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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 290/6/L1104    most recent 00436.2005v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (5) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Trepat, X. Articles by Navajas, D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Trepat, X. Articles by Navajas, D.

Effect of stretch on structural integrity and micromechanics of human alveolar epithelial cell monolayers exposed to thrombin

¹Physiology Program, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts; and ²Unitat de Biofísica i Bioenginyeria, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona - IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain

Submitted 12 October 2005 ; accepted in final form 3 January 2006

Alveolar epithelial cells in patients with acute lung injury subjected to mechanical ventilation are exposed to increased procoagulant activity and mechanical strain. Thrombin induces epithelial cell stiffening, contraction, and cytoskeletal remodeling, potentially compromising the balance of forces at the alveolar epithelium during cell stretching. This balance can be further compromised by the loss of integrity of cell-cell junctions in the injured epithelium. The aim of this work was to study the effect of stretch on the structural integrity and micromechanics of human alveolar epithelial cell monolayers exposed to thrombin. Confluent and subconfluent cells (A549) were cultured on collagen-coated elastic substrates. After exposure to thrombin (0.5 U/ml), a stepwise cell stretch (20%) was applied with a vacuum-driven system mounted on an inverted microscope. The structural integrity of the cell monolayers was assessed by comparing intercellular and intracellular strains within the monolayer. Strain was measured by tracking beads tightly bound to the cell surface. Simultaneously, cell viscoelasticity was measured using optical magnetic twisting cytometry. In confluent cells, thrombin did not induce significant changes in transmission of strain from the substrate to overlying cells. By contrast, thrombin dramatically impaired the ability of subconfluent cells to follow imposed substrate deformation. Upon substrate unstretching, thrombin-treated subconfluent cells exhibited compressive strain (9%). Stretch increased stiffness (56–62%) and decreased cell hysteresivity (13–22%) of vehicle cells. By contrast, stretch did not increase stiffness of thrombin-treated cells, suggesting disruption of cytoskeletal structures. Our findings suggest that thrombin could exacerbate epithelial barrier dysfunction in injured lungs subjected to mechanical ventilation.

alveolar epithelium; cell mechanics; magnetic twisting cytometry; prestress; protease-activated receptors

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