Nanomechanical profiling of the liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in the context of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Endothelium, in general, is a great indicator of changes in the physiological state of organism. Changes in morphology and nanomechanics of the endothelium have been reported and described well for the oversalt abuse,... [ view full abstract ]

Endothelium, in general, is a great indicator of changes in the physiological state of organism. Changes in morphology and nanomechanics of the endothelium have been reported and described well for the oversalt abuse, inflammatory state, or diabetes. Since liver steatosis becomes one of diseases of affluence of the XXI century, we perform experimental search for early nanomechanical spectroscopic markers of LSEC  (liver sinusoidal endothelial cell)[1] dysfunction in the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) model.

Using AFM-based nanoindentation spectroscopy  Liver LSECs isolated from mouse  have been measured and tested for their elasticity alterations. The measurements were performed on two groups of cells: - the one originated from a mice bred on a high-fat diet, and – the  control one. The reduced Young’s modulus was determined for  living cells, as well as for the cells chemically fixed with  different concentration of glutaraldehyde[2], in order to verify whether the relationship between live cell elastic modulus and the fixed one is preserved in progression of the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a similar way as in ref. [2]. Finally, we report on  the nanomechanical properties of LSECs during 20 weeks long NAFLD model experiment. Our results suggest that nanoindentation spectroscopy could serve as a complementary diagnostic tool for research on liver steatosis.

[1] DOI 10.1007/s00795-004-0261-4

[2] DOI: 10.1002/cm.21217