Integrin Mechanosensing relies on Pivot-clip Mechanism to Reinforce Cell Adhesion

Cells intricately sense mechanical forces from their surroundings, driving biophysical and biochemical activities. This mechanosensing phenomenon occurs at the cell-matrix interface, where mechanical forces resulting from cellular motion, such as migration or matrix stretching, are exchanged through surface receptors, primarily integrins, and their corresponding matrix ligands. A pivotal player in this interaction is the α 5 β 1 integrin and fibronectin (FN) bond, known for its role in establishing cell adhesion sites for migration. However, upregulation of the α 5 β 1-FN bond is associated with uncontrolled cell metastasis. This bond operates through catch bond dynamics, wherein the bond lifetime paradoxically increases with greater force. The mechanism sustaining the characteristic catch bond dynamics of α 5 β 1-FN remains unclear. Leveraging molecular dynamics simulations, our approach unveils a pivot-clip mechanism. Two key binding sites on FN, namely the synergy site and the RGD (arg-gly-asp) motif, act as active points for structural changes in α 5 β 1 integrin. Conformational adaptations at these sites are induced by a series of hydrogen bond formations and breaks at the synergy site. We disrupt these adaptations through a double mutation on FN, known to reduce cell adhesion. A whole-cell finite element model is employed to elucidate how the synergy site may promote dynamic α 5 β 1-FN binding, resisting cell contraction. In summary, our study integrates molecular and cellular-level modeling to propose that FN’s synergy site reinforces cell adhesion through enhanced binding dynamics and a mechanosensitive pivot-clip mechanism. This work sheds light on the interplay between mechanical forces and cell-matrix interactions, contributing to our understanding of cellular behaviors in physiological and pathological contexts. SIGNIFICANCE α 5 β 1 integrin serves as a mediator of cell-matrix adhesion and has garnered attention as a target for impeding cancer metastasis. Despite its importance, the mechanism underlying the formation of a catch bond between α 5 β 1 integrin and its primary ligand, fibronectin, has remained elusive. Our study aims to address this gap by proposing a pivot-clip mechanism. This mechanism elucidates how α 5 β 1 integrin and fibronectin collaboratively reinforce cell adhesion through conformational changes induced by the dynamic interaction of a key binding motif known as the synergy site. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.