2021 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
Utilization of viscoelastic substrates to study actin/MTs coordination and subsequent mechanobiological functionalities
| Project/Area Number |
21J40229
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Institution | National Institute for Materials Science |
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Principal Investigator |
Abdelaleem Shimaa 国立研究開発法人物質・材料研究機構, 機能性材料研究拠点, 特別研究員(RPD)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2021-04-28 – 2024-03-31
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| Keywords | Mechanobiology / Viscoelastic material / EMT / Actomyosin / ECM concentration |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
Human cells are impeded in complex polymeric network of proteins called extracellular matrix (ECM). The utilization of biomaterials with certain mechanical and biochemical cues is done to deeply understand the underlaying cytoskeletal systems (actomyosin and MTs) interplays and cell-matrix interactions.
Firstly, in joint research; the viscoelastic materials on which elasticity and stress relaxation could be varied independently were used to study the early EMT like behavior that alter the E/N cadherin expression. Within our system, E-cadherin changes with changes in the interfacial elasticity, whereas N-cadherin is regulated by both elasticity and relaxation. (published Langmuir 2022). While still the interactions with the cytoskeletal systems are under investigations.
Furthermore, I focused on the ECM concentrations as a chemical cue and to what extent the actomyosin activity would be manipulated during the TGF-b induced EMT. Substrates with different cRGD concentrations were used. Low cRGD concentration as a chemical cue have synergistically weakened the cell-cell cohesion during TGF-b induced EMT, the acquisition of mesenchymal phenotype by TGF-b is associated with different cytoskeleton arrangements based on the cRGD concentration (Preliminary results was presented in conference). Further investigation would be conducted.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
My aim is to simplify the complexity of natural ECM to understand in depth various cellular responses in relation to mechanical and biochemical cues. This purpose is achieved by the synthesized of established biomaterials with specific mechanical and chemical cues.
The study of biological interactions as the cytoskeletal system interactions with such material characteristics is performed in a reasonable basis, there are some interruptions happened based on the Corona situation. But other than that, research results are obtained within a reasonable time frame.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
Now I use these unique mechanical and chemical cues to deeply understand the details about on several biological functionalities as cytoskeletal system interactions, EMT transition, and migratory behavior. I focus on the mechanical feedback between ECM characteristics and cellular responses in general and cytoskeletal system in special. In another word identify the role of mechanical and biochemical cues by tracking several cellular responses such as 1) MTs biochemical status 2). MTs dynamics and the actin polymerization. 3) Formation of different actomyosin structures. 4) the real time mechanisms of actin/MTs crosstalk.
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