Actin has well established functions in cellular morphogenesis. However, it is not well understood how the various actin assemblies in a cell are kept in a dynamic equilibrium, in particular when cells have to respond to acute signals. Here, we characterize a rapid and transient actin reset in response to increased intracellular calcium levels. Within seconds of calcium influx, the formin INF2 stimulates filament polymerization at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), while cortical actin is disassembled. The reaction is then reversed within a few minutes. This Calcium-mediated actin reset (CaAR) occurs in a wide range of mammalian cell types and in response to many physiological cues. CaAR leads to transient immobilization of organelles, drives reorganization of actin during cell cortex repair, cell spreading and wound healing, and induces long-lasting changes in gene expression. Our findings suggest that CaAR acts as fundamental facilitator of cellular adaptations in response to acute signals and stress.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.19850.001
Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) progression is a highly dynamic process whereby normally fibroblastic valve interstitial cells (VIC) undergo osteogenic differentiation, maladaptive extracellular matrix (ECM) composition, structural remodeling, and tissue matrix stiffening. However, how VIC with different phenotypes dynamically affect matrix properties and how the altered matrix further affects VIC phenotypes in response to physiological and pathological conditions have not yet been determined. In this study, we develop 3D hydrogels with tunable matrix stiffness to investigate the dynamic interplay between VIC phenotypes and matrix biomechanics. We find that VIC populated within hydrogels with valve leaflet like stiffness differentiate towards myofibroblasts in osteogenic media, but surprisingly undergo osteogenic differentiation when cultured within lower initial stiffness hydrogels. VIC differentiation progressively stiffens the hydrogel microenvironment, which further upregulates both early and late osteogenic markers. These findings identify a dynamic positive feedback loop that governs acceleration of VIC calcification. Temporal stiffening of pathologically lower stiffness matrix back to normal level, or blocking the mechanosensitive RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway, delays the osteogenic differentiation process. Therefore, direct ECM biomechanical modulation can affect VIC phenotypes towards and against osteogenic differentiation in 3D culture. These findings highlight the importance of the homeostatic maintenance of matrix stiffness to restrict pathological VIC differentiation.
Photocrosslinking hydrogel technologies are attractive for the biofabrication of cardiovascular soft tissues, but 3D printing success is dependent on multiple variables. In this study we systematically test variables associated with photocrosslinking hydrogels (photoinitiator type, photoinitiator concentration, and light intensity) for their effects on encapsulated cells in an extrusion 3D printable mixture of methacrylated gelatin/poly-ethylene glycol diacrylate/alginate (MEGEL/PEGDA3350/alginate). The fabrication conditions that produced desired hydrogel mechanical properties were compared against those that optimize aortic valve or mesenchymal stem cell viability. In the 3D hydrogel culture environment and fabrication setting studied, Irgacure can increase hydrogel stiffness with a lower proportional decrease in encapsulated cell viability compared to VA086. Human adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (HADMSC) survived increasing photoinitiator concentrations in photo-encapsulation conditions better than aortic valve interstitial cells (HAVIC) and aortic valve sinus smooth muscle cells (HASSMC). Within the range of photo-encapsulation fabrication conditions tested with MEGEL/PEGDA/alginate (0.25–1.0% w/v VA086, 0.025–0.1% w/v Irgacure 2959, and 365 nm light intensity 2–136 mW/cm2), the highest viabilities achieved were 95%, 93%, and 93% live for HASSMC, HAVIC, and HADMSC respectively. These results identify parameter combinations that optimize cell viability during 3D printing for multiple cell types. These results also indicate that general oxidative stress is higher in photocrosslinking conditions that induce lower cell viability. However, suppressing this increase in intracellular oxidative stress did not improve cell viability, which suggests that other stress mechanisms also contribute.
Actin has well established functions in cellular morphogenesis. However, it is not well understood how the various actin assemblies in a cell are kept in a dynamic equilibrium, in particular when cells have to respond to acute signals. Here, we characterize a rapid and transient actin reset in response to increased intracellular calcium levels. Within seconds of calcium influx, the formin INF2 stimulates filament polymerization at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), while cortical actin is disassembled. The reaction is then reversed within a few minutes. This Calcium-mediated actin reset (CaAR) occurs in a wide range of mammalian cell types and in response to many physiological cues. CaAR leads to transient immobilization of organelles, drives reorganization of actin during cell cortex repair, cell spreading and wound healing, and induces long-lasting changes in gene expression. Our findings suggest that CaAR acts as fundamental facilitator of cellular adaptations in response to acute signals and stress.
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