Estimation of cancer cell migration in biomimetic random/oriented collagen fiber microenvironments

Increasing data indicate that cancer cell migration is regulated by extracellular matrixes and their surrounding biochemical microenvironment,playing a crucial role in pathological processes such as tumor invasion and metastasis.However,conventional two-dimensional cell culture and animal models have limitations in studying the influence of tumor microenvironment on cancer cell migration.Fortunately,the further development of microfluidic technology has provided solutions for the study of such questions.We utilize microfluidic chip to build a random collagen fiber microenvironment(RFM)model and an oriented collagen fiber microenvironment(OFM)model that resemble early stage and late stage breast cancer microenvironments,respectively.By combining cell culture,biochemical concentration gradient construction,and microscopic imaging techniques,we investigate the impact of different collagen fiber biochemical microenvironments on the migration of breast cancer MDA-MB-231-RFP cells.The results show that MDA-MB-231-RFP cells migrate further in the OFM model compared to the RFM model,with significant differences observed.Furthermore,we establish concentration gradients of the anticancer drug paclitaxel in both the RFM and OFM models and find that paclitaxel significantly inhibits the migration of MDA-MB-231-RFP cells in the RFM model,with stronger inhibition on the high concentration side compared to the low concentration side.However,the inhibitory effect of paclitaxel on the migration of MDA-MB-231-RFP cells in the OFM model is weak.These findings suggest that the oriented collagen fiber microenvironment resembling the late-stage tumor microenvironment is more favorable for cancer cell migration and that the effectiveness of anticancer drugs is diminished.The RFM and OFM models constructed in this study not only provide a platform for studying the mechanism of cancer development,but also serve as a tool for the initial measurement of drug screening.

IL-17 induces NSCLC cell migration and invasion by elevating MMP19 gene transcription and expression through the interaction of p300-dependent STAT3-K631 acetylation and its Y705-phosphorylation

The cancer cell metastasis is a major death reason for patients with non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).Although researchers have disclosed that interleukin 17(IL-17)can increase matrix metalloproteinases(MMPs)induction causing NSCLC cell metastasis,the underlying mechanism remains unclear.In the study,we found that IL-17 receptor A(IL-17RA),p300,p-STAT3,Ack-STAT3,and MMP19 were up-regulated both in NSCLC tissues and NSCLC cells stimulated with IL-17.p300,STAT3 and MMP19 overexpression or knockdown could raise or reduce IL-17-induced p-STAT3,Ack-STAT3 and MMP19 level as well as the cell migration and invasion.Mechanism investigation revealed that STAT3 and p300 bound to the same region(−544 to−389 nt)of MMP19 promoter,and p300 could acetylate STAT3-K631 elevating STAT3 transcriptional activity,p-STAT3 or MMP19 expression and the cell mobility exposed to IL-17.Meanwhile,p300-mediated STAT3-K631 acetylation and its Y705-phosphorylation could interact,synergistically facilitating MMP19 gene transcription and enhancing cell migration and invasion.Besides,the animal experiments exhibited that the nude mice inoculated with NSCLC cells by silencing p300,STAT3 or MMP19 gene plus IL-17 treatment,the nodule number,and MMP19,Ack-STAT3,or p-STAT3 production in the lung metastatic nodules were all alleviated.Collectively,these outcomes uncover that IL-17-triggered NSCLC metastasis involves up-regulating MMP19 expression via the interaction of STAT3-K631 acetylation by p300 and its Y705-phosphorylation,which provides a new mechanistic insight and potential strategy for NSCLC metastasis and therapy.

LIM1863 is useful to explore collective cancer cell migration,and the group of heterogeneous cells undergoing collective migration behaves like a supracellular unit

Collective cancer cell migration(CCCM)and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition(EMT)play key roles in metastasis.This study reports that the colorectal carcinoma cell line LIM1863 is useful for the study of CCCM and EMT.Methods:Hematoxylin and eosin staining,scanning electron microscopy,transmission electron microscopy,and western blot analysis were performed.Results:LIM1863 automatically grew as spheroids in suspension and had important typical epithelial properties,including several layers of cells arranged around a central lumen,apical-basal polarity,and types of cell-cell junctions.Treatment with a combination of both TGF beta 1 and TNF alpha induced definite and distinct EMT,a spheroid changing phenotype to form a monolayer high-confluent patch without lumen,without polarity.Spontaneous CCCM occurred in spheroids.Flat EMT cells adhered to the base of a dish,exhibited persistent movement as a cluster of cells,and then shed,resulting in a cluster.All cells from one cluster undergoing CCCM died.Otherwise,all cells undergoing EMT disappeared and almost all cells located in the cell reservoir survived and proliferated.Conclusion:LIM1863 is an excellent cell line to study CCCM and EMT.The group of heterogeneous cells undergoing CCCM behaves like a supracellular unit.

Experimental Study of Cell Migration and Functional Differentiation of Transplanted Neural Stem Cells Co-labeled with Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide and Brdu in an Ischemic Rat Model

Objective To explore the migration of transplanted neural stem cells co-labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide （SPIO） and bromodeoxyuridine （Brdu） using the 4.7T MR system and to study the cell differentiation with immuno-histochemical method in ischemic rats. Methods Rat neural stem cells （NSCs） co-labelled with SPIO mediated by poly-L-lysine and bromodeoxyuridine （BrdU） were transplanted into the unaffected side of rat brain with middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO）. At weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 after MCAO, migration of the labelled cells was monitored by MRI. At week 6 the rats were killed and their brain tissue was cut according to the migration site of transplanted ceils indicated by MRI and subjected to Prussian blue staining and immunohistochemical staining to observe the migration and differentiation of the transplanted NSCs. Results Three weeks after transplantation, the linear hypointensity area derived from the migration of labelled NSCs was observed by MRI in the corpus callosum adjacent to the injection site. Six weeks after the transplantation, the linear hypointensity area was moved toward the midline along the corpus callosum. MRI findings were confirmed by Prussian blue staining and immunohistochemical staining of the specimen at week 6 after the transplantation. Flourescence co-labelled immunohistochemical methods demonstrated that the transplanted NSCs could differentiate into astrocytes and neurons. Conclusion MRI can monitor the migration of SPIO-labelled NSCs after transplantation in a dynamical and non-invasive manner. NSCs transplanted into ischemic rats can differentiate into astrocytes and neurons during the process of migration.

Exploring the interconnectivity of biomimetic hierarchical porous Mg scaffolds for bone tissue engineering:Effects of pore size distribution on mechanical properties,degradation behavior and cell migration ability

Interconnectivity is the key characteristic of bone tissue engineering scaffold modulating cell migration,blood vessels invasion and transport of nutrient and waste.However,efforts and understanding of the interconnectivity of porous Mg is limited due to the diverse architectures of pore struts and pore size distribution of Mg scaffold systems.In this work,biomimetic hierarchical porous Mg scaffolds with tailored interconnectivity as well as pore size distribution were prepared by template replication of infiltration casting.Mg scaffold with better interconnectivity showed lower mechanical strength.Enlarging interconnected pores would enhance the interconnectivity of the whole scaffold and reduce the change of ion concentration,pH value and osmolality of the degradation microenvironment due to the lower specific surface area.Nevertheless,the degradation rates of five tested Mg scaffolds were no different because of the same geometry of strut unit.Direct cell culture and evaluation of cell density at both sides of four typical Mg scaffolds indicated that cell migration through hierarchical porous Mg scaffolds could be enhanced by not only bigger interconnected pore size but also larger main pore size.In summary,design of interconnectivity in terms of pore size distribution could regulate mechanical strength,microenvironment in cell culture condition and cell migration potential,and beyond that it shows great potential for personalized therapy which could facilitate the regeneration process.

Guided cell migration on a graded micropillar substrate

Cell migration is facilitated by the interaction of living cells and their local microenvironment.The local topography is one of the key factors regulating cell migration.Interaction between the surface topography and the cell behaviors is critical to understanding tissue development and regeneration.In this study,a dynamic mask photolithography technique has been utilized to fabricate a surface with graded micropillars.It has been demonstrated that the cells have been successfully guided to migrate from the sparse zone to the dense zone.The cell polarization angle has been characterized in both sparse zone and the dense zone.Compared to the dense zone,the cells in the sparse zone are more aligned along the direction of the micropillar spacing gradient,which enables the guided cell migration.Moreover,the effects of the micropillar spacing gradient,micropillar diameter,and micropillar height have been investigated in terms of the cell migration speed and cell spreading area.Finally,two issues significantly affecting the cell migration have been discussed:trapped cells between the micropillars and cell clusters.

Aquaporin 1 Facilitated Hepatocellular Carcinoma SMMC7221 Cell Migration Associated with Water Permeability

The authors investigated the regulation of human aquaporin I（hAQP1） and the involvement of aquaporin 1 （AQP 1） in the migration of human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7221 cells using RNA intereference technology Firstly, two short hairpin RNA（shRNA） constructs in PBSU6 vector were reconstructed and their knockdown effects were identified in SMMC-7221 cells. Next, the involvement of endogenous hAQP1 in regulating the migration of SMMC-7221 cells was investigated via siRNA technology. HAQPI-shRNA can specifically inhibit AQP1 dependent osmotic water permeability. Meanwhile the migration of SMMC-7221 cells was inhibited remarkably after silencing AQP1 by performing transwell cell migration assay and in vitro wound healing assay. Furthermore, in the presence of an inhibitor HgCl2, the water permeability of the cell membrane was remarkably decreased, the expression of AQP1 was upregulated after HgCla treatment and the cell movement was decreased at the moment. Increased AQP1 cannot attenuate cell migration ability when cell membrane loses its water permeability function. This demonstrates that the cell migration was remarkably related to the transporting water function of cell membrane.

Nonlinear dynamics of cell migration in anisotropic microenvironment

Cell migration in anisotropic microenvironment plays an important role in the development of normal tissues and organs as well as neoplasm progression,e.g.,osteogenic differentiation of embryonic stem cells was facilitated on stiffer substrates,indicating that the mechanical signals greatly affect both early and terminal differentiation of embryonic stem cells.However,the effect of anisotropy on cell migration dynamics,in particular,in terms of acceleration profiles which is important for recognizing dynamics modes of cell migration and analyzing the regulation mechanisms of microenvironment in mechanical signal transmission,has not been systematically investigated.In this work,we firstly rigorously investigate and quantify the differences between persistent random walk and anisotropic persistent random walk models based on the analysis of cell migration trajectories and velocity auto-covariance function,both qualitatively and quantitatively.Secondly,we introduce the concepts of positive and negative anisotropy based on the motility parameters to study the effect of anisotropy on acceleration profiles,especially the nonlinear decrease and non-monotonic behaviors.We particularly elaborate and discuss the mechanisms,and physical insights of non-monotonic behaviors in the case of positive anisotropy,focusing on the force exerted on migrating cells.Finally,we analyze two types of in vitro cell migration experiments and verify the universality of nonlinear decrease and the consistence of non-monotonic behaviors with numerical results.We conclude that the anisotropy of microenvironment is the cause of the non-monotonic and nonlinear dynamics,and the anisotropic persistent random walk can be as a suitable tool to analyze in vitro cell migration with different combinations of motility parameters.Our analysis provides new insights into the dynamics of cell migration in complex microenvironment,which also has implications in tissue engineering and cancer research.

Computational Investigation of Cell Migration Behavior in a Confluent Epithelial Monolayer

Cell migration plays a significant role in many biological activities,yet the physical mechanisms of cell migration are still not well understood.In this study,a continuum physics-based epithelial monolayer model including the intercellular interaction was employed to study the cell migration behavior in a confluent epithelial monolayer at constant cell density.The epithelial cell was modeled as isotropic elastic material.Through finite element simulation,the results revealed that themotile cellwas subjected to higher stress than the other jammed cells during the migration process.Cell stiffness was implied to play a significant role in epithelial cell migration behavior.Higher stiffness results in smaller displacement and lower migration speed.

Computational Study of Collective Cell Migration By Meshfree Method

The collective cell migration behavior on a substrate was studied using RKPM meshfree method.The cells were modeled as nematic liquid crystal with hyperelastic cell nucleus.The cell-substrate and cell-cell interactions were modeled by coarse-grained potential forces.Through this study,the pulling and pushing phenomenon during collective cell migration process was observed and it was found that the individual cell mobility significantly influenced the collective cell migratory behavior.More self-propelled cells are in the system along the same direction,the faster the collective group migrates toward coordinated direction.The parametric study on cell-cell adhesion strength indicated that as the adhesion strength increases,the collective cell migration speed increases.It also showed that the mechanical stress in leader cell is higher than stress in follower cells.

LINC complex independent perinuclear actin organization and cell migration

The link of the metazoan nucleus to the actin cytoskeleton is highly important for actin polymerization and migration of multiple cell types as well as for mechanotransduction and even affects the cellular transcriptome.Several mechanisms of organization of actin filaments next to the nuclear envelope have been identified.Among these mechanisms the most studied one is the Linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton(LINC)complex-dependent perinuclear actin organization.However,recently additional mechanisms have been identified:an Actin-related protein-2/3(Arp2/3)-dependent perinuclear actin polymerization during migration of dendritic cells and a perinuclear actin rim that is formed in response to external force application or migration cues.In parallel,there are also reports on cancer cells that migrate in a LINC complex independent manner and on cancers with reduced expression of the LINC complex components.Thus,suggesting that LINC complex independent migration may be associated with tumour formation.

A novel bio‑active microsphere for meniscus regeneration via inducing cell migration and chondrocyte differentiation

Abstract Meniscus injury is a common disease in clinic.If it was not treated in time,it leads to osteoarthritis which brings unbearable pain and heavy economic burden to the patients.At present,meniscectomy and meniscus suture are widely used in the treatment for meniscus injury.Nevertheless,It is not ideal for poor self-healing ability of meniscus.The recruitment of endogenous stem cells is an attractive option for wounded meniscus healing.Fully reduced high-mobility group box 1 protein(HMGB1)can accelerate the regeneration of multiple tissues by endogenous stem cell activation,migration and differentiation.Kartogenin(KGN)has shown to induce the chondrogenesis of the stem cells.However,no study has explored such effects of HMGB1 and KGN in wounded meniscus healing.Therefore,in order to improve the regeneration of meniscus,we intend to use a novel bioactive microsphere which was developed by combining fully reduced high mobility group box 1(frHMGB1)and kartogenin(KGN)with alginate gel which slowly release high concentrations of HMGB1 and KGN to activate rat bone marrow stem cells(BMSCs)and promote cell proliferation.The results showed that this HMGB1–KGN microsphere released and kept high concentrations of HMGB1 and KGN in the wound area for more than 2 weeks.In vitro experimental results showed that the HMGB1–KGN microsphere can promote cell proliferation via recruiting rat bone marrow stem cells(BMSCs)and activating the BMSCs from G_(0) to G_(Alert) stage as evidenced by cell migration testing and 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine(BrdU)incorporation assay.In vivo results indicated that this HMGB-KGN microsphere can recruit GFP-labeled BMSCs from tail vein to wounded meniscus and induce these GFP-labeled BMSCs to differentiate into chondrocytes.Our results demonstrated that the HMGB1–KGN-containing bioactive microsphere induced cell migration in vitro and recruited the cells to wound area to promote wounded rat meniscus healing in vivo.

The F5 gene predicts poor prognosis of patients with gastric cancer by promoting cell migration identified using a weighted gene co-expression network analysis

Distal gastric cancer(DGC)is a subgroup of gastric cancer(GC),which has different molecular characteristics from proximal gastric cancer(PGC).These differences result in different overall survival(OS)rates;however,data pertaining to the survival rate in PGC or DGC are contradictory.This suggests that the location of GC is not the unique cause of the different survival rates,while the molecular characteristics might be more important factors determining the prognosis of DGC.Therefore,the aim of this study was to discover key prognostic factors in DGC using bioinformatic methods and to explore the potential molecular mechanism.The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)public database was employed to screen data relating to DGC,and we conducted a weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA)on DGC patient samples to establish co-expression modules.High-weight genes(hub genes)in a dominant color module were identified.In vitro experiments and gene set enrichment analyses(GSEA)were carried out to elucidate the potential molecular mechanism.In this study,139 DGC samples were enrolled to perform a co-expression analysis.According to the correlation between gene modules and clinical characteristics,the royal blue module related to stage M of DGC was screened,and a survival analysis was conducted to show that highcoagulation-factor V(F5)expression was related to the short OS of patients with GC.In vitro experiments confirmed that F5 could promote the migration of GC cells.GSEA suggested that F5 might have affected the prognosis of GC by modulating the activities of the Wnt and/or the TGF-βsignaling pathways.Our results indicated that high F5 expression predicts poor prognosis of patients with DGC,and it functions probably by promoting cell migration through the Wnt and/or the TGF-βsignaling pathways.

Dancing to a somewhat different rhythm: Cell migration along thenatural basement membrane

Much of our understanding of the events which underlie cell migration has been derived from studies of cells intissue culture. One of the components that mediates this process is the dynamic actin-based microfilament system that canreorganize itself into so-called stress fibers that are considered essential components for cell motility. In contrast, relativelyfew studies have investigated cell movement along an extracellular matrix (ECM) which is known to influence both cellularorganization and behavior. This opinion/viewpoint article briefly reviews cell migration during corneal endothelial woundrepair along the tissue’s natural basement membrane, Descemet’s membrane. Because the tissue exists as a cell monolayer itaffords one an opportunity to readily explore the effect of cell/matrix influences on cell motility. As such, cell movementalong this substrate differs somewhat from that found in vitro and migrating endothelial cells also demonstrate an abilityto move along the ECM without the benefit of having an organized actin cytoskeleton.

Cyclosporin A impairs dendritic cell migration by regulating chemokine receptor expression and inhibiting cyclooxygenase-2 expression

Migration of dendritic cells (DCs) into tissues and secondary lymphoid organs plays a crucial role in the initiation of innate and adaptive immunity. In this article, we show that cyclosporin A (CsA) impairs the migration of DCs both in vitro and in vivo. Exposure of DCs to clinical concentrations of CsA neither induces apoptosis nor alters development but does impair cytokine secretion, chemokine receptor expression, and migration. In vitro, CsA impairs the migration of mouse bone marrow-derived DCs toward macrophage inflammatory protein-3beta (MIP-3beta) and induces them to retain responsiveness to MIP-1alpha after lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated DC maturation, while in vivo administration of CsA inhibits the migration of DCs out of skin and into the secondary lymphoid organs. CsA impairs chemokine receptor and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression normally triggered in LPS-stimulated DCs; administration of exogenous prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) reverses the effects of CsA on chemokine receptor expression and DC migration. Inhibition of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway signaling by CsA may be responsible for the CsA-mediated effects on the regulation of chemokine receptor and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. Impairment of DC migration due to inhibition of PGE2 production and regulation of chemokine receptor expression may contribute, in part, to CsA-mediated immunosuppression.

CREG regulates vascular endothelial cell migration mediated by ILK-β-parvin signal pathway

Background To investigate the effects and mechanisms of cellular repressor of ElA stimulated genes (CREG) on endothelial cell(EC) migration.Methods vascular endothelial cells(VE),CREG overexpression VEs, CREG suppression VEs and VEs transfected with CREG gene modified adenovirus(Ad-CREG) were cultured with dulbecco’s modified eagle’s medium contained 10%fetal calf serum. Western blot was used to detect the protein level of CREG and integrin-linked kinase(ILK) in the four kind ECs.Tran-swell migration model was applied to compare the migration cell number of the four kind ECs.Two kinds of ILK mutant plasmids;PCXN2-flag-ILK wt-IRES-GFP(wild-type ILK)and PCXN2-flag-ILK p-parvin-IRES-GFP(P-parvin-binding mutant) were used to transfect VS and VE respectively,then the two kind transfection ECs were named as VS-wtILK and VE-P -parvin which were selected by G418(600ng/ml)for 2 weeks;Transwell migration model was applied to compare migration capability before and after ILK plasmids transfecting VE and VS.Results Western blot analysis showed that CREG overexpression promoted ILK expression in ECs,on the contrary,ILK expression was down-regulated in CREG silent ECs(P【0.05).Further more,ILK expression was up-regulated obviously in VE transfected with Ad-CREG(P【 0.05);Transwell migration model showed that EC’s migration capability was positively correlated with the expression level of CREG in EC,that is,CREG overexpression induced VE migration and CREG silent suppressed VE migration, moreover,Ad-CREG transfecting VE showed better migration capability accompanied with CREG expression increase by transwell migration model(P【0.05).In order to know the relationship between ILK expression and cell migration,we obtained stable transfection cell strains of VS-wtILK and VE-Pparvin, transwell migration model demonstrated that VS-wtILK remarkably corrected the poor migration capability of VS(P【 0.01),butβ-parvin combining site mutation in ILK genes inhibited VE migration markedly(P【0.01).Conclusions ILKp -parvin signal pathway mediated vascular endothelial cell migration induced by CREG.

Long noncoding RNA Pvt1 promotes the proliferation and migration of Schwann cells by sponging microRNA-214 and targeting c-Jun following peripheral nerve injury

Research has shown that long-chain noncoding RNAs(lncRNAs) are involved in the regulation of a variety of biological processes, including peripheral nerve regeneration, in part by acting as competing endogenous RNAs. c-Jun plays a key role in the repair of peripheral nerve injury. However, the precise underlying mechanism of c-Jun remains unclear. In this study, we performed microarray and bioinformatics analysis of mouse crush-injured sciatic nerves and found that the lncRNA Pvt1 was overexpressed in Schwann cells after peripheral nerve injury. Mechanistic studies revealed that Pvt1 increased c-Jun expression through sponging miRNA-214. We overexpressed Pvt1 in Schwann cells cultured in vitro and found that the proliferation and migration of Schwann cells were enhanced, and overexpression of miRNA-214 counteracted the effects of Pvt1 overexpression on Schwann cell proliferation and migration. We conducted in vivo analyses and injected Schwann cells overexpressing Pvt1 into injured sciatic nerves of mice. Schwann cells overexpressing Pvt1 enhanced the regeneration of injured sciatic nerves following peripheral nerve injury and the locomotor function of mice was improved. Our findings reveal the role of lncRNAs in the repair of peripheral nerve injury and highlight lncRNA Pvt1 as a novel potential treatment target for peripheral nerve injury.

TATA-box-binding protein-associated factor 15 is a novel biomarker that promotes cell proliferation and migration in gastrointestinal stromal tumor

BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal stromal tumor(GIST)is a common neoplasm with high rates of recurrence and metastasis,and its therapeutic efficacy is still not ideal.There is an unmet need to find new molecular therapeutic targets for GIST.TATA-boxbinding protein-associated factor 15(TAF15)contributes to the progress of various tumors,while the role and molecular mechanism of TAF15 in GIST progression are still unknown.AIM To explore new molecular therapeutic targets for GIST and understand the biological role and underlying mechanisms of TAF15 in GIST progression.METHODS Proteomic analysis was performed to explore the differentially expressed proteins in GIST.Western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis were used to verify the expression level of TAF15 in GIST tissues and cell lines.Cell counting kit-8,colony formation,wound-healing and transwell assay were executed to detect the ability of TAF15 on cell proliferation,migration and invasion.A xenograft mouse model was applied to explore the role of TAF15 in the progression of GIST.Western blotting was used to detect the phosphorylation level and total level of RAF1,MEK and ERK1/2.RESULTS A total of 1669 proteins were identified as differentially expressed proteins with 762 upregulated and 907 downregulated in GIST.TAF15 was selected for the further study because of its important role in cell proliferation and migration.TAF15 was significantly over expressed in GIST tissues and cell lines.Overexpression of TAF15 was associated with larger tumor size and higher risk stage of GIST.TAF15 knockdown significantly inhibited the cell proliferation and migration of GIST in vitro and suppressed tumor growth in vivo.Moreover,the inhibition of TAF15 expression significantly decreased the phosphorylation level of RAF1,MEK and ERK1/2 in GIST cells and xenograft tissues,while the total RAF1,MEK and ERK1/2 had no significant change.CONCLUSION TAF15 is over expressed in GIST tissues and cell lines.Overexpression of TAF15 was associated with a poor prognosis of GIST patients.TAF15 promotes cell proliferation and migration in GIST via the activation of the RAF1/MEK/ERK signaling pathway.Thus,TAF15 is expected to be a novel latent molecular biomarker or therapeutic target of GIST.

3D printing of conch-like scaffolds for guiding cell migration and directional bone growth

Regeneration of severe bone defects remains an enormous challenge in clinic.Developing regenerative scaffolds to directionally guide bone growth is a potential strategy to overcome this hurdle.Conch,an interesting creature widely spreading in ocean,has tough spiral shell that can continuously grow along the spiral direction.Herein,inspired by the physiological features of conches,a conch-like(CL)scaffold based onβ-TCP bioceramic material was successfully prepared for guiding directional bone growth via digital light processing(DLP)-based 3D printing.Benefiting from the spiral structure,the CL scaffolds significantly improved cell adhesion,proliferation and osteogenic differentiation in vitro compared to the conventional 3D scaffolds.Particularly,the spiral structure in the scaffolds could efficiently induce cells to migrate from the bottom to the top of the scaffolds,which was like“cells climbing stairs”.Furthermore,the capability of guiding directional bone growth for the CL scaffolds was demonstrated by a special half-embedded femoral defects model in rabbits.The new bone tissue could consecutively grow into the protruded part of the scaffolds along the spiral cavities.This work provides a promising strategy to construct biomimetic biomaterials for guiding directional bone tissue growth,which offers a new treatment concept for severe bone defects,and even limb regeneration.

Cell mechanics and energetic costs of collective cell migration under confined microchannels

Mechanical force between cells relates to many biological processes of cell development.The cellular collective migration comes from cell-cell cooperation,and studying the intercellular mechanical properties helps elucidate collective cell migration.Herein,we studied cell-cell junctions,intercellular tensile force and the related cellular energetic costs in confined microchannels.Using the intercellular force sensor,we found that cells adapt to different confinement environments by regulating intercellular force,and thereby the relationship between collective cell migration and cell-cell junction were verified.Through the observation of cell orientation,actomyosin contractility,energetic costs,and glucose uptake,we can make a reasonable explanation of cell-force driven migration in different confined environments.Under highly confined conditions,the intercellular force and energetic costs are greater,and the cell orientation is more orderly.The collective migration behavior in confined spaces is closely related to the intercellular force and energetic costs,which is helpful to understand the collective migration behaviors in various confined spaces.