Tissue Stretch Induces Nuclear Remodeling in Connective Tissue ...

NIH Public Access Author Manuscript Histochem Cell Biol. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2011 April 1.

NIH-PA Author Manuscript

Published in final edited form as: Histochem Cell Biol. 2010 April ; 133(4): 405–415. doi:10.1007/s00418-010-0680-3.

Tissue Stretch Induces Nuclear Remodeling in Connective Tissue Fibroblasts Helene M. Langevin*,‖, Kirsten N. Storch*, Robert R. Snapp§, Nicole A. Bouffard*, Gary J. Badger¶, Alan K. Howe#, and Douglas J. Taatjes† *Department of Neurology, University of Vermont College of Medicine 89 Beaumont Ave. Burlington, VT 05405, USA ‖

Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation, University of Vermont College of Medicine 89 Beaumont Ave. Burlington, VT 05405, USA §

Department of Computer Science, University of Vermont College of Medicine 89 Beaumont Ave. Burlington, VT 05405, USA

NIH-PA Author Manuscript

¶

Department of Medical Biostatistics, University of Vermont College of Medicine 89 Beaumont Ave. Burlington, VT 05405, USA #

Department of Pharmacology, Vermont Cancer Center, University of Vermont College of Medicine 89 Beaumont Ave. Burlington, VT 05405, USA †Department

of Pathology University of Vermont College of Medicine 89 Beaumont Ave. Burlington, VT 05405, USA

Abstract

NIH-PA Author Manuscript

Studies in cultured cells have shown that nuclear shape is an important factor influencing nuclear function, and that mechanical forces applied to the cell can directly affect nuclear shape. In a previous study, we demonstrated that stretching of whole mouse subcutaneous tissue causes dynamic cytoskeletal remodeling with perinuclear redistribution of α-actin in fibroblasts within the tissue. We have further shown that the nuclei of these fibroblasts have deep invaginations containing α-actin. In the current study, we hypothesized that tissue stretch would cause nuclear remodeling with a reduced amount of nuclear invagination, measurable as a change in nuclear concavity. Subcutaneous areolar connective tissue samples were excised from 28 mice and randomized to either tissue stretch or no stretch for 30 minutes, then examined with histochemistry and confocal microscopy. In stretched tissue (vs. non-stretched), fibroblast nuclei had a larger cross sectional area (p