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Assessing Polysaccharides/Aloe Vera-Based Hydrogels for Tumor Spheroid Formation. Gels 2023; 9:gels9010051. [PMID: 36661817 PMCID: PMC9858450 DOI: 10.3390/gels9010051] [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: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
In vitro tumor spheroids have proven to be useful 3D tumor culture models for drug testing, and determining the molecular mechanism of tumor progression and cellular interactions. Therefore, there is a continuous search for their industrial scalability and routine preparation. Considering that hydrogels are promising systems that can favor the formation of tumor spheroids, our study aimed to investigate and develop less expensive and easy-to-use amorphous and crosslinked hydrogels, based on natural compounds such as sodium alginate (NaAlg), aloe vera (AV) gel powder, and chitosan (CS) for tumor spheroid formation. The ability of the developed hydrogels to be a potential spheroid-forming system was evaluated using MDA-MB-231 and U87MG cancer cells. Spheroid abilities were influenced by pH, viscosity, and crosslinking of the hydrogel. Addition of either AV or chitosan to sodium alginate increased the viscosity at pH 5, resulting in amorphous hydrogels with a strong gel texture, as shown by rheologic analysis. Only the chitosan-based gel allowed formation of spheroids at pH 5. Among the variants of AV-based amorphous hydrogels tested, only hydrogels at pH 12 and with low viscosity promoted the formation of spheroids. The crosslinked NaAlg/AV, NaAlg/AV/glucose, and NaAlg/CS hydrogel variants favored more efficient spheroid formation. Additional studies would be needed to use AV in other physical forms and other formulations of hydrogels, as the current study is an initiation, in evaluating the potential use of AV gel in tumor spheroid formation systems.
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Alpha-1 antitrypsin expression is upregulated in multidrug-resistant cancer cells. Histochem Cell Biol 2022; 159:431-437. [PMID: 36536187 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-022-02172-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Identification of the signature molecular profiles involved in therapy resistance is of vital importance in developing new strategies for treatments and disease monitoring. Protein alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT, encoded by SERPINA1 gene) is an acute-phase protein, and its high expression has been linked with unfavorable clinical outcome in different types of cancer; however, data on its involvement in therapy resistance are still insufficient. We analyzed SERPINA1 mRNA expression in three different multidrug-resistant (MDR) cell lines-U87-TxR, NCI-H460/R, and DLD1-TxR-and in U87 cells grown in alginate microfibers as a 3D cellular model of glioblastoma. Expression of IL-6 as a major modulator of SERPINA1 was also analyzed. Additionally, AAT protein expression in MDR cells was analyzed by immunofluorescence. SERPINA1 gene expression and AAT protein expression were significantly upregulated in all the tested MDR cell lines compared with their sensitive counterparts. Moreover, SERPINA1 was significantly upregulated in 3D models of glioblastoma, previously found to have upregulated drug-resistance-related gene expression compared with 2D cells. With the exception of NCI-H460/R, in all cell lines as well as in a 3D model of U87 cells, increase in SERPINA1 expression correlated with the increase in IL-6 expression. Our results indicate that AAT could be utilized as a biomarker of therapy resistance in cancer; however, further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms driving AAT upregulation in therapy resistance and its biological significance in this process.
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Zaszczyńska A, Niemczyk-Soczynska B, Sajkiewicz P. A Comprehensive Review of Electrospun Fibers, 3D-Printed Scaffolds, and Hydrogels for Cancer Therapies. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14235278. [PMID: 36501672 PMCID: PMC9736375 DOI: 10.3390/polym14235278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Anticancer therapies and regenerative medicine are being developed to destroy tumor cells, as well as remodel, replace, and support injured organs and tissues. Nowadays, a suitable three-dimensional structure of the scaffold and the type of cells used are crucial for creating bio-inspired organs and tissues. The materials used in medicine are made of non-degradable and degradable biomaterials and can serve as drug carriers. Developing flexible and properly targeted drug carrier systems is crucial for tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and novel cancer treatment strategies. This review is focused on presenting innovative biomaterials, i.e., electrospun nanofibers, 3D-printed scaffolds, and hydrogels as a novel approach for anticancer treatments which are still under development and awaiting thorough optimization.
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Heredia-Soto V, Escudero J, Miguel M, Ruiz P, Gallego A, Berjón A, Hernández A, Martínez-Díez M, Zheng S, Tang J, Hardisson D, Feliu J, Redondo A, Mendiola M. Antitumoral Effect of Plocabulin in High Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma Cell Line Models. Front Oncol 2022; 12:862321. [PMID: 35372006 PMCID: PMC8969563 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.862321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) is a life-threatening tumor and the deadliest among gynecological cancers in developed countries. First line treatment with a carboplatin/paclitaxel regime is initially effective in the majority of patients, but most advanced OC will recur and develop drug resistance. Therefore, the identification of alternative therapies is needed. In this study, we employed a panel of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) cell lines, in monolayer and three-dimensional cell cultures. We evaluated the effects of a novel tubulin-binding agent, plocabulin, on proliferation, cell cycle, migration and invasion. We have also tested combinations of plocabulin with several drugs currently used in OC in clinical practice. Our results show a potent antitumor activity of plocabulin, inhibiting proliferation, disrupting microtubule network, and decreasing their migration and invasion capabilities. We did not observe any synergistic combination of plocabulin with cisplatin, doxorubicin, gemcitabine or trabectedin. In conclusion, plocabulin has a potent antitumoral effect in HGSOC cell lines that warrants further clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Heredia-Soto
- Translational Oncology Research Laboratory, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research in the Cancer Network (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer, CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Escudero
- Translational Oncology Research Laboratory, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
| | - María Miguel
- Translational Oncology Research Laboratory, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Ruiz
- Translational Oncology Research Laboratory, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Gallego
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Berjón
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain.,Molecular Pathology and Therapeutic Targets Group, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alicia Hernández
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain.,Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Martínez-Díez
- Cell Biology Department, Research and Development, Oncology Business Unit, Pharmamar, Madrid, Spain
| | - Shuyu Zheng
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jing Tang
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - David Hardisson
- Center for Biomedical Research in the Cancer Network (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer, CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain.,Molecular Pathology and Therapeutic Targets Group, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain.,Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jaime Feliu
- Translational Oncology Research Laboratory, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research in the Cancer Network (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer, CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain.,Cátedra UAM-ANGEM, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrés Redondo
- Translational Oncology Research Laboratory, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain.,Cátedra UAM-ANGEM, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Mendiola
- Center for Biomedical Research in the Cancer Network (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer, CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Molecular Pathology and Therapeutic Targets Group, Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
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Tang R, Yang L, Shen L, Ma X, Gao Y, Liu Y, Bai Z, Wang X. Controlled Fabrication of Bioactive Microtubes for Screening Anti-Tongue Squamous Cell Migration Drugs. Front Chem 2022; 10:771027. [PMID: 35127636 PMCID: PMC8813861 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.771027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The treatment of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) faces challenges because TSCC has an aggressive biological behavior and manifests usually as widespread metastatic disease. Therefore, it is particularly important to screen out and develop drugs that inhibit tumor invasion and metastasis. Two-dimensional (2D) cell culture has been used as in vitro models to study cellular biological behavior, but growing evidence now shows that the 2D systems can result in cell bioactivities that deviate appreciably the in vivo response. It is urgent to develop a novel 3D cell migration model in vitro to simulate the tumor microenvironment as much as possible and screen out effective anti-migration drugs. Sodium alginate, has a widely used cell encapsulation material, as significant advantages. We have designed a microfluidic device to fabricate a hollow alginate hydrogel microtube model. Based on the difference in liquid flow rate, TSCC cells (Cal27) were able to be evenly distributed in the hollow microtubes, which was confirmed though fluorescence microscope and laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM). Our microfluidic device was cheap, and commercially available and could be assembled in a modular way, which are composed of a coaxial needle, silicone hose, and syringes. It was proved that the cells grow well in artificial microtubes with extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins by LSCM and flow cytometry. Periodic motility conferred a different motor state to the cells in the microtubes, more closely resembling the environment in vivo. The quantitative analysis of tumor cell migration could be achieved simply by determining the position of the cell in the microtube cross-section. We verified the anti-migration effects of three NSAIDs drugs (aspirin, indomethacin, and nimesulide) with artificial microtubes, obtaining the same results as conventional migration experiments. The results showed that among the three NSAIDs, nimesulide showed great anti-migration potential against TSCC cells. Our method holds great potential for application in the more efficient screening of anti-migration tumor drugs.
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Dragoj M, Stojkovska J, Jovanović Stojanov S, Obradović B, Pešić M. A 3D Biomimetic System for Testing Anticancer Drug Sensitivity. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2535:1-9. [PMID: 35867218 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2513-2_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
3D cultures of cancer cells enable better mimicking of physiological conditions compared to traditional monolayer 2D cultures. Here we describe alginate scaffold-based model that can be used in both static and biomimetic conditions for studying drug sensitivity in cancer cells and multidrug resistance (MDR) mechanisms. This 3D culture model resembles in vivo conditions and provides relevant and reproducible results. It is easy to set up and allows for facile manipulation for downstream analyses. All these remarkable features make this 3D culture model a promising tool in drug discovery and cancer cell biology research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miodrag Dragoj
- Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković," National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jasmina Stojkovska
- Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
- Innovation Center of the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Sofija Jovanović Stojanov
- Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković," National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Bojana Obradović
- Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milica Pešić
- Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković," National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
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