1
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Liguori GL. Challenges and Promise for Glioblastoma Treatment through Extracellular Vesicle Inquiry. Cells 2024; 13:336. [PMID: 38391949 PMCID: PMC10886570 DOI: 10.3390/cells13040336] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GB) is a rare but extremely aggressive brain tumor that significantly impacts patient outcomes, affecting both duration and quality of life. The protocol established by Stupp and colleagues in 2005, based on radiotherapy and chemotherapy with Temozolomide, following maximum safe surgical resection remains the gold standard for GB treatment; however, it is evident nowadays that the extreme intratumoral and intertumoral heterogeneity, as well as the invasiveness and tendency to recur, of GB are not compatible with a routine and unfortunately ineffective treatment. This review article summarizes the main challenges in the search for new valuable therapies for GB and focuses on the impact that extracellular vesicle (EV) research and exploitation may have in the field. EVs are natural particles delimited by a lipidic bilayer and filled with functional cellular content that are released and uptaken by cells as key means of cell communication. Furthermore, EVs are stable in body fluids and well tolerated by the immune system, and are able to cross physiological, interspecies, and interkingdom barriers and to target specific cells, releasing inherent or externally loaded functionally active molecules. Therefore, EVs have the potential to be ideal allies in the fight against GB and to improve the prognosis for GB patients. The present work describes the main preclinical results obtained so far on the use of EVs for GB treatment, focusing on both the EV sources and molecular cargo used in the various functional studies, primarily in vivo. Finally, a SWOT analysis is performed, highlighting the main advantages and pitfalls of developing EV-based GB therapeutic strategies. The analysis also suggests the main directions to explore to realize the possibility of exploiting EVs for the treatment of GB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna L Liguori
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics (IGB) "Adriano Buzzati-Traverso", National Research Council (CNR) of Italy, 80131 Naples, Italy
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2
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Liu Q, Liu Z, Gu H, Ge Y, Wu X, Zuo F, Du Q, Lei Y, Wang Z, Lin H. Comparative study of differentiating human pluripotent stem cells into vascular smooth muscle cells in hydrogel-based culture methods. Regen Ther 2022; 22:39-49. [PMID: 36618488 PMCID: PMC9798140 DOI: 10.1016/j.reth.2022.12.001] [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: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), which provides structural integrity and regulates the diameter of vasculature, are of great potential for modeling vascular-associated diseases and tissue engineering. Here, we presented a detailed comparison of differentiating human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into VSMCs (hPSCs-VSMCs) in four different culture methods, including 2-dimensional (2D) culture, 3-dimensional (3D) PNIPAAm-PEG hydrogel culture, 3-dimensional (3D) alginate hydrogel culture, and transferring 3-dimensional alginate hydrogel culture to 2-dimensional (2D) culture. Both hydrogel-based culture methods could mimic in vivo microenvironment to protect cells from shear force, and avoid cells agglomeration, resulting in the extremely high culture efficiency (e.g., high viability, high purity and high yield) compared with 2D culture. We demonstrated hPSC-VSMCs produced from hydrogel-based culture methods had better contractile phenotypes and the potential of vasculature formation. The transcriptome analysis showed the hPSC-VSMCs derived from hydrogel-based culture methods displayed more upregulated genes in vasculature development, angiogenesis and blood vessel development, extracellular matrix compared with 2D culture. Taken together, hPSC-VSMCs produced from hydrogel-based culture system could be applied in various biomedical fields, and further indicated the suitable development of alginate hydrogel for industrial production by taking all aspects into consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- Department of Obstetrics, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, 100006, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Shunyi District Hospital, Beijing, 101300, China
| | - Hongyu Gu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery Ward 3, The First Hospital of Qiqihar, Affiliated Qiqihar Hospital, Southern Medical University, Qiqihar, 161005, China
| | - Yuxia Ge
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Harbin, Harbin, 150056, China
| | - Xuesheng Wu
- Department of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Fuxing Zuo
- Department of Neurosurgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Qian Du
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA
| | - Yuguo Lei
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Huck Life Science Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA,Corresponding author.
| | - Zhanqi Wang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing, 100029, China,Corresponding author.
| | - Haishuang Lin
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Harbin, Harbin, 150056, China,Corresponding author.
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3
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Xie Y, Kollampally SCR, Jorgensen M, Zhang X. Alginate microfibers as therapeutic delivery scaffolds and tissue mimics. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2022; 247:2103-2118. [PMID: 36000165 PMCID: PMC9837301 DOI: 10.1177/15353702221112905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Alginate, a naturally occurring polysaccharide, has been widely used in cell encapsulation, 3D culture, cell therapy, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. Alginate's frequent use comes from its biocompatibility and ability to easily form hydrogel in a variety of forms (e.g. microcapsules, microfibers, and porous scaffolds), which can provide immunoprotection for cell therapy and mimic the extracellular matrix for tissue engineering. During the past 15 years, alginate hydrogel microfibers have attracted more and more attention due to its continuous thin tubular structures (diameter or shell thickness ⩽ 200 µm), high-density cell growth, high handleability and retrievability, and scalability. This review article provides a concise overview of alginate and its resultant hydrogel microfibers for the purpose of promoting multidisciplinary, collaborative, and convergent research in the field. It starts with a historical review of alginate as biomaterials and provides basics about alginate structure, properties, and mechanisms of hydrogel formation, followed by current challenges in effective cell delivery and functional tissue engineering. In particular, this work discusses how alginate microfiber technology could provide solutions to unmet needs with a focus on the current state of the art of alginate microfiber technology and its applications in 3D cell culture, cell delivery, and tissue engineering. At last, we discuss future directions in the perspective of alginate-based advanced technology development in biology and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yubing Xie
- College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY 12203, USA
| | | | - Matthew Jorgensen
- College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY 12203, USA
| | - Xulang Zhang
- College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY 12203, USA
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4
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Wang O, Han L, Lin H, Tian M, Zhang S, Duan B, Chung S, Zhang C, Lian X, Wang Y, Lei Y. Fabricating 3-dimensional human brown adipose microtissues for transplantation studies. Bioact Mater 2022; 22:518-534. [PMID: 36330162 PMCID: PMC9619153 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2022.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transplanting cell cultured brown adipocytes (BAs) represents a promising approach to prevent and treat obesity (OB) and its associated metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, transplanted BAs have a very low survival rate in vivo. The enzymatic dissociation during the harvest of fully differentiated BAs also loses significant cells. There is a critical need for novel methods that can avoid cell death during cell preparation, transplantation, and in vivo. Here, we reported that preparing BAs as injectable microtissues could overcome the problem. We found that 3D culture promoted BA differentiation and UCP-1 expression, and the optimal initial cell aggregate size was 100 μm. The microtissues could be produced at large scales via 3D suspension assisted with a PEG hydrogel and could be cryopreserved. Fabricated microtissues could survive in vivo for long term. They alleviated body weight and fat gain and improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced OB and T2DM mice. Transplanted microtissues impacted multiple organs, secreted protein factors, and influenced the secretion of endogenous adipokines. To our best knowledge, this is the first report on fabricating human BA microtissues and showing their safety and efficacy in T2DM mice. The proposal of transplanting fabricated BA microtissues, the microtissue fabrication method, and the demonstration of efficacy in T2DM mice are all new. Our results show that engineered 3D human BA microtissues have considerable advantages in product scalability, storage, purity, safety, dosage, survival, and efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ou Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NE, USA
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Li Han
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
| | - Haishuang Lin
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Mingmei Tian
- China Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Shuyang Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Bin Duan
- Mary & Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program and Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Soonkyu Chung
- Department of Nutrition, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Chi Zhang
- School of Biological Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Xiaojun Lian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
| | - Yong Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
| | - Yuguo Lei
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, NE, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
- Corresponding author. The Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA.
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5
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Safi C, Solano AG, Liberelle B, Therriault H, Delattre L, Abdelkhalek M, Wang C, Bergeron-Fortier S, Moreau V, De Crescenzo G, Faucheux N, Lauzon MA, Paquette B, Virgilio N. Effect of Chitosan on Alginate-Based Macroporous Hydrogels for the Capture of Glioblastoma Cancer Cells. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2022; 5:4531-4540. [PMID: 35948423 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.2c00598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme is a type of brain cancer associated with a very low survival rate since a large number of cancer cells remain infiltrated in the brain despite the treatments currently available. This work presents a macroporous hydrogel trap, destined to be implanted in the surgical cavity following tumor resection and designed to attract and retain cancer cells, in order to eliminate them afterward with a lethal dose of stereotactic radiotherapy. The biocompatible hydrogel formulation comprises sodium alginate (SA) and chitosan (CHI) bearing complementary electrostatic charges and stabilizing the gels in saline and cell culture media, as compared to pristine SA gels. The highly controlled and interconnected porosity, characterized by X-ray microCT, yields mechanical properties comparable to those of brain tissues and allows F98 glioblastoma cells to penetrate the gels within the entire volume, as confirmed by fluorescence microscopy. The addition of a grafted -RGD peptide on SA, combined with CHI, significantly enhances the adhesion and retention of F98 cells within the gels. Overall, the best compromise between low proliferation and a high level of accumulation and retention of F98 cells was obtained with the hydrogel formulated with 1% SA and 0.2% CHI, without the -RGD adhesion peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Safi
- Research Center for High Performance Polymer and Composite Systems (CREPEC), Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3A7, Canada
| | - Angela Giraldo Solano
- Center for Research in Radiotherapy, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Benoit Liberelle
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3A7, Canada
| | - Hélène Therriault
- Center for Research in Radiotherapy, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Lisa Delattre
- Research Center for High Performance Polymer and Composite Systems (CREPEC), Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3A7, Canada
| | - Melek Abdelkhalek
- Research Center for High Performance Polymer and Composite Systems (CREPEC), Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3A7, Canada
| | - Changsheng Wang
- Research Center for High Performance Polymer and Composite Systems (CREPEC), Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3A7, Canada
| | - Simon Bergeron-Fortier
- Research Center for High Performance Polymer and Composite Systems (CREPEC), Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3A7, Canada
| | - Vaiana Moreau
- Research Center for High Performance Polymer and Composite Systems (CREPEC), Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3A7, Canada
| | - Gregory De Crescenzo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3A7, Canada
| | - Nathalie Faucheux
- Department of Chemical and Biotechnological Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1K 0A5, Canada
| | - Marc-Antoine Lauzon
- Department of Chemical and Biotechnological Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1K 0A5, Canada
| | - Benoit Paquette
- Center for Research in Radiotherapy, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Nick Virgilio
- Research Center for High Performance Polymer and Composite Systems (CREPEC), Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3A7, Canada
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6
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Boccellato C, Rehm M. Glioblastoma, from disease understanding towards optimal cell-based in vitro models. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2022; 45:527-541. [PMID: 35763242 PMCID: PMC9424171 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-022-00684-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Glioblastoma (GBM) patients are notoriously difficult to treat and ultimately all succumb to disease. This unfortunate scenario motivates research into better characterizing and understanding this disease, and into developing novel research tools by which potential novel therapeutics and treatment options initially can be evaluated pre-clinically. Here, we provide a concise overview of glioblastoma epidemiology, disease classification, the challenges faced in the treatment of glioblastoma and current novel treatment strategies. From this, we lead into a description and assessment of advanced cell-based models that aim to narrow the gap between pre-clinical and clinical studies. Such invitro models are required to deliver reliable and meaningful data for the development and pre-validation of novel therapeutics and treatments.
Conclusions
The toolbox for GBM cell-based models has expanded substantially, with the possibility of 3D printing tumour tissues and thereby replicating invivo tissue architectures now looming on the horizon. A comparison of experimental cell-based model systems and techniques highlights advantages and drawbacks of the various tools available, based on which cell-based models and experimental approaches best suited to address a diversity of research questions in the glioblastoma research field can be selected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Boccellato
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, Allmandring 31, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Markus Rehm
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, Allmandring 31, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany.
- Stuttgart Research Center Systems Biology, University of Stuttgart, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany.
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7
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Zhou P, Qin L, Ge Z, Xie B, Huang H, He F, Ma S, Ren L, Shi J, Pei S, Dong G, Qi Y, Lan F. Design of chemically defined synthetic substrate surfaces for the in vitro maintenance of human pluripotent stem cells: A review. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater 2022; 110:1968-1990. [PMID: 35226397 DOI: 10.1002/jbm.b.35034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have the potential of long-term self-renewal and differentiation into nearly all cell types in vitro. Prior to the downstream applications, the design of chemically defined synthetic substrates for the large-scale proliferation of quality-controlled hPSCs is critical. Although great achievements have been made, Matrigel and recombinant proteins are still widely used in the fundamental research and clinical applications. Therefore, much effort is still needed to improve the performance of synthetic substrates in the culture of hPSCs, realizing their commercial applications. In this review, we summarized the design of reported synthetic substrates and especially their limitations in terms of cell culture. Moreover, much attention was paid to the development of promising peptide displaying surfaces. Besides, the biophysical regulation of synthetic substrate surfaces as well as the three-dimensional culture systems were described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhou
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Liying Qin
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhangjie Ge
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Biyao Xie
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hongxin Huang
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Fei He
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shengqin Ma
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lina Ren
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jiamin Shi
- Department of Laboratory Animal Centre, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China
| | - Suying Pei
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Genxi Dong
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yongmei Qi
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Feng Lan
- Fuwai Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Shenzhen, China
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8
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Nusterer M, Rauch J, Viljoen H. Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of Alginate Microtube Extrusion for Cell Culture Applications. Biochem Eng J 2022; 177:108236. [PMID: 34840517 PMCID: PMC8622871 DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2021.108236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
A novel cell culture technology, consisting of hollow alginate tubes, OD ~550 μm, ID ~450μm containing a cell suspension, provides stress-free conditions. Cells reach confluency in approximately ten days with cell densities of 0.5 - 1 billion cells per mL. Tubes are manufactured in a tri-axial needle extruder with three concentric flows. The cell suspension flows in the inner needle (N1), the alginate solution flows in the annulus between N1 and the second needle (N2) and a CaCl 2 solution is the sheath fluid between the second and third needle (N3). Beyond the tip of N2, the sheath solution is in contact with the alginate and Ca 2+ diffuses into the alginate solution and crosslinks it to form an alginate microtube around the core fluid. The cross-linked layer moves radially inwards like a front, starting at the sheath/annulus interface and ends at the annulus/core interface. A mathematical model is used to find the minimum length z C of direct contact between the CaCl 2 solution and the alginate solution to complete the cross-linking. Experimental results support the theoretical findings that stable tubes can only be manufactured if the contact length exceeds z C . Experiments also show that the extruder configuration N3>N2 is best for alginate tube manufacture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Nusterer
- CellGro Technologies, LLC, Lincoln, NE 68516
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, NE 68588-0126
| | - Jack Rauch
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, NE 68588-0126
| | - Hendrik Viljoen
- CellGro Technologies, LLC, Lincoln, NE 68516
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, NE 68588-0126
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9
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Abou-Mrad Z, Bou Gharios J, Moubarak MM, Chalhoub A, Moussalem C, Bahmad HF, Abou-Kheir W. Central nervous system tumors and three-dimensional cell biology: Current and future perspectives in modeling. World J Stem Cells 2021; 13:1112-1126. [PMID: 34567429 PMCID: PMC8422930 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v13.i8.1112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Central nervous system (CNS) tumors are a variety of distinct neoplasms that present multiple challenges in terms of treatment and prognosis. Glioblastoma, the most common primary tumor in adults, is associated with poor survival and remains one of the least treatable neoplasms. These tumors are highly heterogenous and complex in their nature. Due to this complexity, traditional cell culturing techniques and methods do not provide an ideal recapitulating model for the study of these tumors’ behavior in vivo. Two-dimensional models lack the spatial arrangement, the heterogeneity in cell types, and the microenvironment that play a large role in tumor cell behavior and response to treatment. Recently, scientists have turned towards three-dimensional culturing methods, namely spheroids and organoids, as they have been shown to recapitulate tumors in a more faithful manner to their in vivo counterparts. Moreover, tumor-on-a-chip systems have lately been employed in CNS tumor modeling and have shown great potential in both studying the pathophysiology and therapeutic testing. In this review, we will discuss the current available literature on in vitro three-dimensional culturing models in CNS tumors, in addition to presenting their advantages and current limitations. We will also elaborate on the future implications of these models and their benefit in the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaki Abou-Mrad
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon
| | - Jolie Bou Gharios
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon
| | - Maya M Moubarak
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon
| | - Ahmad Chalhoub
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon
| | - Charbel Moussalem
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon
| | - Hisham F Bahmad
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon
- Arkadi M. Rywlin M.D. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL 33140, United States
| | - Wassim Abou-Kheir
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon
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10
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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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11
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Dragoj M, Stojkovska J, Stanković T, Dinić J, Podolski-Renić A, Obradović B, Pešić M. Development and Validation of a Long-Term 3D Glioblastoma Cell Culture in Alginate Microfibers as a Novel Bio-Mimicking Model System for Preclinical Drug Testing. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11081025. [PMID: 34439644 PMCID: PMC8391761 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11081025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Various three-dimensional (3D) glioblastoma cell culture models have a limited duration of viability. Our aim was to develop a long-term 3D glioblastoma model, which is necessary for reliable drug response studies. Methods: Human U87 glioblastoma cells were cultured in alginate microfibers for 28 days. Cell growth, viability, morphology, and aggregation in 3D culture were monitored by fluorescent and confocal microscopy upon calcein-AM/propidium iodide (CAM/PI) staining every seven days. The glioblastoma 3D model was validated using temozolomide (TMZ) treatments 3 days in a row with a recovery period. Cell viability by MTT and resistance-related gene expression (MGMT and ABCB1) by qPCR were assessed after 28 days. The same TMZ treatment schedule was applied in 2D U87 cell culture for comparison purposes. Results: Within a long-term 3D model system in alginate fibers, U87 cells remained viable for up to 28 days. On day 7, cells formed visible aggregates oriented to the microfiber periphery. TMZ treatment reduced cell growth but increased drug resistance-related gene expression. The latter effect was more pronounced in 3D compared to 2D cell culture. Conclusion: Herein, we described a long-term glioblastoma 3D model system that could be particularly helpful for drug testing and treatment optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miodrag Dragoj
- Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia; (M.D.); (T.S.); (J.D.); (A.P.-R.)
| | - Jasmina Stojkovska
- Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (J.S.); (B.O.)
- Innovation Center of the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Tijana Stanković
- Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia; (M.D.); (T.S.); (J.D.); (A.P.-R.)
| | - Jelena Dinić
- Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia; (M.D.); (T.S.); (J.D.); (A.P.-R.)
| | - Ana Podolski-Renić
- Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia; (M.D.); (T.S.); (J.D.); (A.P.-R.)
| | - Bojana Obradović
- Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (J.S.); (B.O.)
| | - Milica Pešić
- Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia; (M.D.); (T.S.); (J.D.); (A.P.-R.)
- Correspondence:
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12
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Paolillo M, Comincini S, Schinelli S. In Vitro Glioblastoma Models: A Journey into the Third Dimension. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13102449. [PMID: 34070023 PMCID: PMC8157833 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13102449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In this review, the thorny issue of glioblastoma models is addressed, with a focus on 3D in vitro models. In the first part of the manuscript, glioblastoma features and classification are recapitulated, in order to highlight the major critical aspects that should be taken into account when choosing a glioblastoma 3D model. In the second part of the review, the 3D models described in the literature are critically discussed, considering the advantages, disadvantages, and feasibility for each experimental model, in the light of the potential issues that researchers want to address. Abstract Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most lethal primary brain tumor in adults, with an average survival time of about one year from initial diagnosis. In the attempt to overcome the complexity and drawbacks associated with in vivo GBM models, together with the need of developing systems dedicated to screen new potential drugs, considerable efforts have been devoted to the implementation of reliable and affordable in vitro GBM models. Recent findings on GBM molecular features, revealing a high heterogeneity between GBM cells and also between other non-tumor cells belonging to the tumoral niche, have stressed the limitations of the classical 2D cell culture systems. Recently, several novel and innovative 3D cell cultures models for GBM have been proposed and implemented. In this review, we first describe the different populations and their functional role of GBM and niche non-tumor cells that could be used in 3D models. An overview of the current available 3D in vitro systems for modeling GBM, together with their major weaknesses and strengths, is presented. Lastly, we discuss the impact of groundbreaking technologies, such as bioprinting and multi-omics single cell analysis, on the future implementation of 3D in vitro GBM models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayra Paolillo
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
- Correspondence:
| | - Sergio Comincini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Lazzaro Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Sergio Schinelli
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
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13
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Tran K, Brice R, Yao L. Bioscaffold-based study of glioblastoma cell behavior and drug delivery for tumor therapy. Neurochem Int 2021; 147:105049. [PMID: 33945833 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2021.105049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a severe form of brain cancer with an average five-year survival rate of 6.7%. Current treatment strategies include surgical resection of the tumor area and lining the lesion site with therapeutics, which offer only a moderate impact on increasing survival rates. Drug-testing models based on the monolayer cell culture method may partially explain the lack of advancement in effective GBM treatment, because this model is limited in its ability to show heterogeneous cell-cell and cell-environment interactions as tumor cells in the in vivo state. The development of bioscaffold-based culture models is an important improvement in GBM research, preclinical trials, and targeted drug testing, through better mimicking of the heterogeneity of tumor environmental conditions. A major hurdle towards better GBM outcomes is in delivering medication across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which normally prevents the crossing of materials into the treatment site. The delivery of therapeutics using bioscaffolds is a potential means of overcoming the BBB and could potentially facilitate long-lasting drug release. A number of natural and synthetic materials have been studied for their biodegradability, toxicity, distribution, and pharmaceutical stability, which are needed to determine the overall effectiveness and safety of glioblastoma treatment. This review summarizes advancements in the research of bioscaffold-based GBM cell growth systems and the potential of using bioscaffolds as a carrier for drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimmy Tran
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS, 67260, USA
| | - Ryan Brice
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS, 67260, USA
| | - Li Yao
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS, 67260, USA.
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14
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Li Z, Langhans SA. In Vivo and Ex Vivo Pediatric Brain Tumor Models: An Overview. Front Oncol 2021; 11:620831. [PMID: 33869004 PMCID: PMC8047472 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.620831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
After leukemia, tumors of the brain and spine are the second most common form of cancer in children. Despite advances in treatment, brain tumors remain a leading cause of death in pediatric cancer patients and survivors often suffer from life-long consequences of side effects of therapy. The 5-year survival rates, however, vary widely by tumor type, ranging from over 90% in more benign tumors to as low as 20% in the most aggressive forms such as glioblastoma. Even within historically defined tumor types such as medulloblastoma, molecular analysis identified biologically heterogeneous subgroups each with different genetic alterations, age of onset and prognosis. Besides molecularly driven patient stratification to tailor disease risk to therapy intensity, such a diversity demonstrates the need for more precise and disease-relevant pediatric brain cancer models for research and drug development. Here we give an overview of currently available in vitro and in vivo pediatric brain tumor models and discuss the opportunities that new technologies such as 3D cultures and organoids that can bridge limitations posed by the simplicity of monolayer cultures and the complexity of in vivo models, bring to accommodate better precision in drug development for pediatric brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sigrid A. Langhans
- Nemours Biomedical Research, Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, United States
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15
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Stanković T, Ranđelović T, Dragoj M, Stojković Burić S, Fernández L, Ochoa I, Pérez-García VM, Pešić M. In vitro biomimetic models for glioblastoma-a promising tool for drug response studies. Drug Resist Updat 2021; 55:100753. [PMID: 33667959 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2021.100753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The poor response of glioblastoma to current treatment protocols is a consequence of its intrinsic drug resistance. Resistance to chemotherapy is primarily associated with considerable cellular heterogeneity, and plasticity of glioblastoma cells, alterations in gene expression, presence of specific tumor microenvironment conditions and blood-brain barrier. In an attempt to successfully overcome chemoresistance and better understand the biological behavior of glioblastoma, numerous tri-dimensional (3D) biomimetic models were developed in the past decade. These novel advanced models are able to better recapitulate the spatial organization of glioblastoma in a real time, therefore providing more realistic and reliable evidence to the response of glioblastoma to therapy. Moreover, these models enable the fine-tuning of different tumor microenvironment conditions and facilitate studies on the effects of the tumor microenvironment on glioblastoma chemoresistance. This review outlines current knowledge on the essence of glioblastoma chemoresistance and describes the progress achieved by 3D biomimetic models. Moreover, comprehensive literature assessment regarding the influence of 3D culturing and microenvironment mimicking on glioblastoma gene expression and biological behavior is also provided. The contribution of the blood-brain barrier as well as the blood-tumor barrier to glioblastoma chemoresistance is also reviewed from the perspective of 3D biomimetic models. Finally, the role of mathematical models in predicting 3D glioblastoma behavior and drug response is elaborated. In the future, technological innovations along with mathematical simulations should create reliable 3D biomimetic systems for glioblastoma research that should facilitate the identification and possibly application in preclinical drug testing and precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tijana Stanković
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"- National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Despota Stefana 142, 11060, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Teodora Ranđelović
- Tissue Microenvironment Lab (TME), Aragón Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Aragon 50018, Spain; Institute for Health Research Aragon (IIS Aragón), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Miodrag Dragoj
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"- National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Despota Stefana 142, 11060, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Sonja Stojković Burić
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"- National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Despota Stefana 142, 11060, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Luis Fernández
- Tissue Microenvironment Lab (TME), Aragón Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Aragon 50018, Spain; Centro Investigación Biomédica en Red. Bioingenieria, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Zaragoza, Aragon 50018, Spain; Institute for Health Research Aragon (IIS Aragón), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Ignacio Ochoa
- Tissue Microenvironment Lab (TME), Aragón Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Aragon 50018, Spain; Centro Investigación Biomédica en Red. Bioingenieria, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Zaragoza, Aragon 50018, Spain; Institute for Health Research Aragon (IIS Aragón), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Victor M Pérez-García
- Departamento de Matemáticas, E.T.S.I. Industriales and Instituto de Matemática Aplicada a la Ciencia y la Ingeniería (IMACI), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, 13071, Spain
| | - Milica Pešić
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"- National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Despota Stefana 142, 11060, Belgrade, Serbia.
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16
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Gómez-Oliva R, Domínguez-García S, Carrascal L, Abalos-Martínez J, Pardillo-Díaz R, Verástegui C, Castro C, Nunez-Abades P, Geribaldi-Doldán N. Evolution of Experimental Models in the Study of Glioblastoma: Toward Finding Efficient Treatments. Front Oncol 2021; 10:614295. [PMID: 33585240 PMCID: PMC7878535 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.614295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common form of brain tumor characterized by its resistance to conventional therapies, including temozolomide, the most widely used chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of GBM. Within the tumor, the presence of glioma stem cells (GSC) seems to be the reason for drug resistance. The discovery of GSC has boosted the search for new experimental models to study GBM, which allow the development of new GBM treatments targeting these cells. In here, we describe different strategies currently in use to study GBM. Initial GBM investigations were focused in the development of xenograft assays. Thereafter, techniques advanced to dissociate tumor cells into single-cell suspensions, which generate aggregates referred to as neurospheres, thus facilitating their selective expansion. Concomitantly, the finding of genes involved in the initiation and progression of GBM tumors, led to the generation of mice models for the GBM. The latest advances have been the use of GBM organoids or 3D-bioprinted mini-brains. 3D bio-printing mimics tissue cytoarchitecture by combining different types of cells interacting with each other and with extracellular matrix components. These in vivo models faithfully replicate human diseases in which the effect of new drugs can easily be tested. Based on recent data from human glioblastoma, this review critically evaluates the different experimental models used in the study of GB, including cell cultures, mouse models, brain organoids, and 3D bioprinting focusing in the advantages and disadvantages of each approach to understand the mechanisms involved in the progression and treatment response of this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Gómez-Oliva
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Samuel Domínguez-García
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Livia Carrascal
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain.,Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | | | - Ricardo Pardillo-Díaz
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Cristina Verástegui
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain.,Departamento de Anatomía y Embriología Humanas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Carmen Castro
- Área de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Pedro Nunez-Abades
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain.,Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Noelia Geribaldi-Doldán
- Departamento de Anatomía y Embriología Humanas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz (INIBICA), Cádiz, Spain
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17
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Bray LJ, Hutmacher DW, Bock N. Addressing Patient Specificity in the Engineering of Tumor Models. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019; 7:217. [PMID: 31572718 PMCID: PMC6751285 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer treatment is challenged by the heterogeneous nature of cancer, where prognosis depends on tumor type and disease stage, as well as previous treatments. Optimal patient stratification is critical for the development and validation of effective treatments, yet pre-clinical model systems are lacking in the delivery of effective individualized platforms that reflect distinct patient-specific clinical situations. Advances in cancer cell biology, biofabrication, and microengineering technologies have led to the development of more complex in vitro three-dimensional (3D) models to act as drug testing platforms and to elucidate novel cancer mechanisms. Mostly, these strategies have enabled researchers to account for the tumor microenvironment context including tumor-stroma interactions, a key factor of heterogeneity that affects both progression and therapeutic resistance. This is aided by state-of-the-art biomaterials and tissue engineering technologies, coupled with reproducible and high-throughput platforms that enable modeling of relevant physical and chemical factors. Yet, the translation of these models and technologies has been impaired by neglecting to incorporate patient-derived cells or tissues, and largely focusing on immortalized cell lines instead, contributing to drug failure rates. While this is a necessary step to establish and validate new models, a paradigm shift is needed to enable the systematic inclusion of patient-derived materials in the design and use of such models. In this review, we first present an overview of the components responsible for heterogeneity in different tumor microenvironments. Next, we introduce the state-of-the-art of current in vitro 3D cancer models employing patient-derived materials in traditional scaffold-free approaches, followed by novel bioengineered scaffold-based approaches, and further supported by dynamic systems such as bioreactors, microfluidics, and tumor-on-a-chip devices. We critically discuss the challenges and clinical prospects of models that have succeeded in providing clinical relevance and impact, and present emerging concepts of novel cancer model systems that are addressing patient specificity, the next frontier to be tackled by the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J. Bray
- School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Science and Engineering Faculty, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Centre in Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia
- Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Dietmar W. Hutmacher
- School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Science and Engineering Faculty, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Centre in Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia
- Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre (APCRC-Q), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Australian Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Training Centre in Additive Biomanufacturing, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia
| | - Nathalie Bock
- Centre in Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia
- Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre (APCRC-Q), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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18
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Musah-Eroje A, Watson S. A novel 3D in vitro model of glioblastoma reveals resistance to temozolomide which was potentiated by hypoxia. J Neurooncol 2019; 142:231-240. [PMID: 30694423 PMCID: PMC6449313 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-019-03107-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common invasive malignant brain tumour in adults. It is traditionally investigated in vitro by culturing cells as a monolayer (2D culture) or as neurospheres (clusters enriched in cancer stem cells) but neither system accurately reflects the complexity of the three-dimensional (3D) chemoresistant microenvironment of GBM. Materials and methods Using three GBM cell-lines (U87, U251, and SNB19), the effect of culturing cells in a Cultrex-based basement membrane extract (BME) [3D Tumour Growth Assay (TGA)] on morphology, gene expression, metabolism, and temozolomide chemoresistance was investigated. Results Cells were easily harvested from the 3D model and cultured as a monolayer (2D) and neurospheres. Indeed, the SNB19 cells formed neurospheres only after they were first cultured in the 3D model. The expression of CD133 and OCT4 was upregulated in the neurosphere and 3D assays respectively. Compared with cells cultured in the 2D model, cells were more resistant to temozolomide in the 3D model and this resistance was potentiated by hypoxia. Conclusion Taken together, these results suggest that micro-environmental factors influence GBM sensitivity to temozolomide. Knowledge of the mechanisms involved in temozolomide resistance in this 3D model might lead to the identification of new strategies that enable the more effective use of the current standard of care agents. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s11060-019-03107-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Musah-Eroje
- Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, Cancer Biology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. .,School of Life Sciences, University of Bedfordshire, Luton, UK.
| | - Sue Watson
- Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, Cancer Biology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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19
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Lin H, Qiu X, Du Q, Li Q, Wang O, Akert L, Wang Z, Anderson D, Liu K, Gu L, Zhang C, Lei Y. Engineered Microenvironment for Manufacturing Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells. Stem Cell Reports 2019; 12:84-97. [PMID: 30527760 PMCID: PMC6335449 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2018.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cell-derived vascular smooth muscle cells (hPSC-VSMCs) are of great value for disease modeling, drug screening, cell therapies, and tissue engineering. However, producing a high quantity of hPSC-VSMCs with current cell culture technologies remains very challenging. Here, we report a scalable method for manufacturing hPSC-VSMCs in alginate hydrogel microtubes (i.e., AlgTubes), which protect cells from hydrodynamic stresses and limit cell mass to <400 μm to ensure efficient mass transport. The tubes provide cells a friendly microenvironment, leading to extremely high culture efficiency. We have shown that hPSC-VSMCs can be generated in 10 days with high viability, high purity, and high yield (∼5.0 × 108 cells/mL). Phenotype and gene expression showed that VSMCs made in AlgTubes and VSMCs made in 2D cultures were similar overall. However, AlgTube-VSMCs had higher expression of genes related to vasculature development and angiogenesis, and 2D-VSMCs had higher expression of genes related to cell death and biosynthetic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haishuang Lin
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Xuefeng Qiu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Qian Du
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Qiang Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA; Biomedical Engineering Program, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Ou Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA; Biomedical Engineering Program, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Leonard Akert
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Zhanqi Wang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung, and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Dirk Anderson
- Center for Biotechnology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Kan Liu
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Linxia Gu
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Yuguo Lei
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA; Biomedical Engineering Program, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA; Mary and Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.
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20
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Glioblastoma's Next Top Model: Novel Culture Systems for Brain Cancer Radiotherapy Research. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11010044. [PMID: 30621226 PMCID: PMC6356812 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11010044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults, remains one of the least treatable cancers. Current standard of care—combining surgical resection, radiation, and alkylating chemotherapy—results in a median survival of only 15 months. Despite decades of investment and research into the development of new therapies, most candidate anti-glioma compounds fail to translate into effective treatments in clinical trials. One key issue underlying this failure of therapies that work in pre-clinical models to generate meaningful improvement in human patients is the profound mismatch between drug discovery systems—cell cultures and mouse models—and the actual tumors they are supposed to imitate. Indeed, current strategies that evaluate the effects of novel treatments on GBM cells in vitro fail to account for a wide range of factors known to influence tumor growth. These include secreted factors, the brain’s unique extracellular matrix, circulatory structures, the presence of non-tumor brain cells, and nutrient sources available for tumor metabolism. While mouse models provide a more realistic testing ground for potential therapies, they still fail to account for the full complexity of tumor-microenvironment interactions, as well as the role of the immune system. Based on the limitations of current models, researchers have begun to develop and implement novel culture systems that better recapitulate the complex reality of brain tumors growing in situ. A rise in the use of patient derived cells, creative combinations of added growth factors and supplements, may provide a more effective proving ground for the development of novel therapies. This review will summarize and analyze these exciting developments in 3D culturing systems. Special attention will be paid to how they enhance the design and identification of compounds that increase the efficacy of radiotherapy, a bedrock of GBM treatment.
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Lin H, Li Q, Du Q, Wang O, Wang Z, Akert L, Carlson MA, Zhang C, Subramanian A, Zhang C, Lunning M, Li M, Lei Y. Integrated generation of induced pluripotent stem cells in a low-cost device. Biomaterials 2019; 189:23-36. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Lin H, Du Q, Li Q, Wang O, Wang Z, Elowsky C, Liu K, Zhang C, Chung S, Duan B, Lei Y. Manufacturing human pluripotent stem cell derived endothelial cells in scalable and cell-friendly microenvironments. Biomater Sci 2019; 7:373-388. [DOI: 10.1039/c8bm01095a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Alginate hydrogel tubes are designed for the scalable expansion of human pluripotent stem cells and efficient differentiation into endothelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haishuang Lin
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- USA
| | - Qian Du
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- USA
| | - Qiang Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- USA
- Biomedical Engineering Program
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
| | - Ou Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- USA
- Biomedical Engineering Program
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
| | - Zhanqi Wang
- Department of Vascular Surgery
- Beijing Anzhen Hospital of Capital Medical University
- Beijing Institute of Heart Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases
- Beijing
- China
| | - Christian Elowsky
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- USA
| | - Kan Liu
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- USA
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- USA
| | - Soonkyu Chung
- Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Lincoln
- USA
| | - Bin Duan
- Mary and Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program
- University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Omaha
- USA
| | - Yuguo Lei
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- USA
- Biomedical Engineering Program
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
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Read GH, Miura N, Carter JL, Kines KT, Yamamoto K, Devasahayam N, Cheng JY, Camphausen KA, Krishna MC, Kesarwala AH. Three-dimensional alginate hydrogels for radiobiological and metabolic studies of cancer cells. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2018; 171:197-204. [PMID: 30031304 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2018.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2017] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate calcium alginate hydrogels as a system for in vitro radiobiological and metabolic studies of cancer cells. Previous studies have established calcium alginate as a versatile three-dimensional (3D) culturing system capable of generating areas of oxygen heterogeneity and modeling metabolic changes in vitro. Here, through dosimetry, clonogenic and viability assays, and pimonidazole staining, we demonstrate that alginate can model radiobiological responses that monolayer cultures do not simulate. Notably, alginate hydrogels with radii greater than 500 μm demonstrate hypoxic cores, while smaller hydrogels do not. The size of this hypoxic region correlates with hydrogel size and improved cell survival following radiation therapy. Hydrogels can also be utilized in hyperpolarized magnetic resonance spectroscopy and extracellular flux analysis. Alginate therefore offers a reproducible, consistent, and low-cost means for 3D culture of cancer cells for radiobiological studies that simulates important in vivo parameters such as regional hypoxia and enables long-term culturing and in vitro metabolic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham H Read
- Radiation Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Natsuko Miura
- Radiation Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jenna L Carter
- Radiation Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Kelsey T Kines
- Radiation Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Kazutoshi Yamamoto
- Radiation Biology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Nallathamby Devasahayam
- Radiation Biology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jason Y Cheng
- Radiation Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Kevin A Camphausen
- Radiation Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Murali C Krishna
- Radiation Biology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Aparna H Kesarwala
- Radiation Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA; Lead Contact, USA.
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