title: Deformability of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Is Dependent on Vimentin Intermediate Filaments.
abstract: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are being studied extensively due to their potential as a therapeutic cell source for many load-bearing tissues. Compression of tissues and the subsequent deformation of cells are just one type physical strain MSCs will need to withstand in vivo. Mechanotransduction by MSCs and their mechanical properties are partially controlled by the cytoskeleton, including vimentin intermediate filaments (IFs). Vimentin IF deficiency has been tied to changes in mechanosensing and mechanical properties of cells in some cell types. However, how vimentin IFs contribute to MSC deformability has not been comprehensively studied. Investigating the role of vimentin IFs in MSC mechanosensing and mechanical properties will assist in functional understanding and development of MSC therapies. In this study, we examined vimentin IFs' contribution to MSCs' ability to deform under external deformation using RNA interference. Our results indicate that a deficient vimentin IF network decreases the deformability of MSCs, and that this may be caused by the remaining cytoskeletal network compensating for the vimentin IF network alteration. Our observations introduce another piece of information regarding how vimentin IFs are involved in the complex role the cytoskeleton plays in the mechanical properties of cells.
authors.affiliation: Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Poonam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Zachary T
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Bolten
authors.affiliation: Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Diane R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA. hsieh@umd.edu.|Department of Orthopaedics, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA. hsieh@umd.edu.
authors.forename: Adam H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007382:Intermediate Filaments / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000502:physiology*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014746:Vimentin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014746:Vimentin
keywords: Cell deformation; Cytoskeleton; Mechanotransduction; RNA interference