Aging is the leading risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. We now understand that a breakdown in the neuronal cytoskeleton, mainly underpinned by protein modifications leading to t...Aging is the leading risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. We now understand that a breakdown in the neuronal cytoskeleton, mainly underpinned by protein modifications leading to the destabilization of microtubules, is central to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. This is accompanied by morphological defects across the somatodendritic compartment, axon, and synapse. However, knowledge of what occurs to the microtubule cytoskeleton and morphology of the neuron during physiological aging is comparatively poor. Several recent studies have suggested that there is an age-related increase in the phosphorylation of the key microtubule stabilizing protein tau, a modification, which is known to destabilize the cytoskeleton in Alzheimer’s disease. This indicates that the cytoskeleton and potentially other neuronal structures reliant on the cytoskeleton become functionally compromised during normal physiological aging. The current literature shows age-related reductions in synaptic spine density and shifts in synaptic spine conformation which might explain age-related synaptic functional deficits. However, knowledge of what occurs to the microtubular and actin cytoskeleton, with increasing age is extremely limited. When considering the somatodendritic compartment, a regression in dendrites and loss of dendritic length and volume is reported whilst a reduction in soma volume/size is often seen. However, research into cytoskeletal change is limited to a handful of studies demonstrating reductions in and mislocalizations of microtubule-associated proteins with just one study directly exploring the integrity of the microtubules. In the axon, an increase in axonal diameter and age-related appearance of swellings is reported but like the dendrites, just one study investigates the microtubules directly with others reporting loss or mislocalization of microtubule-associated proteins. Though these are the general trends reported, there are clear disparities between model organisms and brain regions that are worthy of further investigation. Additionally, longitudinal studies of neuronal/cytoskeletal aging should also investigate whether these age-related changes contribute not just to vulnerability to disease but also to the decline in nervous system function and behavioral output that all organisms experience. This will highlight the utility, if any, of cytoskeletal fortification for the promotion of healthy neuronal aging and potential protection against age-related neurodegenerative disease. This review seeks to summarize what is currently known about the physiological aging of the neuron and microtubular cytoskeleton in the hope of uncovering mechanisms underpinning age-related risk to disease.展开更多
Proper regulation of synapse formation and elimination is critical for establishing mature neuronal circuits and maintaining brain function.Synaptic abnormalities,such as defects in the density and morphology of posts...Proper regulation of synapse formation and elimination is critical for establishing mature neuronal circuits and maintaining brain function.Synaptic abnormalities,such as defects in the density and morphology of postsynaptic dendritic spines,underlie the pathology of various neuropsychiatric disorders.Protocadherin 17(PCDH17)is associated with major mood disorders,including bipolar disorder and depression.However,the molecular mechanisms by which PCDH17 regulates spine number,morphology,and behavior remain elusive.In this study,we found that PCDH17 functions at postsynaptic sites,restricting the number and size of dendritic spines in excitatory neurons.Selective overexpression of PCDH17 in the ventral hippocampal CA1 results in spine loss and anxiety-and depression-like behaviors in mice.Mechanistically,PCDH17 interacts with actin-relevant proteins and regulates actin filament(F-actin)organization.Specifically,PCDH17 binds to ROCK2,increasing its expression and subsequently enhancing the activity of downstream targets such as LIMK1 and the phosphorylation of cofilin serine-3(Ser3).Inhibition of ROCK2 activity with belumosudil(KD025)ameliorates the defective F-actin organization and spine structure induced by PCDH17 overexpression,suggesting that ROCK2 mediates the effects of PCDH17 on F-actin content and spine development.Hence,these findings reveal a novel mechanism by which PCDH17 regulates synapse development and behavior,providing pathological insights into the neurobiological basis of mood disorders.展开更多
BACKGROUND Glioma is one of the most common intracranial tumors,characterized by invasive growth and poor prognosis.Actin cytoskeletal rearrangement is an essential event of tumor cell migration.The actin dynamics-rel...BACKGROUND Glioma is one of the most common intracranial tumors,characterized by invasive growth and poor prognosis.Actin cytoskeletal rearrangement is an essential event of tumor cell migration.The actin dynamics-related protein scinderin(SCIN)has been reported to be closely related to tumor cell migration and invasion in several cancers.AIM To investigate the role and mechanism of SCIN in glioma.METHODS The expression and clinical significance of SCIN in glioma were analyzed based on public databases.SCIN expression was examined using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting.Gene silencing was performed using short hairpin RNA transfection.Cell viability,migration,and invasion were assessed using cell counting kit 8 assay,wound healing,and Matrigel invasion assays,respectively.F-actin cytoskeleton organization was assessed using F-actin staining.RESULTS SCIN expression was significantly elevated in glioma,and high levels of SCIN were associated with advanced tumor grade and wild-type isocitrate dehydrogenase.Furthermore,SCIN-deficient cells exhibited decreased proliferation,migration,and invasion in U87 and U251 cells.Moreover,knockdown of SCIN inhibited the RhoA/focal adhesion kinase(FAK)signaling to promote F-actin depolymerization in U87 and U251 cells.CONCLUSION SCIN modulates the actin cytoskeleton via activating RhoA/FAK signaling,thereby promoting the migration and invasion of glioma cells.This study identified the cancer-promoting effect of SCIN and provided a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of glioma.展开更多
Actin cytoskeleton plays crucial roles in various cellular functions.Extracellular matrix(ECM)can modulate cell morphology by remodeling the internal cytoskeleton.To define how geometry of ECM regulates the organizati...Actin cytoskeleton plays crucial roles in various cellular functions.Extracellular matrix(ECM)can modulate cell morphology by remodeling the internal cytoskeleton.To define how geometry of ECM regulates the organization of actin cytoskeleton,we plated individual NIH 3T3 cells on micropatterned substrates with distinct shapes and sizes.It was found that the stress fibers could form along the nonadhesive edges of T-shaped pattern,but were absent from the opening edge of V-shaped pattern,indicating that the organization of actin cytoskeleton was dependent on the mechanical environment.Furthermore,a secondary actin ring was observed on 50μm circular pattern while did not appear on 30μm and 40μm pattern,showing a size-dependent organization of actin cytoskeleton.Finally,osteoblasts,MDCK and A549 cells exhibited distinct organization of actin cytoskeleton on T-shaped pattern,suggesting a cell-type specificity in arrangement of actin cytoskeleton.Together,our findings brought novel insight into the organization of actin cytoskeleton on micropatterned environments.展开更多
Anticancer drugs are one of the most direct means of cancer therapy.However,the various cancer progressions hamper the development and discovery of anticancer drugs.In fact,the mechanical properties of the tumor cytos...Anticancer drugs are one of the most direct means of cancer therapy.However,the various cancer progressions hamper the development and discovery of anticancer drugs.In fact,the mechanical properties of the tumor cytoskeleton are extremely vital for any phase of cancer,especially in tumor invasion and metastasis.However,in the current category of anticancer drugs,the cytoskeleton-targeting drugs are limited and their role in tumor progression is unclear.Here,we present the mechanical characteristics of tumor stiffness that are tightly regulated by the cancer cytoskeleton,including actin filaments and microtubules during tumor initiation,growth and metastasis,and review the natural drugs that target the cancer cytoskeleton.We define cytoskeleton dynamics as target mechanisms for anticancer drugs and summarize the plant,microbial and marine sources of natural products.Furthermore,this paper also provides a material pathway to study active tumor mechanics,and introduces the unique advantages and future application potential of tumor cytoskeleton-targeting drugs in clinical use.The material approaches to active cancer mechanics are supplied in this review.We aim to promote the development of anticancer drugs that target tumor mechanics by using those material approaches and finding their pharmacological application.展开更多
p21活化蛋白激酶(p21-activated protein kinase,PAK)是一类高度保守的丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白家族,是Rho家族小GTP酶的效应蛋白,参与多种信号通路传导。PAK4是PAK家族中最有代表性的成员,通过磷酸化下游底物,调控细胞骨架重组、细胞增殖和...p21活化蛋白激酶(p21-activated protein kinase,PAK)是一类高度保守的丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白家族,是Rho家族小GTP酶的效应蛋白,参与多种信号通路传导。PAK4是PAK家族中最有代表性的成员,通过磷酸化下游底物,调控细胞骨架重组、细胞增殖和细胞周期进展等。PAK4过表达见于胰腺癌、胃癌和卵巢癌等多种肿瘤,参与肿瘤发生和肿瘤迁移等过程。研究PAK4的结构、作用机制对于揭示细胞周期调控和肿瘤生物学行为有重要价值。本文阐述和归纳了PAK4的结构、激活过程及其在细胞骨架、细胞周期进展中的生物学作用,并综述了PAK4调控妇科肿瘤发生发展以及PAK4抑制剂的最新研究进展。展开更多
Morphological alterations in dendritic spines have been linked to changes in functional communication between neurons that affect learning and memory.Kinesin-4 KIF21A helps organize the microtubule-actin network at th...Morphological alterations in dendritic spines have been linked to changes in functional communication between neurons that affect learning and memory.Kinesin-4 KIF21A helps organize the microtubule-actin network at the cell cortex by interacting with KANK1;however,whether KIF21A modulates dendritic structure and function in neurons remains unknown.In this study,we found that KIF21A was distributed in a subset of dendritic spines,and that these KIF21A-positive spines were larger and more structurally plastic than KIF21A-negative spines.Furthermore,the interaction between KIF21A and KANK1 was found to be critical for dendritic spine morphogenesis and synaptic plasticity.Knockdown of either KIF21A or KANK1 inhibited dendritic spine morphogenesis and dendritic branching,and these deficits were fully rescued by coexpressing full-length KIF21A or KANK1,but not by proteins with mutations disrupting direct binding between KIF21A and KANK1 or binding between KANK1 and talin1.Knocking down KIF21A in the hippocampus of rats inhibited the amplitudes of long-term potentiation induced by high-frequency stimulation and negatively impacted the animals’cognitive abilities.Taken together,our findings demonstrate the function of KIF21A in modulating spine morphology and provide insight into its role in synaptic function.展开更多
Cells are highly sensitive to their geometrical and mechanical microenvironment that directly regulate cell shape,cytoskeleton and organelle,as well as the nucleus morphology and genetic expression.The emerging two-di...Cells are highly sensitive to their geometrical and mechanical microenvironment that directly regulate cell shape,cytoskeleton and organelle,as well as the nucleus morphology and genetic expression.The emerging two-dimensional micropatterning techniques offer powerful tools to construct controllable and well-organized microenvironment for single-cell level investigations with qualitative analysis,cellular standardization,and in vivo environment mimicking.Here,we provide an overview of the basic principle and characteristics of the two most widely-used micropatterning techniques,including photolithographic micropatterning and soft lithography micropatterning.Moreover,we summarize the application of micropatterning technique in controlling cytoskeleton,cell migration,nucleus and gene expression,as well as intercellular communication.展开更多
Background Cotton fiber is a model tissue for studying microtubule-associated proteins(MAPs).The Xklp2(TPX2)proteins that belong to the novel MAPs member mainly participate in the formation and development of microtub...Background Cotton fiber is a model tissue for studying microtubule-associated proteins(MAPs).The Xklp2(TPX2)proteins that belong to the novel MAPs member mainly participate in the formation and development of microtubule(MT).However,there is a lack of studies concerning the systematic characterization of the TPX2 genes family in cotton.Therefore,the identification and portrayal of G.hirsutum TPX2 genes can provide key targets for molecular manipula-tion in the breeding of cotton fiber improvement.Result In this study,TPX2 family genes were classified into two distinct subclasses TPXLs and MAP genes WAVE DAMP-ENED2-LIKE(WDLs)and quite conservative in quantity.GhWDL3 was significantly up-regulated in 15 days post anthe-sis fibers of ZRI-015(an upland cotton with longer and stronger fiber).GhWDL3 promotes all stem hairs to become straight when overexpressed in Arabidopsis,which may indirectly regulate cotton fiber cell morphology during fiber development.Virus induced gene silencing(VIGS)results showed that GhWDL3 inhibited fiber cell elongation at fiber development periods through regulating the expression of cell wall related genes.Conclusion These results reveal that GhWDL3 regulated cotton fiber cell elongation and provide crucial information for the further investigation in the regulatory mechanisms/networks of cotton fiber length.展开更多
We succeeded in performing of hybrid Scanning Probe Microscopy (hybrid-SPM) in which mechanical-SPM andfluorescence microscopy are combined. This technique is able to measure simultaneously mechanical properties anddi...We succeeded in performing of hybrid Scanning Probe Microscopy (hybrid-SPM) in which mechanical-SPM andfluorescence microscopy are combined. This technique is able to measure simultaneously mechanical properties anddistribution of cytoskeletons of living cells by using green fluorescent protein. We measured evolution of both local elasticityand distributions of actin stress fibers in an identical fibroblast living in physiological conditions. The SPM experimentsrevealed that stiffer lines develop in living cells, which correspond to actin stress fibers. The elasticity of the actin stressfibers is as high as 100 kPa. We discuss mechanical effects on the development of actin filament networks.展开更多
Heavy ion beams with high linear energy transfer exhibit more beneifcial physical and biological performance than conventional X-rays, thus improving the potential of this type of radiotherapy in the treatment of canc...Heavy ion beams with high linear energy transfer exhibit more beneifcial physical and biological performance than conventional X-rays, thus improving the potential of this type of radiotherapy in the treatment of cancer. However, these two radiotherapy modalities both cause inevitable brain injury. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of heavy ion and X-ray irra-diation on the cytoskeleton and cytomechanical properties of rat cortical neurons, as well as to determine the potential mechanism of neuronal injury after irradiation. Cortical neurons from 30 new-born mice were irradiated with heavy ion beams at a single dose of 2 Gy and X-rays at a single dose of 4 Gy;subsequent evaluation of their effects were carried out at 24 hours after irradiation. An immunolfuorescence assay showed that after irradiation with both the heavy ion beam and X-rays, the number of primary neurons was signiifcantly decreased, and there was ev-idence of apoptosis. Radiation-induced neuronal injury was more apparent after X-irradiation. Under atomic force microscopy, the neuronal membrane appeared rough and neuronal rigidity had increased. These cell changes were more apparent following exposure to X-rays. Our ifnd-ings indicated that damage caused by heavy ion and X-ray irradiation resulted in the structural distortion and rearrangement of the cytoskeleton, and affected the cytomechanical properties of the cortical neurons. Moreover, this radiation injury to normal neurons was much severer after irradiation with X-rays than after heavy ion beam irradiation.展开更多
基金funded by the Gerald Kerkut Charitable Trust (GKT)(to BR)
文摘Aging is the leading risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. We now understand that a breakdown in the neuronal cytoskeleton, mainly underpinned by protein modifications leading to the destabilization of microtubules, is central to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. This is accompanied by morphological defects across the somatodendritic compartment, axon, and synapse. However, knowledge of what occurs to the microtubule cytoskeleton and morphology of the neuron during physiological aging is comparatively poor. Several recent studies have suggested that there is an age-related increase in the phosphorylation of the key microtubule stabilizing protein tau, a modification, which is known to destabilize the cytoskeleton in Alzheimer’s disease. This indicates that the cytoskeleton and potentially other neuronal structures reliant on the cytoskeleton become functionally compromised during normal physiological aging. The current literature shows age-related reductions in synaptic spine density and shifts in synaptic spine conformation which might explain age-related synaptic functional deficits. However, knowledge of what occurs to the microtubular and actin cytoskeleton, with increasing age is extremely limited. When considering the somatodendritic compartment, a regression in dendrites and loss of dendritic length and volume is reported whilst a reduction in soma volume/size is often seen. However, research into cytoskeletal change is limited to a handful of studies demonstrating reductions in and mislocalizations of microtubule-associated proteins with just one study directly exploring the integrity of the microtubules. In the axon, an increase in axonal diameter and age-related appearance of swellings is reported but like the dendrites, just one study investigates the microtubules directly with others reporting loss or mislocalization of microtubule-associated proteins. Though these are the general trends reported, there are clear disparities between model organisms and brain regions that are worthy of further investigation. Additionally, longitudinal studies of neuronal/cytoskeletal aging should also investigate whether these age-related changes contribute not just to vulnerability to disease but also to the decline in nervous system function and behavioral output that all organisms experience. This will highlight the utility, if any, of cytoskeletal fortification for the promotion of healthy neuronal aging and potential protection against age-related neurodegenerative disease. This review seeks to summarize what is currently known about the physiological aging of the neuron and microtubular cytoskeleton in the hope of uncovering mechanisms underpinning age-related risk to disease.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82171506 and 31872778)Discipline Innovative Engineering Plan(111 Program)of China(B13036)+3 种基金Key Laboratory Grant from Hunan Province(2016TP1006)Department of Science and Technology of Hunan Province(2021DK2001,Innovative Team Program 2019RS1010)Innovation-Driven Team Project from Central South University(2020CX016)Hunan Hundred Talents Program for Young Outstanding Scientists。
文摘Proper regulation of synapse formation and elimination is critical for establishing mature neuronal circuits and maintaining brain function.Synaptic abnormalities,such as defects in the density and morphology of postsynaptic dendritic spines,underlie the pathology of various neuropsychiatric disorders.Protocadherin 17(PCDH17)is associated with major mood disorders,including bipolar disorder and depression.However,the molecular mechanisms by which PCDH17 regulates spine number,morphology,and behavior remain elusive.In this study,we found that PCDH17 functions at postsynaptic sites,restricting the number and size of dendritic spines in excitatory neurons.Selective overexpression of PCDH17 in the ventral hippocampal CA1 results in spine loss and anxiety-and depression-like behaviors in mice.Mechanistically,PCDH17 interacts with actin-relevant proteins and regulates actin filament(F-actin)organization.Specifically,PCDH17 binds to ROCK2,increasing its expression and subsequently enhancing the activity of downstream targets such as LIMK1 and the phosphorylation of cofilin serine-3(Ser3).Inhibition of ROCK2 activity with belumosudil(KD025)ameliorates the defective F-actin organization and spine structure induced by PCDH17 overexpression,suggesting that ROCK2 mediates the effects of PCDH17 on F-actin content and spine development.Hence,these findings reveal a novel mechanism by which PCDH17 regulates synapse development and behavior,providing pathological insights into the neurobiological basis of mood disorders.
文摘BACKGROUND Glioma is one of the most common intracranial tumors,characterized by invasive growth and poor prognosis.Actin cytoskeletal rearrangement is an essential event of tumor cell migration.The actin dynamics-related protein scinderin(SCIN)has been reported to be closely related to tumor cell migration and invasion in several cancers.AIM To investigate the role and mechanism of SCIN in glioma.METHODS The expression and clinical significance of SCIN in glioma were analyzed based on public databases.SCIN expression was examined using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting.Gene silencing was performed using short hairpin RNA transfection.Cell viability,migration,and invasion were assessed using cell counting kit 8 assay,wound healing,and Matrigel invasion assays,respectively.F-actin cytoskeleton organization was assessed using F-actin staining.RESULTS SCIN expression was significantly elevated in glioma,and high levels of SCIN were associated with advanced tumor grade and wild-type isocitrate dehydrogenase.Furthermore,SCIN-deficient cells exhibited decreased proliferation,migration,and invasion in U87 and U251 cells.Moreover,knockdown of SCIN inhibited the RhoA/focal adhesion kinase(FAK)signaling to promote F-actin depolymerization in U87 and U251 cells.CONCLUSION SCIN modulates the actin cytoskeleton via activating RhoA/FAK signaling,thereby promoting the migration and invasion of glioma cells.This study identified the cancer-promoting effect of SCIN and provided a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of glioma.
基金This work was supported by the Guangdong Major Project of Basic and Applied Basic Research(2020B0301030009)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFC3400600)National Natural Science Foundation of China(12174208,32227802,11874231,31801134 and 31870843)+2 种基金Tianjin Natural Science Foundation(20JCYBJC01010)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2020M680032)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2122021337 and 2122021405).
文摘Actin cytoskeleton plays crucial roles in various cellular functions.Extracellular matrix(ECM)can modulate cell morphology by remodeling the internal cytoskeleton.To define how geometry of ECM regulates the organization of actin cytoskeleton,we plated individual NIH 3T3 cells on micropatterned substrates with distinct shapes and sizes.It was found that the stress fibers could form along the nonadhesive edges of T-shaped pattern,but were absent from the opening edge of V-shaped pattern,indicating that the organization of actin cytoskeleton was dependent on the mechanical environment.Furthermore,a secondary actin ring was observed on 50μm circular pattern while did not appear on 30μm and 40μm pattern,showing a size-dependent organization of actin cytoskeleton.Finally,osteoblasts,MDCK and A549 cells exhibited distinct organization of actin cytoskeleton on T-shaped pattern,suggesting a cell-type specificity in arrangement of actin cytoskeleton.Together,our findings brought novel insight into the organization of actin cytoskeleton on micropatterned environments.
基金funded by"Beijing Natural Science Foundation,grant number 6224060","Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by BAST,grant number",BYESS2023192"Program of Beijing Municipal Education Commission,grant number KM202310020006"+1 种基金"Bejing University of Agriculture science and Technology innovation Sparkling support plan,grant number,BUA-HHXD2022007""2022 Research and Innovation ability improvement plan for young teachers of Beijing University of Agriculture,grant number QJKC2022028".
文摘Anticancer drugs are one of the most direct means of cancer therapy.However,the various cancer progressions hamper the development and discovery of anticancer drugs.In fact,the mechanical properties of the tumor cytoskeleton are extremely vital for any phase of cancer,especially in tumor invasion and metastasis.However,in the current category of anticancer drugs,the cytoskeleton-targeting drugs are limited and their role in tumor progression is unclear.Here,we present the mechanical characteristics of tumor stiffness that are tightly regulated by the cancer cytoskeleton,including actin filaments and microtubules during tumor initiation,growth and metastasis,and review the natural drugs that target the cancer cytoskeleton.We define cytoskeleton dynamics as target mechanisms for anticancer drugs and summarize the plant,microbial and marine sources of natural products.Furthermore,this paper also provides a material pathway to study active tumor mechanics,and introduces the unique advantages and future application potential of tumor cytoskeleton-targeting drugs in clinical use.The material approaches to active cancer mechanics are supplied in this review.We aim to promote the development of anticancer drugs that target tumor mechanics by using those material approaches and finding their pharmacological application.
文摘p21活化蛋白激酶(p21-activated protein kinase,PAK)是一类高度保守的丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白家族,是Rho家族小GTP酶的效应蛋白,参与多种信号通路传导。PAK4是PAK家族中最有代表性的成员,通过磷酸化下游底物,调控细胞骨架重组、细胞增殖和细胞周期进展等。PAK4过表达见于胰腺癌、胃癌和卵巢癌等多种肿瘤,参与肿瘤发生和肿瘤迁移等过程。研究PAK4的结构、作用机制对于揭示细胞周期调控和肿瘤生物学行为有重要价值。本文阐述和归纳了PAK4的结构、激活过程及其在细胞骨架、细胞周期进展中的生物学作用,并综述了PAK4调控妇科肿瘤发生发展以及PAK4抑制剂的最新研究进展。
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China,No.2021ZD0202503(to AHT)the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.31872759(to AHT)and 32070707(to CF)+1 种基金Shenzhen Science and Technology Program,No.RCJC20210609104333007(to ZW)Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science,Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions,No.2021SHIBS0002(to ZW).
文摘Morphological alterations in dendritic spines have been linked to changes in functional communication between neurons that affect learning and memory.Kinesin-4 KIF21A helps organize the microtubule-actin network at the cell cortex by interacting with KANK1;however,whether KIF21A modulates dendritic structure and function in neurons remains unknown.In this study,we found that KIF21A was distributed in a subset of dendritic spines,and that these KIF21A-positive spines were larger and more structurally plastic than KIF21A-negative spines.Furthermore,the interaction between KIF21A and KANK1 was found to be critical for dendritic spine morphogenesis and synaptic plasticity.Knockdown of either KIF21A or KANK1 inhibited dendritic spine morphogenesis and dendritic branching,and these deficits were fully rescued by coexpressing full-length KIF21A or KANK1,but not by proteins with mutations disrupting direct binding between KIF21A and KANK1 or binding between KANK1 and talin1.Knocking down KIF21A in the hippocampus of rats inhibited the amplitudes of long-term potentiation induced by high-frequency stimulation and negatively impacted the animals’cognitive abilities.Taken together,our findings demonstrate the function of KIF21A in modulating spine morphology and provide insight into its role in synaptic function.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.12174208,32227802)National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2022YFC3400600)+3 种基金Guangdong Major Project of Basic and Applied Basic Research(No.2020B0301030009)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2020 M680032)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Nos.2122021337,2122021405)the 111 Project(No.B23045).
文摘Cells are highly sensitive to their geometrical and mechanical microenvironment that directly regulate cell shape,cytoskeleton and organelle,as well as the nucleus morphology and genetic expression.The emerging two-dimensional micropatterning techniques offer powerful tools to construct controllable and well-organized microenvironment for single-cell level investigations with qualitative analysis,cellular standardization,and in vivo environment mimicking.Here,we provide an overview of the basic principle and characteristics of the two most widely-used micropatterning techniques,including photolithographic micropatterning and soft lithography micropatterning.Moreover,we summarize the application of micropatterning technique in controlling cytoskeleton,cell migration,nucleus and gene expression,as well as intercellular communication.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFD1200300)China Agriculture Research System(CARS-15-01).
文摘Background Cotton fiber is a model tissue for studying microtubule-associated proteins(MAPs).The Xklp2(TPX2)proteins that belong to the novel MAPs member mainly participate in the formation and development of microtubule(MT).However,there is a lack of studies concerning the systematic characterization of the TPX2 genes family in cotton.Therefore,the identification and portrayal of G.hirsutum TPX2 genes can provide key targets for molecular manipula-tion in the breeding of cotton fiber improvement.Result In this study,TPX2 family genes were classified into two distinct subclasses TPXLs and MAP genes WAVE DAMP-ENED2-LIKE(WDLs)and quite conservative in quantity.GhWDL3 was significantly up-regulated in 15 days post anthe-sis fibers of ZRI-015(an upland cotton with longer and stronger fiber).GhWDL3 promotes all stem hairs to become straight when overexpressed in Arabidopsis,which may indirectly regulate cotton fiber cell morphology during fiber development.Virus induced gene silencing(VIGS)results showed that GhWDL3 inhibited fiber cell elongation at fiber development periods through regulating the expression of cell wall related genes.Conclusion These results reveal that GhWDL3 regulated cotton fiber cell elongation and provide crucial information for the further investigation in the regulatory mechanisms/networks of cotton fiber length.
基金This work is partially supported by the Special Funding for Basic Research, Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture, Japan, to K. K.
文摘We succeeded in performing of hybrid Scanning Probe Microscopy (hybrid-SPM) in which mechanical-SPM andfluorescence microscopy are combined. This technique is able to measure simultaneously mechanical properties anddistribution of cytoskeletons of living cells by using green fluorescent protein. We measured evolution of both local elasticityand distributions of actin stress fibers in an identical fibroblast living in physiological conditions. The SPM experimentsrevealed that stiffer lines develop in living cells, which correspond to actin stress fibers. The elasticity of the actin stressfibers is as high as 100 kPa. We discuss mechanical effects on the development of actin filament networks.
文摘Heavy ion beams with high linear energy transfer exhibit more beneifcial physical and biological performance than conventional X-rays, thus improving the potential of this type of radiotherapy in the treatment of cancer. However, these two radiotherapy modalities both cause inevitable brain injury. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of heavy ion and X-ray irra-diation on the cytoskeleton and cytomechanical properties of rat cortical neurons, as well as to determine the potential mechanism of neuronal injury after irradiation. Cortical neurons from 30 new-born mice were irradiated with heavy ion beams at a single dose of 2 Gy and X-rays at a single dose of 4 Gy;subsequent evaluation of their effects were carried out at 24 hours after irradiation. An immunolfuorescence assay showed that after irradiation with both the heavy ion beam and X-rays, the number of primary neurons was signiifcantly decreased, and there was ev-idence of apoptosis. Radiation-induced neuronal injury was more apparent after X-irradiation. Under atomic force microscopy, the neuronal membrane appeared rough and neuronal rigidity had increased. These cell changes were more apparent following exposure to X-rays. Our ifnd-ings indicated that damage caused by heavy ion and X-ray irradiation resulted in the structural distortion and rearrangement of the cytoskeleton, and affected the cytomechanical properties of the cortical neurons. Moreover, this radiation injury to normal neurons was much severer after irradiation with X-rays than after heavy ion beam irradiation.
