Bioactive three-dimensional silk composite in vitro tumoroid model for high throughput screening of anticancer drugs

Massive fabrication of functional hepatic cancer spheroids by micropatterned GelMA hydrogel chip for drug screening

Since hepatic cancer incidence and mortality continue to grow worldwide, it is necessary to develop the biomimetic tumor models for drug development and tumor therapeutics. Cellular spheroids as an excellent simple 3D model can bridge the gap between 2D cell culture and live tissue. In this study, we proposed a biological methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) hydrogel-based microplatform for the massive generation of hepatocellular spheroids and downstream investigation of drug resistance. Micropatterned GelMA hydrogel microwell chip (GHM-chip) with tunable array was easily achieved in standard 24-culture well plates through the micro-molding fabrication strategy. The fabricated GHM-chip induced multicellular self-assembly behavior within the defined topography and further formed spheroidal structure. By regulating cell seeding density and designing microwell size, uniform hepatic cancer spheroids with tunable diameters were obtained in a simplicity, stability and controllable manner. In addition, the screening chemotherapy study of anti-cancer drug was completed through non-destructive recovery of spheroids from the GHM-chip. Beyond that, the recovered functional spheroids have potential application value in various biomedical fields such as tumor biology, pharmacology, and tissue microengineering. Finally, the proposed GHM-chip incorporated into standard cell culture plates with easy to manufacture and operate properties, may be an efficient culture microplatform for cancer research applications.

Effect of human umbilical cord stem cells (HUMSC) administration on collagen expression in the anterior vaginal wall in menopausal rats

Objective

To evaluate the outcome of human umbilical cord stem cells (HUMSC) administration on collagen expression within the frontal vaginal wall of menopausal rats.

Materials and Methods

We conducted an experimental, randomized post-test-only controlled group design. The study samples were 40 healthy female Winstar rat with the age of 8-12 weeks that had been ovariectomized, had never mated, and weighed 18-22 grams. The umbilical cord was obtained from voluntary donors who did not have a history of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, cytomegalovirus infection, treponema pallidum infection, or a history of other infections transmitted through the blood, placental tract, and genitals. Data collection (frontal vaginal wall of the rat) was carried out in a controlled environment with the consideration that all conditions were maintained equally and could be controlled.

Results

There were 36 samples. A total of 13 menopausal rats (72%) had strong collagen expression and 5 rats had weak-to-moderate collagen expression (28%). On the other hand, 18 menopausal rats (100%) that belonged to the control group had weak-moderate collagen expression, and no menopausal rats appeared to have strong expression (0%). The administration of collagen to the anterior vaginal wall of postmenopausal rats proved to be effective by increasing the strong collagen expression in the damaged anterior vagina of postmenopausal female rats (p<0.05).

Conclusion

Administration of HUMSC resulted in an increase in collagen levels in the anterior vaginal tissue of postmenopausal female rats. These results demonstrate significant therapeutic potential for the treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction.

Hydrogels in Cutaneous Wound Healing: Insights into Characterization, Properties, Formulation and Therapeutic Potential

Hydrogels are polymeric materials that possess a set of characteristics meeting various requirements of an ideal wound dressing, making them promising for wound care. These features include, among others, the ability to absorb and retain large amounts of water and the capacity to closely mimic native structures, such as the extracellular matrix, facilitating various cellular processes like proliferation and differentiation. The polymers used in hydrogel formulations exhibit a broad spectrum of properties, allowing them to be classified into two main categories: natural polymers like collagen and chitosan, and synthetic polymers such as polyurethane and polyethylene glycol. This review offers a comprehensive overview and critical analysis of the key polymers that can constitute hydrogels, beginning with a brief contextualization of the polymers. It delves into their function, origin, and chemical structure, highlighting key sources of extraction and obtaining. Additionally, this review encompasses the main intrinsic properties of these polymers and their roles in the wound healing process, accompanied, whenever available, by explanations of the underlying mechanisms of action. It also addresses limitations and describes some studies on the effectiveness of isolated polymers in promoting skin regeneration and wound healing. Subsequently, we briefly discuss some application strategies of hydrogels derived from their intrinsic potential to promote the wound healing process. This can be achieved due to their role in the stimulation of angiogenesis, for example, or through the incorporation of substances like growth factors or drugs, such as antimicrobials, imparting new properties to the hydrogels. In addition to substance incorporation, the potential of hydrogels is also related to their ability to serve as a three-dimensional matrix for cell culture, whether it involves loading cells into the hydrogel or recruiting cells to the wound site, where they proliferate on the scaffold to form new tissue. The latter strategy presupposes the incorporation of biosensors into the hydrogel for real-time monitoring of wound conditions, such as temperature and pH. Future prospects are then ultimately addressed. As far as we are aware, this manuscript represents the first comprehensive approach that brings together and critically analyzes fundamental aspects of both natural and synthetic polymers constituting hydrogels in the context of cutaneous wound healing. It will serve as a foundational point for future studies, aiming to contribute to the development of an effective and environmentally friendly dressing for wounds.

A comprehensive review of 3D cancer models for drug screening and translational research

The 3D cancer models fill the discovery gap of 2D cancer models and play an important role in cancer research. In addition to cancer cells, a range of other factors include the stroma, density and composition of extracellular matrix, cancer-associated immune cells (e.g., cancer-associated fibroblasts cancer cell-stroma interactions and subsequent interactions, and a number of other factors (e.g., tumor vasculature and tumor-like microenvironment in vivo) has been widely ignored in the 2D concept of culture. Despite this knowledge, the continued use of monolayer cell culture methods has led to the failure of a series of clinical trials. This review discusses the immense importance of tumor microenvironment (TME) recapitulation in cancer research, prioritizing the individual roles of TME elements in cancer histopathology. The TME provided by the 3D model fulfills the requirements of in vivo spatiotemporal arrangement, components, and is helpful in analyzing various different aspects of drug sensitivity in preclinical and clinical trials, some of which are discussed here. Furthermore, it discusses models for the co-assembly of different TME elements in vitro and focuses on their synergistic function and responsiveness as tumors. Furthermore, this review broadly describes of a handful of recently developed 3D models whose main focus is limited to drug development and their screening and/or the impact of this approach in preclinical and translational research.

High-Voltage Electrostatic Field Hydrogel Microsphere 3D Culture System Improves Viability and Liver-like Properties of HepG2 Cells

Three-dimensional (3D) hepatocyte models have become a research hotspot for evaluating drug metabolism and hepatotoxicity. Compared to two-dimensional (2D) cultures, 3D cultures are better at mimicking the morphology and microenvironment of hepatocytes in vivo. However, commonly used 3D culture techniques are not suitable for high-throughput drug screening (HTS) due to their high cost, complex handling, and inability to simulate cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions. This article describes a method for rapid and reproducible 3D cell cultures with ECM-cell interactions based on 3D culture instrumentation to provide more efficient HTS. We developed a microsphere preparation based on a high-voltage electrostatic (HVE) field and used sodium alginate- and collagen-based hydrogels as scaffolds for 3D cultures of HepG2 cells. The microsphere-generating device enables the rapid and reproducible preparation of bioactive hydrogel microspheres. This 3D culture system exhibited better cell viability, heterogeneity, and drug-metabolizing activity than 2D and other 3D culture models, and the long-term culture characteristics of this system make it suitable for predicting long-term liver toxicity. This system improves the overall applicability of HepG2 spheroids in safety assessment studies, and this simple and controllable high-throughput-compatible method shows potential for use in drug toxicity screening assays and mechanistic studies.

Liver organoids: a promising three-dimensional model for insights and innovations in tumor progression and precision medicine of liver cancer

Primary liver cancer (PLC) is one type of cancer with high incidence rate and high mortality rate in the worldwide. Systemic therapy is the major treatment for PLC, including surgical resection, immunotherapy and targeted therapy. However, mainly due to the heterogeneity of tumors, responses to the above drug therapy differ from person to person, indicating the urgent needs for personalized treatment for PLC. Organoids are 3D models derived from adult liver tissues or pluripotent stem cells. Based on the ability to recapitulate the genetic and functional features of in vivo tissues, organoids have assisted biomedical research to make tremendous progress in understanding disease origin, progression and treatment strategies since their invention and application. In liver cancer research, liver organoids contribute greatly to reflecting the heterogeneity of liver cancer and restoring tumor microenvironment (TME) by co-organizing tumor vasculature and stromal components in vitro. Therefore, they provide a promising platform for further investigation into the biology of liver cancer, drug screening and precision medicine for PLC. In this review, we discuss the recent advances of liver organoids in liver cancer, in terms of generation methods, application in precision medicine and TME modeling.

Three-dimensional culture models: emerging platforms for screening the antitumoral efficacy of nanomedicines

Nanomedicines have been investigated for delivering drugs to tumors due to their ability to accumulate in the tumor tissues. 2D in vitro cell culture has been used to investigate the antitumoral potential of nanomedicines. However, a 2D model cannot adequately mimic the in vivo tissue conditions because of the lack of cell-cell interaction, a gradient of nutrients and the expression of genes. To overcome this limitation, 3D cell culture models have emerged as promising platforms that better replicate the complexity of native tumors. For this purpose, different techniques can be used to produce 3D models, including scaffold-free, scaffold-based and microfluidic-based models. This review addresses the principles, advantages and limitations of these culture methods for evaluating the antitumoral efficacy of nanomedicines.

In-situ formation of niobium oxide – niobium carbide – reduced graphene oxide ternary nanocomposite as an electrochemical sensor for sensitive detection of anticancer drug methotrexate

Engineering the nanostructure of an electrocatalyst is crucial in developing a high-performance electrochemical sensor. This work exhibits the hydrothermal followed by annealing synthesis of niobium oxide/niobium carbide/reduced graphene oxide (NbO/NbC/rGO) ternary nanocomposite. The oval-shaped NbO/NbC nanoparticles cover the surface of rGO evenly, and the rGO nanosheets are interlinked to produce a micro-flower-like architecture. The NbO/NbC/rGO nanocomposite-modified electrode is presented here for the first time for the rapid and sensitive electrochemical detection of the anticancer drug methotrexate (MTX). Down-sized NbO/NbC nanoparticles and rGO's high surface area provide many active sites with a rapid electron transfer rate, making them ideal for MTX detection. In comparison to previously reported MTX sensors, the developed drug sensor exhibits a lower oxidation potential and a higher peak current responsiveness. The constructed sensors worked analytically well under optimal conditions, as shown by a low detection limit of 1.6 nM, a broad linear range of 0.1-850 µM, and significant recovery findings (∼98 %, (n = 3)) in real samples analysis. Thus, NbO/NbC/rGO nanocomposite material for high-performance electrochemical applications seems promising.

Organoid factory: The recent role of the human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) in precision medicine

During the last decades, hiPSC-derived organoids have been extensively studied and used as in vitro models for several applications among which research studies. They can be considered as organ and tissue prototypes, especially for those difficult to obtain. Moreover, several diseases can be accurately modeled and studied. Hence, patient-derived organoids (PDOs) can be used to predict individual drug responses, thus paving the way toward personalized medicine. Lastly, by applying tissue engineering and 3D printing techniques, organoids could be used in the future to replace or regenerate damaged tissue. In this review, we will focus on hiPSC-derived 3D cultures and their ability to model human diseases with an in-depth analysis of gene editing applications, as well as tumor models. Furthermore, we will highlight the state-of-the-art of organoid facilities that around the world offer know-how and services. This is an increasing trend that shed the light on the need of bridging the publicand the private sector. Hence, in the context of drug discovery, Organoid Factories can offer biobanks of validated 3D organoid models that can be used in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies to speed up the drug screening process. Finally, we will discuss the limitations and the future development that will lead hiPSC-derived technology from bench to bedside, toward personalized medicine, such as maturity, organoid interconnections, costs, reproducibility and standardization, and ethics. hiPSC-derived organoid technology is now passing from a proof-of-principle to real applications in the clinic, also thanks to the applicability of techniques, such as CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system, material engineering for the scaffolds, or microfluidic systems. The benefits will have a crucial role in the advance of both basic biological and translational research, particularly in the pharmacological field and drug development. In fact, in the near future, 3D organoids will guide the clinical decision-making process, having validated patient-specific drug screening platforms. This is particularly important in the context of rare genetic diseases or when testing cancer treatments that could in principle have severe side effects. Therefore, this technology has enabled the advancement of personalized medicine in a way never seen before.

Nonmulberry silk fibroin-based biomaterials: Impact on cell behavior regulation and tissue regeneration

Silk fibroin (SF) is a promising biomaterial due to its good biocompatibility, easy availability, and high mechanical properties. Compared with mulberry silk fibroin (MSF), nonmulberry silk fibroin (NSF) isolated from typical nonmulberry silkworm silk exhibits unique arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) sequences with favorable cell adhesion enhancing effect. This inherent property probably makes the NSF more suitable for cell culture and tissue regeneration-related applications. Accordingly, various types of NSF-based biomaterials, such as particles, films, fiber mats, and 3D scaffolds, are constructed and their application potential in different biomedical fields is extensively investigated. Based on these promising NSF biomaterials, this review firstly makes a systematical comparison between the molecular structure and properties of MSF and typical NSF and highlights the unique properties of NSF. In addition, we summarize the effective fabrication strategies from degummed nonmulberry silk fibers to regenerated NSF-based biomaterials with controllable formats and their recent application progresses in cell behavior regulation and tissue regeneration. Finally, current challenges and future perspectives for the fabrication and application of NSF-based biomaterials are discussed. Related research and perspectives may provide valuable references for designing and modifying effective NSF-based and other natural biomaterials. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: There exist many reviews about mulberry silk fibroin (MSF) biomaterials and their biomedical applications, while that about nonmulberry silk fibroin (NSF) biomaterials is scarce. Compared with MSF, NSF exhibits unique arginine-glycine-aspartic acid sequences with promising cell adhesion enhancing effect, which makes NSF more suitable for cell culture and tissue regeneration related applications. Focusing on these advanced NSF biomaterials, this review has systematically compared the structure and properties of MSF and NSF, and emphasized the unique properties of NSF. Following that, the effective construction strategies for NSF-based biomaterials are summarized, and their recent applications in cell behavior regulations and tissue regenerations are highlighted. Furthermore, current challenges and future perspectives for the fabrication and application of NSF-based biomaterials were discussed.