1
|
Nielsen BS, Madsen NH, Larsen J, Skandorff I, Gad M, Holmstrøm K. Architectural organization and molecular profiling of 3D cancer heterospheroids and their application in drug testing. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1386097. [PMID: 39011470 PMCID: PMC11246882 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1386097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
3D cancer cell cultures have enabled new opportunities for replacing compound testing in experimental animals. However, most solid tumors are composed of multiple cell types, including fibroblasts. In this study we developed multicellular tumor heterospheroids composed of cancer and fibroblasts cell lines. We developed heterospheroids by combining HT-29, MCF-7, PANC-1 or SW480 with 1BR.3.G fibroblasts, which we have previously reported support spheroid formation. We also tested fibroblast cell lines, MRC-5, GM00498 and HIF, but 1BR.3.G was found to best form heterospheroids with morphological similarity to in vivo tumor tissue. The architectural organization of heterospheroids was based on histological examination using immunohistochemistry. We found that HT-29 and MCF-7 cells developed spheroids with the cancer cells surrounding the fibroblasts, whereas PANC-1 cells interspersed with the fibroblasts and SW480 cells were surrounded by fibroblasts. The fibroblasts also expressed collagen-1 and FAP-α, and whole transcriptomic analysis (WTA) showed abundant ECM- and EMT-related expression in heterospheroids, thus reflecting a representative tumor-like microenvironment. The WTA showed that PANC-1 heterospheroids possess a strong EMT profile with abundant Vimentin and CDH2 expression. Drug testing was evaluated by measuring cytotoxicity of 5FU and cisplatin using cell viability and apoptosis assays. We found no major impact on the cytotoxicity when fibroblasts were added to the spheroids. We conclude that the cancer cell lines together with fibroblasts shape the architectural organization of heterospheroids to form tumor-like morphology, and we propose that the various 3D tumor structures can be used for drug testing directed against the cancer cells as well as the fibroblasts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Boye Schnack Nielsen
- Department of Cellular Engineering & Disease Modeling, Bioneer A/S, Hørsholm, Denmark
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Loffredo LF, Surpur A, Ringham OR, Li F, de Los Santos-Alexis K, Arpaia N. Heparan sulfate regulates amphiregulin signaling towards reparative lung mesenchymal cells during influenza A infection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.25.591175. [PMID: 38712053 PMCID: PMC11071614 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.25.591175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Amphiregulin (Areg), a growth factor produced by regulatory T (Treg) cells to facilitate tissue repair/regeneration, contains a heparan sulfate (HS) binding domain. How HS, a highly sulfated glycan subtype that alters growth factor signaling, influences Areg repair/regeneration functions is unclear. Here we report that inhibition of HS in various cell lines and primary lung mesenchymal cells (LMC) qualitatively alters downstream signaling and highlights the existence of HS-dependent vs. -independent Areg transcriptional signatures. Utilizing a panel of cell lines with targeted deletions in HS synthesis-related genes, we found that the presence of the glypican family of heparan sulfate proteoglycans is critical for Areg signaling and confirmed this dependency in primary LMC by siRNA-mediated knockdown. Furthermore, in the context of influenza A (IAV) infection in vivo , we found that an Areg-responsive subset of reparative LMC upregulate glypican-4 and HS. Conditional deletion of HS primarily within this LMC subset resulted in reduced blood oxygen saturation following infection with IAV, with no changes in viral load. Finally, we found that co-culture of HS-knockout LMC with IAV-induced Treg cells results in reduced LMC responses. Collectively, this study reveals the essentiality of HS on a specific lung mesenchymal population as a mediator of Treg cell-derived Areg reparative signaling during IAV infection.
Collapse
|
3
|
Niwa A, Taniguchi T, Tomita H, Okada H, Kinoshita T, Mizutani C, Matsuo M, Imaizumi Y, Kuroda T, Ichihashi K, Sugiyama T, Kanayama T, Yamaguchi Y, Sugie S, Matsuhashi N, Hara A. Conditional ablation of heparan sulfate expression in stromal fibroblasts promotes tumor growth in vivo. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281820. [PMID: 36809261 PMCID: PMC9942975 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Heparan sulfate (HS) is a glycocalyx component present in the extracellular matrix and cell-surface HS proteoglycans (HSPGs). Although HSPGs are known to play functional roles in multiple aspects of tumor development and progression, the effect of HS expression in the tumor stroma on tumor growth in vivo remains unclear. We conditionally deleted Ext1, which encodes a glycosyltransferase essential for the biosynthesis of HS chains, using S100a4-Cre (S100a4-Cre; Ext1f/f) to investigate the role of HS in cancer-associated fibroblasts, which is the main component of the tumor microenvironment. Subcutaneous transplantation experiments with murine MC38 colon cancer and Pan02 pancreatic cancer cells demonstrated substantially larger subcutaneous tumors in S100a4-Cre; Ext1f/f mice. Additionally, the number of myofibroblasts observed in MC38 and Pan02 subcutaneous tumors of S100a4-Cre; Ext1f/f mice decreased. Furthermore, the number of intratumoral macrophages decreased in MC38 subcutaneous tumors in S100a4-Cre; Ext1f/f mice. Finally, the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) markedly increased in Pan02 subcutaneous tumors in S100a4-Cre; Ext1f/f mice, suggesting that it may contribute to rapid growth. Therefore, our study demonstrates that the tumor microenvironment with HS-reduced fibroblasts provides a favorable environment for tumor growth by affecting the function and properties of cancer-associated fibroblasts, macrophages, and cancer cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ayumi Niwa
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu City, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Taniguchi
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu City, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tomita
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu City, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Hideshi Okada
- Department of Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu City, Japan
| | - Takamasa Kinoshita
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu City, Japan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu City, Japan
| | - Chika Mizutani
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery/Pediatric Surgery, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu City, Japan
| | - Mikiko Matsuo
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu City, Japan
| | - Yuko Imaizumi
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu City, Japan
| | - Takahito Kuroda
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu City, Japan
| | - Koki Ichihashi
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu City, Japan
| | - Takaaki Sugiyama
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu City, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Kanayama
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu City, Japan
| | - Yu Yamaguchi
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Shigeyuki Sugie
- Department of Pathology, Asahi University Hospital, Gifu, Japan
| | - Nobuhisa Matsuhashi
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery/Pediatric Surgery, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu City, Japan
| | - Akira Hara
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu City, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kato EE, Sampaio SC. Crotoxin Modulates Events Involved in Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in 3D Spheroid Model. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13110830. [PMID: 34822613 PMCID: PMC8618719 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13110830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurs in the early stages of embryonic development and plays a significant role in the migration and the differentiation of cells into various types of tissues of an organism. However, tumor cells, with altered form and function, use the EMT process to migrate and invade other tissues in the body. Several experimental (in vivo and in vitro) and clinical trial studies have shown the antitumor activity of crotoxin (CTX), a heterodimeric phospholipase A2 present in the Crotalus durissus terrificus venom. In this study, we show that CTX modulates the microenvironment of tumor cells. We have also evaluated the effect of CTX on the EMT process in the spheroid model. The invasion of type I collagen gels by heterospheroids (mix of MRC-5 and A549 cells constitutively prepared with 12.5 nM CTX), expression of EMT markers, and secretion of MMPs were analyzed. Western blotting analysis shows that CTX inhibits the expression of the mesenchymal markers, N-cadherin, α-SMA, and αv. This study provides evidence of CTX as a key modulator of the EMT process, and its antitumor action can be explored further for novel drug designing against metastatic cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Emi Kato
- Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil;
| | - Sandra Coccuzzo Sampaio
- Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil;
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-060, Brazil
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Franchi-Mendes T, Lopes N, Brito C. Heterotypic Tumor Spheroids in Agitation-Based Cultures: A Scaffold-Free Cell Model That Sustains Long-Term Survival of Endothelial Cells. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:649949. [PMID: 34178955 PMCID: PMC8219978 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.649949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Endothelial cells (ECs) are an important component of the tumor microenvironment, playing key roles in tumor development and progression that span from angiogenesis to immune regulation and drug resistance. Heterotypic tumor spheroids are one of the most widely used in vitro tumor microenvironment models, presenting improved recapitulation of tumor microenvironments compared to 2D cultures, in a simple and low-cost setup. Heterotypic tumor spheroid models incorporating endothelial cells have been proposed but present multiple limitations, such as the short culture duration typically obtained, the use of animal-derived matrices, and poor reproducibility; the diversity of culture conditions employed hinders comparison between studies and standardization of relevant culture parameters. Herein, we developed long-term cultures of triple heterotypic spheroids composed of the HCC1954 tumor cell line, human fibroblasts, and ECs. We explored culture parameters potentially relevant for EC maintenance, such as tumor cell line, seeding cell number, cell ratio, and agitation vs. static culture. In HCC1954-based spheroids, we observed maintenance of viable EC for up to 1 month of culture in agitation, with retention of the identity markers CD31 and von Willebrand factor. At the optimized tumor cell:fibroblast:EC ratio of 1:3:10, HCC1954-based spheroids had a higher EC area/total spheroid area at 1 month of culture than the other cell ratios tested. EC maintenance was tumor cell line-dependent, and in HCC1954-based spheroids it was also dependent on the presence of fibroblasts and agitation. Moreover, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) supplementation was not required for maintenance of EC, as the factor was endogenously produced. ECs co-localized with fibroblasts, which accumulated preferentially in the core of the spheroids and secreted EC-relevant extracellular matrix proteins, such as collagen I and IV. This simple model setup does not rely on artificial or animal-derived scaffolds and can serve as a useful tool to explore the culture parameters influencing heterotypic spheroids, contributing to model standardization, as well as to explore molecular cross talk of ECs within the tumor microenvironment, and potentially its effects on drug response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Franchi-Mendes
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal.,Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Nuno Lopes
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal.,Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Catarina Brito
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal.,Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal.,The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Oeiras, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Fröhlich E. Issues with Cancer Spheroid Models in Therapeutic Drug Screening. Curr Pharm Des 2020; 26:2137-2148. [PMID: 32067603 DOI: 10.2174/1381612826666200218094200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
In vitro screening for anti-cancer agents currently uses mainly cell lines in 2D culture. It is generally assumed that 3D culture, namely spheroids, represents physiologically more relevant models for tumors. Unfortunately, drug testing in spheroids is not as easy and reproducible as in 2D culture because there are factors that limit the universal use of spheroids as screening platforms. Technical problems in the generation of uniform spheroids, cell/tumor-specific differences in the ability to form spheroids, and more complex readout parameters are the main reasons for differences between spheroid data. The review discusses requirements for cancer spheroids to be representative models, suitable methodologies to generate spheroids for the screening and readout parameters for the evaluation of anti-cancer agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleonore Fröhlich
- Center for Medical Research, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Norberg KJ, Liu X, Fernández Moro C, Strell C, Nania S, Blümel M, Balboni A, Bozóky B, Heuchel RL, Löhr JM. A novel pancreatic tumour and stellate cell 3D co-culture spheroid model. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:475. [PMID: 32460715 PMCID: PMC7251727 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-06867-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a devastating disease with poor outcome, generally characterized by an excessive stroma component. The purpose of this study was to develop a simple and reproducible in vitro 3D-assay employing the main constituents of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, namely pancreatic stellate and cancer cells. METHOD A spheroid assay, directly co-culturing human pancreatic stellate cells with human pancreatic tumour cells in 3D was established and characterized by electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry and real-time RT-PCR. In order to facilitate the cell type-specific crosstalk analysis by real-time RT-PCR, we developed a novel in vitro 3D co-culture model, where the participating cell types were from different species, human and mouse, respectively. Using species-specific PCR primers, we were able to investigate the crosstalk between stromal and cancer cells without previous cell separation and sorting. RESULTS We found clear evidence for mutual influence, such as increased proliferation and a shift towards a more mesenchymal phenotype in cancer cells and an activation of pancreatic stellate cells towards the myofibroblast phenotype. Using a heterospecies approach, which we coined virtual sorting, confirmed the findings we made initially in the human-human spheroids. CONCLUSIONS We developed and characterized different easy to set up 3D models to investigate the crosstalk between cancer and stroma cells for pancreatic cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K J Norberg
- Pancreas Cancer Research Lab, Department of Clinical Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Novum, floor 6, room 613, SE-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - X Liu
- Pancreas Cancer Research Lab, Department of Clinical Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Novum, floor 6, room 613, SE-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - C Fernández Moro
- Department of Laboratory Medicine (LabMed), Division of Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Pathology/Cytology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - C Strell
- Department of Cancer, Division of Upper GI, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - S Nania
- Pancreas Cancer Research Lab, Department of Clinical Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Novum, floor 6, room 613, SE-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - M Blümel
- Pancreas Cancer Research Lab, Department of Clinical Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Novum, floor 6, room 613, SE-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - A Balboni
- Pancreas Cancer Research Lab, Department of Clinical Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Novum, floor 6, room 613, SE-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - B Bozóky
- Department of Laboratory Medicine (LabMed), Division of Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Pathology/Cytology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - R L Heuchel
- Pancreas Cancer Research Lab, Department of Clinical Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Novum, floor 6, room 613, SE-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - J M Löhr
- Pancreas Cancer Research Lab, Department of Clinical Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Novum, floor 6, room 613, SE-141 86, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Cancer, Division of Upper GI, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Nagel G, Sousa-Herves A, Wedepohl S, Calderón M. Matrix Metalloproteinase-sensitive Multistage Nanogels Promote Drug Transport in 3D Tumor Model. Theranostics 2020; 10:91-108. [PMID: 31903108 PMCID: PMC6929628 DOI: 10.7150/thno.34851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Physiological barriers inside of tumor tissue often result in poor interstitial penetration and heterogeneous intratumoral distribution of nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems (DDS). Novel, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-sensitive peptide-crosslinked nanogels (pNGs) as multistage DDS are reported with a beneficial size reduction property to promote the process of deep tissue penetration. Methods: The presented pNGs are based on a dendritic polyglycerol (dPG) scaffold crosslinked by a modified MMP-sensitive fluorogenic peptide. The crosslinker integrates degradability in response to proteases present in the tumor microenvironment. Surfactant-free, inverse nanoprecipitation is employed to prepare the nanogels using strain-promoted click chemistry. The size and crosslinking density of the pNGs are controlled by the functionalization degree of dPG with cyclooctyne groups and by the peptide crosslinker fraction. The intrinsic reporter moiety of the crosslinker was used to study the influence of pNG compositions on the degradation profile. The therapeutic drug Doxorubicin was conjugated through a pH-sensitive linkage to dPG to form a multistage DDS. The penetration behavior of the pNGs was studied using agarose matrix and multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS). Results: Nanogel sizes were controlled in the range of 150-650 nm with narrow size distributions and varying degrees of crosslinking. The pNGs showed stability in PBS and cell media but were readily degraded in the presence of MMP-7. The crosslinking density influenced the degradation kinetic mediated by MMP-7 or cells. Stable conjugation of DOX at physiological pH and controlled drug release at acidic pH were observed. The digestions of nanogels lead to a size reduction to polymer-drug fragments which efficiently penetrated into agarose gels. Moreover, the degradable multistage pNGs demonstrated deeper penetration into MCTS as compared to their non-degradable counterparts. Thus, degradable pNGs were able to deliver their cargo and efficiently reduce the cell viability in MCTS. Conclusion: The triggered size reduction of the pNGs by enzymatic degradation can facilitate the infiltration of the nanocarrier into dense tissue, and thereby promote the delivery of its cargo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gregor Nagel
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ana Sousa-Herves
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefanie Wedepohl
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcelo Calderón
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- POLYMAT and Applied Chemistry Department, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 3, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48013 Bilbao, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Unravelling Receptor and RGD Motif Dependence of Retargeted Adenoviral Vectors using Advanced Tumor Model Systems. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18568. [PMID: 31811202 PMCID: PMC6897923 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54939-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in engineering adenoviruses are paving the way for new therapeutic gene delivery approaches in cancer. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the impact of adenoviral retargeting on transduction efficiency in more complex tumor architectures, and the role of the RGD loop at the penton base in retargeting is unclear. To address this gap, we used tumor models of increasing complexity to study the role of the receptor and the RGD motif. Employing tumor-fibroblast co-culture models, we demonstrate the importance of the RGD motif for efficient transduction in 2D through the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), but not the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Via optical clearing of co-culture spheroids, we show that the RGD motif is required for transduction via both receptors in 3D tumor architectures. We subsequently employed a custom-designed microfluidic model containing collagen-embedded tumor spheroids, mimicking the interplay between interstitial flow, extracellular matrix and adenoviral transduction. Image analysis of on-chip cleared spheroids indicated the importance of the RGD motif for on-chip adenoviral transduction. Together, our results show the interrelationship between receptor characteristics, the RGD motif, the 3D tumor architecture and retargeted adenoviral transduction efficiency. The findings are important for the rational design of next-generation therapeutic adenoviruses.
Collapse
|
10
|
Hao J, Zeltz C, Pintilie M, Li Q, Sakashita S, Wang T, Cabanero M, Martins-Filho SN, Wang DY, Pasko E, Venkat K, Joseph J, Raghavan V, Zhu CQ, Wang YH, Moghal N, Tsao MS, Navab R. Characterization of Distinct Populations of Carcinoma-Associated Fibroblasts from Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Reveals a Role for ST8SIA2 in Cancer Cell Invasion. Neoplasia 2019; 21:482-493. [PMID: 30978569 PMCID: PMC6458340 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2019.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are abundant stromal cells in tumor microenvironment that are critically involved in cancer progression. Contrasting reports have shown that CAFs can have either pro- or antitumorigenic roles, indicating that CAFs are functionally heterogeneous. Therefore, to precisely target the cancer-promoting CAF subsets, it is necessary to identify specific markers to define these subpopulations and understand their functions. We characterized two CAFs subsets from 28 non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient tumors that were scored and classified based on desmoplasia [mainly characterized by proliferating CAFs; high desmoplastic CAFs (HD-CAF; n = 15) and low desmoplastic CAFs (LD-CAF; n = 13)], which is an independent prognostic factor. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate that HD-CAFs and LD-CAFs show different tumor-promoting abilities. HD-CAFs showed higher rate of collagen matrix remodeling, invasion, and tumor growth compared to LD-CAFs. Transcriptomic analysis identified 13 genes that were differentially significant (fold ≥1.5; adjusted P value < .1) between HD-CAFs and LD-CAFs. The top upregulated differentially expressed gene, ST8SIA2 (11.3 fold; adjusted P value = .02), enhanced NSCLC tumor cell invasion in 3D culture compared to control when it was overexpressed in CAFs, suggesting an important role of ST8SIA2 in cancer cell invasion. We confirmed the protumorigenic role of ST8SIA2, showing that ST8SIA2 was significantly associated with the risk of relapse in three independent NSCLC clinical datasets. In summary, our studies show that functional heterogeneity in CAF plays key role in promoting cancer cell invasion in NSCLC.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Animals
- Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics
- Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism
- Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts/metabolism
- Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts/pathology
- Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/genetics
- Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology
- Cell Movement
- Cell Proliferation
- Cohort Studies
- Gene Expression Profiling
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Humans
- Lung Neoplasms/genetics
- Lung Neoplasms/metabolism
- Lung Neoplasms/pathology
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, SCID
- Neoplasm Invasiveness
- Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/genetics
- Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/metabolism
- Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology
- Prognosis
- Sialyltransferases/genetics
- Sialyltransferases/metabolism
- Stromal Cells/metabolism
- Stromal Cells/pathology
- Survival Rate
- Tumor Cells, Cultured
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Hao
- Cancer Center, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Cédric Zeltz
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Melania Pintilie
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Quan Li
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shingo Sakashita
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tao Wang
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael Cabanero
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Dennis Y Wang
- Sheffield Institute of Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK, S1O 2HQ
| | - Elena Pasko
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kalpana Venkat
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joella Joseph
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Departments of Medical Biophysics, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vibha Raghavan
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Chang-Qi Zhu
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yu-Hui Wang
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nadeem Moghal
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Departments of Medical Biophysics, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ming-Sound Tsao
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Departments of Medical Biophysics, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Ontario Institute of Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Roya Navab
- Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Smeland HYH, Lu N, Karlsen TV, Salvesen G, Reed RK, Stuhr L. Stromal integrin α11-deficiency reduces interstitial fluid pressure and perturbs collagen structure in triple-negative breast xenograft tumors. BMC Cancer 2019; 19:234. [PMID: 30876468 PMCID: PMC6419843 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-019-5449-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer progression is influenced by a pro-tumorigenic microenvironment. The aberrant tumor stroma with increased collagen deposition, contractile fibroblasts and dysfunctional vessels has a major impact on the interstitial fluid pressure (PIF) in most solid tumors. An increased tumor PIF is a barrier to the transport of interstitial fluid into and within the tumor. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms that regulate pressure homeostasis can lead to new insight into breast tumor progression, invasion and response to therapy. The collagen binding integrin α11β1 is upregulated during myofibroblast differentiation and expressed on fibroblasts in the tumor stroma. As a collagen organizer and a probable link between contractile fibroblasts and the complex collagen network in tumors, integrin α11β1 could be a potential regulator of tumor PIF. Methods We investigated the effect of stromal integrin α11-deficiency on pressure homeostasis, collagen organization and tumor growth using orthotopic and ectopic triple-negative breast cancer xenografts (MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468) in wild type and integrin α11-deficient mice. PIF was measured by the wick-in-needle technique, collagen by Picrosirius Red staining and electron microscopy, and uptake of radioactively labeled 5FU by microdialysis. Further, PIF in heterospheroids composed of MDA-MB-231 cells and wild type or integrin α11-deficient fibroblasts was measured by micropuncture. Results Stromal integrin α11-deficiency decreased PIF in both the orthotopic breast cancer models. A concomitant perturbed collagen structure was seen, with fewer aligned and thinner fibrils. Integrin α11-deficiency also impeded MDA-MB-231 breast tumor growth, but no effect was observed on drug uptake. No effects were seen in the ectopic model. By investigating the isolated effect of integrin α11-positive fibroblasts on MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro, we provide evidence that PIF regulation was mediated by integrin α11-positive fibroblasts. Conclusion We hereby show the importance of integrin α11β1 in pressure homeostasis in triple-negative breast tumors, indicating a new role for integrin α11β1 in the tumor microenvironment. Our data suggest that integrin α11β1 has a pro-tumorigenic effect on triple-negative breast cancer growth in vivo. The significance of the local microenvironment is shown by the different effects of integrin α11β1 in the orthotopic and ectopic models, underlining the importance of choosing an appropriate preclinical model. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-019-5449-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hilde Ytre-Hauge Smeland
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway. .,Centre of Cancer Biomarkers, Norwegian Centre of Excellence, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Ning Lu
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway.,Centre of Cancer Biomarkers, Norwegian Centre of Excellence, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - Tine V Karlsen
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - Gerd Salvesen
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - Rolf K Reed
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway.,Centre of Cancer Biomarkers, Norwegian Centre of Excellence, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - Linda Stuhr
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway.,Centre of Cancer Biomarkers, Norwegian Centre of Excellence, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
The exostosin family of glycosyltransferases: mRNA expression profiles and heparan sulphate structure in human breast carcinoma cell lines. Biosci Rep 2018; 38:BSR20180770. [PMID: 30054430 PMCID: PMC6117623 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20180770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in women. In recent years, regulation of genes involved in heparan sulphate (HS) biosynthesis have received increased interest as regulators of breast cancer cell adhesion and invasion. The exostosin (EXT) proteins are glycosyltransferases involved in elongation of HS, a regulator of intracellular signaling, cell–cell interactions, and tissue morphogenesis. The EXT family contains five members: EXT1, EXT2, and three EXT-like (EXTL) members: EXTL1, EXTL2, and EXTL3. While the expression levels of these enzymes change in tumor cells, little is known how this changes the structure and function of HS. In the present study, we investigated gene expression profiles of the EXT family members, their glycosyltransferase activities and HS structure in the estrogen receptor (ER), and progesterone receptor (PR) positive MCF7 cells, and the ER, PR, and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) negative MDA-MB-231 and HCC38 epithelial breast carcinoma cell lines. The gene expression profiles for MDA-MB-231 and HCC38 cells were very similar. In both cell lines EXTL2 was found to be up-regulated whereas EXT2 was down-regulated. Interestingly, despite having similar expression of HS elongation enzymes the two cell lines synthesized HS chains of significantly different lengths. Furthermore, both MDA-MB-231 and HCC38 exhibited markedly decreased levels of HS 6-O-sulphated disaccharides. Although the gene expression profiles of the elongation enzymes did not correlate with the length of HS chains, our results indicated specific differences in EXT enzyme levels and HS fine structure characteristic of the carcinogenic properties of the breast carcinoma cells.
Collapse
|
13
|
Potential role for Ext1-dependent heparan sulfate in regulating P311 gene expression in A549 carcinoma cells. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2018; 1862:1472-1481. [PMID: 29580921 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2018.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Revised: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exostosin-1 (EXT1), a member of the EXT protein family, is indispensable for synthesis of heparan sulfate (HS) chains that bind to and modulate the signaling efficiency of numerous growth factor activities. We have previously shown that Ext1 mutated mouse embryonic fibroblasts produce short sulfated HS chains which dramatically influence tumor cell behavior in a 3-dimensional (3D) heterospheroid system composed of tumor cells and fibroblasts. METHODS In this study, we have used both 2D co-culture and 3D heterospheroid models, consisting of human A549 carcinoma cells co-cultured with wild-type or Ext1-mutated mouse embryonic fibroblasts. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Gene expression profiling of differentially expressed genes in fibroblast/A549 heterospheroids identified P311 as a gene substantially down-regulated in A549 cells co-cultured with Ext1-mutated fibroblasts. In addition, we observed that the Ext1 mutants displayed reduced Tgf-β1 mRNA levels and lower levels of secreted active TGF-β protein. Re-introduction of Ext1 in the Ext1 mutant fibroblasts rescued the levels of Tgf-β1 mRNA, increased the amounts of secreted active TGF-β in these cells, as well as P311 mRNA levels in adjacent A549 cells. Accordingly, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) against fibroblast Tgf-β1 reduced P311 expression in neighboring A549 tumor cells. Our data raises the possibility that fibroblast Ext1 levels play a role in P311 expression in A549/fibroblast co-culture through TGF-β1. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE This study considers a possible novel mechanism of Ext1-regulated heparan sulfate structure in modifying tumor-stroma interactions through altering stromal tgf-ß1 expression.
Collapse
|
14
|
Phan AQ, Pacifici M, Esko JD. Advances in the pathogenesis and possible treatments for multiple hereditary exostoses from the 2016 international MHE conference. Connect Tissue Res 2018; 59:85-98. [PMID: 29099240 PMCID: PMC7604901 DOI: 10.1080/03008207.2017.1394295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Multiple hereditary exostoses (MHE) is an autosomal dominant disorder that affects about 1 in 50,000 children worldwide. MHE, also known as hereditary multiple exostoses (HME) or multiple osteochondromas (MO), is characterized by cartilage-capped outgrowths called osteochondromas that develop adjacent to the growth plates of skeletal elements in young patients. These benign tumors can affect growth plate function, leading to skeletal growth retardation, or deformations, and can encroach on nerves, tendons, muscles, and other surrounding tissues and cause motion impairment, chronic pain, and early onset osteoarthritis. In about 2-5% of patients, the osteochondromas can become malignant and life threatening. Current treatments consist of surgical removal of the most symptomatic tumors and correction of the major skeletal defects, but physical difficulties and chronic pain usually continue and patients may undergo multiple surgeries throughout life. Thus, there is an urgent need to find new treatments to prevent or reverse osteochondroma formation. The 2016 International MHE Research Conference was convened to provide a forum for the presentation of the most up-to-date and advanced clinical and basic science data and insights in MHE and related fields; to stimulate the forging of new perspectives, collaborations, and venues of research; and to publicize key scientific findings within the biomedical research community and share insights and relevant information with MHE patients and their families. This report provides a description, review, and assessment of all the exciting and promising studies presented at the Conference and delineates a general roadmap for future MHE research targets and goals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anne Q. Phan
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Glycobiology Research and Training Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Maurizio Pacifici
- Translational Research Program in Pediatric Orthopaedics, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jeffrey D. Esko
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Glycobiology Research and Training Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Riffle S, Hegde RS. Modeling tumor cell adaptations to hypoxia in multicellular tumor spheroids. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2017; 36:102. [PMID: 28774341 PMCID: PMC5543535 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-017-0570-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Under hypoxic conditions, tumor cells undergo a series of adaptations that promote evolution of a more aggressive tumor phenotype including the activation of DNA damage repair proteins, altered metabolism, and decreased proliferation. Together these changes mitigate the negative impact of oxygen deprivation and allow preservation of genomic integrity and proliferative capacity, thus contributing to tumor growth and metastasis. As a result the presence of a hypoxic microenvironment is considered a negative clinical feature of many solid tumors. Hypoxic niches in tumors also represent a therapeutically privileged environment in which chemo- and radiation therapy is less effective. Although the negative impact of tumor hypoxia has been well established, the precise effect of oxygen deprivation on tumor cell behavior, and the molecular signals that allow a tumor cell to survive in vivo are poorly understood. Multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS) have been used as an in vitro model for the avascular tumor niche, capable of more accurately recreating tumor genomic profiles and predicting therapeutic response. However, relatively few studies have used MCTS to study the molecular mechanisms driving tumor cell adaptations within the hypoxic tumor environment. Here we will review what is known about cell proliferation, DNA damage repair, and metabolic pathways as modeled in MCTS in comparison to observations made in solid tumors. A more precise definition of the cell populations present within 3D tumor models in vitro could better inform our understanding of the heterogeneity within tumors as well as provide a more representative platform for the testing of therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Riffle
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Rashmi S Hegde
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Park JI, Lee J, Kwon JL, Park HB, Lee SY, Kim JY, Sung J, Kim JM, Song KS, Kim KH. Scaffold-Free Coculture Spheroids of Human Colonic Adenocarcinoma Cells and Normal Colonic Fibroblasts Promote Tumorigenicity in Nude Mice. Transl Oncol 2016; 9:79-88. [PMID: 26947885 PMCID: PMC4800065 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2015.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Revised: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to form a scaffold-free coculture spheroid model of colonic adenocarcinoma cells (CACs) and normal colonic fibroblasts (NCFs) and to use the spheroids to investigate the role of NCFs in the tumorigenicity of CACs in nude mice. We analysed three-dimensional (3D) scaffold-free coculture spheroids of CACs and NCFs. CAC Matrigel invasion assays and tumorigenicity assays in nude mice were performed to examine the effect of NCFs on CAC invasive behaviour and tumorigenicity in 3D spheroids. We investigated the expression pattern of fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP-α) by immunohistochemical staining. CAC monocultures did not form densely-packed 3D spheroids, whereas cocultured CACs and NCFs formed 3D spheroids. The 3D coculture spheroids seeded on a Matrigel extracellular matrix showed higher CAC invasiveness compared to CACs alone or CACs and NCFs in suspension. 3D spheroids injected into nude mice generated more and faster-growing tumors compared to CACs alone or mixed suspensions consisting of CACs and NCFs. FAP-α was expressed in NCFs-CACs cocultures and xenograft tumors, whereas monocultures of NCFs or CACs were negative for FAP-α expression. Our findings provide evidence that the interaction between CACs and NCFs is essential for the tumorigenicity of cancer cells as well as for tumor propagation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jong-Il Park
- Department of Biochemistry, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jisu Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ju-Lee Kwon
- Department of Pathology, Cancer Research Institute, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hong-Bum Park
- Department of Biochemistry, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Su-Yel Lee
- Chungnam National University Hospital Biobank, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Yeon Kim
- Department of Surgery, Division of Colorectal Surgery, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaekye Sung
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Man Kim
- Department of Pathology, Cancer Research Institute, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu Sang Song
- Department of Pathology, Cancer Research Institute, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Hee Kim
- Department of Pathology, Cancer Research Institute, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Weiswald LB, Bellet D, Dangles-Marie V. Spherical cancer models in tumor biology. Neoplasia 2015; 17:1-15. [PMID: 25622895 PMCID: PMC4309685 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2014.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 765] [Impact Index Per Article: 85.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2014] [Revised: 11/29/2014] [Accepted: 12/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models have been used in cancer research as an intermediate model between in vitro cancer cell line cultures and in vivo tumor. Spherical cancer models represent major 3D in vitro models that have been described over the past 4 decades. These models have gained popularity in cancer stem cell research using tumorospheres. Thus, it is crucial to define and clarify the different spherical cancer models thus far described. Here, we focus on in vitro multicellular spheres used in cancer research. All these spherelike structures are characterized by their well-rounded shape, the presence of cancer cells, and their capacity to be maintained as free-floating cultures. We propose a rational classification of the four most commonly used spherical cancer models in cancer research based on culture methods for obtaining them and on subsequent differences in sphere biology: the multicellular tumor spheroid model, first described in the early 70s and obtained by culture of cancer cell lines under nonadherent conditions; tumorospheres, a model of cancer stem cell expansion established in a serum-free medium supplemented with growth factors; tissue-derived tumor spheres and organotypic multicellular spheroids, obtained by tumor tissue mechanical dissociation and cutting. In addition, we describe their applications to and interest in cancer research; in particular, we describe their contribution to chemoresistance, radioresistance, tumorigenicity, and invasion and migration studies. Although these models share a common 3D conformation, each displays its own intrinsic properties. Therefore, the most relevant spherical cancer model must be carefully selected, as a function of the study aim and cancer type.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Louis-Bastien Weiswald
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Michael Smith Genome Sciences Center, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Laboratoire d'Oncobiologie, Hôpital René Huguenin, Institut Curie, St Cloud, France; Université Paris Descartes, Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
| | - Dominique Bellet
- Laboratoire d'Oncobiologie, Hôpital René Huguenin, Institut Curie, St Cloud, France; Université Paris Descartes, Faculté des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, UMR 8151 CNRS-U1022 Inserm, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Virginie Dangles-Marie
- Université Paris Descartes, Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France; Département de Recherche Translationnelle, Research Center, Institut Curie, Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Bartlett R, Everett W, Lim S, G N, Loizidou M, Jell G, Tan A, Seifalian AM. Personalized in vitro cancer modeling - fantasy or reality? Transl Oncol 2014; 7:657-64. [PMID: 25500073 PMCID: PMC4311045 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2014.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2014] [Revised: 10/06/2014] [Accepted: 10/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
With greater technological advancements and understanding of pathophysiology, “personalized medicine” has become a more realistic goal. In the field of cancer, personalized medicine is the ultimate objective, as each cancer is unique and each tumor is heterogeneous. For many decades, researchers have relied upon studying the histopathology of tumors in the hope that it would provide clues to understanding the pathophysiology of cancer. Current preclinical research relies heavily upon two-dimensional culture models. However, these models have had limited success in recreating the complex interactions between cancer cells and the stroma environment in vivo. Thus, there is increasing impetus to shift to three-dimensional models, which more accurately reflect this phenomenon. With a more accurate in vitro tumor model, drug sensitivity can be tested to determine the best treatment option based on the tumor characteristics. Many methods have been developed to create tumor models or “tumoroids,” each with its advantages and limitations. One significant problem faced is the replication of angiogenesis that is characteristic of tumors in vivo. Nonetheless, if three-dimensional models could be standardized and implemented as a preclinical research tool for therapeutic testing, we would be taking a step towards making personalized cancer medicine a reality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard Bartlett
- Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, Research Department of Nanotechnology, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK; UCL Medical School, University College London (UCL), London, UK
| | - William Everett
- Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, Research Department of Nanotechnology, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK; UCL Medical School, University College London (UCL), London, UK
| | - Santi Lim
- Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, Research Department of Nanotechnology, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK; UCL Medical School, University College London (UCL), London, UK
| | - Natasha G
- Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, Research Department of Nanotechnology, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK; UCL Medical School, University College London (UCL), London, UK
| | - Marilena Loizidou
- Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, Research Department of Nanotechnology, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK
| | - Gavin Jell
- Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, Research Department of Nanotechnology, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK
| | - Aaron Tan
- Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, Research Department of Nanotechnology, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK; UCL Medical School, University College London (UCL), London, UK; Biomaterials & Advanced Drug Delivery Laboratory (BioADD), Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alexander M Seifalian
- Centre for Nanotechnology & Regenerative Medicine, Research Department of Nanotechnology, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, University College London (UCL), London, UK; Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust Hospital, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Fibroblast α11β1 integrin regulates tensional homeostasis in fibroblast/A549 carcinoma heterospheroids. PLoS One 2014; 9:e103173. [PMID: 25076207 PMCID: PMC4116160 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2014] [Accepted: 06/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We have previously shown that fibroblast expression of α11β1 integrin stimulates A549 carcinoma cell growth in a xenograft tumor model. To understand the molecular mechanisms whereby a collagen receptor on fibroblast can regulate tumor growth we have used a 3D heterospheroid system composed of A549 tumor cells and fibroblasts without (α11+/+) or with a deletion (α11-/-) in integrin α11 gene. Our data show that α11-/-/A549 spheroids are larger than α11+/+/A549 spheroids, and that A549 cell number, cell migration and cell invasion in a collagen I gel are decreased in α11-/-/A549 spheroids. Gene expression profiling of differentially expressed genes in fibroblast/A549 spheroids identified CXCL5 as one molecule down-regulated in A549 cells in the absence of α11 on the fibroblasts. Blocking CXCL5 function with the CXCR2 inhibitor SB225002 reduced cell proliferation and cell migration of A549 cells within spheroids, demonstrating that the fibroblast integrin α11β1 in a 3D heterospheroid context affects carcinoma cell growth and invasion by stimulating autocrine secretion of CXCL5. We furthermore suggest that fibroblast α11β1 in fibroblast/A549 spheroids regulates interstitial fluid pressure by compacting the collagen matrix, in turn implying a role for stromal collagen receptors in regulating tensional hemostasis in tumors. In summary, blocking stromal α11β1 integrin function might thus be a stroma-targeted therapeutic strategy to increase the efficacy of chemotherapy.
Collapse
|
20
|
Suhovskih AV, Tsidulko AY, Kutsenko OS, Kovner AV, Aidagulova SV, Ernberg I, Grigorieva EV. Transcriptional Activity of Heparan Sulfate Biosynthetic Machinery is Specifically Impaired in Benign Prostate Hyperplasia and Prostate Cancer. Front Oncol 2014; 4:79. [PMID: 24782989 PMCID: PMC3995048 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2014.00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2013] [Accepted: 03/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Heparan sulfates (HSs) are key components of mammalian cells surface and extracellular matrix. Structure and composition of HS, generated by HS-biosynthetic system through non-template-driven process, are significantly altered in cancer tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of HS-metabolic machinery in prostate carcinogenesis. Transcriptional patterns of HS-metabolic enzymes (EXT1, EXT2, NDST1, NDST2, GLCE, 3OST1/HS3ST1, SULF1, SULF2, HPSE) were determined in normal, benign, and cancer human prostate tissues and cell lines (PNT2, LNCaP, PC3, DU145). Stability of the HS-metabolic system patterns under the pressure of external or internal stimuli was studied. Overall impairment of transcriptional activity of HS-metabolic machinery was detected in benign prostate hyperplasia, while both significant decrease in the transcriptional activity and changes in the expression patterns of HS metabolism-involved genes were observed in prostate tumors. Prostate cancer cell lines possessed specific transcriptional patterns of HS metabolism-involved genes; however, expression activity of the system was similar to that of normal prostate PNT2 cells. HS-metabolic system was able to dynamically react to different external or internal stimuli in a cell type-dependent manner. LNCaP cells were sensitive to the external stimuli (5-aza-deoxycytidin or Trichostatin A treatments; co-cultivation with human fibroblasts), whereas PC3 cells almost did not respond to the treatments. Ectopic GLCE over-expression resulted in transcriptional activation of HS-biosynthetic machinery in both cell lines, suggesting an existence of a self-regulating mechanism for the coordinated transcription of HS metabolism-involved genes. Taken together, these findings demonstrate impairment of HS-metabolic system in prostate tumors in vivo but not in prostate cancer cells in vitro, and suggest that as a potential microenvironmental biomarker for prostate cancer diagnostics and treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia V Suhovskih
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics SD RAMS , Novosibirsk , Russia ; Novosibirsk State University , Novosibirsk , Russia
| | | | - Olesya S Kutsenko
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics SD RAMS , Novosibirsk , Russia
| | - Anna V Kovner
- Research Center of Clinical and Experimental Medicine SD RAMS , Novosibirsk , Russia
| | | | | | - Elvira V Grigorieva
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics SD RAMS , Novosibirsk , Russia ; MTC, Karolinska Institute , Stockholm , Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Fennema E, Rivron N, Rouwkema J, van Blitterswijk C, de Boer J. Spheroid culture as a tool for creating 3D complex tissues. Trends Biotechnol 2013; 31:108-15. [PMID: 23336996 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2012.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 673] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2012] [Revised: 12/10/2012] [Accepted: 12/13/2012] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
3D cell culture methods confer a high degree of clinical and biological relevance to in vitro models. This is specifically the case with the spheroid culture, where a small aggregate of cells grows free of foreign materials. In spheroid cultures, cells secrete the extracellular matrix (ECM) in which they reside, and they can interact with cells from their original microenvironment. The value of spheroid cultures is increasing quickly due to novel microfabricated platforms amenable to high-throughput screening (HTS) and advances in cell culture. Here, we review new possibilities that combine the strengths of spheroid culture with new microenvironment fabrication methods that allow for the creation of large numbers of highly reproducible, complex tissues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eelco Fennema
- Department of Tissue Regeneration, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|