The effects of the mechanical environment of the cell nucleus on the ultraviolet radiation resistance in cells

Abstract

DNA damage induced by the radiation including ultraviolet (UV) light exerts adverse effects on genome stability, and causes many kinds of diseases. In this study, we investigated the effects of the nuclear deformation on UV radiation resistance of DNA in epithelial-like cells using a microfabricated cell culture substrate. The cells spread normally in the space between the microfabricated array of pillars and their nuclei appeared to be trapped mechanically on the array of pillars. The fluorescent intensity of DNA around the trapped reason of the nucleus was significantly higher, and UV radiation-induced DNA damage was significantly inhibited in the cells cultured on the pillar substrates. These results indicate that the inhibition of UV radiation-induced DNA damages might be resulted from DNA aggregation caused by the mechanical stress of the nucleus of the cells on the pillars. Our study first demonstrated the nuclear stress-induced inhibition of DNA damages in living cells.