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Morphodynamics facilitate cancer cells to navigate 3D extracellular matrix.

ABSTRACT: Cell shape is linked to cell function. The significance of cell morphodynamics, namely the temporal fluctuation of cell shape, is much less understood. Here we study the morphodynamics of MDA-MB-231 cells in type I collagen extracellular matrix (ECM). We systematically vary ECM physical properties by tuning collagen concentrations, alignment, and gelation temperatures. We find that morphodynamics of 3D migrating cells are externally controlled by ECM mechanics and internally modulated by Rho/ROCK-signaling. We employ machine learning to classify cell shape into four different morphological phenotypes, each corresponding to a distinct migration mode. As a result, we map cell morphodynamics at mesoscale into the temporal evolution of morphological phenotypes. We characterize the mesoscale dynamics including occurrence probability, dwell time and transition matrix at varying ECM conditions, which demonstrate the complex phenotype landscape and optimal pathways for phenotype transitions. In light of the mesoscale dynamics, we show that 3D cancer cell motility is a hidden Markov process whereby the step size distributions of cell migration are coupled with simultaneous cell morphodynamics. Morphological phenotype transitions also facilitate cancer cells to navigate non-uniform ECM such as traversing the interface between matrices of two distinct microstructures. In conclusion, we demonstrate that 3D migrating cancer cells exhibit rich morphodynamics that is controlled by ECM mechanics, Rho/ROCK-signaling, and regulate cell motility. Our results pave the way to the functional understanding and mechanical programming of cell morphodynamics as a route to predict and control 3D cell motility.

SUBMITTER: Eddy CZ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8516896 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundBreast cancer progression has been gradually recognized as a bidirectional interaction between cancer cells and tumor microenvironment including stroma cells, immune cells, and the dynamically altered ECM. However, there still lacks direct experimental evidences about how ECM properties modulate the activities of stroma and immune cells.MethodThe transcriptomic data and corresponding clinical information of breast cancer pawere obtained from TCGA. Patients were divided into ECM-high, ECM-median and ECM-low groups based on ssGSEA scores of C-ECM genes. The prognostic value of ECM was confirmed by univariate/multivariate Cox regression and survival analyses. GO and KEGG analyses were performed between ECM-high and -low groups. Then associations between ECM characteristics and clinical stages were verified by Masson's trichrome and Sirius red/Fast Green staining of clinical breast cancer tissues. To evaluate the effects of ECM on CAF induction and T cell activation, the MRC-5, NIH/3T-3, primary T cells and Jurkat T cells were encapsulated in 3D collagen with different densities and organizations, and the expression levels of CAF biomarkers and secretion levels of IL-2 were assessed.ResultsECM scores showed broad variation across paracancerous and cancer samples as well as breast cancer molecular subtypes, and patients with different ECM groups showed distinct prognosis. Immunological activity and ECM associated biology processes were identified by GO and KEGG analyses across ECM-high and -low groups. According to MCP-counter algorithm, the infiltration of T cells was significantly lower in the ECM-high group, while CAF abundance was significantly higher. It is furtherly confirmed by clinical samples that collagen density and organization were associate with breast cancer progression. Finally, in vitro 3D-cultured fibroblasts and T cells validated that the density and organization of collagen showed significant effects on CAF induction and T cell activation.ConclusionOur study revealed a new mechanism of T cell immunosuppression and CAF induction, which could be of central importance for the breast cancer invasion and may constitute novel therapeutic targets to improve breast cancer outcomes.

Project description:Extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins are structural elements of tissue and also potent signaling molecules. Previously, our laboratory showed that ECM of 2D coatings can trigger differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into mesodermal lineages in an ECM-specific manner over 14 days, in some cases comparable to chemical induction. To test whether a similar effect was possible in a 3D, tissue-like environment, we designed a synthetic-natural biomaterial composite. The composite can present whole-molecule ECM proteins to cells, even those that do not spontaneously form hydrogels ex vivo, in 3D. To this end, we entrapped collagen type I, laminin-111, or fibronectin in ECM composites with MSCs and directly compared markers of mesodermal differentiation including cardiomyogenic (ACTC1), osteogenic (SPP1), adipogenic (PPARG), and chondrogenic (SOX9) in 2D versus 3D. We found the 3D condition largely mimicked the 2D condition such that the addition of type I collagen was the most potent inducer of differentiation to all lineages tested. One notable difference between 2D and 3D was pronounced adipogenic differentiation in 3D especially in the presence of exogenous collagen type I. In particular, PPARG gene expression was significantly increased ∼16-fold relative to chemical induction, in 3D and not in 2D. Unexpectedly, 3D engagement of ECM proteins also altered immunomodulatory function of MSCs in that expression of IL-6 gene was elevated relative to basal levels in 2D. In fact, levels of IL-6 gene expression in 3D composites containing exogenously supplied collagen type I or fibronectin were statistically similar to levels attained in 2D with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) stimulation and these levels were sustained over a 2-week period. Thus, this novel biomaterial platform allowed us to compare the biochemical impact of whole-molecule ECM proteins in 2D versus 3D indicating enhanced adipogenic differentiation and IL-6 expression of MSC in the 3D context. Exploiting the biochemical impact of ECM proteins on MSC differentiation and immunomodulation could augment the therapeutic utility of MSCs.

Project description:Background and Purpose:The extracellular matrix (ECM) derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) has been used in regenerative medicine because of its good biological activity; however, its poor mechanical properties limit its application in bone regeneration. The purpose of this study is to construct a three dimensional-printed hydroxyapatite (3D-HA)/BMSC-ECM composite scaffold that not only has biological activity but also sufficient mechanical strength and reasonably distributed spatial structure. Methods:A BMSC-ECM was first extracted and formed into micron-sized particles, and then the ECM particles were modified onto the surface of 3D-HA scaffolds using an innovative linking method to generate composite 3D-HA/BMSC-ECM scaffolds. The 3D-HA scaffolds were used as the control group. The basic properties, biocompatibility and osteogenesis ability of both scaffolds were tested in vitro. Finally, a critical skull defect rat model was created and the osteogenesis effect of the scaffolds was evaluated in vivo. Results:The compressive modulus of the composite scaffolds reached 9.45±0.32 MPa, which was similar to that of the 3D-HA scaffolds (p>0.05). The pore size of the two scaffolds was 305±47 um and 315±34 um (p>0.05), respectively. A CCK-8 assay indicated that the scaffolds did not have cytotoxicity. The composite scaffolds had good cell adhesion ability, with a cell adhesion rate of up to 76.00±6.17% after culturing for 7 hours, while that of the 3D-HA scaffolds was 51.85±4.77% (p<0.01). In addition, the composite scaffold displayed higher alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, osteogenesis-related mRNA expression, and calcium nodule formation, thus confirming that the composite scaffolds had good osteogenic activity. The composite scaffolds exhibited good bone repair in vivo and were superior to the 3D-HA scaffolds. Conclusion:We conclude that BMSC-ECM is a good osteogenic material and that the composite scaffolds have good osteogenic ability, which provides a new method and concept for the repair of bone defects.

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Morphodynamics facilitate cancer cells to navigate 3D extracellular matrix.

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