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Martinez-Vidal L, Chighizola M, Berardi M, Alchera E, Locatelli I, Pederzoli F, Venegoni C, Lucianò R, Milani P, Bielawski K, Salonia A, Podestà A, Alfano M. Micro-mechanical fingerprints of the rat bladder change in actinic cystitis and tumor presence. Commun Biol 2023; 6:217. [PMID: 36823431 PMCID: PMC9950451 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04572-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissue mechanics determines tissue homeostasis, disease development and progression. Bladder strongly relies on its mechanical properties to perform its physiological function, but these are poorly unveiled under normal and pathological conditions. Here we characterize the mechanical fingerprints at the micro-scale level of the three tissue layers which compose the healthy bladder wall, and identify modifications associated with the onset and progression of pathological conditions (i.e., actinic cystitis and bladder cancer). We use two indentation-based instruments (an Atomic Force Microscope and a nanoindenter) and compare the micromechanical maps with a comprehensive histological analysis. We find that the healthy bladder wall is a mechanically inhomogeneous tissue, with a gradient of increasing stiffness from the urothelium to the lamina propria, which gradually decreases when reaching the muscle outer layer. Stiffening in fibrotic tissues correlate with increased deposition of dense extracellular matrix in the lamina propria. An increase in tissue compliance is observed before the onset and invasion of the tumor. By providing high resolution micromechanical investigation of each tissue layer of the bladder, we depict the intrinsic mechanical heterogeneity of the layers of a healthy bladder as compared with the mechanical properties alterations associated with either actinic cystitis or bladder tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Martinez-Vidal
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, 20132, Italy
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Via Olgettina, 60, Milan, 20132, Italy
| | - M Chighizola
- C.I.Ma.I.Na and Dipartimento di Fisica "Aldo Pontremoli", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - M Berardi
- Optics11, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- LaserLab, Department of Physics and Astronomy, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - E Alchera
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, 20132, Italy
| | - I Locatelli
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, 20132, Italy
| | - F Pederzoli
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, 20132, Italy
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Via Olgettina, 60, Milan, 20132, Italy
| | - C Venegoni
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, 20132, Italy
| | - R Lucianò
- Pathology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, 20132, Italy
| | - P Milani
- C.I.Ma.I.Na and Dipartimento di Fisica "Aldo Pontremoli", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | | | - A Salonia
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, 20132, Italy
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Via Olgettina, 60, Milan, 20132, Italy
| | - A Podestà
- C.I.Ma.I.Na and Dipartimento di Fisica "Aldo Pontremoli", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, 20133, Italy.
| | - M Alfano
- Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, 20132, Italy.
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2
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Shao X, Liu Z, Mao S, Han L. Unraveling the Mechanobiology Underlying Traumatic Brain Injury with Advanced Technologies and Biomaterials. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2200760. [PMID: 35841392 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202200760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a worldwide health and socioeconomic problem, associated with prolonged and complex neurological aftermaths, including a variety of functional deficits and neurodegenerative disorders. Research on the long-term effects has highlighted that TBI shall be regarded as a chronic health condition. The initiation and exacerbation of TBI involve a series of mechanical stimulations and perturbations, accompanied by mechanotransduction events within the brain tissues. Mechanobiology thus offers a unique perspective and likely promising approach to unravel the underlying molecular and biochemical mechanisms leading to neural cells dysfunction after TBI, which may contribute to the discovery of novel targets for future clinical treatment. This article investigates TBI and the subsequent brain dysfunction from a lens of neuromechanobiology. Following an introduction, the mechanobiological insights are examined into the molecular pathology of TBI, and then an overview is given of the latest research technologies to explore neuromechanobiology, with particular focus on microfluidics and biomaterials. Challenges and prospects in the current field are also discussed. Through this article, it is hoped that extensive technical innovation in biomedical devices and materials can be encouraged to advance the field of neuromechanobiology, paving potential ways for the research and rehabilitation of neurotrauma and neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Shao
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China.,Suzhou Research Institute, Shandong University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China
| | - Zhongqian Liu
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Shijie Mao
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Lin Han
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
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3
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Hoffman LM, Jensen CC, Beckerle MC. Phosphorylation of the small heat shock protein HspB1 regulates cytoskeletal recruitment and cell motility. Mol Biol Cell 2022; 33:ar100. [PMID: 35767320 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e22-02-0057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The small heat shock protein HspB1, also known as Hsp25/27, is a ubiquitously expressed molecular chaperone that responds to mechanical cues. Uniaxial cyclic stretch activates the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade and increases the phosphorylation of HspB1. Similar to the mechanosensitive cytoskeletal regulator zyxin, phospho-HspB1 is recruited to features of the stretch-stimulated actin cytoskeleton. To evaluate the role of HspB1 and its phosphoregulation in modulating cell function, we utilized CRISPR/Cas9-edited HspB1-null cells and determined they were altered in behaviors such as actin cytoskeletal remodeling, cell spreading, and cell motility. In our model system, expression of WT HspB1, but not nonphosphorylatable HspB1, rescued certain characteristics of the HspB1-null cells including the enhanced cell motility of HspB1-null cells and the deficient actin reinforcement of stretch-stimulated HspB1-null cells. The recruitment of HspB1 to high-tension structures in geometrically constrained cells, such as actin comet tails emanating from focal adhesions, also required a phosphorylatable HspB1. We show that mechanical signals activate posttranslational regulation of the molecular chaperone, HspB1, and are required for normal cell behaviors including actin cytoskeletal remodeling, cell spreading, and cell migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Hoffman
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112.,Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
| | | | - Mary C Beckerle
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112.,Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112.,Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
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4
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Hui E, Sumey JL, Caliari SR. Click-functionalized hydrogel design for mechanobiology investigations. MOLECULAR SYSTEMS DESIGN & ENGINEERING 2021; 6:670-707. [PMID: 36338897 PMCID: PMC9631920 DOI: 10.1039/d1me00049g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The advancement of click-functionalized hydrogels in recent years has coincided with rapid growth in the fields of mechanobiology, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. Click chemistries represent a group of reactions that possess high reactivity and specificity, are cytocompatible, and generally proceed under physiologic conditions. Most notably, the high level of tunability afforded by these reactions enables the design of user-controlled and tissue-mimicking hydrogels in which the influence of important physical and biochemical cues on normal and aberrant cellular behaviors can be independently assessed. Several critical tissue properties, including stiffness, viscoelasticity, and biomolecule presentation, are known to regulate cell mechanobiology in the context of development, wound repair, and disease. However, many questions still remain about how the individual and combined effects of these instructive properties regulate the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing physiologic and pathologic processes. In this review, we discuss several click chemistries that have been adopted to design dynamic and instructive hydrogels for mechanobiology investigations. We also chart a path forward for how click hydrogels can help reveal important insights about complex tissue microenvironments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Hui
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, 102 Engineer's Way, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
| | - Jenna L Sumey
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, 102 Engineer's Way, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
| | - Steven R Caliari
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, 102 Engineer's Way, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
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5
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Šimoliūnas E, Ivanauskienė I, Bagdzevičiūtė L, Rinkūnaitė I, Alksnė M, Baltriukienė D. Surface stiffness depended gingival mesenchymal stem cell sensitivity to oxidative stress. Free Radic Biol Med 2021; 169:62-73. [PMID: 33862162 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2021.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used in the fields of cell therapy and tissue engineering, due to their wide spectrum of differentiation potential, immunomodulation function and ongoing oxidative stress (OS) reduction. Nevertheless, OS impact is often overlooked in these research fields. It is not only responsible for the induction and development of many ailments, e.g., diabetes, lung fibrosis, and cancer, moreover, OS causes stem cell death and senescence during cell therapy and tissue engineering practices. As MSCs are used to treat various tissues, they interact with different tissue-specific mechanical environments, thus it is important to understand how the mechanical environment impacts MSC sensitivity to OS. In this work, for the first time, as known to the authors, it was shown that gingival MSCs (GMSCs) sensitivity to OS depends on the stiffness of the surface, on which the cells are grown. Furthermore, the activity and expression of mitogen activated protein kinases ERK, JNK, and p38 were surface stiffness dependent. GMSCs isolated from intermediate/stiff gingiva tissue (~20 kPa) have shown the best proliferative and survival properties, then grown on the stiffest tissues mimicking polyacrylamide hydrogels (40 kPa). Therefore, MSC source might determine their sensitivity to OS in different stiffness environments and should be accounted when developing a treatment strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Egidijus Šimoliūnas
- Department of Biological Models, Institute of Biochemistry, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
| | - Indrė Ivanauskienė
- Department of Biological Models, Institute of Biochemistry, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Lina Bagdzevičiūtė
- Department of Biological Models, Institute of Biochemistry, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Ieva Rinkūnaitė
- Department of Biological Models, Institute of Biochemistry, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Milda Alksnė
- Department of Biological Models, Institute of Biochemistry, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Daiva Baltriukienė
- Department of Biological Models, Institute of Biochemistry, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
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6
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Hernández-Cáceres MP, Munoz L, Pradenas JM, Pena F, Lagos P, Aceiton P, Owen GI, Morselli E, Criollo A, Ravasio A, Bertocchi C. Mechanobiology of Autophagy: The Unexplored Side of Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:632956. [PMID: 33718218 PMCID: PMC7952994 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.632956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Proper execution of cellular function, maintenance of cellular homeostasis and cell survival depend on functional integration of cellular processes and correct orchestration of cellular responses to stresses. Cancer transformation is a common negative consequence of mismanagement of coordinated response by the cell. In this scenario, by maintaining the balance among synthesis, degradation, and recycling of cytosolic components including proteins, lipids, and organelles the process of autophagy plays a central role. Several environmental stresses activate autophagy, among those hypoxia, DNA damage, inflammation, and metabolic challenges such as starvation. In addition to these chemical challenges, there is a requirement for cells to cope with mechanical stresses stemming from their microenvironment. Cells accomplish this task by activating an intrinsic mechanical response mediated by cytoskeleton active processes and through mechanosensitive protein complexes which interface the cells with their mechano-environment. Despite autophagy and cell mechanics being known to play crucial transforming roles during oncogenesis and malignant progression their interplay is largely overlooked. In this review, we highlight the role of physical forces in autophagy regulation and their potential implications in both physiological as well as pathological conditions. By taking a mechanical perspective, we wish to stimulate novel questions to further the investigation of the mechanical requirements of autophagy and appreciate the extent to which mechanical signals affect this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Paz Hernández-Cáceres
- Laboratory of Autophagy and Metabolism, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica De Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Leslie Munoz
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratory for Molecular Mechanics of Cell Adhesion, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica De Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Javiera M. Pradenas
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Santiago, Chile
- Laboratory of Investigation in Oncology, Faculty of Biological Sciences Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisco Pena
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratory for Molecular Mechanics of Cell Adhesion, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica De Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Lagos
- Laboratory of Autophagy and Metabolism, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica De Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Aceiton
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratory for Molecular Mechanics of Cell Adhesion, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica De Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gareth I. Owen
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Santiago, Chile
- Laboratory of Investigation in Oncology, Faculty of Biological Sciences Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Santiago, Chile
| | - Eugenia Morselli
- Laboratory of Autophagy and Metabolism, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica De Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Autophagy Research Center, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Alfredo Criollo
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Santiago, Chile
- Autophagy Research Center, Santiago de Chile, Chile
- Facultad De Odontología, Instituto De Investigación En Ciencias Odontológicas (ICOD), Universidad De Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andrea Ravasio
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristina Bertocchi
- Laboratory for Molecular Mechanics of Cell Adhesion, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica De Chile, Santiago, Chile
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7
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Ferreira BC, Freire AR, Araujo R, do Amaral-Silva GK, Okamoto R, Prado FB, Rossi AC. β-catenin and Its Relation to Alveolar Bone Mechanical Deformation - A Study Conducted in Rats With Tooth Extraction. Front Physiol 2020; 11:549. [PMID: 32581840 PMCID: PMC7291952 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between alveolar bone deformation and β-catenin expression levels in response to the mechanical load changed by dental extraction in adult rats. Twenty-four male rats (Rattus norvegicus albinus), Wistar linage, at 2 months of age, were used. The right upper incisor tooth was extracted, and euthanasia occurred in periods 5 (n = 6), 7 (n = 6), and 14 (n = 6) days after Day 0. In the control group (n = 6), the dentition was maintained. The euthanasia occurred within 14 days after day 0. After euthanasia, the rats of all groups had their left jaw with tooth removed and separated in the middle. The pieces were undergone routine histological processing and then the immunohistochemical marking were performed to label expression of the primary β-catenin antibody, which was evaluated by qualitative and quantitative analysis. One head by each group (control and experimental) was submitted to computerized microtomography. After the three-dimensional reconstruction of the skull of the rat in each group, the computational simulation for finite elements analysis were performed to simulate a bite in the incisors. In finite element analysis, the strain patterns were evaluated after the application of bite force. The results were analyzed considering the areas in which changes in the amount of deformations were detected. The action of the bite force in the experimental condition, resulted in a uniform distribution of the amount of deformations, in addition to lower amount of deformation areas, differentiating from the control group. Comparing with the control group, the levels of β-catenin signaled in the lingual bone of the middle third of the alveolar bone were raised in the periods of 5 and 14 days. The increased β-catenin positive staining intensity was concentrated on osteocytes and gaps of osteocytes. The findings of the present study were in accordance with our hypothesis that the condition of dental extraction can cause the expression of β-catenin and alter the regimes of bone deformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Carmona Ferreira
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology Research, Biosciences Department, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Rodrigues Freire
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology Research, Biosciences Department, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Rafael Araujo
- São Leopoldo Research Institute, São Leopoldo Mandic University, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Gleyson Kleber do Amaral-Silva
- Oral Pathology Laboratory, Oral Diagnosis Department, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Roberta Okamoto
- Laboratory for Study of Mineralized Tissue, Basic Sciences Department, School of Dentistry of Araçatuba, São Paulo State University, Araçatuba, Brazil
| | - Felippe Bevilacqua Prado
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology Research, Biosciences Department, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Ana Cláudia Rossi
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology Research, Biosciences Department, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil
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8
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Specialized Multimaterial Print Heads for 3D Hydrogel Printing: Tissue-Engineering Applications. IEEE NANOTECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE 2020. [DOI: 10.1109/mnano.2020.2966065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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9
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Sousa SC, Sousa MM. The cytoskeleton as a modulator of tension driven axon elongation. Dev Neurobiol 2020; 81:300-309. [PMID: 32302060 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Throughout development, neurons are capable of integrating external and internal signals leading to the morphological changes required for neuronal polarization and axon growth. The first phase of axon elongation occurs during neuronal polarization. At this stage, membrane remodeling and cytoskeleton dynamics are crucial for the growth cone to advance and guide axon elongation. When a target is recognized, the growth cone collapses to form the presynaptic terminal. Once a synapse is established, the growth of the organism results in an increased distance between the neuronal cell bodies and their targets. In this second phase of axon elongation, growth cone-independent molecular mechanisms and cytoskeleton changes must occur to enable axon growth to accompany the increase in body size. While the field has mainly focused on growth-cone mediated axon elongation during development, tension driven axon growth remains largely unexplored. In this review, we will discuss in a critical perspective the current knowledge on the mechanisms guiding axon growth following synaptogenesis, with a particular focus on the putative role played by the axonal cytoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara C Sousa
- Nerve Regeneration group, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular - IBMC and i3S, Instituto de Inovação e Investigação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Doctoral Program in Molecular and Cell Biology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar-ICBAS, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mónica M Sousa
- Nerve Regeneration group, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular - IBMC and i3S, Instituto de Inovação e Investigação em Saúde, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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10
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Abstract
Cells need to be anchored to extracellular matrix (ECM) to survive, yet the role of ECM in guiding developmental processes, tissue homeostasis, and aging has long been underestimated. How ECM orchestrates the deterioration of healthy to pathological tissues, including fibrosis and cancer, also remains poorly understood. Inquiring how alterations in ECM fiber tension might drive these processes is timely, as mechanobiology is a rapidly growing field, and many novel mechanisms behind the mechanical forces that can regulate protein, cell, and tissue functions have recently been deciphered. The goal of this article is to review how forces can switch protein functions, and thus cell signaling, and thereby inspire new approaches to exploit the mechanobiology of ECM in regenerative medicine as well as for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Some of the mechanochemical switching concepts described here for ECM proteins are more general and apply to intracellular proteins as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viola Vogel
- Laboratory of Applied Mechanobiology, Institute of Translational Medicine, Department for Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland;
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11
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Baumann F, Bauer MS, Rees M, Alexandrovich A, Gautel M, Pippig DA, Gaub HE. Increasing evidence of mechanical force as a functional regulator in smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28696205 PMCID: PMC5505704 DOI: 10.7554/elife.26473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanosensitive proteins are key players in cytoskeletal remodeling, muscle contraction, cell migration and differentiation processes. Smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase (smMLCK) is a member of a diverse group of serine/threonine kinases that feature cytoskeletal association. Its catalytic activity is triggered by a conformational change upon Ca2+/calmodulin (Ca2+/CaM) binding. Due to its significant homology with the force-activated titin kinase, smMLCK is suspected to be also regulatable by mechanical stress. In this study, a CaM-independent activation mechanism for smMLCK by mechanical release of the inhibitory elements is investigated via high throughput AFM single-molecule force spectroscopy. The characteristic pattern of transitions between different smMLCK states and their variations in the presence of different substrates and ligands are presented. Interaction between kinase domain and regulatory light chain (RLC) substrate is identified in the absence of CaM, indicating restored substrate-binding capability due to mechanically induced removal of the auto-inhibitory regulatory region. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.26473.001
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Baumann
- Chair for Applied Physics and Center for Nanoscience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Magnus Sebastian Bauer
- Chair for Applied Physics and Center for Nanoscience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Rees
- Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Alexandrovich
- Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mathias Gautel
- Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, United Kingdom
| | - Diana Angela Pippig
- Chair for Applied Physics and Center for Nanoscience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Hermann Eduard Gaub
- Chair for Applied Physics and Center for Nanoscience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
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