Rigidity sensing of amoeboid cells for their directional migration

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H03227
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 43040:Biophysics-related
• Research Institution: Yamaguchi University
• Principal Investigator: Iwadate Yoshiaki 山口大学, 大学院創成科学研究科, 教授 (40298170)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 櫻井 建成 武蔵野大学, 工学部, 教授 (60353322)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞遊走

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Adherent cells sense the rigidity of their substrate (rigidity sensing). Previously, we found a novel rigidity sensing of fast amoebae towards softer area. The aim of this study was to elucidate this molecular mechanism, focusing on changes in the affinity of myosin II for F-actin. In this study, it was found that Dictyostelium amoebae lacking myosin II did not show rigidity sensing, that the cells showed different behaviour from wild-type cells during freely locomotion without chemoattractant cAMP, and that GFP myosin II not only localised at the posterior end of the cell but also accumulated transiently at the anterior end of the cell.

Free Research Field

生物物理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

細胞のアメーバ運動は、これまで主に、誘引物質に向かう走化性という見地から研究されてきた。走化性は、誘引物質が遠く離れると細胞が感知できない。 一方、足場には必ず硬さが存在するため、rigidity sensing は常に機能している。rigidity sensingに基づき細胞の移動は、より根源的な移動のメカニズムと言える。医療応用の観点で、本研究の成果はがん細胞や傷修復を担う表皮細胞、好中球など免疫細胞などに対する薬剤を使わない非 侵襲な新規の移動制御技術につながり、がんや創傷の新規治療法研究への発展が期待できる。