop of blood. We demonstrate the multiplexed orthogonal capabilities of μBAT including functional assays (phagocytosis, neutrophil extracellular traps, optical metabolic imaging) and molecular assays (gene expression, cytokine secretion). Importantly we validate our microscale platform using a macroscale benchmark assay. μBAT is compatible with lancet puncture or microdraw devices, and its design facilitates rapid operations without the need for specialized equipment. μBAT offers a new method for investigating neutrophil function in populations with restricted sample amounts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry D Juang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
| | | | - Peter G Geiger
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Rupsa Datta
- Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Marcos Lares
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Ravi Chandra Yada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Anne Marie Singh
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI, USA
| | - Christine M Seroogy
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI, USA
| | - James E Gern
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI, USA
| | - Melissa C Skala
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI, USA.
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - David J Beebe
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Sheena C Kerr
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
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Shao S, Delk NA, Jones CN. A microphysiological system reveals neutrophil contact-dependent attenuation of pancreatic tumor progression by CXCR2 inhibition-based immunotherapy. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14142. [PMID: 38898176 PMCID: PMC11187156 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64780-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells recruit neutrophils from the bloodstream into the tumor tissue, where these immune cells promote the progression of numerous solid tumors. Studies in mice suggest that blocking neutrophil recruitment to tumors by inhibition of neutrophil chemokine receptor CXCR2 could be a potential immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer. Yet, the mechanisms by which neutrophils promote tumor progression in humans, as well as how CXCR2 inhibition could potentially serve as a cancer therapy, remain elusive. In this study, we developed a human cell-based microphysiological system to quantify neutrophil-tumor spheroid interactions in both "separated" and "contact" scenarios. We found that neutrophils promote the invasion of tumor spheroids through the secretion of soluble factors and direct contact with cancer cells. However, they promote the proliferation of tumor spheroids solely through direct contact. Interestingly, treatment with AZD-5069, a CXCR2 inhibitor, attenuates invasion and proliferation of tumor spheroids by blocking direct contact with neutrophils. Our findings also show that CXCR2 inhibition reduces neutrophil migration toward tumor spheroids. These results shed new light on the tumor-promoting mechanisms of human neutrophils and the tumor-suppressive mechanisms of CXCR2 inhibition in pancreatic cancer and may aid in the design and optimization of novel immunotherapeutic strategies based on neutrophils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Shao
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75235, USA
| | - Nikki A Delk
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Caroline N Jones
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75235, USA.
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3
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Liu D, Langston JC, Prabhakarpandian B, Kiani MF, Kilpatrick LE. The critical role of neutrophil-endothelial cell interactions in sepsis: new synergistic approaches employing organ-on-chip, omics, immune cell phenotyping and in silico modeling to identify new therapeutics. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 13:1274842. [PMID: 38259971 PMCID: PMC10800980 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1274842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Sepsis is a global health concern accounting for more than 1 in 5 deaths worldwide. Sepsis is now defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Sepsis can develop from bacterial (gram negative or gram positive), fungal or viral (such as COVID) infections. However, therapeutics developed in animal models and traditional in vitro sepsis models have had little success in clinical trials, as these models have failed to fully replicate the underlying pathophysiology and heterogeneity of the disease. The current understanding is that the host response to sepsis is highly diverse among patients, and this heterogeneity impacts immune function and response to infection. Phenotyping immune function and classifying sepsis patients into specific endotypes is needed to develop a personalized treatment approach. Neutrophil-endothelium interactions play a critical role in sepsis progression, and increased neutrophil influx and endothelial barrier disruption have important roles in the early course of organ damage. Understanding the mechanism of neutrophil-endothelium interactions and how immune function impacts this interaction can help us better manage the disease and lead to the discovery of new diagnostic and prognosis tools for effective treatments. In this review, we will discuss the latest research exploring how in silico modeling of a synergistic combination of new organ-on-chip models incorporating human cells/tissue, omics analysis and clinical data from sepsis patients will allow us to identify relevant signaling pathways and characterize specific immune phenotypes in patients. Emerging technologies such as machine learning can then be leveraged to identify druggable therapeutic targets and relate them to immune phenotypes and underlying infectious agents. This synergistic approach can lead to the development of new therapeutics and the identification of FDA approved drugs that can be repurposed for the treatment of sepsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Liu
- Department of Bioengineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Jordan C. Langston
- Department of Bioengineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Mohammad F. Kiani
- Department of Bioengineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Laurie E. Kilpatrick
- Center for Inflammation and Lung Research, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Inflammation, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Babatunde KA, Datta R, Hendrikse NW, Ayuso JM, Huttenlocher A, Skala MC, Beebe DJ, Kerr SC. Naive primary neutrophils play a dual role in the tumor microenvironment. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.09.15.557892. [PMID: 37745595 PMCID: PMC10515919 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.15.557892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is characterized by a network of cancer cells, recruited immune cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) in a hypoxic microenvironment. However, the specific role of neutrophils during tumor development, and their interactions with other immune cells is still not well understood. Thus, there is a need to investigate the interaction between primary neutrophils and natural killer cells and the resulting effects on tumor development. Here we use both standard well plate culture and an under oil microfluidic (UOM) assay with an integrated extracellular cell matrix (ECM) bridge to elucidate how naive primary neutrophils respond to both patient derived tumor cells and tumor cell lines. Our data demonstrated that both patient derived head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) tumor cells and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells trigger cluster formation in neutrophils, and the swarm of neutrophils restricts tumor invasion through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and neutrophil extracellular trap (NETs) release within the neutrophil cluster. However, we also observed that the presence of neutrophils downregulates granzyme B in NK-92 cells and the resulting NETs can obstruct NK cells from penetrating the tumor mass in vitro suggesting a dual role for neutrophils in the TME. Further, using label-free optical metabolic imaging (OMI) we observed changes in the metabolic activities of primary neutrophils during the different swarming phases when challenged with tumor cells. Finally, our data demonstrates that neutrophils in direct contact, or in close proximity, with tumor cells exhibit greater metabolic activities (lower nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAD(P)H) mean lifetime) compared to non-contact neutrophils.
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Li W, Tang T, Yao S, Zhong S, Fan Q, Zou T. Low-dose Lipopolysaccharide Alleviates Spinal Cord Injury-induced Neuronal Inflammation by Inhibiting microRNA-429-mediated Suppression of PI3K/AKT/Nrf2 Signaling. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:294-307. [PMID: 37605094 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03483-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of low-dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on spinal cord injury (SCI) and the potential molecular mechanism. Rats were randomly assigned to four groups: Sham, SCI, SCI + LPS, and SCI + LPS + agomir. Allen's weight-drop method was used to establish an in vivo SCI model. The Basso Bcattie Bresnahan rating scale was employed to monitor locomotor function. An in vitro SCI model was constructed by subjecting PC12 cells to oxygen and glucose deprivation/ reoxygenation (OGD/R). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was applied for the determination interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6. The dual luciferase reporter assay was used to validate the targeting of microRNA (miR)-429 with PI3K. Immunohistochemical staining was used to assess the expression of PI3K, phosphorylated AKT and Nrf2 proteins. The Nrf2-downstream anti-oxidative stress proteins, OH-1 and NQO1, were detected by western blot assay. MiR-429 expression was detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization and real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR. In vitro, low-dose LPS decreased miR-429 expression, activated PI3K/AKT/Nrf2, inhibited oxidative stress and inflammation, and attenuated SCI. MiR-429 was found to target and negatively regulate PI3K. Inhibition of miR-429 suppressed low-dose LPS-mediated oxidative stress and inflammation via activation of the PI3K/AKT/Nrf2 pathway. In vivo, miR-429 was detectable in neurons. Inhibition of miR-429 blocked low-dose LPS-mediated oxidative stress and inflammation via activation of the PI3K/AKT/Nrf2 pathway. Overall, low-dose LPS was found to alleviate SCI-induced neuronal oxidative stress and inflammatory response by down-regulating miR-429 to activate the PI3K/AKT/Nrf2 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weichao Li
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan province, Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650032, China
- Faculty of Medical Science, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Digital Orthopaedics, Kunming, 650032, China
| | - Tao Tang
- Faculty of Medical Science, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Shaoping Yao
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan province, Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650032, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Digital Orthopaedics, Kunming, 650032, China
| | - Shixiao Zhong
- Faculty of Medical Science, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Qianbo Fan
- Faculty of Medical Science, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Tiannan Zou
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan province, Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650032, China.
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Digital Orthopaedics, Kunming, 650032, China.
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Lundgren SM, Rocha-Gregg BL, Akdoǧan E, Mysore MN, Hayes S, Collins SR. Signaling dynamics distinguish high- and low-priority neutrophil chemoattractant receptors. Sci Signal 2023; 16:eadd1845. [PMID: 37788324 PMCID: PMC10680494 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.add1845] [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: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Human neutrophils respond to multiple chemoattractants to guide their migration from the vasculature to sites of infection and injury, where they clear pathogens and amplify inflammation. To properly focus their responses during this complex navigation, neutrophils prioritize pathogen- and injury-derived signals over long-range inflammatory signals, such as the leukotriene LTB4, secreted by host cells. Different chemoattractants can also drive qualitatively different modes of migration even though their receptors couple to the same Gαi family of G proteins. Here, we used live-cell imaging to demonstrate that the responses differed in their signaling dynamics. Low-priority chemoattractants caused transient responses, whereas responses to high-priority chemoattractants were sustained. We observed this difference in both primary neutrophils and differentiated HL-60 cells, for downstream signaling mediated by Ca2+, a major regulator of secretion, and Cdc42, a primary regulator of polarity and cell steering. The rapid attenuation of Cdc42 activation in response to LTB4 depended on the phosphorylation sites Thr308 and Ser310 in the carboxyl-terminal tail of its receptor LTB4R in a manner independent of endocytosis. Mutation of these residues to alanine impaired chemoattractant prioritization, although it did not affect chemoattractant-dependent differences in migration persistence. Our results indicate that distinct temporal regulation of shared signaling pathways distinguishes between receptors and contributes to chemoattractant prioritization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan M. Lundgren
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Briana L. Rocha-Gregg
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Emel Akdoǧan
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Maya N. Mysore
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Samantha Hayes
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Sean R. Collins
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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7
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Reyes-Ramos CA, Ramírez-Jirano LJ, Bitzer-Quintero OK, Vázquez-Medina JP, Gaxiola-Robles R, Zenteno-Savín T. Dolphin leukocytes exhibit an attenuated cytokine response and increase heme oxygenase activity upon exposure to lipopolysaccharides. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2023; 281:111438. [PMID: 37119961 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
Cetaceans exhibit physiological adaptations that allowed the transition to aquatic life, including a robust antioxidant defense system that prevents injury from repeated exposure to ischemia/reperfusion events associated with breath-hold diving. The signaling cascades that characterize ischemic inflammation in humans are well characterized. In contrast, cetaceans' molecular and biochemical mechanisms that confer tolerance to inflammatory events are poorly understood. Heme oxygenase (HO) is a cytoprotective protein with anti-inflammatory properties. HO catalyzes the first step in the oxidative degradation of heme. The inducible HO-1 isoform is regulated by various stimuli, including hypoxia, oxidant stress, and inflammatory cytokines. The objective of this study was to compare the response of HO-1 and cytokines to a proinflammatory challenge in leukocytes isolated from humans and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). We measured changes in HO activity and expression, and abundance and expression of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1) in leukocytes treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 24 and 48 h. HO activity increased (p < 0.05) in dolphin (48 h) but not human cells. TNF-α expression increased in human (24 h, 48 h), but not dolphin cells following LPS stimulation. LPS-induced cytokine expression was lower in dolphin than in human leukocytes, suggesting a blunted cytokine response in bottlenose dolphin leukocytes treated with LPS. Results suggest species-specific regulation of inflammatory cytokines in leukocytes treated with LPS, which may lead to differential responses to a pro-inflammatory challenge between marine and terrestrial mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Reyes-Ramos
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Planeación Ambiental y Conservación, Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23096, Mexico
| | - Luis Javier Ramírez-Jirano
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Occidente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Sierra Mojada 800, Independencia Oriente, 44340 Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Oscar Kurt Bitzer-Quintero
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Occidente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Sierra Mojada 800, Independencia Oriente, 44340 Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - José Pablo Vázquez-Medina
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 3040 Valley Life Sciences Building #3140, Berkeley, CA 94720-3140, USA
| | - Ramón Gaxiola-Robles
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Planeación Ambiental y Conservación, Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23096, Mexico; Hospital General de Zona No.1, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, 5 de Febrero y Héroes de la Independencia, Centro, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23000, Mexico
| | - Tania Zenteno-Savín
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Planeación Ambiental y Conservación, Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23096, Mexico.
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Ellett F, Irimia D. Passive redirection filters minimize red blood cell contamination during neutrophil chemotaxis assays using whole blood. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:1879-1885. [PMID: 36857665 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00903j] [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
Neutrophils are the most numerous white blood cells and are the first to arrive at sites of inflammation and infection. Thus, neutrophil behavior provides a comprehensive biomarker for antimicrobial defenses. Several microfluidic tools have been developed to test neutrophil chemotaxis, phagocytosis, extrusion of extracellular traps, etc. Traditional tools rely on purified neutrophil samples, which require lengthy and expensive isolation procedures from large volumes of blood. In the absence of such isolation, visualizing neutrophils in blood is complicated by the overwhelming number of red blood cells (RBCs), which outnumber neutrophils by 1000 : 1. Recently, several microfluidic technologies have been designed to analyze neutrophils directly in blood, by separating neutrophils on selectin coated surfaces before the migration assay or blocking the advance of RBCs with the moving neutrophils. However, RBC contamination remains an issue, albeit with a reduced ratio, down to 1 : 1. Here, we present an RBC-debulking strategy for neutrophil assays based on microscale passive redirection filters (PRFs) that reduce RBC contamination down to as few as a 1 : 17 RBC to neutrophil ratio. We compare the performance of different PRF designs and measure changes in neutrophil chemotaxis velocity and directionality following immune stimulation of whole blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Ellett
- BioMEMS Resource Center, Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Daniel Irimia
- BioMEMS Resource Center, Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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9
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Shao N, Zhou Y, Yao J, Zhang P, Song Y, Zhang K, Han X, Wang B, Liu X. A Bidirectional Single-Cell Migration and Retrieval Chip for Quantitative Study of Dendritic Cell Migration. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2204544. [PMID: 36658690 PMCID: PMC10015900 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202204544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Dendritic cell (DC) migration is a fundamental step during execution of its adaptive immunity functions. Studying DC migration characteristics is critical for development of DC-dependent allergy treatments, vaccines, and cancer immunotherapies. Here, a microfluidics-based single-cell migration platform is described that enables high-throughput and precise bidirectional cell migration assays. It also allows selective retrieval of cell subpopulations that have different migratory potentials. Using this microfluidic platform, DC migration is investigated in response to different chemoattractants and inhibitors, quantitatively describe DC migration patterns and retrieve DC subpopulations of different migratory potentials for differential gene expression analysis. This platform opens an avenue for precise characterization of cell migration and potential discovery of therapeutic modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Shao
- Department of NanomedicineHouston Methodist Research InstituteHoustonTX77030USA
| | - Yufu Zhou
- Department of NanomedicineHouston Methodist Research InstituteHoustonTX77030USA
- The Third Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangsha410008P. R. China
| | - Jun Yao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular OncologyThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterHoustonTX77030USA
| | - Pengchao Zhang
- Department of NanomedicineHouston Methodist Research InstituteHoustonTX77030USA
- Present address:
Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and ProcessingSchool of Materials Science and EngineeringWuhan University of TechnologyWuhan430070P. R. China
| | - Yanni Song
- Department of NanomedicineHouston Methodist Research InstituteHoustonTX77030USA
- Department of Breast SurgeryHarbin Medical University Cancer HospitalHarbin150081P. R. China
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of NanomedicineHouston Methodist Research InstituteHoustonTX77030USA
| | - Xin Han
- Department of NanomedicineHouston Methodist Research InstituteHoustonTX77030USA
- Present address:
School of Medicine and Holistic Integrative MedicineNanjing University of Chinese MedicineNanjing210023P. R. China
| | - Bin Wang
- Department of GeneticsThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterHoustonTX77030USA
| | - Xuewu Liu
- Department of NanomedicineHouston Methodist Research InstituteHoustonTX77030USA
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10
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Wang K, Cao Q, Yang Q, Wei Q, Zhao J, Wang Y, Hou J, Song S. Study on the regulatory effect of leech peptide HE-D on macrophages in atherosclerosis by transcriptome sequencing. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 294:115380. [PMID: 35589020 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a serious threat to human health. Leeches are used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat cardiovascular diseases. HE-D is an active peptide extracted and isolated from leeches, which can inhibit the migration of RAW264.7 macrophages. AIM This study shows the effects of HE-D on macrophages in atherosclerosis and the mechanism of inhibition on the migration of macrophages based on transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq). MATERIALS AND METHODS The transwell method was used to detect the activity of HE-D in inhibiting the migration of macrophages. Macrophages were divided into control group, lipopolysaccharide group, and HE-D group. Samples were collected and RNA-Seq performed. The DEseq2 method detected significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs), GO and KEGG Pathway databases were used to analyze the functions and pathway enrichment of DEGs. Finally, qRT-PCR and Western blotting were used to verify the genes screened by RNA-Seq analyses. RESULTS Cell experiments showed that HE-D can inhibit the migration of RAW264.7 macrophages induced by LPS. DEseq2 analyses showed that there were 363 DEGs after HE-D administration in the result of RNA-Seq. The GO function of DEGs was significantly enriched in cell migration and inflammation, and the DEGs related to cell migration were significantly enriched in the NF-κB signaling pathway. qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses, showed that when compared with the LPS group, the related genes IKKα, IKKγ, TRAF6, TLR4, and TRAF5 in the NF-κB pathway were significantly down-regulated in the HE-D group. In addition, it was found that the inflammatory factors iNOS and TNF-α were significantly down-regulated, and Arg-1 and IL-10 were up-regulated. CONCLUSION HE-D can inhibit the migration of macrophages by inhibiting IKKα and IKKγ in the NF-κB signaling pathway, and promote the transformation of macrophages from M1to M2 subtypes. Therefore, HE-D can potentially be used as a drug for the treatment of atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Wang
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, China; Heping Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, 046000, China.
| | - Qi Cao
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, China.
| | - Qiong Yang
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, China.
| | - Qiang Wei
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, China.
| | - Jiarui Zhao
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, China.
| | - Yuan Wang
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, China.
| | - Junfeng Hou
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, China.
| | - Shuliang Song
- Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, China; Shandong University Weihai Research Institute of Industrial Technology, Weihai, 264209, China.
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11
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Nette F, Guerra de Souza AC, Laskay T, Ohms M, Dömer D, Drömann D, Rapoport DH. Method for simultaneous tracking of thousands of unlabeled cells within a transparent 3D matrix. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270456. [PMID: 35749549 PMCID: PMC9232129 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional tracking of cells is one of the most powerful methods to investigate multicellular phenomena, such as ontogenesis, tumor formation or wound healing. However, 3D tracking in a biological environment usually requires fluorescent labeling of the cells and elaborate equipment, such as automated light sheet or confocal microscopy. Here we present a simple method for 3D tracking large numbers of unlabeled cells in a collagen matrix. Using a small lensless imaging setup, consisting of an LED and a photo sensor only, we were able to simultaneously track ~3000 human neutrophil granulocytes in a collagen droplet within an unusually large field of view (>50 mm2) at a time resolution of 4 seconds and a spatial resolution of ~1.5 μm in xy- and ~30 μm in z-direction. The setup, which is small enough to fit into any conventional incubator, was used to investigate chemotaxis towards interleukin-8 (IL-8 or CXCL8) and N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP). The influence of varying stiffness and pore size of the embedding collagen matrix could also be quantified. Furthermore, we demonstrate our setup to be capable of telling apart healthy neutrophils from those where a condition of inflammation was (I) induced by exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and (II) caused by a pre-existing asthma condition. Over the course of our experiments we have tracked more than 420.000 cells. The large cell numbers increase statistical relevance to not only quantify cellular behavior in research, but to make it suitable for future diagnostic applications, too.
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Affiliation(s)
- Falk Nette
- Fraunhofer Research and Development Center for Marine and Cellular Biotechnology, Lübeck, Germany
| | | | - Tamás Laskay
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Mareike Ohms
- Research Department Virus Immunology, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Dömer
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Daniel Drömann
- Medical Clinic III Pneumology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Daniel Hans Rapoport
- Institute for Medical and Marine Biotechnology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
- * E-mail:
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12
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Paduthol G, Korma TS, Agrawal A, Paul D. Dynamic generation of power function gradient profiles in a universal microfluidic gradient generator by controlling the inlet flow rates. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:592-604. [PMID: 34985077 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00938a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We report a two-inlet universal microfluidic gradient generator capable of generating gradient profiles of the functional form xp in the same device by controlling only the inlet flow rates. We have developed an analytical model to predict the inlet flow rates needed to generate a user-specified gradient profile at the outlet. We have validated this model by performing both COMSOL simulations and experiments. Our experiments show an excellent match between the target functions (x0.33, x1, x2 and x3) and the gradient profiles generated in this device. Unlike the universal gradient generators reported earlier, our device does not require changing the positions of the internal barriers for each new gradient profile, thereby making it easier for the user to operate this device.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gauri Paduthol
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India.
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Teji Shenne Korma
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India.
| | - Amit Agrawal
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Debjani Paul
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India.
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13
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Ellett F, Marand AL, Irimia D. Multifactorial assessment of neutrophil chemotaxis efficiency from a drop of blood. J Leukoc Biol 2022; 111:1175-1184. [PMID: 35100458 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.3ma0122-378rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Following injury and infection, neutrophils are guided to the affected site by chemoattractants released from injured tissues and invading microbes. During this process (chemotaxis), neutrophils must integrate multiple chemical signals, while also responding to physical constraints and prioritizing their directional decisions to generate an efficient immune response. In some clinical conditions, human neutrophils appear to lose the ability to chemotax efficiently, which may contribute both directly and indirectly to disease pathology. Here, a range of microfluidic designs is utilized to test the sensitivity of chemotaxing neutrophils to various perturbations, including binary decision-making in the context of channels with different chemoattractant gradients, hydraulic resistance, and angle of approach. Neutrophil migration in long narrow channels and planar environments is measured. Conditions in which neutrophils are significantly more likely to choose paths with the steepest chemoattractant gradient and the most direct approach angle, and find that migration efficiency across planar chambers is inversely correlated with chamber diameter. By sequential measurement of neutrophil binary decision-making to different chemoattractant gradients, or chemotactic index in sequential planar environments, data supporting a model of biased random walk for neutrophil chemotaxis are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Ellett
- BioMEMS Resource Center, Division of Surgery, Innovation and Bioengineering, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Burns Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anika L Marand
- BioMEMS Resource Center, Division of Surgery, Innovation and Bioengineering, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Burns Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Daniel Irimia
- BioMEMS Resource Center, Division of Surgery, Innovation and Bioengineering, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Burns Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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14
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Babatunde KA, Ayuso JM, Kerr SC, Huttenlocher A, Beebe DJ. Microfluidic Systems to Study Neutrophil Forward and Reverse Migration. Front Immunol 2021; 12:781535. [PMID: 34899746 PMCID: PMC8653704 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.781535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
During infection, neutrophils are the most abundantly recruited innate immune cells at sites of infection, playing critical roles in the elimination of local infection and healing of the injury. Neutrophils are considered to be short-lived effector cells that undergo cell death at infection sites and in damaged tissues. However, recent in vitro and in vivo evidence suggests that neutrophil behavior is more complex and that they can migrate away from the inflammatory site back into the vasculature following the resolution of inflammation. Microfluidic devices have contributed to an improved understanding of the interaction and behavior of neutrophils ex vivo in 2D and 3D microenvironments. The role of reverse migration and its contribution to the resolution of inflammation remains unclear. In this review, we will provide a summary of the current applications of microfluidic devices to investigate neutrophil behavior and interactions with other immune cells with a focus on forward and reverse migration in neutrophils.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jose M Ayuso
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Sheena C Kerr
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States.,Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Anna Huttenlocher
- Departments of Pediatrics and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - David J Beebe
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States.,Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
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15
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Moarefian M, Davalos RV, Burton MD, Jones CN. Electrotaxis-on-Chip to Quantify Neutrophil Migration Towards Electrochemical Gradients. Front Immunol 2021; 12:674727. [PMID: 34421891 PMCID: PMC8379007 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.674727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Electric fields are generated in vivo in a variety of physiologic and pathologic settings, including wound healing and immune response to injuries to epithelial barriers (e.g. lung pneumocytes). Immune cells are known to migrate towards both chemical (chemotaxis), physical (mechanotaxis) and electric stimuli (electrotaxis). Electrotaxis is the guided migration of cells along electric fields, and has previously been reported in T-cells and cancer cells. However, there remains a need for engineering tools with high spatial and temporal resolution to quantify EF guided migration. Here we report the development of an electrotaxis-on-chip (ETOC) platform that enables the quantification of dHL-60 cell, a model neutrophil-like cell line, migration toward both electrical and chemoattractant gradients. Neutrophils are the most abundant white blood cells and set the stage for the magnitude of the immune response. Therefore, developing engineering tools to direct neutrophil migration patterns has applications in both infectious disease and inflammatory disorders. The ETOC developed in this study has embedded electrodes and four migration zones connected to a central cell-loading chamber with migration channels [10 µm X 10 µm]. This device enables both parallel and competing chemoattractant and electric fields. We use our novel ETOC platform to investigate dHL-60 cell migration in three biologically relevant conditions: 1) in a DC electric field; 2) parallel chemical gradient and electric fields; and 3) perpendicular chemical gradient and electric field. In this study we used differentiated leukemia cancer cells (dHL60 cells), an accepted model for human peripheral blood neutrophils. We first quantified effects of electric field intensities (0.4V/cm-1V/cm) on dHL-60 cell electrotaxis. Our results show optimal migration at 0.6 V/cm. In the second scenario, we tested whether it was possible to increase dHL-60 cell migration to a bacterial signal [N-formylated peptides (fMLP)] by adding a parallel electric field. Our results show that there was significant increase (6-fold increase) in dHL60 migration toward fMLP and cathode of DC electric field (0.6V/cm, n=4, p-value<0.005) vs. fMLP alone. Finally, we evaluated whether we could decrease or re-direct dHL-60 cell migration away from an inflammatory signal [leukotriene B4 (LTB4)]. The perpendicular electric field significantly decreased migration (2.9-fold decrease) of dHL60s toward LTB4vs. LTB4 alone. Our microfluidic device enabled us to quantify single-cell electrotaxis velocity (7.9 µm/min ± 3.6). The magnitude and direction of the electric field can be more precisely and quickly changed than most other guidance cues such as chemical cues in clinical investigation. A better understanding of EF guided cell migration will enable the development of new EF-based treatments to precisely direct immune cell migration for wound care, infection, and other inflammatory disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Moarefian
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Rafael V. Davalos
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Michael D. Burton
- Department of Neuroscience, Neuroimmunology and Behavior Group, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - Caroline N. Jones
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
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16
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Davis MM, Brock AM, DeHart TG, Boribong BP, Lee K, McClune ME, Chang Y, Cramer N, Liu J, Jones CN, Jutras BL. The peptidoglycan-associated protein NapA plays an important role in the envelope integrity and in the pathogenesis of the lyme disease spirochete. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009546. [PMID: 33984073 PMCID: PMC8118282 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial pathogen responsible for causing Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, is an atypical Gram-negative spirochete that is transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected Ixodes tick. In diderms, peptidoglycan (PG) is sandwiched between the inner and outer membrane of the cell envelope. In many other Gram-negative bacteria, PG is bound by protein(s), which provide both structural integrity and continuity between envelope layers. Here, we present evidence of a peptidoglycan-associated protein (PAP) in B. burgdorferi. Using an unbiased proteomics approach, we identified Neutrophil Attracting Protein A (NapA) as a PAP. Interestingly, NapA is a Dps homologue, which typically functions to bind and protect cellular DNA from damage during times of stress. While B. burgdorferi NapA is known to be involved in the oxidative stress response, it lacks the critical residues necessary for DNA binding. Biochemical and cellular studies demonstrate that NapA is localized to the B. burgdorferi periplasm and is indeed a PAP. Cryo-electron microscopy indicates that mutant bacteria, unable to produce NapA, have structural abnormalities. Defects in cell-wall integrity impact growth rate and cause the napA mutant to be more susceptible to osmotic and PG-specific stresses. NapA-linked PG is secreted in outer membrane vesicles and augments IL-17 production, relative to PG alone. Using microfluidics, we demonstrate that NapA acts as a molecular beacon-exacerbating the pathogenic properties of B. burgdorferi PG. These studies further our understanding of the B. burgdorferi cell envelope, provide critical information that underlies its pathogenesis, and highlight how a highly conserved bacterial protein can evolve mechanistically, while maintaining biological function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisela M. Davis
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Aaron M. Brock
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Tanner G. DeHart
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Brittany P. Boribong
- Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Katherine Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Mecaila E. McClune
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Yunjie Chang
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Nicholas Cramer
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Microbial Sciences Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Caroline N. Jones
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Brandon L. Jutras
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Fralin Life Sciences Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Center for Emerging, Zoonotic and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
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17
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Richardson IM, Calo CJ, Hind LE. Microphysiological Systems for Studying Cellular Crosstalk During the Neutrophil Response to Infection. Front Immunol 2021; 12:661537. [PMID: 33986752 PMCID: PMC8111168 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.661537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neutrophils are the primary responders to infection, rapidly migrating to sites of inflammation and clearing pathogens through a variety of antimicrobial functions. This response is controlled by a complex network of signals produced by vascular cells, tissue resident cells, other immune cells, and the pathogen itself. Despite significant efforts to understand how these signals are integrated into the neutrophil response, we still do not have a complete picture of the mechanisms regulating this process. This is in part due to the inherent disadvantages of the most-used experimental systems: in vitro systems lack the complexity of the tissue microenvironment and animal models do not accurately capture the human immune response. Advanced microfluidic devices incorporating relevant tissue architectures, cell-cell interactions, and live pathogen sources have been developed to overcome these challenges. In this review, we will discuss the in vitro models currently being used to study the neutrophil response to infection, specifically in the context of cell-cell interactions, and provide an overview of their findings. We will also provide recommendations for the future direction of the field and what important aspects of the infectious microenvironment are missing from the current models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Laurel E. Hind
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado – Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
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18
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Surendran V, Rutledge D, Colmon R, Chandrasekaran A. A novel tumor-immune microenvironment (TIME)-on-Chip mimics three dimensional neutrophil-tumor dynamics and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs)-mediated collective tumor invasion. Biofabrication 2021; 13:10.1088/1758-5090/abe1cf. [PMID: 33524968 PMCID: PMC8990531 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/abe1cf] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Neutrophils are the most abundant type of leukocytes in the blood, traditionally regarded as the first immune responders to infections and inflammations. In the context of tumors, neutrophils have been shown to possess both tumor-promoting and tumor-limiting properties. A better understanding of the inter-cellular dynamics between the neutrophils and aggregated tumors could possibly shed light on the different modalities of neutrophil involvement in tumor progression. To studyin-vitrothe interactional dynamics of neutrophils and growing tumor aggregates, in this work, we engineered a novel, microfluidics-integrated, three-dimensional (3D) tumor-immune microenvironment (TIME)-on-Chip device, and we investigated the effect of neutrophils on the inception of collective 3D invasion of ovarian tumor cells. Herein, tumor spheroids generated and cultured on hydrogel based multi-microwell plates, and embedded within collagen matrix of defined thickness, were magnetically hybrid-integrated with a 3D bioprinting enabled microfluidic system fabricated on a porous membrane and carrying neutrophils. This setting recreated a typical TIMEin-vitroto model dynamic neutrophil migration and 3D tumor invasion. Using this device, we observed that neutrophils respond to the growing tumor spheroids through both chemotaxis and generation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). The formation of NETs stimulated the reciprocation of tumor cells from their aggregated state to collectively invade into the surrounding collagen matrix, in a manner more significant compared to their response to known tumor-derived stimulants such as transforming growth factor and Interleukin- 8. This effect was reversed by drug-induced inhibition of NETs formation, suggesting that induction of NETs by cancer cells could be a pro-migratory tumor behavior. Further, we additionally report a previously unidentified, location-dictated mechanism of NETosis, in which NETs formation within the stromal extracellular collagen matrix around the spheroids, and not tumor-contacted NETs, is important for the induction of collective invasion of the ovarian tumor cells, thus providing a rationale for new anti-tumor therapeutics research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikram Surendran
- Bioinspired Microengineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical, Biological and Bio Engineering, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro 27411, United States of America
| | - Dylan Rutledge
- Bioinspired Microengineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical, Biological and Bio Engineering, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro 27411, United States of America
| | - Ramair Colmon
- Bioinspired Microengineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical, Biological and Bio Engineering, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro 27411, United States of America
| | - Arvind Chandrasekaran
- Bioinspired Microengineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical, Biological and Bio Engineering, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro 27411, United States of America
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19
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Ciupe SM, Boribong BP, Kadelka S, Jones CN. Bistable Mathematical Model of Neutrophil Migratory Patterns After LPS-Induced Epigenetic Reprogramming. Front Genet 2021; 12:633963. [PMID: 33708241 PMCID: PMC7940759 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.633963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The highly controlled migration of neutrophils toward the site of an infection can be altered when they are trained with lipopolysaccharides (LPS), with high dose LPS enhancing neutrophil migratory pattern toward the bacterial derived source signal and super-low dose LPS inducing either migration toward an intermediary signal or dysregulation and oscillatory movement. Empirical studies that use microfluidic chemotaxis-chip devices with two opposing chemoattractants showed differential neutrophil migration after challenge with different LPS doses. The epigenetic alterations responsible for changes in neutrophil migratory behavior are unknown. We developed two mathematical models that evaluate the mechanistic interactions responsible for neutrophil migratory decision-making when exposed to competing chemoattractants and challenged with LPS. The first model, which considers the interactions between the receptor densities of two competing chemoattractants, their kinases, and LPS, displayed bistability between high and low ratios of primary to intermediary chemoattractant receptor densities. In particular, at equilibrium, we observe equal receptor densities for low LPS (< 15ng/mL); and dominance of receptors for the primary chemoattractant for high LPS (> 15ng/mL). The second model, which included additional interactions with an extracellular signal-regulated kinase in both phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated forms, has an additional dynamic outcome, oscillatory dynamics for both receptors, as seen in the data. In particular, it found equal receptor densities in the absence of oscillation for super-low and high LPS challenge (< 0.4 and 1.1 376 ng/mL). Predicting the mechanisms and the type of external LPS challenge responsible for neutrophils migration toward pro-inflammatory chemoattractants, migration toward pro-tolerant chemoattractants, or oscillatory movement is necessary knowledge in designing interventions against immune diseases, such as sepsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanca M. Ciupe
- Department of Mathematics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Brittany P. Boribong
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sarah Kadelka
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Caroline N. Jones
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas, Dallas, TX, United States
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20
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Nadolni W, Immler R, Hoelting K, Fraticelli M, Ripphahn M, Rothmiller S, Matsushita M, Boekhoff I, Gudermann T, Sperandio M, Zierler S. TRPM7 Kinase Is Essential for Neutrophil Recruitment and Function via Regulation of Akt/mTOR Signaling. Front Immunol 2021; 11:606893. [PMID: 33658993 PMCID: PMC7917126 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.606893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
During inflammation, neutrophils are one of the first responding cells of innate immunity, contributing to a fast clearance of infection and return to homeostasis. However, excessive neutrophil infiltration accelerates unsolicited disproportionate inflammation for instance in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. The transient-receptor-potential channel-kinase TRPM7 is an essential regulator of immune system homeostasis. Naïve murine T cells with genetic inactivation of the TRPM7 enzyme, due to a point mutation at the active site, are unable to differentiate into pro-inflammatory T cells, whereas regulatory T cells develop normally. Moreover, TRPM7 is vital for lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced activation of murine macrophages. Within this study, we show that the channel-kinase TRPM7 is functionally expressed in neutrophils and has an important impact on neutrophil recruitment during inflammation. We find that human neutrophils cannot transmigrate along a CXCL8 chemokine gradient or produce reactive oxygen species in response to gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide LPS, if TRPM7 channel or kinase activity are blocked. Using a recently identified TRPM7 kinase inhibitor, TG100-115, as well as murine neutrophils with genetic ablation of the kinase activity, we confirm the importance of both TRPM7 channel and kinase function in murine neutrophil transmigration and unravel that TRPM7 kinase affects Akt1/mTOR signaling thereby regulating neutrophil transmigration and effector function. Hence, TRPM7 represents an interesting potential target to treat unwanted excessive neutrophil invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiebke Nadolni
- Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Roland Immler
- Walter Brendel Centre of Experimental Medicine, Biomedical Center, Institute of Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Kilian Hoelting
- Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Marco Fraticelli
- Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Myriam Ripphahn
- Walter Brendel Centre of Experimental Medicine, Biomedical Center, Institute of Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Simone Rothmiller
- Bundeswehr Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Munich, Germany
| | - Masayuki Matsushita
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Ingrid Boekhoff
- Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Gudermann
- Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Sperandio
- Walter Brendel Centre of Experimental Medicine, Biomedical Center, Institute of Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Susanna Zierler
- Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Institute of Pharmacology, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria
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21
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Yonker LM, Marand A, Muldur S, Hopke A, Leung HM, De La Flor D, Park G, Pinsky H, Guthrie LB, Tearney GJ, Irimia D, Hurley BP. Neutrophil dysfunction in cystic fibrosis. J Cyst Fibros 2021; 20:1062-1071. [PMID: 33589340 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcf.2021.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Excessive neutrophil inflammation is the hallmark of cystic fibrosis (CF) airway disease. Novel technologies for characterizing neutrophil dysfunction may provide insight into the nature of these abnormalities, revealing a greater mechanistic understanding and new avenues for CF therapies that target these mechanisms. METHODS Blood was collected from individuals with CF in the outpatient clinic, CF individuals hospitalized for a pulmonary exacerbation, and non-CF controls. Using microfluidic assays and advanced imaging technologies, we characterized 1) spontaneous neutrophil migration using microfluidic motility mazes, 2) neutrophil migration to and phagocytosis of Staphylococcal aureus particles in a microfluidic arena, 3) neutrophil swarming on Candida albicans clusters, and 4) Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced neutrophil transepithelial migration using micro-optical coherence technology (µOCT). RESULTS Participants included 44 individuals: 16 Outpatient CF, 13 Hospitalized CF, and 15 Non-CF individuals. While no differences were seen with spontaneous migration, CF neutrophils migrated towards S. aureus particles more quickly than non-CF neutrophils (p < 0.05). CF neutrophils, especially Hospitalized CF neutrophils, generated significantly larger aggregates around S. aureus particles over time. Hospitalized CF neutrophils were more likely to have dysfunctional swarming (p < 0.01) and less efficient clearing of C. albicans (p < 0.0001). When comparing trans-epithelial migration towards Pseudomonas aeruginosa epithelial infection, Outpatient CF neutrophils displayed an increase in the magnitude of transmigration and adherence to the epithelium (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Advanced technologies for characterizing CF neutrophil function reveal significantly altered migratory responses, cell-to-cell clustering, and microbe containment. Future investigations will probe mechanistic basis for abnormal responses in CF to identify potential avenues for novel anti-inflammatory therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lael M Yonker
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Pulmonary Division, Boston, MA, United States; Massachusetts General Hospital, Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard Medical School, Department of Pediatrics, Boston, MA, United States.
| | - Anika Marand
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Engineering in Medicine, Boston, MA, United States; Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sinan Muldur
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Engineering in Medicine, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard Medical School, Department of Surgery, Boston, MA, United States; Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Alex Hopke
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Engineering in Medicine, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard Medical School, Department of Surgery, Boston, MA, United States; Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Hui Min Leung
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard Medical School, Department of Dermatology, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Denis De La Flor
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Grace Park
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Pulmonary Division, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Hanna Pinsky
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Pulmonary Division, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lauren B Guthrie
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Pulmonary Division, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Guillermo J Tearney
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard Medical School, Department of Pathology, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard Medical School, Department of Dermatology, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Daniel Irimia
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Engineering in Medicine, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard Medical School, Department of Surgery, Boston, MA, United States; Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Bryan P Hurley
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard Medical School, Department of Pediatrics, Boston, MA, United States
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22
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Abdelhamid L, Cabana-Puig X, Mu Q, Moarefian M, Swartwout B, Eden K, Das P, Seguin RP, Xu L, Lowen S, Lavani M, Hrubec TC, Jones CN, Luo XM. Quaternary Ammonium Compound Disinfectants Reduce Lupus-Associated Splenomegaly by Targeting Neutrophil Migration and T-Cell Fate. Front Immunol 2020; 11:575179. [PMID: 33193366 PMCID: PMC7609861 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.575179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypersensitivity reactions and immune dysregulation have been reported with the use of quaternary ammonium compound disinfectants (QACs). We hypothesized that QAC exposure would exacerbate autoimmunity associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus). Surprisingly, however, we found that compared to QAC-free mice, ambient exposure of lupus-prone mice to QACs led to smaller spleens with no change in circulating autoantibodies or the severity of glomerulonephritis. This suggests that QACs may have immunosuppressive effects on lupus. Using a microfluidic device, we showed that ambient exposure to QACs reduced directional migration of bone marrow-derived neutrophils toward an inflammatory chemoattractant ex vivo. Consistent with this, we found decreased infiltration of neutrophils into the spleen. While bone marrow-derived neutrophils appeared to exhibit a pro-inflammatory profile, upregulated expression of PD-L1 was observed on neutrophils that infiltrated the spleen, which in turn interacted with PD-1 on T cells and modulated their fate. Specifically, QAC exposure hindered activation of splenic T cells and increased apoptosis of effector T-cell populations. Collectively, these results suggest that ambient QAC exposure decreases lupus-associated splenomegaly likely through neutrophil-mediated toning of T-cell activation and/or apoptosis. However, our findings also indicate that even ambient exposure could alter immune cell phenotypes, functions, and their fate. Further investigations on how QACs affect immunity under steady-state conditions are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Abdelhamid
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Xavier Cabana-Puig
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Qinghui Mu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
- School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Maryam Moarefian
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Brianna Swartwout
- Translational Biology, Medicine and Health Graduate Program, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA, United States
| | - Kristin Eden
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Prerna Das
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Ryan P. Seguin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Libin Xu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Sarah Lowen
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Virginia Campus, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Mital Lavani
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Virginia Campus, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Terry C. Hrubec
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Virginia Campus, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Caroline N. Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Xin M. Luo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
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23
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Abstract
Neutrophil chemotaxis plays a vital role in human immune system. Compared with traditional cell migration assays, the emergence of microfluidics provides a new research platform of cell chemotaxis study due to the advantages of visualization, precise control of chemical gradient, and small consumption of reagents. A series of microfluidic devices have been fabricated to study the behavior of neutrophils exposed on controlled, stable, and complex profiles of chemical concentration gradients. In addition, microfluidic technology offers a promising way to integrate the other functions, such as cell culture, separation and analysis into a single chip. Therefore, an overview of recent developments in microfluidic-based neutrophil chemotaxis studies is presented. Meanwhile, the strength and drawbacks of these devices are compared.
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