scholarly journals A 3D Topographical Model of Parenchymal Infiltration and Perivascular Invasion in Glioblastoma

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kayla J. Wolf ◽  
Stacey Lee ◽  
Sanjay Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Structured Illumination ◽  
Structured Illumination Microscopy ◽  
Diffuse Infiltration ◽  
Sequence Of Events ◽  
Topographical Effects ◽  
Culture Models ◽  
Perivascular Invasion ◽  
Vascular Beds

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and invasive primary brain cancer. GBM tumors are characterized by diffuse infiltration, with tumor cells invading slowly through the hyaluronic acid (HA)-rich parenchyma toward vascular beds and then migrating rapidly along microvasculature. Progress in understanding local infiltration, vascular homing, and perivascular invasion is limited by an absence of culture models that recapitulate these hallmark processes. Here we introduce a platform for GBM invasion consisting of a tumor-like cell reservoir and a parallel open channel “vessel” embedded in 3D HA-RGD matrix. We show that this simple paradigm is sufficient to capture multi-step invasion and transitions in cell morphology and speed reminiscent of those seen in GBM. Specifically, seeded tumor cells grow into multicellular masses that expand and invade the surrounding HA-RGD matrices while extending long (10-100 µm), thin protrusions resembling those observed for GBM in vivo. Upon encountering the channel, cells orient along the channel wall, adopt a 2D-like morphology, and migrate rapidly along the channel. Structured illumination microscopy reveals distinct cytoskeletal architectures for cells invading through the HA matrix versus those migrating along the vascular channel. Substitution of collagen I in place of HA-RGD supports the same sequence of events but with faster local invasion and a more mesenchymal morphology. These results indicate that topographical effects are generalizable across matrix formulations, but that mechanisms underlying invasion are matrix-dependent. We anticipate that our reductionist paradigm should speed the development of mechanistic hypotheses that could be tested in more complex tumor models.

scholarly journals Thioholgamide A, a New Anti-Proliferative Anti-Tumor Agent, Modulates Macrophage Polarization and Metabolism

Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Dahlem ◽  
Wei Xiong Siow ◽  
Maria Lopatniuk ◽  
William K. F. Tse ◽  
Sonja M. Kessler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Microenvironment ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cell Metabolism ◽  
Macrophage Polarization ◽  
Human Monocyte ◽  
Live Cell ◽  
Hallmarks Of Cancer ◽  
Culture Models

Natural products represent powerful tools searching for novel anticancer drugs. Thioholgamide A (thioA) is a ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide, which has been identified as a product of Streptomyces sp. MUSC 136T. In this study, we provide a comprehensive biological profile of thioA, elucidating its effects on different hallmarks of cancer in tumor cells as well as in macrophages as crucial players of the tumor microenvironment. In 2D and 3D in vitro cell culture models thioA showed potent anti-proliferative activities in cancer cells at nanomolar concentrations. Anti-proliferative actions were confirmed in vivo in zebrafish embryos. Cytotoxicity was only induced at several-fold higher concentrations, as assessed by live-cell microscopy and biochemical analyses. ThioA exhibited a potent modulation of cell metabolism by inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation, as determined in a live-cell metabolic assay platform. The metabolic modulation caused a repolarization of in vitro differentiated and polarized tumor-promoting human monocyte-derived macrophages: ThioA-treated macrophages showed an altered morphology and a modulated expression of genes and surface markers. Taken together, the metabolic regulator thioA revealed low activities in non-tumorigenic cells and an interesting anti-cancer profile by orchestrating different hallmarks of cancer, both in tumor cells as well as in macrophages as part of the tumor microenvironment.

scholarly journals Live-cell superresolution microscopy reveals the organization of RNA polymerase in the bacterial nucleoid

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (32) ◽  
pp. E4390-E4399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathew Stracy ◽  
Christian Lesterlin ◽  
Federico Garza de Leon ◽  
Stephan Uphoff ◽  
Pawel Zawadzki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Search Time ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
Structured Illumination ◽  
Structured Illumination Microscopy ◽  
Superresolution Microscopy

Despite the fundamental importance of transcription, a comprehensive analysis of RNA polymerase (RNAP) behavior and its role in the nucleoid organization in vivo is lacking. Here, we used superresolution microscopy to study the localization and dynamics of the transcription machinery and DNA in live bacterial cells, at both the single-molecule and the population level. We used photoactivated single-molecule tracking to discriminate between mobile RNAPs and RNAPs specifically bound to DNA, either on promoters or transcribed genes. Mobile RNAPs can explore the whole nucleoid while searching for promoters, and spend 85% of their search time in nonspecific interactions with DNA. On the other hand, the distribution of specifically bound RNAPs shows that low levels of transcription can occur throughout the nucleoid. Further, clustering analysis and 3D structured illumination microscopy (SIM) show that dense clusters of transcribing RNAPs form almost exclusively at the nucleoid periphery. Treatment with rifampicin shows that active transcription is necessary for maintaining this spatial organization. In faster growth conditions, the fraction of transcribing RNAPs increases, as well as their clustering. Under these conditions, we observed dramatic phase separation between the densest clusters of RNAPs and the densest regions of the nucleoid. These findings show that transcription can cause spatial reorganization of the nucleoid, with movement of gene loci out of the bulk of DNA as levels of transcription increase. This work provides a global view of the organization of RNA polymerase and transcription in living cells.

scholarly journals Organotypic Modeling of the Tumor Landscape

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria M. Haykal ◽  
Clara Nahmias ◽  
Christine Varon ◽  
Océane C. B. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Microenvironment ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Complex Disease ◽  
Epithelial Tumor ◽  
Stromal Compartment ◽  
Culture Models ◽  
Potential Benefits

Cancer is a complex disease and it is now clear that not only epithelial tumor cells play a role in carcinogenesis. The tumor microenvironment is composed of non-stromal cells, including endothelial cells, adipocytes, immune and nerve cells, and a stromal compartment composed of extracellular matrix, cancer-associated fibroblasts and mesenchymal cells. Tumorigenesis is a dynamic process with constant interactions occurring between the tumor cells and their surroundings. Even though all connections have not yet been discovered, it is now known that crosstalk between actors of the microenvironment drives cancer progression. Taking into account this complexity, it is important to develop relevant models to study carcinogenesis. Conventional 2D culture models fail to represent the entire tumor microenvironment properly and the use of animal models should be decreased with respect to the 3Rs rule. To this aim, in vitro organotypic models have been significantly developed these past few years. These models have different levels of complexity and allow the study of tumor cells alone or in interaction with the microenvironment actors during the multiple stages of carcinogenesis. This review depicts recent insights into organotypic modeling of the tumor and its microenvironment all throughout cancer progression. It offers an overview of the crosstalk between epithelial cancer cells and their microenvironment during the different phases of carcinogenesis, from the early cell autonomous events to the late metastatic stages. The advantages of 3D over classical 2D or in vivo models are presented as well as the most promising organotypic models. A particular focus is made on organotypic models used for studying cancer progression, from the less complex spheroids to the more sophisticated body-on-a-chip. Last but not least, we address the potential benefits of these models in personalized medicine which is undoubtedly a domain paving the path to new hopes in terms of cancer care and cure.

scholarly journals Tension-dependent stretching and folding of ZO-1 controls the localization of its interactors

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Domenica Spadaro ◽  
Shimin Le ◽  
Thierry Laroche ◽  
Isabelle Mean ◽  
Lionel Jond ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tight Junction ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Magnetic Tweezers ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Structured Illumination ◽  
Structured Illumination Microscopy ◽  
Epithelial Homeostasis ◽  
Junction Protein ◽  
Tensile Forces

Tensile forces regulate epithelial homeostasis, but the molecular mechanisms behind this regulation are poorly understood. Using structured illumination microscopy and proximity ligation assays we show that the tight junction protein ZO-1 undergoes actomyosin tension-dependent stretching and folding in vivo. Magnetic tweezers experiments using purified ZO-1 indicate that pN-scale tensions (~2-4 pN) are sufficient to maintain the stretched conformation of ZO-1, while keeping its structured domains intact. Actomyosin tension and substrate stiffness regulate the localization and expression of the transcription factor DbpA and the tight junction membrane protein occludin in a ZO-1/ZO-2-dependent manner, resulting in modulation of gene expression, cell proliferation, barrier function and cyst morphogenesis. Interactions between the N-terminal (ZPSG) and C-terminal domains of ZO-1 prevent binding of DbpA to the ZPSG, and folding is antagonized by heterodimerization with ZO-2. We propose that tensile forces regulate epithelial homeostasis by activating ZO proteins through stretching, to modulate their protein interactions and downstream signaling.

scholarly journals Three stages in the development of the cyst wall of the eye pathogen Acanthamoeba castellanii

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela Magistrado-Coxen ◽  
Yousuf Aqeel ◽  
A Lopez ◽  
John Samuelson
Keyword(s):  
Cyst Wall ◽  
Acanthamoeba Castellanii ◽  
Structured Illumination ◽  
Structured Illumination Microscopy ◽  
Eye Infections ◽  
Second Stage ◽  
Sequence Of Events ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Third Stage ◽  
Mature Cyst

AbstractWhen deprived of nutrients, trophozoites of the eye pathogen Acanthamoeba castellanii make a cyst wall, which contains cellulose and has two layers connected by cone-shaped ostioles. We recently showed chitin is also present and identified three sets of lectins, which localize to the ectocyst layer (Jonah lectin) or the endocyst layer and ostioles (Luke and Leo lectins). To determine how the cyst wall is made, we examined encysting protists using structured illumination microscopy, probes for glycopolymers, and tags for lectins. In the first stage (3 to 9 hr), cellulose, chitin, and a Jonah lectin were each made in dozens of encystation-specific vesicles. In the second stage (12 to 18 hr), a primordial wall contained both glycopolymers and Jonah lectin, while small, flat ostioles were outlined by a Luke lectin. In the third stage (24 to 36 hr), an ectocyst layer enriched in Jonah lectin was connected to an endocyst layer enriched in Luke and Leo lectins by large, conical ostioles. Jonah and Luke lectins localized to the same places in mature cyst walls (72 hr) independent of the timing of expression. The Jonah lectin and the glycopolymer bound by the lectin were accessible in the ectocyst layer of mature walls. In contrast, Luke and Leo lectins and glycopolymers bound by the lectins were mostly inaccessible in the endocyst layer and ostioles. These results show that cyst wall formation is a tightly choreographed event, in which glycopolymers and lectins combine to form a mature wall with a protected endocyst layer.ImportanceWhile the cyst wall of Acanthamoeba castellanii, cause of eye infections, contains cellulose like plants and chitin like fungi, it is a temporary, protective structure, analogous to spore coats of bacteria. We showed here that, unlike plants and fungi, A. castellanii makes cellulose and chitin in encystation-specific vesicles. The outer and inner layers of cyst walls, which resemble the primary and secondary walls of plant cells, respectively, are connected by unique structures (ostioles) that synchronously develop from small, flat circles to large, conical structures. Cyst wall proteins, which are lectins that bind cellulose and chitin, localize to inner or outer layers independent of the timing of expression. Because of its abundance and accessibility in the outer layer, the Jonah lectin is an excellent target for diagnostic antibodies. A description of the sequence of events during cyst wall development is a starting point for mechanistic studies of its assembly.

scholarly journals Dynamic super-resolution structured illumination imaging in the living brain

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (19) ◽  
pp. 9586-9591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raphaël Turcotte ◽  
Yajie Liang ◽  
Masashi Tanimoto ◽  
Qinrong Zhang ◽  
Ziwei Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Optics ◽  
Super Resolution ◽  
Structured Illumination ◽  
Structured Illumination Microscopy ◽  
Optical Aberrations ◽  
Sample Motion ◽  
Heterogeneous Tissue ◽  
Conventional Microscopy ◽  
Super Resolution Microscopy

Cells in the brain act as components of extended networks. Therefore, to understand neurobiological processes in a physiological context, it is essential to study them in vivo. Super-resolution microscopy has spatial resolution beyond the diffraction limit, thus promising to provide structural and functional insights that are not accessible with conventional microscopy. However, to apply it to in vivo brain imaging, we must address the challenges of 3D imaging in an optically heterogeneous tissue that is constantly in motion. We optimized image acquisition and reconstruction to combat sample motion and applied adaptive optics to correcting sample-induced optical aberrations in super-resolution structured illumination microscopy (SIM) in vivo. We imaged the brains of live zebrafish larvae and mice and observed the dynamics of dendrites and dendritic spines at nanoscale resolution.

scholarly journals Brain Invasion along Perivascular Spaces by Glioma Cells: Relationship with Blood–Brain Barrier

Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Pacioni ◽  
Quintino Giorgio D’Alessandris ◽  
Mariachiara Buccarelli ◽  
Alessandra Boe ◽  
Maurizio Martini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Blood Brain Barrier ◽  
Glioma Cells ◽  
Brain Barrier ◽  
Perivascular Spaces ◽  
Brain Invasion ◽  
Blood Brain ◽  
Perivascular Invasion ◽  
The Brain

The question whether perivascular glioma cells invading the brain far from the tumor bulk may disrupt the blood–brain barrier (BBB) represents a crucial issue because under this condition tumor cells would be no more protected from the reach of chemotherapeutic drugs. A recent in vivo study that used human xenolines, demonstrated that single glioma cells migrating away from the tumor bulk are sufficient to breach the BBB. Here, we used brain xenografts of patient-derived glioma stem-like cells (GSCs) to show by immunostaining that in spite of massive perivascular invasion, BBB integrity was preserved in the majority of vessels located outside the tumor bulk. Interestingly, the tumor cells that invaded the brain for the longest distances traveled along vessels with retained BBB integrity. In surgical specimens of malignant glioma, the area of brain invasion showed several vessels with preserved BBB that were surrounded by tumor cells. On transmission electron microscopy, the cell inter-junctions and basal lamina of the brain endothelium were preserved even in conditions in which the tumor cells lay adjacently to blood vessels. In conclusion, BBB integrity associates with extensive perivascular invasion of glioma cells.

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