An organoid culture assay (OCA) for determining the drug sensitivity of human tumors

Preclinical models in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Head and neck cancer is the sixth most frequent cancer type. Drug resistance and toxicity are common challenges of the existing therapies, making the development of reliable preclinical models essential for the study of the involved molecular mechanisms as well as for eventual intervention approaches that improve the clinical outcome. Preclinical models of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma have been traditionally based on cell lines and murine models. In this review, we will go over the most frequently used preclinical models, from immortalised-cell and primary tumour cultures in monolayer or 3D, to the currently available animal models. We will scrutinise their efficiency in mimicking the molecular and cellular complexity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Finally, the challenges and the opportunities of other envisaged putative approaches, as well as the potential of the preclinical models to further develop personalised therapies will be discussed.

Renal tumouroids: challenges of manufacturing 3D cultures from patient derived primary cells

Recent advancements in 3D in vitro culture have allowed for the development of cancer tissue models which accurately recapitulate the tumour microenvironment. Consequently, there has been increased innovation in therapeutic drug screening. While organoid cultures show great potential, they are limited by the time scale of their growth in vitro and the dependence upon commercial matrices, such as Matrigel, which do not allow for manipulations of their composition or mechanical properties. Here, we show a straightforward approach for the isolation and culture of primary human renal carcinoma cells and matched non-affected kidney. This approach does not require any specific selection for cancer cells, and allows for their direct culture in amenable 3D collagen-based matrices, with the preservation of cancer cells as confirmed by NGS sequencing. This method allows for culture of patient-derived cancer cells in 3D microenvironment, which can be used for downstream experimentation such as investigation of cell-matrix interaction or drug screening.

Head and neck cancer organoids as a promising tool for personalized cancer therapy: A literature review

Background and Aim

Chemotherapy and targeted therapy are used in treating head and neck cancers (HNCs) either alone or in combination with surgery, especially in advanced tumors but these treatments have resulted in variable outcomes in different patients. This, along with the introduction of new therapies to improve the survival of patients makes it necessary to search for models that can predict the response to treatment among different patients. Organoids, as three‐dimensional culture models, have been studied more widely in non‐HNCs and to a lesser extent in HNCs as tools to predict treatment outcomes. We aimed to conduct a review to validate the use of organoids as a preclinical tool for the treatment of HNCs patients.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was separately performed by both authors in PubMed and google scholar databases, using the following keywords: “organoid,” “head and neck cancer,” “personalized medicine,” “chemotherapy,” and “targeted therapy.” The articles published up to September 2021 were included in this review and selected according to a quality appraisal method.

Results

Examination of HNC‐derived organoids made in various studies showed that these organoids had the ability to recapitulate original tumor features, including histopathological properties, functional characteristics, and expression of molecular markers in almost all of the studies. Differential sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs similar to in vivo was observed in sensitivity testing. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression levels were different between organoids from different patients and EGFR expression level was found to correlate with the response to anti‐EGFR targeted therapy. A similar result was reported for organoids derived from salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma.

Conclusion

Since HNC‐derived organoids seem to recapitulate characteristics of original tumors and to show differential responses to different chemotherapy and targeted therapy agents, these organoids might have the potential to be used as preclinical prediction tools for the treatment of HNC patients.

Preclinical models of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma for a basic understanding of cancer biology and its translation into efficient therapies

Comprehensive molecular characterization of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has led to the identification of distinct molecular subgroups with fundamental differences in biological properties and clinical behavior. Despite improvements in tumor classification and increased understanding about the signaling pathways involved in neoplastic transformation and disease progression, current standard-of-care treatment for HNSCC mostly remains to be based on a stage-dependent strategy whereby all patients at the same stage receive the same treatment. Preclinical models that closely resemble molecular HNSCC subgroups that can be exploited for dissecting the biological function of genetic variants and/or altered gene expression will be highly valuable for translating molecular findings into improved clinical care. In the present review, we merge and discuss existing and new information on established cell lines, primary two- and three-dimensional ex vivo tumor cultures from HNSCC patients, and animal models. We review their value in elucidating the basic biology of HNSCC, molecular mechanisms of treatment resistance and their potential for the development of novel molecularly stratified treatment.

Feasibility of Primary Tumor Culture Models and Preclinical Prediction Assays for Head and Neck Cancer: A Narrative Review

Primary human tumor culture models allow for individualized drug sensitivity testing and are therefore a promising technique to achieve personalized treatment for cancer patients. This would especially be of interest for patients with advanced stage head and neck cancer. They are extensively treated with surgery, usually in combination with high-dose cisplatin chemoradiation. However, adding cisplatin to radiotherapy is associated with an increase in severe acute toxicity, while conferring only a minor overall survival benefit. Hence, there is a strong need for a preclinical model to identify patients that will respond to the intended treatment regimen and to test novel drugs. One of such models is the technique of culturing primary human tumor tissue. This review discusses the feasibility and success rate of existing primary head and neck tumor culturing techniques and their corresponding chemo- and radiosensitivity assays. A comprehensive literature search was performed and success factors for culturing in vitro are debated, together with the actual value of these models as preclinical prediction assay for individual patients. With this review, we aim to fill a gap in the understanding of primary culture models from head and neck tumors, with potential importance for other tumor types as well.

New sensitive discovery histoculture model for growth-inhibition studies in prostate cancer and BPH

BACKGROUND

A new, total-immersion three-dimensional histoculture (TIH) method was developed to evaluate growth of tissue containing a mixture of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer in vitro.

METHODS

Efficacy of inhibitors, such as genistein, was determined by measuring 3H-thymidine incorporation per microgram protein. Inhibitory effects obtained in TIH were compared to those in sponge-gel supported histoculture (SSH).

RESULTS

3H-thymidine incorporation was 2-5-fold higher in tissue cultured in TIH than in SSH. The average inhibition by genistein at a concentration of 18 JIM was 73% in TIH, vs. 31% in SSH. TIH also appeared to be more sensitive, since the lowest concentration of genistein that significantly inhibited growth of BPH mixed with prostate cancer tissue was 2.3 IJM, while in SSH the lowest concentration was 9.2 F,M. Although the within-assay coefficient of variation (CV) was similar for both TIH and SSH, the between-assay CV was better in TIH.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that TIH can be used as a discovery model for screening and evaluating inhibitors of prostate tissue growth in vitro.

Cytokinetic effects of cisplatin on diverse human head and neck carcinomas in vitro: dependence on the tumor sensitivity to cisplatin

Studies performed with xenografted human head and neck carcinomas in vivo have demonstrated that the cytokinetic phenomena occurring under the influence of cisplatin closely correlate with the response of the tumors to therapy. The present paper analyses whether this correlation also exists in vitro. Four human head and neck carcinoma cell lines showing different degrees of sensitivity to cisplatin, as determined by the trypan blue exclusion assay, were investigated by flow cytometry at various intervals after administration of cisplatin. Early cell-cycle blockades in the S phase always reflected a high degree of cytostatic potency of cisplatin and were usually succeeded by a pronounced inhibition of tumor cell proliferation and a reduction of cell viability. In the case of a minimal response to therapy and in untreated control cultures of all four tumor lines, the relative number of S-phase cells continuously diminished during the observation period. These findings point to the S-phase blockade as the crucial cytokinetic effect of cisplatin preceding relevant growth reductions. This knowledge might support the development of a drug-response assay that could predict the sensitivity of individual patient tumors in vitro before the beginning of clinical cancer chemotherapy.

Cell, tissue and organ culture as in vitro models to study the biology of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck

In vitro models are currently being used to study head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Several hundred HNSCC cell lines have been established by various investigators and used to study a broad spectrum of questions related to head and neck cancer. The head and neck model with respect to multistage carcinogenesis is now complete. Several techniques exist for the culture of normal epithelial cells from the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT). The biology of these UADT cells (oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx) is being studied. Successful culture of premalignant lesions (dysplastic mucosa, leukoplakia, erythroplakia) has resulted in establishment of a limited number of premalignant cell lines and cell cultures. HPV infection of normal oral epithelial cells for immortalization (approximately premalignant cells) coupled with transformation with carcinogens (malignant cells) has established an experimental model for progression. Two in vivo models for oral carcinogenesis, the 7,12 dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced hamster cheek pouch model and the 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide rat oral model, have been established in culture. Thus, multistage carcinogenesis models have been established from both human tissues and animal models and include cultures of normal, premalignant and malignant cells. Culture techniques for growing dissociated primary tumor cells for short term experimental analysis are being used. The culture of normal or tumor tissue as organ/explant cultures allows for the maintenance of normal cell-cell and cell-matrix interaction, but limits experimentation since these cultures cannot be propagated. Several three dimensional model systems are being used to obtain this histological complexity but allow for experimentation. The ability to culture normal, premalignant and malignant cells coupled with the use of a variety of culture techniques, should allow for the continued growth and experimentation in head and neck cancer research.