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Mehta V, Vilikkathala Sudhakaran S, Nellore V, Madduri S, Rath SN. 3D stem-like spheroids-on-a-chip for personalized combinatorial drug testing in oral cancer. J Nanobiotechnology 2024; 22:344. [PMID: 38890730 PMCID: PMC11186147 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02625-y] [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: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Functional drug testing (FDT) with patient-derived tumor cells in microfluidic devices is gaining popularity. However, the majority of previously reported microfluidic devices for FDT were limited by at least one of these factors: lengthy fabrication procedures, absence of tumor progenitor cells, lack of clinical correlation, and mono-drug therapy testing. Furthermore, personalized microfluidic models based on spheroids derived from oral cancer patients remain to be thoroughly validated. Overcoming the limitations, we develop 3D printed mold-based, dynamic, and personalized oral stem-like spheroids-on-a-chip, featuring unique serpentine loops and flat-bottom microwells arrangement. RESULTS This unique arrangement enables the screening of seven combinations of three drugs on chemoresistive cancer stem-like cells. Oral cancer patients-derived stem-like spheroids (CD 44+) remains highly viable (> 90%) for 5 days. Treatment with a well-known oral cancer chemotherapy regimen (paclitaxel, 5 fluorouracil, and cisplatin) at clinically relevant dosages results in heterogeneous drug responses in spheroids. These spheroids are derived from three oral cancer patients, each diagnosed with either well-differentiated or moderately-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Oral spheroids exhibit dissimilar morphology, size, and oral tumor-relevant oxygen levels (< 5% O2). These features correlate with the drug responses and clinical diagnosis from each patient's histopathological report. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we demonstrate the influence of tumor differentiation status on treatment responses, which has been rarely carried out in the previous reports. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating extensive work on development of microfluidic based oral cancer spheroid model for personalized combinatorial drug screening. Furthermore, the obtained clinical correlation of drug screening data represents a significant advancement over previously reported personalized spheroid-based microfluidic devices. Finally, the maintenance of patient-derived spheroids with high viability under oral cancer relevant oxygen levels of less than 5% O2 is a more realistic representation of solid tumor microenvironment in our developed device.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viraj Mehta
- Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Laboratory (RMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Sangareddy, Kandi, 502285, Telangana, India
| | - Sukanya Vilikkathala Sudhakaran
- Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Laboratory (RMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Sangareddy, Kandi, 502285, Telangana, India
| | - Vijaykumar Nellore
- Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Laboratory (RMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Sangareddy, Kandi, 502285, Telangana, India
| | - Srinivas Madduri
- Department of Surgery, University of Geneva, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Subha Narayan Rath
- Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Laboratory (RMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Sangareddy, Kandi, 502285, Telangana, India.
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Chiang CC, Anne R, Chawla P, Shaw RM, He S, Rock EC, Zhou M, Cheng J, Gong YN, Chen YC. Deep learning unlocks label-free viability assessment of cancer spheroids in microfluidics. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:3169-3182. [PMID: 38804084 PMCID: PMC11165951 DOI: 10.1039/d4lc00197d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Despite recent advances in cancer treatment, refining therapeutic agents remains a critical task for oncologists. Precise evaluation of drug effectiveness necessitates the use of 3D cell culture instead of traditional 2D monolayers. Microfluidic platforms have enabled high-throughput drug screening with 3D models, but current viability assays for 3D cancer spheroids have limitations in reliability and cytotoxicity. This study introduces a deep learning model for non-destructive, label-free viability estimation based on phase-contrast images, providing a cost-effective, high-throughput solution for continuous spheroid monitoring in microfluidics. Microfluidic technology facilitated the creation of a high-throughput cancer spheroid platform with approximately 12 000 spheroids per chip for drug screening. Validation involved tests with eight conventional chemotherapeutic drugs, revealing a strong correlation between viability assessed via LIVE/DEAD staining and phase-contrast morphology. Extending the model's application to novel compounds and cell lines not in the training dataset yielded promising results, implying the potential for a universal viability estimation model. Experiments with an alternative microscopy setup supported the model's transferability across different laboratories. Using this method, we also tracked the dynamic changes in spheroid viability during the course of drug administration. In summary, this research integrates a robust platform with high-throughput microfluidic cancer spheroid assays and deep learning-based viability estimation, with broad applicability to various cell lines, compounds, and research settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Cheng Chiang
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, 5115 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, 3420 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Rajiv Anne
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, 5115 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Pooja Chawla
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Rachel M Shaw
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Sarah He
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, 5115 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
- Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Biological Sciences, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Edwin C Rock
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Mengli Zhou
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, 5115 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, 3420 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
- Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China
| | - Jinxiong Cheng
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, 5115 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Yi-Nan Gong
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, 5115 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3420 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
| | - Yu-Chih Chen
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, 5115 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, 3420 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
- CMU-Pitt Ph.D. Program in Computational Biology, University of Pittsburgh, 3420 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
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Hu Y, Xing J, Zhang H, Pang X, Zhai Y, Cheng H, Xu D, Liao M, Qi Y, Wu D, Zhang B, Cheng L, Chu B, Zhang C, Zhao Y, Chai R. Electroacoustic Responsive Cochlea-on-a-Chip. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2309002. [PMID: 38488690 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202309002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Organ-on-chips can highly simulate the complex physiological functions of organs, exhibiting broad application prospects in developmental research, disease simulation, as well as new drug research and development. However, there is still less concern about effectively constructing cochlea-on-chips. Here, a novel cochlear organoids-integrated conductive hydrogel biohybrid system with cochlear implant electroacoustic stimulation (EAS) for cochlea-on-a-chip construction and high-throughput drug screening, is presented. Benefiting from the superior biocompatibility and electrical property of conductive hydrogel, together with cochlear implant EAS, the inner ear progenitor cells can proliferate and spontaneously shape into spheres, finally forming cochlear organoids with good cell viability and structurally mature hair cells. By incorporating these progenitor cells-encapsulated hydrogels into a microfluidic-based cochlea-on-a-chip with culture chambers and a concentration gradient generator, a dynamic and high-throughput evaluation of inner ear disease-related drugs is demonstrated. These results indicate that the proposed cochlea-on-a-chip platform has great application potential in organoid cultivation and deafness drug evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangnan Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Advanced Institute for Life and Health, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
- Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Jiayue Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Advanced Institute for Life and Health, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Advanced Institute for Life and Health, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Xinyi Pang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yabo Zhai
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Hong Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Advanced Institute for Life and Health, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Dongyu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Advanced Institute for Life and Health, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Menghui Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Advanced Institute for Life and Health, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Yanru Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Advanced Institute for Life and Health, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Danqi Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Advanced Institute for Life and Health, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Advanced Institute for Life and Health, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Lin Cheng
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610000, China
| | - Bo Chu
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, P. R. China
| | - Chen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Neurology and Oncology Drug Development, Nanjing, 210000, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair & Beijing Laboratory of Oral Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Yuanjin Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Renjie Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Advanced Institute for Life and Health, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
- Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, China
- Department of Neurology, Aerospace Center Hospital, School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
- Southeast University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518063, China
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Bae J, Jeon H, Kim T. Full-Combinatorial Concentration Gradient Array with 3D Micro/Nanofluidics for Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing. Anal Chem 2024; 96:5462-5470. [PMID: 38511829 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c05501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Recent advancements in micro/nanofluidics have facilitated on-chip microscopy of cellular responses in a high-throughput and controlled microenvironment with the desired physicochemical properties. Despite its potential benefits to combination drug discovery, generating a complete combinatorial set of concentration gradients for multiple reagents in an array format remains challenging. The main reason is limited layouts of conventional micro/nanofluidic systems based on two-dimensional channel networks. In this paper, we present a device with three-dimensional (3D) interconnection of micro/nanochannels capable of generating a complete combinatorial set of concentration gradients for two reagents. The device was readily fabricated by laminating a pair of multilayered monolithic films containing a Christmas tree-like mixer, a cell culture chamber array, and through-holes, all within each single film. We assessed the reliable generation of a full-combinatorial concentration gradient array and validated it by using numerical analysis. We applied the proposed device to test the antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial cells in a convenient one-step manner. Furthermore, we explored the potential of the device to accommodate the arrayed complete combinatorial set for two or more drugs, while extending the capabilities of our laminated object manufacturing method for realizing 3D micro/nanofluidic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juyeol Bae
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-Gil, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Hwisu Jeon
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-Gil, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
- TK Medical Solution Inc., 50 UNIST-Gil, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Taesung Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-Gil, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-Gil, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
- TK Medical Solution Inc., 50 UNIST-Gil, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
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5
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Boeckmann L, Berner J, Kordt M, Lenz E, Schäfer M, Semmler ML, Frey A, Sagwal SK, Rebl H, Miebach L, Niessner F, Sawade M, Hein M, Ramer R, Grambow E, Seebauer C, von Woedtke T, Nebe B, Metelmann HR, Langer P, Hinz B, Vollmar B, Emmert S, Bekeschus S. Synergistic effect of cold gas plasma and experimental drug exposure exhibits skin cancer toxicity in vitro and in vivo. J Adv Res 2024; 57:181-196. [PMID: 37391038 PMCID: PMC10918357 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2023.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Skin cancer is often fatal, which motivates new therapy avenues. Recent advances in cancer treatment are indicative of the importance of combination treatments in oncology. Previous studies have identified small molecule-based therapies and redox-based technologies, including photodynamic therapy or medical gas plasma, as promising candidates to target skin cancer. OBJECTIVE We aimed to identify effective combinations of experimental small molecules with cold gas plasma for therapy in dermato-oncology. METHODS Promising drug candidates were identified after screening an in-house 155-compound library using 3D skin cancer spheroids and high content imaging. Combination effects of selected drugs and cold gas plasma were investigated with respect to oxidative stress, invasion, and viability. Drugs that had combined well with cold gas plasma were further investigated in vascularized tumor organoids in ovo and a xenograft mouse melanoma model in vivo. RESULTS The two chromone derivatives Sm837 and IS112 enhanced cold gas plasma-induced oxidative stress, including histone 2A.X phosphorylation, and further reduced proliferation and skin cancer cell viability. Combination treatments of tumor organoids grown in ovo confirmed the principal anti-cancer effect of the selected drugs. While one of the two compounds exerted severe toxicity in vivo, the other (Sm837) resulted in a significant synergistic anti-tumor toxicity at good tolerability. Principal component analysis of protein phosphorylation profiles confirmed profound combination treatment effects in contrast to the monotherapies. CONCLUSION We identified a novel compound that, combined with topical cold gas plasma-induced oxidative stress, represents a novel and promising treatment approach to target skin cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Boeckmann
- Clinic and Polyclinic for Dermatology and Venereology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany.
| | - Julia Berner
- Department of Oral, Maxillofacial, and Plastic Surgery, Greifswald University Medical Center, 17475 Greifswald, Germany; ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marcel Kordt
- Rudolf-Zenker-Institute of Experimental Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Elea Lenz
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Mirijam Schäfer
- Clinic and Polyclinic for Dermatology and Venereology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Marie-Luise Semmler
- Clinic and Polyclinic for Dermatology and Venereology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Anna Frey
- Institute for Chemistry, Rostock University, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Sanjeev Kumar Sagwal
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Henrike Rebl
- Department of Cell Biology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Lea Miebach
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Felix Niessner
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marie Sawade
- Department of Cell Biology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Martin Hein
- Institute for Chemistry, Rostock University, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Robert Ramer
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Eberhard Grambow
- Rudolf-Zenker-Institute of Experimental Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Christian Seebauer
- Department of Oral, Maxillofacial, and Plastic Surgery, Greifswald University Medical Center, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Thomas von Woedtke
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Barbara Nebe
- Department of Cell Biology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Hans-Robert Metelmann
- Department of Oral, Maxillofacial, and Plastic Surgery, Greifswald University Medical Center, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Peter Langer
- Institute for Chemistry, Rostock University, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Burkhard Hinz
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Brigitte Vollmar
- Rudolf-Zenker-Institute of Experimental Surgery, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Steffen Emmert
- Clinic and Polyclinic for Dermatology and Venereology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany.
| | - Sander Bekeschus
- Clinic and Polyclinic for Dermatology and Venereology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany; ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
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Vakhshiteh F, Bagheri Z, Soleimani M, Ahvaraki A, Pournemat P, Alavi SE, Madjd Z. Heterotypic tumor spheroids: a platform for nanomedicine evaluation. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:249. [PMID: 37533100 PMCID: PMC10398970 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-02021-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Nanomedicine has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach, but its translation to the clinic has been hindered by the lack of cellular models to anticipate how tumor cells will respond to therapy. Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture models are thought to more accurately recapitulate key features of primary tumors than two-dimensional (2D) cultures. Heterotypic 3D tumor spheroids, composed of multiple cell types, have become more popular than homotypic spheroids, which consist of a single cell type, as a superior model for mimicking in vivo tumor heterogeneity and physiology. The stromal interactions demonstrated in heterotypic 3D tumor spheroids can affect various aspects, including response to therapy, cancer progression, nanomedicine penetration, and drug resistance. Accordingly, to design more effective anticancer nanomedicinal therapeutics, not only tumor cells but also stromal cells (e.g., fibroblasts and immune cells) should be considered to create a more physiologically relevant in vivo microenvironment. This review aims to demonstrate current knowledge of heterotypic 3D tumor spheroids in cancer research, to illustrate current advances in utilizing these tumor models as a novel and versatile platform for in vitro evaluation of nanomedicine-based therapeutics in cancer research, and to discuss challenges, guidelines, and future directions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faezeh Vakhshiteh
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Zeinab Bagheri
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran.
| | - Marziye Soleimani
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran
| | - Akram Ahvaraki
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran
| | - Parisa Pournemat
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran
| | - Seyed Ebrahim Alavi
- Faculty of Medicine, Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Zahra Madjd
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
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7
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Song T, Zhang H, Luo Z, Shang L, Zhao Y. Primary Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells Cultivation in Microfluidic Hydrogel Microcapsules for Drug Evaluation. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2206004. [PMID: 36808707 PMCID: PMC10131826 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202206004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Chemotherapy is an essential postoperative treatment for pancreatic cancer, while due to the lack of effective drug evaluation platforms, the therapeutic outcomes are hampered by tumor heterogeneity among individuals. Here, a novel microfluidic encapsulated and integrated primary pancreatic cancer cells platform is proposed for biomimetic tumor 3D cultivation and clinical drug evaluation. These primary cells are encapsulated into hydrogel microcapsules of carboxymethyl cellulose cores and alginate shells based on a microfluidic electrospray technique. Benefiting from the good monodispersity, stability, and precise dimensional controllability of the technology, the encapsulated cells can proliferate rapidly and spontaneously form 3D tumor spheroids with highly uniform size and good cell viability. By integrating these encapsulated tumor spheroids into a microfluidic chip with concentration gradient channels and culture chambers, dynamic and high-throughput drug evaluation of different chemotherapy regimens could be realized. It is demonstrated that different patient-derived tumor spheroids show different drug sensitivity on-chip, which is significantly consistent with the clinical follow-up study after the operation. The results demonstrate that the microfluidic encapsulated and integrated tumor spheroids platform has great application potential in clinical drug evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiyu Song
- Department of Rheumatology and ImmunologyInstitute of Translational MedicineThe Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical SchoolNanjing210002China
| | - Hui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of BioelectronicsSchool of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringSoutheast UniversityNanjing210096China
| | - Zhiqiang Luo
- State Key Laboratory of BioelectronicsSchool of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringSoutheast UniversityNanjing210096China
| | - Luoran Shang
- Department of Rheumatology and ImmunologyInstitute of Translational MedicineThe Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical SchoolNanjing210002China
- Zhongshan‐Xuhui Hospital and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics the International Colaboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology)Institutes of Biomedical SciencesFudan UniversityShanghai200032China
| | - Yuanjin Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology and ImmunologyInstitute of Translational MedicineThe Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical SchoolNanjing210002China
- State Key Laboratory of BioelectronicsSchool of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringSoutheast UniversityNanjing210096China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation CenterNanjing UniversityNanjing210023China
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8
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Jun I, Cho H, Amos SE, Choi Y, Choi YS, Ryu CS, Lee SA, Han DW, Han HS, Yang JH, Jeong HW, Park H, Kim YJ. Thyroid-Friendly Soft Materials as 3D Cell Culture Tool for Stimulating Thyroid Cell Function. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023:e2300236. [PMID: 36932895 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202300236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The disruption of thyroid hormones because of chemical exposure is a significant societal problem. Chemical evaluations of environmental and human health risks are conventionally based on animal experiments. However, owing to recent breakthroughs in biotechnology, the potential toxicity of chemicals can now be evaluated using 3D cell cultures. In this study, the interactive effects of thyroid-friendly soft (TS) microspheres on thyroid cell aggregates are elucidated and their potential as a reliable toxicity assessment tool is evaluated. Using state-of-the-art characterization methods coupled with cell-based analysis and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, it is shown that TS-microsphere-integrated thyroid cell aggregates exhibit improved thyroid function. Specifically, the responses of zebrafish embryos, which are used for thyroid toxicity analysis, and the TS-microsphere-integrated cell aggregates to methimazole (MMI), a known thyroid inhibitor, are compared. The results show that the thyroid hormone disruption response of the TS-microsphere-integrated thyroid cell aggregates to MMI is more sensitive compared with those of the zebrafish embryos and conventionally formed cell aggregates. This proof-of-concept approach can be used to control cellular function in the desired direction and hence evaluate thyroid function. Thus, the proposed TS-microsphere-integrated cell aggregates may yield new fundamental insights for advancing in vitro cell-based research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indong Jun
- Environmental Safety Group, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Europe (KIST-EUROPE), 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Hyunki Cho
- Environmental Safety Group, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Europe (KIST-EUROPE), 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Sebastian E Amos
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Youngjun Choi
- Department of Cogno-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea
- Department of Advanced Biomaterials Research, Ceramics Materials Division, Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), Changwon, 51508, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu Suk Choi
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Chang Seon Ryu
- Environmental Safety Group, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Europe (KIST-EUROPE), 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Sang-Ah Lee
- Environmental Safety Group, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Europe (KIST-EUROPE), 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
- Office of Islands and Coastal Biology Research, Honam National Institute of Biological Resources (HNIBR), Mokpo, 58792, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Wook Han
- Department of Cogno-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung-Seop Han
- Center for Biomaterials, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hun Yang
- Next & Bio Inc., Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Woo Jeong
- Single Cell Multiomics Laboratory, Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Honghyun Park
- Department of Advanced Biomaterials Research, Ceramics Materials Division, Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), Changwon, 51508, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Jun Kim
- Environmental Safety Group, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Europe (KIST-EUROPE), 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
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9
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Zheng J, Hu X, Gao X, Liu Y, Zhao S, Chen L, He G, Zhang J, Wei L, Yang Y. Convenient tumor 3D spheroid arrays manufacturing via acoustic excited bubbles for in situ drug screening. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:1593-1602. [PMID: 36752157 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00973k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The quick and convenient fabrication of in vitro tumor spheroids models has been pursued for clinical drug discovery and personalized therapy. Here, uniform three-dimensional (3D) tumor spheroids are quickly constructed by acoustically excited bubble arrays in a microfluidic chip and performed drug response testing in situ. In detail, bubble oscillation excited by acoustic waves induces second radiation force, resulting in the cells rotating and aggregating into tumor spheroids, which obtain controllable sizes ranging from 30 to 300 μm. These spherical tumor models are located in microfluidic networks, where drug solutions with gradient concentrations are generated from 0 to 18 mg mL-1, so that the cell spheroids response to drugs can be monitored conveniently and efficiently. This one-step tumor spheroids manufacturing method significantly reduces the model construction time to less than 15 s and increases efficiency by eliminating additional transfer processes. These significant advantages of convenience and high-throughput manufacturing make the tumor models promising for use in tumor treatment and point-of-care diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Zheng
- School of Physics & Technology, Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Medicine and Physics, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Xuejia Hu
- Department of Electronic Engineering, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Xiaoqi Gao
- School of Physics & Technology, Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Medicine and Physics, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Yantong Liu
- School of Physics & Technology, Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Medicine and Physics, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Shukun Zhao
- School of Physics & Technology, Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Medicine and Physics, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Longfei Chen
- School of Physics & Technology, Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Medicine and Physics, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Guoqing He
- School of Physics & Technology, Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Medicine and Physics, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Jingwei Zhang
- Department of Breast & Thyroid Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Lei Wei
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yi Yang
- School of Physics & Technology, Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Medicine and Physics, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518000, China
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10
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Fu W, Sun M, Zhang J, Xuanyuan T, Liu X, Zhou Y, Liu W. Combinatorial Drug Screening Based on Massive 3D Tumor Cultures Using Micropatterned Array Chips. Anal Chem 2023; 95:2504-2512. [PMID: 36651128 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c04816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The establishment and application of a generalizable three-dimensional (3D) tumor device for high-throughput screening plays an important role in drug discovery and cancer therapeutics. In this study, we introduce a facile microplatform for considerable 3D tumor generation and combinatorial drug screening evaluation. High fidelity of chip fabrication was achieved depending on the simple and well-improved microcontact printing. We demonstrated the high stability and repeatability of the established tumor-on-a-chip system for controllable and massive production of 3D tumors with high size uniformity. Importantly, we accomplished the screening-like chemotherapy investigation involving individual and combinatorial drugs and validated the high accessibility and applicability of the system in 3D tumor-based manipulation and analysis on a large scale. This achievement in tumor-on-a-chip has potential applications in plenty of biomedical fields such as tumor biology, pharmacology, and tissue microengineering. It offers an insight into the development of the popularized microplatform with easy-to-fabricate and easy-to-operate properties for cancer exploration and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhu Fu
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Meilin Sun
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Jinwei Zhang
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Tingting Xuanyuan
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Xufang Liu
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Yujie Zhou
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Wenming Liu
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Pathology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
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11
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Li Y, Zhu X, Kong M, Chen S, Bao J, Ji Y. Three-Dimensional Microtumor Formation of Infantile Hemangioma-Derived Endothelial Cells for Mechanistic Exploration and Drug Screening. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:1393. [PMID: 36422523 PMCID: PMC9692769 DOI: 10.3390/ph15111393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Infantile hemangioma (IH) is the most prevalent type of vascular tumor in infants. The pathophysiology of IH is unknown. The tissue structure and physiology of two-dimensional cell cultures differ greatly from those in vivo, and spontaneous regression often occurs during tumor formation in nude mice and has severely limited research into the pathogenesis and development of IH. By decellularizing porcine aorta, we attempted to obtain vascular-specific extracellular matrix as the bioink for fabricating micropattern arrays of varying diameters via microcontact printing. We then constructed IH-derived CD31+ hemangioma endothelial cell three-dimensional microtumor models. The vascular-specific and decellularized extracellular matrix was suitable for the growth of infantile hemangioma-derived endothelial cells. The KEGG signaling pathway analysis revealed enrichment primarily in stem cell pluripotency, RAS, and PI3KAkt compared to the two-dimensional cell model according to RNA sequencing. Propranolol, the first-line medication for IH, was also used to test the model's applicability. We also found that metformin had some impact on the condition. The three-dimensional microtumor models of CD31+ hemangioma endothelial cells were more robust and efficient experimental models for IH mechanistic exploration and drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Li
- Division of Oncology, Department of Pediatric Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Med-X Center for Informatics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xinglong Zhu
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, Key Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, NHC, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Meng Kong
- Division of Oncology, Department of Pediatric Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Med-X Center for Informatics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Siyuan Chen
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Department of Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Ji Bao
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, Key Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, NHC, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yi Ji
- Division of Oncology, Department of Pediatric Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Med-X Center for Informatics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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12
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De Stefano P, Bianchi E, Dubini G. The impact of microfluidics in high-throughput drug-screening applications. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2022; 16:031501. [PMID: 35646223 PMCID: PMC9142169 DOI: 10.1063/5.0087294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Drug discovery is an expensive and lengthy process. Among the different phases, drug discovery and preclinical trials play an important role as only 5-10 of all drugs that begin preclinical tests proceed to clinical trials. Indeed, current high-throughput screening technologies are very expensive, as they are unable to dispense small liquid volumes in an accurate and quick way. Moreover, despite being simple and fast, drug screening assays are usually performed under static conditions, thus failing to recapitulate tissue-specific architecture and biomechanical cues present in vivo even in the case of 3D models. On the contrary, microfluidics might offer a more rapid and cost-effective alternative. Although considered incompatible with high-throughput systems for years, technological advancements have demonstrated how this gap is rapidly reducing. In this Review, we want to further outline the role of microfluidics in high-throughput drug screening applications by looking at the multiple strategies for cell seeding, compartmentalization, continuous flow, stimuli administration (e.g., drug gradients or shear stresses), and single-cell analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola De Stefano
- Laboratory of Biological Structure Mechanics, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta,” Politecnico di Milano, Italy
| | - Elena Bianchi
- Laboratory of Biological Structure Mechanics, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta,” Politecnico di Milano, Italy
| | - Gabriele Dubini
- Laboratory of Biological Structure Mechanics, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta,” Politecnico di Milano, Italy
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13
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Raffa P, Easler M, Urciuolo A. Three-dimensional in vitro models of neuromuscular tissue. Neural Regen Res 2022; 17:759-766. [PMID: 34472462 PMCID: PMC8530117 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.322447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscle is a dynamic tissue in which homeostasis and function are guaranteed by a very defined three-dimensional organization of myofibers in respect to other non-muscular components, including the extracellular matrix and the nervous network. In particular, communication between myofibers and the nervous system is essential for the overall correct development and function of the skeletal muscle. A wide range of chronic, acute and genetic-based human pathologies that lead to the alteration of muscle function are associated with modified preservation of the fine interaction between motor neurons and myofibers at the neuromuscular junction. Recent advancements in the development of in vitro models for human skeletal muscle have shown that three-dimensionality and integration of multiple cell types are both key parameters required to unveil pathophysiological relevant phenotypes. Here, we describe recent achievement reached in skeletal muscle modeling which used biomaterials for the generation of three-dimensional constructs of myotubes integrated with motor neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Raffa
- Institute of Pediatric Research IRP, Padova, Italy
| | - Maria Easler
- Institute of Pediatric Research IRP, Padova, Italy
| | - Anna Urciuolo
- Institute of Pediatric Research IRP, Padova, Italy
- Molecular Medicine Department, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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14
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Jia X, Yang X, Luo G, Liang Q. Recent progress of microfluidic technology for pharmaceutical analysis. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2021; 209:114534. [PMID: 34929566 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2021.114534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, the progress of microfluidic technology has provided new tools for pharmaceutical analysis and the proposal of pharm-lab-on-a-chip is appealing for its great potential to integrate pharmaceutical test and pharmacological test in a single chip system. Here, we summarize and highlight recent advances of chip-based principles, techniques and devices for pharmaceutical test and pharmacological/toxicological test focusing on the separation and analysis of drug molecules on a chip and the construction of pharmacological models on a chip as well as their demonstrative applications in quality control, drug screening and precision medicine. The trend and challenge of microfluidic technology for pharmaceutical analysis are also discussed and prospected. We hope this review would update the insight and development of pharm-lab-on-a-chip.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng Jia
- Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Xiaoping Yang
- Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Guoan Luo
- Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
| | - Qionglin Liang
- Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
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15
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Kerk YJ, Jameel A, Xing X, Zhang C. Recent advances of integrated microfluidic suspension cell culture system. ENGINEERING BIOLOGY 2021; 5:103-119. [PMID: 36970555 PMCID: PMC9996741 DOI: 10.1049/enb2.12015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Microfluidic devices with superior microscale fluid manipulation ability and large integration flexibility offer great advantages of high throughput, parallelisation and multifunctional automation. Such features have been extensively utilised to facilitate cell culture processes such as cell capturing and culturing under controllable and monitored conditions for cell-based assays. Incorporating functional components and microfabricated configurations offered different levels of fluid control and cell manipulation strategies to meet diverse culture demands. This review will discuss the advances of single-phase flow and droplet-based integrated microfluidic suspension cell culture systems and their applications for accelerated bioprocess development, high-throughput cell selection, drug screening and scientific research to insight cell biology. Challenges and future prospects for this dynamically developing field are also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Jing Kerk
- Institute of Biochemical EngineeringDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Aysha Jameel
- Institute of Biochemical EngineeringDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
- MOE Key Laboratory of Industrial BiocatalysisDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Xin‐Hui Xing
- Institute of Biochemical EngineeringDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
- MOE Key Laboratory of Industrial BiocatalysisDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
- Center for Synthetic and Systems BiologyTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Chong Zhang
- Institute of Biochemical EngineeringDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
- MOE Key Laboratory of Industrial BiocatalysisDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
- Center for Synthetic and Systems BiologyTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
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16
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Becker L, Janssen N, Layland SL, Mürdter TE, Nies AT, Schenke-Layland K, Marzi J. Raman Imaging and Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy for Diagnosis of Cancer State and Metabolic Monitoring. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13225682. [PMID: 34830837 PMCID: PMC8616063 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13225682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hurdles for effective tumor therapy are delayed detection and limited effectiveness of systemic drug therapies by patient-specific multidrug resistance. Non-invasive bioimaging tools such as fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) and Raman-microspectroscopy have evolved over the last decade, providing the potential to be translated into clinics for early-stage disease detection, in vitro drug screening, and drug efficacy studies in personalized medicine. Accessing tissue- and cell-specific spectral signatures, Raman microspectroscopy has emerged as a diagnostic tool to identify precancerous lesions, cancer stages, or cell malignancy. In vivo Raman measurements have been enabled by recent technological advances in Raman endoscopy and signal-enhancing setups such as coherent anti-stokes Raman spectroscopy or surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. FLIM enables in situ investigations of metabolic processes such as glycolysis, oxidative stress, or mitochondrial activity by using the autofluorescence of co-enzymes NADH and FAD, which are associated with intrinsic proteins as a direct measure of tumor metabolism, cell death stages and drug efficacy. The combination of non-invasive and molecular-sensitive in situ techniques and advanced 3D tumor models such as patient-derived organoids or microtumors allows the recapitulation of tumor physiology and metabolism in vitro and facilitates the screening for patient-individualized drug treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Becker
- Department for Medical Technologies and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nicole Janssen
- Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Shannon L Layland
- Department for Medical Technologies and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas E Mürdter
- Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anne T Nies
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Katja Schenke-Layland
- Department for Medical Technologies and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, 72770 Reutlingen, Germany
- Cardiovascular Research Laboratories, Department of Medicine/Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA
| | - Julia Marzi
- Department for Medical Technologies and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen, 72770 Reutlingen, Germany
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17
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Li L, Chen Y, Wang H, An G, Wu H, Huang W. A high-throughput, open-space and reusable microfluidic chip for combinational drug screening on tumor spheroids. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:3924-3932. [PMID: 34636818 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00525a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Screening drug combinations using tumor spheroids can play a vital role in the development of disease treatment and personalized medicine. However, current studies focus on drug gradients or combinations of two drugs in most cases, and it is difficult to find complex therapeutic combinations involving more drugs. The use of design-of-experiment (DOE) microfluidics is a potential strategy to study this area systematically. Here we develop a high-throughput, open-space multilayered PMMA microfluidic chip for combinational drug screening on tumor spheroids. This microchip is straightforward to fabricate, compatible with standard spheroid cultures, and friendly for end-users. The device consists of an inlet layer and multiple dispersing layers. In the inlet layer, different samples can be loaded into the chip simultaneously. The sample solutions flow into the dispersing layers to generate various combinations based on the specific DOE principle. We demonstrated that the chip performance is in quantitative agreement with the design, using water and doxycycline combinations as models. As a proof-of-concept study, we constructed a HeLa reporter cell line to quantify the autophagy of tumor spheroids and used the chip to identify critical factors relating to the growth of the spheroids. Specifically, we used L-glutamine, D-glucose, FBS, and cisplatin as the factors and studied the autophagy, growth curves, and spheroid sizes in response to different combinations of the four factors. We found that D-glucose can inhibit the effects of cisplatin on tumor spheroids, and cisplatin caused severe autophagy in 3D tumor spheroids compared to 2D monoculture cells. Our method has the potential to allow more drug combinations to be examined, and it can be extended to DOE approaches with seven or more inputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Li
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, 999077, Hong Kong, China.
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China.
| | - Huirong Wang
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China.
| | - Geng An
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, Guangdong, China
| | - Hongkai Wu
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, 999077, Hong Kong, China.
- The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518057, Guangdong, China
| | - Wei Huang
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China.
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18
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Jiang D, Shi Y, Qiu Y, Liu X, Zhu Y, Liu J, Pan Y, Wan H, Ying K, Wang P. A multidimensional biosensor system to guide LUAD individualized treatment. J Mater Chem B 2021; 9:7991-8002. [PMID: 34611691 DOI: 10.1039/d1tb00731a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Lung cancer, mainly non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), has been a global health problem, leading to maximum cancer death. Across adenocarcinoma patients, significant genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity was identified as responsible for individual cancer drug resistance, driving an urgent need for individualized treatment. High expectation has been set on individualized treatment for better responses and extended survival. There are pressing needs for and significant advantages of testing dosages and drugs directly on patient-specific cancer cells for preclinical drug testing and personalized drug selection. Monitoring the drug response based on patient-derived cells (PDCs) is a step toward effective drug development and individualized treatment. Despite the dependence on optical labels, optical equipment, and other complex manual operation, we here report a multidimensional biosensor system to guide adenocarcinoma individualized treatment by integrating 2D and 3D PDC models and cellular impedance biosensors. The cellular impedance biosensors were applied to quantitate drug response in 2D and 3D environments. Compared with 2D plate culture, 3D cultured cells were found to show higher resistance to anti-cancer drugs. Cell-cell, cell-ECM, and mechanical interactions in the 3D environment led to stronger drug resistance. The in vivo results demonstrated the reliability of the multidimensional biosensor system. Cellular impedance biosensors allow a fast, non-invasive, and quantitative manner for preselected drug screening in individualized treatment. Considering the potential for good distinguishment of different anti-cancer drugs, our newly developed strategy may contribute to drug response prediction in individualized treatment and new drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deming Jiang
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China. .,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yangfeng Shi
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,Department of Respiratory and Critical Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, No. 3 Qingchun East Road, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yong Qiu
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China. .,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China. .,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yuxuan Zhu
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China. .,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Jingwen Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Yuxiang Pan
- Research center of smart sensing, Zhejiang lab, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Hao Wan
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China. .,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Kejing Ying
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,Department of Respiratory and Critical Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, No. 3 Qingchun East Road, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ping Wang
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China. .,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,State Key Laboratory for Sensor Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China
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19
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Sankar S, Mehta V, Ravi S, Sharma CS, Rath SN. A novel design of microfluidic platform for metronomic combinatorial chemotherapy drug screening based on 3D tumor spheroid model. Biomed Microdevices 2021; 23:50. [PMID: 34596764 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-021-00593-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
For treating cancer at various stages, chemotherapy drugs administered in combination provide better treatment results with lower side effects compared to single-drug therapy. However, finding the potential drug combinations has been challenging due to the large numbers of possible combinations from approved drugs and the failure of in vitro 2D well plate-based cancer models. 3D spheroid-based high-throughput microfluidic platforms recapitulate some of the important features of native tumor tissue and offer a promising alternative to evaluate the combinatory effects of the drugs. This study develops a novel polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based microfluidic design with a dynamic environment and strategically placed U-shaped wells for testing all seven possible combinations (three single-drug treatments, three pairwise combinations, treatment with all three drugs) of three chemotherapy drugs (Paclitaxel, Vinorelbine, and Etoposide) on lung tumor spheroids. The design of U-shaped wells has been validated with computational results. Firstly, we test all combinations of drugs on the conventional well plate in static conditions with 3D tumor spheroids. Based on static drug testing results, we show a proof-of-concept by testing the most effective drug combination on the microfluidic device in a dynamic environment. The concentration of the drugs used in combination falls below the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of the individual drugs, towards low dose metronomic (LDM) chemotherapy. LDM combinatorial chemotherapy identified in this study can potentially lower toxicity and provide better treatment results in cancer patients. The device can be further used to culture patient-specific tumor spheroids and identify synergistic drug combinations for personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharanya Sankar
- Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Laboratory (RMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Viraj Mehta
- Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Laboratory (RMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Subhashini Ravi
- Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Laboratory (RMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Chandra Shekhar Sharma
- Creative & Advanced Research Based On Nanomaterials (CARBON) Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Subha Narayan Rath
- Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Laboratory (RMS), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
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20
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Lin D, Chen X, Liu Y, Lin Z, Luo Y, Fu M, Yang N, Liu D, Cao J. Microgel Single-Cell Culture Arrays on a Microfluidic Chip for Selective Expansion and Recovery of Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells. Anal Chem 2021; 93:12628-12638. [PMID: 34495647 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c02335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are rare and lack definite biomarkers, necessitating new methods for a robust expansion. Here, we developed a microfluidic single-cell culture (SCC) approach for expanding and recovering colorectal CSCs from both cell lines and tumor tissues. By incorporating alginate hydrogels with droplet microfluidics, a high-density microgel array can be formed on a microfluidic chip that allows for single-cell encapsulation and nonadhesive culture. The SCC approach takes advantage of the self-renewal property of stem cells, as only the CSCs can survive in the SCC and form tumorspheres. Consecutive imaging confirmed the formation of single-cell-derived tumorspheres, mainly from a population of small-sized cells. Through on-chip decapsulation of the alginate microgel, ∼6000 live cells can be recovered in a single run, which is sufficient for most biological assays. The recovered cells were verified to have the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of CSCs. Furthermore, multiple CSC-specific targets were identified by comparing the transcriptomics of the CSCs with the primary cancer cells. To summarize, the microgel SCC array offers a label-free approach to obtain sufficient quantities of CSCs and thus is potentially useful for understanding cancer biology and developing personalized CSC-targeting therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongguo Lin
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China.,Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Microfluidic Chip Medical Diagnosis, Guangzhou 510180, China
| | - Xiao Chen
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhun Lin
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yanzhang Luo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China
| | - Mingpeng Fu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China
| | - Na Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China
| | - Dayu Liu
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, China.,Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Microfluidic Chip Medical Diagnosis, Guangzhou 510180, China
| | - Jie Cao
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of South China University of Technology, 1, Panfu Road, Guangzhou 510180, China
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21
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[Research advances of high-throughput cell-based drug screening systems based on microfluidic technique]. Se Pu 2021; 39:567-577. [PMID: 34227317 PMCID: PMC9404090 DOI: 10.3724/sp.j.1123.2020.07014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
药物筛选是新药研发的关键步骤,创新药物的发现需要采用适当的药物作用靶点对大量化合物样品进行筛选。高通量筛选系统能够实现数千个反应同时测试和分析,大大提高了药物筛选的实验规模和效率。其中基于细胞水平的高通量药物筛选系统因为更加接近人体生理条件,成为主要的筛选模式。而目前发展成熟的高通量细胞筛选系统主要基于多孔板,存在细胞培养条件单一、耗时费力、试剂消耗量大等问题,且较难实现复杂的组合药物筛选。微流控技术作为一种在微米尺度通道中操纵和控制微流体的技术,具有微量、高效、高通量和自动化的优点,能较好地克服多孔板筛选系统的不足,为构建细胞高通量药物筛选系统提供了一种高效、可靠的技术手段。微流控系统在细胞培养材料、芯片结构设计和流体控制方面均可灵活变化,能更好地实现对细胞生长微环境的调控和模拟。文章综述了基于微流控技术的细胞水平高通量药物筛选系统的研究进展,按照不同的微流体操控模式,对基于灌注流、液滴和微阵列的3种类型的微流控细胞筛选系统进行了分类介绍,并分别总结了它们的优缺点,最后展望了微流控细胞水平高通量药物筛选系统的发展前景,提出了该领域目前存在的问题以及解决问题的方向。
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22
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Han SJ, Kwon S, Kim KS. Challenges of applying multicellular tumor spheroids in preclinical phase. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:152. [PMID: 33663530 PMCID: PMC7934264 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-01853-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The three-dimensional (3D) multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTs) model is becoming an essential tool in cancer research as it expresses an intermediate complexity between 2D monolayer models and in vivo solid tumors. MCTs closely resemble in vivo solid tumors in many aspects, such as the heterogeneous architecture, internal gradients of signaling factors, nutrients, and oxygenation. MCTs have growth kinetics similar to those of in vivo tumors, and the cells in spheroid mimic the physical interaction of the tumors, such as cell-to-cell and cell-to-extracellular matrix interactions. These similarities provide great potential for studying the biological properties of tumors and a promising platform for drug screening and therapeutic efficacy evaluation. However, MCTs are not well adopted as preclinical tools for studying tumor behavior and therapeutic efficacy up to now. In this review, we addressed the challenges with MCTs application and discussed various efforts to overcome the challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se Jik Han
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Korea
| | - Sangwoo Kwon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Korea
| | - Kyung Sook Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Korea.
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23
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Shi Y, Cai Y, Cao Y, Hong Z, Chai Y. Recent advances in microfluidic technology and applications for anti-cancer drug screening. Trends Analyt Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2020.116118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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24
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Application of an open-chamber multi-channel microfluidic device to test chemotherapy drugs. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20343. [PMID: 33230163 PMCID: PMC7683738 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77324-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of precision medicine for chemotherapy requires the individualization of the therapeutic regimen for each patient. This approach improves treatment efficacy and reduces the probability of administering ineffective drugs. To ensure accurate decision-making in a timely manner, anticancer drug efficacy tests must be performed within a short timeframe using a small number of cancer cells. These requirements can be satisfied via microfluidics-based drug screening platforms, which are composed of complex fluidic channels and closed systems. Owing to their complexity, skilled manipulation is required. In this study, we developed a microfluidic platform, to accurately perform multiple drug efficacy tests using a small number of cells, which can be conducted via simple manipulation. As it is a small, open-chamber system, a minimal number of cells could be loaded through simple pipetting. Furthermore, the extracellular matrix gel inside the chamber provides an in vivo-like environment that enables the localized delivery of the drugs to spontaneously diffuse from the channels underneath the chamber without a pump, thereby efficiently and robustly testing the efficacy and resistance of multiple drugs. We demonstrated that this platform enabled the rapid and facile testing of multiple drugs using a small number of cells (~ 10,000) over a short period of time (~ 2 days). These results provide the possibility of using this powerful platform for selecting therapeutic medication, developing new drugs, and delivering personalized medicine to patients.
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25
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Pei H, Yu M, Dong D, Wang Y, Li Q, Li L, Tang B. Phenotype-related drug sensitivity analysis of single CTCs for medicine evaluation. Chem Sci 2020; 11:8895-8900. [PMID: 34123143 PMCID: PMC8163339 DOI: 10.1039/c9sc05566e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the heterogeneous and variable drug sensitivity of tumor cells, real-time monitoring of a patient's drug response is desirable for implementing personalized and dynamic therapy. Although considerable efforts have been directed at drug screening in living cells, performing repeated drug sensitivity analysis using patient-derived primary tumor cells at the single-cell level remains challenging. Here, we present an efficient approach to assess phenotype-related drug sensitivity at the single-cell level using patient-derived circulating tumor cells (CTCs) based on a drug sensitivity microfluidic chip (DS-Chip). The DS-Chip consists of a drug gradient generator and parallel cell traps, achieving continuous single CTC capture, drug gradient distributions, drug stimulation, fluorescent probe labeling and three-color fluorescence imaging. Based on the established DS-Chip, we investigated the drug sensitivity of single cells by simultaneously monitoring epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers and apoptosis in living cells, and verified the correlation between EMT gradients and drug sensitivity. Using the new approach, we further tested the optimal drug response dose in individual CTCs isolated from 5 cancer patients through fluorescence analysis of EMT and apoptosis. The DS-Chip allows noninvasive and real-time measurements of the drug sensitivity of a patient's tumor cells during therapy. This developed approach has practical significance and can effectively guide drug selection and therapeutic evaluation for personalized medicine. Due to the heterogeneous and variable drug sensitivity of tumor cells, real-time monitoring of a patient's drug response is desirable for implementing personalized and dynamic therapy.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Haimeng Pei
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging, Institute of Molecular and Nano Science, Shandong Normal University Jinan 250014 P. R. China
| | - Mei Yu
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging, Institute of Molecular and Nano Science, Shandong Normal University Jinan 250014 P. R. China
| | - Defang Dong
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging, Institute of Molecular and Nano Science, Shandong Normal University Jinan 250014 P. R. China
| | - Yiguo Wang
- Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, The First Hospital Affiliated with Shandong First Medical University Jinan 250014 P. R. China
| | - Qingling Li
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging, Institute of Molecular and Nano Science, Shandong Normal University Jinan 250014 P. R. China
| | - Lu Li
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging, Institute of Molecular and Nano Science, Shandong Normal University Jinan 250014 P. R. China
| | - Bo Tang
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging, Institute of Molecular and Nano Science, Shandong Normal University Jinan 250014 P. R. China
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26
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Chen YC, Zhang Z, Yoon E. Early Prediction of Single-Cell Derived Sphere Formation Rate Using Convolutional Neural Network Image Analysis. Anal Chem 2020; 92:7717-7724. [PMID: 32427465 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c00710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Functional identification of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) is an established method to identify and study this cancer subpopulation critical for cancer progression and metastasis. The method is based on the unique capability of single CSCs to survive and grow to tumorspheres in harsh suspension culture environment. Recent advances in microfluidic technology have enabled isolating and culturing thousands of single cells on a chip. However, tumorsphere assay takes a relatively long period of time, limiting the throughput of this assay. In this work, we incorporated machine learning with single-cell analysis to expedite tumorsphere assay. We collected 1,710 single-cell events as the database and trained a convolutional neural network model that predicts whether a single cell could grow to a tumorsphere on Day 14 based on its Day 4 image. With this future-telling model, we precisely estimated the sphere formation rate of SUM159 breast cancer cells to be 17.8% based on Day 4 images. The estimation was close to the ground truth of 17.6% on Day 14. The preliminary work demonstrates not only the feasibility to significantly accelerate tumorsphere assay but also a synergistic combination between single-cell analysis with machine learning, which can be applied to many other biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chih Chen
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2122, United States.,Forbes Institute for Cancer Discovery, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Zhixiong Zhang
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2122, United States
| | - Euisik Yoon
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2122, United States.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2200 Bonisteel Blvd., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2099, United States.,Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS) and Graduate Program of Nano Biomedical Engineering (Nano BME), Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
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27
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Concentration Gradient Constructions Using Inertial Microfluidics for Studying Tumor Cell-Drug Interactions. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11050493. [PMID: 32408585 PMCID: PMC7281261 DOI: 10.3390/mi11050493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
With the continuous development of cancer therapy, conventional animal models have exposed a series of shortcomings such as ethical issues, being time consuming and having an expensive cost. As an alternative method, microfluidic devices have shown advantages in drug screening, which can effectively shorten experimental time, reduce costs, improve efficiency, and achieve a large-scale, high-throughput and accurate analysis. However, most of these microfluidic technologies are established for narrow-range drug-concentration screening based on sensitive but limited flow rates. More simple, easy-to operate and wide-ranging concentration-gradient constructions for studying tumor cell–drug interactions in real-time have remained largely out of reach. Here, we proposed a simple and compact device that can quickly construct efficient and reliable drug-concentration gradients with a wide range of flow rates. The dynamic study of concentration-gradient formation based on successive spiral mixer regulations was investigated systematically and quantitatively. Accurate, stable, and controllable dual drug-concentration gradients were produced to evaluate simultaneously the efficacy of the anticancer drug against two tumor cell lines (human breast adenocarcinoma cells and human cervical carcinoma cells). Results showed that paclitaxel had dose-dependent effects on the two tumor cell lines under the same conditions, respectively. We expect this device to contribute to the development of microfluidic chips as a portable and economical product in terms of the potential of concentration gradient-related biochemical research.
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28
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Palazzolo G, Mollica H, Lusi V, Rutigliani M, Di Francesco M, Pereira RC, Filauro M, Paleari L, DeCensi A, Decuzzi P. Modulating the Distant Spreading of Patient-Derived Colorectal Cancer Cells via Aspirin and Metformin. Transl Oncol 2020; 13:100760. [PMID: 32247264 PMCID: PMC7118176 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although screening has reduced mortality rates for colorectal cancer (CRC), about 20% of patients still carry metastases at diagnosis. Postsurgery chemotherapy is toxic and induces drug resistance. Promising alternative strategies rely on repurposing drugs such as aspirin (ASA) and metformin (MET). Here, tumor spheroids were generated in suspension by primary CRCs and metastatic lymph nodes from 11 patients. These spheroids presented a heterogeneous cell population including a small core of CD133+/ESA+ cancer stem cells surrounded by a thick corona of CDX2+/CK20+ CRC cells, thus maintaining the molecular hallmarks of the tumor source. Spheroids were exposed to ASA and/or MET at different doses for up to 7 days to assess cell growth, migration, and adhesion in three-dimensional assays. While ASA at 5 mM was always sufficient to mitigate cell migration, the response to MET was patient specific. Only in MET-sensitive spheroids, the 5 mM ASA/MET combination showed an effect. Interestingly, CRCs from diabetic patients daily pretreated with MET gave a very low spheroid yield due to reduced cancer cell survival. This study highlights the potential of ASA/MET treatments to modulate CRC spreading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma Palazzolo
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology for Precision Medicine, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy.
| | - Hilaria Mollica
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology for Precision Medicine, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Valeria Lusi
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology for Precision Medicine, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Mariangela Rutigliani
- Department of Laboratory and Service, Histological and Anatomical Pathology Unit, E.O. Ospedali Galliera, Genoa, Italy
| | - Martina Di Francesco
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology for Precision Medicine, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Rui Cruz Pereira
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology for Precision Medicine, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Marco Filauro
- Department of Surgery, E.O. Ospedali Galliera, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Andrea DeCensi
- Department of Medicine Area, Medical Oncology Unit, E.O. Ospedali Galliera, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paolo Decuzzi
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology for Precision Medicine, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genoa, Italy
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29
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Shen S, Zhang X, Zhang F, Wang D, Long D, Niu Y. Three-gradient constructions in a flow-rate insensitive microfluidic system for drug screening towards personalized treatment. Talanta 2020; 208:120477. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2019.120477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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30
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Li Z, Guo X, Sun L, Xu J, Liu W, Li T, Wang J. A simple microsphere‐based mold to rapidly fabricate microwell arrays for multisize 3D tumor culture. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 117:1092-1100. [DOI: 10.1002/bit.27257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zixiu Li
- College of Chemistry & Pharmacy Northwest A&F University Yangling Shaanxi P. R. China
| | - Xiaofang Guo
- College of Chemistry & Pharmacy Northwest A&F University Yangling Shaanxi P. R. China
| | - Lili Sun
- College of Chemistry & Pharmacy Northwest A&F University Yangling Shaanxi P. R. China
| | - Juan Xu
- College of Chemistry & Pharmacy Northwest A&F University Yangling Shaanxi P. R. China
| | - Wenming Liu
- School of Basic Medical Science Central South University Changsha Hunan P. R. China
| | - Tianbao Li
- College of Chemistry & Pharmacy Northwest A&F University Yangling Shaanxi P. R. China
| | - Jinyi Wang
- College of Chemistry & Pharmacy Northwest A&F University Yangling Shaanxi P. R. China
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31
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Zhang Z, Chen L, Wang Y, Zhang T, Chen YC, Yoon E. Label-Free Estimation of Therapeutic Efficacy on 3D Cancer Spheres Using Convolutional Neural Network Image Analysis. Anal Chem 2019; 91:14093-14100. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b03896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhixiong Zhang
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2122, United States
| | - Lili Chen
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2122, United States
| | - Yimin Wang
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2122, United States
| | - Tiantian Zhang
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2122, United States
| | - Yu-Chih Chen
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2122, United States
- Forbes Institute for Cancer Discovery, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Euisik Yoon
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2122, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2200 Bonisteel Boulevard, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2099, United States
- Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS) and Graduate Program of Nano Biomedical Engineering (Nano BME), Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
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Abstract
Microfluidics is an appealing platform for drug screening and discovery. Compared with the conventional drug screening methods based on Petri dishes and experimental animals, microfluidic devices have many advantages including miniaturized size, ease-to-use, high sensitivity, and high throughput. More importantly, bioassays on microfluidics can avoid ethical issues which can be a big obstacle hindering the performance of the experiments on animals or human being. Furthermore, three-dimensional (3D) microchips can recapitulate various biochemical and biophysical conditions in vivo and mimic the natural microenvironment of the tissues/organs, providing versatile in vitro models for biomedical applications. In this Perspective, we will focus on the cell-based microfluidic assays for drug screening. Meanwhile, we also propose potential solutions for the difficulties in this field and discuss the prospects of microfluidics-based technologies for drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Liu
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for BioNanotechnology and CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No. 11 Zhongguancun Beiyitiao, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Wenfu Zheng
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for BioNanotechnology and CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No. 11 Zhongguancun Beiyitiao, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Xingyu Jiang
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for BioNanotechnology and CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, No. 11 Zhongguancun Beiyitiao, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, No. 1088 Xueyuan Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
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Desyatnik I, Krasner M, Frolov L, Ronen M, Guy O, Wasserman D, Tzur A, Avrahami D, Barbiro-Michaely E, Gerber D. An Integrated Microfluidics Approach for Personalized Cancer Drug Sensitivity and Resistance Assay. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 3:e1900001. [PMID: 32648689 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.201900001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2019] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally. Matching proper treatment and dosage is crucial for a positive outcome. Any given drug may affect patients with similar tumors differently. Personalized medicine aims to address this issue. Unfortunately, most cancer samples cannot be expanded in culture, limiting conventional cell-based testing. Herein, presented is a microfluidic device that combines a drug microarray with cell microscopy. The device can perform 512 experiments to test chemosensitivity and resistance to a drug array. MCF7 and 293T cells are cultured inside the device and their chemosensitivity and resistance to docetaxel, applied at various concentrations, are determined. Cell mortality is determined as a function of drug concentration and exposure time. It is found that both cell types form cluster morphology within the device, not evident in conventional tissue culture under similar conditions. Cells inside the clusters are less sensitive to drugs than dispersed cells. These findings support a heterogenous response of cancer cells to drugs. Then demonstrated is the principle of drug microarrays by testing cell response to four different drugs at four different concentrations. This approach may enable the personalization of treatment to the particular tumor and patient and may eventually improve final patient outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inna Desyatnik
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Matan Krasner
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Ludmila Frolov
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Maria Ronen
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Ortal Guy
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Danit Wasserman
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Amit Tzur
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Dorit Avrahami
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Efrat Barbiro-Michaely
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Doron Gerber
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, 52900, Israel
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