Control of cellular responses to mechanical cues through YAP/TAZ regulation

Abstract

To perceive their three-dimensional environment, cells and tissues must be able to sense and interpret various physical forces like shear, tensile, and compression stress. These forces can be generated both internally and externally in response to physical properties, like substrate stiffness, cell contractility, and forces generated by adjacent cells. Mechanical cues have important roles in cell fate decisions regarding proliferation, survival, differentiation as well as the processes of tissue regeneration and wound repair (1). Aberrant remodeling of the extracellular space and/or defects in properly responding to mechanical cues likely contributes to various disease states such as fibrosis, muscle diseases, and cancer (2). Mechanotransduction involves the sensing and translation of mechanical forces into biochemical signals, like activation of specific genes and signaling cascades that enable cells to adapt to their physical environment. The signaling pathways involved in mechanical signaling are highly complex, but numerous studies have highlighted a central role for the Hippo pathway and other signaling networks in regulating the YAP and TAZ (YAP/TAZ) proteins to mediate the effects of mechanical stimuli on cellular behavior. How mechanical cues control YAP/TAZ has been poorly understood. However, rapid progress in the last few years is beginning to reveal a surprisingly diverse set of pathways for controlling YAP/TAZ. In this review we will focus on how mechanical perturbations are sensed through changes in the actin cytoskeleton, and mechanosensors at focal adhesions, adherens junctions, and the nuclear envelope to regulate YAP/TAZ.