A mathematical model of mechanotransduction reveals how mechanical memory regulates mesenchymal stem cell fate decisions

Abstract Background Mechanical and biophysical properties of the cellular microenvironment regulate cell fate decisions. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) fate is influenced by past mechanical dosing (memory), but the mechanisms underlying this process have not yet been well defined. We have yet to understand how memory affects specific cell fate decisions, such as the differentiation of MSCs into neurons, adipocytes, myocytes, and osteoblasts. Results We study a minimal gene regulatory network permissive of multi-lineage MSC differentiation into four cell fates. We present a continuous model that is able to describe the cell fate transitions that occur during differentiation, and analyze its dynamics with tools from multistability, bifurcation, and cell fate landscape analysis, and via stochastic simulation. Whereas experimentally, memory has only been observed during osteogenic differentiation, this model predicts that memory regions can exist for each of the four MSC-derived cell lineages. We can predict the substrate stiffness ranges over which memory drives differentiation; these are directly testable in an experimental setting. Furthermore, we quantitatively predict how substrate stiffness and culture duration co-regulate the fate of a stem cell, and we find that the feedbacks from the differentiating MSC onto its substrate are critical to preserve mechanical memory. Strikingly, we show that re-seeding MSCs onto a sufficiently soft substrate increases the number of cell fates accessible. Conclusions Control of MSC differentiation is crucial for the success of much-lauded regenerative therapies based on MSCs. We have predicted new memory regions that will directly impact this control, and have quantified the size of the memory region for osteoblasts, as well as the co-regulatory effects on cell fates of substrate stiffness and culture duration. Taken together, these results can be used to develop novel strategies to better control the fates of MSCs in vitro and following transplantation

Influence of particle size and reactive oxygen species on cobalt chrome nanoparticle-mediated genotoxicity.

Patients with cobalt chrome (CoCr) metal-on-metal (MOM) implants may be exposed to a wide size range of metallic nanoparticles as a result of wear. In this study we have characterised the biological responses of human fibroblasts to two types of synthetically derived CoCr particles [(a) from a tribometer (30 nm) and (b) thermal plasma technology (20, 35, and 80 nm)] in vitro, testing their dependence on nanoparticle size or the generation of oxygen free radicals, or both. Metal ions were released from the surface of nanoparticles, particularly from larger (80 nm) particles generated by thermal plasma technology. Exposure of fibroblasts to these nanoparticles triggered rapid (2 h) generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that could be eliminated by inhibition of NADPH oxidase, suggesting that it was mediated by phagocytosis of the particles. The exposure also caused a more prolonged, MitoQ sensitive production of ROS (24 h), suggesting involvement of mitochondria. Consequently, we recorded elevated levels of aneuploidy, chromosome clumping, fragmentation of mitochondria and damage to the cytoskeleton particularly to the microtubule network. Exposure to the nanoparticles resulted in misshapen nuclei, disruption of mature lamin B1 and increased nucleoplasmic bridges, which could be prevented by MitoQ. In addition, increased numbers of micronuclei were observed and these were only partly prevented by MitoQ, and the incidence of micronuclei and ion release from the nanoparticles were positively correlated with nanoparticle size, although the cytogenetic changes, modifications in nuclear shape and the amount of ROS were not. These results suggest that cells exhibit diverse mitochondrial ROS-dependent and independent responses to CoCr particles, and that nanoparticle size and the amount of metal ion released are influential

Biomechanical, ultrastructural, and electrophysiological characterization of the non-human primate experimental glaucoma model

Abstract Laser-induced experimental glaucoma (ExGl) in non-human primates (NHPs) is a common animal model for ocular drug development. While many features of human hypertensive glaucoma are replicated in this model, structural and functional changes in the unlasered portions of trabecular meshwork (TM) of laser-treated primate eyes are understudied. We studied NHPs with ExGl of several years duration. As expected, ExGl eyes exhibited selective reductions of the retinal nerve fiber layer that correlate with electrophysiologic measures documenting a link between morphologic and elctrophysiologic endpoints. Softening of unlasered TM in ExGl eyes compared to untreated controls was observed. The degree of TM softening was consistent, regardless of pre-mortem clinical findings including severity of IOP elevation, retinal nerve fiber layer thinning, or electrodiagnostic findings. Importantly, this softening is contrary to TM stiffening reported in glaucomatous human eyes. Furthermore, microscopic analysis of unlasered TM from eyes with ExGl demonstrated TM thinning with collapse of Schlemm’s canal; and proteomic analysis confirmed downregulation of metabolic and structural proteins. These data demonstrate unexpected and compensatory changes involving the TM in the NHP model of ExGl. The data suggest that compensatory mechanisms exist in normal animals and respond to elevated IOP through softening of the meshwork to increase outflow

PDGF-BB Does Not Accelerate Healing in Diabetic Mice with Splinted Skin Wounds

Topical application of platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) is considered to accelerate tissue repair of impaired chronic wounds. However, the vast literature is plagued with conflicting reports of its efficacy in animal models and this is often influenced by a wide array of experimental variables making it difficult to compare the results across the studies. To mitigate the confounding variables that influence the efficacy of topically applied PDGF-BB, we used a controlled full thickness splinted excisional wound model in db/db mice (type 2 diabetic mouse model) for our investigations. A carefully-defined silicone-splinted wound model, with reduced wound contraction, controlled splint and bandage maintenance, allowing for healing primarily by reepithelialization was employed. Two splinted 8 mm dorsal full thickness wounds were made in db/db mice. Wounds were topically treated once daily with either 3 µg PDGF-BB in 30 µl of 5% PEG-PBS vehicle or an equal volume of vehicle for 10 days. Body weights, wound contraction, wound closure, reepithelialization, collagen content, and wound bed inflammation were evaluated clinically and histopathologically. The bioactivity of PDGF-BB was confirmed by in vitro proliferation assay. PDGF-BB, although bioactive in vitro, failed to accelerate wound healing in vivo in the db/db mice using the splinted wound model. Considering that the predominant mechanism of wound healing in humans is by re-epithelialization, the most appropriate model for evaluating therapeutics is one that uses splints to prevent excessive wound contraction. Here, we report that PDGF-BB does not promote wound closure by re-epithelialization in a murine splinted wound model. Our results highlight that the effects of cytoactive factors reported in vivo ought to be carefully interpreted with critical consideration of the wound model used