A non-dimensional model reveals alterations in nuclear mechanics upon Hepatitis C Virus replication

Aberrations in nuclear morphology and cytoskeleton are indicative of abnormalities in cells. We discuss the case of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) affecting nuclear and cytoskeletal mechanics in liver cells. We found that lamin-A,C present in the nuclear envelope is down-regulated while actin is up-regulated in liver cells expressing HCV proteins. A mechanical outcome of this is that the elastic stiffness of the nuclear envelope decreases and pre-tension in cortical actin increases. A morphological consequence is that nuclear volume and surface area increase. The interplay among aforesaid protein expression, mechanical response, and morphology is explained using a two-parameter analytical and computational model. The highlight of the work is that by merely measuring nuclear morphology, we extract relative changes in mechanical parameters.

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