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Lichtenberg JY, Ramamurthy E, Young AD, Redman TP, Leonard CE, Das SK, Fisher PB, Lemmon CA, Hwang PY. Leader cells mechanically respond to aligned collagen architecture to direct collective migration. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296153. [PMID: 38165954 PMCID: PMC10760762 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296153] [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: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Leader cells direct collective migration through sensing cues in their microenvironment to determine migration direction. The mechanism by which leader cells sense the mechanical cue of organized matrix architecture culminating in a mechanical response is not well defined. In this study, we investigated the effect of organized collagen matrix fibers on leader cell mechanics and demonstrate that leader cells protrude along aligned fibers resulting in an elongated phenotype of the entire cluster. Further, leader cells show increased mechanical interactions with their nearby matrix compared to follower cells, as evidenced by increased traction forces, increased and larger focal adhesions, and increased expression of integrin-α2. Together our results demonstrate changes in mechanical matrix cues drives changes in leader cell mechanoresponse that is required for directional collective migration. Our findings provide new insights into two fundamental components of carcinogenesis, namely invasion and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessanne Y. Lichtenberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Ella Ramamurthy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Anna D. Young
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Trey P. Redman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Corinne E. Leonard
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Swadesh K. Das
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- VCU Massey Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Paul B. Fisher
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- VCU Massey Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Christopher A. Lemmon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Priscilla Y. Hwang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- VCU Massey Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
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