Open Access

ARTICLE

The Mechanical Characteristics of Human Endothelial Cells in Response to Single Ionizing Radiation Doses By Using Micropipette Aspiration Technique

Alireza Mohammadkarim¹, Manijhe Mokhtari-Dizaji^2,*, Ali Kazemian³, Hazhir Saberi⁴, Mohammad Mehdi Khani⁵, Mohsen Bakhshandeh⁶

1 Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran and Faculty of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
2 Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
3 Radiation Oncology Research Center, Cancer Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
4 Department of Radiology, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
5 Department of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
6 Radiology Technology Department, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

* Corresponding Author: M. Mokhtari-Dizaji. Email: . Email:

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics 2019, 16(4), 275-287. https://doi.org/10.32604/mcb.2019.06280

Abstract

The mechanical properties of living cells are known to be promising biomarkers when investigating the health and functions of the human body. Ionizing irradiation results in vascular injury due to endothelial damage. Thus, the current study objective was to evaluate the influence of continuous radiation doses on the mechanical properties of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and to identify Young’s modulus (E) and viscoelastic behavior. Single-dose (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 Gy) radiation was applied to HUVECs using a Cobalt-60 treatment machine in the current vitro irradiation study. Thereafter, a micropipette-aspiration technique was used to measure the elastic modulus of the HUVECs in control and radiation-induced samples. Confocal imaging was then performed for following of the cytoskeletal reorganization of the HUVECs in response to the different radiation doses. Significant enhanced adhesion of the elastic modulus of the HUVECs was observed. The dose value was seen to increase from 0 Gy to 8 Gy. A linear relationship was observed between the 0 Gy and 8 Gy doses following an examination of the dose-response curve for elastic modulus after irradiation. The correlation coefficient was found to be 0.955 and the sensitivity of the dose-elastic modulus to be 7.69 Pa..Gy-1 following analysis of the linear portion of the response curve. Also, a significant increment in stiffness accompanied with the considerable drop in creep compliance curve was detected in radiation-induced groups. Biomechanics-based analysis can provide a platform from which to assess the response of the endothelium to radiation when studying vascular system behavior during the cancer therapy process.

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