Matrix stiffness regulates telocyte differentiation into fibroblasts in vitro
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ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE303624 | GEO | 2026/02/13
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:This study employs scRNA-seq to characterize Efhd1⁺ tdTomato⁺ telocyte-like cells isolated from knee synovial tissues. By comparing their transcriptional profiles to fibroblasts, we aim to delineate distinct cellular phenotypes and understand telocyte heterogeneity across tissue microenvironments. Our analysis reveals unique gene expression signatures defining telocytes providing insights into their potential roles in tissue homeostasis and fibrosis.
2026-02-13 | GSE303999 | GEO
Project description:Vocal fold (VF) fibrosis, often caused by phonosurgery, radiation, or trauma, leads to irreversible voice dysfunction due to excessive ECM deposition and increased tissue stiffness. VF fibrosis, a significant cause of chronic dysphonia, lacks FDA-approved treatments, highlighting the critical need for novel antifibrotic therapeutic. TGF-β1 is a major driver in the pathological transformation of fibroblasts into contractile myofibroblasts in VF fibrosis via SMAD3, YAP1, and integrin signaling pathways. These pathways lead to increased ACTA2 expression, excessive collagen production, and progressive tissue stiffening. Leveraging the principle that local cells respond to tissue-specific signals, our ECM hydrogel derived from decellularized vocal fold lamina propria (VFLP-ECM) reduced ACTA2 expression in TGF-β1 stimulated vocal fold fibroblasts, showcasing antifibrotic potential. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of VFLP-ECM hydrogel in a rabbit VF injury model—treatment involved VFLP-ECM or bovine type I collagen injections into VFs 7 days after injury, with evaluations at 28 days post-injury. We compared two VFLP-ECM formulations: a manual process (VFLP (man)) and an accelerated automated method (VFLP (au)). VFLP (man) showed more modulated fibrosis-associated gene expressions when compared to VFLP (au) and collagen. Proteomic analysis revealed that VFLP (man) preserves a broader array of bioactive proteins, such as vitronectin, crucial in TGF-β1 signaling and ECM remodeling. The transcriptomic analysis uncovered a downregulation of key fibrotic markers and potential inhibition of regulators such as SMAD3, YAP1, and MRTFA, alongside the upregulation of SMAD7, an inhibitor of TGF-β signaling. Notably, treatment with VFLP (man) resulted in vocal folds with similar stiffness as uninjured controls, whereas tissues treated with collagen or VFLP (au) remained stiffer, indicating incomplete mechanical recovery. These data provide the first in vivo evidence that VFLP-ECM hydrogel—mainly when produced via manual decellularization—attenuates fibrosis by disrupting biochemical and biomechanical drivers of myofibroblast activation.
2025-07-29 | GSE295627 | GEO
Project description:The intestinal telocytes that reside beneath the intestinal epithelium exert niche-supporting roles for intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and their progenies. They are heterogenous cells compartmentalized along the crypt-villus axis, but the lineage relationships and mechanisms governing the maintenance of this telocyte population remain poorly understood. Through single cell analysis of mouse small intestine development, here we identify a distinct subset of Foxl1+ mesenchymal cells marked by LIM Domain Only 3 (Lmo3), whose emergence at embryonic day E13.5-14.5 precedes the initiation of villus morphogenesis and the appearance of Lgr5+ ISCs. Later on, these villus-associated telocytes undergo proliferation and expansion, extending their presence to both villus and intervillus regions. After birth, the distribution of the Lmo3+ telocytes gradually becomes confined to the isthmus region, where they persist as long-lived cells and slowly give rise to the progenies that migrate either up- or down-wards and differentiate into villus- or crypt-associated telocytes, respectively. The Lmo3+ cells are responsive to intestinal damage and ablation of these cells compromises the epithelial repair process. Thus, the Lmo3+ cells residing in the isthmus region of the adult small intestine represent a population of telocyte stem cells (TeloSCs) that regulate telocyte niche homeostasis and regeneration. The single cell delineation of the ISC niche emergence and the discovery of TeloSCs open up new avenues for understanding the roles of the mesenchymal environment in intestinal development and diseases.
2025-08-19 | GSE252975 | GEO
Project description:Background: The differentiation of pericytes into myofibroblasts causes microvascular degeneration, extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, and tissue stiffening, characteristics of fibrotic diseases. It is unclear how pericyte-myofibroblast differentiation is regulated in the microvascular environment. Our previous study established a novel two-dimensional platform for coculturing microvascular endothelial cells (ECs) and pericytes derived from the same tissue. This study investigated how ECM stiffness regulated microvascular ECs, pericytes, and their interactions. Methods: Primary microvessels were cultured in the TGM2D medium. Stiff ECM was prepared by incubating ECM solution in regular culture dishes for one hour followed by PBS wash. Soft ECM with Young’s modulus of approximately 6 kPa was used unless otherwise noted. Bone grafts were prepared from the rat skull. Immunostaining, RNA sequencing, qRT-PCR, western blotting, and knockdown experiments were performed on the cells. Results: Primary microvascular pericytes differentiated into myofibroblasts (NG2+αSMA+) on stiff ECM, even with the TGFβ signaling inhibitor A83-01. Soft ECM and A83-01 cooperatively maintained microvascular stability while inhibiting pericyte-myofibroblast differentiation (NG2+αSMA-/low). We thus defined two pericyte subpopulations: primary (NG2+αSMA-/low) and activated (NG2+αSMA+) pericytes. Soft ECM promoted microvascular regeneration and inhibited fibrosis in bone graft transplantation in vivo. As Integrins are the major mechanosensor, we performed qRT-PCR screening of Integrin family members selected from RNA sequencing data. We found that Integrin β1 (Itgb1) was the major subunit downregulated by soft ECM and A83-01 treatment. Knocking down Itgb1 suppressed myofibroblast differentiation on stiff ECM. Interestingly, ITGB1 phosphorylation (Y783) was mainly located on microvascular ECs on stiff ECM, which promoted EC secretion of paracrine factors, including CTGF, to induce pericyte-myofibroblast differentiation. CTGF knockdown or monoclonal antibody treatment partially reduced myofibroblast differentiation, implying the participation of multiple pathways in fibrosis formation. Conclusions: Microvascular ECs mediate ECM stiffness-induced pericyte-myofibroblast differentiation through paracrine signaling.
2023-07-18 | GSE237069 | GEO
Project description:Glandular epithelia, including mammary gland (MG) and prostate, are composed of luminal and basal cells. During embryonic development, glandular epithelia arise from multipotent stem cells (SCs) giving rise to basal and luminal cells. However, these multipotent SCs are replaced after birth by unipotent basal and unipotent luminal SCs. Different conditions, such as basal cell transplantation, luminal cell ablation, and oncogene expression, can reinduce multipotency in adult basal SC (BaSCs) of different glandular epithelia. The mechanisms regulating the reactivation of multipotency in BaSCs are incompletely understood. Here, we compared the transcriptional signature of BaSCs from MG and prostate in different conditions associated with multipotency in adult mice and uncovered that Collagen I expression was commonly upregulated across the different conditions associated with multipotency. Using MG and prostate organoids, we demonstrated that increasing collagen concentration or stiffness of the extracellular matrix (ECM) promote BaSC multipotency. Single cell RNA-seq of MG organoids in the presence of high concentration of Collagen I or in a stiffer ECM activate a hybrid bipotent state and uncovered a gene signature and signaling pathways associated with bipotent BaSCs. Finally, we demonstrated the importance of 1integrin/FAK/AP-1 axis in the regulation of BaSC multipotency in response to Col1 signaling and ECM stiffness. Altogether our study uncovers the key role of Collagen signaling and ECM stiffness in the regulation of multipotency in glandular epithelia.
2024-11-12 | GSE243336 | GEO
Project description:Glandular epithelia, including mammary gland (MG) and prostate, are composed of luminal and basal cells. During embryonic development, glandular epithelia arise from multipotent stem cells (SCs) giving rise to basal and luminal cells. However, these multipotent SCs are replaced after birth by unipotent basal and unipotent luminal SCs. Different conditions, such as basal cell transplantation, luminal cell ablation, and oncogene expression, can reinduce multipotency in adult basal SC (BaSCs) of different glandular epithelia. The mechanisms regulating the reactivation of multipotency in BaSCs are incompletely understood. Here, we compared the transcriptional signature of BaSCs from MG and prostate in different conditions associated with multipotency in adult mice and uncovered that Collagen I expression was commonly upregulated across the different conditions associated with multipotency. Using MG and prostate organoids, we demonstrated that increasing collagen concentration or stiffness of the extracellular matrix (ECM) promote BaSC multipotency. Single cell RNA-seq of MG organoids in the presence of high concentration of Collagen I or in a stiffer ECM activate a hybrid bipotent state and uncovered a gene signature and signaling pathways associated with bipotent BaSCs. Finally, we demonstrated the importance of 1integrin/FAK/AP-1 axis in the regulation of BaSC multipotency in response to Col1 signaling and ECM stiffness. Altogether our study uncovers the key role of Collagen signaling and ECM stiffness in the regulation of multipotency in glandular epithelia.
2024-11-12 | GSE243335 | GEO
Project description:In vitro cultures of primary cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), the major extracellular matrix (ECM)-producing cells of the heart, are used to determine molecular mechanisms of cardiac fibrosis. However, the supraphysiologic stiffness of tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) automatically triggers the conversion of CFs into an activated myofibroblast-like state, and serial passage of the cells results in the induction of replicative senescence. These dramatic phenotypic switches confound interpretation of experimental data obtained with cultured CFs. In an attempt to circumvent TCPS-induced activation and senescence of CFs, we utilized poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels as cell culture platforms with low and high stiffness formulations to mimic healthy and fibrotic cardiac ECM, respectively. As hypothesized, low hydrogel stiffness converted activated CFs into a quiescent state with reduced abundance of a-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA)-containing stress fibers. Unexpectedly, lower substrate stiffness concomitantly augmented CF senescence, marked by elevated senescence-associated b-galactosidase (SA-b-Gal) activity and increased expression of p16 and p21, which are cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors and markers of senescence. Using dynamically stiffening hydrogels with phototunable crosslinking capabilities, we demonstrate that substrate-induced CF senescence is partially reversible. RNA-sequencing analysis revealed widespread transcriptional reprogramming of CFs cultured on low stiffness hydrogels, with a dramatic reduction in the expression of profibrotic genes encoding ECM proteins, and an attendant increase in expression of NF-kB-responsive inflammatory genes that typify the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Our findings further demonstrate that alterations in matrix stiffness profoundly impact CF cell state transitions, and suggest mechanisms by which CFs change phenotype in vivo depending on the stiffness of the myocardial microenvironment to which they are exposed.
2023-10-24 | GSE244614 | GEO
Project description:Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Changes in extracellular matrix (ECM) mechanics contribute to cancer development, and increased stiffness is known to promote HCC progression in cirrhotic conditions. T2DM is characterized by an accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in the ECM; however, how this affects HCC in non-cirrhotic conditions is unclear. Here, we find that in patients and animal models AGEs promote changes in collagen architecture and enhance ECM viscoelasticity, with greater viscous dissipation and faster stress relaxation, but not changes in stiffness. High AGEs and viscoelasticity combined with oncogenic b-catenin signaling promote HCC induction, while inhibiting AGEs production, reconstituting the clearance receptor AGER1, or breaking AGE-mediated collagen crosslinks reduce viscoelasticity and HCC growth. Matrix analysis and computational modeling demonstrate that lower interconnectivity of AGEs-bundled collagen matrix, marked by shorter fiber length and greater heterogeneity, enhance viscoelasticity. Mechanistically, animal studies and 3D cell cultures show that enhanced viscoelasticity promotes HCC cell proliferation and invasion through an integrin β1–Tensin 1–YAP mechanotransduction pathway. These results reveal for the first time that AGEs-mediated structural changes enhance ECM viscoelasticity, and that viscoelasticity can drive cancer progression in vivo, independent of stiffness.
2023-10-14 | GSE245016 | GEO
Project description:Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death due to poor treatment responses and resistance arising from tumor heterogeneity. Here we show that adverse prognosis associated with epigenetic silencing of the tumour suppressor RASSF1A is due to increased deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM), tumour stiffness and metastatic dissemination in vitro and in vivo. We find that lung cancer cells with RASSF1A promoter methylation display constitutive nuclear YAP1 and expression of collagen prolylhydroxylase (P4HA2) which increases collagen deposition. Furthermore, we identify that elevated collagen creates a stiff-ECM which in turn triggers cancer stem-like programming and metastatic dissemination in vivo. Re-expression of RASSF1A or inhibition of P4HA2 activity reverse these effects and increase markers of lung differentiation (TTF-1, Mucin5B). Our study identifies RASSF1A as a clinical biomarker associated with mechanical properties of ECM which increases levels of cancer stemness and risk of metastatic progression in lung adenocarcinoma. Moreover, we highlight P4HA2 as a potential target for uncoupling ECM signals that support cancer stemness.
2019-05-20 | PXD012694 | Pride
Project description:During malignant disease progression, the extracellular matrix (ECM) of epithelial tumors accumulates inter-molecular cross-links between collagen strands; these cross-links enhance ECM stiffness and trigger tumor cell invasion and dissemination, but the mechanisms that regulate intra-tumoral collagen maturation have not been fully defined. Using a new mouse model of metastatic lung adenocarcinoma driven by mutant K-ras expression and Cdkn1a inactivation, we showed that tumor cell invasion and metastasis are driven by high expression of lysyl hydroxylase 2 (LH2), an enzyme that hydroxylates telomeric lysine (Lys) residues on collagen.
2015-03-12 | GSE49315 | GEO