Article
Cell Biology
Naoya Hino, Kimiya Matsuda, Yuya Jikko, Gembu Maryu, Katsuya Sakai, Ryu Imamura, Shinya Tsukiji, Kazuhiro Aoki, Kenta Terai, Tsuyoshi Hirashima, Xavier Trepat, Michiyuki Matsuda
Summary: The extension of lamellipodia in leader cells causes sustained activation of ERK, resulting in the specification of these cells during collective cell migration. The increased sensitivity of cells at the free edge to HGF promotes lamellipodial extension, forming a positive feedback loop between cell extension and ERK activation.
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Jian Liu, Yongjian Guo, Ruitian Zhang, Ye Xu, Chengju Luo, Rui Wang, Shu Xu, Libin Wei
Summary: This study investigates the role and regulatory mechanisms of single-cell (sc) polarity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis. It is found that transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) promotes sc polarity through the Ca2+-dependent AMPK/MLC/ERM pathway, reducing adhesion of metastatic HCC cells to vascular endothelial cells. A new TRPV4 inhibitor, GL-V9, is also discovered to decrease the metastatic capacity of HCC cells. These findings suggest that TRPV4 and calcium signal are significant regulators of sc polarity and targeting TRPV4 could be a promising treatment for cancer metastasis.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Margaret E. Prendergast, Matthew D. Davidson, Jason A. Burdick
Summary: The extracellular matrix contains biochemical and biophysical cues that regulate cell behavior and mechanical properties. Methods to align hydrogel fibers within cell-degradable bioink filaments have been developed, allowing for directional cell spreading and tissue engineering applications. Fabrication techniques such as extrusion printing and bioink parameters influence the alignment of fibers and resulting cell behavior, advancing the development of physiological tissue models and tissue repair strategies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shada Abuhattum, Petra Kotzbeck, Raimund Schluessler, Alexandra Harger, Angela Ariza de Schellenberger, Kyoohyun Kim, Joan-Carles Escolano, Torsten Mueller, Juergen Braun, Martin Wabitsch, Matthias Tschoep, Ingolf Sack, Marko Brankatschk, Jochen Guck, Kerstin Stemmer, Anna Taubenberger
Summary: This study quantitatively monitored the shape and size changes of adipocytes, and found that differentiating adipocytes and adipocytes with large lipid droplets were more compliant. The compliance increase was associated with ROCK-mediated F-actin remodeling. Additionally, high fat diet-induced obesity was associated with more compliant adipose tissue, while adipose tissue of diabetic mice became significantly stiffer. The relative contributions of the cytoskeleton and lipid droplets to cell and tissue mechanical changes were explored, providing a basis for future research on the relationship between tissue mechanical changes and the behavior of mechanosensitive tissue-resident cells in metabolic disorders.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Cas van der Putten, Danielle van den Broek, Nicholas A. A. Kurniawan
Summary: This study reveals the sensitivity and response of corneal cells to curved tissue geometry, with fibroblastic keratocytes exhibiting stronger curvature sensing and faster migration compared to myofibroblastic keratocytes.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Leila Jaafar, Isabelle Fakhoury, Sahar Saab, Layal El-Hajjar, Wassim Abou-Kheir, Mirvat El-Sibai
Summary: Prostate cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer in men globally. The Rho family of GTPases, including StarD13, play a significant role in regulating cancer cell proliferation and migration. StarD13 acts as a tumor suppressor inhibiting prostate cancer cell invasion by regulating Cdc42.
Article
Biology
Omar Salem, Siyang Jia, Bin-Zhi Qian, Carsten Gram Hansen
Summary: The Hippo signalling pathway plays a crucial role in regulating cell growth, proliferation, and cancer. In prostate cancer, androgens activate YAP/TAZ through the androgen receptor (AR), with AR regulating YAP translation and inducing TAZ transcription. The activation of YAP/TAZ by AR is mediated by the transcriptional mediator SRF. This study highlights the interplay between YAP, TAZ, and SRF in prostate cancer cells and their potential therapeutic implications.
LIFE SCIENCE ALLIANCE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Assaf Nahum, Yoni Koren, Bar Ergaz, Sari Natan, Gad Miller, Yuval Tamir, Shahar Goren, Avraham Kolel, Sankar Jagadeeshan, Moshe Elkabets, Ayelet Lesman, Assaf Zaritsky
Summary: A computational method has been developed to quantify long-range cell-cell force transmission through the extracellular matrix by analyzing ECM remodeling fluctuations. This method can define unique signatures that can distinguish between different pairs of communicating cells. The method has been validated using simulations and live 3D imaging, and can detect mechanical propagation even in cases where visible fibrous bands are not formed. The ability to infer cell-ECM-cell communication using standard confocal microscopy holds great promise for wide use and democratization of the method.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
David R. Collins, Jonathan M. Urbach, Zachary J. Racenet, Umar Arshad, Karen A. Power, Ruchi M. Newman, Geetha H. Mylvaganam, Ngoc L. Ly, Xiaodong Lian, Anna Rull, Yelizaveta Rassadkina, Adrienne G. Yanez, Michael J. Peluso, Steven G. Deeks, Francesc Vidal, Mathias Lichterfeld, Xu G. Yu, Gaurav D. Gaiha, Todd M. Allen, Bruce D. Walker
Summary: Selective functional impairment of HIV-specific CD8(+) T cells may be prognostic of aborted HIV control.
Article
Cell Biology
Jun Wang, Holly R. Thomas, Zhang Li, Nan Cher (Florence) Yeo, Hannah E. Scott, Nghi Dang, Mohammed Iqbal Hossain, Shaida A. Andrabi, John M. Parant
Summary: Cellular stress can lead to human disease pathologies due to aberrant cell death. The study found both common and unique molecular pathways involved in different stress responses, with p53 and puma playing key roles. The data suggests that Puma may be the key mediator of p53-dependent apoptosis, and inhibitors targeting Puma could have therapeutic applications.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fengyun Lei, Xiaoqing Xu, Jianhua Huang, Dan Su, Ping Wan
Summary: This study identified the role of Drosophila RhoGAP18B in the migration of border cells in the ovary. It was found that RhoGAP18B-PA isoform is involved in regulating border cell migration, possibly through the regulation of Rac protein and F-actin organization.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
James R. R. Bayrer, Joel Castro, Archana Venkataraman, Kouki K. K. Touhara, Nathan D. D. Rossen, Ryan D. D. Morrie, Jessica Maddern, Aenea Hendry, Kristina N. N. Braverman, Sonia Garcia-Caraballo, Gudrun Schober, Mariana Brizuela, Fernanda M. M. Castro Navarro, Carla Bueno-Silva, Holly A. A. Ingraham, Stuart M. M. Brierley, David Julius
Summary: Gastrointestinal discomfort is a common symptom of gut disorders and chronic visceral pain, especially in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Enterochromaffin (EC) cells, which are rare serotonergic neuroendocrine cells in the gut epithelium, play a crucial role in detecting and transmitting noxious stimuli to nerve endings. The activation and dysfunction of EC cells are associated with hypersensitivity to gut distension and the inflammatory effects of certain fatty acids. Additionally, prolonged EC cell activation leads to persistent visceral hypersensitivity and anxiety-like behaviors. Furthermore, there are notable sex differences in the involvement of the EC cell-mucosal afferent circuit.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ying Zhang, Hiroko Kishi, Tomoka Morita, Sei Kobayashi
Summary: The novel signaling molecule paxillin was identified as mediating SPC-induced actin stress fiber formation and migration in human CASMCs via the Fyn/paxillin/ROK signaling pathway by directly binding active Fyn.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jessica Zuin, Gregory Roth, Yinxiu Zhan, Julie Cramard, Josef Redolfi, Ewa Piskadlo, Pia Mach, Mariya Kryzhanovska, Gergely Tihanyi, Hubertus Kohler, Mathias Eder, Christ Leemans, Bas van Steensel, Peter Meister, Sebastien Smallwood, Luca Giorgetti
Summary: This study reveals a nonlinear relationship between the contact probabilities of an enhancer with a promoter and its transcriptional effect. Mathematical modeling suggests that this nonlinearity arises from transient enhancer-promoter interactions being translated into slower promoter bursting dynamics. Additionally, the study shows that enhancer strength determines transcription levels and the sensitivity of a promoter to transcriptional insulation mediated by CTCF.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Margaret E. Prendergast, Su-Jin Heo, Robert L. Mauck, Jason A. Burdick
Summary: Due to the limited healing capacity of the meniscus, there is a clinical need for the development of constructs that replicate meniscal tissue organization for better repair. Suspension bath bioprinting technology allows for the fabrication of complex structures using non-viscous bioinks. In this study, anisotropic constructs with embedded hydrogel fibers were printed using suspension bath printing and showed improved cell and collagen alignment, as well as enhanced tensile moduli compared to constructs without fibers. This work advances biofabrication for meniscal tissue repair.