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Rodrigues DB, Reis RL, Pirraco RP. Modelling the complex nature of the tumor microenvironment: 3D tumor spheroids as an evolving tool. J Biomed Sci 2024; 31:13. [PMID: 38254117 PMCID: PMC10804490 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-024-00997-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer remains a serious burden in society and while the pace in the development of novel and more effective therapeutics is increasing, testing platforms that faithfully mimic the tumor microenvironment are lacking. With a clear shift from animal models to more complex in vitro 3D systems, spheroids emerge as strong options in this regard. Years of development have allowed spheroid-based models to better reproduce the biomechanical cues that are observed in the tumor-associated extracellular matrix (ECM) and cellular interactions that occur in both a cell-cell and cell-ECM manner. Here, we summarize some of the key cellular interactions that drive tumor development, progression and invasion, and how successfully are these interactions recapitulated in 3D spheroid models currently in use in the field. We finish by speculating on future advancements in the field and on how these can shape the relevance of spherical 3D models for tumor modelling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel B Rodrigues
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs, Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence On Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, Barco, 4805-017, Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, 4805-017, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Rui L Reis
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs, Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence On Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, Barco, 4805-017, Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, 4805-017, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Rogério P Pirraco
- 3B's Research Group, I3Bs, Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence On Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, Barco, 4805-017, Guimarães, Portugal.
- ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, 4805-017, Guimarães, Portugal.
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2
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Chakkera M, Foote JB, Farran B, Nagaraju GP. Breaking the stromal barrier in pancreatic cancer: Advances and challenges. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189065. [PMID: 38160899 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.189065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide due to the absence of early detection methods and the low success rates of traditional therapeutic strategies. Drug resistance in PC is driven by its desmoplastic stroma, which creates a barrier that shields cancer niches and prevents the penetration of drugs. The PC stroma comprises heterogeneous cellular populations and non-cellular components involved in aberrant ECM deposition, immunosuppression, and drug resistance. These components can influence PC development through intricate and complex crosstalk with the PC cells. Understanding how stromal components and cells interact with and influence the invasiveness and refractoriness of PC cells is thus a prerequisite for developing successful stroma-modulating strategies capable of remodeling the PC stroma to alleviate drug resistance and enhance therapeutic outcomes. In this review, we explore how non-cellular and cellular stromal components, including cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor-associated macrophages, contribute to the immunosuppressive and tumor-promoting effects of the stroma. We also examine the signaling pathways underlying their activation, tumorigenic effects, and interactions with PC cells. Finally, we discuss recent pre-clinical and clinical work aimed at developing and testing novel stroma-modulating agents to alleviate drug resistance and improve therapeutic outcomes in PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohana Chakkera
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Jeremy B Foote
- Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Batoul Farran
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Ganji Purnachandra Nagaraju
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA.
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3
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Zhu L, Tang Q, Mao Z, Chen H, Wu L, Qin Y. Microfluidic-based platforms for cell-to-cell communication studies. Biofabrication 2023; 16:012005. [PMID: 38035370 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/ad1116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Intercellular communication is critical to the understanding of human health and disease progression. However, compared to traditional methods with inefficient analysis, microfluidic co-culture technologies developed for cell-cell communication research can reliably analyze crucial biological processes, such as cell signaling, and monitor dynamic intercellular interactions under reproducible physiological cell co-culture conditions. Moreover, microfluidic-based technologies can achieve precise spatial control of two cell types at the single-cell level with high throughput. Herein, this review focuses on recent advances in microfluidic-based 2D and 3D devices developed to confine two or more heterogeneous cells in the study of intercellular communication and decipher the advantages and limitations of these models in specific cellular research scenarios. This review will stimulate the development of more functionalized microfluidic platforms for biomedical research, inspiring broader interests across various disciplines to better comprehend cell-cell communication and other fields, such as tumor heterogeneity and drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lvyang Zhu
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Qu Tang
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenzhen Mao
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Huanhuan Chen
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Wu
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuling Qin
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
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4
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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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5
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Li W, Zhou Z, Zhou X, Khoo BL, Gunawan R, Chin YR, Zhang L, Yi C, Guan X, Yang M. 3D Biomimetic Models to Reconstitute Tumor Microenvironment In Vitro: Spheroids, Organoids, and Tumor-on-a-Chip. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2202609. [PMID: 36917657 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202202609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Decades of efforts in engineering in vitro cancer models have advanced drug discovery and the insight into cancer biology. However, the establishment of preclinical models that enable fully recapitulating the tumor microenvironment remains challenging owing to its intrinsic complexity. Recent progress in engineering techniques has allowed the development of a new generation of in vitro preclinical models that can recreate complex in vivo tumor microenvironments and accurately predict drug responses, including spheroids, organoids, and tumor-on-a-chip. These biomimetic 3D tumor models are of particular interest as they pave the way for better understanding of cancer biology and accelerating the development of new anticancer therapeutics with reducing animal use. Here, the recent advances in developing these in vitro platforms for cancer modeling and preclinical drug screening, focusing on incorporating hydrogels are reviewed to reconstitute physiologically relevant microenvironments. The combination of spheroids/organoids with microfluidic technologies is also highlighted to better mimic in vivo tumors and discuss the challenges and future directions in the clinical translation of such models for drug screening and personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxiu Li
- Department of Precision Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Futian Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518000, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, 999077, China
| | - Zhihang Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, 999077, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400010, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhou
- Department of Precision Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Futian Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518000, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, 999077, China
| | - Bee Luan Khoo
- Department of Precision Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Futian Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518000, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Renardi Gunawan
- Department of Precision Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Futian Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518000, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, 999077, China
| | - Y Rebecca Chin
- Department of Precision Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Futian Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518000, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, 999077, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Department of Precision Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Futian Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518000, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, 999077, China
| | - Changqing Yi
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Center of Advanced and Portable Medical Devices, School of Biomedical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 518107, China
| | - Xinyuan Guan
- Department of Clinical Oncology, State Key Laboratory for Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, 999077, China
| | - Mengsu Yang
- Department of Precision Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Futian Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518000, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, 999077, China
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6
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Tavana H, Luker GD. Cancer-associated fibroblasts: challenges and opportunities. Oncotarget 2023; 14:211-214. [PMID: 36944189 PMCID: PMC10030151 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.28385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Tavana
- Correspondence to:Hossein Tavana, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA email
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7
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Nano-Electrochemical Characterization of a 3D Bioprinted Cervical Tumor Model. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15041327. [PMID: 36831668 PMCID: PMC9954750 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Current cancer research is limited by the availability of reliable in vivo and in vitro models that are able to reproduce the fundamental hallmarks of cancer. Animal experimentation is of paramount importance in the progress of research, but it is becoming more evident that it has several limitations due to the numerous differences between animal tissues and real, in vivo human tissues. 3D bioprinting techniques have become an attractive tool for many basic and applied research fields. Concerning cancer, this technology has enabled the development of three-dimensional in vitro tumor models that recreate the characteristics of real tissues and look extremely promising for studying cancer cell biology. As 3D bioprinting is a relatively recently developed technique, there is still a lack of characterization of the chemical cellular microenvironment of 3D bioprinted constructs. In this work, we fabricated a cervical tumor model obtained by 3D bioprinting of HeLa cells in an alginate-based matrix. Characterization of the spheroid population obtained as a function of culturing time was performed by phase-contrast and confocal fluorescence microscopies. Scanning electrochemical microscopy and platinum nanoelectrodes were employed to characterize oxygen concentrations-a fundamental characteristic of the cellular microenvironment-with a high spatial resolution within the 3D bioprinted cervical tumor model; we also demonstrated that the diffusion of a molecular model of drugs in the 3D bioprinted construct, in which the spheroids were embedded, could be measured quantitatively over time using scanning electrochemical microscopy.
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8
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Liu H, Yin H, Wang Z, Yuan Q, Xu F, Chen Y, Li C. Rho A/ROCK1 signaling-mediated metabolic reprogramming of valvular interstitial cells toward Warburg effect accelerates aortic valve calcification via AMPK/RUNX2 axis. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:108. [PMID: 36774349 PMCID: PMC9922265 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05642-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
The aberrant differentiation of valvular interstitial cells (VICs) to osteogenic lineages promotes calcified aortic valves disease (CAVD), partly activated by potentially destructive hemodynamic forces. These involve Rho A/ROCK1 signaling, a mechano-sensing pathway. However, how Rho A/ROCK1 signaling transduces mechanical signals into cellular responses and disrupts normal VIC homeostasis remain unclear. We examined Rho A/ROCK1 signaling in human aortic valves, and further detected how Rho A/ROCK1 signaling regulates mineralization in human VICs. Aortic valves (CAVD n = 22, normal control (NC) n = 12) from patients undergoing valve replacement were investigated. Immunostaining and western blotting analysis indicated that Rho A/ROCK1 signaling, as well as key transporters and enzymes involved in the Warburg effect, were markedly upregulated in human calcified aortic valves compared with those in the controls. In vitro, Rho A/ROCK1-induced calcification was confirmed as AMPK-dependent, via a mechanism involving metabolic reprogramming of human VICs to Warburg effect. Y-27632, a selective ROCK1 inhibitor, suppressed the Warburg effect, rescued AMPK activity and subsequently increased RUNX2 ubiquitin-proteasome degradation, leading to decreased RUNX2 protein accumulation in human VICs under pathological osteogenic stimulus. Rho A/ROCK1 signaling, which is elevated in human calcified aortic valves, plays a positive role in valvular calcification, partially through its ability to drive metabolic switching of VICs to the Warburg effect, leading to altered AMPK activity and RUNX2 protein accumulation. Thus, Rho A/ROCK1 signaling could be an important and unrecognized hub of destructive hemodynamics and cellular aerobic glycolysis that is essential to promote the CAVD process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiruo Liu
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Chest Pain Center, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Public Health, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Hang Yin
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Chest Pain Center, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Public Health, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Chest Pain Center, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Public Health, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Qiuhuan Yuan
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Chest Pain Center, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Public Health, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Feng Xu
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Chest Pain Center, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Public Health, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yuguo Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Chest Pain Center, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
- Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Public Health, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
| | - Chuanbao Li
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Chest Pain Center, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
- Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Public Health, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
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9
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Lamichhane A, Shahi Thakuri P, Singh S, Rafsanjani Nejad P, Heiss J, Luker GD, Tavana H. Therapeutic Targeting of Cancer Stem Cells Prevents Resistance of Colorectal Cancer Cells to MEK Inhibition. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2022; 5:724-734. [PMID: 36110381 PMCID: PMC9469186 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.1c00257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Drug resistance is a leading cause for the failure of cancer treatments. Plasticity of cancer cells to acquire stem cell-like properties enables them to escape drug toxicity through different adaptive mechanisms. Eliminating cancer stem cells (CSCs) can potentially improve treatment outcomes for patients. To determine the role of CSCs in resistance of colorectal cancer cells to targeted therapies and identify treatment strategies, we treated spheroids of BRAFmut and KRASmut colorectal cancer cells with inhibitors of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and studied resistance mechanisms through gene and protein expression analyses. We found that treatments activated several oncogenic pathways and expression of CSC markers CD166 and ALDH1A3. We identified a specific combination treatment using trametinib and mithramycin A to simultaneously inhibit the CSC phenotype and activities of several pathways in cancer cells. This study demonstrates the feasibility of therapeutic targeting of CSCs as a strategy to block tumorigenic activities of cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astha Lamichhane
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, The University
of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Pradip Shahi Thakuri
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, The University
of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Sunil Singh
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, The University
of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Pouria Rafsanjani Nejad
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, The University
of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Jacob Heiss
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, The University
of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Gary D. Luker
- Department
of Radiology, Microbiology and Immunology, Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105, United States
| | - Hossein Tavana
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, The University
of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
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10
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Qin X, Lei C, Yan L, Sun H, Liu X, Guo Z, Sun W, Guo X, Fang Q. Proteomic and Metabolomic Analyses of Right Ventricular Failure due to Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:834179. [PMID: 35865003 PMCID: PMC9294162 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.834179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Right ventricular failure (RVF) is the independent and strongest predictor of mortality in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but, at present, there are no preventive and therapeutic strategies directly targeting the failing right ventricle (RV). The underlying mechanism of RV hypertrophy (RVH) and dysfunction needs to be explored in depth. In this study, we used myocardial proteomics combined with metabolomics to elucidate potential pathophysiological changes of RV remodeling in a monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH rat model. The proteins and metabolites extracted from the RV myocardium were identified using label-free liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The bioinformatic analysis indicated that elevated intracellular Ca2+ concentrations and inflammation may contribute to myocardial proliferation and contraction, which may be beneficial for maintaining the compensated state of the RV. In the RVF stage, ferroptosis, mitochondrial metabolic shift, and insulin resistance are significantly involved. Dysregulated iron homeostasis, glutathione metabolism, and lipid peroxidation related to ferroptosis may contribute to RV decompensation. In conclusion, we depicted a proteomic and metabolomic profile of the RV myocardium during the progression of MCT-induced PAH, and also provided the insights for potential therapeutic targets facilitating the retardation or reversal of RV dysfunction in PAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohan Qin
- Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Chuxiang Lei
- Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Li Yan
- Department of Pathophysiology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Haidan Sun
- Core Facility of Instrument, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Core Facility of Instrument, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengguang Guo
- Core Facility of Instrument, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Sun
- Core Facility of Instrument, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Guo
- Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoxiao Guo, ; Quan Fang,
| | - Quan Fang
- Department of Cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoxiao Guo, ; Quan Fang,
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11
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Zhang Q, Wang P, Fang X, Lin F, Fang J, Xiong C. Collagen gel contraction assays: From modelling wound healing to quantifying cellular interactions with three-dimensional extracellular matrices. Eur J Cell Biol 2022; 101:151253. [PMID: 35785635 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2022.151253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cells respond to and actively remodel the extracellular matrix (ECM). The dynamic and bidirectional interaction between cells and ECM, especially their mechanical interactions, has been found to play an essential role in triggering a series of complex biochemical and biomechanical signal pathways and in regulating cellular functions and behaviours. The collagen gel contraction assay (CGCA) is a widely used method to investigate cell-ECM interactions in 3D environments and provides a mechanically associated readout reflecting 3D cellular contractility. In this review, we summarize various versions of CGCA, with an emphasis on recent high-throughput and low-consumption CGCA techniques. More importantly, we focus on the technique of force monitoring during the contraction of collagen gel, which provides a quantitative characterization of the overall forces generated by all the resident cells in the collagen hydrogel. Accordingly, we present recent biological applications of the CGCA, which have expanded from the initial wound healing model to other studies concerning cell-ECM interactions, including fibrosis, cancer, tissue repair and the preparation of biomimetic microtissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Zhang
- Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Pudi Wang
- Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xu Fang
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Feng Lin
- Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Jing Fang
- Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Chunyang Xiong
- Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou 325000, China.
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12
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Singh S, Lamichhane A, Rafsanjani Nejad P, Heiss J, Baumann H, Gudneppanavar R, Leipzig ND, Konopka M, Luker GD, Tavana H. Therapeutic Targeting of Stromal-Tumor HGF-cMET Signaling in an Organotypic Triple Negative Breast Tumor Model. Mol Cancer Res 2022; 20:1166-1177. [PMID: 35348758 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-21-0317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) promotes proliferation, drug resistance, and invasiveness of cancer cells. Therapeutic targeting of the TME is an attractive strategy to improve outcomes for patients, particularly in aggressive cancers such as triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) that have a rich stroma and limited targeted therapies. However, lack of preclinical human tumor models for mechanistic understanding of tumor-stromal interactions has been an impediment to identify effective treatments against the TME. To address this need, we developed a three-dimensional (3D) organotypic tumor model to study interactions of patient-derived cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) with TNBC cells and explore potential therapy targets. We found that CAFs predominantly secreted hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and activated MET receptor tyrosine kinase in TNBC cells. This tumor-stromal interaction promoted invasiveness, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and activities of multiple oncogenic pathways in TNBC cells. Importantly, we established that TNBC cells become resistant to monotherapy and demonstrated a design-driven approach to select drug combinations that effectively inhibit pro-metastatic functions of TNBC cells. Our study also showed that HGF-MET from lung fibroblasts promotes colony formation by TNBC cells, suggesting that blocking HGF-MET signaling potentially could target both primary TNBC tumorigenesis and lung metastasis. Overall, we established the utility of our organotypic tumor model to identify and therapeutically target specific mechanisms of tumor-stromal interactions in TNBC toward the goal of developing targeted therapies against the TME. Implications: Leveraging a state-of-the-art organotypic tumor model, we demonstrated that CAFs-mediated HGF-MET signaling drive tumorigenic activities in TNBC and presents a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Singh
- University of Akron, Akron, OH, United States
| | | | | | - Jacob Heiss
- University of Akron, Akron, OH, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Gary D Luker
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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13
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DePalma TJ, Sivakumar H, Skardal A. Strategies for developing complex multi-component in vitro tumor models: Highlights in glioblastoma. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 180:114067. [PMID: 34822927 PMCID: PMC10560581 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.114067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, many research groups have begun to utilize bioengineered in vitro models of cancer to study mechanisms of disease progression, test drug candidates, and develop platforms to advance personalized drug treatment options. Due to advances in cell and tissue engineering over the last few decades, there are now a myriad of tools that can be used to create such in vitro systems. In this review, we describe the considerations one must take when developing model systems that accurately mimic the in vivo tumor microenvironment (TME) and can be used to answer specific scientific questions. We will summarize the importance of cell sourcing in models with one or multiple cell types and outline the importance of choosing biomaterials that accurately mimic the native extracellular matrix (ECM) of the tumor or tissue that is being modeled. We then provide examples of how these two components can be used in concert in a variety of model form factors and conclude by discussing how biofabrication techniques such as bioprinting and organ-on-a-chip fabrication can be used to create highly reproducible complex in vitro models. Since this topic has a broad range of applications, we use the final section of the review to dive deeper into one type of cancer, glioblastoma, to illustrate how these components come together to further our knowledge of cancer biology and move us closer to developing novel drugs and systems that improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J DePalma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Hemamylammal Sivakumar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Aleksander Skardal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; The Ohio State University and Arthur G. James Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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14
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Tao Y, Li Y, Zhang D, Xu L, Chen J, Sang Y, Piao H, Jing X, Yu M, Fu Q, Zhou S, Li D, Du M. Decidual CXCR4 + CD56 bright NK cells as a novel NK subset in maternal-foetal immune tolerance to alleviate early pregnancy failure. Clin Transl Med 2021; 11:e540. [PMID: 34709764 PMCID: PMC8516340 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells preferentially accumulate at maternal-foetal interface and are believed to play vital immune-modulatory roles during early pregnancy and related immunological dysfunction may result in pregnant failure such as recurrent miscarriage (RM). However, the mechanisms underlying the establishment of maternal-foetal immunotolerance are complex but clarifying the roles of decidual NK (dNK) cells offers the potential to design immunotherapeutic strategies to assist RM patients. In this report, we analysed RNA sequencing on peripheral NK (pNK) and decidual NK cells during early pregnancy; we identified an immunomodulatory dNK subset CXCR4+ CD56bright dNK and investigated its origin and phenotypic and functional characteristics. CXCR4+ CD56bright dNK displayed a less activated and cytotoxic phenotype but an enhanced immunomodulatory potential relative to the CXCR4 negative subset. CXCR4+ CD56bright dNK promote Th2 shift in an IL-4-dependent manner and can be recruited from peripheral blood and reprogramed by trophoblasts, as an active participant in the establishment of immune-tolerance during early pregnancy. Diminished CXCR4+ dNK cells and their impaired ability to induce Th2 differentiation were found in RM patients and mouse models of spontaneous abortion. Moreover, adoptive transfer of CXCR4+ dNK cells to NK-deficient (Nfil3-/-) mice showed great therapeutic potential of CXCR4+ dNK via recovering the Th2/Th1 bias and reducing embryo resorption rates. The identification of this new dNK cell subset may lay the foundation for understanding NK cell mechanisms in early pregnancy and provide potential prognostic factors for the diagnosis and therapy of RM.
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MESH Headings
- Abortion, Habitual/blood
- Abortion, Habitual/immunology
- Abortion, Habitual/prevention & control
- Animals
- Decidua/immunology
- Disease Models, Animal
- Female
- Humans
- Immune Tolerance/immunology
- Killer Cells, Natural/immunology
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules/blood
- Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules/genetics
- Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules/immunology
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy Trimester, First
- Receptors, CXCR4/blood
- Receptors, CXCR4/genetics
- Receptors, CXCR4/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Tao
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Hospital of Obstetrics and GynecologyFudan University Shanghai Medical CollegeShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related DiseasesShanghaiChina
- Department of Assisted ReproductionShanghai Ninth People's HospitalShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Yan‐Hong Li
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Hospital of Obstetrics and GynecologyFudan University Shanghai Medical CollegeShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related DiseasesShanghaiChina
| | - Di Zhang
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Hospital of Obstetrics and GynecologyFudan University Shanghai Medical CollegeShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related DiseasesShanghaiChina
| | - Ling Xu
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Hospital of Obstetrics and GynecologyFudan University Shanghai Medical CollegeShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related DiseasesShanghaiChina
| | - Jia‐Jia Chen
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Hospital of Obstetrics and GynecologyFudan University Shanghai Medical CollegeShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related DiseasesShanghaiChina
| | - Yi‐Fei Sang
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Hospital of Obstetrics and GynecologyFudan University Shanghai Medical CollegeShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related DiseasesShanghaiChina
| | - Hai‐Lan Piao
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Hospital of Obstetrics and GynecologyFudan University Shanghai Medical CollegeShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related DiseasesShanghaiChina
| | - Xue‐Ling Jing
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Hospital of Obstetrics and GynecologyFudan University Shanghai Medical CollegeShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related DiseasesShanghaiChina
| | - Min Yu
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Hospital of Obstetrics and GynecologyFudan University Shanghai Medical CollegeShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related DiseasesShanghaiChina
| | - Qiang Fu
- Department of ImmunologyBinzhou Medical CollegeYantaiPeople's Republic of China
| | - Sheng‐Tao Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of MOE and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University HospitalSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation CenterChengduPeople's Republic of China
| | - Da‐Jin Li
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Hospital of Obstetrics and GynecologyFudan University Shanghai Medical CollegeShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related DiseasesShanghaiChina
| | - Mei‐Rong Du
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Hospital of Obstetrics and GynecologyFudan University Shanghai Medical CollegeShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related DiseasesShanghaiChina
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of MedicineSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhouChina
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and School of PharmacyMacau University of Science and TechnologyMacauChina
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15
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Ferreira LP, Gaspar VM, Mendes L, Duarte IF, Mano JF. Organotypic 3D decellularized matrix tumor spheroids for high-throughput drug screening. Biomaterials 2021; 275:120983. [PMID: 34186236 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2021.120983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) is emerging as a valuable tool for generating 3D in vitro tumor models that better recapitulate tumor-stroma interactions. However, the development of dECM-3D heterotypic microtumors exhibiting a controlled morphology is yet to be materialized. Precisely controlling microtumors morphologic features is key to avoid an inaccurate evaluation of therapeutics performance during preclinical screening. To address this, herein we employed ultra-low adhesion surfaces for bioengineering organotypic 3D metastatic breast cancer-fibroblast models enriched with dECM microfibrillar fragments, as a bottom-up strategy to include major matrix components and their associated biomolecular cues during the early stages of 3D microtissue spheroids assembly, simulating pre-existing ECM presence in the in vivo setting. This biomimetic approach enabled the self-assembly of dECM-3D tumor-stroma spheroids with tunable size and reproducible morphology. Along time, dECM enriched and stroma-rich microtumors exhibited necrotic core formation, secretion of key biomarkers and higher cancer-cell specific resistance to different chemotherapeutics in comparison to standard spheroids. Exometabolomics profiling of dECM-Spheroid in vitro models further identified important breast cancer metabolic features including glucose/pyruvate consumption and lactate excretion, which suggest an intense glycolytic activity, recapitulating major hallmarks of the native microenvironment. Such organotypic dECM-enriched microtumors overcome the morphologic variability generally associated with cell-laden dECM models, while providing a scalable testing platform that can be foreseeable leveraged for high-throughput screening of candidate therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís P Ferreira
- Department of Chemistry, CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Vítor M Gaspar
- Department of Chemistry, CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Luís Mendes
- Department of Chemistry, CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Iola F Duarte
- Department of Chemistry, CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - João F Mano
- Department of Chemistry, CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal.
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16
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Lamichhane A, Thakuri PS, Rafsanjani Nejad P, Tavana H. Modeling adaptive drug resistance of colorectal cancer and therapeutic interventions with tumor spheroids. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2021; 246:2372-2380. [PMID: 34102903 DOI: 10.1177/15353702211014185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug resistance is a major barrier against successful treatments of cancer patients. Various intrinsic mechanisms and adaptive responses of tumor cells to cancer drugs often lead to failure of treatments and tumor relapse. Understanding mechanisms of cancer drug resistance is critical to develop effective treatments with sustained anti-tumor effects. Three-dimensional cultures of cancer cells known as spheroids present a biologically relevant model of avascular tumors and have been increasingly incorporated in tumor biology and cancer drug discovery studies. In this review, we discuss several recent studies from our group that utilized colorectal tumor spheroids to investigate responses of cancer cells to cytotoxic and molecularly targeted drugs and uncover mechanisms of drug resistance. We highlight our findings from both short-term, one-time treatments and long-term, cyclic treatments of tumor spheroids and discuss mechanisms of adaptation of cancer cells to the treatments. Guided by mechanisms of resistance, we demonstrate the feasibility of designing specific drug combinations to effectively block growth and resistance of cancer cells in spheroid cultures. Finally, we conclude with our perspectives on the utility of three-dimensional tumor models and their shortcomings and advantages for phenotypic and mechanistic studies of cancer drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astha Lamichhane
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
| | - Pradip Shahi Thakuri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
| | | | - Hossein Tavana
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
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17
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Ren G, Zheng X, Sharma V, Letson J, Nestor-Kalinoski AL, Furuta S. Loss of Nitric Oxide Induces Fibrogenic Response in Organotypic 3D Co-Culture of Mammary Epithelia and Fibroblasts-An Indicator for Breast Carcinogenesis. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13112815. [PMID: 34198735 PMCID: PMC8201212 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13112815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Fibrosis, which is often caused by chronic diseases and environmental substances, is closely associated with cancer. Thus, the development of a robust method allowing for deep studies of the linkage between fibrosis and cancer is essential. Here, we tested whether our novel three-dimensional (3D) co-culture of breast epithelia and fibroblasts would be a suitable model for that purpose. We compared the phenotypic effects of L-NAME, an inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) production, on 3D mono- and co-cultures. We previously reported that prolonged NO depletion with L-NAME caused fibrosis and tumorigenesis in mouse mammary glands. Such in vivo effects of L-NAME were well recapitulated in 3D co-cultures, but not in 3D mono-cultures of epithelia and fibroblasts. These results support not only the essential roles of the presence of the stroma in cancer development, but also the utility of this co-culture in studying the causal relationship between fibrosis and cancer. Abstract Excessive myofibroblast activation, which leads to dysregulated collagen deposition and the stiffening of the extracellular matrix (ECM), plays pivotal roles in cancer initiation and progression. Cumulative evidence attests to the cancer-causing effects of a number of fibrogenic factors found in the environment, diseases and drugs. While identifying such factors largely depends on epidemiological studies, it would be of great importance to develop a robust in vitro method to demonstrate the causal relationship between fibrosis and cancer. Here, we tested whether our recently developed organotypic three-dimensional (3D) co-culture would be suitable for that purpose. This co-culture system utilizes the discontinuous ECM to separately culture mammary epithelia and fibroblasts in the discrete matrices to model the complexity of the mammary gland. We observed that pharmaceutical deprivation of nitric oxide (NO) in 3D co-cultures induced myofibroblast differentiation of the stroma as well as the occurrence of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of the parenchyma. Such in vitro response to NO deprivation was unique to co-cultures and closely mimicked the phenotype of NO-depleted mammary glands exhibiting stromal desmoplasia and precancerous lesions undergoing EMT. These results suggest that this novel 3D co-culture system could be utilized in the deep mechanistic studies of the linkage between fibrosis and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Ren
- Department of Cancer Biology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo Health Science Campus, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH 43614, USA; (G.R.); (X.Z.); (V.S.); (J.L.)
| | - Xunzhen Zheng
- Department of Cancer Biology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo Health Science Campus, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH 43614, USA; (G.R.); (X.Z.); (V.S.); (J.L.)
| | - Vandana Sharma
- Department of Cancer Biology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo Health Science Campus, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH 43614, USA; (G.R.); (X.Z.); (V.S.); (J.L.)
| | - Joshua Letson
- Department of Cancer Biology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo Health Science Campus, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH 43614, USA; (G.R.); (X.Z.); (V.S.); (J.L.)
| | - Andrea L. Nestor-Kalinoski
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo Health Science Campus, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH 43614, USA;
| | - Saori Furuta
- Department of Cancer Biology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo Health Science Campus, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH 43614, USA; (G.R.); (X.Z.); (V.S.); (J.L.)
- Correspondence:
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18
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Rafsanjani Nejad P, Shahi Thakuri P, Singh S, Lamichhane A, Heiss J, Tavana H. Toxicity of Combinations of Kinase Pathway Inhibitors to Normal Human Cells in a Three-Dimensional Culture. SLAS Technol 2021; 26:255-264. [PMID: 33880947 DOI: 10.1177/24726303211008858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Resistance to single-agent chemotherapy and molecularly targeted drugs prevents sustained efficacy of treatments. To address this challenge, combination drug treatments have been used to improve outcomes for patients. Potential toxicity of combination treatments is a major concern, however, and has led to the failure of several clinical trials in different cancers. The use of cell-based models of normal tissues in preclinical studies enables testing and identifying toxic effects of drug combinations and facilitates an informed decision-making process for advancing the treatments to animal models and clinical trials. Recently, we established that combinations of molecular inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathways effectively and synergistically inhibit growth of BRAFmut and KRASmut colorectal tumor spheroids by blocking feedback signaling of downstream kinase pathways. These pathways are important for cell proliferation, however, and their simultaneous inhibition may cause toxicity to normal cells. We used a cellular spheroid model to study toxicities of drug combinations to human bone marrow and colon. Our results indicated that MAPK and PI3K/Akt inhibitors used simultaneously were only moderately toxic to bone marrow cells but significantly more toxic to colon cells. Our molecular analysis of proliferative cell activities and housekeeping proteins further corroborated these results. Overall, our approach to identify toxic effects of combinations of cancer drugs to normal cells in three-dimensional cultures will facilitate more informed treatment selections for subsequent animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sunil Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, USA
| | - Astha Lamichhane
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, USA
| | - Jacob Heiss
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, USA
| | - Hossein Tavana
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, USA
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19
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Hussain S, Peng B, Cherian M, Song JW, Ahirwar DK, Ganju RK. The Roles of Stroma-Derived Chemokine in Different Stages of Cancer Metastases. Front Immunol 2020; 11:598532. [PMID: 33414786 PMCID: PMC7783453 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.598532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The intricate interplay between malignant cells and host cellular and non-cellular components play crucial role in different stages of tumor development, progression, and metastases. Tumor and stromal cells communicate to each other through receptors such as integrins and secretion of signaling molecules like growth factors, cytokines, chemokines and inflammatory mediators. Chemokines mediated signaling pathways have emerged as major mechanisms underlying multifaceted roles played by host cells during tumor progression. In response to tumor stimuli, host cells-derived chemokines further activates signaling cascades that support the ability of tumor cells to invade surrounding basement membrane and extra-cellular matrix. The host-derived chemokines act on endothelial cells to increase their permeability and facilitate tumor cells intravasation and extravasation. The tumor cells-host neutrophils interaction within the vasculature initiates chemokines driven recruitment of inflammatory cells that protects circulatory tumor cells from immune attack. Chemokines secreted by tumor cells and stromal immune and non-immune cells within the tumor microenvironment enter the circulation and are responsible for formation of a "pre-metastatic niche" like a "soil" in distant organs whereby circulating tumor cells "seed' and colonize, leading to formation of metastatic foci. Given the importance of host derived chemokines in cancer progression and metastases several drugs like Mogamulizumab, Plerixafor, Repertaxin among others are part of ongoing clinical trial which target chemokines and their receptors against cancer pathogenesis. In this review, we focus on recent advances in understanding the complexity of chemokines network in tumor microenvironment, with an emphasis on chemokines secreted from host cells. We especially summarize the role of host-derived chemokines in different stages of metastases, including invasion, dissemination, migration into the vasculature, and seeding into the pre-metastatic niche. We finally provide a brief description of prospective drugs that target chemokines in different clinical trials against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahid Hussain
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Bo Peng
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Mathew Cherian
- Division of Medical Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Jonathan W Song
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States.,Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Dinesh K Ahirwar
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Ramesh K Ganju
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
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20
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The Signaling Duo CXCL12 and CXCR4: Chemokine Fuel for Breast Cancer Tumorigenesis. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12103071. [PMID: 33096815 PMCID: PMC7590182 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12103071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Breast cancer remains the most common malignancy in women. In this review, we explore the role of the CXCL12/CXCR4 pathway in breast cancer. We show that the CXCL12/CXCR4 cascade is involved in nearly every aspect of breast cancer tumorigenesis including proliferation, cell motility and distant metastasis. Moreover, we summarize current knowledge about the CXCL12/CXCR4-targeted therapies. Due to the critical roles of this pathway in breast cancer and other malignancies, we believe that audiences in different fields will find this overview helpful. Abstract The CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling pathway has emerged in the recent years as a key player in breast cancer tumorigenesis. This pathway controls many aspects of breast cancer development including cancer cell proliferation, motility and metastasis to all target organs. Moreover, the CXCL12/CXCR4 cascade affects both immune and stromal cells, creating tumor-supporting microenvironment. In this review, we examine state-of-the-art knowledge about detrimental roles of the CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling, discuss its therapeutic potential and suggest further research directions beneficial both for basic research and personalized medicine in breast cancer.
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21
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Role of the CXCR4-LASP1 Axis in the Stabilization of Snail1 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12092372. [PMID: 32825729 PMCID: PMC7563118 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The CXCL12-CXCR4 axis plays a vital role in many steps of breast cancer metastasis, but the molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. We previously reported that activation of CXCR4 by CXCL12 promotes the nuclear localization of LASP1 (LIM and SH3 protein 1). The nuclear LASP1 then interacts with Snail1 in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines. In this study, we report that the nuclear accumulation and retention of Snail1 was dependent on an increase in nuclear LASP1 levels driven by active CXCR4. The CXCR4-LASP1 axis may directly regulate the stabilization of nuclear Snail1, by upregulating nuclear levels of pS473-Akt, pS9-GSK-3β, A20, and LSD1. Furthermore, the activation of CXCR4 induced association of LASP1 with Snail1, A20, GSK-3β, and LSD1 endogenously. Thus, nuclear LASP1 may also regulate protein-protein interactions that facilitate the stability of Snail1. Genetic ablation of LASP1 resulted in the mislocalization of nuclear Snail1, loss of the ability of TNBC cells to invade Matrigel and a dysregulated expression of both epithelial and mesenchymal markers, including an increased expression of ALDH1A1, a marker for epithelial breast cancer stem-like cells. Our findings reveal a novel role for the CXCR4-LASP1 axis in facilitating the stability of nuclear localized Snail1.
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Saini H, Rahmani Eliato K, Veldhuizen J, Zare A, Allam M, Silva C, Kratz A, Truong D, Mouneimne G, LaBaer J, Ros R, Nikkhah M. The role of tumor-stroma interactions on desmoplasia and tumorigenicity within a microengineered 3D platform. Biomaterials 2020; 247:119975. [PMID: 32278213 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.119975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment has been demonstrated to play a crucial role in modulating cancer progression. Amongst various cell types within the tumor microenvironment, cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are in abundance, serving to modulate the biophysical properties of the stromal matrix, through excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins that leads to enhanced tumor progression. There is still a critical need to develop a fundamental framework on the role of tumor-stromal cell interactions on desmoplasia and tumorigenicity. Herein, we developed a 3D microengineered organotypic tumor-stroma model incorporated with breast cancer cells surrounded by CAF-embedded collagen matrix. We further integrated our platform with atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study the dynamic changes in stromal stiffness during active tumor invasion. Our findings primarily demonstrated enhanced tumor progression in the presence of CAFs. Furthermore, we highlighted the crucial role of crosstalk between tumor cells and CAFs on stromal desmoplasia, where we identified the role of tumor-secreted PDGF-AA/-BB on elevated matrix stiffness. Inhibition of the activity of PDGFRs in CAFs led to attenuation of stromal stiffness. Overall, our work presents a well-controlled tumor microenvironment model capable of dissecting specific biophysical and biochemical signaling cues which lead to stromal desmoplasia and tumor progression.
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Singh S, Tran S, Putman J, Tavana H. Three-dimensional models of breast cancer-fibroblasts interactions. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2020; 245:879-888. [PMID: 32276543 DOI: 10.1177/1535370220917366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPACT STATEMENT Tumor stroma plays an important role in progression of cancers to a fatal metastatic disease. Modern treatment strategies are considering targeting tumor stroma to improve outcomes for cancer patients. A current challenge to develop stroma-targeting therapeutics is the lack of preclinical physiologic tumor models. Animal models widely used in cancer research lack human stroma and are not amenable to screening of chemical compounds for cancer drug discovery. In this review, we outline in vitro three-dimensional tumor models that we have developed to study the interactions among cancer cells and stromal cells. We describe development of the tumor models in a modular fashion, from a spheroid model to a sophisticated organotypic model, and discuss the importance of using correct physiologic models to recapitulate tumor-stromal signaling. These biomimetic tumor models will facilitate understanding of tumor-stromal signaling biology and provide a scalable approach for testing and discovery of cancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
| | - Sydnie Tran
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
| | - Justin Putman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
| | - Hossein Tavana
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
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