Lamin A/C and Vimentin as a Coordinated Regulator during Amoeboid Migration in Microscale Confined Microenvironments.

Ya-Jun Wang, Hong Liang, Yixin Liu, Qiyuan Bao, Shuang Yang, Xin-Xin Xu, Yu-Chen Chen, Wei Liu, Xuemeng Shi, Yuheng Shi, Xiaohui Liu, Baohong Liu, Hai Gao, Yaming Jiu, Yan-Jun Liu

Nano letters 2023 Jul 26

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Cell migration occurs in confined microenvironments, which plays a vital role in the process of tumor metastasis. However, it is challenging to study their behaviors in vivo. Here we developed a cell squeeze system that can be scaled down to micrometers to mimic native physical confined microenvironments, wherein degrees of surface adhesion and mechanical constraints could be manipulated in order to investigate cell-migrating behaviors. Based on the microscale cell squeeze system, we found the synergistic role of lamin A/C and vimentin in cell transition and migration under strong confinement. The dynamic variations in lamin A/C and vimentin expression establish a positive feedback loop in response to confinement, effectively promoting amoeboid migration by modulating nuclear deformability while ensuring cell viability. This work shed light on modulating cell response to microenvironments by altering the expression of lamin A/C and/or vimentin, which may be a more efficient way of inhibiting cancer metastasis.

Citation

Ya-Jun Wang, Hong Liang, Yixin Liu, Qiyuan Bao, Shuang Yang, Xin-Xin Xu, Yu-Chen Chen, Wei Liu, Xuemeng Shi, Yuheng Shi, Xiaohui Liu, Baohong Liu, Hai Gao, Yaming Jiu, Yan-Jun Liu. Lamin A/C and Vimentin as a Coordinated Regulator during Amoeboid Migration in Microscale Confined Microenvironments. Nano letters. 2023 Jul 26;23(14):6727-6735