Reorientation dynamics and structural interdependencies of actin, microtubules and intermediate filaments upon cyclic stretch application

Any cell within a tissue is constantly confronted with a variety of mechanical stimuli. Sensing of these diverse stimuli plays an important role in cellular regulation. Besides shear stress, cells of the vascular endothelium are particularly exposed to a permanent cyclic straining originating from the interplay of outwards pushing blood pressure and inwards acting contraction by smooth musculature. Perpendicular alignment of cells as structural adaptation to this condition is a basic prerequisite in order to withstand deformation forces. Here, we combine live cell approaches with immunocytochemical analyses on single cell level to closely elucidate the mechanisms of cytoskeletal realignment to cyclic strain and consolidate orientation analyses of actin fibres, microtubules (MTs) and vimentin. We could show that strain-induced reorientation takes place for all cytoskeletal systems. However, all systems are characterized by their own, specific reorientation time course with actin filaments reorienting first followed by MTs and finally vimentin. Interestingly, in all cases, this reorientation was faster than cell body realignment which argues for an active adaptation mechanism for all cytoskeletal systems. Upon actin destabilization, already smallest alterations in actin kinetics massively hamper cell morphology under strain and therefore overall reorientation. Depolymerization of MTs just slightly influences actin reorientation velocity but strongly affects cell body reorientation.