1
|
Graybill PM, Bollineni RK, Sheng Z, Davalos RV, Mirzaeifar R. A constriction channel analysis of astrocytoma stiffness and disease progression. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2021; 15:024103. [PMID: 33763160 PMCID: PMC7968935 DOI: 10.1063/5.0040283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Studies have demonstrated that cancer cells tend to have reduced stiffness (Young's modulus) compared to their healthy counterparts. The mechanical properties of primary brain cancer cells, however, have remained largely unstudied. To investigate whether the stiffness of primary brain cancer cells decreases as malignancy increases, we used a microfluidic constriction channel device to deform healthy astrocytes and astrocytoma cells of grade II, III, and IV and measured the entry time, transit time, and elongation. Calculating cell stiffness directly from the experimental measurements is not possible. To overcome this challenge, finite element simulations of the cell entry into the constriction channel were used to train a neural network to calculate the stiffness of the analyzed cells based on their experimentally measured diameter, entry time, and elongation in the channel. Our study provides the first calculation of stiffness for grades II and III astrocytoma and is the first to apply a neural network analysis to determine cell mechanical properties from a constriction channel device. Our results suggest that the stiffness of astrocytoma cells is not well-correlated with the cell grade. Furthermore, while other non-central-nervous-system cell types typically show reduced stiffness of malignant cells, we found that most astrocytoma cell lines had increased stiffness compared to healthy astrocytes, with lower-grade astrocytoma having higher stiffness values than grade IV glioblastoma. Differences in nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio only partly explain differences in stiffness values. Although our study does have limitations, our results do not show a strong correlation of stiffness with cell grade, suggesting that other factors may play important roles in determining the invasive capability of astrocytoma. Future studies are warranted to further elucidate the mechanical properties of astrocytoma across various pathological grades.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - R. K. Bollineni
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
| | - Z. Sheng
- Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Virginia Tech Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Roanoke, Virginia 24016, USA
| | - R. V. Davalos
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed: and
| | - R. Mirzaeifar
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed: and
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kim TH, Ly C, Christodoulides A, Nowell CJ, Gunning PW, Sloan EK, Rowat AC. Stress hormone signaling through β-adrenergic receptors regulates macrophage mechanotype and function. FASEB J 2019; 33:3997-4006. [PMID: 30509116 PMCID: PMC6404566 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201801429rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Critical functions of immune cells require them to rapidly change their shape and generate forces in response to cues from their surrounding environment. However, little is known about how soluble factors that may be present in the microenvironment modulate key aspects of cellular mechanobiology-such as immune cell deformability and force generation-to impact functions such as phagocytosis and migration. Here we show that signaling by soluble stress hormones through β-adrenoceptors (β-AR) reduces the deformability of macrophages; this is dependent on changes in the organization of the actin cytoskeleton and is associated with functional changes in phagocytosis and migration. Pharmacologic interventions reveal that the impact of β-AR signaling on macrophage deformability is dependent on actin-related proteins 2/3, indicating that stress hormone signaling through β-AR shifts actin organization to favor branched structures rather than linear unbranched actin filaments. These findings show that through remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton, β-AR-mediated stress hormone signaling modulates macrophage mechanotype to impact functions that play a critical role in immune response.-Kim, T.-H., Ly, C., Christodoulides, A., Nowell, C. J., Gunning, P. W., Sloan, E. K., Rowat, A. C. Stress hormone signaling through β-adrenergic receptors regulates macrophage mechanotype and function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Hyung Kim
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Chau Ly
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Alexei Christodoulides
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Cameron J. Nowell
- Drug Discovery Biology Theme, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter W. Gunning
- School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Erica K. Sloan
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Drug Discovery Biology Theme, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Division of Cancer Surgery, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; and
- UCLA AIDS Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Amy C. Rowat
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Guruprasad P, Mannino RG, Caruso C, Zhang H, Josephson CD, Roback JD, Lam WA. Integrated automated particle tracking microfluidic enables high-throughput cell deformability cytometry for red cell disorders. Am J Hematol 2019; 94:189-199. [PMID: 30417938 DOI: 10.1002/ajh.25345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Investigating individual red blood cells (RBCs) is critical to understanding hematologic diseases, as pathology often originates at the single-cell level. Many RBC disorders manifest in altered biophysical properties, such as deformability of RBCs. Due to limitations in current biophysical assays, there exists a need for high-throughput analysis of RBC deformability with single-cell resolution. To that end, we present a method that pairs a simple in vitro artificial microvasculature network system with an innovative MATLAB-based automated particle tracking program, allowing for high-throughput, single-cell deformability index (sDI) measurements of entire RBC populations. We apply our technology to quantify the sDI of RBCs from healthy volunteers, Sickle cell disease (SCD) patients, a transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia major patient, and in stored packed RBCs (pRBCs) that undergo storage lesion over 4 weeks. Moreover, our system can also measure cell size for each RBC, thereby enabling 2D analysis of cell deformability vs cell size with single cell resolution akin to flow cytometry. Our results demonstrate the clear existence of distinct biophysical RBC subpopulations with high interpatient variability in SCD as indicated by large magnitude skewness and kurtosis values of distribution, the "shifting" of sDI vs RBC size curves over transfusion cycles in beta thalassemia, and the appearance of low sDI RBC subpopulations within 4 days of pRBC storage. Overall, our system offers an inexpensive, convenient, and high-throughput method to gauge single RBC deformability and size for any RBC population and has the potential to aid in disease monitoring and transfusion guidelines for various RBC disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Puneeth Guruprasad
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering; Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University; Atlanta Georgia
| | - Robert G. Mannino
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering; Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University; Atlanta Georgia
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorder Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics; Emory University School of Medicine; Atlanta Georgia
| | - Christina Caruso
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorder Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics; Emory University School of Medicine; Atlanta Georgia
| | | | - Cassandra D. Josephson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Emory University School of Medicine, Center for Transfusion and Cellular Therapies; Atlanta Georgia
| | - John D. Roback
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Emory University School of Medicine, Center for Transfusion and Cellular Therapies; Atlanta Georgia
| | - Wilbur A. Lam
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering; Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University; Atlanta Georgia
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorder Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics; Emory University School of Medicine; Atlanta Georgia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Gill NK, Ly C, Nyberg KD, Lee L, Qi D, Tofig B, Reis-Sobreiro M, Dorigo O, Rao J, Wiedemeyer R, Karlan B, Lawrenson K, Freeman MR, Damoiseaux R, Rowat AC. A scalable filtration method for high throughput screening based on cell deformability. LAB ON A CHIP 2019; 19:343-357. [PMID: 30566156 DOI: 10.1039/c8lc00922h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Cell deformability is a label-free biomarker of cell state in physiological and disease contexts ranging from stem cell differentiation to cancer progression. Harnessing deformability as a phenotype for screening applications requires a method that can simultaneously measure the deformability of hundreds of cell samples and can interface with existing high throughput facilities. Here we present a scalable cell filtration device, which relies on the pressure-driven deformation of cells through a series of pillars that are separated by micron-scale gaps on the timescale of seconds: less deformable cells occlude the gaps more readily than more deformable cells, resulting in decreased filtrate volume which is measured using a plate reader. The key innovation in this method is that we design customized arrays of individual filtration devices in a standard 96-well format using soft lithography, which enables multiwell input samples and filtrate outputs to be processed with higher throughput using automated pipette arrays and plate readers. To validate high throughput filtration to detect changes in cell deformability, we show the differential filtration of human ovarian cancer cells that have acquired cisplatin-resistance, which is corroborated with cell stiffness measurements using quantitative deformability cytometry. We also demonstrate differences in the filtration of human cancer cell lines, including ovarian cancer cells that overexpress transcription factors (Snail, Slug), which are implicated in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; breast cancer cells (malignant versus benign); and prostate cancer cells (highly versus weekly metastatic). We additionally show how the filtration of ovarian cancer cells is affected by treatment with drugs known to perturb the cytoskeleton and the nucleus. Our results across multiple cancer cell types with both genetic and pharmacologic manipulations demonstrate the potential of this scalable filtration device to screen cells based on their deformability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Navjot Kaur Gill
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Liu HC, Gang EJ, Kim HN, Lim HG, Jung H, Chen R, Abdel-Azim H, Shung KK, Kim YM. Characterizing Deformability of Drug Resistant Patient-Derived Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) Cells Using Acoustic Tweezers. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15708. [PMID: 30356155 PMCID: PMC6200731 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34024-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of cell mechanics in cancer cells is a novel research area that has resulted in the identification of new mechanisms of therapy resistance. Single beam acoustic (SBA) tweezers are a promising technology for the quantification of the mechanical phenotype of cells. Our previous study showed that SBA tweezers can be used to quantify the deformability of adherent breast cancer cell lines. The physical properties of patient-derived (primary) pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells involved in chemotherapeutic resistance have not been widely investigated. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of analyzing primary pre-B ALL cells from four cases using SBA tweezers. ALL cells showed increased deformability with increasing acoustic pressure of the SBA tweezers. Moreover, ALL cells that are resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs were more deformable than were untreated ALL cells. We demonstrated that SBA tweezers can quantify the deformability of nonadherent leukemia cells and discriminate this mechanical phenotype in chemotherapy-resistant leukemia cells in a contact- and label-free manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Chuan Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and NIH Ultrasonic Transducer Resource Center, University of Southern California, 1042 Downey Way, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, 4650 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90027, USA
| | - Eun Ji Gang
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, 4650 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90027, USA
| | - Hye Na Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, 4650 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90027, USA
| | - Hae Gyun Lim
- Department of Creative IT Engineering and Future IT Innovation Laboratory, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-ro, Nam-gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Hayong Jung
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and NIH Ultrasonic Transducer Resource Center, University of Southern California, 1042 Downey Way, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Ruimin Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and NIH Ultrasonic Transducer Resource Center, University of Southern California, 1042 Downey Way, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Hisham Abdel-Azim
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, 4650 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90027, USA
| | - K Kirk Shung
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and NIH Ultrasonic Transducer Resource Center, University of Southern California, 1042 Downey Way, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
| | - Yong-Mi Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, 4650 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90027, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Liu A, Islam M, Stone N, Varadarajan V, Jeong J, Bowie S, Qiu P, Waller EK, Alexeev A, Sulchek T. Microfluidic generation of transient cell volume exchange for convectively driven intracellular delivery of large macromolecules. MATERIALS TODAY (KIDLINGTON, ENGLAND) 2018; 21:703-712. [PMID: 30288138 PMCID: PMC6166476 DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2018.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Efficient intracellular delivery of target macromolecules remains a major obstacle in cell engineering and other biomedical applications. We discovered a unique cell biophysical phenomenon of transient cell volume exchange by using microfluidics to rapidly and repeatedly compress cells. This behavior consists of brief, mechanically induced cell volume loss followed by rapid volume recovery. We harness this behavior for high-throughput, convective intracellular delivery of large polysaccharides (2000 kDa), particles (100 nm), and plasmids while maintaining high cell viability. Successful proof of concept experiments in transfection and intracellular labeling demonstrated potential to overcome the most prohibitive challenges in intracellular delivery for cell engineering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Muhymin Islam
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Nicholas Stone
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Vikram Varadarajan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jenny Jeong
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sam Bowie
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Peng Qiu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Edmund K Waller
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Alexander Alexeev
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Todd Sulchek
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ren X, Ghassemi P, Kanaan YM, Naab T, Copeland RL, Dewitty RL, Kim I, Strobl JS, Agah M. Kernel-Based Microfluidic Constriction Assay for Tumor Sample Identification. ACS Sens 2018; 3:1510-1521. [PMID: 29979037 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.8b00301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
A high-throughput multiconstriction microfluidic channels device can distinguish human breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, HCC-1806, MCF-7) from immortalized breast cells (MCF-10A) with a confidence level of ∼81-85% at a rate of 50-70 cells/min based on velocity increment differences through multiconstriction channels aligned in series. The results are likely related to the deformability differences between nonmalignant and malignant breast cells. The data were analyzed by the methods/algorithms of Ridge, nonnegative garrote on kernel machine (NGK), and Lasso using high-dimensional variables, including the cell sizes, velocities, and velocity increments. In kernel learning based methods, the prediction values of 10-fold cross-validations are used to represent the difference between two groups of data, where a value of 100% indicates the two groups are completely distinct and identifiable. The prediction value is used to represent the difference between two groups using the established algorithm classifier from high-dimensional variables. These methods were applied to heterogeneous cell populations prepared using primary tumor and adjacent normal tissue obtained from two patients. Primary breast cancer cells were distinguished from patient-matched adjacent normal cells with a prediction ratio of 70.07%-75.96% by the NGK method. Thus, this high-throughput multiconstriction microfluidic device together with the kernel learning method can be used to perturb and analyze the biomechanical status of cells obtained from small primary tumor biopsy samples. The resultant biomechanical velocity signatures identify malignancy and provide a new marker for evaluation in risk assessment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Ren
- The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Parham Ghassemi
- The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | | | | | | | - Robert L. Dewitty
- Howard University
Hospital, Providence Hospital, Washington, DC 20017, United States
| | - Inyoung Kim
- Department of Statistics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Jeannine S. Strobl
- The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Masoud Agah
- The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Nyberg KD, Hu KH, Kleinman SH, Khismatullin DB, Butte MJ, Rowat AC. Quantitative Deformability Cytometry: Rapid, Calibrated Measurements of Cell Mechanical Properties. Biophys J 2017; 113:1574-1584. [PMID: 28978449 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.06.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2016] [Revised: 06/14/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in methods that determine cell mechanical phenotype, or mechanotype, have demonstrated the utility of biophysical markers in clinical and research applications ranging from cancer diagnosis to stem cell enrichment. Here, we introduce quantitative deformability cytometry (q-DC), a method for rapid, calibrated, single-cell mechanotyping. We track changes in cell shape as cells deform into microfluidic constrictions, and we calibrate the mechanical stresses using gel beads. We observe that time-dependent strain follows power-law rheology, enabling single-cell measurements of apparent elastic modulus, Ea, and power-law exponent, β. To validate our method, we mechanotype human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells and thereby confirm q-DC measurements of Ea = 0.53 ± 0.04 kPa. We also demonstrate that q-DC is sensitive to pharmacological perturbations of the cytoskeleton as well as differences in the mechanotype of human breast cancer cell lines (Ea = 2.1 ± 0.1 and 0.80 ± 0.19 kPa for MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells). To establish an operational framework for q-DC, we investigate the effects of applied stress and cell/pore-size ratio on mechanotype measurements. We show that Ea increases with applied stress, which is consistent with stress stiffening behavior of cells. We also find that Ea increases for larger cell/pore-size ratios, even when the same applied stress is maintained; these results indicate strain stiffening and/or dependence of mechanotype on deformation depth. Taken together, the calibrated measurements enabled by q-DC should advance applications of cell mechanotype in basic research and clinical settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kendra D Nyberg
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Kenneth H Hu
- Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Sara H Kleinman
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | | | - Manish J Butte
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Amy C Rowat
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California; UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California; Broad Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California; Center for Biological Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, California.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Nguyen AV, Nyberg KD, Scott MB, Welsh AM, Nguyen AH, Wu N, Hohlbauch SV, Geisse NA, Gibb EA, Robertson AG, Donahue TR, Rowat AC. Stiffness of pancreatic cancer cells is associated with increased invasive potential. Integr Biol (Camb) 2016; 8:1232-1245. [PMID: 27761545 PMCID: PMC5866717 DOI: 10.1039/c6ib00135a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis is a fundamentally physical process in which cells are required to deform through narrow gaps as they invade surrounding tissues and transit to distant sites. In many cancers, more invasive cells are more deformable than less invasive cells, but the extent to which mechanical phenotype, or mechanotype, can predict disease aggressiveness in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains unclear. Here we investigate the invasive potential and mechanical properties of immortalized PDAC cell lines derived from primary tumors and a secondary metastatic site, as well as noncancerous pancreatic ductal cells. To investigate how invasive behavior is associated with cell mechanotype, we flow cells through micron-scale pores using parallel microfiltration and microfluidic deformability cytometry; these results show that the ability of PDAC cells to passively transit through pores is only weakly correlated with their invasive potential. We also measure the Young's modulus of pancreatic ductal cells using atomic force microscopy, which reveals that there is a strong association between cell stiffness and invasive potential in PDAC cells. To determine the molecular origins of the variability in mechanotype across our PDAC cell lines, we analyze RNAseq data for genes that are known to regulate cell mechanotype. Our results show that vimentin, actin, and lamin A are among the most differentially expressed mechanoregulating genes across our panel of PDAC cell lines, as well as a cohort of 38 additional PDAC cell lines. We confirm levels of these proteins across our cell panel using immunoblotting, and find that levels of lamin A increase with both invasive potential and Young's modulus. Taken together, we find that stiffer PDAC cells are more invasive than more compliant cells, which challenges the paradigm that decreased cell stiffness is a hallmark of metastatic potential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angelyn V Nguyen
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
| | - Kendra D Nyberg
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA. and Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Michael B Scott
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
| | - Alia M Welsh
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Andrew H Nguyen
- Department of General Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Nanping Wu
- Department of General Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Sophia V Hohlbauch
- Asylum Research, an Oxford Instruments Company, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Nicholas A Geisse
- Asylum Research, an Oxford Instruments Company, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Ewan A Gibb
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - A Gordon Robertson
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Timothy R Donahue
- Department of General Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, USA and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Amy C Rowat
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA. and Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, USA and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kim TH, Gill NK, Nyberg KD, Nguyen AV, Hohlbauch SV, Geisse NA, Nowell CJ, Sloan EK, Rowat AC. Cancer cells become less deformable and more invasive with activation of β-adrenergic signaling. J Cell Sci 2016; 129:4563-4575. [PMID: 27875276 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.194803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 11/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasion by cancer cells is a crucial step in metastasis. An oversimplified view in the literature is that cancer cells become more deformable as they become more invasive. β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) signaling drives invasion and metastasis, but the effects on cell deformability are not known. Here, we show that activation of β-adrenergic signaling by βAR agonists reduces the deformability of highly metastatic human breast cancer cells, and that these stiffer cells are more invasive in vitro We find that βAR activation also reduces the deformability of ovarian, prostate, melanoma and leukemia cells. Mechanistically, we show that βAR-mediated cell stiffening depends on the actin cytoskeleton and myosin II activity. These changes in cell deformability can be prevented by pharmacological β-blockade or genetic knockout of the β2-adrenergic receptor. Our results identify a β2-adrenergic-Ca2+-actin axis as a new regulator of cell deformability, and suggest that the relationship between cell mechanical properties and invasion might be dependent on context.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Hyung Kim
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, USA.,Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, USA
| | - Navjot Kaur Gill
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, USA
| | - Kendra D Nyberg
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, USA
| | - Angelyn V Nguyen
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, USA
| | - Sophia V Hohlbauch
- Asylum Research, an Oxford Instruments Company, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, USA
| | - Nicholas A Geisse
- Asylum Research, an Oxford Instruments Company, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, USA
| | - Cameron J Nowell
- Drug Discovery Biology Theme, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Erica K Sloan
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, USA.,Drug Discovery Biology Theme, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,Division of Cancer Surgery, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.,UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, USA.,UCLA AIDS Institute, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, USA
| | - Amy C Rowat
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, USA .,Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, USA.,UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Chan CK, Pan Y, Nyberg K, Marra MA, Lim EL, Jones SJM, Maar D, Gibb EA, Gunaratne PH, Robertson AG, Rowat AC. Tumour-suppressor microRNAs regulate ovarian cancer cell physical properties and invasive behaviour. Open Biol 2016; 6:160275. [PMID: 27906134 PMCID: PMC5133448 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.160275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The activities of pathways that regulate malignant transformation can be influenced by microRNAs (miRs). Recently, we showed that increased expression of five tumour-suppressor miRs, miR-508-3p, miR-508-5p, miR-509-3p, miR-509-5p and miR-130b-3p, correlate with improved clinical outcomes in human ovarian cancer patients, and that miR-509-3p attenuates invasion of ovarian cancer cell lines. Here, we investigate the mechanism underlying this reduced invasive potential by assessing the impact of these five miRs on the physical properties of cells. Human ovarian cancer cells (HEYA8, OVCAR8) that are transfected with miR mimics representing these five miRs exhibit decreased invasion through collagen matrices, increased cell size and reduced deformability as measured by microfiltration and microfluidic assays. To understand the molecular basis of altered invasion and deformability induced by these miRs, we use predicted and validated mRNA targets that encode structural and signalling proteins that regulate cell mechanical properties. Combined with analysis of gene transcripts by real-time PCR and image analysis of F-actin in single cells, our results suggest that these tumour-suppressor miRs may alter cell physical properties by regulating the actin cytoskeleton. Our findings provide biophysical insights into how tumour-suppressor miRs can regulate the invasive behaviour of ovarian cancer cells, and identify potential therapeutic targets that may be implicated in ovarian cancer progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clara K Chan
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yinghong Pan
- Department of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kendra Nyberg
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Marco A Marra
- British Columbia Cancer Agency, Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Emilia L Lim
- British Columbia Cancer Agency, Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Steven J M Jones
- British Columbia Cancer Agency, Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Dianna Maar
- Bio-Rad Laboratories, The Digital Biology Center, Pleasanton, CA, USA
| | - Ewan A Gibb
- British Columbia Cancer Agency, Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Preethi H Gunaratne
- Department of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - A Gordon Robertson
- British Columbia Cancer Agency, Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Amy C Rowat
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
|