Rommel G. Bacabac

Structural Hierarchy Governs Fibrin Gel Mechanics

Fibrin gels are responsible for the mechanical strength of blood clots, which are among the most resilient protein materials in nature. Here we investigate the physical origin of this mechanical behavior by performing rheology measurements on reconstituted fibrin gels. We find that increasing levels of shear strain induce a succession of distinct elastic responses that reflect stretching processes on different length scales. We present a theoretical model that explains these observations in terms of the unique hierarchical architecture of the fibers. The fibers are bundles of semiflexible protofibrils that are loosely connected by flexible linker chains. This architecture makes the fibers 100-fold more flexible to bending than anticipated based on their large diameter. Moreover, in contrast with other biopolymers, fibrin fibers intrinsically stiffen when stretched. The resulting hierarchy of elastic regimes explains the incredible resilience of fibrin clots against large deformations.

Bone cell responses to high-frequency vibration stress: does the nucleus oscillate within the cytoplasm?

Mechanosensing by cells directs changes in bone mass and structure in response to the challenges of mechanical loading. Low‐amplitude, high‐frequency loading stimulates bone growth by enhancing bone formation and inhibiting disuse osteoporosis. However, how bone cells sense vibration stress is unknown. Hence, we investigated bone cell responses to vibration stress at a wide frequency range (5–100 Hz). We used NO and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release, and COX‐2 mRNA expression as parameters for bone cell response since these molecules regulate bone adaptation to mechanical loading. NO release positively correlated whereas PGE2 release negatively correlated to the maximum acceleration rate of the vibration stress. COX‐2 mRNA expression increased in a frequency‐dependent manner, which relates to increased NO release at high frequencies, confirming our previous results. The negatively correlated release of NO and PGE2 suggests that these signaling molecules play different roles in bone adaptation to high‐frequency loading. The maximum acceleration rate is proportional to ω3 (frequency=ω/2π), which is commensurate with the Stokes‐Einstein relation for modeling cell nucleus motion within the cytoplasm due to vibration stress. Correlations of NO and PGE2 with the maximum acceleration rate then relate to nucleus oscillations, providing a physical basis for cellular mechanosensing of high‐frequency loading.—Bacabac, R. G., Smit, T. H., Van Loon, J. J. W. A., Doulabi, B. Z., Helder, M., Klein‐Nulend, J. Bone cell responses to high‐frequency vibration stress: does the nucleus oscillate within the cytoplasm? FASEB J. 20, 858–864 (2006)

Round versus flat: bone cell morphology, elasticity, and mechanosensing.

There is increasing evidence that cell function and mechanical properties are closely related to morphology. However, most in vitro studies investigate flat adherent cells, which might not reflect physiological geometries in vivo. Osteocytes, the mechanosensors in bone, reside within ellipsoid containment, while osteoblasts adhere to flatter bone surfaces. It is unknown whether morphology difference, dictated by the geometry of attachment is important for cell rheology and mechanosensing. We developed a novel methodology for investigating the rheology and mechanosensitivity of bone cells under different morphologies using atomic force microscopy and our two-particle assay for optical tweezers. We found that the elastic constant of MLO-Y4 osteocytes when flat and adherent (>1 kPa) largely differed when round but partially adherent (<1 kPa). The elastic constant of round suspended MLO-Y4 osteocytes, MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts, and primary osteoblasts were similarly <1 kPa. The mechanosensitivity of round suspended MLO-Y4 osteocytes was investigated by monitoring nitric oxide (NO) release, an essential signaling molecule in bone. A preliminary observation of high NO release from round suspended MLO-Y4 osteocytes in response to approximately 5 pN force is reported here, in contrast with previous studies where flat cells routinely release lesser NO while being stimulated with higher force. Our results suggest that a round cellular morphology supports a less stiff cytoskeleton configuration compared with flat cellular morphology. This implies that osteocytes take advantage of their ellipsoid morphology in vivo to sense small strains benefiting bone health. Our assay provides novel opportunities for in vitro studies under a controlled suspended morphology versus commonly studied adherent morphologies.

Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha and Interleukin-1 beta Modulate Calcium and Nitric Oxide Signaling in Mechanically Stimulated Osteocytes

OBJECTIVEnInflammatory diseases often coincide with reduced bone mass. Mechanoresponsive osteocytes regulate bone mass by maintaining the balance between bone formation and resorption. Despite its biologic significance, the effect of inflammation on osteocyte mechanoresponsiveness is not understood. To fill this gap, we investigated whether the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) modulate the osteocyte response to mechanical loading.nnnMETHODSnMLO-Y4 osteocytes were incubated with TNFalpha (0.5-30 ng/ml) or IL-1beta (0.1-10 ng/ml) for 30 minutes or 24 hours, or with calcium inhibitors for 30 minutes. Cells were subjected to mechanical loading by pulsatile fluid flow (mean +/- amplitude 0.7 +/- 0.3 Pa, 5 Hz), and the response was quantified by measuring nitric oxide (NO) production using Griess reagent and by measuring intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) using Fluo-4/AM. Focal adhesions and filamentous actin (F-actin) were visualized by immunostaining, and apoptosis was quantified by measuring caspase 3/7 activity. Cell-generated tractions were quantified using traction force microscopy, and cytoskeletal stiffness was quantified using optical magnetic twisting cytometry.nnnRESULTSnPulsatile fluid flow increased [Ca(2+)](i) within seconds (in 13% of cells) and NO production within 5 minutes (4.7-fold). TNFalpha and IL-1beta inhibited these responses. Calcium inhibitors decreased pulsatile fluid flow-induced NO production. TNFalpha and IL-1beta affected cytoskeletal stiffness, likely because 24 hours of incubation with TNFalpha and IL-1beta decreased the amount of F-actin. Incubation with IL-1beta for 24 hours stimulated osteocyte apoptosis.nnnCONCLUSIONnOur results suggest that TNFalpha and IL-1beta inhibit mechanical loading-induced NO production by osteocytes via abrogation of pulsatile fluid flow-stimulated [Ca(2+)](i), and that IL-1beta stimulates osteocyte apoptosis. Since both NO and osteocyte apoptosis affect osteoclasts, these findings provide a mechanism by which inflammatory cytokines might contribute to bone loss and consequently affect bone mass in rheumatoid arthritis.

Cells Actively Stiffen Fibrin Networks by Generating Contractile Stress

During wound healing and angiogenesis, fibrin serves as a provisional extracellular matrix. We use a model system of fibroblasts embedded in fibrin gels to study how cell-mediated contraction may influence the macroscopic mechanical properties of their extracellular matrix during such processes. We demonstrate by macroscopic shear rheology that the cells increase the elastic modulus of the fibrin gels. Microscopy observations show that this stiffening sets in when the cells spread and apply traction forces on the fibrin fibers. We further show that the stiffening response mimics the effect of an external stress applied by mechanical shear. We propose that stiffening is a consequence of active myosin-driven cell contraction, which provokes a nonlinear elastic response of the fibrin matrix. Cell-induced stiffening is limited to a factor 3 even though fibrin gels can in principle stiffen much more before breaking. We discuss this observation in light of recent models of fibrin gel elasticity, and conclude that the fibroblasts pull out floppy modes, such as thermal bending undulations, from the fibrin network, but do not axially stretch the fibers. Our findings are relevant for understanding the role of matrix contraction by cells during wound healing and cancer development, and may provide design parameters for materials to guide morphogenesis in tissue engineering.

Initial Stress-Kick Is Required for Fluid Shear Stress-Induced Rate Dependent Activation of Bone Cells

The shear stress induced by the loading-mediated flow of interstitial fluid through the lacuno–canalicular network is a likely stimulus for bone cell adaptive responses. Furthermore, the magnitude of the cellular response is related to the rate of mechanical loading rather than its magnitude. Thus, bone cells might be very sensitive to sudden stress-kicks, as occuring e.g., during impact loading. There is evidence that cells change stiffness under stress, which might make them more sensitive to subsequent loading. We studied the influence of a stress-kick on the mechanosensitivity of MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells under different peak shear rate conditions, as measured by nitric oxide production. MC3T3-E1 bone cells were treated with steady or pulsating fluid shear stress (PFSS) for 5 min with different peak rates (9.70, 17.5, and 22.0 Pa Hz) using varying frequencies (5 and 9 Hz), and amplitudes (0.70 and 0.31 Pa). PFSS treatment was done with or without fluid flow pretreatment phase, which removed the initial stress-kick by first applying a slow fluid flow increase. Nitric oxide production in response to fluid shear stress was rate dependent, but necessitated an initial stress-kick to occur. This suggests that high-rate stimuli condition bone cells to be more sensitive for high-frequency, low-amplitude loads.

COUNTING UNFOLDING EVENTS IN STRETCHED HELICES WITH INDUCED OSCILLATION BY OPTICAL TWEEZERS

Correlation measures based on embedded probe fluctuations, single or paired, are now widely used for characterizing the viscoelastic properties of biological samples. However, more robust applications using this technique are still lacking. Considering that the study of living matter routinely demonstrates new and complex phenomena, mathematical and experimental tools for analysis have to catch up in order to arrive at newer insights. Therefore, we derive ways of probing non-equilibrium events in helical biopolymers provided by stretching beyond thermal forces. We generalize, for the first time, calculations for winding turn probabilities to account for unfolding events in single fibrous biopolymers and globular proteins under tensile stretching using twin optical traps. The approach is based on approximating the ensuing probe fluctuations as originating from a damped harmonic oscillator under oscillatory forcing.

BONE ADAPTATION AND REGENERATION – NEW DEVELOPMENTS

Bone is a dynamic tissue that is constantly renewed and adapts to its local loading environment. Mechanical loading results in adaptive changes in bone size and shape that strengthen bone structure. The mechanisms for adaptation involve a multistep process called mechanotransduction, which is the ability of resident bone cells to perceive and translate mechanical energy into a cascade of structural and biochemical changes within the cells. The transduction of a mechanical signal to a biochemical response involves pathways within the cell membrane and cytoskeleton of the osteocytes, the professional mechansensor cells of bone. During the last decade the role of mechanosensitive osteocytes in bone metabolism and turnover, and the lacuno-canalicular porosity as the structure that mediates mechanosensing, is likely to reveal a new paradigm for understanding the bone formation response to mechanical loading, and the bone resorption response to disuse. Strain-derived fluid flow of interstitial fluid through the...