Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2025 Jul;2025:1-6. doi: 10.1109/EMBC58623.2025.11253462.
ABSTRACT
Analyzing cell - cell adhesion at the single - cell level is of paramount importance for deciphering the fundamental mechanisms underlying various diseases, particularly those characterized by cell - cell interactions, such as atherosclerosis. This level of analysis enables the early identification of disease - specific cellular behaviors, which is pivotal for the development of more targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. However, existing single - cell analysis tools are plagued by limitations. For instance, they often have restricted force ranges and lack the precision required to accurately differentiate between different cell subtypes. To overcome these challenges, we present a novel acoustic evaluation platform that leverages hypersonic streaming jet technology. This innovative platform integrates a microscale acoustic probe with an advanced robotic arm. This combination allows for highly precise and non - invasive measurement of the adhesion forces between monocytes and endothelial cells at the single - cell level. The force range of this platform can be precisely tuned from a few piconewtons to hundreds of nanonewtons, and it achieves single - cell - scale spatial precision. Employing this platform, we conducted an in - depth investigation into the impact of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the adhesion of monocytes to endothelial cells. Our experimental findings demonstrate that as the concentration of LPS increases, the adhesion strength of U937 monocytes to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) rises significantly. These results not only provide valuable insights into the role of LPS in modulating monocyte - endothelial cell adhesion but also highlight the potential of our platform in accurately assessing this crucial biological process.Clinical Relevance- The innovative application of acoustic methods to detect monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells offers novel insights into the initial stages of plaque formation and underscores the role of inflammation in atherosclerosis. This advancement significantly propels the field of cardiovascular medicine forward.
PMID:41337276 | DOI:10.1109/EMBC58623.2025.11253462