1
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Zhang L, Piranej S, Namazi A, Narum S, Salaita K. "Turbo-Charged" DNA Motors with Optimized Sequence Enable Single-Molecule Nucleic Acid Sensing. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202316851. [PMID: 38214887 PMCID: PMC10947818 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202316851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
DNA motors that consume chemical energy to generate processive mechanical motion mimic natural motor proteins and have garnered interest due to their potential applications in dynamic nanotechnology, biosensing, and drug delivery. Such motors translocate by a catalytic cycle of binding, cleavage, and rebinding between DNA "legs" on the motor body and RNA "footholds" on a track. Herein, we address the well-documented trade-off between motor speed and processivity and investigate how these parameters are controlled by the affinity between DNA legs and their complementary footholds. Specifically, we explore the role of DNA leg length and GC content in tuning motor performance by dictating the rate of leg-foothold dissociation. Our investigations reveal that motors with 0 % GC content exhibit increased instantaneous velocities of up to 150 nm/sec, three-fold greater than previously reported DNA motors and comparable to the speeds of biological motor proteins. We also demonstrate that the faster speed and weaker forces generated by 0 % GC motors can be leveraged for enhanced capabilities in sensing. We observe single-molecule sensitivity when programming the motors to stall in response to the binding of nucleic acid targets. These findings offer insights for the design of high-performance DNA motors with promising real-world biosensing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luona Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Selma Piranej
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Arshiya Namazi
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Steven Narum
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia, Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia, Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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2
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Rogers J, Ma R, Foote A, Hu Y, Salaita K. Force-Induced Site-Specific Enzymatic Cleavage Probes Reveal That Serial Mechanical Engagement Boosts T Cell Activation. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:7233-7242. [PMID: 38451498 PMCID: PMC10958510 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c08137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
The T cell membrane is studded with >104 T cell receptors (TCRs) that are used to scan target cells to identify short peptide fragments associated with viral infection or cancerous mutation. These peptides are presented as peptide-major-histocompatibility complexes (pMHCs) on the surface of virtually all nucleated cells. The TCR-pMHC complex forms at cell-cell junctions, is highly transient, and experiences mechanical forces. An important question in this area pertains to the role of the force duration in immune activation. Herein, we report the development of force probes that autonomously terminate tension within a time window following mechanical triggering. Force-induced site-specific enzymatic cleavage (FUSE) probes tune the tension duration by controlling the rate of a force-triggered endonuclease hydrolysis reaction. This new capability provides a method to study how the accumulated force duration contributes to T cell activation. We screened DNA sequences and identified FUSE probes that disrupt mechanical interactions with F > 7.1 piconewtons (pN) between TCRs and pMHCs. This rate of disruption, or force lifetime (τF), is tunable from tens of minutes down to 1.9 min. T cells challenged with FUSE probes with F > 7.1 pN presenting cognate antigens showed up to a 23% decrease in markers of early activation. FUSE probes with F > 17.0 pN showed weaker influence on T cell triggering further showing that TCR-pMHC with F > 17.0 pN are less frequent compared to F > 7.1 pN. Taken together, FUSE probes allow a new strategy to investigate the role of force dynamics in mechanotransduction broadly and specifically suggest a model of serial mechanical engagement boosting TCR activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhordan Rogers
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Rong Ma
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Alexander Foote
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Yuesong Hu
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- Wallace
H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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3
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Combs JD, Foote AK, Ogasawara H, Velusamy A, Rashid SA, Mancuso JN, Salaita K. Measuring integrin force loading rates using a two-step DNA tension sensor. bioRxiv 2024:2024.03.15.585042. [PMID: 38558970 PMCID: PMC10980004 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.15.585042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Cells apply forces to extracellular matrix (ECM) ligands through transmembrane integrin receptors: an interaction which is intimately involved in cell motility, wound healing, cancer invasion and metastasis. These small (pN) forces exerted by cells have been studied by molecular tension fluorescence microscopy (MTFM), which utilizes a force-induced conformational change of a probe to detect mechanical events. MTFM has revealed the force magnitude for integrins receptors in a variety of cell models including primary cells. However, force dynamics and specifically the force loading rate (LR) have important implications in receptor signaling and adhesion formation and remain poorly characterized. Here, we develop a LR probe which is comprised of an engineered DNA structures that undergoes two mechanical transitions at distinct force thresholds: a low force threshold at 4.7 pN corresponding to hairpin unfolding and a high force threshold at 56 pN triggered through duplex shearing. These transitions yield distinct fluorescence signatures observed through single-molecule fluorescence microscopy in live-cells. Automated analysis of tens of thousands of events from 8 cells showed that the bond lifetime of integrins that engage their ligands and transmit a force >4.7 pN decays exponentially with a τ of 45.6 sec. A small subset of these events (<10%) mature in magnitude to >56pN with a median loading rate of 1.3 pNs-1 with these mechanical ramp events localizing at the periphery of the cell-substrate junction. Importantly, the LR probe design is modular and can be adapted to measure force ramp rates for a broad range of mechanoreceptors and cell models, thus aiding in the study of mechanotransduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Dale Combs
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | | | | | - Arventh Velusamy
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Sk Aysha Rashid
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | | | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, GA 30322, USA
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4
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Al Abdullatif S, Narum S, Hu Y, Rogers J, Fitzgerald R, Salaita K. Molecular Compressive Force Sensor for Mapping Forces at the Cell-Substrate Interface. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:6830-6836. [PMID: 38418383 PMCID: PMC10941184 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c13648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Mechanical forces are crucial for biological processes such as T cell antigen recognition. A suite of molecular tension probes to measure pulling forces have been reported over the past decade; however, there are no reports of molecular probes for measuring compressive forces, representing a gap in the current mechanobiology toolbox. To address this gap, we report a molecular compression reporter using pseudostable hairpins (M-CRUSH). The design principle was based on a pseudostable DNA structure that folds in response to an external compressive force. We created a library of DNA stem-loop hairpins with varying thermodynamic stability, and then used Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) to quantify hairpin folding stability as a function of temperature and crowding. We identified an optimal pseudostable DNA hairpin highly sensitive to molecular crowding that displayed a shift in melting temperature (Tm) of 7 °C in response to a PEG crowding agent. When immobilized on surfaces, this optimized DNA hairpin showed a 29 ± 6% increase in FRET index in response to 25% w/w PEG 8K. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, we employed M-CRUSH to map the compressive forces generated by primary naïve T cells. We noted dynamic compressive forces that were highly sensitive to antigen presentation and coreceptor engagement. Importantly, mechanical forces are generated by cytoskeletal protrusions caused by acto-myosin activity. This was confirmed by treating cells with cytoskeletal inhibitors, which resulted in a lower FRET response when compared to untreated cells. Furthermore, we showed that M-CRUSH signal is dependent on probe density with greater density probes showing enhanced signal. Finally, we demonstrated that M-CRUSH probes are modular and can be applied to different cell types by displaying a compressive signal observed under human platelets. M-CRUSH offers a powerful tool to complement tension sensors and map out compressive forces in living systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Al Abdullatif
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Steven Narum
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute
of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Yuesong Hu
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Jhordan Rogers
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Rachel Fitzgerald
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute
of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
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5
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Narum S, Deal B, Ogasawara H, Mancuso JN, Zhang J, Salaita K. An Endosomal Escape Trojan Horse Platform to Improve Cytosolic Delivery of Nucleic Acids. ACS Nano 2024; 18:6186-6201. [PMID: 38346399 PMCID: PMC10906071 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c09027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Endocytosis is a major bottleneck toward cytosolic delivery of nucleic acids, as the vast majority of nucleic acid drugs remain trapped within endosomes. Current trends to overcome endosomal entrapment and subsequent degradation provide varied success; however, active delivery agents such as cell-penetrating peptides have emerged as a prominent strategy to improve cytosolic delivery. Yet, these membrane-active agents have poor selectivity for endosomal membranes, leading to toxicity. A hallmark of endosomes is their acidic environment, which aids in degradation of foreign materials. Here, we develop a pH-triggered spherical nucleic acid that provides smart antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) release upon endosomal acidification and selective membrane disruption, termed DNA EndosomaL Escape Vehicle Response (DELVR). We anchor i-Motif DNA to a nanoparticle (AuNP), where the complement strand contains both an ASO sequence and a functionalized endosomal escape peptide (EEP). By orienting the EEP toward the AuNP core, the EEP is inactive until it is released through acidification-induced i-Motif folding. In this study, we characterize a small library of i-Motif duplexes to develop a structure-switching nucleic acid sequence triggered by endosomal acidification. We evaluate antisense efficacy using HIF1a, a hypoxic indicator upregulated in many cancers, and demonstrate dose-dependent activity through RT-qPCR. We show that DELVR significantly improves ASO efficacy in vitro. Finally, we use fluorescence lifetime imaging and activity measurement to show that DELVR benefits synergistically from nuclease- and pH-driven release strategies with increased ASO endosomal escape efficiency. Overall, this study develops a modular platform that improves the cytosolic delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics and offers key insights for overcoming intracellular barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Narum
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute
of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Brendan Deal
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Hiroaki Ogasawara
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | | | - Jiahui Zhang
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute
of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute
of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
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6
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Eggert J, Zinzow-Kramer WM, Hu Y, Kolawole EM, Tsai YL, Weiss A, Evavold BD, Salaita K, Scharer CD, Au-Yeung BB. Cbl-b mitigates the responsiveness of naive CD8 + T cells that experience extensive tonic T cell receptor signaling. Sci Signal 2024; 17:eadh0439. [PMID: 38319998 PMCID: PMC10897907 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.adh0439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Naive T cells experience tonic T cell receptor (TCR) signaling in response to self-antigens presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in secondary lymphoid organs. We investigated how relatively weak or strong tonic TCR signals influence naive CD8+ T cell responses to stimulation with foreign antigens. The heterogeneous expression of Nur77-GFP, a transgenic reporter of tonic TCR signaling, in naive CD8+ T cells suggests variable intensities or durations of tonic TCR signaling. Although the expression of genes associated with acutely stimulated T cells was increased in Nur77-GFPHI cells, these cells were hyporesponsive to agonist TCR stimulation compared with Nur77-GFPLO cells. This hyporesponsiveness manifested as diminished activation marker expression and decreased secretion of IFN-γ and IL-2. The protein abundance of the ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b, a negative regulator of TCR signaling, was greater in Nur77-GFPHI cells than in Nur77-GFPLO cells, and Cbl-b deficiency partially restored the responsiveness of Nur77-GFPHI cells. Our data suggest that the cumulative effects of previously experienced tonic TCR signaling recalibrate naive CD8+ T cell responsiveness. These changes include gene expression changes and negative regulation partially dependent on Cbl-b. This cell-intrinsic negative feedback loop may enable the immune system to restrain naive CD8+ T cells with higher self-reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Eggert
- Division of Immunology, Lowance Center for Human Immunology, Department of Medicine, Emory University; Atlanta, 30322, USA
| | - Wendy M. Zinzow-Kramer
- Division of Immunology, Lowance Center for Human Immunology, Department of Medicine, Emory University; Atlanta, 30322, USA
| | - Yuesong Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University; Atlanta, 30322, USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Kolawole
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, 84112, USA
| | - Yuan-Li Tsai
- Rosalind Russell and Ephraim P. Engleman Rheumatology Research Center, Departments of Medicine and of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, 94143, USA
| | - Arthur Weiss
- Rosalind Russell and Ephraim P. Engleman Rheumatology Research Center, Departments of Medicine and of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, 94143, USA
| | - Brian D. Evavold
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, 84112, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University; Atlanta, 30322, USA
| | | | - Byron B. Au-Yeung
- Division of Immunology, Lowance Center for Human Immunology, Department of Medicine, Emory University; Atlanta, 30322, USA
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7
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Deal BR, Ma R, Narum S, Ogasawara H, Duan Y, Kindt JT, Salaita K. Heteromultivalency enables enhanced detection of nucleic acid mutations. Nat Chem 2024; 16:229-238. [PMID: 37884668 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-023-01345-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Detecting genetic mutations such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is necessary to prescribe effective cancer therapies, perform genetic analyses and distinguish similar viral strains. Traditionally, SNP sensing uses short oligonucleotide probes that differentially bind the SNP and wild-type targets. However, DNA hybridization-based techniques require precise tuning of the probe's binding affinity to manage the inherent trade-off between specificity and sensitivity. As conventional hybridization offers limited control over binding affinity, here we generate heteromultivalent DNA-functionalized particles and demonstrate optimized hybridization specificity for targets containing one or two mutations. By investigating the role of oligo lengths, spacer lengths and binding orientation, we reveal that heteromultivalent hybridization enables fine-tuned specificity for a single SNP and dramatic enhancements in specificity for two non-proximal SNPs empowered by highly cooperative binding. Capitalizing on these abilities, we demonstrate straightforward discrimination between heterozygous cis and trans mutations and between different strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Our findings indicate that heteromultivalent hybridization offers substantial improvements over conventional monovalent hybridization-based methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan R Deal
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Rong Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Steven Narum
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Yuxin Duan
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - James T Kindt
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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8
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Forghani P, Rashid A, Armand LC, Wolfson D, Liu R, Cho HC, Maxwell JT, Jo H, Salaita K, Xu C. Simulated microgravity improves maturation of cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2243. [PMID: 38278855 PMCID: PMC10817987 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52453-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-CMs) possess tremendous potential for basic research and translational application. However, these cells structurally and functionally resemble fetal cardiomyocytes, which is a major limitation of these cells. Microgravity can significantly alter cell behavior and function. Here we investigated the effect of simulated microgravity on hiPSC-CM maturation. Following culture under simulated microgravity in a random positioning machine for 7 days, 3D hiPSC-CMs had increased mitochondrial content as detected by a mitochondrial protein and mitochondrial DNA to nuclear DNA ratio. The cells also had increased mitochondrial membrane potential. Consistently, simulated microgravity increased mitochondrial respiration in 3D hiPSC-CMs, as indicated by higher levels of maximal respiration and ATP content, suggesting improved metabolic maturation in simulated microgravity cultures compared with cultures under normal gravity. Cells from simulated microgravity cultures also had improved Ca2+ transient parameters, a functional characteristic of more mature cardiomyocytes. In addition, these cells had improved structural properties associated with more mature cardiomyocytes, including increased sarcomere length, z-disc length, nuclear diameter, and nuclear eccentricity. These findings indicate that microgravity enhances the maturation of hiPSC-CMs at the structural, metabolic, and functional levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parvin Forghani
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Aysha Rashid
- Biomolecular Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Lawrence C Armand
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - David Wolfson
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Rui Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Hee Cheol Cho
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Joshua T Maxwell
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Hanjoong Jo
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Biomolecular Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Chunhui Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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9
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Velusamy A, Sharma R, Rashid SA, Ogasawara H, Salaita K. DNA mechanocapsules for programmable piconewton responsive drug delivery. Nat Commun 2024; 15:704. [PMID: 38267454 PMCID: PMC10808132 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44061-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The mechanical dysregulation of cells is associated with a number of disease states, that spans from fibrosis to tumorigenesis. Hence, it is highly desirable to develop strategies to deliver drugs based on the "mechanical phenotype" of a cell. To achieve this goal, we report the development of DNA mechanocapsules (DMC) comprised of DNA tetrahedrons that are force responsive. Modeling shows the trajectory of force-induced DMC rupture and predicts how applied force spatial position and orientation tunes the force-response threshold. DMCs functionalized with adhesion ligands mechanically denature in vitro as a result of cell receptor forces. DMCs are designed to encapsulate macromolecular cargos such as dextran and oligonucleotide drugs with minimal cargo leakage and high nuclease resistance. Force-induced release and uptake of DMC cargo is validated using flow cytometry. Finally, we demonstrate force-induced mRNA knockdown of HIF-1α in a manner that is dependent on the magnitude of cellular traction forces. These results show that DMCs can be effectively used to target biophysical phenotypes which may find useful applications in immunology and cancer biology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Radhika Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | | | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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10
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Wang MS, Hu Y, Sanchez EE, Xie X, Roy NH, de Jesus M, Winer BY, Zale EA, Jin W, Sachar C, Lee JH, Hong Y, Kim M, Kam LC, Salaita K, Huse M. Author Correction: Mechanically active integrins target lytic secretion at the immune synapse to facilitate cellular cytotoxicity. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8401. [PMID: 38110360 PMCID: PMC10728169 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44258-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell S Wang
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Pharmacology Program, Weill-Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yuesong Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Elisa E Sanchez
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program, Weill-Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xihe Xie
- Neuroscience Program, Weill-Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nathan H Roy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Miguel de Jesus
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin Y Winer
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Zale
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Weiyang Jin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chirag Sachar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joanne H Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yeonsun Hong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Minsoo Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Lance C Kam
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Morgan Huse
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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11
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Li X, Combs JD, Salaita K, Shu X. Polarized focal adhesion kinase activity within a focal adhesion during cell migration. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:1458-1468. [PMID: 37349581 PMCID: PMC10732478 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01353-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) relays integrin signaling from outside to inside cells and contributes to cell adhesion and motility. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics of FAK activity in single FAs is unclear due to the lack of a robust FAK reporter, which limits our understanding of these essential biological processes. Here we have engineered a genetically encoded FAK activity sensor, dubbed FAK-separation of phases-based activity reporter of kinase (SPARK), which visualizes endogenous FAK activity in living cells and vertebrates. Our work reveals temporal dynamics of FAK activity during FA turnover. Most importantly, our study unveils polarized FAK activity at the distal tip of newly formed single FAs in the leading edge of a migrating cell. By combining FAK-SPARK with DNA tension probes, we show that tensions applied to FAs precede FAK activation and that FAK activity is proportional to the strength of tension. These results suggest tension-induced polarized FAK activity in single FAs, advancing the mechanistic understanding of cell migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoquan Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Xiaokun Shu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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12
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Rajasooriya T, Ogasawara H, Dong Y, Mancuso JN, Salaita K. Force-Triggered Self-Destructive Hydrogels. Adv Mater 2023; 35:e2305544. [PMID: 37724392 PMCID: PMC10764057 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202305544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Self-destructive polymers (SDPs) are defined as a class of smart polymers that autonomously degrade upon experiencing an external trigger, such as a chemical cue or optical excitation. Because SDPs release the materials trapped inside the network upon degradation, they have potential applications in drug delivery and analytical sensing. However, no known SDPs that respond to external mechanical forces have been reported, as it is fundamentally challenging to create mechano-sensitivity in general and especially so for force levels below those required for classical force-induced bond scission. To address this challenge, the development of force-triggered SDPs composed of DNA crosslinked hydrogels doped with nucleases is described here. Externally applied piconewton forces selectively expose enzymatic cleavage sites within the DNA crosslinks, resulting in rapid polymer self-degradation. The synthesis and the chemical and mechanical characterization of DNA crosslinked hydrogels, as well as the kinetics of force-triggered hydrolysis, are described. As a proof-of-concept, force-triggered and time-dependent rheological changes in the polymer as well as encapsulated nanoparticle release are demonstrated. Finally, that the kinetics of self-destruction are shown to be tuned as a function of nuclease concentration, incubation time, and thermodynamic stability of DNA crosslinkers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yixiao Dong
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | | | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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13
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Sharma R, Narum S, Liu S, Dong Y, Baek KI, Jo H, Salaita K. Nanodiscoidal Nucleic Acids for Gene Regulation. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:2349-2367. [PMID: 37910400 PMCID: PMC10660333 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic nucleic acids represent a powerful class of drug molecules to control gene expression and protein synthesis. A major challenge in this field is that soluble oligonucleotides have limited serum stability, and the majority of nucleic acids that enter the cells are trapped within endosomes. Delivery efficiency can be improved using lipid scaffolds. One such example is the nanodisc (ND), a self-assembled nanostructure composed of phospholipids and peptides and modeled after high density lipoproteins (HDLs). Herein, we describe the development of the nanodiscoidal nucleic acid (NNA) which is a ND covalently modified with nucleic acids on the top and bottom lipid faces as well as the lateral peptide belt. The 13 nm ND was doped with thiolated phospholipids and thiol-containing peptides and coupled in a one-pot reaction with oligonucleotides to achieve ∼30 DNA/NNA nucleic acid density. NNAs showed superior nuclease resistance and enhanced cellular uptake that was mediated through the scavenger receptor B1. Time-dependent Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) analysis of internalized NNA confirmed that NNAs display increased stability. NNAs modified with clinically validated antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) that target hypoxia inducible factor 1-α (HIF-1-α) mRNA showed enhanced activity compared with that of the soluble DNA across multiple cell lines as well as a 3D cancer spheroid model. Lastly, in vivo experiments show that ASO-modified NNAs are primarily localized into livers and kidneys, and NNAs were potent in downregulating HIF-1-α using 5-fold lower doses than previously reported. Collectively, our results highlight the therapeutic potential for NNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radhika Sharma
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Steven Narum
- Wallace
H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Shuhong Liu
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Yixiao Dong
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Kyung In Baek
- Wallace
H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Hanjoong Jo
- Wallace
H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Wallace
H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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14
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Duan Y, Szlam F, Hu Y, Chen W, Li R, Ke Y, Sniecinski R, Salaita K. Detection of cellular traction forces via the force-triggered Cas12a-mediated catalytic cleavage of a fluorogenic reporter strand. Nat Biomed Eng 2023; 7:1404-1418. [PMID: 37957275 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-023-01114-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Molecular forces generated by cell receptors are infrequent and transient, and hence difficult to detect. Here we report an assay that leverages the CRISPR-associated protein 12a (Cas12a) to amplify the detection of cellular traction forces generated by as few as 50 adherent cells. The assay involves the immobilization of a DNA duplex modified with a ligand specific for a cell receptor. Traction forces of tens of piconewtons trigger the dehybridization of the duplex, exposing a cryptic Cas12-activating strand that sets off the indiscriminate Cas12-mediated cleavage of a fluorogenic reporter strand. We used the assay to perform hundreds of force measurements using human platelets from a single blood draw to extract individualized dose-response curves and half-maximal inhibitory concentrations for a panel of antiplatelet drugs. For seven patients who had undergone cardiopulmonary bypass, platelet dysfunction strongly correlated with the need for platelet transfusion to limit bleeding. The Cas12a-mediated detection of cellular traction forces may be used to assess cell state, and to screen for genes, cell-adhesion ligands, drugs or metabolites that modulate cell mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Duan
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Fania Szlam
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yuesong Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Wenchun Chen
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Departments of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Renhao Li
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Departments of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yonggang Ke
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Roman Sniecinski
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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15
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Ma R, Rashid SA, Velusamy A, Deal BR, Chen W, Petrich B, Li R, Salaita K. Molecular mechanocytometry using tension-activated cell tagging. Nat Methods 2023; 20:1666-1671. [PMID: 37798479 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-02030-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Flow cytometry is used routinely to measure single-cell gene expression by staining cells with fluorescent antibodies and nucleic acids. Here, we present tension-activated cell tagging (TaCT) to label cells fluorescently based on the magnitude of molecular force transmitted through cell adhesion receptors. As a proof-of-concept, we analyzed fibroblasts and mouse platelets after TaCT using conventional flow cytometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | | | - Brendan R Deal
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Wenchun Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Brian Petrich
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Renhao Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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16
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Ramey-Ward A, Dong Y, Yang J, Ogasawara H, Bremer-Sai EC, Brazhkina O, Franck C, Davis M, Salaita K. Optomechanically Actuated Hydrogel Platform for Cell Stimulation with Spatial and Temporal Resolution. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2023; 9:5361-5375. [PMID: 37604774 PMCID: PMC10498418 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c00516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Cells exist in the body in mechanically dynamic environments, yet the vast majority of in vitro cell culture is conducted on static materials such as plastic dishes and gels. To address this limitation, we report an approach to transition widely used hydrogels into mechanically active substrates by doping optomechanical actuator (OMA) nanoparticles within the polymer matrix. OMAs are composed of gold nanorods surrounded by a thermoresponsive polymer shell that rapidly collapses upon near-infrared (NIR) illumination. As a proof of concept, we crosslinked OMAs into laminin-gelatin hydrogels, generating up to 5 μm deformations triggered by NIR pulsing. This response was tunable by NIR intensity and OMA density within the gel and is generalizable to other hydrogel materials. Hydrogel mechanical stimulation enhanced myogenesis in C2C12 myoblasts as evidenced by ERK signaling, myocyte fusion, and sarcomeric myosin expression. We also demonstrate rescued differentiation in a chronic inflammation model as a result of mechanical stimulation. This work establishes OMA-actuated biomaterials as a powerful tool for in vitro mechanical manipulation with broad applications in the field of mechanobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison
N. Ramey-Ward
- Wallace
H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Yixiao Dong
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Jin Yang
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, University of
Wisconsin − Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Hiroaki Ogasawara
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Elizabeth C. Bremer-Sai
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, University of
Wisconsin − Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Olga Brazhkina
- Wallace
H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Christian Franck
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, University of
Wisconsin − Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Michael Davis
- Wallace
H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Wallace
H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology & Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
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17
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Li K, Cardenas-Lizana P, Kellner AV, Yuan Z, Ahn E, Lyu J, Li Z, Salaita K, Ahmed R, Zhu C. Mechanical force regulates ligand binding and function of PD-1. bioRxiv 2023:2023.08.13.553152. [PMID: 37645980 PMCID: PMC10462004 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.13.553152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade targeting PD-1 shows great success in cancer therapy. However, the mechanism of how ligand binding initiates PD-1 signaling remains unclear. As prognosis markers of multiple cancers, soluble PD-L1 is found in patient sera and can bind PD-1, but fails to suppress T cell function. This and our previous observations that T cells exert endogenous forces on PD-1-PD-L2 bonds prompt the hypothesis that mechanical force might be critical to PD-1 triggering, which is missing in the soluble ligand case due to the lack of mechanical support afforded by surface-anchored ligand. Here we show that PD-1 function is eliminated or reduced when mechanical support on ligand is removed or dampened, respectively. Force spectroscopic analysis reveals that PD-1 forms catch bonds with both PD-Ligands <7 pN where force prolongs bond lifetime, but slip bonds >8 pN where force accelerates dissociation. Steered molecular dynamics finds PD-1-PD-L2 complex very sensitive to force due to the two molecules' "side-to-side" binding via β sheets. Pulling causes relative rotation and translation between the two molecules by stretching and aligning the complex along the force direction, yielding new atomic contacts not observed in the crystal structure. Compared to wild-type, PD-1 mutants targeting the force-induced new interactions maintain the same binding affinity but display lower rupture force, shorter bond lifetime, reduced tension, and most importantly, impaired capacity to suppress T cell activation. Our results uncover a mechanism for cells to probe the mechanical support of PD-1-PD-Ligand bonds using endogenous forces to regulate PD-1 triggering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitao Li
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
- Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
| | - Paul Cardenas-Lizana
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
- Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
| | - Anna V. Kellner
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
| | - Zhou Yuan
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
- Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
| | - Eunseon Ahn
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Jintian Lyu
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
- Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
| | - Zhenhai Li
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Rafi Ahmed
- Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Cheng Zhu
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
- Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
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18
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Rogers J, Ma R, Hu Y, Salaita K. Force-induced site-specific enzymatic cleavage probes reveal that serial mechanical engagement boosts T cell activation. bioRxiv 2023:2023.08.07.552310. [PMID: 37609308 PMCID: PMC10441320 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.07.552310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
The surface of T cells is studded with T cell receptors (TCRs) that are used to scan target cells to identify peptide-major histocompatibility complexes (pMHCs) signatures of viral infection or cancerous mutation. It is now established that the TCR-pMHC complex is highly transient and experiences mechanical forces that augment the fidelity of T cell activation. An important question in this area pertains to the role of force duration in immune activation. Herein, we report the development of force probes that autonomously terminate tension within a time window following mechanical triggering. Force-induced site-specific enzymatic cleavage (FUSE) probes tune tension duration by controlling the rate of a force-triggered endonuclease hydrolysis reaction. This new capability provides a method to study how accumulated force duration contributes to T cell activation. We screened DNA sequences and identified FUSE probes that disrupt mechanical interactions with F >7.1 piconewtons (pN) between TCRs and pMHCs. Force lifetimes (τF) are tunable from tens of min down to 1.9 min. T cells challenged with FUSE probes presenting cognate antigens with τF of 1.9 min demonstrated dampened markers of early activation, thus demonstrating that repeated mechanical sampling boosts TCR activation. Repeated mechanical sampling F >7.1 pN was found to be particularly critical at lower pMHC antigen densities, wherein the T cell activation declined by 23% with τF of 1.9 min. FUSE probes with F >17.0 pN response showed weaker influence on T cell triggering further showing that TCR-pMHC with F >17.0 pN are less frequent compared to F >7.1 pN. Taken together, FUSE probes allow a new strategy to investigate the role of force dynamics in mechanotransduction broadly and specifically suggest a model of serial mechanical engagement in antigen recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhordan Rogers
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, USA
| | - Rong Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, USA
| | - Yuesong Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, USA
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, 30332, USA
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19
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Rashid SA, Dong Y, Ogasawara H, Vierengel M, Essien ME, Salaita K. All-Covalent Nuclease-Resistant and Hydrogel-Tethered DNA Hairpin Probes Map pN Cell Traction Forces. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2023; 15:33362-33372. [PMID: 37409737 PMCID: PMC10360067 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c04826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Cells sense and respond to the physical properties of their environment through receptor-mediated signaling, a process known as mechanotransduction, which can modulate critical cellular functions such as proliferation, differentiation, and survival. At the molecular level, cell adhesion receptors, such as integrins, transmit piconewton (pN)-scale forces to the extracellular matrix, and the magnitude of the force plays a critical role in cell signaling. The most sensitive approach to measuring integrin forces involves DNA hairpin-based sensors, which are used to quantify and map forces in living cells. Despite the broad use of DNA hairpin sensors to study a variety of mechanotransduction processes, these sensors are typically anchored to rigid glass slides, which are orders of magnitude stiffer than the extracellular matrix and hence modulate native biological responses. Here, we have developed nuclease-resistant DNA hairpin probes that are all covalently tethered to PEG hydrogels to image cell traction forces on physiologically relevant substrate stiffness. Using HeLa cells as a model cell line, we show that the molecular forces transmitted by integrins are highly sensitive to the bulk modulus of the substrate, and cells cultured on the 6 and 13 kPa gels produced a greater number of hairpin unfolding events compared to the 2 kPa substrates. Tension signals are spatially colocalized with pY118-paxillin, confirming focal adhesion-mediated probe opening. Additionally, we found that integrin forces are greater than 5.8 pN but less than 19 pN on 13 kPa gels. This work provides a general strategy to integrate molecular tension probes into hydrogels, which can better mimic in vivo mechanotransduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sk Aysha Rashid
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Yixiao Dong
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Hiroaki Ogasawara
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Maia Vierengel
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Mark Edoho Essien
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- Wallace
H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
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20
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Hu Y, Duan Y, Velusamy A, Narum S, Rogers J, Salaita K. DNA Origami Tension Sensors (DOTS) to study T cell receptor mechanics at membrane junctions. bioRxiv 2023:2023.07.09.548279. [PMID: 37503090 PMCID: PMC10369911 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.09.548279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The T cell receptor (TCR) is thought to be a mechanosensor, meaning that it transmits mechanical force to its antigen and leverages the force to amplify the specificity and magnitude of TCR signaling. The past decade has witnessed the development of molecular probes which have revealed many aspects of receptor mechanotransduction. However, most force probes are immobilized on hard substrates, thus failing to reveal mechanics in the physiological context of cell membranes. In this report, we developed DNA origami tension sensors (DOTS) which bear force sensors on a DNA origami breadboard and allow mapping of TCR mechanotransduction at dynamic intermembrane junctions. We demonstrate that TCR-antigen bonds experience 5-10 pN forces, and the mechanical events are dependent on cell state, antigen mobility, antigen potency, antigen height and F-actin activity. We tethered DOTS onto a microparticle to mechanically screen antigen in high throughput using flow cytometry. Finally, DOTS were anchored onto live B cell membranes thus producing the first quantification of TCR mechanics at authentic immune cell-cell junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuesong Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Yuxin Duan
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Arventh Velusamy
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Steven Narum
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jhordan Rogers
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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21
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Abstract
Immune recognition occurs at specialized cell-cell junctions when immune cells and target cells physically touch. In this junction, groups of receptor-ligand complexes assemble and experience molecular forces that are ultimately generated by the cellular cytoskeleton. These forces are in the range of piconewton (pN) but play crucial roles in immune cell activation and subsequent effector responses. In this minireview, we will review the development of DNA based molecular tension sensors and their applications in mapping and quantifying mechanical forces experienced by immunoreceptors including T-cell receptor (TCR), Lymphocyte function-associated antigen (LFA-1), and the B-cell receptor (BCR) among others. In addition, we will highlight the use of DNA as a mechanical gate to manipulate mechanotransduction and decipher how mechanical forces regulate antigen discrimination and receptor signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuesong Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Yuxin Duan
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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22
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Piranej S, Zhang L, Bazrafshan A, Marin M, Melikyan GB, Salaita K. Rolosense: Mechanical detection of SARS-CoV-2 using a DNA-based motor. bioRxiv 2023:2023.02.27.530294. [PMID: 36909543 PMCID: PMC10002644 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.27.530294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Assays detecting viral infections play a significant role in limiting the spread of diseases such as SARS-CoV-2. Here we present Rolosense, a virus sensing platform that transduces the motion of synthetic DNA-based motors transporting 5-micron particles on RNA fuel chips. Motors and chips are modified with virus-binding aptamers that lead to stalling of motion. Therefore, motors perform a "mechanical test" of viral target and stall in the presence of whole virions which represents a unique mechanism of transduction distinct from conventional assays. Rolosense can detect SARS-CoV-2 spiked in artificial saliva and exhaled breath condensate with a sensitivity of 103 copies/mL and discriminates among other respiratory viruses. The assay is modular and amenable to multiplexing, as we demonstrated one-pot detection of influenza A and SARS-CoV-2. As a proof-of-concept, we show readout can be achieved using a smartphone camera in as little as 15 mins without any sample preparation steps. Taken together, mechanical detection using Rolosense can be broadly applied to any viral target and has the potential to enable rapid, low-cost, point-of-care screening of circulating viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selma Piranej
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 (USA)
| | - Luona Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 (USA)
| | | | - Mariana Marin
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 (USA)
- Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 (USA)
| | - Gregory B. Melikyan
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 (USA)
- Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 (USA)
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 (USA)
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 (USA)
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23
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Rao TC, Patel M, Beggs RR, Ma R, Salaita K, Mattheyses AL. Activated EGFR-αVβ3 interactions directly drive integrin-mediated cell mechanics. Biophys J 2023; 122:267a. [PMID: 36783316 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.11.1531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tejeshwar C Rao
- Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Monica Patel
- Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Reena R Beggs
- Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Rong Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alexa L Mattheyses
- Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
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24
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Rao TC, Patel MD, Beggs RR, Ma R, Salaita K, Mattheyses AL. RTK-integrin interactions universally modulate αVβ3 integrin-mediated cell adhesion. Biophys J 2023; 122:267a. [PMID: 36783317 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.11.1532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tejeshwar C Rao
- Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Monica D Patel
- Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Reena R Beggs
- Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Rong Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alexa L Mattheyses
- Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
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25
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Eggert J, Zinzow-Kramer WM, Hu Y, Tsai YL, Weiss A, Salaita K, Scharer CD, Au-Yeung BB. Accumulation of TCR signaling from self-antigens in naive CD8 T cells mitigates early responsiveness. bioRxiv 2023:2023.01.27.525946. [PMID: 36747815 PMCID: PMC9900884 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.27.525946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The cumulative effects of T cell receptor (TCR) signal transduction over extended periods of time influences T cell biology, such as the positive selection of immature thymocytes or the proliferative responses of naive T cells. Naive T cells experience recurrent TCR signaling in response to self-antigens in the steady state. However, how these signals influence the responsiveness of naive CD8+ T cells to subsequent agonist TCR stimulation remains incompletely understood. We investigated how naive CD8+ T cells that experienced relatively low or high levels of TCR signaling in response to self-antigens respond to stimulation with foreign antigens. A transcriptional reporter of Nr4a1 (Nur77-GFP) revealed substantial heterogeneity of the amount of TCR signaling naive CD8+ T cells accumulate in the steady state. Nur77-GFPHI cells exhibited diminished T cell activation and secretion of IFNγ and IL-2 relative to Nur77-GFPLO cells in response to agonist TCR stimulation. Differential gene expression analyses revealed upregulation of genes associated with acutely stimulated T cells in Nur77-GFPHI cells but also increased expression of negative regulators such as the phosphatase Sts1. Responsiveness of Nur77-GFPHI cells to TCR stimulation was partially restored at the level of IFNγ secretion by deficiency of Sts1 or the ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b. Our data suggest that extensive accumulation of TCR signaling during steady state conditions induces a recalibration of the responsiveness of naive CD8+ T cells through gene expression changes and negative regulation, at least in part, dependent on Sts1 and Cbl-b. This cell-intrinsic negative feedback loop may allow the immune system to limit the autoreactive potential of highly self-reactive naive CD8+ T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Eggert
- Division of Immunology, Lowance Center for Human Immunology, Department of Medicine, Emory University
| | - Wendy M. Zinzow-Kramer
- Division of Immunology, Lowance Center for Human Immunology, Department of Medicine, Emory University
| | - Yuesong Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University
| | - Yuan-Li Tsai
- Rosalind Russell and Ephraim P. Engleman Rheumatology Research Center, Departments of Medicine and of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Arthur Weiss
- Rosalind Russell and Ephraim P. Engleman Rheumatology Research Center, Departments of Medicine and of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco
| | | | | | - Byron B. Au-Yeung
- Division of Immunology, Lowance Center for Human Immunology, Department of Medicine, Emory University
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26
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Blanchard AT, Piranej S, Pan V, Salaita K. Adhesive Dynamics Simulations of Highly Polyvalent DNA Motors. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:7495-7509. [PMID: 36137248 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c01897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Molecular motors, such as myosin and kinesin, perform diverse tasks ranging from vesical transport to bulk muscle contraction. Synthetic molecular motors may eventually be harnessed to perform similar tasks in versatile synthetic systems. The most promising type of synthetic molecular motor, the DNA walker, can undergo processive motion but generally exhibits low speeds and virtually no capacity for force generation. However, we recently showed that highly polyvalent DNA motors (HPDMs) can rival biological motors by translocating at micrometer per minute speeds and generating 100+ pN of force. Accordingly, DNA nanotechnology-based designs may hold promise for the creation of synthetic, force-generating nanomotors. However, the dependencies of HPDM speed and force on tunable design parameters are poorly understood and difficult to characterize experimentally. To overcome this challenge, we present RoloSim, an adhesive dynamics software package for fine-grained simulations of HPDM translocation. RoloSim uses biophysical models for DNA duplex formation and dissociation kinetics to explicitly model tens of thousands of molecular scale interactions. These molecular interactions are then used to calculate the nano- and microscale motions of the motor. We use RoloSim to uncover how motor force and speed scale with several tunable motor properties such as motor size and DNA duplex length. Our results support our previously defined hypothesis that force scales linearly with polyvalency. We also demonstrate that HPDMs can be steered with external force, and we provide design parameters for novel HPDM-based molecular sensor and nanomachine designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron T Blanchard
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Selma Piranej
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Victor Pan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
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27
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Wang MS, Hu Y, Sanchez EE, Xie X, Roy NH, de Jesus M, Winer BY, Zale EA, Jin W, Sachar C, Lee JH, Hong Y, Kim M, Kam LC, Salaita K, Huse M. Mechanically active integrins target lytic secretion at the immune synapse to facilitate cellular cytotoxicity. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3222. [PMID: 35680882 PMCID: PMC9184626 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30809-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytotoxic lymphocytes fight pathogens and cancer by forming immune synapses with infected or transformed target cells and then secreting cytotoxic perforin and granzyme into the synaptic space, with potent and specific killing achieved by this focused delivery. The mechanisms that establish the precise location of secretory events, however, remain poorly understood. Here we use single cell biophysical measurements, micropatterning, and functional assays to demonstrate that localized mechanotransduction helps define the position of secretory events within the synapse. Ligand-bound integrins, predominantly the αLβ2 isoform LFA-1, function as spatial cues to attract lytic granules containing perforin and granzyme and induce their fusion with the plasma membrane for content release. LFA-1 is subjected to pulling forces within secretory domains, and disruption of these forces via depletion of the adaptor molecule talin abrogates cytotoxicity. We thus conclude that lymphocytes employ an integrin-dependent mechanical checkpoint to enhance their cytotoxic power and fidelity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell S Wang
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Pharmacology Program, Weill-Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yuesong Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Elisa E Sanchez
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program, Weill-Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xihe Xie
- Neuroscience Program, Weill-Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nathan H Roy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Miguel de Jesus
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin Y Winer
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Zale
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Weiyang Jin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chirag Sachar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joanne H Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yeonsun Hong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Minsoo Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Lance C Kam
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Morgan Huse
- Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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28
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Piranej S, Bazrafshan A, Salaita K. Chemical-to-mechanical molecular computation using DNA-based motors with onboard logic. Nat Nanotechnol 2022; 17:514-523. [PMID: 35347272 PMCID: PMC9119907 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-022-01080-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
DNA has become the biomolecule of choice for molecular computation that may one day complement conventional silicon-based processors. In general, DNA computation is conducted in individual tubes, is slow in generating chemical outputs in response to chemical inputs and requires fluorescence readout. Here, we introduce a new paradigm for DNA computation where the chemical input is processed and transduced into a mechanical output using dynamic DNA-based motors operating far from equilibrium. We show that DNA-based motors with onboard logic (DMOLs) can perform Boolean functions (NOT, YES, AND and OR) with 15 min readout times. Because DMOLs are micrometre-sized, massive arrays of DMOLs that are identical or uniquely encoded by size and refractive index can be multiplexed and perform motor-to-motor communication on the same chip. Finally, DMOL computational outputs can be detected using a conventional smartphone camera, thus transducing chemical information into the electronic domain in a facile manner, suggesting potential applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selma Piranej
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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29
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Rashid SA, Blanchard AT, Combs JD, Fernandez N, Dong Y, Cho HC, Salaita K. DNA Tension Probes Show that Cardiomyocyte Maturation Is Sensitive to the Piconewton Traction Forces Transmitted by Integrins. ACS Nano 2022; 16:5335-5348. [PMID: 35324164 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c04303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cardiac muscle cells (CMCs) are the unit cells that comprise the heart. CMCs go through different stages of differentiation and maturation pathways to fully mature into beating cells. These cells can sense and respond to mechanical cues through receptors such as integrins which influence maturation pathways. For example, cell traction forces are important for the differentiation and development of functional CMCs, as CMCs cultured on varying substrate stiffness function differently. Most work in this area has focused on understanding the role of bulk extracellular matrix stiffness in mediating the functional fate of CMCs. Given that stiffness sensing mechanisms are mediated by individual integrin receptors, an important question in this area pertains to the specific magnitude of integrin piconewton (pN) forces that can trigger CMC functional maturation. To address this knowledge gap, we used DNA adhesion tethers that rupture at specific thresholds of force (∼12, ∼56, and ∼160 pN) to test whether capping peak integrin tension to specific magnitudes affects CMC function. We show that adhesion tethers with greater force tolerance lead to functionally mature CMCs as determined by morphology, twitching frequency, transient calcium flux measurements, and protein expression (F-actin, vinculin, α-actinin, YAP, and SERCA2a). Additionally, sarcomeric actinin alignment and multinucleation were significantly enhanced as the mechanical tolerance of integrin tethers was increased. Taken together, the results show that CMCs harness defined pN integrin forces to influence early stage development. This study represents an important step toward biophysical characterization of the contribution of pN forces in early stage cardiac differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sk Aysha Rashid
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Aaron T Blanchard
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - J Dale Combs
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Natasha Fernandez
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 1405 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Yixiao Dong
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Hee Cheol Cho
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 1405 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, 313 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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30
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Nawara TJ, Williams YD, Rao TC, Hu Y, Sztul E, Salaita K, Mattheyses AL. Imaging vesicle formation dynamics supports the flexible model of clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1732. [PMID: 35365614 PMCID: PMC8976038 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29317-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Clathrin polymerization and changes in plasma membrane architecture are necessary steps in forming vesicles to internalize cargo during clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME). Simultaneous analysis of clathrin dynamics and membrane structure is challenging due to the limited axial resolution of fluorescence microscopes and the heterogeneity of CME. This has fueled conflicting models of vesicle assembly and obscured the roles of flat clathrin assemblies. Here, using Simultaneous Two-wavelength Axial Ratiometry (STAR) microscopy, we bridge this critical knowledge gap by quantifying the nanoscale dynamics of clathrin-coat shape change during vesicle assembly. We find that de novo clathrin accumulations generate both flat and curved structures. High-throughput analysis reveals that the initiation of vesicle curvature does not directly correlate with clathrin accumulation. We show clathrin accumulation is preferentially simultaneous with curvature formation at shorter-lived clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs), but favors a flat-to-curved transition at longer-lived CCVs. The broad spectrum of curvature initiation dynamics revealed by STAR microscopy supports multiple productive mechanisms of vesicle formation and advocates for the flexible model of CME. Despite decades of research, the dynamics of clathrin-coated vesicle formation is ambiguous. Here, authors use STAR microscopy to quantify the nanoscale dynamics of vesicle formation, supporting the flexible model of clathrin-mediated endocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz J Nawara
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Yancey D Williams
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Tejeshwar C Rao
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Yuesong Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Sztul
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alexa L Mattheyses
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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31
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Rao TC, Beggs RR, Ankenbauer KE, Hwang J, Ma VPY, Salaita K, Bellis SL, Mattheyses AL. ST6Gal-I-mediated sialylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor modulates cell mechanics and enhances invasion. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101726. [PMID: 35157848 PMCID: PMC8956946 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterogeneity within the glycocalyx influences cell adhesion mechanics and signaling. However, the role of specific glycosylation subtypes in influencing cell mechanics via alterations of receptor function remains unexplored. It has been shown that the addition of sialic acid to terminal glycans impacts growth, development, and cancer progression. In addition, the sialyltransferase ST6Gal-I promotes epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activity, and we have shown EGFR is an 'allosteric mechano-organizer' of integrin tension. Here, we investigated the impact of ST6Gal-I on cell mechanics. Using DNA-based tension gauge tether probes of variable thresholds, we found that high ST6Gal-I activity promotes increased integrin forces and spreading in Cos-7 and OVCAR3, OVCAR5, and OV4 cancer cells. Further, employing inhibitors and function-blocking antibodies against β1, β3, and β5 integrins and ST6Gal-I targets EGFR, tumor necrosis factor receptor, and Fas cell surface death receptor, we validated that the observed phenotypes are EGFR-specific. We found that while tension, contractility, and adhesion are extracellular-signal-regulated kinase pathway-dependent, spreading, proliferation, and invasion are phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt serine/threonine kinase dependent. Using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry, we also show that high ST6Gal-I activity leads to sustained EGFR membrane retention, making it a key regulator of cell mechanics. Our findings suggest a novel sialylation-dependent mechanism orchestrating cellular mechanics and enhancing cell motility via EGFR signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tejeshwar C Rao
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Reena R Beggs
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Katherine E Ankenbauer
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Jihye Hwang
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | | | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Susan L Bellis
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Alexa L Mattheyses
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
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32
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Ma VPY, Hu Y, Kellner AV, Brockman JM, Velusamy A, Blanchard AT, Evavold BD, Alon R, Salaita K. The magnitude of LFA-1/ICAM-1 forces fine-tune TCR-triggered T cell activation. Sci Adv 2022; 8:eabg4485. [PMID: 35213231 PMCID: PMC8880789 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg4485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
T cells defend against cancer and viral infections by rapidly scanning the surface of target cells seeking specific peptide antigens. This key process in adaptive immunity is sparked upon T cell receptor (TCR) binding of antigens within cell-cell junctions stabilized by integrin (LFA-1)/intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) complexes. A long-standing question in this area is whether the forces transmitted through the LFA-1/ICAM-1 complex tune T cell signaling. Here, we use spectrally encoded DNA tension probes to reveal the first maps of LFA-1 and TCR forces generated by the T cell cytoskeleton upon antigen recognition. DNA probes that control the magnitude of LFA-1 force show that F>12 pN potentiates antigen-dependent T cell activation by enhancing T cell-substrate engagement. LFA-1/ICAM-1 mechanical events with F>12 pN also enhance the discriminatory power of the TCR when presented with near cognate antigens. Overall, our results show that T cells integrate multiple channels of mechanical information through different ligand-receptor pairs to tune function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuesong Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Anna V. Kellner
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Joshua M. Brockman
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Arventh Velusamy
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Aaron T. Blanchard
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Brian D. Evavold
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Ronen Alon
- Department of Immunology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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33
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Abstract
Delivery of nucleic acids can be hindered by multiple factors including nuclease susceptibility, endosome trapping, and clearance. Multiple nanotechnology scaffolds have offered promising solutions, and among these, lipid-based systems are advantageous because of their high biocompatibility and low toxicity. However, many lipid nanoparticle systems still have issues regarding stability, rapid clearance, and cargo leakage. Herein, we demonstrate the use of a synthetic nanodisc (ND) scaffold functionalized with an anti-HIF-1-α antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) to reduce HIF-1-α mRNA transcript levels. We prepared ND conjugates by using a mixture of phosphoglycerolipids with phosphocholine and phosphothioethanol headgroups that self-assemble into a ∼13 × 5 nm discoidal structure upon addition of a 22-amino-acid ApoA1 mimetic peptide. Optimized reaction conditions yield 15 copies of the anti-HIF-1-α ASO DNA covalently conjugated to the thiolated phospholipids using maleimide-thiol chemistry. We show that DNA-ND conjugates are active, nuclease resistant, and rapidly internalized into cells to regulate HIF-1-α mRNA levels without the use of transfection agents. DNA-ND uptake is partially mediated through Scavenger Receptor B1 and the ND conjugates show enhanced knockdown of HIF-1-α compared to that of the soluble ASOs in multiple cell lines. Our results demonstrate that covalently functionalized NDs may offer an improved platform for ASO therapeutics.
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34
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Rao TC, Beggs RR, Ma R, Salaita K, Mattheyses AL. Direct RTK-integrin interactions universally modulate αvβ3 integrin-mediated cell adhesion. Biophys J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.11.325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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35
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Aysha Rashid S, Blanchard AT, Combs JD, Fernandez N, Cheol Cho H, Salaita K. DNA tension probes show that cardiomyocyte maturation is sensitive to the pN traction forces transmitted by integrins. Biophys J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.11.775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
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36
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Hu Y, Pui-Yan Ma V, Ma R, Chen W, Duan Y, Glazier R, Petrich B, Li R, Salaita K. DNA based microparticle tension sensors for measuring cell mechanics in non-planar geometries and for high throughput quantification. Biophys J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.11.2124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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37
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Kellner AV, Hunter R, Do P, Lee M, Hamilton J, Ma R, Ross A, Porter C, Dreaden E, Henry C, Salaita K. The adipocyte secretome inhibits T-cell activation by dampening T-cell receptor mechanotransduction. Biophys J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.11.1185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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38
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Forghani P, Rashid A, Sun F, Liu R, Li D, Lee MR, Hwang H, Maxwell JT, Mandawat A, Wu R, Salaita K, Xu C. Carfilzomib Treatment Causes Molecular and Functional Alterations of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes. J Am Heart Assoc 2021; 10:e022247. [PMID: 34873922 PMCID: PMC9075231 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.121.022247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Background Anticancer therapies have significantly improved patient outcomes; however, cardiac side effects from cancer therapies remain a significant challenge. Cardiotoxicity following treatment with proteasome inhibitors such as carfilzomib is known in clinical settings, but the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Methods and Results Using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) as a cell model for drug-induced cytotoxicity in combination with traction force microscopy, functional assessments, high-throughput imaging, and comprehensive omic analyses, we examined the molecular mechanisms involved in structural and functional alterations induced by carfilzomib in hiPSC-CMs. Following the treatment of hiPSC-CMs with carfilzomib at 0.01 to 10 µmol/L, we observed a concentration-dependent increase in carfilzomib-induced toxicity and corresponding morphological, structural, and functional changes. Carfilzomib treatment reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP production, and mitochondrial oxidative respiration and increased mitochondrial oxidative stress. In addition, carfilzomib treatment affected contractility of hiPSC-CMs in 3-dimensional microtissues. At a single cell level, carfilzomib treatment impaired Ca2+ transients and reduced integrin-mediated traction forces as detected by piconewton tension sensors. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses revealed that carfilzomib treatment downregulated the expression of genes involved in extracellular matrices, integrin complex, and cardiac contraction, and upregulated stress responsive proteins including heat shock proteins. Conclusions Carfilzomib treatment causes deleterious changes in cellular and functional characteristics of hiPSC-CMs. Insights into these changes could be gained from the changes in the expression of genes and proteins identified from our omic analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parvin Forghani
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology Department of Pediatrics Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Atlanta GA
| | - Aysha Rashid
- Biomolecular Chemistry Department of Chemistry Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Fangxu Sun
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta GA
| | - Rui Liu
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology Department of Pediatrics Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Atlanta GA
| | - Dong Li
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology Department of Pediatrics Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Atlanta GA
| | - Megan R Lee
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology Department of Pediatrics Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Atlanta GA
| | - Hyun Hwang
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology Department of Pediatrics Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Atlanta GA
| | - Joshua T Maxwell
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology Department of Pediatrics Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Atlanta GA
| | - Anant Mandawat
- Department of Medicine & Winship Cancer Institute Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta GA
| | - Ronghu Wu
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta GA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Biomolecular Chemistry Department of Chemistry Emory University Atlanta GA.,Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Chunhui Xu
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology Department of Pediatrics Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Atlanta GA.,Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University Atlanta GA
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39
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Dong Y, Combs JD, Cao C, Weeks ER, Bazrafshan A, Rashid SA, Salaita K. Supramolecular DNA Photonic Hydrogels for On-Demand Control of Coloration with High Spatial and Temporal Resolution. Nano Lett 2021; 21:9958-9965. [PMID: 34797077 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c03399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogels embedded with periodic arrays of nanoparticles display a striking photonic crystal coloration that may be useful for applications such as camouflage, anticounterfeiting, and chemical sensing. Dynamically generating color patterns requires control of nanoparticle organization within a polymer network on-demand, which is challenging. We solve this problem by creating a DNA hydrogel system that shows a 50 000-fold decrease in modulus upon heating by ∼10 °C. Magnetic nanoparticles entrapped within these DNA gels generate a structural color only when the gel is heated and a magnetic field is applied. A spatially controlled photonic crystal coloration was achieved by photopatterning with a near-infrared illumination. Color was "erased" by illuminating or heating the gel in the absence of an external magnetic field. The on-demand assembly technology demonstrated here may be beneficial for the development of a new generation of smart materials with potential applications in erasable lithography, encryption, and sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixiao Dong
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - J Dale Combs
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Cong Cao
- Department of Physics, Emory University, 400 Dowman Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Eric R Weeks
- Department of Physics, Emory University, 400 Dowman Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Alisina Bazrafshan
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Sk Aysha Rashid
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
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40
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Su H, Brockman JM, Duan Y, Sen N, Chhabra H, Bazrafshan A, Blanchard AT, Meyer T, Andrews B, Doye JPK, Ke Y, Dyer RB, Salaita K. Massively Parallelized Molecular Force Manipulation with On-Demand Thermal and Optical Control. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:19466-19473. [PMID: 34762807 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c08796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS), a tethered molecule is stretched using a specialized instrument to study how macromolecules extend under force. One problem in SMFS is the serial and slow nature of the measurements, performed one molecule at a time. To address this long-standing challenge, we report on the origami polymer force clamp (OPFC) which enables parallelized manipulation of the mechanical forces experienced by molecules without the need for dedicated SMFS instruments or surface tethering. The OPFC positions target molecules between a rigid nanoscale DNA origami beam and a responsive polymer particle that shrinks on demand. As a proof-of-concept, we record the steady state and time-resolved mechanical unfolding dynamics of DNA hairpins using the fluorescence signal from ensembles of molecules and confirm our conclusion using modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanquan Su
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Joshua M Brockman
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Yuxin Duan
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Navoneel Sen
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - Hemani Chhabra
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - Alisina Bazrafshan
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Aaron T Blanchard
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Travis Meyer
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Brooke Andrews
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Jonathan P K Doye
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom
| | - Yonggang Ke
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States.,Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - R Brian Dyer
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States.,Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
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41
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Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are single-stranded short nucleic acids that silence the expression of target mRNAs and show increasing therapeutic potential. Since ASOs are internalized by many cell types, both normal and diseased cells, gene silencing in unwanted cells is a significant challenge for their therapeutic use. To address this challenge, we created conditional ASOs that become active only upon detecting transcripts unique to the target cell. As a proof-of-concept, we modified an HIF1α ASO (EZN2968) to generate miRNA-specific conditional ASOs, which can inhibit HIF1α in the presence of a hepatocyte-specific miRNA, miR-122, via a toehold exchange reaction. We characterized a library of nucleic acids, testing how the conformation, thermostability, and chemical composition of the conditional ASO impact the specificity and efficacy in response to miR-122 as a trigger signal. Optimally designed conditional ASOs demonstrated knockdown of HIF1α in cells transfected with exogenous miR-122 and in hepatocytes expressing endogenous miR-122. We confirmed that conditional ASO activity was mediated by toehold exchange between miR-122 and the conditional ASO duplex, and the magnitude of the knockdown depended on the toehold length and miR-122 levels. Using the same concept, we further generated another conditional ASO that can be triggered by miR-21. Our results suggest that conditional ASOs can be custom-designed with any miRNA to control ASO activation in targeted cells while reducing unwanted effects in nontargeted cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Zhang
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Radhika Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Kitae Ryu
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Patrick Shen
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States; Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Hanjoong Jo
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
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42
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Dong Y, Ramey-Ward AN, Salaita K. Programmable Mechanically Active Hydrogel-Based Materials. Adv Mater 2021; 33:e2006600. [PMID: 34309076 PMCID: PMC8595730 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202006600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Programmable mechanically active materials (MAMs) are defined as materials that can sense and transduce external stimuli into mechanical outputs or conversely that can detect mechanical stimuli and respond through an optical change or other change in the appearance of the material. Programmable MAMs are a subset of responsive materials and offer potential in next generation robotics and smart systems. This review specifically focuses on hydrogel-based MAMs because of their mechanical compliance, programmability, biocompatibility, and cost-efficiency. First, the composition of hydrogel MAMs along with the top-down and bottom-up approaches used for programming these materials are discussed. Next, the fundamental principles for engineering responsivity in MAMS, which includes optical, thermal, magnetic, electrical, chemical, and mechanical stimuli, are considered. Some advantages and disadvantages of different responsivities are compared. Then, to conclude, the emerging applications of hydrogel-based MAMs from recently published literature, as well as the future outlook of MAM studies, are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixiao Dong
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States, 30322
| | - Allison N. Ramey-Ward
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States, 30322
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43
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Pérez LA, Rashid A, Combs JD, Schneider P, Rodríguez A, Salaita K, Leyton L. An Outside-In Switch in Integrin Signaling Caused by Chemical and Mechanical Signals in Reactive Astrocytes. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:712627. [PMID: 34497806 PMCID: PMC8419233 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.712627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocyte reactivity is associated with poor repair capacity after injury to the brain, where chemical and physical changes occur in the damaged zone. Astrocyte surface proteins, such as integrins, are upregulated, and the release of pro-inflammatory molecules and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins upon damage generate a stiffer matrix. Integrins play an important role in triggering a reactive phenotype in astrocytes, and we have reported that αVβ3 Integrin binds to the Thy-1 (CD90) neuronal glycoprotein, increasing astrocyte contractility and motility. Alternatively, αVβ3 Integrin senses mechanical forces generated by the increased ECM stiffness. Until now, the association between the αVβ3 Integrin mechanoreceptor response in astrocytes and changes in their reactive phenotype is unclear. To study the response to combined chemical and mechanical stress, astrocytes were stimulated with Thy-1-Protein A-coated magnetic beads and exposed to a magnetic field to generate mechanical tension. We evaluated the effect of such stimulation on cell adhesion and contraction. We also assessed traction forces and their effect on cell morphology, and integrin surface expression. Mechanical stress accelerated the response of astrocytes to Thy-1 engagement of integrin receptors, resulting in cell adhesion and contraction. Astrocyte contraction then exerted traction forces onto the ECM, inducing faster cell contractility and higher traction forces than Thy-1 alone. Therefore, cell-extrinsic chemical and mechanical signals regulate in an outside-in manner, astrocyte reactivity by inducing integrin upregulation, ligation, and signaling events that promote cell contraction. These changes in turn generate cell-intrinsic signals that increase traction forces exerted onto the ECM (inside-out). This study reveals αVβ3 Integrin mechanoreceptor as a novel target to regulate the harmful effects of reactive astrocytes in neuronal healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo A Pérez
- Cellular Communication Laboratory, Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Studies on Exercise, Metabolism and Cancer (CEMC), Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Aysha Rashid
- Chemistry Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - J Dale Combs
- Chemistry Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Pascal Schneider
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Andrés Rodríguez
- Group of Research and Innovation in Vascular Health, Machine Learning Applied to Biomedicine Group, Vascular Physiology Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Chemistry Department, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Lisette Leyton
- Cellular Communication Laboratory, Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Studies on Exercise, Metabolism and Cancer (CEMC), Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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44
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Duan Y, Glazier R, Bazrafshan A, Hu Y, Rashid SA, Petrich BG, Ke Y, Salaita K. Mechanically Triggered Hybridization Chain Reaction. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202107660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Duan
- Department of Chemistry Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
| | - Roxanne Glazier
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
| | | | - Yuesong Hu
- Department of Chemistry Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
| | - Sk Aysha Rashid
- Department of Chemistry Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
| | | | - Yonggang Ke
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
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45
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Duan Y, Glazier R, Bazrafshan A, Hu Y, Rashid SA, Petrich BG, Ke Y, Salaita K. Mechanically Triggered Hybridization Chain Reaction. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:19974-19981. [PMID: 34242462 PMCID: PMC8390435 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202107660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Cells transmit piconewton forces to receptors to mediate processes such as migration and immune recognition. A major challenge in quantifying such forces is the sparsity of cell mechanical events. Accordingly, molecular tension is typically quantified with high resolution fluorescence microscopy, which hinders widespread adoption and application. Here, we report a mechanically triggered hybridization chain reaction (mechano-HCR) that allows chemical amplification of mechanical events. The amplification is triggered when a cell receptor mechanically denatures a duplex revealing a cryptic initiator to activate the HCR reaction in situ. Importantly, mechano-HCR enables direct readout of pN forces using a plate reader. We leverage this capability and measured mechano-IC50 for aspirin, Y-27632, and eptifibatide. Given that cell mechanical phenotypes are of clinical importance, mechano-HCR may offer a convenient route for drug discovery, personalized medicine, and disease diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Duan
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Roxanne Glazier
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | | | - Yuesong Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Sk Aysha Rashid
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Brian G Petrich
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Yonggang Ke
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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46
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Hu Y, Ma VP, Ma R, Chen W, Duan Y, Glazier R, Petrich BG, Li R, Salaita K. DNA‐Based Microparticle Tension Sensors (μTS) for Measuring Cell Mechanics in Non‐planar Geometries and for High‐Throughput Quantification. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202102206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yuesong Hu
- Department of Chemistry Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
| | | | - Rong Ma
- Department of Chemistry Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
| | - Wenchun Chen
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Department of Pediatrics Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
| | - Yuxin Duan
- Department of Chemistry Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
| | - Roxanne Glazier
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
| | - Brian G. Petrich
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Department of Pediatrics Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
| | - Renhao Li
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Department of Pediatrics Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University Atlanta GA 30322 USA
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47
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Blanchard A, Combs JD, Brockman JM, Kellner AV, Glazier R, Su H, Bender RL, Bazrafshan AS, Chen W, Quach ME, Li R, Mattheyses AL, Salaita K. Turn-key mapping of cell receptor force orientation and magnitude using a commercial structured illumination microscope. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4693. [PMID: 34344862 PMCID: PMC8333341 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24602-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Many cellular processes, including cell division, development, and cell migration require spatially and temporally coordinated forces transduced by cell-surface receptors. Nucleic acid-based molecular tension probes allow one to visualize the piconewton (pN) forces applied by these receptors. Building on this technology, we recently developed molecular force microscopy (MFM) which uses fluorescence polarization to map receptor force orientation with diffraction-limited resolution (~250 nm). Here, we show that structured illumination microscopy (SIM), a super-resolution technique, can be used to perform super-resolution MFM. Using SIM-MFM, we generate the highest resolution maps of both the magnitude and orientation of the pN traction forces applied by cells. We apply SIM-MFM to map platelet and fibroblast integrin forces, as well as T cell receptor forces. Using SIM-MFM, we show that platelet traction force alignment occurs on a longer timescale than adhesion. Importantly, SIM-MFM can be implemented on any standard SIM microscope without hardware modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Blanchard
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J Dale Combs
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Joshua M Brockman
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anna V Kellner
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Roxanne Glazier
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hanquan Su
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | | | - Wenchun Chen
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - M Edward Quach
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Renhao Li
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alexa L Mattheyses
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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48
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Hu Y, Ma VPY, Ma R, Chen W, Duan Y, Glazier R, Petrich BG, Li R, Salaita K. DNA-Based Microparticle Tension Sensors (μTS) for Measuring Cell Mechanics in Non-planar Geometries and for High-Throughput Quantification. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:18044-18050. [PMID: 33979471 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202102206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Mechanotransduction, the interplay between physical and chemical signaling, plays vital roles in many biological processes. The state-of-the-art techniques to quantify cell forces employ deformable polymer films or molecular probes tethered to glass substrates. However, the applications of these assays in fundamental and clinical research are restricted by the planar geometry and low throughput of microscopy readout. Herein, we develop a DNA-based microparticle tension sensor, which features a spherical surface and thus allows for investigation of mechanotransduction at curved interfaces. The micron-scale of μTS enables flow cytometry readout, which is rapid and high throughput. We applied the method to map and measure T-cell receptor forces and platelet integrin forces at 12 and 56 pN thresholds. Furthermore, we quantified the inhibition efficiency of two anti-platelet drugs providing a proof-of-concept demonstration of μTS to screen drugs that modulate cellular mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuesong Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | | | - Rong Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Wenchun Chen
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Yuxin Duan
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Roxanne Glazier
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Brian G Petrich
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Renhao Li
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.,Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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49
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Bazrafshan A, Kyriazi ME, Holt BA, Deng W, Piranej S, Su H, Hu Y, El-Sagheer AH, Brown T, Kwong GA, Kanaras AG, Salaita K. DNA Gold Nanoparticle Motors Demonstrate Processive Motion with Bursts of Speed Up to 50 nm Per Second. ACS Nano 2021; 15:8427-8438. [PMID: 33956424 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c10658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic motors that consume chemical energy to produce mechanical work offer potential applications in many fields that span from computing to drug delivery and diagnostics. Among the various synthetic motors studied thus far, DNA-based machines offer the greatest programmability and have shown the ability to translocate micrometer-distances in an autonomous manner. DNA motors move by employing a burnt-bridge Brownian ratchet mechanism, where the DNA "legs" hybridize and then destroy complementary nucleic acids immobilized on a surface. We have previously shown that highly multivalent DNA motors that roll offer improved performance compared to bipedal walkers. Here, we use DNA-gold nanoparticle conjugates to investigate and enhance DNA nanomotor performance. Specifically, we tune structural parameters such as DNA leg density, leg span, and nanoparticle anisotropy as well as buffer conditions to enhance motor performance. Both modeling and experiments demonstrate that increasing DNA leg density boosts the speed and processivity of motors, whereas DNA leg span increases processivity and directionality. By taking advantage of label-free imaging of nanomotors, we also uncover Lévy-type motion where motors exhibit bursts of translocation that are punctuated with transient stalling. Dimerized particles also demonstrate more ballistic trajectories confirming a rolling mechanism. Our work shows the fundamental properties that control DNA motor performance and demonstrates optimized motors that can travel multiple micrometers within minutes with speeds of up to 50 nm/s. The performance of these nanoscale motors approaches that of motor proteins that travel at speeds of 100-1000 nm/s, and hence this work can be important in developing protocellular systems as well next generation sensors and diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisina Bazrafshan
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Maria-Eleni Kyriazi
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO171BJ, U.K
| | - Brandon Alexander Holt
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Wenxiao Deng
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Selma Piranej
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Hanquan Su
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Yuesong Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Afaf H El-Sagheer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA, U.K
- Chemistry Branch, Department of Science and Mathematics, Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Suez University, Suez, 43721, Egypt
| | - Tom Brown
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA, U.K
| | - Gabriel A Kwong
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Antonios G Kanaras
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO171BJ, U.K
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO171BJ, U.K
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
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Ma R, Kellner AV, Hu Y, Deal BR, Blanchard AT, Salaita K. DNA Tension Probes to Map the Transient Piconewton Receptor Forces by Immune Cells. J Vis Exp 2021. [PMID: 33818569 DOI: 10.3791/62348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanical forces transmitted at the junction between two neighboring cells and at the junction between cells and the extracellular matrix are critical for regulating many processes ranging from development to immunology. Therefore, developing the tools to study these forces at the molecular scale is critical. Our group developed a suite of molecular tension sensors to quantify and visualize the forces generated by cells and transmitted to specific ligands. The most sensitive class of molecular tension sensors are comprised of nucleic acid stem-loop hairpins. These sensors use fluorophore-quencher pairs to report on the mechanical extension and unfolding of DNA hairpins under force. One challenge with DNA hairpin tension sensors is that they are reversible with rapid hairpin refolding upon termination of the tension and thus transient forces are difficult to record. In this article, we describe the protocols for preparing DNA tension sensors that can be "locked" and prevented from refolding to enable "storing" of mechanical information. This allows for the recording of highly transient piconewton forces, which can be subsequently "erased" by the addition of complementary nucleic acids that remove the lock. This ability to toggle between real-time tension mapping and mechanical information storing reveals weak, short-lived, and less abundant forces, that are commonly employed by T cells as part of their immune functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University
| | - Anna V Kellner
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University
| | - Yuesong Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University
| | | | - Aaron T Blanchard
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University
| | - Khalid Salaita
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University; Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University;
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