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Tidwell TR, Røsland G, Tronstad KJ, Søreide K, Hagland HR. Comparing in vitro cytotoxic drug sensitivity in colon and pancreatic cancer using 2D and 3D cell models: Contrasting viability and growth inhibition in clinically relevant dose and repeated drug cycles. Cancer Med 2024; 13:e7318. [PMID: 38872378 PMCID: PMC11176582 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.7318] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In vitro drug screening that is more translatable to the in vivo tumor environment can reduce both time and cost of cancer drug development. Here we address some of the shortcomings in screening and show how treatment with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in 2D and 3D culture models of colorectal cancer (CRC) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC) give different responses regarding growth inhibition. METHODS The sensitivity of the cell lines at clinically relevant 5-FU concentrations was monitored over 4 days of treatment in both 2D and 3D cultures for CRC (SW948 and HCT116) and PDAC (Panc-1 and MIA-Pa-Ca-2) cell lines. The 3D cultures were maintained beyond this point to enable a second treatment cycle at Day 14, following the timeline of a standard clinical 5-FU regimen. RESULTS Evaluation after one cycle did not reveal significant growth inhibition in any of the CRC or PDAC 2D models. By the end of the second cycle of treatment the CRC spheroids reached 50% inhibition at clinically achievable concentrations in the 3D model, but not in the 2D model. The PDAC models were not sensitive to clinical doses even after two cycles. High content viability metrics point to even lower response in the resistant PDAC models. CONCLUSION This study reveals the limitations of testing drugs in 2D cancer models and short exposure in 3D models, and the importance of using appropriate growth inhibition analysis. We found that screening with longer exposure and several cycles of treatment in 3D models suggests a more reliable way to assess drug sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tia R Tidwell
- Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Engineering, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Gro Røsland
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Oncology and Medical Physics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Kjetil Søreide
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
- Department of Clinical medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Gastrointestinal Translational Research Group, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Hanne R Hagland
- Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Engineering, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
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Villa-Fernández E, García AV, Fernández-Fernández A, García-Villarino M, Ares-Blanco J, Pujante P, González-Vidal T, Fraga MF, Torre EM, Delgado E, Lambert C. Metformin and Glucose Concentration as Limiting Factors in Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cell Viability and Proliferation. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2637. [PMID: 38473884 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052637] [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: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Metformin is a well-established drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes; however, the mechanism of action has not been well described and many aspects of how it truly acts are still unknown. Moreover, regarding in vitro experiments, the glycaemic status when metformin is used is generally not considered, which, added to the suprapharmacological drug concentrations that are commonly employed in research, has resulted in gaps of its mechanism of action. The aim of this study was to determine how glucose and metformin concentrations influence cell culture. Considering that diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common complications of diabetes, a retinal pigment epithelial cell line was selected, and cell viability and proliferation rates were measured at different glucose and metformin concentrations. As expected, glucose concentration by itself positively influenced cell proliferation rates. When the metformin was considered, results were conditioned, as well, by metformin concentration. This conditioning resulted in cell death when high concentrations of metformin were used under physiological concentrations of glucose, while this did not happen when clinically relevant concentrations of metformin were used independently of glucose status. Our study shows the importance of in vitro cell growth conditions when drug effects such as metformin's are being analysed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsa Villa-Fernández
- Endocrinology, Nutrition, Diabetes and Obesity Group, Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Ana Victoria García
- Endocrinology, Nutrition, Diabetes and Obesity Group, Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | | | - Miguel García-Villarino
- Endocrinology, Nutrition, Diabetes and Obesity Group, Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Jessica Ares-Blanco
- Endocrinology, Nutrition, Diabetes and Obesity Group, Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Asturias Central University Hospital, 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Pedro Pujante
- Endocrinology, Nutrition, Diabetes and Obesity Group, Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Asturias Central University Hospital, 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Tomás González-Vidal
- Endocrinology, Nutrition, Diabetes and Obesity Group, Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Asturias Central University Hospital, 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Mario F Fraga
- Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology Research Center (CINN-CSIC), Health Research Institute of Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Oncology of Asturias (IUOPA), 33006 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Department of Organisms and Systems Biology (B.O.S), University of Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Edelmiro Menéndez Torre
- Endocrinology, Nutrition, Diabetes and Obesity Group, Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Asturias Central University Hospital, 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Elias Delgado
- Endocrinology, Nutrition, Diabetes and Obesity Group, Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Asturias Central University Hospital, 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Lambert
- Endocrinology, Nutrition, Diabetes and Obesity Group, Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
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3
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Ghosh A, Ghosh AK, Zaman A, Das PK. Metformin-Loaded Hyaluronic Acid-Derived Carbon Dots for Targeted Therapy against Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Glutamine Metabolic Reprogramming. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:6391-6406. [PMID: 37933877 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00772] [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] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming is a significant hallmark of cancer that promotes chemoresistance by allowing tumor tissues to adapt to changes in the tumor microenvironment caused by anticancer therapies. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most common types of primary tumors, is associated with recurrent metabolic reprogramming that maximizes cancer cell growth and proliferation. Herein, we developed metformin (MET)-loaded hyaluronic acid (HA)-derived carbon dots (HA-CD-MET) by a simple and green method with no involvement of any additives. HA-CD-MET was utilized for specifically binding the CD44 receptor overexpressed in HCC and induced glutamine metabolic rewiring to inhibit HCC cell proliferation. Exposure to HA-CD-MET resulted in ∼6.5-fold better anticancer efficacy against CD44+ Hep3B cells in comparison to CD44-, HepG2, and noncancerous HEK293 cells at a very low dose of 80 μg/mL. Moreover, treatment of three-dimensional (3D) tumor spheroid model of HCC (Hep3B) with HA-CD-MET resulted in ∼4.9-fold reduction in tumor size. This improved anticancer efficacy of HA-CD-MET was attributed to the inhibition of glutaminase-1 (GLS-1), a mitochondrial enzyme that hydrolyzes glutamine into glutamate as confirmed from immunofluorescence and immunoblotting experiments. Furthermore, treatment with HA-CD-MET resulted in downregulation of glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1) in Hep3B cells. Consequently, cancer cells were starved from essential nutrients, glutamine, and glucose, leading to the enhancement in intracellular ROS generation. This increase in intracellular ROS accumulation activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibited AKT phosphorylation, leading to cancer cell apoptosis. Thus, this study offers the targeting of metabolic reprogramming by HA-CD-MET that opens up a promising strategy for therapeutic intervention in hepatocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aparajita Ghosh
- School of Biological Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Anup Kumar Ghosh
- School of Biological Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Afreen Zaman
- School of Biological Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Prasanta Kumar Das
- School of Biological Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
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Suk FM, Wu CY, Fang CC, Chen TL, Liao YJ. β-HB treatment reverses sorafenib resistance by shifting glycolysis-lactate metabolism in HCC. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 166:115293. [PMID: 37567069 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115293] [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: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignant tumor. Although sorafenib and regorafenib have been approved for first-line and second-line treatment, respectively, of patients with advanced HCC, long-term treatment often results in acquired resistance. Given that glycolysis-mediated lactate production can contribute to drug resistance and impair HCC treatment efficacy, we investigated the effects of ketone body treatment on the metabolic shift in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. We discovered differential expression of 3-hydroxymethyl glutaryl-CoA synthase 2 (HMGCS2) and the ketone body D-β-hydroxybutyrate (β-HB) in four sorafenib-resistant HCC cell lines. In sorafenib-resistant HCC cells, lower HMGCS2 and β-HB levels were correlated with more glycolytic alterations and higher lactate production. β-HB treatment enhanced pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) expression and decreased lactate dehydrogenase (LDHA) expression and lactate production in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Additionally, β-HB combined with sorafenib or regorafenib promoted the antiproliferative and antimigratory abilities of sorafenib-resistant HCC cells by inhibiting the B-raf/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and mesenchymal N-cadherin-vimentin axis. Although the in vivo β-HB administration did not affect tumor growth, the expression of proliferative and glycolytic proteins was inhibited in subcutaneous sorafenib-resistant tumors. In conclusion, exogenous β-HB treatment can reduce lactate production and reverse sorafenib resistance by inducing a glycolytic shift; it can also synergize with regorafenib for treating sorafenib-resistant HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fat-Moon Suk
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11696, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Ying Wu
- School of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chieh Fang
- School of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Lang Chen
- Department of Family Medicine, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City 220, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Jen Liao
- School of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
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Catalano L, Aminzadeh-Gohari S, Weber DD, Poupardin R, Stefan VE, Smiles WJ, Tevini J, Feichtinger RG, Derdak S, Bilban M, Bareswill S, Heimesaat MM, Kofler B. Triple Therapy with Metformin, Ketogenic Diet, and Metronomic Cyclophosphamide Reduced Tumor Growth in MYCN-Amplified Neuroblastoma Xenografts. Metabolites 2023; 13:910. [PMID: 37623854 PMCID: PMC10456943 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13080910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is a childhood cancer in which amplification of the MYCN gene is the most acknowledged marker of poor prognosis. MYCN-amplified NB cells rely on both glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) for energy production. Previously, we demonstrated that a ketogenic diet (KD) combined with metronomic cyclophosphamide (CP) delayed tumor growth in MYCN-amplified NB xenografts. The anti-diabetic drug metformin (MET) also targets complex I of the OXPHOS system. Therefore, MET-induced disruptions of mitochondrial respiration may enhance the anti-tumor effect of CP when combined with a KD. In this study, we found that MET decreased cell proliferation and mitochondrial respiration in MYCN-amplified NB cell lines, while the combination of KD, MET, and low-dose CP (triple therapy) also reduced tumor growth and improved survival in vivo in MYCN-amplified NB xenografts. Gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed that this triple therapy had the greatest effect on the transcription of genes involved in fatty acid ß-oxidation, which was supported by the increased protein expression of CPT1A, a key mitochondrial fatty acid transporter. We suspect that alterations to ß-oxidation alongside the inhibition of complex I may hamper mitochondrial energy production, thus explaining these augmented anti-tumor effects, suggesting that the combination of MET and KD is an effective adjuvant therapy to CP in MYCN-amplified NB xenografts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Catalano
- Research Program for Receptor Biochemistry and Tumor Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.C.)
| | - Sepideh Aminzadeh-Gohari
- Research Program for Receptor Biochemistry and Tumor Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.C.)
| | - Daniela D. Weber
- Research Program for Receptor Biochemistry and Tumor Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.C.)
| | - Rodolphe Poupardin
- Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg (SCI-TReCS), Cell Therapy Institute, Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Victoria E. Stefan
- Research Program for Receptor Biochemistry and Tumor Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.C.)
| | - William J. Smiles
- Research Program for Receptor Biochemistry and Tumor Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.C.)
| | - Julia Tevini
- Research Program for Receptor Biochemistry and Tumor Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.C.)
| | - René G. Feichtinger
- Research Program for Receptor Biochemistry and Tumor Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.C.)
| | - Sophia Derdak
- Core Facilities, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Bilban
- Core Facilities, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Bareswill
- Gastrointestinal Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Corporate Member of Free University Berlin, Humboldt University Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Markus M. Heimesaat
- Gastrointestinal Microbiology Research Group, Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Corporate Member of Free University Berlin, Humboldt University Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Barbara Kofler
- Research Program for Receptor Biochemistry and Tumor Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (L.C.)
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Boutaud M, Auger C, Verdier M, Christou N. Metformin Treatment Reduces CRC Aggressiveness in a Glucose-Independent Manner: An In Vitro and Ex Vivo Study. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3724. [PMID: 37509386 PMCID: PMC10378121 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15143724] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Metformin, an anti-diabetic drug, seems to protect against aggressive acquisition in colorectal cancers (CRCs). However, its mechanisms are still really unknown, raising questions about the possibility of its positive impact on non-diabetic patients with CRC. (2) Methods: An in vitro study based on human colon cancer cell lines and an ex vivo study with different colon cancer stages with proteomic and transcriptomic analyses were initiated. (3) Results: Metformin seems to protect from colon cancer invasive acquisition, irrespective of glucose concentration. (4) Conclusions: Metformin could be used as an adjuvant treatment to surgery for both diabetic and non-diabetic patients in order to prevent the acquisition of aggressiveness and, ultimately, recurrences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Boutaud
- UMR-INSERM 1308 CAPTuR, Faculté de Médecine, Institut OmegaHealth, Université de Limoges, 2 Rue du Dr Raymond Marcland, CEDEX, 87025 Limoges, France
| | - Clément Auger
- UMR-INSERM 1308 CAPTuR, Faculté de Médecine, Institut OmegaHealth, Université de Limoges, 2 Rue du Dr Raymond Marcland, CEDEX, 87025 Limoges, France
| | - Mireille Verdier
- UMR-INSERM 1308 CAPTuR, Faculté de Médecine, Institut OmegaHealth, Université de Limoges, 2 Rue du Dr Raymond Marcland, CEDEX, 87025 Limoges, France
| | - Niki Christou
- UMR-INSERM 1308 CAPTuR, Faculté de Médecine, Institut OmegaHealth, Université de Limoges, 2 Rue du Dr Raymond Marcland, CEDEX, 87025 Limoges, France
- Service de Chirurgie Digestive, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Limoges, 2 Av. Martin Luther King, CEDEX, 87000 Limoges, France
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7
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Rosidi B, Priyatno D, Putra TP, Yusuf I. Metformin Induces a Caspase 3-Unrelated Apoptosis in Human Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines HCT116 and SW620. Cancer Manag Res 2023; 15:475-485. [PMID: 37312884 PMCID: PMC10259592 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s385278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To study the effects of metformin on the proliferation and growth of human colorectal cancer cell lines HCT116 and SW620. Materials and Methods The antiproliferative effect of metformin was assayed using an MTS reagent and its ability to inhibit colony formation was demonstrated using a clonogenic assay. Flow cytometry using YO-PRO-1/PI was performed to examine the effects of metformin on apoptosis and cell death of HCT116 and SW620. Caspase 3 activities were measured in caspase-3 activity tests using a caspase-3 activity kit. Furthermore, Western blots were performed with anti-PARP1, anti-caspase 3, and anti-cleaved caspase 3 to confirm whether caspase activation was present or not. Results Both MTS proliferation assays and clonogenic assays showed that metformin inhibited the proliferation and growth of HCT116 and SW620 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analysis identified early apoptosis and metformin-induced cell death in both cell lines. However, caspase 3 activity could not be detected. Cleavage of both PARP1 and pro-caspase 3 was not observed in the Western blot, confirming the absence of caspase 3 activations. Conclusion This present study suggests a caspase 3-unrelated apoptosis mechanism of metformin-induced cell death in human colorectal cancer cell lines HCT116 and SW620.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bustanur Rosidi
- Division of Proteomics, Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology and Medical Science Group, University of Pelita Harapan, Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia
| | - Diana Priyatno
- Division of Proteomics, Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology and Medical Science Group, University of Pelita Harapan, Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia
| | - Teguh Pribadi Putra
- Division of Proteomics, Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology and Medical Science Group, University of Pelita Harapan, Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia
| | - Irawan Yusuf
- Division of Proteomics, Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology and Medical Science Group, University of Pelita Harapan, Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia
- Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia
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8
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Samuel SM, Varghese E, Satheesh NJ, Triggle CR, Büsselberg D. Metabolic heterogeneity in TNBCs: A potential determinant of therapeutic efficacy of 2-deoxyglucose and metformin combinatory therapy. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 164:114911. [PMID: 37224753 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114911] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancers (BCs) remain the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. Among the different types of BCs, treating the highly aggressive, invasive, and metastatic triple-negative BCs (TNBCs) that do not respond to hormonal/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) targeted interventions since they lack ER/PR/HER2 receptors remains challenging. While almost all BCs depend on glucose metabolism for their proliferation and survival, studies indicate that TNBCs are highly dependent on glucose metabolism compared to non-TNBC malignancies. Hence, limiting/inhibiting glucose metabolism in TNBCs should curb cell proliferation and tumor growth. Previous reports, including ours, have shown the efficacy of metformin, the most widely prescribed antidiabetic drug, in reducing cell proliferation and growth in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 TNBC cells. In the current study, we investigated and compared the anticancer effects of either metformin (2 mM) in glucose-starved or 2-deoxyglucose (10 mM; glycolytic inhibitor; 2DG) exposed MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 TNBC cells. Assays for cell proliferation, rate of glycolysis, cell viability, and cell-cycle analysis were performed. The status of proteins of the mTOR pathway was assessed by Western blot analysis. Metformin treatment in glucose-starved and 2DG (10 mM) exposed TNBC cells inhibited the mTOR pathway compared to non-treated glucose-starved cells or 2DG/metformin alone treated controls. Cell proliferation is also significantly reduced under these combination treatment conditions. The results indicate that combining a glycolytic inhibitor and metformin could prove an efficient therapeutic approach for treating TNBCs, albeit the efficacy of the combination treatment may depend on metabolic heterogeneity across various subtypes of TNBCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samson Mathews Samuel
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha 24144, Qatar.
| | - Elizabeth Varghese
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha 24144, Qatar
| | - Noothan Jyothi Satheesh
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha 24144, Qatar
| | - Chris R Triggle
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha 24144, Qatar
| | - Dietrich Büsselberg
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha 24144, Qatar.
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9
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Monocarboxylate transporter 4 involves in energy metabolism and drug sensitivity in hypoxia. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1501. [PMID: 36707650 PMCID: PMC9883486 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28558-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells is a potential target for cancer therapy. It is also known that a hypoxic environment, one of the tumor microenvironments, can alter the energy metabolism from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis. However, the relationship between hypoxia and drug sensitivity, which targets energy metabolism, is not well known. In this study, A549 cells, a cell line derived from lung adenocarcinoma, were evaluated under normoxia and hypoxia for the sensitivity of reagents targeting oxidative phosphorylation (metformin) and glycolysis (α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid [CHC]). The results showed that a hypoxic environment increased the expression levels of monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) 4 and hypoxia-induced factor-1α (HIF-1α), whereas MCT1 and MCT2 expression did not vary between normoxia and hypoxia. Furthermore, the evaluation of the ATP production ratio indicated that glycolysis was enhanced under hypoxic conditions. It was then found that the sensitivity to metformin decreased while that to CHC increased under hypoxia. To elucidate this mechanism, MCT4 and HIF-1α were knocked down and the expression level of MCT4 was significantly decreased under both conditions. In contrast, the expression of HIF-1α was decreased by HIF-1α knockdown and increased by MCT4 knockdown. In addition, changes in metformin and CHC sensitivity under hypoxia were eliminated by the knockdown of MCT4 and HIF-1α, suggesting that MCT4 is involved in the phenomenon described above. In conclusion, it was shown that the sensitivity of reagents targeting energy metabolism is dependent on their microenvironment. As MCT4 is involved in some of these mechanisms, we hypothesized that MCT4 could be an important target molecule for cancer therapy.
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Parthasarathy H, Tandel D, Siddiqui AH, Harshan KH. Metformin suppresses SARS-CoV-2 in cell culture. Virus Res 2023; 323:199010. [PMID: 36417940 PMCID: PMC9676078 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2022.199010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Comorbidities such as diabetes worsen COVID-19 severity and recovery. Metformin, a first-line medication for type 2 diabetes, has antiviral properties and certain studies have also indicated its prognostic potential in COVID-19. Here, we report that metformin significantly inhibits SARS-CoV-2 growth in cell culture models. First, a steady increase in AMPK phosphorylation was detected as infection progressed, suggesting its important role during viral infection. Activation of AMPK in Calu3 and Caco2 cell lines using metformin revealed that metformin suppresses SARS-CoV-2 infectious titers up to 99%, in both naïve as well as infected cells. IC50 values from dose-variation studies in infected cells were found to be 0.4 and 1.43 mM in Calu3 and Caco2 cells, respectively. Role of AMPK in metformin's antiviral suppression was further confirmed using other pharmacological compounds, AICAR and Compound C. Collectively, our study demonstrates that metformin is effective in limiting the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in cell culture and thus possibly could offer double benefits as diabetic COVID-19 patients by lowering both blood glucose levels and viral load.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dixit Tandel
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, India; Academy for Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | | | - Krishnan H Harshan
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, India; Academy for Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
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11
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Gorbatenko VO, Goriainov SV, Babenko VA, Plotnikov EY, Sergeeva MG, Chistyakov DV. Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Metformin During Cultivation of Primary Rat Astrocytes in a Medium with High Glucose Concentration. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2022; 87:577-589. [PMID: 36154879 DOI: 10.1134/s000629792207001x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Investigation of the relationship between inflammation and energy metabolism is important for understanding biology of chronic noncommunicable diseases. Use of metformin, a drug for treatment of diabetes, is considered as a promising direction for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and other neuropathologies with an inflammatory component. Astrocytes play an important role in the regulation of energy metabolism and neuroinflammation; therefore, we studied the effect of metformin on the cellular responses of primary rat astrocytes cultured in a medium with high glucose concentration (22.5 mM, 48-h incubation). Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to stimulate inflammation. The effects of metformin were assessed by monitoring changes in the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and synthesis of oxylipins, assayed with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Changes at the intracellular level were assessed by analyzing phosphorylation of ERK kinase and transcription factor STAT3, as well as enzymes mediating oxylipin synthesis, cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 (COX). It was found that, independent on glucose concentration, metformin reduced the LPS-stimulated release of cytokines IL-1β and IL-6, decreased activity of the transcription factor STAT3, ERK kinase, synthesis of the derivatives of the cyclooxygenase branch of metabolism of oxylipins and anandamide, and did not affect formation of ROS. The study of energy phenotype of the cells showed that metformin activated glycolysis and inhibited mitochondrial respiration and oxidative phosphorylation, independent on LPS stimulation and cell cultivation at high glucose concentration. Thus, it has been shown that metformin exhibits anti-inflammatory effects, and its effect on the synthesis of cytokines, prostaglandins, and other lipid mediators could determine beneficial effects of metformin in models of neuropathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladislav O Gorbatenko
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119234, Russia
| | - Sergey V Goriainov
- Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, 117198, Russia
| | - Valentina A Babenko
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia
| | - Egor Y Plotnikov
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia
| | - Marina G Sergeeva
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia
| | - Dmitry V Chistyakov
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia.
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12
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Tidwell TR, Røsland GV, Tronstad KJ, Søreide K, Hagland HR. Metabolic flux analysis of 3D spheroids reveals significant differences in glucose metabolism from matched 2D cultures of colorectal cancer and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell lines. Cancer Metab 2022; 10:9. [PMID: 35578327 PMCID: PMC9109327 DOI: 10.1186/s40170-022-00285-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most in vitro cancer cell experiments have been performed using 2D models. However, 3D spheroid cultures are increasingly favored for being more representative of in vivo tumor conditions. To overcome the translational challenges with 2D cell cultures, 3D systems better model more complex cell-to-cell contact and nutrient levels present in a tumor, improving our understanding of cancer complexity. Despite this need, there are few reports on how 3D cultures differ metabolically from 2D cultures. METHODS Well-described cell lines from colorectal cancer (HCT116 and SW948) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (Panc-1 and MIA-Pa-Ca-2) were used to investigate metabolism in 3D spheroid models. The metabolic variation under normal glucose conditions were investigated comparing 2D and 3D cultures by metabolic flux analysis and expression of key metabolic proteins. RESULTS We find significant differences in glucose metabolism of 3D cultures compared to 2D cultures, both related to glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. Spheroids have higher ATP-linked respiration in standard nutrient conditions and higher non-aerobic ATP production in the absence of supplemented glucose. In addition, ATP-linked respiration is significantly inversely correlated with OCR/ECAR (p = 0.0096). Mitochondrial transport protein, TOMM20, expression decreases in all spheroid models compared to 2D, and monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) expression increases in 3 of the 4 spheroid models. CONCLUSIONS In this study of CRC and PDAC cell lines, we demonstrate that glucose metabolism in 3D spheroids differs significantly from 2D cultures, both in terms of glycolytic and oxidative phosphorylation metrics. The metabolic phenotype shift from 2D to 3D culture in one cell line is greater than the phenotypic differences between each cell line and tumor source. The results herein emphasize the need to use 3D cell models for investigating nutrient utilization and metabolic flux for a better understanding of tumor metabolism and potential metabolic therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tia R Tidwell
- Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Engineering, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Gro V Røsland
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Oncology and Medical Physics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Kjetil Søreide
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Hanne R Hagland
- Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Engineering, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway.
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Alhourani A, Førde JL, Nasrollahzadeh M, Eichacker LA, Herfindal L, Hagland HR. Graphene-based phenformin carriers for cancer cell treatment: a comparative study between oxidized and pegylated pristine graphene in human cells and zebrafish. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2022; 4:1668-1680. [PMID: 36134366 PMCID: PMC9417205 DOI: 10.1039/d1na00778e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Graphene is an attractive choice for the development of an effective drug carrier in cancer treatment due to its high adsorption area and pH-responsive drug affinity. In combination with the highly potent metabolic drug phenformin, increased doses could be efficiently delivered to cancer cells. This study compares the use of graphene oxide (GO) and polyethylene glycol stabilized (PEGylated) pristine graphene nanosheets (PGNSs) for drug delivery applications with phenformin. The cytotoxicity and mitotoxicity of the graphene-based systems were assessed in human cells and zebrafish larvae. Targeted drug release from GO and PGNSs was evaluated at different pH levels known to arise in proliferating tumor microenvironments. PGNSs were less cytotoxic and mitotoxic than GO, and showed an increased release of phenformin at lower pH in cells, compared to GO. In addition, the systemic phenformin effect was mitigated in zebrafish larvae when bound to GO and PGNSs compared to free phenformin, as measured by flavin metabolic lifetime imaging. These results pave the way for improved phenformin-based cancer therapy using graphene nano-sheets, where PGNSs were superior to GO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelnour Alhourani
- Department of Chemistry, Biosciences and Environmental Engineering, University of Stavanger Stavanger Norway
| | - Jan-Lukas Førde
- Centre for Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen Bergen Norway
- Department of Internal Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital Bergen Norway
| | - Mojdeh Nasrollahzadeh
- Department of Chemistry, Biosciences and Environmental Engineering, University of Stavanger Stavanger Norway
| | - Lutz Andreas Eichacker
- Department of Chemistry, Biosciences and Environmental Engineering, University of Stavanger Stavanger Norway
| | - Lars Herfindal
- Centre for Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen Bergen Norway
| | - Hanne Røland Hagland
- Department of Chemistry, Biosciences and Environmental Engineering, University of Stavanger Stavanger Norway
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Butyrate and Metformin Affect Energy Metabolism Independently of the Metabolic Phenotype in the Tumor Therapy Model. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11121831. [PMID: 34944475 PMCID: PMC8699353 DOI: 10.3390/biom11121831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The BALB/c cell transformation assay (BALB-CTA) considers inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneities and affords the possibility of a direct comparison between untransformed and malignant cells. In the present study, we established monoclonal cell lines that originate from the BALB-CTA and mimic heterogeneous tumor cell populations, in order to investigate phenotype-specific effects of the anti-diabetic drug metformin and the short-chain fatty acid butyrate. Growth inhibitory effects were measured with a ViCell XR cell counter. The BALB/c tumor therapy model (BALB-TTM) was performed, and the extracellular glucose level was measured in the medium supernatant. Using a Seahorse Analyzer, the metabolic phenotypes of four selected clones were characterized, and effects on energy metabolism were investigated. Anti-carcinogenic effects and reduced glucose uptake after butyrate application were observed in the BALB-TTM. Metabolic characterization of the cell clones revealed three different phenotypes. Surprisingly, treatment with metformin or butyrate induced opposite metabolic shifts with similar patterns in all cell clones tested. In conclusion, the BALB-TTM is a relevant model for mechanistic cancer research, and the generation of monoclonal cell lines offers a novel possibility to investigate specific drug effects in a heterogeneous tumor cell population. The results indicate that induced alterations in energy metabolism seem to be independent of the original metabolic phenotype.
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15
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Metformin Affects Olaparib Sensitivity through Induction of Apoptosis in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910557. [PMID: 34638899 PMCID: PMC8508816 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
This study examined the effect of combination treatment with the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor olaparib and metformin on homologous recombination (HR)-proficient epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Ovarian cancer cell lines (OV-90 and SKOV-3) were treated with olaparib, metformin, or a combination of both. Cell viability was assessed by MTT and colony formation assays. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential were examined using the specific fluorescence probes, DCFH2-DA (2′,7′-dichloro-dihydrofluorescein diacetate) and JC-1 (5,5′,6,6′-tetrachloro-1,1′,3,3′-tetraethylbenzimidazolcarbocyanine). Apoptotic and necrotic changes were measured by double staining with Hoechst 33258 and propidium iodide, orange acridine and ethidium bromide staining, phosphatidylserine externalization, TUNEL assay, caspase 3/7 activity, and cytochrome c and p53 expression. Compared with single-drug treatment, the combination of olaparib and metformin significantly inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation in HR-proficient ovarian cancer cells. ROS production preceded a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. The changes in ROS levels suggested their involvement in inducing apoptosis in response to combination treatment. The present results indicate a shift towards synergism in cells with mutant or null p53, treated with olaparib combined with metformin, providing a new approach to the treatment of gynecologic cancers. Taken together, the results support the use of metformin to sensitize EOC to olaparib therapy.
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Yahyazadeh Shourabi A, Salajeghe R, Barisam M, Kashaninejad N. A Proof-of-Concept Study Using Numerical Simulations of an Acoustic Spheroid-on-a-Chip Platform for Improving 3D Cell Culture. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 21:5529. [PMID: 34450968 PMCID: PMC8402086 DOI: 10.3390/s21165529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Microfluidic lab-on-chip devices are widely being developed for chemical and biological studies. One of the most commonly used types of these chips is perfusion microwells for culturing multicellular spheroids. The main challenge in such systems is the formation of substantial necrotic and quiescent zones within the cultured spheroids. Herein, we propose a novel acoustofluidic integrated platform to tackle this bottleneck problem. It will be shown numerically that such an approach is a potential candidate to be implemented to enhance cell viability and shrinks necrotic and quiescent zones without the need to increase the flow rate, leading to a significant reduction in costly reagents' consumption in conventional spheroid-on-a-chip platforms. Proof-of-concept, designing procedures and numerical simulation are discussed in detail. Additionally, the effects of acoustic and hydrodynamic parameters on the cultured cells are investigated. The results show that by increasing acoustic boundary displacement amplitude (d0), the spheroid's proliferating zone enlarges greatly. Moreover, it is shown that by implementing d0 = 0.5 nm, the required flow rate to maintain the necrotic zone below 13% will be decreased 12 times compared to non-acoustic chips.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arash Yahyazadeh Shourabi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 11155, Iran; (A.Y.S.); (R.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Roozbeh Salajeghe
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 11155, Iran; (A.Y.S.); (R.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Maryam Barisam
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 11155, Iran; (A.Y.S.); (R.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Navid Kashaninejad
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
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