Mechanical forces stimulate Golgi export

Abstract

Cells face diverse mechanical stimuli that vary with cell type, state, and pathological conditions. Mechanobiology investigates how cells sense and respond to these forces. While most work has focused on the cell surface and nucleus as primary mechanosensors, how intracellular organelles adapt to extracellular mechanical forces remains largely unknown. Here, we show that extracellular mechanical signals influence the secretory function of the Golgi apparatus. By subjecting adherent cells to mechanical challenges -cell spreading on different ligands, altered substrate stiffness, or equibiaxial strain-, we reveal that extracellular forces modulate Golgi-to-cell surface carrier biogenesis, thereby regulating exocytosis. Together with changes in Golgi membrane tension, we identify molecular determinants of the mechanotransduction pathway, including microtubule acetylation, diacylglycerol production, and protein kinase D activity. In turn, inhibition of Golgi export suppresses this mechanoresponse and causes impaired cell spreading. These findings uncover a bidirectional mechanotransduction axis in which extracellular mechanics tune Golgi secretory output, providing a framework for investigating organelle-based mechanoadaptation in physiology and disease.