The Molecular Brake: Piezo1 Activation Delays Epithelial Gap Closure Through Transcriptional Downregulation of Adhesion Machinery

However, its role is highly context-dependent, with studies reporting both pro-migratory and inhibitory effects on gap closure. Here, we investigate the specific role of Piezo1 activation in a model of large epithelial gap closure using Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells.

We demonstrate that pharmacological activation of Piezo1 with Yoda1 significantly delays the closure of large gaps in a confluent monolayer. This delayed closure is not driven by changes in cell proliferation, pointing instead to a direct effect on the mechanics of collective cell migration. To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism, we performed bulk RNA-sequencing on Yoda1-treated versus control MDCK cells.