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Wassenaar NPM, van Schelt AS, Schrauben EM, Kop MPM, Nio CY, Wilmink JW, Besselink MGH, van Laarhoven HWM, Stoker J, Nederveen AJ, Runge JH. MR Elastography of the Pancreas: Bowel Preparation and Repeatability Assessment in Pancreatic Cancer Patients and Healthy Controls. J Magn Reson Imaging 2024; 59:1582-1592. [PMID: 37485870 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.28918] [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: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) stromal viscoelasticity can be measured using MR elastography (MRE). Bowel preparation regimens could affect MRE quality and knowledge on repeatability is crucial for clinical implementation. PURPOSE To assess effects of four bowel preparation regimens on MRE quality and to evaluate repeatability and differentiate patients from healthy controls. STUDY TYPE Prospective. POPULATION 15 controls (41 ± 16 years; 47% female), 16 PDAC patients (one excluded, 66 ± 12 years; 40% female) with 15 age-/sex-matched controls (65 ± 11 years; 40% female). Final sample size was 25 controls and 15 PDAC. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE 3-T, spin-echo echo-planar-imaging, turbo spin-echo, and fast field echo gradient-echo. ASSESSMENT Four different regimens were used: fasting; scopolaminebutyl; drinking 0.5 L water; combination of 0.5 L water and scopolaminebutyl. MRE signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was compared between all regimens. MRE repeatability (test-retest) and differences in shear wave speed (SWS) and phase angle (ϕ) were assessed in PDAC and controls. Regions-of-interest were defined for tumor, nontumorous (n = 8) tissue in PDAC, and whole pancreas in controls. Two radiologists delineated tumors twice for evaluation of intraobserver and interobserver variability. STATISTICAL TESTS Repeated measures analysis of variance, coefficients of variation (CoVs), Bland-Altman analysis, (un)paired t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. P-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Preparation regimens did not significantly influence MRE-SNR. Therefore, the least burdensome preparation (fasting only) was continued. CoVs for tumor SWS were: intrasession (12.8%) and intersession (21.7%), and intraobserver (7.9%) and interobserver (10.3%) comparisons. For controls, CoVs were intrasession (4.6%) and intersession (6.4%). Average SWS for tumor, nontumor, and healthy tissue were: 1.74 ± 0.58, 1.38 ± 0.27, and 1.18 ± 0.16 m/sec (ϕ: 1.02 ± 0.17, 0.91 ± 0.07, and 0.85 ± 0.08 rad), respectively. Significant differences were found between all groups, except for ϕ between healthy-nontumor (P = 0.094). DATA CONCLUSION The proposed bowel preparation regimens may not influence MRE quality. MRE may be able to differentiate between healthy tissue-tumor and tumor-nontumor. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nienke P M Wassenaar
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Imaging and Biomarkers, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anne-Sophie van Schelt
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Imaging and Biomarkers, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eric M Schrauben
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marnix P M Kop
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C Yung Nio
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Johanna W Wilmink
- Imaging and Biomarkers, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marc G H Besselink
- Imaging and Biomarkers, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Surgery, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Metabolism, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hanneke W M van Laarhoven
- Imaging and Biomarkers, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap Stoker
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Metabolism, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aart J Nederveen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jurgen H Runge
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Lahusen A, Cai J, Schirmbeck R, Wellstein A, Kleger A, Seufferlein T, Eiseler T, Lin YN. A pancreatic cancer organoid-in-matrix platform shows distinct sensitivities to T cell killing. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9377. [PMID: 38654067 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60107-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Poor treatment responses of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are in large part due to tumor heterogeneity and an immunosuppressive desmoplastic tumor stroma that impacts interactions with cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Thus, there is a pressing need for models to probe the contributions of cellular and noncellular crosstalk. Organoids are promising model systems with the potential to generate a plethora of data including phenotypic, transcriptomic and genomic characterization but still require improvements in culture conditions mimicking the TME. Here, we describe an INTERaction with Organoid-in-MatriX ("InterOMaX") model system, that presents a 3D co-culture-based platform for investigating matrix-dependent cellular crosstalk. We describe its potential to uncover new molecular mechanisms of T cell responses to murine KPC (LSL-KrasG12D/+27/Trp53tm1Tyj/J/p48Cre/+) PDAC cells as well as PDAC patient-derived organoids (PDOs). For this, a customizable matrix and homogenously sized organoid-in-matrix positioning of cancer cells were designed based on a standardized agarose microwell chip array system and established for co-culture with T cells and inclusion of stromal cells. We describe the detection and orthogonal analysis of murine and human PDAC cell populations with distinct sensitivity to T cell killing that is corroborated in vivo. By enabling both identification and validation of gene candidates for T cell resistance, this platform sets the stage for better mechanistic understanding of cancer cell-intrinsic resistance phenotypes in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Lahusen
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Nephrology, Nutrition and Metabolism, Ulm University Hospital, Albert Einstein Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jierui Cai
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Nephrology, Nutrition and Metabolism, Ulm University Hospital, Albert Einstein Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Reinhold Schirmbeck
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Nephrology, Nutrition and Metabolism, Ulm University Hospital, Albert Einstein Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Anton Wellstein
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, 3970 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC, 20007, USA
| | - Alexander Kleger
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Nephrology, Nutrition and Metabolism, Ulm University Hospital, Albert Einstein Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Stem Cell Biology (IMOS), Ulm University Hospital, 89081, Ulm, Germany
- Division of Interdisciplinary Pancreatology, Department of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University Hospital, 89081, Ulm, Germany
- Organoid Core Facility, Ulm University Hospital, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Thomas Seufferlein
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Nephrology, Nutrition and Metabolism, Ulm University Hospital, Albert Einstein Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Tim Eiseler
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Nephrology, Nutrition and Metabolism, Ulm University Hospital, Albert Einstein Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Yuan-Na Lin
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Nephrology, Nutrition and Metabolism, Ulm University Hospital, Albert Einstein Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
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Connaughton M, Dabagh M. Modeling Physical Forces Experienced by Cancer and Stromal Cells Within Different Organ-Specific Tumor Tissue. IEEE JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL ENGINEERING IN HEALTH AND MEDICINE 2024; 12:413-434. [PMID: 38765886 PMCID: PMC11100865 DOI: 10.1109/jtehm.2024.3388561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Mechanical force exerted on cancer cells by their microenvironment have been reported to drive cells toward invasive phenotypes by altering cells' motility, proliferation, and apoptosis. These mechanical forces include compressive, tensile, hydrostatic, and shear forces. The importance of forces is then hypothesized to be an alteration of cancer cells' and their microenvironment's biophysical properties as the indicator of a tumor's malignancy state. Our objective is to investigate and quantify the correlation between a tumor's malignancy state and forces experienced by the cancer cells and components of the microenvironment. In this study, we have developed a multicomponent, three-dimensional model of tumor tissue consisting of a cancer cell surrounded by fibroblasts and extracellular matrix (ECM). Our results on three different organs including breast, kidney, and pancreas show that: A) the stresses within tumor tissue are impacted by the organ specific ECM's biophysical properties, B) more invasive cancer cells experience higher stresses, C) in pancreas which has a softer ECM (Young modulus of 1.0 kPa) and stiffer cancer cells (Young modulus of 2.4 kPa and 1.7 kPa) than breast and kidney, cancer cells experienced significantly higher stresses, D) cancer cells in contact with ECM experienced higher stresses compared to cells surrounded by fibroblasts but the area of tumor stroma experiencing high stresses has a maximum length of 40 μm when the cancer cell is surrounded by fibroblasts and 12 μm for when the cancer cell is in vicinity of ECM. This study serves as an important first step in understanding of how the stresses experienced by cancer cells, fibroblasts, and ECM are associated with malignancy states of cancer cells in different organs. The quantification of forces exerted on cancer cells by different organ-specific ECM and at different stages of malignancy will help, first to develop theranostic strategies, second to predict accurately which tumors will become highly malignant, and third to establish accurate criteria controlling the progression of cancer cells malignancy. Furthermore, our in silico model of tumor tissue can yield critical, useful information for guiding ex vivo or in vitro experiments, narrowing down variables to be investigated, understanding what factors could be impacting cancer treatments or even biomarkers to be looking for.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Connaughton
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeMilwaukeeWI53211USA
| | - Mahsa Dabagh
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeMilwaukeeWI53211USA
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Lintern N, Smith AM, Jayne DG, Khaled YS. Photodynamic Stromal Depletion in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4135. [PMID: 37627163 PMCID: PMC10453210 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15164135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest solid malignancies, with a five-year survival of less than 10%. The resistance of the disease and the associated lack of therapeutic response is attributed primarily to its dense, fibrotic stroma, which acts as a barrier to drug perfusion and permits tumour survival and invasion. As clinical trials of chemotherapy (CT), radiotherapy (RT), and targeted agents have not been successful, improving the survival rate in unresectable PDAC remains an urgent clinical need. Photodynamic stromal depletion (PSD) is a recent approach that uses visible or near-infrared light to destroy the desmoplastic tissue. Preclinical evidence suggests this can resensitise tumour cells to subsequent therapies whilst averting the tumorigenic effects of tumour-stromal cell interactions. So far, the pre-clinical studies have suggested that PDT can successfully mediate the destruction of various stromal elements without increasing the aggressiveness of the tumour. However, the complexity of this interplay, including the combined tumour promoting and suppressing effects, poses unknowns for the clinical application of photodynamic stromal depletion in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Lintern
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Andrew M. Smith
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research, St James’s University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK
| | - David G. Jayne
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research, St James’s University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK
| | - Yazan S. Khaled
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research, St James’s University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK
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Zhang H, Zhu H, Feng J, Zhang Z, Zhang S, Wang Z, Sun L, Zhang W, Gao B, Zhang Y, Lin M. Reprogramming of Activated Pancreatic Stellate Cells via Mechanical Modulation of Transmembrane Force-sensitive N-cadherin Receptor. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:167819. [PMID: 36089055 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167819] [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: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Cancer has been the leading cause of death due mainly to tumor metastasis. The tumor microenvironment plays a key role in tumor metastasis. As the main stromal cells in tumor microenvironment originated from activated fibroblast, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a major role in promoting tumor metastasis. A promising therapeutic avenue is reprogramming of CAFs into tumor-restraining quiescence state. In this study, we observed that CAF-like active pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) interact with each other via N-cadherin, a force-sensitive transmembrane receptor. Since N-cadherin ligation mediated mechanotransduction has been reported to restrict integrin mediated signalling, we thus hypothesized that the reprogramming of activated PSCs by mechanical modulation of N-cadherin ligation might be possible. To test this hypothesis, we grafted N-cadherin ligand (HAVDI peptide) onto soft polyethylene glycol hydrogel substrate prior to cell adhesion to mimic cell-cell interaction via N-cadherin ligation. We found that the activated PSCs could be reprogrammed to their original quiescent state when transferred onto the substrate with immobilized HAVDI peptide. These results reveal a key role of mechanosensing by intercellular transmembrane receptor in reprogramming of activated PSCs, and provide a potential way for designing novel therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China
| | - Hongyuan Zhu
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China
| | - Jinteng Feng
- Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, PR China
| | - Zheng Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China
| | - Simei Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, PR China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, PR China
| | - Lin Sun
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China
| | - Wencheng Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, PR China
| | - Bin Gao
- Department of Endocrinology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, PR China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Xijing 986 Hospital Department, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710054, PR China
| | - Min Lin
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China.
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Marchini A, Ciulla MG, Antonioli B, Agnoli A, Bovio U, Visnoviz V, Bertuzzi F, Gelain F. Long-term cultures of human pancreatic islets in self-assembling peptides hydrogels. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1105157. [PMID: 36911193 PMCID: PMC9995881 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1105157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Human pancreatic islets transplantation is an experimental therapeutic treatment for Type I Diabetes. Limited islets lifespan in culture remains the main drawback, due to the absence of native extracellular matrix as mechanical support after their enzymatic and mechanical isolation procedure. Extending the limited islets lifespan by creating a long-term in vitro culture remains a challenge. In this study, three biomimetic self-assembling peptides were proposed as potential candidates to recreate in vitro a pancreatic extracellular matrix, with the aim to mechanically and biologically support human pancreatic islets, by creating a three-dimensional culture system. The embedded human islets were analyzed for morphology and functionality in long-term cultures (14-and 28-days), by evaluating β-cells content, endocrine component, and extracellular matrix constituents. The three-dimensional support provided by HYDROSAP scaffold, and cultured into MIAMI medium, displayed a preserved islets functionality, a maintained rounded islets morphology and an invariable islets diameter up to 4 weeks, with results analogues to freshly-isolated islets. In vivo efficacy studies of the in vitro 3D cell culture system are ongoing; however, preliminary data suggest that human pancreatic islets pre-cultured for 2 weeks in HYDROSAP hydrogels and transplanted under subrenal capsule may restore normoglycemia in diabetic mice. Therefore, engineered self-assembling peptide scaffolds may provide a useful platform for long-term maintenance and preservation of functional human pancreatic islets in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Marchini
- Institute for Stem-Cell Biology, Regenerative Medicine and Innovative Therapies (ISBReMIT), IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Maria Gessica Ciulla
- Institute for Stem-Cell Biology, Regenerative Medicine and Innovative Therapies (ISBReMIT), IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy.,Center for Nanomedicine and Tissue Engineering (CNTE), ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Antonioli
- Tissue Bank and Tissue Therapy Unit, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Agnoli
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioscience, University of Milan-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Umberto Bovio
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioscience, University of Milan-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Federico Bertuzzi
- Department of Diabetology, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Gelain
- Institute for Stem-Cell Biology, Regenerative Medicine and Innovative Therapies (ISBReMIT), IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy.,Center for Nanomedicine and Tissue Engineering (CNTE), ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
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Monferrer E, Dobre O, Trujillo S, González Oliva MA, Trubert-Paneli A, Acevedo-León D, Noguera R, Salmeron-Sanchez M. Vitronectin-based hydrogels recapitulate neuroblastoma growth conditions. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:988699. [PMID: 36425532 PMCID: PMC9679952 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.988699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment plays an important role in cancer development and the use of 3D in vitro systems that decouple different elements of this microenvironment is critical for the study of cancer progression. In neuroblastoma (NB), vitronectin (VN), an extracellular matrix protein, has been linked to poor prognosis and appears as a promising therapeutic target. Here, we developed hydrogels that incorporate VN into 3D polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel networks to recapitulate the native NB microenvironment. The stiffness of the VN/PEG hydrogels was modulated to be comparable to the in vivo values reported for NB tissue samples. We used SK-N-BE (2) NB cells to demonstrate that PEGylated VN promotes cell adhesion as the native protein does. Furthermore, the PEGylation of VN allows its crosslinking into the hydrogel network, providing VN retention within the hydrogels that support viable cells in 3D. Confocal imaging and ELISA assays indicate that cells secrete VN also in the hydrogels and continue to reorganize their 3D environment. Overall, the 3D VN-based PEG hydrogels recapitulate the complexity of the native tumor extracellular matrix, showing that VN-cell interaction plays a key role in NB aggressiveness, and that VN could potentially be targeted in preclinical drug studies performed on the presented hydrogels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ezequiel Monferrer
- Department of Pathology Medical School, University of Valencia-INCLIVA Biomedical Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
- Low Prevalence Tumors, Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Oana Dobre
- Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment, Advanced Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Sara Trujillo
- INM—Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | | | - Alexandre Trubert-Paneli
- Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment, Advanced Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Delia Acevedo-León
- Clinical Analysis Service, Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, Valencia, Spain
| | - Rosa Noguera
- Department of Pathology Medical School, University of Valencia-INCLIVA Biomedical Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
- Low Prevalence Tumors, Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Rosa Noguera, ; Manuel Salmeron-Sanchez,
| | - Manuel Salmeron-Sanchez
- Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment, Advanced Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Rosa Noguera, ; Manuel Salmeron-Sanchez,
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