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Ugodnikov A, Persson H, Simmons CA. Bridging barriers: advances and challenges in modeling biological barriers and measuring barrier integrity in organ-on-chip systems. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:3199-3225. [PMID: 38689569 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc01027a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Biological barriers such as the blood-brain barrier, skin, and intestinal mucosal barrier play key roles in homeostasis, disease physiology, and drug delivery - as such, it is important to create representative in vitro models to improve understanding of barrier biology and serve as tools for therapeutic development. Microfluidic cell culture and organ-on-a-chip (OOC) systems enable barrier modelling with greater physiological fidelity than conventional platforms by mimicking key environmental aspects such as fluid shear, accurate microscale dimensions, mechanical cues, extracellular matrix, and geometrically defined co-culture. As the prevalence of barrier-on-chip models increases, so does the importance of tools that can accurately assess barrier integrity and function without disturbing the carefully engineered microenvironment. In this review, we first provide a background on biological barriers and the physiological features that are emulated through in vitro barrier models. Then, we outline molecular permeability and electrical sensing barrier integrity assessment methods, and the related challenges specific to barrier-on-chip implementation. Finally, we discuss future directions in the field, as well important priorities to consider such as fabrication costs, standardization, and bridging gaps between disciplines and stakeholders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa Ugodnikov
- Translational Biology & Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada.
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Henrik Persson
- Translational Biology & Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada.
| | - Craig A Simmons
- Translational Biology & Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada.
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G8, Canada
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2
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Takata Y, Banan Sadeghian R, Fujimoto K, Yokokawa R. Online monitoring of epithelial barrier kinetics and cell detachment during cisplatin-induced toxicity of renal proximal tubule cells. Analyst 2024; 149:3596-3606. [PMID: 38767610 DOI: 10.1039/d4an00267a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Real-time and non-invasive assessment of tissue health is crucial for maximizing the potential of microphysiological systems (MPS) for drug-induced nephrotoxicity screening. Although impedance has been widely considered as a measure of the barrier function, it has not been incorporated to detect cell detachment in MPS with top and bottom microfluidic channels separated by a porous membrane. During cell delamination from the porous membrane, the resistance between both channels decreases, while capacitance increases, allowing the detection of such detachment. Previously reported concepts have solely attributed the decrease in the resistance to the distortion of the barrier function, ignoring the resistance and capacitance changes due to cell detachment. Here, we report a two-channel MPS with integrated indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes capable of measuring impedance in real time. The trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and tissue reactance (capacitance) were extracted from the impedance profiles. We attributed the anomalous initial increase observed in TEER, upon cisplatin administration, to the distortion of tight junctions. Cell detachment was captured by sudden jumps in capacitance. TEER profiles illuminated the effects of cisplatin and cimetidine treatments in a dose-dependent and polarity-dependent manner. The correspondence between TEER and barrier function was validated for a continuous tissue using the capacitance profiles. These results demonstrate that capacitance can be used as a real-time and non-invasive indicator of confluence and will support the accuracy of the drug-induced cytotoxicity assessed by TEER profiles in the two-channel MPS for the barrier function of a cell monolayer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Takata
- Department of Micro Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
| | | | - Kazuya Fujimoto
- Department of Micro Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Ryuji Yokokawa
- Department of Micro Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
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3
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Yadav R, Mahajan S, Singh H, Mehra NK, Madan J, Doijad N, Singh PK, Guru SK. Emerging In Vitro and In Vivo Models: Hope for the Better Understanding of Cancer Progression and Treatment. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2024; 8:e2300487. [PMID: 38581078 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202300487] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Various cancer models have been developed to aid the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of tumor development and evaluate the effectiveness of various anticancer drugs in preclinical studies. These models accurately reproduce the critical stages of tumor initiation and development to mimic the tumor microenvironment better. Using these models for target validation, tumor response evaluation, resistance modeling, and toxicity comprehension can significantly enhance the drug development process. Herein, various in vivo or animal models are presented, typically consisting of several mice and in vitro models ranging in complexity from transwell models to spheroids and CRISPR-Cas9 technologies. While in vitro models have been used for decades and dominate the early stages of drug development, they are still limited primary to simplistic tests based on testing on a single cell type cultivated in Petri dishes. Recent advancements in developing new cancer therapies necessitate the generation of complicated animal models that accurately mimic the tumor's complexity and microenvironment. Mice make effective tumor models as they are affordable, have a short reproductive cycle, exhibit rapid tumor growth, and are simple to manipulate genetically. Human cancer mouse models are crucial to understanding the neoplastic process and basic and clinical research improvements. The following review summarizes different in vitro and in vivo metastasis models, their advantages and disadvantages, and their ability to serve as a model for cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachana Yadav
- Department of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India
| | - Srushti Mahajan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, 500037, India
| | - Hoshiyar Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India
| | - Neelesh Kumar Mehra
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, 500037, India
| | - Jitender Madan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, 500037, India
| | - Nandkumar Doijad
- Department of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India
| | - Pankaj Kumar Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, 500037, India
| | - Santosh Kumar Guru
- Department of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500037, India
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4
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Ko J, Song J, Lee Y, Choi N, Kim HN. Understanding organotropism in cancer metastasis using microphysiological systems. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:1542-1556. [PMID: 38192269 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00889d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Cancer metastasis, the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, remains a complex challenge in medical science. Stephen Paget's "seed and soil theory" introduced the concept of organotropism, suggesting that metastatic success depends on specific organ microenvironments. Understanding organotropism not only offers potential for curbing metastasis but also novel treatment strategies. Microphysiological systems (MPS), especially organ-on-a-chip models, have emerged as transformative tools in this quest. These systems, blending microfluidics, biology, and engineering, grant precise control over cell interactions within organ-specific microenvironments. MPS enable real-time monitoring, morphological analysis, and protein quantification, enhancing our comprehension of cancer dynamics, including tumor migration, vascularization, and pre-metastatic niches. In this review, we explore innovative applications of MPS in investigating cancer metastasis, particularly focusing on organotropism. This interdisciplinary approach converges the field of science, engineering, and medicine, thereby illuminating a path toward groundbreaking discoveries in cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihoon Ko
- Department of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13120, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jiyoung Song
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yedam Lee
- Department of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13120, Republic of Korea.
| | - Nakwon Choi
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.
- Division of Bio-Medical Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea
| | - Hong Nam Kim
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.
- Division of Bio-Medical Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Yonsei-KIST Convergence Research Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
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Kolahi Azar H, Gharibshahian M, Rostami M, Mansouri V, Sabouri L, Beheshtizadeh N, Rezaei N. The progressive trend of modeling and drug screening systems of breast cancer bone metastasis. J Biol Eng 2024; 18:14. [PMID: 38317174 PMCID: PMC10845631 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-024-00408-5] [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: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Bone metastasis is considered as a considerable challenge for breast cancer patients. Various in vitro and in vivo models have been developed to examine this occurrence. In vitro models are employed to simulate the intricate tumor microenvironment, investigate the interplay between cells and their adjacent microenvironment, and evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions for tumors. The endeavor to replicate the latency period of bone metastasis in animal models has presented a challenge, primarily due to the necessity of primary tumor removal and the presence of multiple potential metastatic sites.The utilization of novel bone metastasis models, including three-dimensional (3D) models, has been proposed as a promising approach to overcome the constraints associated with conventional 2D and animal models. However, existing 3D models are limited by various factors, such as irregular cellular proliferation, autofluorescence, and changes in genetic and epigenetic expression. The imperative for the advancement of future applications of 3D models lies in their standardization and automation. The utilization of artificial intelligence exhibits the capability to predict cellular behavior through the examination of substrate materials' chemical composition, geometry, and mechanical performance. The implementation of these algorithms possesses the capability to predict the progression and proliferation of cancer. This paper reviewed the mechanisms of bone metastasis following primary breast cancer. Current models of breast cancer bone metastasis, along with their challenges, as well as the future perspectives of using these models for translational drug development, were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanieh Kolahi Azar
- Department of Pathology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Regenerative Medicine Group (REMED), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Maliheh Gharibshahian
- Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
- Regenerative Medicine Group (REMED), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammadreza Rostami
- Division of Food Safety and Hygiene, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Food Science and Nutrition Group (FSAN), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Vahid Mansouri
- Gene Therapy Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Regenerative Medicine Group (REMED), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Leila Sabouri
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Paramedicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
- Regenerative Medicine Group (REMED), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Nima Beheshtizadeh
- Department of Tissue Engineering, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
- Regenerative Medicine Group (REMED), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.
| | - Nima Rezaei
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.
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6
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Kim M, Panagiotakopoulou M, Chen C, Ruiz SB, Ganesh K, Tammela T, Heller DA. Micro-engineering and nano-engineering approaches to investigate tumour ecosystems. Nat Rev Cancer 2023; 23:581-599. [PMID: 37353679 PMCID: PMC10528361 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-023-00593-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
The interactions among tumour cells, the tumour microenvironment (TME) and non-tumour tissues are of interest to many cancer researchers. Micro-engineering approaches and nanotechnologies are under extensive exploration for modelling these interactions and measuring them in situ and in vivo to investigate therapeutic vulnerabilities in cancer and extend a systemic view of tumour ecosystems. Here we highlight the greatest opportunities for improving the understanding of tumour ecosystems using microfluidic devices, bioprinting or organ-on-a-chip approaches. We also discuss the potential of nanosensors that can transmit information from within the TME or elsewhere in the body to address scientific and clinical questions about changes in chemical gradients, enzymatic activities, metabolic and immune profiles of the TME and circulating analytes. This Review aims to connect the cancer biology and engineering communities, presenting biomedical technologies that may expand the methodologies of the former, while inspiring the latter to develop approaches for interrogating cancer ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mijin Kim
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Chen Chen
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Tri-Institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephen B Ruiz
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Karuna Ganesh
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tuomas Tammela
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel A Heller
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY, USA.
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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Gil JF, Moura CS, Silverio V, Gonçalves G, Santos HA. Cancer Models on Chip: Paving the Way to Large-Scale Trial Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2300692. [PMID: 37103886 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202300692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Cancer kills millions of individuals every year all over the world (Global Cancer Observatory). The physiological and biomechanical processes underlying the tumor are still poorly understood, hindering researchers from creating new, effective therapies. Inconsistent results of preclinical research, in vivo testing, and clinical trials decrease drug approval rates. 3D tumor-on-a-chip (ToC) models integrate biomaterials, tissue engineering, fabrication of microarchitectures, and sensory and actuation systems in a single device, enabling reliable studies in fundamental oncology and pharmacology. This review includes a critical discussion about their ability to reproduce the tumor microenvironment (TME), the advantages and drawbacks of existing tumor models and architectures, major components and fabrication techniques. The focus is on current materials and micro/nanofabrication techniques used to manufacture reliable and reproducible microfluidic ToC models for large-scale trial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Ferreira Gil
- Centre for Rapid and Sustainable Product Development, Polytechnic of Leiria, Marinha Grande, 2430-028, Portugal
- INESC Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias (INESC MN), Rua Alves Redol 9, Lisbon, 1000-029, Portugal
- TEMA, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal
| | - Carla Sofia Moura
- Centre for Rapid and Sustainable Product Development, Polytechnic of Leiria, Marinha Grande, 2430-028, Portugal
- Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Applied Research Institute, Coimbra, 3045-093, Portugal
| | - Vania Silverio
- INESC Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias (INESC MN), Rua Alves Redol 9, Lisbon, 1000-029, Portugal
- Department of Physics, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, 1049-001, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory Institute for Health and Bioeconomy - i4HB, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Gil Gonçalves
- TEMA, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal
- Intelligent Systems Associate Laboratory (LASI), Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal
| | - Hélder A Santos
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, 9713 AV, The Netherlands
- W.J. Korf Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Materials Science, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, 9713 AV, The Netherlands
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland
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8
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Sarma P, Carino CMC, Seetharama D, Pandey S, Dwivedi-Agnihotri H, Rui X, Cao Y, Kawakami K, Kumari P, Chen YC, Luker KE, Yadav PN, Luker GD, Laporte SA, Chen X, Inoue A, Shukla AK. Molecular insights into intrinsic transducer-coupling bias in the CXCR4-CXCR7 system. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4808. [PMID: 37558722 PMCID: PMC10412580 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40482-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemokine receptors constitute an important subfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and they are critically involved in a broad range of immune response mechanisms. Ligand promiscuity among these receptors makes them an interesting target to explore multiple aspects of biased agonism. Here, we comprehensively characterize two chemokine receptors namely, CXCR4 and CXCR7, in terms of their transducer-coupling and downstream signaling upon their stimulation by a common chemokine agonist, CXCL12, and a small molecule agonist, VUF11207. We observe that CXCR7 lacks G-protein-coupling while maintaining robust βarr recruitment with a major contribution of GRK5/6. On the other hand, CXCR4 displays robust G-protein activation as expected but exhibits significantly reduced βarr-coupling compared to CXCR7. These two receptors induce distinct βarr conformations even when activated by the same agonist, and CXCR7, unlike CXCR4, fails to activate ERK1/2 MAP kinase. We also identify a key contribution of a single phosphorylation site in CXCR7 for βarr recruitment and endosomal localization. Our study provides molecular insights into intrinsic-bias encoded in the CXCR4-CXCR7 system with broad implications for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parishmita Sarma
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, 208016, India
| | - Carlo Marion C Carino
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Deeksha Seetharama
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, 208016, India
| | - Shubhi Pandey
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, 208016, India
| | - Hemlata Dwivedi-Agnihotri
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, 208016, India
| | - Xue Rui
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Life Science, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, 213164, China
| | - Yubo Cao
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Kouki Kawakami
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Poonam Kumari
- Neuroscience and Ageing Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute Sector 10, Sitapur Road, Lucknow, 226031, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Yu-Chih Chen
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kathryn E Luker
- Center for Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Prem N Yadav
- Neuroscience and Ageing Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute Sector 10, Sitapur Road, Lucknow, 226031, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Gary D Luker
- Center for Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Stéphane A Laporte
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, H3G 1Y6, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Center, McGill University, Montréal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Life Science, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, 213164, China
| | - Asuka Inoue
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Arun K Shukla
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, 208016, India.
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Farahani MK, Gharibshahian M, Rezvani A, Vaez A. Breast cancer brain metastasis: from etiology to state-of-the-art modeling. J Biol Eng 2023; 17:41. [PMID: 37386445 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-023-00352-w] [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: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently, breast carcinoma is the most common form of malignancy and the main cause of cancer mortality in women worldwide. The metastasis of cancer cells from the primary tumor site to other organs in the body, notably the lungs, bones, brain, and liver, is what causes breast cancer to ultimately be fatal. Brain metastases occur in as many as 30% of patients with advanced breast cancer, and the 1-year survival rate of these patients is around 20%. Many researchers have focused on brain metastasis, but due to its complexities, many aspects of this process are still relatively unclear. To develop and test novel therapies for this fatal condition, pre-clinical models are required that can mimic the biological processes involved in breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM). The application of many breakthroughs in the area of tissue engineering has resulted in the development of scaffold or matrix-based culture methods that more accurately imitate the original extracellular matrix (ECM) of metastatic tumors. Furthermore, specific cell lines are now being used to create three-dimensional (3D) cultures that can be used to model metastasis. These 3D cultures satisfy the requirement for in vitro methodologies that allow for a more accurate investigation of the molecular pathways as well as a more in-depth examination of the effects of the medication being tested. In this review, we talk about the latest advances in modeling BCBM using cell lines, animals, and tissue engineering methods.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maliheh Gharibshahian
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
| | - Alireza Rezvani
- Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Ahmad Vaez
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
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Mertz DR, Parigoris E, Sentosa J, Lee JH, Lee S, Kleer CG, Luker G, Takayama S. Triple-negative breast cancer cells invade adipocyte/preadipocyte-encapsulating geometrically inverted mammary organoids. Integr Biol (Camb) 2023; 15:zyad004. [PMID: 37015816 PMCID: PMC10155781 DOI: 10.1093/intbio/zyad004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes the manufacture of geometrically inverted mammary organoids encapsulating primary mammary preadipocytes and adipocytes. Material manipulation in an array of 192 hanging drops induces cells to self-assemble into inside-out organoids where an adipose tissue core is enveloped by a cell-produced basement membrane, indicated by laminin V staining and then a continuous layer of mammary epithelial cells. This inverted tissue structure enables investigation of multiple mammary cancer subtypes, with a significantly higher extent of invasion by triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells compared to MCF7 cells. By seeding cancer cells into co-culture around pre-formed organoids with encapsulated preadipocytes/adipocytes, invasion through the epithelium, then into the adipose core is observable through acquisition of confocal image stacks of whole mount specimens. Furthermore, in regions of the connective tissue core where invasion occurs, there is an accumulation of collagen in the microenvironment. Suggesting that this collagen may be conducive to increased invasiveness, the anti-fibrotic drug pirfenidone shows efficacy in this model by slowing invasion. Comparison of adipose tissue derived from three different donors shows method consistency as well as the potential to evaluate donor cell-based biological variability. Insight box Geometrically inverted mammary organoids encapsulating primary preadipocytes/adipocytes (P/As) are bioengineered using a minimal amount of Matrigel scaffolding. Use of this eversion-free method is key to production of adipose mammary organoids (AMOs) where not only the epithelial polarity but also the entire self-organizing arrangement, including adipose position, is inside-out. While an epithelial-only structure can analyze cancer cell invasion, P/As are required for invasion-associated collagen deposition and efficacy of pirfenidone to counteract collagen deposition and associated invasion. The methods described strike a balance between repeatability and preservation of biological variability: AMOs form consistently across multiple adipose cell donors while revealing cancer cell invasion differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R Mertz
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering , Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Eric Parigoris
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering , Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jason Sentosa
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering , Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ji-Hoon Lee
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering , Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Soojung Lee
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering , Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Celina G Kleer
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Gary Luker
- Center for Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Shuichi Takayama
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering , Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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11
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Nair L, Mukherjee S, Kaur K, Murphy CM, Ravichandiran V, Roy S, Singh M. Multi compartmental 3D breast cancer disease model–recapitulating tumor complexity in in-vitro. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2023; 1867:130361. [PMID: 37019341 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2023.130361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common ailment among women. In 2020, it had the highest incidence of any type of cancer. Many Phase II and III anti-cancer drugs fail due to efficacy, durability, and side effects. Thus, accelerated drug screening models must be accurate. In-vivo models have been used for a long time, but delays, inconsistent results, and a greater sense of responsibility among scientists toward wildlife have led to the search for in-vitro alternatives. Stromal components support breast cancer growth and survival. Multi-compartment Transwell models may be handy instruments. Co-culturing breast cancer cells with endothelium and fibroblasts improves modelling. The extracellular matrix (ECM) supports native 3D hydrogels in natural and polymeric forms. 3D Transwell cultured tumor spheroids mimicked in-vivo pathological conditions. Tumor invasion, migration, Trans-endothelial migration, angiogenesis, and spread are studied using comprehensive models. Transwell models can create a cancer niche and conduct high-throughput drug screening, promising future applications. Our comprehensive shows how 3D in-vitro multi compartmental models may be useful in producing breast cancer stroma in Transwell culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lakshmi Nair
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Assam Central University, Silchar, Assam 788011, India
| | - Souvik Mukherjee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Ghasidas University, Koni, Bilaspur,(C.G 495009, India
| | - Kulwinder Kaur
- Tissue Engineering Research Group, Department of Anatomy & Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons (RCSI), Dublin D02YN77, Ireland
| | - Ciara M Murphy
- Tissue Engineering Research Group, Department of Anatomy & Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons (RCSI), Dublin D02YN77, Ireland; Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Dublin D02YN77, Ireland; Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research Centre (AMBER), RCSI and TCD, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Velayutham Ravichandiran
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India
| | - Subhadeep Roy
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal 700054, India.
| | - Manjari Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Assam Central University, Silchar, Assam 788011, India.
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12
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Wu J, Fang H, Zhang J, Yan S. Modular microfluidics for life sciences. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:85. [PMID: 36906553 PMCID: PMC10008080 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-01846-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The advancement of microfluidics has enabled numerous discoveries and technologies in life sciences. However, due to the lack of industry standards and configurability, the design and fabrication of microfluidic devices require highly skilled technicians. The diversity of microfluidic devices discourages biologists and chemists from applying this technique in their laboratories. Modular microfluidics, which integrates the standardized microfluidic modules into a whole, complex platform, brings the capability of configurability to conventional microfluidics. The exciting features, including portability, on-site deployability, and high customization motivate us to review the state-of-the-art modular microfluidics and discuss future perspectives. In this review, we first introduce the working mechanisms of the basic microfluidic modules and evaluate their feasibility as modular microfluidic components. Next, we explain the connection approaches among these microfluidic modules, and summarize the advantages of modular microfluidics over integrated microfluidics in biological applications. Finally, we discuss the challenge and future perspectives of modular microfluidics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialin Wu
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
- Nanophotonics Research Center, Institute of Microscale Optoelectronics, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hui Fang
- Nanophotonics Research Center, Institute of Microscale Optoelectronics, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - Sheng Yan
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.
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13
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Ngo H, Amartumur S, Tran VTA, Tran M, Diep YN, Cho H, Lee LP. In Vitro Tumor Models on Chip and Integrated Microphysiological Analysis Platform (MAP) for Life Sciences and High-Throughput Drug Screening. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:231. [PMID: 36831997 PMCID: PMC9954135 DOI: 10.3390/bios13020231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of preclinical in vitro cancer models has led to the emergence of human cancer-on-chip or microphysiological analysis platforms (MAPs). Although it has numerous advantages compared to other models, cancer-on-chip technology still faces several challenges such as the complexity of the tumor microenvironment and integrating multiple organs to be widely accepted in cancer research and therapeutics. In this review, we highlight the advancements in cancer-on-chip technology in recapitulating the vital biological features of various cancer types and their applications in life sciences and high-throughput drug screening. We present advances in reconstituting the tumor microenvironment and modeling cancer stages in breast, brain, and other types of cancer. We also discuss the relevance of MAPs in cancer modeling and precision medicine such as effect of flow on cancer growth and the short culture period compared to clinics. The advanced MAPs provide high-throughput platforms with integrated biosensors to monitor real-time cellular responses applied in drug development. We envision that the integrated cancer MAPs has a promising future with regard to cancer research, including cancer biology, drug discovery, and personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huyen Ngo
- Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Sarnai Amartumur
- Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Van Thi Ai Tran
- Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Minh Tran
- Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Yen N. Diep
- Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Hansang Cho
- Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Luke P. Lee
- Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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14
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Metronomic doses and drug schematic combination response tested within chambered coverslips for the treatment of breast cancer cells (JIMT-1). PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274911. [PMID: 36174026 PMCID: PMC9522273 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Low-dose metronomic (LDM) chemotherapy is an alternative to conventional chemotherapy and is the most frequently used approach in low dose chemotherapy regimens. The selection of patients, drug dosages, and dosing intervals in LDM is empirical. In this study, we systematically examined the schedule-dependent interaction of drugs on a breast cancer cell line (BCC) cultured in chambered coverslips. The LDM studies were combined with cell staining in order to better characterize different cell states and cell death modes, including caspase-dependent apoptosis, caspase-independent cell death and autophagy-dependent cell death. Microscope images were examined using the Fiji Trainable Weka Segmentation plugin to analyse cell area in 7500 images showing different modes of cell death. Paclitaxel combined with LDM chemotherapy demonstrated a reduction in the area covered by live cells. In contrast, there was an induction of high levels of cell death due to caspase-dependent apoptosis.
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15
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A Live Cell Imaging Microfluidic Model for Studying Extravasation of Bloodborne Bacterial Pathogens. Cell Microbiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1155/2022/3130361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria that migrate (extravasate) out of the bloodstream during vascular dissemination can cause secondary infections in many tissues and organs, including the brain, heart, liver, joints, and bone with clinically serious and sometimes fatal outcomes. The mechanisms by which bacteria extravasate through endothelial barriers in the face of blood flow-induced shear stress are poorly understood, in part because individual bacteria are rarely observed traversing endothelia in vivo, and in vitro model systems inadequately mimic the vascular environment. To enable the study of bacterial extravasation mechanisms, we developed a transmembrane microfluidics device mimicking human blood vessels. Fast, quantitative, three-dimensional live cell imaging in this system permitted single-cell resolution measurement of the Lyme disease bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi transmigrating through monolayers of primary human endothelial cells under physiological shear stress. This cost-effective, flexible method was 10,000 times more sensitive than conventional plate reader-based methods for measuring transendothelial migration. Validation studies confirmed that B. burgdorferi transmigrate actively and strikingly do so at similar rates under static and physiological flow conditions. This method has significant potential for future studies of B. burgdorferi extravasation mechanisms, as well as the transendothelial migration mechanisms of other disseminating bloodborne pathogens.
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16
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Ren J, Wang N, Guo P, Fan Y, Lin F, Wu J. Recent advances in microfluidics-based cell migration research. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:3361-3376. [PMID: 35993877 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00397j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cell migration is crucial for many biological processes, including normal development, immune response, and tissue homeostasis and many pathological processes such as cancer metastasis and wound healing. Microfluidics has revolutionized the research in cell migration since its inception as it reduces the cost of studies and allows precise manipulation of different parameters that affect cell migratory response. Over the past decade, the field has made great strides in many directions, such as techniques for better control of the cellular microenvironment, application-oriented physiological-like models, and machine-assisted cell image analysis methods. Here we review recent developments in the field of microfluidic cell migration through the following aspects: 1) the co-culture models for studying host-pathogen interactions at single-cell resolution; 2) the spatiotemporal manipulation of the chemical gradients guiding cell migration; 3) the organ-on-chip models to study cell transmigration; and 4) the deep learning image processing strategies for cell migration data analysis. We further discuss the challenges, possible improvement and future perspectives of using microfluidic techniques to study cell migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Ren
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Ning Wang
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093, China
| | - Piao Guo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
- Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Yanping Fan
- School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093, China
| | - Francis Lin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada.
| | - Jiandong Wu
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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17
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Major R, Wilczek G, Więcek J, Gawlikowski M, Plutecka H, Kasperkiewicz K, Kot M, Pomorska M, Ostrowski R, Kopernik M. Hemocompatibile Thin Films Assessed under Blood Flow Shear Forces. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27175696. [PMID: 36080463 PMCID: PMC9458224 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27175696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to minimize the risk of life-threatening thromboembolism in the ventricle through the use of a new biomimetic heart valve based on metal-polymer composites. Finite volume element simulations of blood adhesion to the material were carried out, encompassing radial flow and the cone and plane test together with determination of the effect of boundary conditions. Both tilt-disc and bicuspid valves do not have optimized blood flow due to their design based on rigid valve materials (leaflet made of pyrolytic carbon). The main objective was the development of materials with specific properties dedicated to contact with blood. Materials were evaluated by dynamic tests using blood, concentrates, and whole human blood. Hemostability tests under hydrodynamic conditions were related to the mechanical properties of thin-film materials obtained from tribological tests. The quality of the coatings was high enough to avoid damage to the coating even as they were exposed up to maximum loading. Analysis towards blood concentrates of the hydrogenated carbon sample and the nitrogen-doped hydrogenated carbon sample revealed that the interaction of the coating with erythrocytes was the strongest. Hemocompatibility evaluation under hydrodynamic conditions confirmed very good properties of the developed coatings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Major
- Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Polish Academy of Sciences, 25 Reymonta St., 30-059 Cracow, Poland
| | - Grażyna Wilczek
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa St. 9, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
| | - Justyna Więcek
- Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Polish Academy of Sciences, 25 Reymonta St., 30-059 Cracow, Poland
| | - Maciej Gawlikowski
- Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Biosensors and Processing of Biomedical Signals, Silesian University of Technology, Roosevelt St. 40, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
| | - Hanna Plutecka
- Division of Molecular Biology and Clinical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Skawinska St. 8, 31-066 Cracow, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Kasperkiewicz
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Jagiellońska St., 2840-032 Katowice, Poland
| | - Marcin Kot
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Pomorska
- Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Polish Academy of Sciences, 25 Reymonta St., 30-059 Cracow, Poland
| | - Roman Ostrowski
- Institute of Optoelectronics, Military University of Technology, Gen. S. Kaliskiego St. 2, 00-908 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Kopernik
- Faculty of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow, Poland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-12-617-51-26
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18
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Bae J, Choi YS, Cho G, Jang SJ. The Patient-Derived Cancer Organoids: Promises and Challenges as Platforms for Cancer Discovery. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14092144. [PMID: 35565273 PMCID: PMC9105149 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The cancer burden is rapidly increasing in most countries, and thus, new anticancer drugs for effective cancer therapy must be developed. Cancer model systems that recapitulate the biological processes of human cancers are one of the cores of the drug development process. PDCO has emerged as a unique model that preserves the genetic, physiological, and histologic characteristics of original cancer, including inter- and intratumoral heterogeneities. Due to these advantages, the PCDO model is increasingly investigated for anticancer drug screening and efficacy testing, preclinical patient stratification, and precision medicine for selecting the most effective anticancer therapy for patients. Here, we review the prospects and limitations of PDCO compared to the conventional cancer models. With advances in culture success rates, co-culture systems with the tumor microenvironment, organoid-on-a-chip technology, and automation technology, PDCO will become the most promising model to develop anticancer drugs and precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- JuneSung Bae
- Department of Research and Development, OncoClew Co., Ltd., Seoul 04778, Korea; (J.B.); (Y.S.C.); (G.C.)
| | - Yun Sik Choi
- Department of Research and Development, OncoClew Co., Ltd., Seoul 04778, Korea; (J.B.); (Y.S.C.); (G.C.)
| | - Gunsik Cho
- Department of Research and Development, OncoClew Co., Ltd., Seoul 04778, Korea; (J.B.); (Y.S.C.); (G.C.)
| | - Se Jin Jang
- Department of Research and Development, OncoClew Co., Ltd., Seoul 04778, Korea; (J.B.); (Y.S.C.); (G.C.)
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea
- Asan Center for Cancer Genome Discovery, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Seoul 05505, Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-2-498-2644; Fax: +82-2-498-2655
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19
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Molecular sensors for detection of tumor-stroma crosstalk. Adv Cancer Res 2022; 154:47-91. [PMID: 35459472 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2022.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In most solid tumors, malignant cells coexist with non-cancerous host tissue comprised of a variety of extracellular matrix components and cell types, notably fibroblasts, immune cells, and endothelial cells. It is becoming increasingly evident that the non-cancerous host tissue, often referred to as the tumor stroma or the tumor microenvironment, wields tremendous influence in the proliferation, survival, and metastatic ability of cancer cells. The tumor stroma has an active biological role in the transmission of signals, such as growth factors and chemokines that activate oncogenic signaling pathways by autocrine and paracrine mechanisms. Moreover, the constituents of the stroma define the mechanical properties and the physical features of solid tumors, which influence cancer progression and response to therapy. Inspired by the emerging importance of tumor-stroma crosstalk and oncogenic physical forces, numerous biosensors, or advanced imaging and analysis techniques have been developed and applied to investigate complex and challenging questions in cancer research. These techniques facilitate measurements and biological readouts at scales ranging from subcellular to tissue-level with unprecedented level of spatial and temporal precision. Here we examine the application of biosensor technology for studying the complex and dynamic multiscale interactions of the tumor-host system.
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20
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Singh S, Lamichhane A, Rafsanjani Nejad P, Heiss J, Baumann H, Gudneppanavar R, Leipzig ND, Konopka M, Luker GD, Tavana H. Therapeutic Targeting of Stromal-Tumor HGF-cMET Signaling in an Organotypic Triple Negative Breast Tumor Model. Mol Cancer Res 2022; 20:1166-1177. [PMID: 35348758 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-21-0317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) promotes proliferation, drug resistance, and invasiveness of cancer cells. Therapeutic targeting of the TME is an attractive strategy to improve outcomes for patients, particularly in aggressive cancers such as triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) that have a rich stroma and limited targeted therapies. However, lack of preclinical human tumor models for mechanistic understanding of tumor-stromal interactions has been an impediment to identify effective treatments against the TME. To address this need, we developed a three-dimensional (3D) organotypic tumor model to study interactions of patient-derived cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) with TNBC cells and explore potential therapy targets. We found that CAFs predominantly secreted hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and activated MET receptor tyrosine kinase in TNBC cells. This tumor-stromal interaction promoted invasiveness, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and activities of multiple oncogenic pathways in TNBC cells. Importantly, we established that TNBC cells become resistant to monotherapy and demonstrated a design-driven approach to select drug combinations that effectively inhibit pro-metastatic functions of TNBC cells. Our study also showed that HGF-MET from lung fibroblasts promotes colony formation by TNBC cells, suggesting that blocking HGF-MET signaling potentially could target both primary TNBC tumorigenesis and lung metastasis. Overall, we established the utility of our organotypic tumor model to identify and therapeutically target specific mechanisms of tumor-stromal interactions in TNBC toward the goal of developing targeted therapies against the TME. Implications: Leveraging a state-of-the-art organotypic tumor model, we demonstrated that CAFs-mediated HGF-MET signaling drive tumorigenic activities in TNBC and presents a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Singh
- University of Akron, Akron, OH, United States
| | | | | | - Jacob Heiss
- University of Akron, Akron, OH, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Gary D Luker
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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21
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GIPC2 interacts with Fzd7 to promote prostate cancer metastasis by activating WNT signaling. Oncogene 2022; 41:2609-2623. [PMID: 35347223 PMCID: PMC9054671 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-022-02255-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) causes significant mortality and morbidity, with advanced metastasis. WNT signaling is a promising therapeutic target for metastatic PCa. GIPC2 is a GIPC1 paralog involved in WNT signaling pathways associated with tumor progression, but its role in PCa metastasis remains unclear. Herein, we demonstrated that high GIPC2 expression in PCa tissues was significantly associated with distant metastasis and poor prognosis. Functional studies demonstrated that high GIPC2 expression due to CpG-island demethylation promoted increased metastatic capabilities of PCa cells. Conversely, silencing GIPC2 expression significantly inhibited PCa metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, GIPC2 directly bound the WNT co-receptor Fzd7 through its PDZ domain, which enabled activation of WNT-β-catenin cascades, thereby stimulating PCa metastasis. Interestingly, GIPC2 protein was also identified as a component of exosomes and that it robustly stimulated PCa adhesion, invasion, and migration. The presence of GIPC2 in tumor-derived exosomes and ability to impact the behavior of tumor cells suggest that GIPC2 is a novel epigenetic oncogene involved in PCa metastasis. Our findings identified GIPC2 as a novel exosomal molecule associated with WNT signaling and may represent a potential therapeutic target and biomarker for metastatic PCa.
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22
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Kundu B, Caballero D, Abreu CM, Reis RL, Kundu SC. The Tumor Microenvironment: An Introduction to the Development of Microfluidic Devices. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1379:115-138. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-04039-9_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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23
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Wu Y, Zhou Y, Qin X, Liu Y. From cell spheroids to vascularized cancer organoids: Microfluidic tumor-on-a-chip models for preclinical drug evaluations. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2021; 15:061503. [PMID: 34804315 PMCID: PMC8589468 DOI: 10.1063/5.0062697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Chemotherapy is one of the most effective cancer treatments. Starting from the discovery of new molecular entities, it usually takes about 10 years and 2 billion U.S. dollars to bring an effective anti-cancer drug from the benchtop to patients. Due to the physiological differences between animal models and humans, more than 90% of drug candidates failed in phase I clinical trials. Thus, a more efficient drug screening system to identify feasible compounds and pre-exclude less promising drug candidates is strongly desired. For their capability to accurately construct in vitro tumor models derived from human cells to reproduce pathological and physiological processes, microfluidic tumor chips are reliable platforms for preclinical drug screening, personalized medicine, and fundamental oncology research. This review summarizes the recent progress of the microfluidic tumor chip and highlights tumor vascularization strategies. In addition, promising imaging modalities for enhancing data acquisition and machine learning-based image analysis methods to accurately quantify the dynamics of tumor spheroids are introduced. It is believed that the microfluidic tumor chip will serve as a high-throughput, biomimetic, and multi-sensor integrated system for efficient preclinical drug evaluation in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Wu
- Department of Bioengineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, USA
| | - Yuyuan Zhou
- Department of Bioengineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, USA
| | - Xiaochen Qin
- Department of Bioengineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, USA
| | - Yaling Liu
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:
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24
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Franchi-Mendes T, Eduardo R, Domenici G, Brito C. 3D Cancer Models: Depicting Cellular Crosstalk within the Tumour Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4610. [PMID: 34572836 PMCID: PMC8468887 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13184610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumour microenvironment plays a critical role in tumour progression and drug resistance processes. Non-malignant cell players, such as fibroblasts, endothelial cells, immune cells and others, interact with each other and with the tumour cells, shaping the disease. Though the role of each cell type and cell communication mechanisms have been progressively studied, the complexity of this cellular network and its role in disease mechanism and therapeutic response are still being unveiled. Animal models have been mainly used, as they can represent systemic interactions and conditions, though they face recognized limitations in translational potential due to interspecies differences. In vitro 3D cancer models can surpass these limitations, by incorporating human cells, including patient-derived ones, and allowing a range of experimental designs with precise control of each tumour microenvironment element. We summarize the role of each tumour microenvironment component and review studies proposing 3D co-culture strategies of tumour cells and non-malignant cell components. Moreover, we discuss the potential of these modelling approaches to uncover potential therapeutic targets in the tumour microenvironment and assess therapeutic efficacy, current bottlenecks and perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Franchi-Mendes
- iBET—Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (T.F.-M.); (R.E.); (G.D.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Rodrigo Eduardo
- iBET—Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (T.F.-M.); (R.E.); (G.D.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Giacomo Domenici
- iBET—Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (T.F.-M.); (R.E.); (G.D.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Catarina Brito
- iBET—Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (T.F.-M.); (R.E.); (G.D.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
- The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Lisbon Campus, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
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25
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Biofabrication of advanced in vitro and ex vivo cancer models for disease modeling and drug screening. FUTURE DRUG DISCOVERY 2021. [DOI: 10.4155/fdd-2020-0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioengineered in vitro models have advanced from 2D cultures and simple 3D cell aggregates to more complex organoids and organ-on-a-chip platforms. This shift has been substantial in cancer research; while simple systems remain in use, multi-tissue type tumor and tissue chips and patient-derived tumor organoids have grown rapidly. These more advanced models offer new tools to cancer researchers based on human tumor physiology and the potential for interactions with nontumor tissue physiology while avoiding critical differences between human and animal biology. In this focused review, the authors discuss the importance of organoid and organ-on-a-chip platforms, with a particular focus on modeling cancer, to highlight oncology-focused in vitro model platform technologies that improve upon the simple 2D cultures and 3D spheroid models of the past.
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26
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Slay EE, Meldrum FC, Pensabene V, Amer MH. Embracing Mechanobiology in Next Generation Organ-On-A-Chip Models of Bone Metastasis. FRONTIERS IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY 2021; 3:722501. [PMID: 35047952 PMCID: PMC8757701 DOI: 10.3389/fmedt.2021.722501] [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: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone metastasis in breast cancer is associated with high mortality. Biomechanical cues presented by the extracellular matrix play a vital role in driving cancer metastasis. The lack of in vitro models that recapitulate the mechanical aspects of the in vivo microenvironment hinders the development of novel targeted therapies. Organ-on-a-chip (OOAC) platforms have recently emerged as a new generation of in vitro models that can mimic cell-cell interactions, enable control over fluid flow and allow the introduction of mechanical cues. Biomaterials used within OOAC platforms can determine the physical microenvironment that cells reside in and affect their behavior, adhesion, and localization. Refining the design of OOAC platforms to recreate microenvironmental regulation of metastasis and probe cell-matrix interactions will advance our understanding of breast cancer metastasis and support the development of next-generation metastasis-on-a-chip platforms. In this mini-review, we discuss the role of mechanobiology on the behavior of breast cancer and bone-residing cells, summarize the current capabilities of OOAC platforms for modeling breast cancer metastasis to bone, and highlight design opportunities offered by the incorporation of mechanobiological cues in these platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen E. Slay
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | | | - Virginia Pensabene
- School of School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- School of Medicine, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Mahetab H. Amer
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
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27
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Moccia C, Haase K. Engineering Breast Cancer On-chip-Moving Toward Subtype Specific Models. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:694218. [PMID: 34249889 PMCID: PMC8261144 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.694218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women worldwide, and while hormone receptor positive subtypes have a clear and effective treatment strategy, other subtypes, such as triple negative breast cancers, do not. Development of new drugs, antibodies, or immune targets requires significant re-consideration of current preclinical models, which frequently fail to mimic the nuances of patient-specific breast cancer subtypes. Each subtype, together with the expression of different markers, genetic and epigenetic profiles, presents a unique tumor microenvironment, which promotes tumor development and progression. For this reason, personalized treatments targeting components of the tumor microenvironment have been proposed to mitigate breast cancer progression, particularly for aggressive triple negative subtypes. To-date, animal models remain the gold standard for examining new therapeutic targets; however, there is room for in vitro tools to bridge the biological gap with humans. Tumor-on-chip technologies allow for precise control and examination of the tumor microenvironment and may add to the toolbox of current preclinical models. These new models include key aspects of the tumor microenvironment (stroma, vasculature and immune cells) which have been employed to understand metastases, multi-organ interactions, and, importantly, to evaluate drug efficacy and toxicity in humanized physiologic systems. This review provides insight into advanced in vitro tumor models specific to breast cancer, and discusses their potential and limitations for use as future preclinical patient-specific tools.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kristina Haase
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Molecular Biology Laboratory Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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28
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Firatligil-Yildirir B, Bati-Ayaz G, Tahmaz I, Bilgen M, Pesen-Okvur D, Yalcin-Ozuysal O. On-chip determination of tissue-specific metastatic potential of breast cancer cells. Biotechnol Bioeng 2021; 118:3799-3810. [PMID: 34110014 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis is one of the major obstacles for breast cancer patients. Limitations of current models demand the development of custom platforms to predict metastatic potential and homing choices of cancer cells. Here, two organ-on-chip platforms, invasion/chemotaxis (IC-chip) and extravasation (EX-chip) were used for the quantitative assessment of invasion and extravasation towards specific tissues. Lung, liver and breast microenvironments were simulated in the chips using tissue-specific cells embedded in matrigel. In the IC-chip, invasive MDA-MB-231, but not noninvasive MCF-7 breast cancer cells invaded into lung and liver microenvironments. In the EX-chip, MDA-MB-231 cells extravasated more into the lung compared to the liver and breast microenvironments. In addition, lung-specific MDA-MB-231 clone invaded and extravasated into the lung microenvironment more efficiently than the bone-specific clone. Both invasion/chemotaxis and extravasation results were in agreement with published clinical data. Collectively, our results show that IC-chip and EX-chip, simulating tissue-specific microenvironments, can distinguish different in vivo metastatic phenotypes, in vitro. Determination of tissue-specific metastatic potential of breast cancer cells is expected to improve diagnosis and help select the ideal therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gizem Bati-Ayaz
- Izmir Institute of Technology, Biotechnology and Bioengineering Graduate Program, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ismail Tahmaz
- Izmir Institute of Technology, Biotechnology and Bioengineering Graduate Program, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Muge Bilgen
- Izmir Institute of Technology, Biotechnology and Bioengineering Graduate Program, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Devrim Pesen-Okvur
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ozden Yalcin-Ozuysal
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir, Turkey
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29
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Rae C, Amato F, Braconi C. Patient-Derived Organoids as a Model for Cancer Drug Discovery. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073483. [PMID: 33801782 PMCID: PMC8038043 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In the search for the ideal model of tumours, the use of three-dimensional in vitro models is advancing rapidly. These are intended to mimic the in vivo properties of the tumours which affect cancer development, progression and drug sensitivity, and take into account cell–cell interactions, adhesion and invasiveness. Importantly, it is hoped that successful recapitulation of the structure and function of the tissue will predict patient response, permitting the development of personalized therapy in a timely manner applicable to the clinic. Furthermore, the use of co-culture systems will allow the role of the tumour microenvironment and tissue–tissue interactions to be taken into account and should lead to more accurate predictions of tumour development and responses to drugs. In this review, the relative merits and limitations of patient-derived organoids will be discussed compared to other in vitro and ex vivo cancer models. We will focus on their use as models for drug testing and personalized therapy and how these may be improved. Developments in technology will also be considered, including the use of microfluidics, 3D bioprinting, cryopreservation and circulating tumour cell-derived organoids. These have the potential to enhance the consistency, accessibility and availability of these models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Rae
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (C.R.); (F.A.)
| | - Francesco Amato
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (C.R.); (F.A.)
| | - Chiara Braconi
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (C.R.); (F.A.)
- Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow G12 0YN, UK
- Correspondence:
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30
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Sigdel I, Gupta N, Faizee F, Khare VM, Tiwari AK, Tang Y. Biomimetic Microfluidic Platforms for the Assessment of Breast Cancer Metastasis. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:633671. [PMID: 33777909 PMCID: PMC7992012 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.633671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Of around half a million women dying of breast cancer each year, more than 90% die due to metastasis. Models necessary to understand the metastatic process, particularly breast cancer cell extravasation and colonization, are currently limited and urgently needed to develop therapeutic interventions necessary to prevent breast cancer metastasis. Microfluidic approaches aim to reconstitute functional units of organs that cannot be modeled easily in traditional cell culture or animal studies by reproducing vascular networks and parenchyma on a chip in a three-dimensional, physiologically relevant in vitro system. In recent years, microfluidics models utilizing innovative biomaterials and micro-engineering technologies have shown great potential in our effort of mechanistic understanding of the breast cancer metastasis cascade by providing 3D constructs that can mimic in vivo cellular microenvironment and the ability to visualize and monitor cellular interactions in real-time. In this review, we will provide readers with a detailed discussion on the application of the most up-to-date, state-of-the-art microfluidics-based breast cancer models, with a special focus on their application in the engineering approaches to recapitulate the metastasis process, including invasion, intravasation, extravasation, breast cancer metastasis organotropism, and metastasis niche formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indira Sigdel
- Biofluidics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - Niraj Gupta
- Biofluidics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - Fairuz Faizee
- Biofluidics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - Vishwa M Khare
- Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Amit K Tiwari
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - Yuan Tang
- Biofluidics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
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31
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Jones TH, Kaul K, Garg AA, Song JW, Ganju RK, Subramaniam VV. Directional Migration of Breast Cancer Cells Hindered by Induced Electric Fields May Be Due to Accompanying Alteration of Metabolic Activity. Bioelectricity 2021; 3:92-100. [PMID: 34476380 DOI: 10.1089/bioe.2020.0048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Induced electric fields (iEFs) control directional breast cancer cell migration. While the connection between migration and metabolism is appreciated in the context of cancer and metastasis, effects of iEFs on metabolic pathways especially as they relate to migration, remain unexplored. Materials and Methods: Quantitative cell migration data in the presence and absence of an epidermal growth factor (EGF) gradient in the microfluidic bidirectional microtrack assay was retrospectively analyzed for additional effects of iEFs on cell motility and directionality. Surrogate markers of oxidative phosphorylation (succinate dehydrogenase [SDH] activity) and glycolysis (lactate dehydrogenase activity) were assessed in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and normal MCF10A mammary epithelial cells exposed to iEFs and EGF. Results: Retrospective analysis of migration results suggests that iEFs increase forward cell migration speeds while extending the time cells spend migrating slowly in the reverse direction or remaining stationary. Furthermore, in the presence of EGF, iEFs differentially altered flux through oxidative phosphorylation in MDA-MB-231 cells and glycolysis in MCF10A cells. Conclusions: iEFs interfere with MDA-MB-231 cell migration, potentially, by altering mitochondrial metabolism, observed as an inhibition of SDH activity in the presence of EGF. The energy intensive process of migration in these highly metastatic breast cancer cells may be hindered by iEFs, thus, through hampering of oxidative phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis H Jones
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Kirti Kaul
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Ayush A Garg
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Jonathan W Song
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Ramesh K Ganju
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Vish V Subramaniam
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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32
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Cheng X, Cheng K. Visualizing cancer extravasation: from mechanistic studies to drug development. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2021; 40:71-88. [PMID: 33156478 PMCID: PMC7897269 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-020-09942-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Metastasis is a multistep process that accounts for the majority of cancer-related death. By the end of metastasize dissemination, circulating tumor cells (CTC) need to extravasate the blood vessels at metastatic sites to form new colonization. Although cancer cell extravasation is a crucial step in cancer metastasis, it has not been successfully targeted by current anti-metastasis strategies due to the lack of a thorough understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate this process. This review focuses on recent progress in cancer extravasation visualization techniques, including the development of both in vitro and in vivo cancer extravasation models, that shed light on the underlying mechanisms. Specifically, multiple cancer extravasation stages, such as the adhesion to the endothelium and transendothelial migration, are successfully probed using these technologies. Moreover, the roles of different cell adhesive molecules, chemokines, and growth factors, as well as the mechanical factors in these stages are well illustrated. Deeper understandings of cancer extravasation mechanisms offer us new opportunities to escalate the discovery of anti-extravasation drugs and therapies and improve the prognosis of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Cheng
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University & University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA
| | - Ke Cheng
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University & University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Raleigh, NC, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
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33
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Redmond J, McCarthy H, Buchanan P, Levingstone TJ, Dunne NJ. Advances in biofabrication techniques for collagen-based 3D in vitro culture models for breast cancer research. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2021; 122:111944. [PMID: 33641930 DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2021.111944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Collagen is the most abundant component of the extracellular matrix (ECM), therefore it represents an ideal biomaterial for the culture of a variety of cell types. Recently, collagen-based scaffolds have shown promise as 3D culture platforms for breast cancer-based research. Two-dimensional (2D) in vitro culture models, while useful for gaining preliminary insights, are ultimately flawed as they do not adequately replicate the tumour microenvironment. As a result, they do not facilitate proper 3D cell-cell/cell-matrix interactions and often an exaggerated response to therapeutic agents occurs. The ECM plays a crucial role in the development and spread of cancer. Alterations within the ECM have a significant impact on the pathogenesis of cancer, the initiation of metastasis and ultimate progression of the disease. 3D in vitro culture models that aim to replicate the tumour microenvironment have the potential to offer a new frontier for cancer research with cell growth, morphology and genetic properties that more closely match in vivo cancers. While initial 3D in vitro culture models used in breast cancer research consisted of simple hydrogel platforms, recent advances in biofabrication techniques, including freeze-drying, electrospinning and 3D bioprinting, have enabled the fabrication of biomimetic collagen-based platforms that more closely replicate the breast cancer ECM. This review highlights the current application of collagen-based scaffolds as 3D in vitro culture models for breast cancer research, specifically for adherence-based scaffolds (i.e. matrix-assisted). Finally, the future perspectives of 3D in vitro breast cancer models and their potential to lead to an improved understanding of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Redmond
- School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland; Centre for Medical Engineering Research, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Helen McCarthy
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 7BL, United Kingdom; School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Paul Buchanan
- School of Nursing and Human Science, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland; National Institute of Cellular Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Tanya J Levingstone
- School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland; Centre for Medical Engineering Research, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland; Tissue Engineering Research Group, Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland; Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (I-Form), School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland; Advanced Processing Technology Research Centre, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland; Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Nicholas J Dunne
- School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland; Centre for Medical Engineering Research, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland; Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (I-Form), School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland; Advanced Processing Technology Research Centre, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland; Trinity Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland; Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research Centre (AMBER), Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland; Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, School of Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
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34
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Parigoris E, Lee S, Mertz D, Turner M, Liu AY, Sentosa J, Djomehri S, Chang HC, Luker K, Luker G, Kleer CG, Takayama S. Cancer Cell Invasion of Mammary Organoids with Basal-In Phenotype. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2000810. [PMID: 32583612 PMCID: PMC7759600 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202000810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes mammary organoids with a basal-in phenotype where the basement membrane is located on the interior surface of the organoid. A key materials consideration to induce this basal-in phenotype is the use of a minimal gel scaffold that the epithelial cells self-assemble around and encapsulate. When MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells are co-cultured with epithelial cells from day 0 under these conditions, cells self-organize into patterns with distinct cancer cell populations both inside and at the periphery of the epithelial organoid. In another type of experiment, the robust formation of the basement membrane on the epithelial organoid interior enables convenient studies of MDA-MB-231 invasion in a tumor progression-relevant direction relative to epithelial cell-basement membrane positioning. That is, the study of cancer invasion through the epithelium first, followed by the basement membrane to the basal side, is realized in an experimentally convenient manner where the cancer cells are simply seeded on the outside of preformed organoids, and their invasion into the organoid is monitored. Interestingly, invasion is more prominent when tumor cells are added to day 7 organoids with less developed basement membranes compared to day 16 organoids with more defined ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Parigoris
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering and The Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Soojung Lee
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering and The Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - David Mertz
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering and The Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Madeleine Turner
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering and The Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Amy Y Liu
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering and The Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Jason Sentosa
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering and The Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Sabra Djomehri
- Department of Pathology and Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Hao Chen Chang
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering and The Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Kathryn Luker
- Departments of Radiology and Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan College of Engineering, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Gary Luker
- Departments of Radiology and Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan College of Engineering, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Celina G Kleer
- Department of Pathology and Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Shuichi Takayama
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering and The Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
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35
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Moses SR, Adorno JJ, Palmer AF, Song JW. Vessel-on-a-chip models for studying microvascular physiology, transport, and function in vitro. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2021; 320:C92-C105. [PMID: 33176110 PMCID: PMC7846973 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00355.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
To understand how the microvasculature grows and remodels, researchers require reproducible systems that emulate the function of living tissue. Innovative contributions toward fulfilling this important need have been made by engineered microvessels assembled in vitro with microfabrication techniques. Microfabricated vessels, commonly referred to as "vessels-on-a-chip," are from a class of cell culture technologies that uniquely integrate microscale flow phenomena, tissue-level biomolecular transport, cell-cell interactions, and proper three-dimensional (3-D) extracellular matrix environments under well-defined culture conditions. Here, we discuss the enabling attributes of microfabricated vessels that make these models more physiological compared with established cell culture techniques and the potential of these models for advancing microvascular research. This review highlights the key features of microvascular transport and physiology, critically discusses the strengths and limitations of different microfabrication strategies for studying the microvasculature, and provides a perspective on current challenges and future opportunities for vessel-on-a-chip models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savannah R Moses
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Jonathan J Adorno
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Andre F Palmer
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Jonathan W Song
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
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36
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Salminen AT, Allahyari Z, Gholizadeh S, McCloskey MC, Ajalik R, Cottle RN, Gaborski TR, McGrath JL. In vitro Studies of Transendothelial Migration for Biological and Drug Discovery. FRONTIERS IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY 2020; 2:600616. [PMID: 35047883 PMCID: PMC8757899 DOI: 10.3389/fmedt.2020.600616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory diseases and cancer metastases lack concrete pharmaceuticals for their effective treatment despite great strides in advancing our understanding of disease progression. One feature of these disease pathogeneses that remains to be fully explored, both biologically and pharmaceutically, is the passage of cancer and immune cells from the blood to the underlying tissue in the process of extravasation. Regardless of migratory cell type, all steps in extravasation involve molecular interactions that serve as a rich landscape of targets for pharmaceutical inhibition or promotion. Transendothelial migration (TEM), or the migration of the cell through the vascular endothelium, is a particularly promising area of interest as it constitutes the final and most involved step in the extravasation cascade. While in vivo models of cancer metastasis and inflammatory diseases have contributed to our current understanding of TEM, the knowledge surrounding this phenomenon would be significantly lacking without the use of in vitro platforms. In addition to the ease of use, low cost, and high controllability, in vitro platforms permit the use of human cell lines to represent certain features of disease pathology better, as seen in the clinic. These benefits over traditional pre-clinical models for efficacy and toxicity testing are especially important in the modern pursuit of novel drug candidates. Here, we review the cellular and molecular events involved in leukocyte and cancer cell extravasation, with a keen focus on TEM, as discovered by seminal and progressive in vitro platforms. In vitro studies of TEM, specifically, showcase the great experimental progress at the lab bench and highlight the historical success of in vitro platforms for biological discovery. This success shows the potential for applying these platforms for pharmaceutical compound screening. In addition to immune and cancer cell TEM, we discuss the promise of hepatocyte transplantation, a process in which systemically delivered hepatocytes must transmigrate across the liver sinusoidal endothelium to successfully engraft and restore liver function. Lastly, we concisely summarize the evolving field of porous membranes for the study of TEM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec T. Salminen
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Zahra Allahyari
- Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Shayan Gholizadeh
- Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Molly C. McCloskey
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Raquel Ajalik
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Renee N. Cottle
- Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
| | - Thomas R. Gaborski
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
- Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - James L. McGrath
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
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Vitale C, Fedi A, Marrella A, Varani G, Fato M, Scaglione S. 3D Perfusable Hydrogel Recapitulating the Cancer Dynamic Environment to in Vitro Investigate Metastatic Colonization. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:E2467. [PMID: 33114344 PMCID: PMC7690854 DOI: 10.3390/polym12112467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is a dynamic process involving the dissemination of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) through blood flow to distant tissues within the body. Nevertheless, the development of an in vitro platform that dissects the crucial steps of metastatic cascade still remains a challenge. We here developed an in vitro model of extravasation composed of (i) a single channel-based 3D cell laden hydrogel representative of the metastatic site, (ii) a circulation system recapitulating the bloodstream where CTCs can flow. Two polymers (i.e., fibrin and alginate) were tested and compared in terms of mechanical and biochemical proprieties. Computational fluid-dynamic (CFD) simulations were also performed to predict the fluid dynamics within the polymeric matrix and, consequently, the optimal culture conditions. Next, once the platform was validated through perfusion tests by fluidically connecting the hydrogels with the external circuit, highly metastatic breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) were injected and exposed to physiological wall shear stress (WSS) conditions (5 Dyn/cm2) to assess their migration toward the hydrogel. Results indicated that CTCs arrested and colonized the polymeric matrix, showing that this platform can be an effective fluidic system to model the first steps occurring during the metastatic cascade as well as a potential tool to in vitro elucidate the contribution of hemodynamics on cancer dissemination to a secondary site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Vitale
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Electronic, Computer and Telecommunications (IEIIT) Institute, 16149 Genoa, Italy; (C.V.); (A.F.); (G.V.); (M.F.); (S.S.)
| | - Arianna Fedi
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Electronic, Computer and Telecommunications (IEIIT) Institute, 16149 Genoa, Italy; (C.V.); (A.F.); (G.V.); (M.F.); (S.S.)
- Department of Computer Science, Bioengineering, Robotics and Systems Engineering, University of Genoa, 16126 Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Marrella
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Electronic, Computer and Telecommunications (IEIIT) Institute, 16149 Genoa, Italy; (C.V.); (A.F.); (G.V.); (M.F.); (S.S.)
| | - Gabriele Varani
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Electronic, Computer and Telecommunications (IEIIT) Institute, 16149 Genoa, Italy; (C.V.); (A.F.); (G.V.); (M.F.); (S.S.)
| | - Marco Fato
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Electronic, Computer and Telecommunications (IEIIT) Institute, 16149 Genoa, Italy; (C.V.); (A.F.); (G.V.); (M.F.); (S.S.)
- Department of Computer Science, Bioengineering, Robotics and Systems Engineering, University of Genoa, 16126 Genoa, Italy
| | - Silvia Scaglione
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Electronic, Computer and Telecommunications (IEIIT) Institute, 16149 Genoa, Italy; (C.V.); (A.F.); (G.V.); (M.F.); (S.S.)
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Trembecka-Wójciga K, Kopernik M, Surmiak M, Major R, Gawlikowski M, Bruckert F, Kot M, Lackner JM. Effect of the mechanical properties of carbon-based coatings on the mechanics of cell-material interactions. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2020; 197:111359. [PMID: 33032179 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2020.111359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The paper presents an influence of the surface mechanical properties of thin-film materials on blood cell adhesion under shear stress conditions. Physical vapour deposited (PVD) coatings i.e. hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) doped with nitrogen or silicon have been investigated. The mechanical properties of materials, namely their microhardness and Young's modulus were measured using indentation test with Rockwell indenter. The adhesion efficiency of blood cells in dynamic conditions were analysed using a radial flow chamber. Red blood cells (RBC) were used as representative cells to analyse cell-material interactions. The biomaterial examinations were performed under physiological flow conditions at the single-cell level. The 3D FVM (finite volume method) model of multi-phase radial flow test was developed to reproduce the physical test and to predict distributions of shear stresses and velocity during blood washout with PBS. Cell-material interactions were found to be strongly associated with the mechanical properties of the thin-film material. The decrease in the hardness of the coatings translated into a weaker cell - material interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Trembecka-Wójciga
- Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Polish Academy of Sciences, Reymonta St. 25, Cracow, Poland
| | - M Kopernik
- AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza Str. 30, Cracow, Poland.
| | - M Surmiak
- Department of Internal Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Skawinska Str. 8, Cracow, Poland
| | - R Major
- Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Polish Academy of Sciences, Reymonta St. 25, Cracow, Poland
| | - M Gawlikowski
- Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Biosensors and Processing of Biomedical Signals, Roosevelt Str. 40, Zabrze, Poland
| | - F Bruckert
- Laboratoire des Matériaux et du Génie Physique - UMR 5628, 3 parvis Louis Néel, Grenoble Cedex 1, France
| | - M Kot
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza Str. 30, Cracow, Poland
| | - J M Lackner
- Joanneum Research Forschungsges mbH, Institute of Surface Technologies and Photonics, Functional Surfaces, Leobner Strasse 94, A-8712, Niklasdorf, Austria
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Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, which makes it a very impactful malignancy in the society. Breast cancers can be classified through different systems based on the main tumor features and gene, protein, and cell receptors expression, which will determine the most advisable therapeutic course and expected outcomes. Multiple therapeutic options have already been proposed and implemented for breast cancer treatment. Nonetheless, their use and efficacy still greatly depend on the tumor classification, and treatments are commonly associated with invasiveness, pain, discomfort, severe side effects, and poor specificity. This has demanded an investment in the research of the mechanisms behind the disease progression, evolution, and associated risk factors, and on novel diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. However, advances in the understanding and assessment of breast cancer are dependent on the ability to mimic the properties and microenvironment of tumors in vivo, which can be achieved through experimentation on animal models. This review covers an overview of the main animal models used in breast cancer research, namely in vitro models, in vivo models, in silico models, and other models. For each model, the main characteristics, advantages, and challenges associated to their use are highlighted.
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Rapid Fabrication of Membrane-Integrated Thermoplastic Elastomer Microfluidic Devices. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11080731. [PMID: 32731570 PMCID: PMC7463978 DOI: 10.3390/mi11080731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Leveraging the advantageous material properties of recently developed soft thermoplastic elastomer materials, this work presents the facile and rapid fabrication of composite membrane-integrated microfluidic devices consisting of FlexdymTM polymer and commercially available porous polycarbonate membranes. The three-layer devices can be fabricated in under 2.5 h, consisting of a 2-min hot embossing cycle, conformal contact between device layers and a low-temperature baking step. The strength of the FlexdymTM-polycarbonate seal was characterized using a specialized microfluidic delamination device and an automated pressure controller configuration, offering a standardized and high-throughput method of microfluidic burst testing. Given a minimum bonding distance of 200 μm, the materials showed bonding that reliably withstood pressures of 500 mbar and above, which is sufficient for most microfluidic cell culture applications. Bonding was also stable when subjected to long term pressurization (10 h) and repeated use (10,000 pressure cycles). Cell culture trials confirmed good cell adhesion and sustained culture of human dermal fibroblasts on a polycarbonate membrane inside the device channels over the course of one week. In comparison to existing porous membrane-based microfluidic platforms of this configuration, most often made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), these devices offer a streamlined fabrication methodology with materials having favourable properties for cell culture applications and the potential for implementation in barrier model organ-on-chips.
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41
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Madhu R, Rodriguez D, Guzik C, Singh S, De Tomaso AW, Valentine MT, Loerke D. Characterizing the cellular architecture of dynamically remodeling vascular tissue using 3-D image analysis and virtual reconstruction. Mol Biol Cell 2020; 31:1714-1725. [PMID: 32614644 PMCID: PMC7521853 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e20-02-0091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial tubules form critical structures in lung, kidney, and vascular tissues. However, the processes that control their morphogenesis and physiological expansion and contraction are not well understood. Here we examine the dynamic remodeling of epithelial tubes in vivo using a novel model system: the extracorporeal vasculature of Botryllus schlosseri, in which the disruption of the basement membrane triggers rapid, massive vascular retraction without loss of barrier function. We developed and implemented 3-D image analysis and virtual reconstruction tools to characterize the cellular morphology of the vascular wall in unmanipulated vessels and during retraction. In both control and regressed conditions, cells within the vascular wall were planar polarized, with an integrin- and curvature-dependent axial elongation of cells and a robust circumferential alignment of actin bundles. Surprisingly, we found no measurable differences in morphology between normal and retracting vessels under extracellular matrix (ECM) disruption. However, inhibition of integrin signaling through focal adhesion kinase inhibition caused disruption of cellular actin organization. Our results demonstrate that epithelial tubes can maintain tissue organization even during extreme remodeling events, but that the robust response to mechanical signals—such as the response to loss of vascular tension after ECM disruption—requires functional force sensing machinery via integrin signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roopa Madhu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208
| | - Delany Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
| | - Claudia Guzik
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
| | - Shambhavi Singh
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
| | - Anthony W De Tomaso
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
| | - Megan T Valentine
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
| | - Dinah Loerke
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208
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Kang SM, Lee JH, Huh YS, Takayama S. Alginate Microencapsulation for Three-Dimensional In Vitro Cell Culture. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2020; 7:2864-2879. [PMID: 34275299 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.0c00457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Advances in microscale 3D cell culture systems have helped to elucidate cellular physiology, understand mechanisms of stem cell differentiation, produce pathophysiological models, and reveal important cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. An important consideration for such studies is the choice of material for encapsulating cells and associated extracellular matrix (ECM). This Review focuses on the use of alginate hydrogels, which are versatile owing to their simple gelation process following an ionic cross-linking mechanism in situ, with no need for procedures that can be potentially toxic to cells, such as heating, the use of solvents, and UV exposure. This Review aims to give some perspectives, particularly to researchers who typically work more with poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), on the use of alginate as an alternative material to construct microphysiological cell culture systems. More specifically, this Review describes how physicochemical characteristics of alginate hydrogels can be tuned with regards to their biocompatibility, porosity, mechanical strength, ligand presentation, and biodegradability. A number of cell culture applications are also described, and these are subcategorized according to whether the alginate material is used to homogeneously embed cells, to micropattern multiple cellular microenvironments, or to provide an outer shell that creates a space in the core for cells and other ECM components. The Review ends with perspectives on future challenges and opportunities for 3D cell culture applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Min Kang
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, 30332, United States of America.,The Parker H Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, 30332, United States of America.,NanoBio High-Tech Materials Research Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Hoon Lee
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, 30332, United States of America.,The Parker H Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, 30332, United States of America
| | - Yun Suk Huh
- NanoBio High-Tech Materials Research Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Shuichi Takayama
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, 30332, United States of America.,The Parker H Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, 30332, United States of America
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Wang K, Man K, Liu J, Liu Y, Chen Q, Zhou Y, Yang Y. Microphysiological Systems: Design, Fabrication, and Applications. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2020; 6:3231-3257. [PMID: 33204830 PMCID: PMC7668566 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.9b01667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Microphysiological systems, including organoids, 3-D printed tissue constructs and organ-on-a-chips (organ chips), are physiologically relevant in vitro models and have experienced explosive growth in the past decades. Different from conventional, tissue culture plastic-based in vitro models or animal models, microphysiological systems recapitulate key microenvironmental characteristics of human organs and mimic their primary functions. The advent of microphysiological systems is attributed to evolving biomaterials, micro-/nanotechnologies and stem cell biology, which enable the precise control over the matrix properties and the interactions between cells, tissues and organs in physiological conditions. As such, microphysiological systems have been developed to model a broad spectrum of organs from microvasculature, eye, to lung and many others to understand human organ development and disease pathology and facilitate drug discovery. Multiorgans-on-a-chip systems have also been developed by integrating multiple associated organ chips in a single platform, which allows to study and employ the organ function in a systematic approach. Here we first discuss the design principles of microphysiological systems with a focus on the anatomy and physiology of organs, and then review the commonly used fabrication techniques and biomaterials for microphysiological systems. Subsequently, we discuss the recent development of microphysiological systems, and provide our perspectives on advancing microphysiological systems for preclinical investigation and drug discovery of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76207, United States
| | - Kun Man
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76207, United States
| | - Jiafeng Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76207, United States
| | - Yang Liu
- North Texas Eye Research Institute, Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, United States
| | - Qi Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Innate Immune Biology of Fujian Province, Biomedical Research Center of South China, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, China
| | - Yong Zhou
- Department of Emergency, Xinqiao Hospital, Chongqing 400037, China
| | - Yong Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76207, United States
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van Dijk CGM, Brandt MM, Poulis N, Anten J, van der Moolen M, Kramer L, Homburg EFGA, Louzao-Martinez L, Pei J, Krebber MM, van Balkom BWM, de Graaf P, Duncker DJ, Verhaar MC, Luttge R, Cheng C. A new microfluidic model that allows monitoring of complex vascular structures and cell interactions in a 3D biological matrix. LAB ON A CHIP 2020; 20:1827-1844. [PMID: 32330215 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc00059k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic organ-on-a-chip designs are used to mimic human tissues, including the vasculature. Here we present a novel microfluidic device that allows the interaction of endothelial cells (ECs) with pericytes and the extracellular matrix (ECM) in full bio-matrix encased 3D vessel structures (neovessels) that can be subjected to continuous, unidirectional flow and perfusion with circulating immune cells. We designed a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) device with a reservoir for a 3D fibrinogen gel with pericytes. Open channels were created for ECs to form a monolayer. Controlled, continuous, and unidirectional flow was introduced via a pump system while the design facilitated 3D confocal imaging. In this vessel-on-a-chip system, ECs interact with pericytes to create a human cell derived blood vessel which maintains a perfusable lumen for up to 7 days. Dextran diffusion verified endothelial barrier function while demonstrating the beneficial role of supporting pericytes. Increased permeability after thrombin stimulation showed the capacity of the neovessels to show natural vascular response. Perfusion of neovessels with circulating THP-1 cells demonstrated this system as a valuable platform for assessing interaction between the endothelium and immune cells in response to TNFα. In conclusion: we created a novel vascular microfluidic device that facilitates the fabrication of an array of parallel soft-channel structures in ECM gel that develop into biologically functional neovessels without hard-scaffold support. This model provides a unique tool to conduct live in vitro imaging of the human vasculature during perfusion with circulating cells to mimic (disease) environments in a highly systematic but freely configurable manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian G M van Dijk
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Medical Center Utrecht, PO Box 85500, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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45
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Luque‐González MA, Reis RL, Kundu SC, Caballero D. Human Microcirculation‐on‐Chip Models in Cancer Research: Key Integration of Lymphatic and Blood Vasculatures. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 4:e2000045. [DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202000045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Angélica Luque‐González
- 3B’s Research Group, I3Bs—Research Institute on Biomaterials Biodegradables and BiomimeticsUniversity of MinhoHeadquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative MedicineICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra 4805‐017 Barco Braga/Guimarães Portugal
| | - Rui Luis Reis
- 3B’s Research Group, I3Bs—Research Institute on Biomaterials Biodegradables and BiomimeticsUniversity of MinhoHeadquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative MedicineICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra 4805‐017 Barco Braga/Guimarães Portugal
| | - Subhas Chandra Kundu
- 3B’s Research Group, I3Bs—Research Institute on Biomaterials Biodegradables and BiomimeticsUniversity of MinhoHeadquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative MedicineICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra 4805‐017 Barco Braga/Guimarães Portugal
| | - David Caballero
- 3B’s Research Group, I3Bs—Research Institute on Biomaterials Biodegradables and BiomimeticsUniversity of MinhoHeadquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative MedicineICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra 4805‐017 Barco Braga/Guimarães Portugal
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46
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Coughlin MF, Kamm RD. The Use of Microfluidic Platforms to Probe the Mechanism of Cancer Cell Extravasation. Adv Healthc Mater 2020; 9:e1901410. [PMID: 31994845 PMCID: PMC7274859 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201901410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Revised: 11/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Powerful experimental tools have contributed a wealth of novel insight into cancer etiology from the organ to the subcellular levels. However, these advances in understanding have outpaced improvements in clinical outcomes. One possible reason for this shortcoming is the reliance on animal models that do not fully replicate human physiology. An alternative in vitro approach that has recently emerged features engineered microfluidic platforms to investigate cancer progression. These devices allow precise control over cellular components, extracellular constituents, and physical forces, while facilitating detailed microscopic analysis of the metastatic process. This review focuses on the recent use of microfluidic platforms to investigate the mechanism of cancer cell extravasation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark F Coughlin
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Roger D Kamm
- Cecil and Ida Green Distinguished Professor of Biological and Mechanical Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
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47
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Singh S, Ray LA, Shahi Thakuri P, Tran S, Konopka MC, Luker GD, Tavana H. Organotypic breast tumor model elucidates dynamic remodeling of tumor microenvironment. Biomaterials 2020; 238:119853. [PMID: 32062146 PMCID: PMC8165649 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.119853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fibroblasts are a critical component of tumor microenvironments and associate with cancer cells physically and biochemically during different stages of the disease. Existing cell culture models to study interactions between fibroblasts and cancer cells lack native tumor architecture or scalability. We developed a scalable organotypic model by robotically encapsulating a triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell spheroid within a natural extracellular matrix containing dispersed fibroblasts. We utilized an established CXCL12 - CXCR4 chemokine-receptor signaling in breast tumors to validate our model. Using imaging techniques and molecular analyses, we demonstrated that CXCL12-secreting fibroblasts have elevated activity of RhoA/ROCK/myosin light chain-2 pathway and rapidly and significantly contract collagen matrices. Signaling between TNBC cells and CXCL12-producing fibroblasts promoted matrix invasion of cancer cells by activating oncogenic mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling, whereas normal fibroblasts significantly diminished TNBC cell invasiveness. We demonstrated that disrupting CXCL12 - CXCR4 signaling using a molecular inhibitor significantly inhibited invasiveness of cancer cells, suggesting blocking of tumor-stromal interactions as a therapeutic strategy especially for cancers such as TNBC that lack targeted therapies. Our organotypic tumor model mimics native solid tumors, enables modular addition of different stromal cells and extracellular matrix proteins, and allows high throughput compound screening against tumor-stromal interactions to identify novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
| | - Lucille A Ray
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
| | - Pradip Shahi Thakuri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
| | - Sydnie Tran
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
| | - Michael C Konopka
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
| | - Gary D Luker
- Department of Radiology, Microbiology and Immunology, Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Hossein Tavana
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA.
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Bulboacă AE, Boarescu PM, Melincovici CS, Mihu CM. Microfluidic endothelium-on-a-chip development, from in vivo to in vitro experimental models. ROMANIAN JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY AND EMBRYOLOGY = REVUE ROUMAINE DE MORPHOLOGIE ET EMBRYOLOGIE 2020; 61:15-23. [PMID: 32747891 PMCID: PMC7728109 DOI: 10.47162/rjme.61.1.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
In the last years, animal testing in medical research has been a controversial topic because of various reasons, such as ethical considerations and species differences. Therefore, more attention has been given to develop new technologies that can replace animal experiments and create in vitro models. Organ-on-a-chip (OOC) technology is a new and advanced technology based on microfluidic devices that can mimic the structure and function of entire organs and tissues as in vitro models. OOC models are miniature tissues and organs that assign characteristics for three-dimensional (3D) cell culture representation that resemble the original organs, together with their specific microenvironment microfluidic systems and specific biophysical processes, in order to mimic the normal physiological conditions and functionalities of the organs. Existing OOC models, such as liver, pancreas, heart, skin, brain, kidney, vessels, have been developed and designed for a specific function study. This review focuses on the main knowledge concerning OOC research and especially vascular endothelium-on-a-chip (EOC) model, developed in order to offer specific tools for studying vascular functions in physiological and pathological conditions. The field of OOC devices is still at the beginning, but in the future, this technology may have important roles in developing novel therapeutic approaches, offering new therapeutic molecules and providing the first step towards personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Elena Bulboacă
- Discipline of Histology, Department of Morphological Sciences, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
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Cheng JW, Sip CG, Lindstedt PR, Boitano R, Bluestein BM, Gamble LJ, Folch A. “Chip-on-a-Transwell” Devices for User-Friendly Control of the Microenvironment of Cultured Cells. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2019; 2:4998-5011. [DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.9b00672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan W. Cheng
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Box 355061, Seattle, Washington 98195-5061, United States
| | - Christopher G. Sip
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Box 355061, Seattle, Washington 98195-5061, United States
| | - Philip R. Lindstedt
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Box 355061, Seattle, Washington 98195-5061, United States
| | - Ross Boitano
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Box 355061, Seattle, Washington 98195-5061, United States
| | - Blake M. Bluestein
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Box 355061, Seattle, Washington 98195-5061, United States
| | - Lara J. Gamble
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Box 355061, Seattle, Washington 98195-5061, United States
| | - Albert Folch
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Box 355061, Seattle, Washington 98195-5061, United States
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In vitro metabolic zonation through oxygen gradient on a chip. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13557. [PMID: 31537830 PMCID: PMC6753109 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49412-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the multiple metabolic signals involved in the establishment of the hepatic zonation, oxygen could play a key role. Indeed, depending on hepatocyte position in the hepatic lobule, gene expression and metabolism are differently affected by the oxygen gradient present across the lobule. The aim of this study is to understand whether an oxygen gradient, generated in vitro in our developed device, is sufficient to instruct a functional metabolic zonation during the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) from endoderm toward terminally differentiated hepatocytes, thus mimicking the in vivo situation. For this purpose, a microfluidic device was designed for the generation of a stable oxygen gradient. The oxygen gradient was applied to differentiating hESCs at the pre-hepatoblast stage. The definitive endoderm and hepatic endoderm cells were characterized by the expression of the transcription factor SOX-17 and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Immature and mature hepatocytes were characterized by hepatocyte nuclear factor 4-alpha (HNF-4α) and albumin (ALB) expression and also analyzed for cytochrome P450 (CYP3A4) zonation and glycogen accumulation through PAS staining. Metabolic zonated genes expression was assessed through quantitative real time PCR. Application of the oxygen gradient during differentiation induced zonated glycogen storage, which was higher in the hepatocytes grown in high pO2 compared to those grown in low pO2. The mRNA levels of glutamine synthetase (GLUL), beta-catenin (CTNNB) and its direct target cyclin D1 (CCND1) showed significantly higher expression in the cells grown in low pO2 compared to those grown in high pO2. On the contrary, carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1), ALB, the proliferative marker ki67 (MKI67) and cyclin A (CCNA) resulted to be significantly higher expressed in cells cultured in high pO2 compared to those cultured in low pO2. These results indicate that the oxygen gradient generated in our device can instruct the establishment of a functional metabolic zonation in differentiating hESCs. The possibility to obtain differentiated hepatocytes in vitro may allow in the future to deepen our knowledge about the physiology/pathology of hepatocytes in relation to the oxygen content.
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