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Rakhmatullina AR, Zolotykh MA, Filina YV, Mingaleeva RN, Sagdeeva AR, Boulygina EA, Gafurbaeva DU, Bulatov ER, Rizvanov AA, Miftakhova RR. Development of a novel prostate Cancer-Stroma Sphere (CSS) model for In Vitro tumor microenvironment studies. Transl Oncol 2024; 44:101930. [PMID: 38520912 PMCID: PMC10981155 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.101930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor employs non-cancerous cells to gain beneficial features that promote growth and survival of cancer cells. Despite intensive research in the area of tumor microenvironment, there is still a lack of reliable and reproducible in vitro model for tumor and tumor-microenvironment cell interaction studies. Herein we report the successful development of a heterogeneous cancer-stroma sphere (CSS) model composed of prostate adenocarcinoma PC3 cells and immortalized mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). The CSS model demonstrated a structured spatial layout of the cells, with stromal cells concentrated at the center of the spheres and tumor cells located on the periphery. Significant increase in the levels of VEGFA, IL-10, and IL1a has been detected in the conditioned media of CSS as compared to PC3 spheres. Single cell RNA sequencing data revealed that VEGFA was secreted by MSC cells within heterogeneous spheroids. Enhanced expression of extracellular membrane (ECM) proteins was also shown for CSS-derived MSCs. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the multicellular architecture altered cancer cell response to chemotherapeutic agents: the inhibition of sphere formation by topotecan was 74.92 ± 4.56 % for PC3 spheres and 45.95 ± 7.84 % for CSS spheres (p < 0.01), docetaxel showed 37,51± 20,88 % and 15,67± 14,08 % inhibition, respectively (p < 0.05). Thus, CSS present an effective in vitro model for examining the extracellular matrix composition and cell-to-cell interactions within the tumor, as well as for evaluating the antitumor activity of drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aigul R Rakhmatullina
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia
| | - Maria A Zolotykh
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia
| | - Yulia V Filina
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia
| | - Rimma N Mingaleeva
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia
| | - Aisylu R Sagdeeva
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia
| | - Eugenia A Boulygina
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia
| | - Dina U Gafurbaeva
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia
| | - Emil R Bulatov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Albert A Rizvanov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia; Division of Medical and Biological Sciences, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan, 420013, Kazan, Russia; I.K. Akhunbaev Kyrgyz state medical academy, 720020, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Regina R Miftakhova
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia.
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Li J, Liu Y, Zheng R, Qu C, Li J. Molecular mechanisms of TACE refractoriness: Directions for improvement of the TACE procedure. Life Sci 2024; 342:122540. [PMID: 38428568 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Transcatheter arterial chemoembolisation (TACE) is the standard of care for intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma and selected patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. However, TACE does not achieve a satisfactory objective response rate, and the concept of TACE refractoriness has been proposed to identify patients who do not fully benefit from TACE. Moreover, repeated TACE is necessary to obtain an optimal and sustained anti-tumour response, which may damage the patient's liver function. Therefore, studies have recently been performed to improve the effectiveness of TACE. In this review, we summarise the detailed molecular mechanisms associated with TACE responsiveness and relapse after this treatment to provide more effective targets for adjuvant therapy while helping to improve TACE regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahao Li
- Department of Interventional Therapy, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China; The Public Laboratory Platform of the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yingnan Liu
- Department of Radiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruipeng Zheng
- Department of Interventional Therapy, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao Qu
- Department of Interventional Therapy, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China; The Public Laboratory Platform of the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiarui Li
- Department of Interventional Therapy, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China.
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Chen L, Ye X, Yang L, Zhao J, You J, Feng Y. Linking fatty liver diseases to hepatocellular carcinoma by hepatic stellate cells. JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL CANCER CENTER 2024; 4:25-35. [PMID: 39036388 PMCID: PMC11256631 DOI: 10.1016/j.jncc.2024.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), a distinct category of non-parenchymal cells in the liver, are critical for liver homeostasis. In healthy livers, HSCs remain non-proliferative and quiescent. However, under conditions of acute or chronic liver damage, HSCs are activated and participate in the progression and regulation of liver diseases such as liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Fatty liver diseases (FLD), including nonalcoholic (NAFLD) and alcohol-related (ALD), are common chronic inflammatory conditions of the liver. These diseases, often resulting from multiple metabolic disorders, can progress through a sequence of inflammation, fibrosis, and ultimately, cancer. In this review, we focused on the activation and regulatory mechanism of HSCs in the context of FLD. We summarized the molecular pathways of activated HSCs (aHSCs) in mediating FLD and their role in promoting liver tumor development from the perspectives of cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, immunosuppression, and chemo-resistance. We aimed to offer an in-depth discussion on the reciprocal regulatory interactions between FLD and HSC activation, providing new insights for researchers in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang'en Chen
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangshi Ye
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lixian Yang
- Cancer Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiangsha Zhao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jia You
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuxiong Feng
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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4
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Abuwatfa WH, Pitt WG, Husseini GA. Scaffold-based 3D cell culture models in cancer research. J Biomed Sci 2024; 31:7. [PMID: 38221607 PMCID: PMC10789053 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-024-00994-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures have emerged as valuable tools in cancer research, offering significant advantages over traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture systems. In 3D cell cultures, cancer cells are grown in an environment that more closely mimics the 3D architecture and complexity of in vivo tumors. This approach has revolutionized cancer research by providing a more accurate representation of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and enabling the study of tumor behavior and response to therapies in a more physiologically relevant context. One of the key benefits of 3D cell culture in cancer research is the ability to recapitulate the complex interactions between cancer cells and their surrounding stroma. Tumors consist not only of cancer cells but also various other cell types, including stromal cells, immune cells, and blood vessels. These models bridge traditional 2D cell cultures and animal models, offering a cost-effective, scalable, and ethical alternative for preclinical research. As the field advances, 3D cell cultures are poised to play a pivotal role in understanding cancer biology and accelerating the development of effective anticancer therapies. This review article highlights the key advantages of 3D cell cultures, progress in the most common scaffold-based culturing techniques, pertinent literature on their applications in cancer research, and the ongoing challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waad H Abuwatfa
- Materials Science and Engineering Ph.D. Program, College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box. 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - William G Pitt
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Ghaleb A Husseini
- Materials Science and Engineering Ph.D. Program, College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box. 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
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Sani F, Soufi Zomorrod M, Azarpira N, Soleimani M. The Effect of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes and miR17-5p Inhibitor on Multicellular Liver Fibrosis Microtissues. Stem Cells Int 2023; 2023:8836452. [PMID: 37576406 PMCID: PMC10421706 DOI: 10.1155/2023/8836452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Although several studies have been conducted on modeling human liver disease, it is still challenging to mimic nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in vitro. Here, we aimed to develop a fibrotic liver microtissue composed of hepatocytes, hepatic stellate, and endothelial cells. In addition, the therapeutic effects of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (UC-MSC-EXO) and anti-miR17-5p as new antifibrotic drugs were investigated. Methods To create an effective preclinical fibrosis model, multicellular liver microtissues (MLMs) consisting of HepG2, LX2, and HUVECs were cultured and supplemented with a mixture of palmitic acid and oleic acid for 96 hr. Then, MLMs were exposed to UC-MSC-EXO and anti-miR17-5p in different groups. The results of cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, liver enzyme levels, inflammation, and histopathology were analyzed to assess the treatment efficacy. Furthermore, the expression of collagen I (COL I) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) as critical matrix components, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), and miR-17-5p were measured. Results Free fatty acid supplementation causes fibrosis in MLMs. Our results demonstrated that UC-MSC-EXO and anti-miR17-5p attenuated TGF-β1, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 in all experimental groups. According to the suppression of the TGF-β1 pathway, LX2 activation was inhibited, reducing extracellular matrix proteins, including COL I and α-SMA. Also, miR-17-5p expression was elevated in fibrosis conditions. Furthermore, we showed that our treatments decreased alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, and increased albumin levels in the culture supernatant. We also found that both MSC-EXO and MSC-EXO + anti-miR17-5p treatments could reduce ROS production. Conclusion Our findings indicated that anti-miR17-5p and MSC-EXO might be promising therapeutic options for treating liver fibrosis. Furthermore, EXO + anti-miR had the best effects on boosting the fibrotic markers. Therefore, we propose this novel MLM model to understand fibrosis mechanisms better and develop new drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farnaz Sani
- Hematology Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mina Soufi Zomorrod
- Hematology Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Negar Azarpira
- Transplant Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Khalili Street P.O. Box 7193711351, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Masoud Soleimani
- Hematology Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Science, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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6
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Pan R, Yang X, Ning K, Xie Y, Chen F, Yu L. Recapitulating the Drifting and Fusion of Two-Generation Spheroids on Concave Agarose Microwells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11967. [PMID: 37569343 PMCID: PMC10419262 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241511967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cells with various structures and proteins naturally come together to cooperate in vivo. This study used cell spheroids cultured in agarose micro-wells as a 3D model to study the movement of cells or spheroids toward other spheroids. The formation dynamics of tumor spheroids and the interactions of two batches of cells in the agarose micro-wells were studied. The results showed that a concave bottom micro-well (diameter: 2 mm, depth: 2 mm) prepared from 3% agarose could be used to study the interaction of two batches of cells. The initial tumor cell numbers from 5 × 103 cells/well to 6 × 104 cells/well all could form 3D spheroids after 3 days of incubation. Adding the second batch of DU 145 cells to the existing DU 145 spheroid resulted in the formation of satellite cell spheroids around the existing parental tumor spheroid. Complete fusion of two generation cell spheroids was observed when the parental spheroids were formed from 1 × 104 and 2 × 104 cells, and the second batch of cells was 5 × 103 per well. A higher amount of the second batch of cells (1 × 104 cell/well) led to the formation of independent satellite spheroids after 48 h of co-culture, suggesting the behavior of the second batch of cells towards existing parental spheroids depended on various factors, such as the volume of the parental spheroids and the number of the second batch cells. The interactions between the tumor spheroids and Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) were modeled on concave agarose micro-wells. The HUVECs (3 × 103 cell/well) were observed to gather around the parental tumor spheroids formed from 1 × 104, 2 × 104, and 3 × 104 cells per well rather than aggregate on their own to form HUVEC spheroids. This study highlights the importance of analyzing the biological properties of cells before designing experimental procedures for the sequential fusion of cell spheroids. The study further emphasizes the significant roles that cell density and the volume of the spheroids play in determining the location and movement of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Ling Yu
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing, Ministry of Education, Institute for Clean Energy and Advanced Materials, School of Materials and Energy, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (R.P.); (X.Y.); (K.N.); (Y.X.); (F.C.)
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7
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Goel R, Gulwani D, Upadhyay P, Sarangthem V, Singh TD. Unsung versatility of elastin-like polypeptide inspired spheroid fabrication: A review. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 234:123664. [PMID: 36791934 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Lately, 3D cell culture technique has gained a lot of appreciation as a research model. Augmented with technological advancements, the area of 3D cell culture is growing rapidly with a diverse array of scaffolds being tested. This is especially the case for spheroid cultures. The culture of cells as spheroids provides opportunities for unanticipated vision into biological phenomena with its application to drug discovery, metabolic profiling, stem cell research as well as tumor, and disease biology. Spheroid fabrication techniques are broadly categorised into matrix-dependent and matrix-independent techniques. While there is a profusion of spheroid fabrication substrates with substantial biological relevance, an economical, modular, and bio-compatible substrate for high throughput production of spheroids is lacking. In this review, we posit the prospects of elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) as a broad-spectrum spheroid fabrication platform. Elastin-like polypeptides are nature inspired, size-tunable genetically engineered polymers with wide applicability in various arena of biological considerations, has been employed for spheroid culture with profound utility. The technology offers a cheap, high-throughput, reproducible alternative for spheroid culture with exquisite adaptability. Here, we will brief the applicability of 3D cultures as compared to 2D cultures with spheroids being the focal point of the review. Common approaches to spheroid fabrication are discussed with existential limitations. Finally, the versatility of elastin-like polypeptide inspired substrates for spheroid culture has been discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ridhima Goel
- Department of Medical Oncology Laboratory, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - Deepak Gulwani
- Department of Medical Oncology Laboratory, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - Priyanka Upadhyay
- Department of Medical Oncology Laboratory, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - Vijaya Sarangthem
- Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India.
| | - Thoudam Debraj Singh
- Department of Medical Oncology Laboratory, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India.
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8
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Cameron AP, Gao S, Liu Y, Zhao CX. Impact of hydrogel biophysical properties on tumor spheroid growth and drug response. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2023; 149:213421. [PMID: 37060634 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a critical role in regulating cell-matrix interactions during tumor progression. These interactions are due in large part to the biophysical properties responding to cancer cell interactions. Within in vitro models, the ECM is mimicked by hydrogels, which possess adjustable biophysical properties that are integral to tumor development. This work presents a systematic and comparative study on the impact of the biophysical properties of two widely used natural hydrogels, Matrigel and collagen gel, on tumor growth and drug response. The biophysical properties of Matrigel and collagen including complex modulus, loss tangent, diffusive permeability, and pore size, were characterised. Then the spheroid growth rates in these two hydrogels were monitored for spheroids with two different sizes (140 μm and 500 μm in diameters). An increased migratory growth was observed in the lower concentration of both the gels. The effect of spheroid incorporation within the hydrogel had a minimal impact on the hydrogel's complex modulus. Finally, 3D tumor models using different concentrations of hydrogels were applied for drug treatment using paclitaxel. Spheroids cultured in hydrogels with different concentrations showed different drug response, demonstrating the significant effect of the choice of hydrogels and their concentrations on the drug response results despite using the same spheroids. This study provides useful insights into the effect of hydrogel biophysical properties on spheroid growth and drug response and highlights the importance of hydrogel selection and in vitro model design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna P Cameron
- Australian institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Song Gao
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Yun Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Chun-Xia Zhao
- Australian institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
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9
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Phukhum P, Phetcharaburanin J, Chaleekarn K, Kittirat Y, Kulthawatsiri T, Namwat N, Loilome W, Khuntikeo N, Titapun A, Wangwiwatsin A, Khampitak T, Suksawat M, Klanrit P. The impact of hypoxia and oxidative stress on proteo-metabolomic alterations of 3D cholangiocarcinoma models. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3072. [PMID: 36810897 PMCID: PMC9944917 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30204-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The three-dimensional multicellular spheroid (3D MCS) model has been employed in cholangiocarcinoma research as it generates 3D architecture and includes more physiological relevance with the multicellular arrangement. However, it is also essential to explain the molecular signature in this microenvironment and its structural complexity. The results indicated that poorly differentiated CCA cell lines were unable to form 3D MCS due to the lack of cell adhesion molecules with more mesenchymal marker expression. The well-differentiated CCA and cholangiocyte cell lines were able to develop 3D MCSs with round shapes, smooth perimeter, and cell adhesion molecules that led to the hypoxic and oxidative microenvironment detected. For MMNK-1, KKU-213C, and KKU-213A MCSs, the proteo-metabolomic analysis showed proteins and metabolic products altered compared to 2D cultures, including cell-cell adhesion molecules, energy metabolism-related enzymes and metabolites, and oxidative-related metabolites. Therefore, the 3D MCSs provide different physiological states with different phenotypic signatures compared to 2D cultures. Considering the 3D model mimics more physiological relevance, it might lead to an alternate biochemical pathway, targeting to improve drug sensitivity for CCA treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pimpawadee Phukhum
- grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Khon Kaen University Phenome Centre, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand
| | - Jutarop Phetcharaburanin
- grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Khon Kaen University Phenome Centre, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand
| | - Kwuanjira Chaleekarn
- grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand
| | - Yingpinyapat Kittirat
- grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand
| | - Thanaporn Kulthawatsiri
- grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Khon Kaen University Phenome Centre, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand
| | - Nisana Namwat
- grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Khon Kaen University Phenome Centre, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand
| | - Watcharin Loilome
- grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Khon Kaen University Phenome Centre, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand
| | - Narong Khuntikeo
- grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Khon Kaen University Phenome Centre, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand
| | - Attapol Titapun
- grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Khon Kaen University Phenome Centre, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand
| | - Arporn Wangwiwatsin
- grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Khon Kaen University Phenome Centre, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand
| | - Tueanjit Khampitak
- grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand
| | - Manida Suksawat
- grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Khon Kaen University Phenome Centre, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand ,grid.9786.00000 0004 0470 0856Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand
| | - Poramate Klanrit
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand. .,Khon Kaen University Phenome Centre, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand. .,Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand.
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10
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The Multifaceted Role of Connexins in Tumor Microenvironment Initiation and Maintenance. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020204. [PMID: 36829482 PMCID: PMC9953436 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Today's research on the processes of carcinogenesis and the vital activity of tumor tissues implies more attention be paid to constituents of the tumor microenvironment and their interactions. These interactions between cells in the tumor microenvironment can be mediated via different types of protein junctions. Connexins are one of the major contributors to intercellular communication. They form the gap junctions responsible for the transfer of ions, metabolites, peptides, miRNA, etc., between neighboring tumor cells as well as between tumor and stromal cells. Connexin hemichannels mediate purinergic signaling and bidirectional molecular transport with the extracellular environment. Additionally, connexins have been reported to localize in tumor-derived exosomes and facilitate the release of their cargo. A large body of evidence implies that the role of connexins in cancer is multifaceted. The pro- or anti-tumorigenic properties of connexins are determined by their abundance, localization, and functionality as well as their channel assembly and non-channel functions. In this review, we have summarized the data on the contribution of connexins to the formation of the tumor microenvironment and to cancer initiation and progression.
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11
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Optimization of 3D-aggregated spheroid model (3D-ASM) for selecting high efficacy drugs. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18937. [PMID: 36344810 PMCID: PMC9640609 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23474-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Various three-dimensional (3D) cell culture methods have been developed to implement tumor models similar to in vivo. However, the conventional 3D cell culture method has limitations such as difficulty in using an extracellular matrix (ECM), low experimental reproducibility, complex 3D cell culture protocol, and difficulty in applying to high array plates such as 96- or 384-plates. Therefore, detailed protocols related to robust 3D-aggregated spheroid model (3D-ASM) production were optimized and proposed. A specially designed wet chamber was used to implement 3D-ASM using the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines, and the conditions were established for the icing step to aggregate the cells in one place and optimized ECM gelation step. Immunofluorescence (IF) staining is mainly used to simultaneously analyze drug efficacy and changes in drug-target biomarkers. By applying the IF staining method to the 3D-ASM model, confocal microscopy imaging and 3D deconvolution image analysis were also successfully performed. Through a comparative study of drug response with conventional 2D-high throughput screening (HTS), the 3D-HTS showed a more comprehensive range of drug efficacy analyses for HCC cell lines and enabled selective drug efficacy analysis for the FDA-approved drug sorafenib. This suggests that increased drug resistance under 3D-HTS conditions does not reduce the analytical discrimination of drug efficacy, also drug efficacy can be analyzed more selectively compared to the conventional 2D-HTS assay. Therefore, the 3D-HTS-based drug efficacy analysis method using an automated 3D-cell spotter/scanner, 384-pillar plate/wet chamber, and the proposed 3D-ASM fabrication protocol is a very suitable platform for analyzing target drug efficacy in HCC cells.
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12
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Zhang P, Li X, Chen JY, Abate A. Controlled fabrication of functional liver spheroids with microfluidic flow cytometric printing. Biofabrication 2022; 14. [PMID: 35917810 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/ac8622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Multicellular liver spheroids are 3D culture models useful in the development of therapies for liver fibrosis. While these models can recapitulate fibrotic disease, current methods for generating them via random aggregation are uncontrolled, yielding spheroids of variable size, function, and utility. Here, we report fabrication of precision liver spheroids with microfluidic flow cytometric printing. Our approach fabricates spheroids cell-by-cell, yielding structures with exact numbers of different cell types. Because spheroid function depends on composition, our precision spheroids have superior functional uniformity, allowing more accurate and statistically significant screens compared to randomly generated spheroids. The approach produces thousands of spheroids per hour, and thus affords a scalable platform by which to manufacture single-cell precision spheroids for disease modeling and high throughput drug testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Zhang
- University of California San Francisco, 1700 4th St, San Francisco, California, 94143, UNITED STATES
| | - Xiangpeng Li
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, 1700 4th St, San Francisco, 94143, UNITED STATES
| | - Jennifer Y Chen
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, 555 Mission Bay Blvd South, San Francisco, 94143, UNITED STATES
| | - Adam Abate
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, 1700 4th St, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, 94158, UNITED STATES
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13
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Khafaga AF, Mousa SA, Aleya L, Abdel-Daim MM. Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture: a valuable step in advancing treatments for human hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:243. [PMID: 35908054 PMCID: PMC9339175 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02662-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common malignant cancer and the third most frequent cause of tumour-related mortality worldwide. Currently, several surgical and medical therapeutic strategies are available for HCCs; however, the interaction between neoplastic cells and non-neoplastic stromal cells within the tumour microenvironment (TME) results in strong therapeutic resistance of HCCs to conventional treatment. Therefore, the development of novel treatments is urgently needed to improve the survival of patients with HCC. The first step in developing efficient chemotherapeutic drugs is the establishment of an appropriate system for studying complex tumour culture and microenvironment interactions. Three-dimensional (3D) culture model might be a crucial bridge between in vivo and in vitro due to its ability to mimic the naturally complicated in vivo TME compared to conventional two-dimensional (2D) cultures. In this review, we shed light on various established 3D culture models of HCC and their role in the investigation of tumour-TME interactions and HCC-related therapeutic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmaa F Khafaga
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University, Edfina, 22758, Egypt.
| | - Shaker A Mousa
- Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA
| | - Lotfi Aleya
- Chrono-Environnement Laboratory, UMR CNRS 6249, Bourgogne Franche-Comté University, 25030, Besançon Cedex, France
| | - Mohamed M Abdel-Daim
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, 41522, Egypt.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacy Program, Batterjee Medical College, P.O. Box 6231, Jeddah 21442, Saudi Arabia
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14
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Rawal P, Tripathi D, Nain V, Kaur S. VEGF‑mediated tumour growth and EMT in 2D and 3D cell culture models of hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2022; 24:315. [PMID: 35949600 PMCID: PMC9353766 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2022.13435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on tumorigenic properties in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cultures of hepatoma cells. The proliferation and invasion of hepatoma cells was assessed using wound healing, chemotaxis Transwell, invasion, tube-forming and hanging drop assays in both 2D and 3D cultures. The expression levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness markers were analysed using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) for mRNA expression and immunofluorescence assay for protein expression. To validate the role of VEGF in tumour growth, a VEGF receptor (VEGFR) inhibitor (sorafenib) was used. The results demonstrated that the hepatoma cells formed 3D spheroids that differed in size and density in the absence and presence of the growth factor, VEGF. In all spheroids, invasion and angiogenesis were more aggressive in 3D cultures in comparison to 2D conditions following treatment with VEGF. Mechanistically, the VEGF-mediated increase in the levels of EMT markers, including Vimentin, N-cadherin 2 (Cadherin 2) and Thy-1 Cell Surface Antigen was observed in the 2D and 3D cultures. Sorafenib treatment for 24 h culminated in a marked reduction in cell migration, cell-cell adhesion, spheroid compaction and EMT gene expression in 3D models as compared to the 2D models. On the whole, the findings of the present study suggested that as compared to the 2D cell cultures, 3D cell cultures model may be used as a more realistic model for the study of tumour growth and invasion in the presence of angiogenic factors, as well as for tumour inhibitor screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preety Rawal
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201312, India
| | - Dinesh Tripathi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi 110070, India
| | - Vikrant Nain
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201312, India
| | - Savneet Kaur
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi 110070, India
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15
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Duś-Szachniewicz K, Gdesz-Birula K, Nowosielska E, Ziółkowski P, Drobczyński S. Formation of Lymphoma Hybrid Spheroids and Drug Testing in Real Time with the Use of Fluorescence Optical Tweezers. Cells 2022; 11:cells11132113. [PMID: 35805197 PMCID: PMC9265821 DOI: 10.3390/cells11132113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Interactions between stromal and lymphoma cells in the bone marrow are closely related to drug resistance and therapy failure. Physiologically relevant pre-clinical three-dimensional (3D) models recapitulating lymphoma microenvironmental complexity do not currently exist. In this study, we proposed a scheme for optically controlled hybrid lymphoma spheroid formation with the use of optical tweezers (OT). Following the preparation of stromal spheroids using agarose hydrogel, two aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma B-cell lines, Ri-1 (DLBCL) and Raji (Burkitt lymphoma), were used to conduct multi-cellular spheroid formation driven by in-house-developed fluorescence optical tweezers. Importantly, the newly formed hybrid spheroid preserved the 3D architecture for the next 24 h. Our model was successfully used for the evaluation of the influence of the anticancer agents doxorubicin (DOX), ibrutinib (IBR), and AMD3100 (plerixafor) on the adhesive properties of lymphoma cells. Importantly, our study revealed that a co-treatment of DOX and IBR with AMD3100 affects the adhesion of B-NHL lymphoma cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Duś-Szachniewicz
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Institute of General and Experimental Pathology, Wrocław Medical University, 50-368 Wrocław, Poland; (K.G.-B.); (P.Z.)
- Correspondence: (K.D.-S.); (S.D.); Tel.: +48-71-784-12-25 (K.D.-S.)
| | - Katarzyna Gdesz-Birula
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Institute of General and Experimental Pathology, Wrocław Medical University, 50-368 Wrocław, Poland; (K.G.-B.); (P.Z.)
| | - Emilia Nowosielska
- Department of Optics and Photonics, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Piotr Ziółkowski
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Institute of General and Experimental Pathology, Wrocław Medical University, 50-368 Wrocław, Poland; (K.G.-B.); (P.Z.)
| | - Sławomir Drobczyński
- Department of Optics and Photonics, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland;
- Correspondence: (K.D.-S.); (S.D.); Tel.: +48-71-784-12-25 (K.D.-S.)
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16
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Duś-Szachniewicz K, Gdesz-Birula K, Rymkiewicz G. Development and Characterization of 3D Hybrid Spheroids for the Investigation of the Crosstalk Between B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas and Mesenchymal Stromal Cells. Onco Targets Ther 2022; 15:683-697. [PMID: 35747403 PMCID: PMC9213039 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s363994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (B-NHLs) are the most common lymphoproliferative malignancy. Despite targeted therapies, the bone marrow involvement remains a challenge in treating aggressive B-NHLs, partly due to the protective interactions of lymphoma cells with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). However, data elucidating the relationship between MSCs and B-NHLs are limited and inconclusive due to the lack of reproducible in vitro three-dimensional (3D) models. Here, we developed and described a size-controlled and stable 3D hybrid spheroids of Ri-1 (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, DLBCL) and RAJI (Burkitt lymphoma, BL) cells with HS-5 fibroblasts to facilitate research on the crosstalk between B-NHL cells and MSCs. Materials and Methods We applied the commercially available agarose hydrogel microwells for a fast, low-cost, and reproducible hybrid lymphoma/stromal spheroids formation. Standard histological automated procedures were used for formalin fixation and paraffin embedding (FFPE) of 3D models to produce good quality slides for histopathology and immunohistochemical staining. Next, we tested the effect of the anti-cancer drugs: doxorubicin (DOX) and ibrutinib (IBR) on mono-cultured and co-cultured B-NHLs with the use of alamarBlue and live/dead cell fluorescence based assays to confirm their relevancy for drug testing studies. Results We optimized the conditions for B-NHLs spheroid formation in both: a cell line-specific and application-specific manner. Lymphoma cells aggregate into stable spheroids when co-cultured with stromal cells, of which internal architecture was driven by self-organization. Furthermore, we revealed that co-culturing of lymphoma cells with stromal cells significantly reduced IBR-induced apoptosis compared to the 3D mono-culture. Conclusion This article provides details for generating 3D B-NHL spheroids for the studies on the lymphoma- stromal cells. This approach makes it suitable to assess in a relevant in vitro model the activity of new therapeutic agents in B-NHLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Duś-Szachniewicz
- Institute of General and Experimental Pathology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Gdesz-Birula
- Institute of General and Experimental Pathology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Rymkiewicz
- Flow Cytometry Laboratory, Department of Cancer Pathomorphology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
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17
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Stefàno E, Muscella A, Benedetti M, De Castro F, Fanizzi FP, Marsigliante S. Antitumor and antimigration effects of a new Pt compound on neuroblastoma cells. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 202:115124. [PMID: 35688179 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Among the new Pt complexes with anticancer properties, phenanthroline derivatives have aroused great interest due to their different mode of action compared to cisplatin. We previously examined cytotoxic effects of a new Pt(II)-complex containing 1,10-phenantroline (phen), [Pt(η1-C2H4OMe)(DMSO)(phen)]Cl, in a panel of eight human cancer cell lines, and showed that it exerted the greatest cytotoxic effect in the neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line. In this study, the antiproliferative and antimetastatic potential of [Pt(η1-C2H4OMe)(DMSO)(phen)]+ (in short Pt-EtOMeSOphen) was investigated in neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y, SK-N-SH and SK-N-BE(2) cells. Pt-EtOMeSOphen provoked the early signs of apoptosis induction (cleavage of PARP and activation of caspases-9 and -7); it also increased the level of proapoptotic Bax protein whereas it decreased the level of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein. The effects of Pt-EtOMeSOphen on migration and invasion processes were also evaluated. A decrease of cell migration/invasion by Pt-EtOMeSOphen was observed through 2D and 3D in vitro assays. Pt-EtOMeSOphen was found to exert its actions by decreasing MMP-9 and MMP-2 expressions and activities. Pt-EtOMeSOphen provoked the phosphorylation of both ERK1/2 and p38 MAPKs. All the effects of Pt-EtOMeSOphen on SH-SY5Y cell vitality, migration and metalloproteases activities described here were due to the activation of p38 MAPK since pharmacological p38 MAPK inhibition or small interfering RNAs to p38 MAPK mRNA blocked such effects. Results suggest that Pt-EtOMeSOphen inhibits neuroblastoma cancer cells survival, motility, and invasion. This could lead to the reduction of neuroblastoma metastatic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Stefàno
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, Università del Salento, Prov.le Lecce-Monteroni, Centro Ecotekne, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Antonella Muscella
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, Università del Salento, Prov.le Lecce-Monteroni, Centro Ecotekne, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
| | - Michele Benedetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, Università del Salento, Prov.le Lecce-Monteroni, Centro Ecotekne, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
| | - Federica De Castro
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, Università del Salento, Prov.le Lecce-Monteroni, Centro Ecotekne, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Francesco Paolo Fanizzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, Università del Salento, Prov.le Lecce-Monteroni, Centro Ecotekne, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Santo Marsigliante
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, Università del Salento, Prov.le Lecce-Monteroni, Centro Ecotekne, 73100 Lecce, Italy
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18
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Qin W, Wang L, Tian H, Wu X, Xiao C, Pan Y, Fan M, Tai Y, Liu W, Zhang Q, Yang Y. CAF-derived exosomes transmitted Gremlin-1 promotes cancer progression and decreases the sensitivity of hepatoma cells to sorafenib. Mol Carcinog 2022; 61:764-775. [PMID: 35638711 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide because of metastasis. An increasing number of studies have reported that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have emerged as the largest component of the stroma and play a critical role in tumor-promoting processes. However, the effects of CAFs on cancer progression and the sensitivity of hepatoma cells to sorafenib are not well characterized. Here, we identified the proteome of CAF-derived exosomes, and unveiled that exosomal Gremlin-1 derived from CAFs contributes to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of hepatoma cells and the decrease of the sorafenib sensitivity through regulating Wnt/β-catenin and BMP signaling pathways. Compared to control subjects, the level of plasma exosomal Gremlin-1 was significantly increased in HCC patients. Further studies indicated that plasma exosomal Gremlin-1 may predict sorafenib response in HCC patients. Collectively, our findings uncover CAFs-derived Gremlin-1-rich exosomes promote EMT and decrease the sensitivity of hepatoma cells to sorafenib by Wnt/β-catenin and BMP signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Qin
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huan Tian
- Department of Breast Surgery, Breast Tumor Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaocai Wu
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cuicui Xiao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuhang Pan
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mingming Fan
- Department of Surgery Intensive Care Unit, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan Tai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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19
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Al Hrout A, Cervantes-Gracia K, Chahwan R, Amin A. Modelling liver cancer microenvironment using a novel 3D culture system. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8003. [PMID: 35568708 PMCID: PMC9107483 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11641-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment and its contribution to tumorigenesis has been a focal highlight in recent years. A two-way communication between the tumor and the surrounding microenvironment sustains and contributes to the growth and metastasis of tumors. Progression and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been reported to be exceedingly influenced by diverse microenvironmental cues. In this study, we present a 3D-culture model of liver cancer to better mimic in vivo tumor settings. By creating novel 3D co-culture model that combines free-floating and scaffold-based 3D-culture techniques of liver cancer cells and fibroblasts, we aimed to establish a simple albeit reproducible ex vivo cancer microenvironment model that captures tumor-stroma interactions. The model presented herein exhibited unique gene expression and protein expression profiles when compared to 2D and 3D mono-cultures of liver cancer cells. Our results showed that in vivo like conditions cannot be mimicked by simply growing cancer cells as spheroids, but by co-culturing them with 3D fibroblast with which they were able to crosstalk. This was evident by the upregulation of several pathways involved in HCC, and the increase in secreted factors by co-cultured cancer cells, many of which are also involved in tumor-stroma interactions. Compared to the conventional 2D culture, the proposed model exhibits an increase in the expression of genes associated with development, progression, and poor prognosis of HCC. Our results correlated with an aggressive outcome that better mirrors in vivo HCC, and therefore, a more reliable platform for molecular understanding of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ala'a Al Hrout
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
- Biology Department, College of Science, UAE University, P.O. Box 15551, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Karla Cervantes-Gracia
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Richard Chahwan
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Amr Amin
- Biology Department, College of Science, UAE University, P.O. Box 15551, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
- The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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20
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Brenna C, Simioni C, Varano G, Conti I, Costanzi E, Melloni M, Neri LM. Optical tissue clearing associated with 3D imaging: application in preclinical and clinical studies. Histochem Cell Biol 2022; 157:497-511. [PMID: 35235045 PMCID: PMC9114043 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-022-02081-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the inner morphology of intact tissues is one of the most competitive challenges in modern biology. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, optical tissue clearing (OTC) has provided solutions for volumetric imaging, allowing the microscopic visualization of thick sections of tissue, organoids, up to whole organs and organisms (for example, mouse or rat). Recently, tissue clearing has also been introduced in clinical settings to achieve a more accurate diagnosis with the support of 3D imaging. This review aims to give an overview of the most recent developments in OTC and 3D imaging and to illustrate their role in the field of medical diagnosis, with a specific focus on clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinzia Brenna
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.,Medical Research Center, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Carolina Simioni
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.,LTTA - Electron Microscopy Center, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Gabriele Varano
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Ilaria Conti
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Eva Costanzi
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mattia Melloni
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Luca Maria Neri
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy. .,LTTA - Electron Microscopy Center, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
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21
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Poon S, Ailles LE. Modeling the Role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Tumor Cell Invasion. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:962. [PMID: 35205707 PMCID: PMC8870277 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14040962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The major cause of cancer-related deaths can be attributed to the metastatic spread of tumor cells-a dynamic and complex multi-step process beginning with tumor cells acquiring an invasive phenotype to allow them to travel through the blood and lymphatic vessels to ultimately seed at a secondary site. Over the years, various in vitro models have been used to characterize specific steps in the cascade to collectively begin providing a clearer picture of the puzzle of metastasis. With the discovery of the TME's supporting role in activating tumor cell invasion and metastasis, these models have evolved in parallel to accommodate features of the TME and to observe its interactions with tumor cells. In particular, CAFs that reside in reactive tumor stroma have been shown to play a substantial pro-invasive role through their matrix-modifying functions; accordingly, this warranted further investigation with the development and use of invasion assays that could include these stromal cells. This review explores the growing toolbox of assays used to study tumor cell invasion, from the simple beginnings of a tumor cell and extracellular matrix set-up to the advent of models that aim to more closely recapitulate the interplay between tumor cells, CAFs and the extracellular matrix. These models will prove to be invaluable tools to help tease out the intricacies of tumor cell invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Poon
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada;
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Laurie E. Ailles
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada;
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
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22
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Zhou Y, Tang W, Zhuo H, Zhu D, Rong D, Sun J, Song J. Cancer-associated fibroblast exosomes promote chemoresistance to cisplatin in hepatocellular carcinoma through circZFR targeting signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT3)/ nuclear factor -kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. Bioengineered 2022; 13:4786-4797. [PMID: 35139763 PMCID: PMC8973934 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2022.2032972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemoresistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been found to be influenced by exosomal transport of circRNAs. However, the role of circZFR in HCC chemoresistance still remains unclear. In the present study, circZFR was highly expressed in cisplatin (DDP)-resistant HCC cell lines and could regulate DDP resistance of the HCC cells. Also, circZFR was highly expressed in cancer-associated fibroblast (CAFs) and the exosome of CAFs. In addition, supplementation of CAFs in culture medium could promote DDP resistance of HCC cells. In vivo tumor xenograft experiments showed that knockdown of circZFR inhibited tumor growth and weakened DDP resistance, while CAFs-derived exosomes incubation increased the expression of circZFR, inhibited the STAT3/NF-κB pathway, promoted tumor growth, and enhanced DDP resistance. In general, CAFs-derived exosomes deliver circZFR to HCC cells, inhibit the STAT3/NF-κB pathway, and promote HCC development and chemoresistance. The results provided a new sight for the prevention and treatment of chemoresistance in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhou
- Department of Ultrasonography, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weiwei Tang
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Nhc Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Hepatobiliary Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Han Zhuo
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Nhc Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Hepatobiliary Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Deming Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Nhc Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Hepatobiliary Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dawei Rong
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Nhc Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Hepatobiliary Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jin Sun
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinhua Song
- Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Nhc Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Hepatobiliary Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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Dituri F, Centonze M, Berenschot EJW, Tas NR, Susarrey-Arce A, Krol S. Complex Tumor Spheroid Formation and One-Step Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Purification from Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tissue Promoted by Inorganic Surface Topography. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 11:3233. [PMID: 34947582 PMCID: PMC8706479 DOI: 10.3390/nano11123233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In vitro cell models play important roles as testbeds for toxicity studies, drug development, or as replacements in animal experiments. In particular, complex tumor models such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are needed to predict drug efficacy and facilitate translation into clinical practice. In this work, topographical features of amorphous silicon dioxide (SiO2) are fabricated and tested for cell culture of primary HCC cells and cell lines. The topographies vary from pyramids to octahedrons to structures named fractals, with increased hierarchy and organized in periodic arrays (square or Hexagonal). The pyramids were found to promote complex 2D/3D tissue formation from primary HCC cells. It was found that the 2D layer was mainly composed of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), while the 3D spheroids were composed of tumor cells enwrapped by a CAF layer. Compared with conventional protocols for 3D cultures, this novel approach mimics the 2D/3D complexity of the original tumor by invading CAFs and a microtumor. Topographies such as octahedrons and fractals exclude tumor cells and allow one-step isolation of CAFs even directly from tumor tissue of patients as the CAFs migrate into the structured substrate. Cell lines form spheroids within a short time. The presented inorganic topographical surfaces stimulate complex spheroid formation while avoiding additional biological scaffolds and allowing direct visualization on the substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Dituri
- Laboratory for Personalized Medicine, National Institute of Gastroenterology, “S. de Bellis” Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte Via Turi 27, 70013 Bari, Italy; (F.D.); (M.C.)
| | - Matteo Centonze
- Laboratory for Personalized Medicine, National Institute of Gastroenterology, “S. de Bellis” Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte Via Turi 27, 70013 Bari, Italy; (F.D.); (M.C.)
| | - Erwin J. W. Berenschot
- Mesoscale Chemical Systems, MESA+ Institute, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands; (E.J.W.B.); (N.R.T.)
| | - Niels R. Tas
- Mesoscale Chemical Systems, MESA+ Institute, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands; (E.J.W.B.); (N.R.T.)
| | - Arturo Susarrey-Arce
- Mesoscale Chemical Systems, MESA+ Institute, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands; (E.J.W.B.); (N.R.T.)
| | - Silke Krol
- Laboratory for Personalized Medicine, National Institute of Gastroenterology, “S. de Bellis” Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte Via Turi 27, 70013 Bari, Italy; (F.D.); (M.C.)
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Varrone F, Mandrich L, Caputo E. Melanoma Immunotherapy and Precision Medicine in the Era of Tumor Micro-Tissue Engineering: Where Are We Now and Where Are We Going? Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5788. [PMID: 34830940 PMCID: PMC8616100 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13225788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Malignant melanoma still remains a cancer with very poor survival rates, although it is at the forefront of personalized medicine. Most patients show partial responses and disease progressed due to adaptative resistance mechanisms, preventing long-lasting clinical benefits to the current treatments. The response to therapies can be shaped by not only taking into account cancer cell heterogeneity and plasticity, but also by its structural context as well as the cellular component of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we review the recent development in the field of immunotherapy and target-based therapy and how, in the era of tumor micro-tissue engineering, ex-vivo assays could help to enhance our melanoma biology knowledge in its complexity, translating it in the development of successful therapeutic strategies, as well as in the prediction of therapeutic benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luigi Mandrich
- Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystem—IRET-CNR Via Pietro Castellino 111, I-80131 Naples, Italy;
| | - Emilia Caputo
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics—IGB-CNR, “A. Buzzati-Traverso”, Via Pietro Castellino 111, I-80131 Naples, Italy
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Atat OE, Farzaneh Z, Pourhamzeh M, Taki F, Abi-Habib R, Vosough M, El-Sibai M. 3D modeling in cancer studies. Hum Cell 2021; 35:23-36. [PMID: 34761350 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-021-00642-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment contributes significantly to tumor initiation, progression, and resistance to chemotherapy. Much of our understanding of the tumor and its microenvironment is developed using various methods of cell culture. Throughout the last two decades, research has increasingly shown that 3D cell culture systems can remarkably recapitulate the complexity of tumor architecture and physiology compared to traditional 2D models. Unlike the flat culture system, these novel models enabled more cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. By mimicking in vivo microenvironment, 3D culture systems promise to become accurate tools ready to be used in diagnosis, drug screening, and personalized medicine. In this review, we discussed the importance of 3D culture in simulating the tumor microenvironment and focused on the effects of cancer cell-microenvironment interactions on cancer behavior, resistance, proliferation, and metastasis. Finally, we assessed the role of 3D cell culture systems in the contexts of drug screening. 2D culture system is used to study cancer cell growth, progression, behavior, and drug response. It provides contact between cells and supports paracrine crosstalk between host cells and cancer cells. However, this system fails to simulate the architecture and the physiological aspects of in vivo tumor microenvironment due to the absence of cell-cell/ cell-ECM interactions as well as unlimited access to O2 and nutrients, and the absence of tumor heterogeneity. Recently advanced research has led researchers to generate 3D culture system that can better recapitulate the in vivo environment by providing hypoxic medium, facilitating cell-cell and cell-ECM, interactions, and recapitulating heterogeneity of the tumor. Several approaches are used to maintain and expand cancer cells in 3D culture systems such as tumor spheroids (cell aggregate that mimics the in vivo growth of tumor cells), scaffold-based approaches, bioreactors, microfluidic derives, and organoids. 3D systems are currently used for disease modeling and pre-clinical drug testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oula El Atat
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Zahra Farzaneh
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahsa Pourhamzeh
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
- Division of Neuroscience, Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatima Taki
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Ralph Abi-Habib
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Massoud Vosough
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mirvat El-Sibai
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon.
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Goudar VS, Koduri MP, Ta YNN, Chen Y, Chu LA, Lu LS, Tseng FG. Impact of a Desmoplastic Tumor Microenvironment for Colon Cancer Drug Sensitivity: A Study with 3D Chimeric Tumor Spheroids. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:48478-48491. [PMID: 34633791 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c18249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) spheroid culture provides opportunities to model tumor growth closer to its natural context. The collagen network in the extracellular matrix supports autonomic tumor cell proliferation, but its presence and role in tumor spheroids remain unclear. In this research, we developed an in vitro 3D co-culture model in a microwell 3D (μ-well 3D) cell-culture array platform to mimic the tumor microenvironment (TME). The modular setup is used to characterize the paracrine signaling molecules and the role of the intraspheroidal collagen network in cancer drug resistance. The μ-well 3D platform is made up of poly(dimethylsiloxane) that contains 630 round wells for individual spheroid growth. Inside each well, the growth surface measured 500 μm in diameter and was functionalized with the amphiphilic copolymer. HCT-8 colon cancer cells and/or NIH3T3 fibroblasts were seeded in each well and incubated for up to 9 days for TME studies. It was observed that NIH3T3 cells promoted the kinetics of tumor organoid formation. The two types of cells self-organized into core-shell chimeric tumor spheroids (CTSs) with fibroblasts confined to the shell and cancer cells localized to the core. Confocal microscopy analysis indicated that a type-I collagen network developed inside the CTS along with increased TGF-β1 and α-SMA proteins. The results were correlated with a significantly increased stiffness in 3D co-cultured CTS up to 52 kPa as compared to two-dimensional (2D) co-culture. CTS was more resistant to 5-FU (IC50 = 14.0 ± 3.9 μM) and Regorafenib (IC50 = 49.8 ± 9.9 μM) compared to cells grown under the 2D condition 5-FU (IC50 = 12.2 ± 3.7 μM) and Regorafenib (IC50 = 5.9 ± 1.9 μM). Targeted collagen homeostasis with Sclerotiorin led to damaged collagen structure and disrupted the type-I collagen network within CTS. Such a treatment significantly sensitized collagen-supported CTS to 5-FU (IC50 = 4.4 ± 1.3 μM) and to Regorafenib (IC50 = 0.5 ± 0.2 μM). In summary, the efficient formation of colon cancer CTSs in a μ-well 3D culture platform allows exploration of the desmoplastic TME. The novel role of intratumor collagen quality as a drug sensitization target warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkanagouda S Goudar
- Department of Engineering and System Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Manohar Prasad Koduri
- International Intercollegiate Ph.D. Program, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace, School of Engineering, University of Liverpool, Harrison Hughes Building, Liverpool L693GH, U.K
| | - Yen-Nhi Ngoc Ta
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yunching Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Li-An Chu
- Department of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan, ROC
- Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Long-Sheng Lu
- TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan, ROC
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan, ROC
- International Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 11031, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Fan-Gang Tseng
- Department of Engineering and System Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan, ROC
- International Intercollegiate Ph.D. Program, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan, ROC
- Frontier Research Center on Fundamental and Applied Sciences of Matters, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan, ROC
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan, ROC
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27
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Manoukian P, Bijlsma M, van Laarhoven H. The Cellular Origins of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts and Their Opposing Contributions to Pancreatic Cancer Growth. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:743907. [PMID: 34646829 PMCID: PMC8502878 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.743907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic tumors are known to harbor an abundant and highly desmoplastic stroma. Among the various cell types that reside within tumor stroma, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have gained a lot of attention in the cancer field due to their contributions to carcinogenesis and tumor architecture. These cells are not a homogeneous population, but have been shown to have different origins, phenotypes, and contributions. In pancreatic tumors, CAFs generally emerge through the activation and/or recruitment of various cell types, most notably resident fibroblasts, pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), and tumor-infiltrating mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In recent years, single cell transcriptomic studies allowed the identification of distinct CAF populations in pancreatic tumors. Nonetheless, the exact sources and functions of those different CAF phenotypes remain to be fully understood. Considering the importance of stromal cells in pancreatic cancer, many novel approaches have aimed at targeting the stroma but current stroma-targeting therapies have yielded subpar results, which may be attributed to heterogeneity in the fibroblast population. Thus, fully understanding the roles of different subsets of CAFs within the stroma, and the cellular dynamics at play that contribute to heterogeneity in CAF subsets may be essential for the design of novel therapies and improving clinical outcomes. Fortunately, recent advances in technologies such as microfluidics and bio-printing have made it possible to establish more advanced ex vivo models that will likely prove useful. In this review, we will present the different roles of stromal cells in pancreatic cancer, focusing on CAF origin as a source of heterogeneity, and the role this may play in therapy failure. We will discuss preclinical models that could be of benefit to the field and that may contribute to further clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Manoukian
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Maarten Bijlsma
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Hanneke van Laarhoven
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Lam M, Reales-Calderon JA, Ow JR, Adriani G, Pavesi A. In vitro 3D liver tumor microenvironment models for immune cell therapy optimization. APL Bioeng 2021; 5:041502. [PMID: 34632251 PMCID: PMC8492081 DOI: 10.1063/5.0057773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite diagnostic and therapeutic advances, liver cancer kills more than 18 million people every year worldwide, urging new strategies to model the disease and to improve the current therapeutic options. In vitro tumor models of human cancer continue to evolve, and they represent an important screening tool. However, there is a tremendous need to improve the physiological relevance and reliability of these in vitro models to fulfill today's research requirements for better understanding of cancer progression and treatment options at different stages of the disease. This review describes the hepatocellular carcinoma microenvironmental characteristics and illustrates the current immunotherapy strategy to fight the disease. Moreover, we present a recent collection of 2D and 3D in vitro liver cancer models and address the next generation of in vitro systems recapitulating the tumor microenvironment complexity in more detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxine Lam
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jose Antonio Reales-Calderon
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jin Rong Ow
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Giulia Adriani
- Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Andrea Pavesi
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
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Thanapirom K, Caon E, Papatheodoridi M, Frenguelli L, Al-Akkad W, Zhenzhen Z, Vilia MG, Pinzani M, Mazza G, Rombouts K. Optimization and Validation of a Novel Three-Dimensional Co-Culture System in Decellularized Human Liver Scaffold for the Study of Liver Fibrosis and Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13194936. [PMID: 34638417 PMCID: PMC8508071 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13194936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary This study aims to overcome the current methodological limitations in discovering new therapeutic targets. Therefore, we optimized and validated a co-culture system using decellularized human liver three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds obtained from healthy and cirrhotic human livers for anti-fibrotic and anti-cancer dual drug screening. Both platforms mimic the naturally healthy and physio-pathological microenvironment and are able to recapitulate the key cellular and molecular events leading to liver fibrogenesis and cancer. This study demonstrates the differences between single versus co-cultures and the usage of human-derived liver 3D ECM scaffolds from healthy and cirrhotic livers. As lead compounds, we used Sorafenib and Regorafenib, first- and second-line drugs, and identified two different drug-induced mechanisms depending on the 3D ECM microenvironment. The 3D ECM scaffolds may represent innovative platforms for disease modeling, biomarker discovery, and drug testing in fibrosis and primary cancer. Abstract The introduction of new preclinical models for in vitro drug discovery and testing based on 3D tissue-specific extracellular matrix (ECM) is very much awaited. This study was aimed at developing and validating a co-culture model using decellularized human liver 3D ECM scaffolds as a platform for anti-fibrotic and anti-cancer drug testing. Decellularized 3D scaffolds obtained from healthy and cirrhotic human livers were bioengineered with LX2 and HEPG2 as single and co-cultures for up to 13 days and validated as a new drug-testing platform. Pro-fibrogenic markers and cancer phenotypic gene/protein expression and secretion were differently affected when single and co-cultures were exposed to TGF-β1 with specific ECM-dependent effects. The anti-fibrotic efficacy of Sorafenib significantly reduced TGF-β1-induced pro-fibrogenic effects, which coincided with a downregulation of STAT3 phosphorylation. The anti-cancer efficacy of Regorafenib was significantly reduced in 3D bioengineered cells when compared to 2D cultures and dose-dependently associated with cell apoptosis by cleaved PARP-1 activation and P-STAT3 inhibition. Regorafenib reversed TGF-β1-induced P-STAT3 and SHP-1 through induction of epithelial mesenchymal marker E-cadherin and downregulation of vimentin protein expression in both co-cultures engrafting healthy and cirrhotic 3D scaffolds. In their complex, the results of the study suggest that this newly proposed 3D co-culture platform is able to reproduce the natural physio-pathological microenvironment and could be employed for anti-fibrotic and anti-HCC drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kessarin Thanapirom
- Regenerative Medicine and Fibrosis Group, Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, Royal Free Campus, London NW3 2PF, UK; (K.T.); (E.C.); (M.P.); (L.F.); (W.A.-A.); (Z.Z.); (M.G.V.); (M.P.); (G.M.)
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Liver Fibrosis and Cirrhosis Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Elisabetta Caon
- Regenerative Medicine and Fibrosis Group, Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, Royal Free Campus, London NW3 2PF, UK; (K.T.); (E.C.); (M.P.); (L.F.); (W.A.-A.); (Z.Z.); (M.G.V.); (M.P.); (G.M.)
| | - Margarita Papatheodoridi
- Regenerative Medicine and Fibrosis Group, Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, Royal Free Campus, London NW3 2PF, UK; (K.T.); (E.C.); (M.P.); (L.F.); (W.A.-A.); (Z.Z.); (M.G.V.); (M.P.); (G.M.)
| | - Luca Frenguelli
- Regenerative Medicine and Fibrosis Group, Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, Royal Free Campus, London NW3 2PF, UK; (K.T.); (E.C.); (M.P.); (L.F.); (W.A.-A.); (Z.Z.); (M.G.V.); (M.P.); (G.M.)
| | - Walid Al-Akkad
- Regenerative Medicine and Fibrosis Group, Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, Royal Free Campus, London NW3 2PF, UK; (K.T.); (E.C.); (M.P.); (L.F.); (W.A.-A.); (Z.Z.); (M.G.V.); (M.P.); (G.M.)
| | - Zhang Zhenzhen
- Regenerative Medicine and Fibrosis Group, Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, Royal Free Campus, London NW3 2PF, UK; (K.T.); (E.C.); (M.P.); (L.F.); (W.A.-A.); (Z.Z.); (M.G.V.); (M.P.); (G.M.)
| | - Maria Giovanna Vilia
- Regenerative Medicine and Fibrosis Group, Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, Royal Free Campus, London NW3 2PF, UK; (K.T.); (E.C.); (M.P.); (L.F.); (W.A.-A.); (Z.Z.); (M.G.V.); (M.P.); (G.M.)
| | - Massimo Pinzani
- Regenerative Medicine and Fibrosis Group, Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, Royal Free Campus, London NW3 2PF, UK; (K.T.); (E.C.); (M.P.); (L.F.); (W.A.-A.); (Z.Z.); (M.G.V.); (M.P.); (G.M.)
- Sheila Sherlock Liver Centre, Royal Free Hospital, London NW3 2QG, UK
| | - Giuseppe Mazza
- Regenerative Medicine and Fibrosis Group, Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, Royal Free Campus, London NW3 2PF, UK; (K.T.); (E.C.); (M.P.); (L.F.); (W.A.-A.); (Z.Z.); (M.G.V.); (M.P.); (G.M.)
| | - Krista Rombouts
- Regenerative Medicine and Fibrosis Group, Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, Royal Free Campus, London NW3 2PF, UK; (K.T.); (E.C.); (M.P.); (L.F.); (W.A.-A.); (Z.Z.); (M.G.V.); (M.P.); (G.M.)
- Correspondence:
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Wu M, Miao H, Fu R, Zhang J, Zheng W. Hepatic Stellate Cell: A Potential Target for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Curr Mol Pharmacol 2021; 13:261-272. [PMID: 32091349 DOI: 10.2174/1874467213666200224102820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Liver cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, in which hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for the majority. Despite the progression in treatment, the prognosis remains extremely poor for HCC patients. The mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis are complex, of which fibrosis is acknowledged as the pre-cancerous stage of HCC. Approximately, 80-90% of HCC develops in the fibrotic or cirrhotic livers. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the main effector cells of liver fibrosis, could secret various biological contents to maintain the liver inflammation. By decades, HSCs are increasingly correlated with HCC in the tumor microenvironment. In this review, we summarized the underlying mechanisms that HSCs participated in the genesis and progression of HCC. HSCs secrete various bioactive contents and regulate tumor-related pathways, subsequently contribute to metastasis, angiogenesis, immunosuppression, chemoresistance and cancer stemness. The study indicates that HSC plays vital roles in HCC progression, suggesting it as a promising therapeutic target for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengna Wu
- Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 Xisi Road, 226001 Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Huajie Miao
- Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 Xisi Road, 226001 Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rong Fu
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Haian Hospital of Nantong University, 17 Zhongba Road, 226600, Haian, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Chemotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 Xisi Road, 226001 Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenjie Zheng
- Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 Xisi Road, 226001 Nantong, Jiangsu, China
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Pozzi S, Scomparin A, Israeli Dangoor S, Rodriguez Ajamil D, Ofek P, Neufeld L, Krivitsky A, Vaskovich-Koubi D, Kleiner R, Dey P, Koshrovski-Michael S, Reisman N, Satchi-Fainaro R. Meet me halfway: Are in vitro 3D cancer models on the way to replace in vivo models for nanomedicine development? Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 175:113760. [PMID: 33838208 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The complexity and diversity of the biochemical processes that occur during tumorigenesis and metastasis are frequently over-simplified in the traditional in vitro cell cultures. Two-dimensional cultures limit researchers' experimental observations and frequently give rise to misleading and contradictory results. Therefore, in order to overcome the limitations of in vitro studies and bridge the translational gap to in vivo applications, 3D models of cancer were developed in the last decades. The three dimensions of the tumor, including its cellular and extracellular microenvironment, are recreated by combining co-cultures of cancer and stromal cells in 3D hydrogel-based growth factors-inclusive scaffolds. More complex 3D cultures, containing functional blood vasculature, can integrate in the system external stimuli (e.g. oxygen and nutrient deprivation, cytokines, growth factors) along with drugs, or other therapeutic compounds. In this scenario, cell signaling pathways, metastatic cascade steps, cell differentiation and self-renewal, tumor-microenvironment interactions, and precision and personalized medicine, are among the wide range of biological applications that can be studied. Here, we discuss a broad variety of strategies exploited by scientists to create in vitro 3D cancer models that resemble as much as possible the biology and patho-physiology of in vivo tumors and predict faithfully the treatment outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabina Pozzi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Anna Scomparin
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, Via P. Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Sahar Israeli Dangoor
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Daniel Rodriguez Ajamil
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Paula Ofek
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Lena Neufeld
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Adva Krivitsky
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Daniella Vaskovich-Koubi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Ron Kleiner
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Pradip Dey
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Shani Koshrovski-Michael
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Noa Reisman
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Ronit Satchi-Fainaro
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
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Blidisel A, Marcovici I, Coricovac D, Hut F, Dehelean CA, Cretu OM. Experimental Models of Hepatocellular Carcinoma-A Preclinical Perspective. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3651. [PMID: 34359553 PMCID: PMC8344976 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13153651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most frequent form of primary liver carcinoma, is a heterogenous and complex tumor type with increased incidence, poor prognosis, and high mortality. The actual therapeutic arsenal is narrow and poorly effective, rendering this disease a global health concern. Although considerable progress has been made in terms of understanding the pathogenesis, molecular mechanisms, genetics, and therapeutical approaches, several facets of human HCC remain undiscovered. A valuable and prompt approach to acquire further knowledge about the unrevealed aspects of HCC and novel therapeutic candidates is represented by the application of experimental models. Experimental models (in vivo and in vitro 2D and 3D models) are considered reliable tools to gather data for clinical usability. This review offers an overview of the currently available preclinical models frequently applied for the study of hepatocellular carcinoma in terms of initiation, development, and progression, as well as for the discovery of efficient treatments, highlighting the advantages and the limitations of each model. Furthermore, we also focus on the role played by computational studies (in silico models and artificial intelligence-based prediction models) as promising novel tools in liver cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandru Blidisel
- Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania; (A.B.); (F.H.); (O.M.C.)
| | - Iasmina Marcovici
- Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania;
- Research Center for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluations, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Dorina Coricovac
- Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania;
- Research Center for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluations, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Florin Hut
- Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania; (A.B.); (F.H.); (O.M.C.)
| | - Cristina Adriana Dehelean
- Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania;
- Research Center for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluations, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania
| | - Octavian Marius Cretu
- Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, RO-300041 Timișoara, Romania; (A.B.); (F.H.); (O.M.C.)
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Wassmer CH, Bellofatto K, Perez L, Lavallard V, Cottet-Dumoulin D, Ljubicic S, Parnaud G, Bosco D, Berishvili E, Lebreton F. Engineering of Primary Pancreatic Islet Cell Spheroids for Three-dimensional Culture or Transplantation: A Methodological Comparative Study. Cell Transplant 2021; 29:963689720937292. [PMID: 32749168 PMCID: PMC7563811 DOI: 10.1177/0963689720937292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture by engineering spheroids has gained increasing attention in recent years because of the potential advantages of such systems over conventional two-dimensional (2D) tissue culture. Benefits include the ability of 3D to provide a more physiologically relevant environment, for the generation of uniform, size-controlled spheroids with organ-like microarchitecture and morphology. In recent years, different techniques have been described for the generation of cellular spheroids. Here, we have compared the efficiency of four different methods of islet cell aggregation. Rat pancreatic islets were dissociated into single cells before reaggregation. Spheroids were generated either by (i) self-aggregation in nonadherent petri dishes, (ii) in 3D hanging drop culture, (iii) in agarose microwell plates or (iv) using the Sphericalplate 5D™. Generated spheroids consisted of 250 cells, except for the self-aggregation method, where the number of cells per spheroid cannot be controlled. Cell function and morphology were assessed by glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) test and histology, respectively. The quantity of material, labor intensity, and time necessary for spheroid production were compared between the different techniques. Results were also compared with native islets. Native islets and self-aggregated spheroids showed an important heterogeneity in terms of size and shape and were larger than spheroids generated with the other methods. Spheroids generated in hanging drops, in the Sphericalplate 5D™, and in agarose microwell plates were homogeneous, with well-defined round shape and a mean diameter of 90 µm. GSIS results showed improved insulin secretion in response to glucose in comparison with native islets and self-aggregated spheroids. Spheroids can be generated using different techniques and each of them present advantages and inconveniences. For islet cell aggregation, we recommend, based on our results, to use the hanging drop technique, the agarose microwell plates, or the Sphericalplate 5D™ depending on the experiments, the latter being the only option available for large-scale spheroids production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles-Henri Wassmer
- Cell Isolation and Transplantation Center, Department of Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Faculty Diabetes Center, University of Geneva Medical Center, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Kevin Bellofatto
- Cell Isolation and Transplantation Center, Department of Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Faculty Diabetes Center, University of Geneva Medical Center, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Lisa Perez
- Cell Isolation and Transplantation Center, Department of Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Faculty Diabetes Center, University of Geneva Medical Center, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Vanessa Lavallard
- Cell Isolation and Transplantation Center, Department of Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Faculty Diabetes Center, University of Geneva Medical Center, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - David Cottet-Dumoulin
- Cell Isolation and Transplantation Center, Department of Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Faculty Diabetes Center, University of Geneva Medical Center, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sanda Ljubicic
- Cell Isolation and Transplantation Center, Department of Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Faculty Diabetes Center, University of Geneva Medical Center, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Géraldine Parnaud
- Cell Isolation and Transplantation Center, Department of Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Faculty Diabetes Center, University of Geneva Medical Center, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Domenico Bosco
- Cell Isolation and Transplantation Center, Department of Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Faculty Diabetes Center, University of Geneva Medical Center, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ekaterine Berishvili
- Cell Isolation and Transplantation Center, Department of Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Faculty Diabetes Center, University of Geneva Medical Center, Geneva, Switzerland.,Institute of Medical and Public Health Research, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia.,Both the authors contributed equally to this article and share senior authorship
| | - Fanny Lebreton
- Cell Isolation and Transplantation Center, Department of Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Faculty Diabetes Center, University of Geneva Medical Center, Geneva, Switzerland.,Both the authors contributed equally to this article and share senior authorship
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34
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Esparza-Baquer A, Labiano I, Sharif O, Agirre-Lizaso A, Oakley F, Rodrigues PM, Zhuravleva E, O'Rourke CJ, Hijona E, Jimenez-Agüero R, Riaño I, Landa A, La Casta A, Zaki MYW, Munoz-Garrido P, Azkargorta M, Elortza F, Vogel A, Schabbauer G, Aspichueta P, Andersen JB, Knapp S, Mann DA, Bujanda L, Banales JM, Perugorria MJ. TREM-2 defends the liver against hepatocellular carcinoma through multifactorial protective mechanisms. Gut 2021; 70:1345-1361. [PMID: 32907830 PMCID: PMC8223629 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2019-319227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent and aggressive cancer usually arising on a background of chronic liver injury involving inflammatory and hepatic regenerative processes. The triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM-2) is predominantly expressed in hepatic non-parenchymal cells and inhibits Toll-like receptor signalling, protecting the liver from various hepatotoxic injuries, yet its role in liver cancer is poorly defined. Here, we investigated the impact of TREM-2 on liver regeneration and hepatocarcinogenesis. DESIGN TREM-2 expression was analysed in liver tissues of two independent cohorts of patients with HCC and compared with control liver samples. Experimental HCC and liver regeneration models in wild type and Trem-2-/- mice, and in vitro studies with hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and HCC spheroids were conducted. RESULTS TREM-2 expression was upregulated in human HCC tissue, in mouse models of liver regeneration and HCC. Trem-2-/- mice developed more liver tumours irrespective of size after diethylnitrosamine (DEN) administration, displayed exacerbated liver damage, inflammation, oxidative stress and hepatocyte proliferation. Administering an antioxidant diet blocked DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in both genotypes. Similarly, Trem-2-/- animals developed more and larger tumours in fibrosis-associated HCC models. Trem-2-/- livers showed increased hepatocyte proliferation and inflammation after partial hepatectomy. Conditioned media from human HSCs overexpressing TREM-2 inhibited human HCC spheroid growth in vitro through attenuated Wnt ligand secretion. CONCLUSION TREM-2 plays a protective role in hepatocarcinogenesis via different pleiotropic effects, suggesting that TREM-2 agonism should be investigated as it might beneficially impact HCC pathogenesis in a multifactorial manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aitor Esparza-Baquer
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Ibone Labiano
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Omar Sharif
- Institute for Vascular Biology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Arginine Metabolism in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis, Vienna, Austria
| | - Aloña Agirre-Lizaso
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Fiona Oakley
- Newcastle Fibrosis Research Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Pedro M Rodrigues
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
- CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ekaterina Zhuravleva
- Department of Health and Medical Sciences, Biotech Research & Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Colm J O'Rourke
- Department of Health and Medical Sciences, Biotech Research & Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Elizabeth Hijona
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
- CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Raul Jimenez-Agüero
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Ioana Riaño
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Ana Landa
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Adelaida La Casta
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Marco Y W Zaki
- Newcastle Fibrosis Research Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minya, Egypt
| | - Patricia Munoz-Garrido
- Department of Health and Medical Sciences, Biotech Research & Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mikel Azkargorta
- CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Proteomics Platform, CIC bioGUNE, ProteoRed-ISCIII, Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, Derio, Spain
| | - Felix Elortza
- CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Proteomics Platform, CIC bioGUNE, ProteoRed-ISCIII, Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, Derio, Spain
| | - Andrea Vogel
- Institute for Vascular Biology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Arginine Metabolism in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gernot Schabbauer
- Institute for Vascular Biology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Arginine Metabolism in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis, Vienna, Austria
| | - Patricia Aspichueta
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Lejona, Spain
| | - Jesper B Andersen
- Department of Health and Medical Sciences, Biotech Research & Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sylvia Knapp
- CeMM, Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Medicine I, Laboratory of Infection Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Derek A Mann
- Newcastle Fibrosis Research Group, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Luis Bujanda
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
- CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Lejona, Spain
| | - Jesus Maria Banales
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
- CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Maria Jesus Perugorria
- Department of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
- CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Lejona, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
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Dominijanni AJ, Devarasetty M, Forsythe SD, Votanopoulos KI, Soker S. Cell Viability Assays in Three-Dimensional Hydrogels: A Comparative Study of Accuracy. Tissue Eng Part C Methods 2021; 27:401-410. [PMID: 34082602 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tec.2021.0060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems, such as tumor organoids and multicellular tumor spheroids, have been developed in part as a result of major advances in tissue engineering and biofabrication techniques. 3D cell culture offers great capabilities in drug development, screening, testing, and precision medicine owing to its physiological accuracy. However, since the inception of 3D systems, few methods have been reported to successfully analyze cell viability quantitatively within hydrogel constructs. In this study, we describe and compare commercially available viability assays developed for two-dimensional (2D) applications for use in 3D constructs composed of organic, synthetic, or hybrid hydrogel formulations. We utilized Promega's CellTiter-Glo®, CellTiter-Glo 3D, and CellTiter 96® MTS Assay along with Thermo Fisher's PrestoBlue™ assay to determine if these assays can be used accurately in 3D systems. Compared with direct cell viability commonly used in 2D cell culture, our results show cellular health output inaccuracies among each assay in differing hydrogel formulations. Our results should inform researchers of potential errors when using cell viability measurements in 3D cultures and conclude that microscopic imaging should be used, in combination, for validation. Impact statement Three-dimensional (3D) tissue organoids models are a valuable tool not only for studying drug toxicity but also for understanding human embryonic development, intra-tissue morphogenesis, and mechanisms of disease. In cancer organoids, such 3D models may be used for preclinical chemotherapy screening and for understanding cell death and viability mechanisms under physiologically relevant conditions. Cell viability assays are necessary for assessing the effect of biological reagents on cellular health and have been used on in vitro cell cultures for many years. With the increase of 3D systems in cellular biology research to determine therapeutic efficacy, two-dimensional assays that measure cell viability are being used outside their intended use on 3D constructs. In this study, we assess the accuracy of using various commercially available cell viability assays on different 3D hydrogel constructs to help researchers understand expected variability in their experimentation along microscopic imaging validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J Dominijanni
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mahesh Devarasetty
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Steven D Forsythe
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Konstantinos I Votanopoulos
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.,Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Wake Forest Baptist Health, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Shay Soker
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA
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36
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Özkan A, Stolley DL, Cressman ENK, McMillin M, DeMorrow S, Yankeelov TE, Rylander MN. Tumor Microenvironment Alters Chemoresistance of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through CYP3A4 Metabolic Activity. Front Oncol 2021; 11:662135. [PMID: 34262860 PMCID: PMC8273608 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.662135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Variations in tumor biology from patient to patient combined with the low overall survival rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) present significant clinical challenges. During the progression of chronic liver diseases from inflammation to the development of HCC, microenvironmental properties, including tissue stiffness and oxygen concentration, change over time. This can potentially impact drug metabolism and subsequent therapy response to commonly utilized therapeutics, such as doxorubicin, multi-kinase inhibitors (e.g., sorafenib), and other drugs, including immunotherapies. In this study, we utilized four common HCC cell lines embedded in 3D collagen type-I gels of varying stiffnesses to mimic normal and cirrhotic livers with environmental oxygen regulation to quantify the impact of these microenvironmental factors on HCC chemoresistance. In general, we found that HCC cells with higher baseline levels of cytochrome p450-3A4 (CYP3A4) enzyme expression, HepG2 and C3Asub28, exhibited a cirrhosis-dependent increase in doxorubicin chemoresistance. Under the same conditions, HCC cell lines with lower CYP3A4 expression, HuH-7 and Hep3B2, showed a decrease in doxorubicin chemoresistance in response to an increase in microenvironmental stiffness. This differential therapeutic response was correlated with the regulation of CYP3A4 expression levels under the influence of stiffness and oxygen variation. In all tested HCC cell lines, the addition of sorafenib lowered the required doxorubicin dose to induce significant levels of cell death, demonstrating its potential to help reduce systemic doxorubicin toxicity when used in combination. These results suggest that patient-specific tumor microenvironmental factors, including tissue stiffness, hypoxia, and CYP3A4 activity levels, may need to be considered for more effective use of chemotherapeutics in HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alican Özkan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Danielle L. Stolley
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Erik N. K. Cressman
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Matthew McMillin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
- Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX, United States
| | - Sharon DeMorrow
- Department of Internal Medicine, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
- Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX, United States
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Thomas E. Yankeelov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, United States
- Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, United States
- Departments of Diagnostic Medicine, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, United States
- Department of Oncology, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, United States
- Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Marissa Nichole Rylander
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, United States
- Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, United States
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Tumor spheroid-based microtumor models for preclinical evaluation of anticancer nanomedicines. JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL INVESTIGATION 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s40005-021-00534-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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38
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Ogoke O, Yousef O, Ott C, Kalinousky A, Lin W, Shamul C, Ross S, Parashurama N. Modeling Liver Organogenesis by Recreating Three-Dimensional Collective Cell Migration: A Role for TGFβ Pathway. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:621286. [PMID: 34211963 PMCID: PMC8239196 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.621286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) collective cell migration (CCM) is critical for improving liver cell therapies, eliciting mechanisms of liver disease, and modeling human liver development and organogenesis. Mechanisms of CCM differ in 2D vs. 3D systems, and existing models are limited to 2D or transwell-based systems, suggesting there is a need for improved 3D models of CCM. To recreate liver 3D CCM, we engineered in vitro 3D models based upon a morphogenetic transition that occurs during liver organogenesis, which occurs rapidly between E8.5 and E9.5 (mouse). During this morphogenetic transition, 3D CCM exhibits co-migration (multiple cell types), thick-strand interactions with surrounding septum transversum mesenchyme (STM), branching morphogenesis, and 3D interstitial migration. Here, we engineer several 3D in vitro culture systems, each of which mimics one of these processes in vitro. In mixed spheroids bearing both liver cells and uniquely MRC-5 (fetal lung) fibroblasts, we observed evidence of co-migration, and a significant increase in length and number of liver spheroid protrusions, which was highly sensitive to transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) stimulation. In MRC-5-conditioned medium (M-CM) experiments, we observed dose-dependent branching morphogenesis associated with an upregulation of Twist1, which was inhibited by a broad TGFβ inhibitor. In models in which liver spheroids and MRC-5 spheroids were co-cultured, we observed complex strand morphogenesis, whereby thin, linear, 3D liver cell strands attach to the MRC-5 spheroid, anchor and thicken to form permanent and thick anchoring contacts between the two spheroids. In these spheroid co-culture models, we also observed spheroid fusion and strong evidence for interstitial migration. In conclusion, we present several novel cultivation systems that recreate distinct features of liver 3D CCM. These methodologies will greatly improve our molecular, cellular, and tissue-scale understanding of liver organogenesis, liver diseases like cancer, and liver cell therapy, and will also serve as a tool to bridge conventional 2D studies and preclinical in vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ogechi Ogoke
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo (State University of New York), Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Osama Yousef
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo (State University of New York), Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Cortney Ott
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo (State University of New York), Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Allison Kalinousky
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo (State University of New York), Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Wayne Lin
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo (State University of New York), Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Claire Shamul
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo (State University of New York), Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Shatoni Ross
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo (State University of New York), Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Natesh Parashurama
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo (State University of New York), Buffalo, NY, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo (State University of New York), Buffalo, NY, United States.,Clinical and Translational Research Center, University at Buffalo (State University of New York), Buffalo, NY, United States
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39
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Hu XB, Qin Y, Fan WT, Liu YL, Huang WH. A Three-Dimensional Electrochemical Biosensor Integrated with Hydrogel Enables Real-Time Monitoring of Cells under Their In Vivo-like Microenvironment. Anal Chem 2021; 93:7917-7924. [PMID: 34019392 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c00621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture can better reproduce the in vivo cell environment and has been extensively used in fields such as tissue engineering, drug screening, and pathological research. Despite the tremendous advancement of 3D cultures, an analysis technique that could collect real-time information of the biological processes therein is sorely lacking. Electrochemical sensing with fast response and high sensitivity has played a vital role in real-time monitoring of living cells, but most current sensors are based on planar electrodes and fail to perfectly match the 3D cell culture matrix. Herein, we developed a robust 3D electrochemical sensor based on functionalized graphene foam (GF), which could be integrated with hydrogels for the 3D culture and in situ monitoring of cells for the first time. Specifically, platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) electrodeposited on GF (GF/Pt NPs) conferred the prominent electrochemical sensing performance, and the anti-fouling coating of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) endowed the GF/Pt NPs electrode with greatly improved stability. As a proof of concept, collagen hydrogel with microglia seeded in was filled into the interspace of the 3D GF/Pt NPs/PEDOT sensor to establish an integrated platform, which allowed the successful real-time monitoring of reactive oxygen species released from microglia in the collagen matrix. Given the versatility, our proposed biosensor in conjunction with various 3D culture models will serve as an excellent tool to provide biochemical information of cells under their in vivo-like microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Bo Hu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.,College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute for Conservation and Utilization of Agro-bioresources in Dabie Mountains, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang 464000, China
| | - Yu Qin
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Wen-Ting Fan
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Yan-Ling Liu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Wei-Hua Huang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
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40
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Yamanaka T, Harimoto N, Yokobori T, Muranushi R, Hoshino K, Hagiwara K, Gantumur D, Handa T, Ishii N, Tsukagoshi M, Igarashi T, Watanabe A, Kubo N, Araki K, Umezawa K, Shirabe K. Conophylline Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Inhibiting Activated Cancer-associated Fibroblasts Through Suppression of G Protein-coupled Receptor 68. Mol Cancer Ther 2021; 20:1019-1028. [PMID: 33722852 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-20-0150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is currently challenging. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) promote the malignancy of HCC cells via production of cytokines. Conophylline (CnP), a vinca alkaloid obtained from Ervatamia microphylla leaves, has been reported to suppress activation of hepatic stellate cells and liver fibrosis in rats. We examined the efficacy of CnP in suppressing tumor growth in HCC. Specifically, we investigated whether CnP could inhibit CAFs, which were derived from HCC tissues in vitro and in vivo Same as previous reports, CAFs promoted proliferative and invasive ability of HCC cells. CnP suppressed α-smooth muscle actin expression of CAFs, and inhibited their cancer-promoting effects. CnP significantly suppressed CAFs producting cytokines such as IL6, IL8, C-C motif chemokine ligand 2, angiogenin, and osteopontin (OPN). Combined therapy with sorafenib and CnP against HCC cells and CAFs in vivo showed to inhibit tumor growth the most compared with controls and single treatment with CnP or sorafenib. Transcriptome analysis revealed that GPR68 in CAFs was strongly suppressed by CnP. The cancer-promoting effects of cytokines were eliminated by knockdown of GPR68 in CAFs. CnP inhibited the HCC-promoting effects of CAFs by suppressing several HCC-promoting cytokines secreted by CAFs expressing GPR68. Combination therapy with CnP and existing anticancer agents may be a promising strategy for treating refractory HCC associated with activated CAFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Yamanaka
- Department of General Surgical Science, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Gunma University, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan
| | - Norifumi Harimoto
- Department of General Surgical Science, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Gunma University, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan.
| | | | - Ryo Muranushi
- Department of General Surgical Science, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Gunma University, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan
| | - Kouki Hoshino
- Department of General Surgical Science, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Gunma University, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan
| | - Kei Hagiwara
- Department of General Surgical Science, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Gunma University, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan
| | - Dolgormaa Gantumur
- Department of General Surgical Science, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Gunma University, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan
| | - Tadashi Handa
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Gunma University, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan.,Department of Social Welfare, Gunma University of Health and Welfare, Gunma, Japan
| | - Norihiro Ishii
- Department of General Surgical Science, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Gunma University, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan
| | - Mariko Tsukagoshi
- Department of General Surgical Science, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Gunma University, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan.,Department of Innovative Cancer Immunotherapy, Gunma University, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan
| | - Takamichi Igarashi
- Department of General Surgical Science, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Gunma University, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan
| | - Akira Watanabe
- Department of General Surgical Science, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Gunma University, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan
| | - Norio Kubo
- Department of General Surgical Science, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Gunma University, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan
| | - Kenichiro Araki
- Department of General Surgical Science, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Gunma University, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan
| | - Kazuo Umezawa
- Department of Molecular Target Medicine, Aichi Medical University, School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
| | - Ken Shirabe
- Department of General Surgical Science, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Gunma University, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan
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41
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Decarli MC, do Amaral RLF, Dos Santos DP, Tofani LB, Katayama E, Rezende RA, Silva JVLD, Swiech K, Suazo CAT, Mota C, Moroni L, Moraes ÂM. Cell spheroids as a versatile research platform: formation mechanisms, high throughput production, characterization and applications. Biofabrication 2021; 13. [PMID: 33592595 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/abe6f2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Three-dimensional cell culture has tremendous advantages to closely mimic the in vivo architecture and microenvironment of healthy tissue and organs, as well as of solid tumors. Spheroids are currently the most attractive 3D model to produce uniform reproducible cell structures as well as a potential basis for engineering large tissues and complex organs. In this review we discuss, from an engineering perspective, processes to obtain uniform 3D cell spheroids, comparing dynamic and static cultures and considering aspects such as mass transfer and shear stress. In addition, computational and mathematical modelling of complex cell spheroid systems are discussed. The non-cell-adhesive hydrogel-based method and dynamic cell culture in bioreactors are focused in detail and the myriad of developed spheroid characterization techniques is presented. The main bottlenecks and weaknesses are discussed, especially regarding the analysis of morphological parameters, cell quantification and viability, gene expression profiles, metabolic behavior and high-content analysis. Finally, a vast set of applications of spheroids as tools for in vitro study model systems is examined, including drug screening, tissue formation, pathologies development, tissue engineering and biofabrication, 3D bioprinting and microfluidics, together with their use in high-throughput platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monize Caiado Decarli
- School of Chemical Engineering/Department of Engineering of Materials and of Bioprocesses, University of Campinas, Av. Albert Einstein, 500 - Bloco A - Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Campinas, SP, 13083-852, BRAZIL
| | - Robson Luis Ferraz do Amaral
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto/Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Avenida do Café, no number, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14040-903, BRAZIL
| | - Diogo Peres Dos Santos
- Departament of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luiz (SP-310), km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, BRAZIL
| | - Larissa Bueno Tofani
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto/Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Avenida do Café, no number, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14040-903, BRAZIL
| | - Eric Katayama
- Departament of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luiz (SP-310), km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, BRAZIL
| | - Rodrigo Alvarenga Rezende
- Centro de Tecnologia da Informacao Renato Archer, Rod. Dom Pedro I (SP-65), km 143,6 - Amarais, Campinas, SP, 13069-901, BRAZIL
| | - Jorge Vicente Lopes da Silva
- Centro de Tecnologia da Informacao Renato Archer, Rod. Dom Pedro I (SP-65), km 143,6 - Amarais, Campinas, SP, 13069-901, BRAZIL
| | - Kamilla Swiech
- University of Sao Paulo, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto/Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ribeirao Preto, SP, 14040-903, BRAZIL
| | - Cláudio Alberto Torres Suazo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luiz (SP-310), km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, BRAZIL
| | - Carlos Mota
- Department of Complex Tissue Regeneration (CTR), University of Maastricht , Universiteitssingel, 40, office 3.541A, Maastricht, 6229 ER, NETHERLANDS
| | - Lorenzo Moroni
- Complex Tissue Regeneration, Maastricht University, Universiteitsingel, 40, Maastricht, 6229ER, NETHERLANDS
| | - Ângela Maria Moraes
- School of Chemical Engineering/Department of Engineering of Materials and of Bioprocesses, University of Campinas, Av. Albert Einstein, 500 - Bloco A - Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Campinas, SP, 13083-852, BRAZIL
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42
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Dominijanni A, Devarasetty M, Soker S. Manipulating the Tumor Microenvironment in Tumor Organoids Induces Phenotypic Changes and Chemoresistance. iScience 2020; 23:101851. [PMID: 33319176 PMCID: PMC7724203 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumors comprised a tightly surrounded tumor microenvironment, made up of non-cellular extracellular matrix (ECM) and stromal cells. Although treatment response is often attributed to tumor heterogeneity, progression and malignancy are profoundly influenced by tumor cell interactions with the surrounding ECM. Here, we used a tumor organoid model, consisting of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) embedded in collagen type 1 (Col1) and colorectal cancer cell (HCT-116) spheroids, to determine the relationship between the ECM architecture, cancer cell malignancy, and chemoresistance. Exogenous transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) used to activate the HSCs increased the remodeling and bundling of Col1 in the ECM around the cancer spheroid. A dense ECM architecture inhibited tumor cell growth, reversed their mesenchymal phenotype, preserved stem cell population, and reduced chemotherapy response. Overall, our results demonstrate that controlled biofabrication and manipulation of the ECM in tumor organoids results enables studying tumor cell-ECM interactions and better understand tumor cell response to chemotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Dominijanni
- Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
| | - Mahesh Devarasetty
- Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
| | - Shay Soker
- Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
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43
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Three-Dimensional Spheroids as In Vitro Preclinical Models for Cancer Research. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:pharmaceutics12121186. [PMID: 33291351 PMCID: PMC7762220 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12121186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Most cancer biologists still rely on conventional two-dimensional (2D) monolayer culture techniques to test in vitro anti-tumor drugs prior to in vivo testing. However, the vast majority of promising preclinical drugs have no or weak efficacy in real patients with tumors, thereby delaying the discovery of successful therapeutics. This is because 2D culture lacks cell–cell contacts and natural tumor microenvironment, important in tumor signaling and drug response, thereby resulting in a reduced malignant phenotype compared to the real tumor. In this sense, three-dimensional (3D) cultures of cancer cells that better recapitulate in vivo cell environments emerged as scientifically accurate and low cost cancer models for preclinical screening and testing of new drug candidates before moving to expensive and time-consuming animal models. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of 3D tumor systems and highlight the strategies for spheroid construction and evaluation tools of targeted therapies, focusing on their applicability in cancer research. Examples of the applicability of 3D culture for the evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of nanomedicines are discussed.
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44
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Fröhlich E. Issues with Cancer Spheroid Models in Therapeutic Drug Screening. Curr Pharm Des 2020; 26:2137-2148. [PMID: 32067603 DOI: 10.2174/1381612826666200218094200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
In vitro screening for anti-cancer agents currently uses mainly cell lines in 2D culture. It is generally assumed that 3D culture, namely spheroids, represents physiologically more relevant models for tumors. Unfortunately, drug testing in spheroids is not as easy and reproducible as in 2D culture because there are factors that limit the universal use of spheroids as screening platforms. Technical problems in the generation of uniform spheroids, cell/tumor-specific differences in the ability to form spheroids, and more complex readout parameters are the main reasons for differences between spheroid data. The review discusses requirements for cancer spheroids to be representative models, suitable methodologies to generate spheroids for the screening and readout parameters for the evaluation of anti-cancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonore Fröhlich
- Center for Medical Research, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
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45
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Ceballos MP, Angel A, Delprato CB, Livore VI, Ferretti AC, Lucci A, Comanzo CG, Alvarez MDL, Quiroga AD, Mottino AD, Carrillo MC. Sirtuin 1 and 2 inhibitors enhance the inhibitory effect of sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Eur J Pharmacol 2020; 892:173736. [PMID: 33220273 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Multidrug resistance (MDR) counteracts the efficiency of sorafenib, an important first-line therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Sirtuins (SIRTs) 1 and 2 are associated with tumor progression and MDR. We treated 2D and 3D cultures (which mimic the features of in vivo tumors) from HCC cells with sorafenib alone or in the presence of SIRTs 1 and 2 inhibitors (cambinol or EX-527; combined treatments). Cultures subjected to combined treatments showed a greater fall in cellular viability, proliferation (PCNA, cyclin D1 and Ki-67 expression and cell cycle analysis), migration and invasion when compared with cultures treated only with sorafenib. Similarly, combined treatments produced more apoptosis (annexin V/PI, caspase-3/7 activity) than sorafenib alone. Since cell cycle dysregulation and apoptotic blockage are reported mechanisms of MDR, the modulation found in PCNA, cyclin D1, Ki-67 and caspase-3/7 proteins by cambinol and EX-527 are probably playing a role in enhancing the sensitivity of HCC cell lines to sorafenib. EX-527 reduced MRP3 and BCRP expression in sorafenib-treated HCC cells. Since ABC transporters contribute to MDR, MRP3 and BCRP could be also influencing in the response of HCC cells to sorafenib. Overall, 2D and 3D cultures behave similarly except that 3D cultures were less sensitive to treatments, reinforcing the clinical relevance of the current study. Findings presented in this manuscript support a potential application for SIRTs 1 and 2 inhibitors since we demonstrated that these compounds enhance the inhibitory effect of sorafenib upon treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma cells lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Paula Ceballos
- Instituto de Fisiología Experimental (IFISE), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, CONICET, UNR, Suipacha 570, 2000, Rosario, Argentina.
| | - Antonella Angel
- Instituto de Fisiología Experimental (IFISE), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, CONICET, UNR, Suipacha 570, 2000, Rosario, Argentina.
| | - Carla Beatriz Delprato
- Instituto de Fisiología Experimental (IFISE), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, CONICET, UNR, Suipacha 570, 2000, Rosario, Argentina.
| | - Verónica Inés Livore
- Instituto de Fisiología Experimental (IFISE), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, CONICET, UNR, Suipacha 570, 2000, Rosario, Argentina.
| | - Anabela Cecilia Ferretti
- Área Morfología, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, UNR, Suipacha 570, 2000, Rosario, Argentina.
| | - Alvaro Lucci
- Instituto de Fisiología Experimental (IFISE), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, CONICET, UNR, Suipacha 570, 2000, Rosario, Argentina; Área Morfología, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, UNR, Suipacha 570, 2000, Rosario, Argentina.
| | - Carla Gabriela Comanzo
- Instituto de Fisiología Experimental (IFISE), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, CONICET, UNR, Suipacha 570, 2000, Rosario, Argentina.
| | - María de Luján Alvarez
- Instituto de Fisiología Experimental (IFISE), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, CONICET, UNR, Suipacha 570, 2000, Rosario, Argentina; Área Morfología, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, UNR, Suipacha 570, 2000, Rosario, Argentina.
| | - Ariel Darío Quiroga
- Instituto de Fisiología Experimental (IFISE), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, CONICET, UNR, Suipacha 570, 2000, Rosario, Argentina; Área Morfología, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, UNR, Suipacha 570, 2000, Rosario, Argentina.
| | - Aldo Domingo Mottino
- Instituto de Fisiología Experimental (IFISE), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, CONICET, UNR, Suipacha 570, 2000, Rosario, Argentina.
| | - María Cristina Carrillo
- Instituto de Fisiología Experimental (IFISE), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, CONICET, UNR, Suipacha 570, 2000, Rosario, Argentina; Área Morfología, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, UNR, Suipacha 570, 2000, Rosario, Argentina.
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46
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Zhang J, Gu C, Song Q, Zhu M, Xu Y, Xiao M, Zheng W. Identifying cancer-associated fibroblasts as emerging targets for hepatocellular carcinoma. Cell Biosci 2020; 10:127. [PMID: 33292459 PMCID: PMC7603733 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-020-00488-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex multicellular functional compartment that includes fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, endothelial cells, immune cells, and extracellular matrix (ECM) elements. The microenvironment provides an optimum condition for the initiation, growth, and dissemination of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As one of the critical and abundant components in tumor microenvironment, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have been implicated in the progression of HCC. Through secreting various growth factors and cytokines, CAFs contribute to the ECM remodeling, stem features, angiogenesis, immunosuppression, and vasculogenic mimicry (VM), which reinforce the initiation and development of HCC. In order to restrain the CAFs-initiated HCC progression, current strategies include targeting specific markers, engineering CAFs with tumor-suppressive phenotype, depleting CAFs’ precursors, and repressing the secretions or downstream signaling. In this review, we update the emerging understanding of CAFs in HCC, with particular emphasis on cellular origin, phenotypes, biological functions and targeted strategies. It provides insights into the targeting CAFs for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhang
- Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 Xisi Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chaoyu Gu
- School of Medicine, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qianqian Song
- Department of Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, One Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Mengqi Zhu
- Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 Xisi Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuqing Xu
- Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 Xisi Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Mingbing Xiao
- Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 Xisi Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Wenjie Zheng
- Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 Xisi Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
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47
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Natural and Synthetic Biomaterials for Engineering Multicellular Tumor Spheroids. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:polym12112506. [PMID: 33126468 PMCID: PMC7692845 DOI: 10.3390/polym12112506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The lack of in vitro models that represent the native tumor microenvironment is a significant challenge for cancer research. Two-dimensional (2D) monolayer culture has long been the standard for in vitro cell-based studies. However, differences between 2D culture and the in vivo environment have led to poor translation of cancer research from in vitro to in vivo models, slowing the progress of the field. Recent advances in three-dimensional (3D) culture have improved the ability of in vitro culture to replicate in vivo conditions. Although 3D cultures still cannot achieve the complexity of the in vivo environment, they can still better replicate the cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions of solid tumors. Multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS) are three-dimensional (3D) clusters of cells with tumor-like features such as oxygen gradients and drug resistance, and represent an important translational tool for cancer research. Accordingly, natural and synthetic polymers, including collagen, hyaluronic acid, Matrigel®, polyethylene glycol (PEG), alginate and chitosan, have been used to form and study MCTS for improved clinical translatability. This review evaluates the current state of biomaterial-based MCTS formation, including advantages and disadvantages of the different biomaterials and their recent applications to the field of cancer research, with a focus on the past five years.
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48
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Kang Y, Datta P, Shanmughapriya S, Ozbolat IT. 3D Bioprinting of Tumor Models for Cancer Research. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2020; 3:5552-5573. [DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.0c00791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Youngnam Kang
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Engineering Science and Mechanics Department, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Pallab Datta
- Centre for Healthcare Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology Shibpur, Howrah, West Bengal 711103, India
| | - Santhanam Shanmughapriya
- Department of Medicine, Penn State University, College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Penn State University, College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
- Heart and Vascular Institute, Penn State University, College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
| | - Ibrahim T. Ozbolat
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Engineering Science and Mechanics Department, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Materials Research Institute, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, Penn State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
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49
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Karimi H, Leszczyński B, Kołodziej T, Kubicz E, Przybyło M, Stępień E. X-ray microtomography as a new approach for imaging and analysis of tumor spheroids. Micron 2020; 137:102917. [PMID: 32693343 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2020.102917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) spheroids mimic important properties of tumors and may soon become a reasonable substitute for animal models and human tissue, eliminating numerous problems related to in vivo and ex vivo experiments and pre-clinical drug trials. Currently, various imaging methods including X-ray microtomography (micro-CT), exist but their spatial resolution is limited. Here, we visualized and provided a morphological analysis of spheroid cell cultures using micro-CT and compared it to that of confocal microscopy. An approach is proposed that can potentially open new diagnostic opportunities to determine the morphology of cancer cells cultured in 3D structures instead of using actual tumors. Spheroids were formed from human melanoma cell lines WM266-4 and WM115 seeded at different cell densities using the hanging drop method. Micro-CT analysis of spheroid showed that spheroid size and shape differed depending on the cell line, initial cell number, and duration of culture. The melanoma cell lines used in this study can successfully be cultured as 3D spheroids and used to substitute human and animal models in pre-clinical studies. The micro-CT allows for high-resolution visualization of the spheroids structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanieh Karimi
- Department of Medical Physics, M. Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Applied Computer Science, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Bartosz Leszczyński
- Department of Medical Physics, M. Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Applied Computer Science, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Tomasz Kołodziej
- Department of Molecular and Interfacial Biophysics, M. Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Applied Computer Science, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Ewelina Kubicz
- Department of Experimental Particle Physics and Applications, M. Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Applied Computer Science, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Małgorzata Przybyło
- Department of Glycoconjugate Biochemistry, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Ewa Stępień
- Department of Medical Physics, M. Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Applied Computer Science, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
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Devarasetty M, Forsythe SD, Shelkey E, Soker S. In Vitro Modeling of the Tumor Microenvironment in Tumor Organoids. Tissue Eng Regen Med 2020; 17:759-771. [PMID: 32399776 DOI: 10.1007/s13770-020-00258-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The tumor microenvironment (TME) represents the many components occupying the space within and surrounding a tumor, including cells, signaling factors, extracellular matrix, and vasculature. Each component has the potential to assume many forms and functions which in turn contribute to the overall state of the TME, and further contribute to the progression and disposition of the tumor itself. The sum of these components can drive a tumor towards progression, keep a migratory tumor at bay, or even control chemotherapeutic response. The wide potential for interaction that the TME is an integral part of a tumor's ecosystem, and it is imperative to include it when studying and modeling cancer in vitro. Fortunately, the development of tissue engineering and biofabrication technologies and methodologies have allowed widespread inclusion of TME-based factors into in vitro tissue-equivalent models. METHODS In this review, we compiled contemporary literature sources to provide an overview of the field of TME models, ranging from simple to complex. RESULTS We have identified important components of the TME, how they can be included in in vitro study, and cover examples across a range of cancer types. CONCLUSION Our goal with this text is to provide a foundation for prospective research into the TME.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahesh Devarasetty
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 391 Technology Way, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, USA
| | - Steven D Forsythe
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 391 Technology Way, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, USA
| | - Ethan Shelkey
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 391 Technology Way, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, USA
| | - Shay Soker
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 391 Technology Way, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, USA.
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