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Xiong Y, Li S, Zhang Y, Chen Q, Xing M, Zhang Y, Wang Q. MechanoBase: a comprehensive database for the mechanics of tissues and cells. Database (Oxford) 2024; 2024:baae040. [PMID: 38805752 PMCID: PMC11131424 DOI: 10.1093/database/baae040] [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: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Mechanical aspects of tissues and cells critically influence a myriad of biological processes and can substantially alter the course of diverse diseases. The emergence of diverse methodologies adapted from physical science now permits the precise quantification of the cellular forces and the mechanical properties of tissues and cells. Despite the rising interest in tissue and cellular mechanics across fields like biology, bioengineering and medicine, there remains a noticeable absence of a comprehensive and readily accessible repository of this pertinent information. To fill this gap, we present MechanoBase, a comprehensive tissue and cellular mechanics database, curating 57 480 records from 5634 PubMed articles. The records archived in MechanoBase encompass a range of mechanical properties and forces, such as modulus and tractions, which have been measured utilizing various technical approaches. These measurements span hundreds of biosamples across more than 400 species studied under diverse conditions. Aiming for broad applicability, we design MechanoBase with user-friendly search, browsing and data download features, making it a versatile tool for exploring biomechanical attributes in various biological contexts. Moreover, we add complementary resources, including the principles of popular techniques, the concepts of mechanobiology terms and the cellular and tissue-level expression of related genes, offering scientists unprecedented access to a wealth of knowledge in this field of research. Database URL: https://zhanglab-web.tongji.edu.cn/mechanobase/ and https://compbio-zhanglab.org/mechanobase/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhong Xiong
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Shiyu Li
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yuxuan Zhang
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Qianqian Chen
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Mengtan Xing
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
- Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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Liu S, Han Y, Kong L, Wang G, Ye Z. Atomic force microscopy in disease-related studies: Exploring tissue and cell mechanics. Microsc Res Tech 2024; 87:660-684. [PMID: 38063315 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.24471] [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: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Despite significant progress in human medicine, certain diseases remain challenging to promptly diagnose and treat. Hence, the imperative lies in the development of more exhaustive criteria and tools. Tissue and cellular mechanics exhibit distinctive traits in both normal and pathological states, suggesting that "force" represents a promising and distinctive target for disease diagnosis and treatment. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) holds great promise as a prospective clinical medical device due to its capability to concurrently assess surface morphology and mechanical characteristics of biological specimens within a physiological setting. This review presents a comprehensive examination of the operational principles of AFM and diverse mechanical models, focusing on its applications in investigating tissue and cellular mechanics associated with prevalent diseases. The findings from these studies lay a solid groundwork for potential clinical implementations of AFM. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: By examining the surface morphology and assessing tissue and cellular mechanics of biological specimens in a physiological setting, AFM shows promise as a clinical device to diagnose and treat challenging diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuaiyuan Liu
- Key Laboratory for Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Vascular Implants, Bioengineering College of Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yibo Han
- Key Laboratory for Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Vascular Implants, Bioengineering College of Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lingwen Kong
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Central Hospital of Chongqing University, Chongqing Emergency Medical Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Guixue Wang
- Key Laboratory for Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Vascular Implants, Bioengineering College of Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- JinFeng Laboratory, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhiyi Ye
- Key Laboratory for Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Vascular Implants, Bioengineering College of Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- JinFeng Laboratory, Chongqing, China
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Tang X, Zhang Y, Mao J, Wang Y, Zhang Z, Wang Z, Yang H. Effects of substrate stiffness on the viscoelasticity and migration of prostate cancer cells examined by atomic force microscopy. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 13:560-569. [PMID: 35860456 PMCID: PMC9263554 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.13.47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The stiffness of the extracellular matrix of tumour cells plays a key role in tumour cell metastasis. However, it is unclear how mechanical properties regulate the cellular response to the environmental matrix. In this study, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and laser confocal imaging were used to qualitatively evaluate the relationship between substrate stiffness and migration of prostate cancer (PCa) cells. Cells cultured on stiff substrates (35 kPa) undergone several interesting phenomena compared to those on soft substrates (3 kPa). Here, the stimulation generated by the stiff substrates triggered the F-actin skeleton to bundle its filaments, increasing the polarity index of the external contour of PCa cells. Analysis of AFM force-distance curves indicated that the elasticity of the cells cultured on 35 kPa substrates increased while the viscosity decreased. Wound-healing experiments showed that PCa cells cultured on 35 kPa substrates have higher migration potential. These phenomena suggested that the mechanical properties may be correlated with the migration of PCa cells. After actin depolymerisation, the elasticity of the PCa cells decreased while the viscosity increased, and the migration ability was correspondingly decreased. In conclusion, this study clearly demonstrated the relationship between substrate stiffness and the mechanical properties of cells in prostate tumour metastasis, providing a basis for understanding the changes in the biomechanical properties at a single-cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqiong Tang
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Photonics Technology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Photonics Technology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
| | - Jiangbing Mao
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Photonics Technology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
| | - Yuhua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Photonics Technology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
| | - Zhenghong Zhang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Developmental Biology and Neurosciences, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, China
| | - Zhengchao Wang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Developmental Biology and Neurosciences, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, China
| | - Hongqin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Photonics Technology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
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Silva PM, da Silva IV, Sarmento MJ, Silva ÍC, Carvalho FA, Soveral G, Santos NC. Aquaporin-3 and Aquaporin-5 Facilitate Migration and Cell-Cell Adhesion in Pancreatic Cancer by Modulating Cell Biomechanical Properties. Cells 2022; 11:1308. [PMID: 35455986 PMCID: PMC9030499 DOI: 10.3390/cells11081308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aquaporins are membrane channels responsible for the bidirectional transfer of water and small non-charged solutes across cell membranes. AQP3 and AQP5 are overexpressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, playing key roles in cell migration, proliferation, and invasion. Here, we evaluated AQP3 and AQP5 involvement in cell biomechanical properties, cell-cell adhesion, and cell migration, following a loss-of-function strategy on BxPC-3 cells. RESULTS Silencing of AQP3 and AQP5 was functionally validated by reduced membrane permeability and had implications on cell migration, slowing wound recovery. Moreover, silenced AQP5 and AQP3/5 cells showed higher membrane fluidity. Biomechanical and morphological changes were assessed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), revealing AQP5 and AQP3/5 silenced cells with a lower stiffness than their control. Through cell-cell adhesion measurements, the work (energy) necessary to detach two cells was found to be lower for AQP-silenced cells than control, showing that these AQPs have implications on cell-cell adhesion. CONCLUSION These findings highlight AQP3 and AQP5 involvement in the biophysical properties of cell membranes, whole cell biomechanical properties, and cell-cell adhesion, thus having potential implication in the settings of tumor development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia M. Silva
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal; (P.M.S.); (M.J.S.); (Í.C.S.); (F.A.C.)
| | - Inês V. da Silva
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria J. Sarmento
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal; (P.M.S.); (M.J.S.); (Í.C.S.); (F.A.C.)
| | - Ítala C. Silva
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal; (P.M.S.); (M.J.S.); (Í.C.S.); (F.A.C.)
| | - Filomena A. Carvalho
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal; (P.M.S.); (M.J.S.); (Í.C.S.); (F.A.C.)
| | - Graça Soveral
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Nuno C. Santos
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal; (P.M.S.); (M.J.S.); (Í.C.S.); (F.A.C.)
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