Stretch growth does not alter gene expression

Differentiated PC12 cells were magnetically labeled with magnetic nanoparticles (MNP). External magnetic fields were used to mechanically stretch the MNP-labeled neurites. We found that mechanical stretching of the neurites induces mass addition and neurite elongation. We performed RNAseq of MNP-labelled cells in stretched versus non-stretched conditions and we did not found gene expression dysregulation, confirming that the two conditions were identical and excluding cytotoxicity or involvement of nuclear mechanotransdution. Indeed, local mechanisms triggered by the stretching of the MNP-labelled neurite would be responsible for neurite elongation.