Kris Anita S, Kamm Roger D, Sieminski Alisha L
Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2008 Oct 10;375(1):134-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.07.132. Epub 2008 Aug 3.
Strengthening of cell-matrix adhesions in response to applied force has been well documented. However, while implied by various lines of evidence, the force-mediated strengthening of cell-cell adhesions has not been directly demonstrated. In the current study, we present results consistent with force strengthening in adherens junctions, obtained by application of different force profiles to VE-cadherin-coated magnetic beads attached to endothelial cells. When force is ramped from a low to high value over time, fewer beads detach than with the immediate application of high force. Cells treated with cytochalasin D or lacking Ena/VASP activity show similar levels of detachment relative to controls, but force strengthening is lost. Further, cells overexpressing VASP show stronger adhesion in response to low and high force, but adhesion weakening in response to ramped forces. These results indicate that force-mediated adhesion strengthening occurs in endothelial adherens junctions and that dynamic VASP activity is necessary for this process.
细胞对施加力的反应中细胞与基质黏附的增强已有充分记录。然而，尽管有各种证据暗示，但力介导的细胞间黏附增强尚未得到直接证实。在当前研究中，我们通过对附着在内皮细胞上的VE-钙黏蛋白包被磁珠施加不同的力分布，得出了与黏附连接中力增强一致的结果。当力随时间从低值逐渐增加到高值时，与立即施加高力相比，脱离的磁珠更少。用细胞松弛素D处理或缺乏Ena/VASP活性的细胞与对照相比显示出相似的脱离水平，但力增强作用丧失。此外，过表达VASP的细胞在低力和高力作用下显示出更强的黏附，但在力逐渐增加时黏附减弱。这些结果表明，力介导的黏附增强发生在内皮细胞黏附连接中，并且动态VASP活性是这一过程所必需的。
