Hydrostatic pressure promotes migration and filamin-A activation in fibroblasts with increased p38 phosphorylation and TGF-β production

Yu-Chiu Kao; Zih-Hua Chen; Wen-Yu Wang; Chau-Hwang Lee; Po-Ling Kuo

doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.06.055

Hydrostatic pressure promotes migration and filamin-A activation in fibroblasts with increased p38 phosphorylation and TGF-β production

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2021 Sep 3:568:15-22. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.06.055. Epub 2021 Jun 24.

Authors

Yu-Chiu Kao¹, Zih-Hua Chen², Wen-Yu Wang², Chau-Hwang Lee³, Po-Ling Kuo⁴

Affiliations

¹ Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan; Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan.
² Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan.
³ Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan; Institute of Biophotonics, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan. Electronic address: clee@gate.sinica.edu.tw.
⁴ Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan; Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan; Department of Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan. Electronic address: poling@ntu.edu.tw.

PMID: 34174537
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.06.055

Abstract

Fibroblast migration is closely regulated by the mechanical characteristics in surrounding microenvironment. While increased interstitial hydrostatic pressure (HP) is a hallmark in many pathological and physiological conditions, little is known about how the HP affects fibroblast motility. Using cell-culture chips with elevated HP conditions, we showed that 20 cmH₂O HP significantly accelerated fibroblast migration. The HP-induced migration acceleration was dependent on the augmentation of transforming growth factor-β₁, and correlated with the activation of filamin A via the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Our results suggest that interstitial HP elevation associated with various pathological states could significantly regulate fibroblast migration.

Keywords: Cell motility; Fibroblast; Filamin; Interstitial hydrostatic pressure; TGF-β; p38.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Cell Movement*
Fibroblasts / cytology*
Fibroblasts / metabolism
Filamins / metabolism*
Hydrostatic Pressure
Mice
NIH 3T3 Cells
Phosphorylation
Transforming Growth Factor beta / metabolism*
p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism*

Substances

Filamins
FlnA protein, mouse
Transforming Growth Factor beta
p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases