Lamin A/C and emerin regulate MKL1/SRF activity by modulating actin dynamics

Laminopathies, caused by mutations in the LMNA gene encoding the nuclear envelope proteins lamins A and C, represent a diverse group of diseases that include Emery-Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy (EDMD), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, and Hutchison-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS).1 The majority of LMNA mutations affect skeletal and cardiac muscle by mechanisms that remain incompletely understood. Loss of structural function and disturbed interaction of mutant lamins with (tissue-specific) transcription factors have been proposed to explain the tissue-specific phenotypes.1 We report here that lamin A/C-deficient (Lmna−/−) and Lmna N195K mutant cells have impaired nuclear translocation and downstream signaling of the mechanosensitive transcription factor megakaryoblastic leukaemia 1 (MKL1), a myocardin family member that is pivotal in cardiac development and function.2 Disturbed nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling of MKL1 was caused by altered actin dynamics in Lmna−/− and N195K mutant cells. Ectopic expression of the nuclear envelope protein emerin, which is mislocalized in Lmna mutant cells and also linked to EDMD and DCM, restored MKL1 nuclear translocation and rescued actin dynamics in mutant cells. These findings present a novel mechanism that could provide insight into the disease etiology for the cardiac phenotype in many laminopathies, whereby lamins A/C and emerin regulate gene expression through modulation of nuclear and cytoskeletal actin polymerization

Faculty development initiatives in medical education in German-speaking countries : II. needs assessment and quality criteria

Maßgeblich unter dem wachsenden externen Druck hat die didaktische Qualifizierung in den medizinischen Fakultäten an Bedeutung gewonnen. Im Rahmen der Professionalisierung der medizinischen Aus-, Fort- und Weiterbildung ist eine pädagogisch-didaktische Ausbildung der Lehrenden unumgänglich. Um Orientierung und Argumentationshilfe zu geben, werden in einer dreiteiligen Artikelfolge Stellenwert der Medizindidaktik, Anforderungsprofil der Angebote und Konzepte zur Implementierung und zur Erfolgsmessung für den deutschsprachigen Raum beleuchtet. In Teil II beleuchten wir den Ausbildungsbedarf und erstellen ein Anforderungsprofil für ein strukturiertes systematisches Qualifizierungsangebot. Der Hauptbedarf besteht in der Qualifizierung der Lehrenden, die den täglichen Unterricht durchführen. Insbesondere sie brauchen das Handwerkszeug, das ihnen erlaubt, ihre verschiedenen Lehraufgaben effizienter zu bewältigen. Seitens der Fakultät und der Studierenden bestehen Ansprüche an qualifizierte Lehrende; ebenso bestehen Forderungen seitens der Lehrenden an adäquat qualifizierende Kurse. Zur Umsetzung dieser berechtigten Ansprüche sind modular aufgebaute Programme nötig, die eine zumindest national qualitativ und quantitativ vergleichbare Ausbildung gewährleisten. Anforderungen an derartige Kurse sind bereits definiert und lokal zum Beispiel in Baden-Württemberg und zum Teil auch in Nordrhein-Westfalen umgesetzt. Es gilt nun, diese auf breiter Basis in die Praxis umzusetzen.In recent years, quality management of didactic skills of medical teachers has gained increasing relevance, predominately triggered by rising external pressure. Meanwhile, a consensus is reached that a professional training in pedagogical methods and didactic skills is essential for medical teachers in UGME and PGME. A triple series of articles intends to provide not only a brief overview, but also detailed argumentative support concerning pedagogical aspects of medical education, the conceptual design and the implementation of faculty development programs in medical education. Additionally the important topic of how the effectiveness of staff development programs can be demonstrated will be addressed. The goal of the first article was to outline the actual situation, conditions and acknowledgment of teacher's training programs in German-speaking countries. The second article focuses on the needs assessment and on quality criteria of a systematic and comprehensive teachers' training. The most urgent necessity is the preparation of faculty members that cover the daily teaching routine. The teachers require a broad range of teaching and learning strategies that can be used in diverse settings and that enable them to fulfill their multiple roles more efficiently and effectively. Both medical school and students demand for qualified teachers; and faculty members call for professional opportunities to acquire the essential teaching skills and tools. Modular-designed training programs are necessary, which keep at least national minimal standards: A catalogue of quality criteria for such training programs has been defined and already implemented in Baden-Württemberg, and partly in North-Rhine-Westfalia. These criteria are described to make them adoptable for other places

Faculty Development Initiatives in Medical Education in German-Speaking Countries : I. State of affairs

Maßgeblich unter dem wachsenden externen Druck hat die didaktische Qualifizierung in den medizinischen Fakultäten an Bedeutung gewonnen. Im Rahmen der Professionalisierung der medizinischen Aus-, Fort- und Weiterbildung ist eine pädagogisch-didaktische Ausbildung der Lehrenden unumgänglich. Um Orientierung und Argumentationshilfe zu geben, werden in einer dreiteiligen Artikelfolge Stellenwert der Medizindidaktik, Anforderungsprofil der Angebote und Konzepte zur Implementierung und zur Erfolgsmessung für den deutschsprachigen Raum beleuchtet. In Teil I geben wir eine Bestandsaufnahme zur Medizindidaktik. Aktuell gibt es bundesweit ein breit gefächertes Qualifizierungsangebot. Es reicht von einfachen unstrukturierten Kurzfortbildungen wie zum Beispiel Vorträgen und Seminaren, die inhaltlich, formal und qualitativ eine große Beliebigkeit zeigen, bis hin zu umfassenden mehrjährigen (Aufbau-)Studiengängen mit "Master-Degree". Im internationalen Vergleich fehlt in Deutschland ein allgemein verbindliches "Basis-Programm", das die täglich Lehrenden systematisch auf ihre Ausbildungsaufgaben vorbereitet. Dies ist bisher nur lokal umgesetzt wie zum Beispiel in Baden-Württemberg mit dem ministeriell zertifizierten Programm der Medizindidaktischen Qualifikation I und II. Vergleichbares ist in Nordrhein-Westfalen und Bayern im Aufbau.In recent years, quality management of educational skills of medical teachers has gained increasing relevance, predominantly triggered by rising external pressure. Meanwhile, a consensus is reached that a professional training in pedagogical methods and didactic skills is essential for medical teachers in UGME and PGME. A series of three articles intends to provide not only a brief overview, but also detailed argumentative support concerning pedagogical aspects of medical education, the conceptual design and the implementation of faculty development programs in medical education. Additionally the important topic of how the effectiveness of staff development programs can be demonstrated will be addressed. The goal of the first article is to outline the present situation, conditions and recognition of teacher's training programs in German-speaking countries. At present, a variety of faculty development programs and activities have been designed and implemented. These activities include e.g. non-structured short courses and lectures, workshops and seminars of one to six days, as well as longitudinal programs up to national, two-year postgraduate programs to achieve the degree of a "Master of Medical Education" in Swiss and Germany. Compared to the international situation, in Germany is a lack of a mandatory basic program for all teaching staff members, which systematically provides a broad range of teaching and learning strategies for diverse settings. Only one regional faculty development program has been established so far in the federal state of Baden-Wurttemberg, which has been certified as "Medical Education Qualification, Step I and II" by the federal state ministry responsible for higher education. Two comparable programs are on the way in the federal states of Bavaria and North-Rhine-Westfalia

Das „Sandwich-Prinzip“ – Einführung in Lerner zentrierte Lehr-Lernmethoden in der Medizin

Lernen ist ein hochindividueller Prozess, der von zahlreichen Faktoren, wie Vorwissen, Aufmerksamkeit, Lerninteresse und Motivation abhängt. Effizientes Lernen erscheint deshalb nur durch Ermöglichung individueller Lernphasen im Unterricht erreichbar. Die Sandwicharchitektur von Lehrveranstaltungen stellt ein übergeordnetes Prinzip dar, das durch Einsatz verschiedenster didaktischer Methoden kollektive und individuelle Lernphasen integriert und so effiziente Lernprozesse unterstützt

Cell migration through 3D confining pores: speed accelerations by deformation and recoil of the nucleus

Directional cell migration in dense three-dimensional (3D) environments critically depends upon shape adaptation and is impeded depending on the size and rigidity of the nucleus. Accordingly, the nucleus is primarily understood as a physical obstacle, however, its pro-migratory functions by step-wise deformation and reshaping remain unclear. Using atomic force spectroscopy, timelapse fluorescence microscopy and shape change analysis tools, we determined nuclear size, deformability, morphology and shape change of HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells expressing the Fucci cell cycle indicator or being pre-treated with chromatin-decondensating agent TSA. We show oscillating peak accelerations during migration through 3D collagen matrices and microdevices that occur during shape reversion of deformed nuclei (recoil), and increase with confinement. During G1 cell cycle phase, nucleus stiffness was increased and yielded further increased speed fluctuations together with sustained cell migration rates in confinement as compared to interphase populations, or to periods of intrinsic nuclear softening in the S/G2 cell cycle phase. Likewise, nuclear softening by pharmacological chromatin decondensation or after lamin A/C depletion reduced peak oscillations in confinement. In conclusion, deformation and recoil of the stiff nucleus contributes to saltatory locomotion in dense tissues

Alterations in peptide levels in Parkinson's disease and incidental Lewy body disease

The levels of the neuropeptides Met- and Leu-enkephalin (MET-ENK, LEU-ENK), substance P and neurotensin were measured by a combined high performance liquid chromatography/radioimmunoassay (HPLC/RIA) method in postmortem samples of basal ganglia from Parkinson's disease patients, incidental Lewy body disease patients (presymptomatic Parkinson's disease) and matched controls. Dopamine (DA) levels were reduced in the caudate nucleus and putamen in Parkinson's disease, but unaltered in incidental Lewy body disease. The levels of MET-ENK were reduced in the caudate nucleus, putamen and substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease. Met-enkephalin levels were reduced in the caudate nucleus and in the putamen in incidental Lewy body disease. Leu-enkephalin levels were decreased in the putamen and were undetectable in the substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease. Leu-enkephalin levels were unchanged in incidental Lewy body disease, although there was a tendency to a reduction in putamen. Substance P levels were reduced in the putamen in Parkinson's disease. No significant changes in substance P content were observed in incidental Lewy body disease. Neurotensin levels were increased in the substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease. Neurotensin levels in incidental Lewy body disease were not altered significantly, but tended to parallel the changes in Parkinson's disease. The changes in basal ganglia peptide levels in incidental Lewy body disease generally followed a trend similar to those seen in Parkinson's disease, but were less marked. This suggests that they are an integral part of the pathology of the illness and not secondary to DA neuronal loss or a consequence of prolonged drug therapy.Peer Reviewe

Faculty development initiatives in Medical Education in German-Speaking Countries : III. Aspects of successful implementation

Eine erfolgreiche Implementierung medizindidaktischer Qualifizierungsmaßnahmen setzt zwingend voraus, dass die Fakultäten nicht nur für entsprechende Angebote, sondern mittelfristig auch für lehrförderliche Rahmenbedingungen sorgen. Dabei müssen sowohl institutionelle Aspekte, die sich aus der Struktur und Funktion der Fakultät als Organisation ergeben als auch individuelle Aspekte der Zielgruppe der Lehrenden berücksichtigt werden. Von institutioneller Seitemuss vor allem Dermatologie und Deutschland die für alle sichtbare Unterstützung des Programms sichergestellt werden. Ebenfalls von zentraler Bedeutung ist die Bereitschaft, die medizindidaktische Qualifikation als einen wesentlichen Baustein der akademischen Laufbahn zu bewerten. Im Hinblick auf die Lehrenden geht es vor allem darum, das Angebot bekannt zu machen und seinen Nutzen herauszustellen, was mit Hilfe karrierebezogener Anreize naturgemäß leichter ist.To implement faculty development programs successfully it is absolutely essential that medical schools do not only provide adequate courses but do also offer surrounding conditions conducive to teaching. Institutional aspects that arise from structure and function of the medical school as an organisation as well as individual aspects that refer to the target group of medical teachers have to be taken into account. Looking at the institutional aspects it is especially important that official support of the program is assured and visible for everybody. Another institutional requirement is that expertise in teaching is regarded as an integral component of academic careers in medical education. Regarding medical teachers it is important to make faculty development programs known to them and to emphasise their benefit which is of course a lot easier by means of career incentives

A Chemomechanical Model for Nuclear Morphology and Stresses during Cell Transendothelial Migration

It is now evident that the cell nucleus undergoes dramatic shape changes during important cellular processes such as cell transmigration through extracellular matrix and endothelium. Recent experimental data suggest that during cell transmigration the deformability of the nucleus could be a limiting factor, and the morphological and structural alterations that the nucleus encounters can perturb genomic organization that in turn influences cellular behavior. Despite its importance, a biophysical model that connects the experimentally observed nuclear morphological changes to the underlying biophysical factors during transmigration through small constrictions is still lacking. Here, we developed a universal chemomechanical model that describes nuclear strains and shapes and predicts thresholds for the rupture of the nuclear envelope and for nuclear plastic deformation during transmigration through small constrictions. The model includes actin contraction and cytosolic back pressure that squeeze the nucleus through constrictions and overcome the mechanical resistance from deformation of the nucleus and the constrictions. The nucleus is treated as an elastic shell encompassing a poroelastic material representing the nuclear envelope and inner nucleoplasm, respectively. Tuning the chemomechanical parameters of different components such as cell contractility and nuclear and matrix stiffnesses, our model predicts the lower bounds of constriction size for successful transmigration. Furthermore, treating the chromatin as a plastic material, our model faithfully reproduced the experimentally observed irreversible nuclear deformations after transmigration in lamin-A/C-deficient cells, whereas the wild-type cells show much less plastic deformation. Along with making testable predictions, which are in accord with our experiments and existing literature, our work provides a realistic framework to assess the biophysical modulators of nuclear deformation during cell transmigration

Integrin-mediated traction force enhances paxillin molecular associations and adhesion dynamics that increase the invasiveness of tumor cells into a three-dimensional extracellular matrix.

Metastasis requires tumor cells to navigate through a stiff stroma and squeeze through confined microenvironments. Whether tumors exploit unique biophysical properties to metastasize remains unclear. Data show that invading mammary tumor cells, when cultured in a stiffened three-dimensional extracellular matrix that recapitulates the primary tumor stroma, adopt a basal-like phenotype. Metastatic tumor cells and basal-like tumor cells exert higher integrin-mediated traction forces at the bulk and molecular levels, consistent with a motor-clutch model in which motors and clutches are both increased. Basal-like nonmalignant mammary epithelial cells also display an altered integrin adhesion molecular organization at the nanoscale and recruit a suite of paxillin-associated proteins implicated in invasion and metastasis. Phosphorylation of paxillin by Src family kinases, which regulates adhesion turnover, is similarly enhanced in the metastatic and basal-like tumor cells, fostered by a stiff matrix, and critical for tumor cell invasion in our assays. Bioinformatics reveals an unappreciated relationship between Src kinases, paxillin, and survival of breast cancer patients. Thus adoption of the basal-like adhesion phenotype may favor the recruitment of molecules that facilitate tumor metastasis to integrin-based adhesions. Analysis of the physical properties of tumor cells and integrin adhesion composition in biopsies may be predictive of patient outcome