The role of vimentin in transmitting forces to the nucleus

The nucleus is the organelle of the cell responsible for controlling protein expression, which has direct effects on cell mechanics. Vimentin is a type of intermediate filament, highly expressed in motile cells, that forms a cage around the nucleus. Recent studies have shown that mechanical forces on the nucleus result in changes to what genes are expressed. The role of F-actin and microtubules in force transmission to the nucleus has been well studied, but the role of vimentin is still unclear. However, recent studies have shown the vimentin cage prevents nuclear rupture and DNA damage that cells may experience when moving. In this study we investigate how vimentin mediates force transmission to the nucleus by examining nuclear morphology, chromatin expression, and response to external stress created by compression or geometric constraints. These results will help determine how vimentin can be incorporated into a model of nuclear mechanosensing.