title: Comparing the mechanical influence of vinculin, focal adhesion kinase and p53 in mouse embryonic fibroblasts.
abstract: Cytoskeletal reorganization is an ongoing process when cells adhere, move or invade extracellular substrates. The cellular force generation and transmission are determined by the intactness of the actomyosin-(focal adhesion complex)-integrin connection. We investigated the intracellular course of action in mouse embryonic fibroblasts deficient in the focal adhesion proteins vinculin and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and the nuclear matrix protein p53 using magnetic tweezer and nanoparticle tracking techniques. Results show that the lack of these proteins decrease cellular stiffness and affect cell rheological behavior. The decrease in cellular binding strength was higher in FAK- to vinculin-deficient cells, whilst p53-deficient cells showed no effect compared to wildtype cells. The intracellular cytoskeletal activity was lowest in wildtype cells, but increased in the following order when cells lacked FAK+p53>p53>vinculin. In summary, cell mechanical processes are differently affected by the focal adhesion proteins vinculin and FAK than by the nuclear matrix protein, p53.
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Physics and Technology, Biophysics Group, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Anna H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Klemm
authors.forename: Gerold
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Diez
authors.forename: Josè-Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: Wolfgang H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Goldmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004548:Elasticity / Q000502:physiology; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016596:Vinculin / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D016596:Vinculin; D051417:Focal Adhesion Kinase 1; C496051:Ptk2 protein, mouse