A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Effects of vimentin on the migration, search efficiency, and mechanical resilience of dendritic cells
Authors: Shaebani M. Reza, Stankevicins Luiza, Vesperini Doriane, Urbanska Marta, Flormann Daniel A. D., Terriac Emmanuel, Gad Annica K.B., Cheng Fang, Eriksson John E., Lautenschläger Franziska
Publication year: 2022
Journal: Biophysical Journal
Journal name in source: Biophysical journal
Journal acronym: Biophys J
Volume: 121
Issue: 20
First page : 3950
Last page: 3961
ISSN: 0006-3495
eISSN: 1542-0086
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2022.08.033
Web address : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006349522006932
Abstract
Dendritic cells use amoeboid migration to pass through narrow passages in the extracellular matrix and confined tissue in search for pathogens and to reach the lymph nodes and alert the immune system. Amoeboid migration is a migration mode that, instead of relying on cell adhesion, is based on mechanical resilience and friction. To better understand the role of intermediate filaments in ameboid migration, we studied the effects of vimentin on the migration of dendritic cells. We show that the lymph node homing of vimentin-deficient cells is reduced in our in vivo experiments in mice. Lack of vimentin also reduces the cell stiffness, the number of migrating cells, and the migration speed in vitro in both 1D and 2D confined environments. Moreover, we find that lack of vimentin weakens the correlation between directional persistence and migration speed. Thus, vimentin-expressing dendritic cells move faster in straighter lines. Our numerical simulations of persistent random search in confined geometries verify that the reduced migration speed and the weaker correlation between the speed and direction of motion result in longer search times to find regularly located targets. Together, these observations show that vimentin enhances the ameboid migration of dendritic cells, which is relevant for the efficiency of their random search for pathogens.
Dendritic cells use amoeboid migration to pass through narrow passages in the extracellular matrix and confined tissue in search for pathogens and to reach the lymph nodes and alert the immune system. Amoeboid migration is a migration mode that, instead of relying on cell adhesion, is based on mechanical resilience and friction. To better understand the role of intermediate filaments in ameboid migration, we studied the effects of vimentin on the migration of dendritic cells. We show that the lymph node homing of vimentin-deficient cells is reduced in our in vivo experiments in mice. Lack of vimentin also reduces the cell stiffness, the number of migrating cells, and the migration speed in vitro in both 1D and 2D confined environments. Moreover, we find that lack of vimentin weakens the correlation between directional persistence and migration speed. Thus, vimentin-expressing dendritic cells move faster in straighter lines. Our numerical simulations of persistent random search in confined geometries verify that the reduced migration speed and the weaker correlation between the speed and direction of motion result in longer search times to find regularly located targets. Together, these observations show that vimentin enhances the ameboid migration of dendritic cells, which is relevant for the efficiency of their random search for pathogens.
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