Contractility Affects Stress Fiber Remodeling and Reorientation of the Endothelial Cells in Response to Mechanical Stretching

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
James H.-C. Wang ◽  
Frank C.-P. Yin

Abstract Actin cytoskeletal stress fibers are thought to be the major cellular constituents responsible for cell shape and locomotion. As such, stress fiber remodeling likely plays a major role in the cell reorientation responses to mechanical stimuli (Iba and Sumpio, 1991). The assembly and dis-assembly of stress fibers in non-muscle cells are mediated by contractility via the interaction of actin and myosin (Chrzanowska-Wodnicka and Burridge, 1996). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) also play an important role in organization of stress fibers (Hinshaw et al., 1991). Since cyclic stretching can enhance production of certain ROS, including H2O2 (Howard et al., 1997) and H2O2 stimulates, in a time- and dose-dependent manner, myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation (Zhao and Davis, 1998), stress fiber remodeling and cell reorientation in response to cyclic stretching should be affected by changes in contractility — including changes in ROS. The roles of these factors have not been carefully examined.

2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 1777-1789 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Zhang ◽  
Tianrong Ji ◽  
Qin Wang ◽  
Kexin Meng ◽  
Rui Zhang ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: Recent studies provided compelling evidence that stimulation of the calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) exerts direct renoprotective action at the glomerular podocyte level. This protective action may be attributed to the RhoA-dependent stabilization of the actin cytoskeleton. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Methods: In the present study, an immortalized human podocyte cell line was used. Fluo-3 fluorescence was utilized to determine intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), and western blotting was used to measure canonical transient receptor potential 6 (TRPC6) protein expression and RhoA activity. Stress fibers were detected by FITC-phalloidin. Results: Activating CaSR with a high extracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]o) or R-568 (a type II CaSR agonist) induces an increase in the [Ca2+]i in a dose-dependent manner. This increase in [Ca2+]i is phospholipase C (PLC)-dependent and is smaller in the absence of extracellular Ca2+ than in the presence of 0.5 mM [Ca2+]o. The CaSR activation-induced [Ca2+]i increase is attenuated by the pharmacological blockage of TRPC6 channels or siRNA targeting TRPC6. These data suggest that TRPC6 is involved in CaSR activation-induced Ca2+ influx. Consistent with a previous study, CaSR stimulation results in an increase in RhoA activity. However, the knockdown of TRPC6 significantly abolished the RhoA activity increase induced by CaSR stimulation, suggesting that TRPC6-dependent Ca2+ entry is required for RhoA activation. The activated RhoA is involved in the formation of stress fibers and focal adhesions in response to CaSR stimulation because siRNA targeting RhoA attenuated the increase in the stress fiber mediated by CaSR stimulation. Moreover, this effect of CaSR activation on the formation of stress fibers is also abolished by the knockdown of TRPC6. Conclusion: TRPC6 is involved in the regulation of stress fiber formation and focal adhesions via the RhoA pathway in response to CaSR activation. This may explain the direct protective action of CaSR agonists.


2000 ◽  
Vol 279 (3) ◽  
pp. H882-H888 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naruto Matsuda ◽  
Kathleen G. Morgan ◽  
Frank W. Sellke

The effects of the potassium (K+) channel opener pinacidil (Pin) on the coronary smooth muscle Ca2+-myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation pathway under hypothermic K+cardioplegia were determined by use of an in vitro microvessel model. Rat coronary arterioles (100–260 μm in diameter) were subjected to 60 min of simulated hypothermic (20°C) K+cardioplegic solutions (K+= 25 mM). We first characterized the time course of changes in intracellular Ca2+concentration, MLC phosphorylation, and diameter and observed that the K+cardioplegia-related vasoconstriction was associated with an activation of the Ca2+-MLC phosphorylation pathway. Supplementation with Pin effectively suppressed the Ca2+accumulation and MLC phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner and subsequently maintained a small decrease in vasomotor tone. The ATP-sensitive K+(KATP)-channel blocker glibenclamide, but not the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, significantly inhibited the effect of Pin. K+cardioplegia augments the coronary Ca2+-MLC pathway and results in vasoconstriction. Pin effectively prevents the activation of this pathway and maintains adequate vasorelaxation during K+cardioplegia through a KATP-channel mechanism not coupled with the endothelium-derived NO signaling cascade.


1997 ◽  
Vol 273 (2) ◽  
pp. F283-F288 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. I. Kreisberg ◽  
N. Ghosh-Choudhury ◽  
R. A. Radnik ◽  
M. A. Schwartz

Treatment of renal glomerular mesangial cells with adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-elevating agents induces actin stress fiber disassembly, myosin light chain (MLC) dephosphorylation, loss of adhesion to the substratum and cell shape change [J. I. Kreisberg and M. A. Venkatachalam. Am. J. Physiol. 251 (Cell Physiol. 20): C505-C511, 1986]. Thrombin and vasopressin block the effects of cAMP. Because these agents are known to promote stress fiber formation via the small GTP-binding protein Rho, we investigated the effect of an activated variant of Rho on the response to cAMP elevation. Microinjecting V14-Rho completely blocked the effect of cAMP elevation on cell shape and the actin cytoskeleton, whereas inactivating Rho with botulinum C3 exoenzyme induced stress fiber disruption and cell retraction that was indistinguishable from that caused by elevations in intracellular levels of cAMP. Disruption of actin stress fibers by cAMP has previously been ascribed to MLC dephosphorylation; however, both C3 and cytochalasin D also caused dephosphorylation of MLC, whereas blocking MLC dephosphorylation failed to block the cAMP-induced loss of actin stress fibers. We conclude that Rho can modulate the effects of cAMP elevation and suggest that MLC dephosphorylation may be a consequence of actin stress fiber disassembly.


2008 ◽  
Vol 295 (6) ◽  
pp. C1579-C1589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Chun Wei ◽  
Hsi-Hui Lin ◽  
Meng-Ru Shen ◽  
Ming-Jer Tang

Mechanical stimuli are essential during development and tumorigenesis. However, how cells sense their physical environment under low rigidity is still unknown. Here we show that low rigidity of collagen gel downregulates β1-integrin activation, clustering, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) Y397 phosphorylation, which is mediated by delayed raft formation. Moreover, overexpression of autoclustered β1-integrin (V737N), but not constitutively active β1-integrin (G429N), rescues FAKY397 phosphorylation level suppressed by low substratum rigidity. Using fluorescence resonance energy transfer to assess β1-integrin clustering, we have found that substratum rigidity between 58 and 386 Pa triggers β1-integrin clustering in a dose-dependent manner, which is highly dependent on actin filaments but not microtubules. Furthermore, augmentation of β1-integrin clustering enhances the interaction between β1-integrin, FAK, and talin. Our results indicate that contact with collagen fibrils is not sufficient for integrin activation. However, substratum rigidity is required for integrin clustering and activation. Together, our findings provide new insight into the mechanosensing machinery and the mode of action for epithelial cells in response to their physical environment under low rigidity.


2008 ◽  
Vol 130 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhensong Wei ◽  
Vikram S. Deshpande ◽  
Robert M. McMeeking ◽  
Anthony G. Evans

Numerical simulations that incorporate a biochemomechanical model for the contractility of the cytoskeleton have been used to rationalize the following observations. Uniaxial cyclic stretching of cells causes stress fibers to align perpendicular to the stretch direction, with degree of alignment dependent on the stretch strain magnitude, as well as the frequency and the transverse contraction of the substrate. Conversely, equibiaxial cyclic stretching induces a uniform distribution of stress fiber orientations. Demonstrations that the model successfully predicts the alignments experimentally found are followed by a parameter study to investigate the influence of a range of key variables including the stretch magnitude, the intrinsic rate sensitivity of the stress fibers, the straining frequency, and the transverse contraction of the substrate. The primary predictions are as follows. The rate sensitivity has a strong influence on alignment, equivalent to that attained by a few percent of additional stretch. The fiber alignment increases with increasing cycling frequency. Transverse contraction of the substrate causes the stress fibers to organize into two symmetrical orientations with respect to the primary stretch direction.


Author(s):  
Zhensong Wei ◽  
Vikram S. Deshpande ◽  
Robert M. McMeeking ◽  
Anthony G. Evans

Numerical simulations that incorporate a bio-chemo-mechanical model for the contractility of the cytoskeleton have been used to rationalize the following observations. Uniaxial cyclic stretching of cells causes stress fibers to align perpendicular to the stretch direction, with degree of alignment dependent on the stretch strain magnitude, as well as the frequency and the transverse strain. Conversely, equibiaxial cyclic stretching induces a uniform distribution of stress fiber orientations. Demonstrations that the model successfully predicts the alignments found experimentally are followed by a parameter study to investigate the influence of the straining frequency and the transverse contraction of the substrate. The primary predictions are as follows. The fiber alignment increases with increasing cycling frequency. Transverse contraction of the substrate causes the stress fibers to organize into two symmetrical orientations with respect to the primary stretch direction.


2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (5) ◽  
pp. 545-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremiah J. Wille ◽  
Christina M. Ambrosi ◽  
Frank C-P Yin

Recent results demonstrate the exquisite sensitivity of cell orientation responses to the pattern of imposed deformation. Cells undergoing pure in-plane uniaxial stretching orient differently than cells that are simply elongated—likely because the latter stimulus produces simultaneous compression in the unstretched direction. It is not known, however, if cells respond differently to pure stretching than to pure compression. This study was performed to address this issue. Human aortic endothelial cells were seeded on deformable silicone membranes and subjected to various magnitudes and rates of pure stretching or compression. The cell orientation and cytoskeletal stress fiber organization responses were examined. Both stretching and compression resulted in magnitude-dependent but not rate-dependent orientation responses away from the deforming direction. Compression produced a slower temporal response than stretching. However, stress fiber reorganization responses–early disruption followed by reassembly into parallel arrays along the cells’ long axes were similar between the two stimuli. Moreover, the cell orientation and stress fiber responses appeared to be uncoupled since disruption of stress fibers was not required for the cell orientation. Moreover, parallel actin stress fibers were observed at oblique angles to the deforming direction indicating that stress fibers can reassemble when undergoing deformation.


1990 ◽  
Vol 63 (03) ◽  
pp. 505-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Mätzsch ◽  
David Bergqvist ◽  
Ulla Hedner ◽  
Bo Nilsson ◽  
Per Østergaar

SummaryA comparison between the effect of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and unfragmented heparin (UH) on induction of osteoporosis was made in 60 rats treated with either UH (2 IU/ g b w), LMWH in 2 doses (2 Xal U/g or 0.4 Xal U/g) or placebo (saline) for 34 days. Studied variables were: bone mineral mass in femora; fragility of humera; zinc and calcium levels in serum and bone ash and albumin in plasma. A significant reduction in bone mineral mass was found in all heparin-treated rats. There was no difference between UH and LMWH in this respect. The effect was dose-dependent in LMWH-treated animals. The zinc contents in bone ash were decreased in all heparin-treated rats as compared with controls. No recognizable pattern was seen in alterations of zinc or calcium in serum. The fragility of the humera, tested as breaking strength did not differ between treatment groups and controls. In conclusion, if dosed according to similar factor Xa inhibitory activities, LMWH induces osteoporosis to the same extent as UH and in a dose-dependent manner. The zinc content in bone ash was decreased after heparin treatment, irrespective of type of heparin given.


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