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Valente R, Cordeiro S, Luz A, Melo MC, Rodrigues CR, Baptista PV, Fernandes AR. Doxorubicin-sensitive and -resistant colorectal cancer spheroid models: assessing tumor microenvironment features for therapeutic modulation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1310397. [PMID: 38188017 PMCID: PMC10771845 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1310397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The research on tumor microenvironment (TME) has recently been gaining attention due to its important role in tumor growth, progression, and response to therapy. Because of this, the development of three-dimensional cancer models that mimic the interactions in the TME and the tumor structure and complexity is of great relevance to cancer research and drug development. Methods: This study aimed to characterize colorectal cancer spheroids overtime and assess how the susceptibility or resistance to doxorubicin (Dox) or the inclusion of fibroblasts in heterotypic spheroids influence and modulate their secretory activity, namely the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs), and the response to Dox-mediated chemotherapy. Different characteristics were assessed over time, namely spheroid growth, viability, presence of hypoxia, expression of hypoxia and inflammation-associated genes and proteins. Due to the importance of EVs in biomarker discovery with impact on early diagnostics, prognostics and response to treatment, proteomic profiling of the EVs released by the different 3D spheroid models was also assessed. Response to treatment was also monitored by assessing Dox internalization and its effects on the different 3D spheroid structures and on the cell viability. Results and Discussion: The results show that distinct features are affected by both Dox resistance and the presence of fibroblasts. Fibroblasts can stabilize spheroid models, through the modulation of their growth, viability, hypoxia and inflammation levels, as well as the expressions of its associated transcripts/proteins, and promotes alterations in the protein profile exhibit by EVs. Summarily, fibroblasts can increase cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions, making the heterotypic spheroids a great model to study TME and understand TME role in chemotherapies resistance. Dox resistance induction is shown to influence the internalization of Dox, especially in homotypic spheroids, and it is also shown to influence cell viability and consequently the chemoresistance of those spheroids when exposed to Dox. Taken together these results highlight the importance of finding and characterizing different 3D models resembling more closely the in vivo interactions of tumors with their microenvironment as well as modulating drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Valente
- Associate Laboratory i4HB–Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
- UCIBIO–Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Sandra Cordeiro
- Associate Laboratory i4HB–Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
- UCIBIO–Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
| | - André Luz
- Associate Laboratory i4HB–Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
- UCIBIO–Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Maria C. Melo
- Associate Laboratory i4HB–Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
- UCIBIO–Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Catarina Roma Rodrigues
- Associate Laboratory i4HB–Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
- UCIBIO–Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Pedro V. Baptista
- Associate Laboratory i4HB–Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
- UCIBIO–Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Alexandra R. Fernandes
- Associate Laboratory i4HB–Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
- UCIBIO–Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
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Shao X, Meng C, Song W, Zhang T, Chen Q. Subcellular visualization: Organelle-specific targeted drug delivery and discovery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 199:114977. [PMID: 37391014 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Organelles perform critical biological functions due to their distinct molecular composition and internal environment. Disorders in organelles or their interacting networks have been linked to the incidence of numerous diseases, and the research of pharmacological actions at the organelle level has sparked pharmacists' interest. Currently, cell imaging has evolved into a critical tool for drug delivery, drug discovery, and pharmacological research. The introduction of advanced imaging techniques in recent years has provided researchers with richer biological information for viewing and studying the ultrastructure of organelles, protein interactions, and gene transcription activities, leading to the design and delivery of precision-targeted drugs. Therefore, this reviews the research on organelles-targeted drugs based upon imaging technologies and development of fluorescent molecules for medicinal purposes. We also give a thorough analysis of a number of subcellular-level elements of drug development, including subcellular research instruments and methods, organelle biological event investigation, subcellular target and drug identification, and design of subcellular delivery systems. This review will make it possible to promote drug research from the individual/cellular level to the subcellular level, as well as give a new focus based on newly found organelle activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xintian Shao
- School of Life Sciences, Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250117, PR China
| | - Caicai Meng
- School of Life Sciences, Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250117, PR China
| | - Wenjing Song
- School of Life Sciences, Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250117, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Key Laboratory for Biotechnology Drugs of National Health Commission, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250117, PR China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong Province 250014, PR China
| | - Qixin Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Key Laboratory for Biotechnology Drugs of National Health Commission, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250117, PR China.
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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