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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 17: Poster Session II

BP 17.84: Poster

Dienstag, 18. März 2025, 18:00–20:30, P4

Deciphering immune cell mechanical properties: Towards a better understanding of colitis progression — •Nadine Ströhlein and Jochen Guck — Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, result in chronic and recurrent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract with severe consequences for the patients.1 It is hypothesized that a chronic immune response is the causal factor, where a crucial aspect is the recruitment of immune cells to the site of inflammation. Alterations in the mechanical properties of immune cells may impact their migratory behavior2 and therefore their recruitment to the site of inflammation, which may ultimately result in chronic inflammation.

Here we aim to systematically evaluate the functional relevance of the mechanical properties of neutrophils in ulcerative colitis. We employ real-time deformability cytometry, a high-throughput method for the mechanical characterization of single cells. Our preliminary findings indicate that patients with colitis exhibit increased neutrophil size and reduced stiffness compared to healthy individuals. This condition can be replicated in vitro by stimulating neutrophils with plasma from colitis patients. This model system facilitates investigation of cell function, and preliminary observations reveal an increase in the motile fraction during migration in a 3D gel.

In the future, the modulation of immune cell mechanics could be employed as a therapeutic strategy to attenuate IBD.

Keywords: cell mechanics; immune cells; migration; colitis