scholarly journals Confinement hinders motility by inducing RhoA-mediated nuclear influx, volume expansion, and blebbing

2019 ◽  
Vol 218 (12) ◽  
pp. 4093-4111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panagiotis Mistriotis ◽  
Emily O. Wisniewski ◽  
Kaustav Bera ◽  
Jeremy Keys ◽  
Yizeng Li ◽  
...  

Cells migrate in vivo through complex confining microenvironments, which induce significant nuclear deformation that may lead to nuclear blebbing and nuclear envelope rupture. While actomyosin contractility has been implicated in regulating nuclear envelope integrity, the exact mechanism remains unknown. Here, we argue that confinement-induced activation of RhoA/myosin-II contractility, coupled with LINC complex-dependent nuclear anchoring at the cell posterior, locally increases cytoplasmic pressure and promotes passive influx of cytoplasmic constituents into the nucleus without altering nuclear efflux. Elevated nuclear influx is accompanied by nuclear volume expansion, blebbing, and rupture, ultimately resulting in reduced cell motility. Moreover, inhibition of nuclear efflux is sufficient to increase nuclear volume and blebbing on two-dimensional surfaces, and acts synergistically with RhoA/myosin-II contractility to further augment blebbing in confinement. Cumulatively, confinement regulates nuclear size, nuclear integrity, and cell motility by perturbing nuclear flux homeostasis via a RhoA-dependent pathway.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ved P Sharma ◽  
James Williams ◽  
Edison Leung ◽  
Joe Sanders ◽  
Robert Eddy ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTAligned collagen fibers provide topography for the rapid migration of single tumor cells (streaming migration) to invade the surrounding stroma, move within tumor nests towards blood vessels to intravasate and form distant metastases. Mechanisms of tumor cell motility have been studied extensively in the 2D context, but the mechanistic understanding of rapid single tumor cell motility in the in vivo context is still lacking. Here, we show that streaming tumor cells in vivo use collagen fibers with diameters below 3 μm. Employing 1D migration assays with matching in vivo fiber dimensions, we found a dependence of tumor cell motility on 1D substrate width, with cells moving the fastest and the most persistently on the narrowest 1D fibers (700 nm – 2.5 μm). Interestingly, we also observed nuclear deformation in the absence of restricting extracellular matrix pores during high speed carcinoma cell migration in 1D, similar to the nuclear deformation observed in tumor cells in vivo. Further, we found that actomyosin machinery is aligned along the 1D axis and actomyosin contractility synchronously regulates cell motility and nuclear deformation. To further investigate the link between cell speed and nuclear deformation, we focused on the Linker of Nucleoskeleton and Cytoskeleton (LINC) complex proteins and SRF-MKL1 signaling, key regulators of mechanotransduction, actomyosin contractility and actin-based cell motility. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset showed a dramatic decrease in the LINC complex proteins SUN1 and SUN2 in primary tumor compared to the normal tissue. Disruption of LINC complex by SUN1+2 KD led to multi-lobular elongated nuclei, increased tumor cell motility and concomitant increase in F-actin, without affecting Lamin proteins. Mechanistically, we found that MKL1, an effector of changes in cellular G-actin to F-actin ratio, is required for increased 1D motility seen in SUN1+2 KD cells. Thus, we demonstrate a previously unrecognized crosstalk between SUN proteins and MKL1 transcription factor in modulating nuclear shape and carcinoma cell motility in an in vivo relevant 1D microenvironment.


Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1549
Author(s):  
Ved P. Sharma ◽  
James Williams ◽  
Edison Leung ◽  
Joe Sanders ◽  
Robert Eddy ◽  
...  

Aligned collagen fibers provide topography for the rapid migration of single tumor cells (streaming migration) to invade the surrounding stroma, move within tumor nests towards blood vessels to intravasate and form distant metastases. Mechanisms of tumor cell motility have been studied extensively in the 2D context, but the mechanistic understanding of rapid single tumor cell motility in the in vivo context is still lacking. Here, we show that streaming tumor cells in vivo use collagen fibers with diameters below 3 µm. Employing 1D migration assays with matching in vivo fiber dimensions, we found a dependence of tumor cell motility on 1D substrate width, with cells moving the fastest and the most persistently on the narrowest 1D fibers (700 nm–2.5 µm). Interestingly, we also observed nuclear deformation in the absence of restricting extracellular matrix pores during high speed carcinoma cell migration in 1D, similar to the nuclear deformation observed in tumor cells in vivo. Further, we found that actomyosin machinery is aligned along the 1D axis and actomyosin contractility synchronously regulates cell motility and nuclear deformation. To further investigate the link between cell speed and nuclear deformation, we focused on the Linker of Nucleoskeleton and Cytoskeleton (LINC) complex proteins and SRF-MKL1 signaling, key regulators of mechanotransduction, actomyosin contractility and actin-based cell motility. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset showed a dramatic decrease in the LINC complex proteins SUN1 and SUN2 in primary tumor compared to the normal tissue. Disruption of LINC complex by SUN1 + 2 KD led to multi-lobular elongated nuclei, increased tumor cell motility and concomitant increase in F-actin, without affecting Lamin proteins. Mechanistically, we found that MKL1, an effector of changes in cellular G-actin to F-actin ratio, is required for increased 1D motility seen in SUN1 + 2 KD cells. Thus, we demonstrate a previously unrecognized crosstalk between SUN proteins and MKL1 transcription factor in modulating nuclear shape and carcinoma cell motility in an in vivo relevant 1D microenvironment.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Liwei Liao ◽  
Rongmei Qu ◽  
Jun Ouang ◽  
Jingxing Dai

Nuclear envelope spectrin repeat protein 3 (nesprin-3) is an evolutionarily-conserved structural protein, widely-expressed in vertebrate cells. Along with other nesprin family members, nesprin-3 acts as an essential component of the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex. Naturally, nesprin-3 shares many functions with LINC, including the localization of various cellular structures and bridging of the nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton, observed in vitro. When nesprin-3 was knocked down in vivo, using zebrafish and mouse models, however, the animals were minimally affected. This paradoxical observation should not limit the physiological importance of nesprin-3, as recently, nesprin-3 has reignited the interest of the research community in studies on cancer cells migration. Moreover, nesprin-3 also plays an active role in certain developmental conditions such as adipogenesis and spermatogenesis, although more studies are needed. Meanwhile, the various protein binding partners of nesprin-3 should also be emphasized, as they are necessary for maintaining the structure of nesprin-3 and enabling it to carry out its various physiological and pathological functions. Nesprin-3 promises to further our understanding of these complex cellular events. Therefore, this review will focus on nesprin-3, examining it from a genetic, structural, and functional perspective. The final part of the review will in turn address the limitations of existing research and the future perspectives for the study of nesprin-3.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander JR Booth ◽  
Zuojun Yue ◽  
John K Eykelenboom ◽  
Tom Stiff ◽  
GW Gant Luxton ◽  
...  

AbstractTo ensure proper segregation during mitosis, chromosomes must be efficiently captured by kinetochore microtubules and subsequently aligned on the mitotic spindle. The efficacy of chromosome capture by the mitotic spindle can be influenced by how widely chromosomes are scattered in space. Here, we quantify chromosome-scattering volume (CSV) and find that it is reduced immediately after nuclear envelope breakdown (NEBD) in human cells. The reduction of CSV occurs independently of microtubules and is therefore not an outcome of interactions between chromosomes and the spindle. We find that, prior to NEBD, an acto-myosin network is assembled in a LINC complex-dependent manner on the cytoplasmic surface of the nuclear envelope. This acto-myosin network remains around chromosomes soon after NEBD, and its myosin-II-mediated contraction reduces CSV and facilitates chromosome interaction with spindle microtubules.


2020 ◽  
Vol 219 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron J. Farrugia ◽  
Javier Rodríguez ◽  
Jose L. Orgaz ◽  
María Lucas ◽  
Victoria Sanz-Moreno ◽  
...  

Fast amoeboid migration is critical for developmental processes and can be hijacked by cancer cells to enhance metastatic dissemination. This migratory behavior is tightly controlled by high levels of actomyosin contractility, but how it is coupled to other cytoskeletal components is poorly understood. Septins are increasingly recognized as novel cytoskeletal components, but details on their regulation and contribution to migration are lacking. Here, we show that the septin regulator Cdc42EP5 is consistently required for amoeboid melanoma cells to invade and migrate into collagen-rich matrices and locally invade and disseminate in vivo. Cdc42EP5 associates with actin structures, leading to increased actomyosin contractility and amoeboid migration. Cdc42EP5 affects these functions through SEPT9-dependent F-actin cross-linking, which enables the generation of F-actin bundles required for the sustained stabilization of highly contractile actomyosin structures. This study provides evidence that Cdc42EP5 is a regulator of cancer cell motility that coordinates actin and septin networks and describes a unique role for SEPT9 in melanoma invasion and metastasis.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nayana Tusamda Wakhloo ◽  
Sebastian Anders ◽  
Florent Badique ◽  
Melanie Eichhorn ◽  
Isabelle Brigaud ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTCell deformation occurs in many critical biological processes, including cell extravasation during immune response and cancer metastasis. These cells deform the nucleus, its largest and stiffest organelle, while passing through narrow constrictions in vivo and the underlying mechanisms still remain elusive. It is unclear which biochemical actors are responsible and whether the nucleus is pushed or pulled (or both) during deformation. Herein we use an easily-tunable poly-L-lactic acid micropillar topography, mimicking in vivo constrictions to determine the mechanisms responsible for nucleus deformation. Using biochemical tools, we determine that actomyosin contractility, vimentin and nucleo-cytoskeletal connections play essential roles in nuclear deformation, but not A-type lamins. We chemically tune the adhesiveness of the micropillars to show that pulling forces are predominantly responsible for the deformation of the nucleus. We confirm these results using an in silico cell model and propose a comprehensive mechanism for cellular and nuclear deformation during confinement. These results indicate that microstructured biomaterials are extremely versatile tools to understand how forces are exerted in biological systems and can be useful to dissect and mimic complex in vivo behaviour.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Hennen ◽  
K.H. Hur ◽  
J. Kohler ◽  
S.R. Karuka ◽  
I. Angert ◽  
...  

AbstractThe nucleus is delineated by the nuclear envelope (NE), which is a double membrane barrier composed of the inner and outer nuclear membranes as well as a ~40 nm wide lumen. In addition to its barrier function, the NE acts as a critical signaling node for a variety of cellular processes which are mediated by protein complexes within this subcellular compartment. While fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy (FFS) is a powerful tool for characterizing protein complexes in living cells, it was recently demonstrated that conventional FFS methods are not suitable for applications in the NE because of the presence of slow nuclear membrane undulations. We previously addressed this challenge by developing time-shifted mean-segmented Q (tsMSQ) analysis and applied it to successfully characterize protein homo-oligomerization in the NE. However, many NE complexes, such as the linker of the nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex, are formed by heterotypic interactions, which single-color tsMSQ is unable to characterize. Here, we describe the development of dual-color (DC) tsMSQ to analyze NE hetero-protein complexes built from proteins that carry two spectrally distinct fluorescent labels. Experiments performed on model systems demonstrate that DC tsMSQ properly identifies hetero-protein complexes and their stoichiometry in the NE by accounting for spectral crosstalk and local volume fluctuations. Finally, we applied DC tsMSQ to study the assembly of the LINC complex, a hetero-protein complex composed of Klarsicht/ANC-1/SYNE homology (KASH) and Sad1/UNC-84 (SUN) proteins, in the NE of living cells. Using DC tsMSQ, we demonstrate the ability of the SUN protein SUN2 and the KASH protein nesprin-2 to form a hetero-complex in vivo. Our results are consistent with previously published in vitro studies and demonstrate the utility of the DC tsMSQ technique for characterizing NE hetero-protein complexes.Statement of SignificanceProtein complexes found within the nuclear envelope (NE) play a vital role in regulating cellular functions ranging from gene expression to cellular movement. However, the assembly state of these complexes within their native environment remains poorly understood, which is compounded by a general lack of fluorescence techniques suitable for quantifying the oligomeric state of NE protein complexes. This study aims at addressing this issue by introducing dual-color time-shifted mean-segmented Q analysis as a fluorescence fluctuation method specifically designed to identify the average oligomeric state of hetero-protein complexes within the NE of living cells.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hardeep K. Gumber ◽  
Joseph F. McKenna ◽  
Amado L. Estrada ◽  
Andrea F. Tolmie ◽  
Katja Graumann ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe LINC (Linker of Nucleoskeleton to Cytoskeleton) complex is an essential multi-protein structure spanning the nuclear envelope. It connects the cytoplasm to the nucleoplasm, functions to maintain nuclear shape and architecture, and regulates chromosome dynamics during cell division. Knowledge of LINC complex composition and function in the plant kingdom is primarily limited to Arabidopsis, but critically missing from the evolutionarily distant monocots which include grasses, the most important agronomic crops worldwide. To fill this knowledge gap, we identified and characterized 22 maize genes, including a new grass-specific KASH gene family. Using bioinformatic, biochemical, and cell biological approaches, we provide evidence that representative KASH candidates localize to the nuclear periphery and interact with ZmSUN2 in vivo. FRAP experiments using domain-deletion constructs verified that this SUN-KASH interaction was dependent on the SUN but not the coiled-coil domain of ZmSUN2. A summary working model is proposed for the entire maize LINC complex encoded by conserved and divergent gene families. These findings expand our knowledge of the plant nuclear envelope in a model grass species, with implications for both basic and applied cellular research.SUMMARY STATEMENTGenes encoding maize candidates for the core LINC and associated complex proteins have been comprehensively identified with functional validation by one or more assays for several of the KASH genes.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron J Farrugia ◽  
Javier Rodríguez ◽  
Jose L Orgaz ◽  
María Lucas ◽  
Victoria Sanz-Moreno ◽  
...  

AbstractFast amoeboid migration in the invasive fronts of melanoma is controlled by high levels of actomyosin contractility, which underlie its highly metastatic potential. How this migratory behaviour is coupled to other cytoskeletal components is poorly understood. Septins are increasingly recognized as novel cytoskeletal components, but details on their regulation and contribution to cancer migration and metastasis are lacking. Here, we show that the septin regulator Cdc42EP5 is consistently required for melanoma cells to migrate and invade into collagen-rich matrices, and to locally invade and disseminate in vivo. Cdc42EP5 associates with actin structures leading to increased actomyosin contractility and amoeboid migration. Cdc42EP5 effects these functions through SEPT9-dependent F-actin crosslinking, which enables the generation of F-actin bundles required for the sustained stabilisation of highly contractile actomyosin structures. This study provides evidence for Cdc42EP5 as a regulator of cancer cell motility that coordinates actin and septin networks. It also describes a unique role for SEPT9 in invasion and metastasis, and illustrates a mechanism that regulates its function in melanoma.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (9) ◽  
pp. 1003-1011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jared Hennen ◽  
Cosmo A. Saunders ◽  
Joachim D. Mueller ◽  
G. W. Gant Luxton

Linker-of-nucleoskeleton-and-cytoskeleton (LINC) complexes are conserved molecular bridges within the nuclear envelope that mediate mechanical force transmission into the nucleoplasm. The core of a LINC complex is formed by a transluminal interaction between the outer and inner nuclear membrane KASH and SUN proteins, respectively. Mammals encode six KASH proteins and five SUN proteins. Recently, KASH proteins were shown to bind to the domain interfaces of trimeric SUN2 proteins in vitro. However, neither the existence of SUN2 trimers in living cells nor the extent to which other SUN proteins conform to this assembly state have been tested experimentally. Here we extend the application of fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy to quantify SUN protein oligomerization in the nuclear envelopes of living cells. Using this approach, we demonstrate for the first time that SUN2 trimerizes in vivo and we demonstrate that the in vivo oligomerization of SUN1 is not limited to a trimer. In addition, we provide evidence to support the existence of potential regulators of SUN protein oligomerization in the nuclear envelope. The differential SUN protein oligomerization illustrated here suggests that SUN proteins may have evolved to form different assembly states in order to participate in diverse mechanotransduction events.


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