Matrix stiffness regulates Notch signaling activity in endothelial cells.

Notch signaling is critical for many developmental and disease-related processes. It is widely accepted that Notch has a mechanotransduction module that regulates receptor cleavage. However, the role of biomechanical properties of the cellular environment in Notch signaling in general is still poorly understood. During angiogenesis, differentiation of endothelial cells into tip and stalk cells is regulated by Notch signaling, and remodeling of the extracellular matrix occurs. We investigated the influence of substrate stiffness on the Notch signaling pathway in endothelial cells. Using stiffness-tuned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates, we show that activity of the Notch signaling pathway inversely correlates with a physiologically relevant range of substrate stiffness (i.e. increased Notch signaling activity on softer substrates). Trans-endocytosis of the Notch extracellular domain, but not the overall endocytosis, is regulated by substrate stiffness, and integrin cell-matrix connections are both stiffness dependent and influenced by Notch signaling. We conclude that mechanotransduction of Notch activation is modulated by substrate stiffness, highlighting the role of substrate rigidity as an important cue for signaling. This might have implications in pathological situations associated with stiffening of the extracellular matrix, such as tumor growth.

Using the yeast three-hybrid system for the identification of small molecule-protein interactions with the example of ethinylestradiol.

Since the first report on a yeast three-hybrid system, several approaches have successfully utilized different setups for discovering targets of small molecule drugs. Compared to broadly applied MS based target identification approaches, the yeast three-hybrid system represents a complementary method that allows for the straightforward identification of direct protein binders of selected small molecules. One major drawback of this system, however, is that the drug has to be taken up by the yeast cells in sufficient concentrations. Here, we report the establishment of a yeast three-hybrid screen in the deletion strain ABC9Δ, which is characterized by being highly permeable to small molecules. We used this system to screen for protein binding partners of ethinylestradiol, a widely used drug mainly for contraception and hormone replacement therapy. We identified procollagen-lysine 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 2 (PLOD2 or lysyl hydroxylase, LH2) as a novel direct target and were able to confirm the interaction identified with the yeast three-hybrid system by a complementary method, affinity chromatography, to prove the validity of the hit. Furthermore, we provide evidence for an interaction between the drug and PLOD2 in vitro and in cellulo.

Mechanical Aspects of Angiogenesis.

Angiogenesis is of high clinical relevance as it plays a crucial role in physiological (e.g., tissue regeneration) and pathological processes (e.g., tumor growth). Besides chemical signals, such as VEGF, the relationship between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) can influence endothelial cell behavior during angiogenesis. Previously, in terms of the connection between angiogenesis and mechanical factors, researchers have focused on shear forces due to blood flow. However, it is becoming increasingly important to include the direct influence of the ECM on biological processes, such as angiogenesis. In this context, we focus on the stiffness of the surrounding ECM and the adhesion of cells to the ECM. Furthermore, we highlight the mechanical cues during the main stages of angiogenesis: cell migration, tip and stalk cells, and vessel stabilization. It becomes clear that the different stages of angiogenesis require various chemical and mechanical cues to be modulated by/modulate the stiffness of the ECM. Thus, changes of the ECM during tumor growth represent additional potential dysregulations of angiogenesis in addition to erroneous biochemical signals. This awareness could be the basis of therapeutic approaches to counteract specific processes in tumor angiogenesis.

Sequential and Switchable Patterning for Studying Cellular Processes under Spatiotemporal Control.

Attachment of adhesive molecules on cell culture surfaces to restrict cell adhesion to defined areas and shapes has been vital for the progress of in vitro research. In currently existing patterning methods, a combination of pattern properties such as stability, precision, specificity, high-throughput outcome, and spatiotemporal control is highly desirable but challenging to achieve. Here, we introduce a versatile and high-throughput covalent photoimmobilization technique, comprising a light-dose-dependent patterning step and a subsequent functionalization of the pattern via click chemistry. This two-step process is feasible on arbitrary surfaces and allows for generation of sustainable patterns and gradients. The method is validated in different biological systems by patterning adhesive ligands on cell-repellent surfaces, thereby constraining the growth and migration of cells to the designated areas. We then implement a sequential photopatterning approach by adding a second switchable patterning step, allowing for spatiotemporal control over two distinct surface patterns. As a proof of concept, we reconstruct the dynamics of the tip/stalk cell switch during angiogenesis. Our results show that the spatiotemporal control provided by our "sequential photopatterning" system is essential for mimicking dynamic biological processes and that our innovative approach has great potential for further applications in cell science.

Tetrapyrrolic Pigments from Heme- and Chlorophyll Breakdown are Actin-Targeting Compounds.

Chlorophyll and heme are among the "pigments of life", tetrapyrrolic structures, without which life on Earth would not be possible. Their catabolites, the phyllobilins and the bilins, respectively, share not only structural features, but also a similar story: Long considered waste products of detoxification processes, important bioactivities for both classes have now been demonstrated. For phyllobilins, however, research on physiological roles is sparse. Here, we introduce actin, the major component of the cytoskeleton, as the first discovered target of phyllobilins and as a novel target of bilins. We demonstrate the inhibition of actin dynamics in vitro and effects on actin and related processes in cancer cells. A direct interaction with G-actin is shown by in silico studies and confirmed by affinity chromatography. Our findings open a new chapter in bioactivities of tetrapyrroles-especially phyllobilins-for which they form the basis for broad implications in plant science, ecology, and physiology.

Zikavirus prME Envelope Pseudotyped Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type-1 as a Novel Tool for Glioblastoma-Directed Virotherapy.

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most lethal type of brain tumor that is not yet curable owing to its frequent resurgence after surgery. Resistance is mainly caused by the presence of a subpopulation of tumor cells, the glioma stem cells (GSCs), which are highly resistant to radiation and chemotherapy. In 2015, Zikavirus (ZIKV)-induced microcephaly emerged in newborns, indicating that ZIKV has a specific neurotropism. Accordingly, an oncolytic tropism for infecting GSCs was demonstrated in a murine tumor model. Like other flaviviruses, ZIKV is enveloped by two proteins, prM and E. The pME expression plasmid along with the HIV-1 vector pNL Luc AM generated prME pseudotyped viral particles. Four different prME envelopes, Z1 to Z4, were cloned, and the corresponding pseudotypes, Z1- to Z4-HIVluc, produced by this two-plasmid system, were tested for entry efficiency using Vero-B4 cells. The most efficient pseudotype, Z1-HIVluc, also infected glioma-derived cell lines U87 and 86HG39. The pseudotype system was then extended by using a three-plasmid system including pME-Z1, the HIV-1 packaging plasmid psPAX2, and the lentiviral vector pLenti-luciferase-P2A-Neo. The corresponding pseudotype, designated Z1-LENTIluc, also infected U87 and 86HG39 cells. Altogether, a pseudotyped virus especially targeting glioma-derived cells might be a promising candidate for a prospective glioblastoma-directed virotherapy.