Patient-Derived Papillary Thyroid Cancer Organoids for Radioactive Iodine Refractory Screening

Patient-derived tumor organoids: a new avenue for preclinical research and precision medicine in oncology

Over the past decade, the emergence of patient-derived tumor organoids (PDTOs) has broadened the repertoire of preclinical models and progressively revolutionized three-dimensional cell culture in oncology. PDTO can be grown from patient tumor samples with high efficiency and faithfully recapitulates the histological and molecular characteristics of the original tumor. Therefore, PDTOs can serve as invaluable tools in oncology research, and their translation to clinical practice is exciting for the future of precision medicine in oncology. In this review, we provide an overview of methods for establishing PDTOs and their various applications in cancer research, starting with basic research and ending with the identification of new targets and preclinical validation of new anticancer compounds and precision medicine. Finally, we highlight the challenges associated with the clinical implementation of PDTO, such as its representativeness, success rate, assay speed, and lack of a tumor microenvironment. Technological developments and autologous cocultures of PDTOs and stromal cells are currently ongoing to meet these challenges and optimally exploit the full potential of these models. The use of PDTOs as standard tools in clinical oncology could lead to a new era of precision oncology in the coming decade.

Exploring tumor organoids for cancer treatment

As a life-threatening chronic disease, cancer is characterized by tumor heterogeneity. This heterogeneity is associated with factors that lead to treatment failure and poor prognosis, including drug resistance, relapse, and metastasis. Therefore, precision medicine urgently needs personalized tumor models that accurately reflect the tumor heterogeneity. Currently, tumor organoid technologies are used to generate in vitro 3D tissues, which have been shown to precisely recapitulate structure, tumor microenvironment, expression profiles, functions, molecular signatures, and genomic alterations in primary tumors. Tumor organoid models are important for identifying potential therapeutic targets, characterizing the effects of anticancer drugs, and exploring novel diagnostic and therapeutic options. In this review, we describe how tumor organoids can be cultured and summarize how researchers can use them as an excellent tool for exploring cancer therapies. In addition, we discuss tumor organoids that have been applied in cancer therapy research and highlight the potential of tumor organoids to guide preclinical research.

Advances in Thyroid Organoids Research and Applications

INTRODUCTION

Organoids are three-dimensional cellular aggregates derived from stem cells or primary tissues that can self-organize into organotypic structures and showcase the physiological functions of that organ. Organoids typically comprise multiple organ-specific cell types that are responsible for organ function in vivo. They may also incorporate various cellular and molecular stromal components to recapitulate the in vivo microenvironment of the target organ.

METHODS

All articles related to thyroid-like organs were synthesized. Articles published between 1959 and 2023 were assessed, categorized, and analyzed using relevant keywords.

RESULTS

As such, organoids provide a model of greater physiological relevance than 2D cell culture for basic and translational research. Murine and human organoids of the thyroid have been established from embryonic stem cells (ESCs), pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) and from various healthy or diseased thyroid tissues. These thyroid organoids have been used in basic and translation research on thyroid-related diseases including hyperthyroidism, Graves' disease, and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. In addition, organoids derived from patients with thyroid cancer retain histopathological features and mutational profile of the original tumor. These patient-derived organoids have been successfully used in in vitro evaluation of drug response of individual patients, demonstrating their potential application in personalized treatment of thyroid cancer.

CONCLUSION

In this review article, we have discussed various techniques for establishing thyroid organoids and their applications in thyroid-related diseases as disease models, regenerative medicines, or a tool for drug testing.

Dual targeting of MAPK and PI3K pathways unlocks redifferentiation of Braf-mutated thyroid cancer organoids

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy and several genetic events have been described to promote the development of thyroid carcinogenesis. Besides the effects of specific mutations on thyroid cancer development, the molecular mechanisms controlling tumorigenesis, tumor behavior, and drug resistance are still largely unknown. Cancer organoids have been proposed as a powerful tool to study aspects related to tumor development and progression and appear promising to test individual responses to therapies. Here, using mESC-derived thyroid organoids, we developed a BrafV637E-inducible model able to recapitulate the features of papillary thyroid cancer in vitro. Overexpression of the murine BrafV637E mutation, equivalent to BrafV600E in humans, rapidly triggers to MAPK activation, cell dedifferentiation, and disruption of follicular organization. BrafV637E-expressing organoids show a transcriptomic signature for p53, focal adhesion, ECM-receptor interactions, EMT, and inflammatory signaling pathways. Finally, PTC-like thyroid organoids were used for drug screening assays. The combination of MAPK and PI3K inhibitors reversed BrafV637E oncogene-promoted cell dedifferentiation while restoring thyroid follicle organization and function in vitro. Our results demonstrate that pluripotent stem cells-derived thyroid cancer organoids can mimic tumor development and features while providing an efficient tool for testing novel targeted therapies.

An Exploration of Organoid Technology: Present Advancements, Applications, and Obstacles

BACKGROUND

Organoids are in vitro models that exhibit a three-dimensional structure and effectively replicate the structural and physiological features of human organs. The capacity to research complex biological processes and disorders in a controlled setting is laid out by these miniature organ-like structures.

OBJECTIVES

This work examines the potential applications of organoid technology, as well as the challenges and future directions associated with its implementation. It aims to emphasize the pivotal role of organoids in disease modeling, drug discovery, developmental biology, precision medicine, and fundamental research.

METHODS

The manuscript was put together by conducting a comprehensive literature review, which involved an in-depth evaluation of globally renowned scientific research databases.

RESULTS

The field of organoids has generated significant attention due to its potential applications in tissue development and disease modelling, as well as its implications for personalised medicine, drug screening, and cell-based therapies. The utilisation of organoids has proven to be effective in the examination of various conditions, encompassing genetic disorders, cancer, neurodevelopmental disorders, and infectious diseases.

CONCLUSION

The exploration of the wider uses of organoids is still in its early phases. Research shall be conducted to integrate 3D organoid systems as alternatives for current models, potentially improving both fundamental and clinical studies in the future.

Radioactive Iodine in Differentiated Carcinoma of Thyroid: An Overview

Thyroid cancer is the fifth most prevalent cancer in women and the fastest-growing malignancy. Although surgery is still the basis of treatment, internal radiation therapy (Brachytherapy) with radioactive iodine-131, which functions by releasing beta particles with low tissue penetration and causing DNA damage, is also a potential option. The three basic aims of RAI therapy in well-differentiated thyroid tumors are ablation of the remnant, adjuvant therapy, and disease management. Radioactive iodine dose is selected in one of two ways, empiric and dosimetric, which relies on numerous criteria. The dosage for ablation is 30-100 mCi, 30-150 mCi for adjuvant therapy, and 100-200 mCi for treatment. The RAI treatment effectively aids in the treatment to achieve complete removal of the disease and increase survival. The present review intends to emphasize the significance of radioactive iodine in the management of differentiated thyroid cancer and put forward the current breakthroughs in therapy.

Investigation of the effects of phthalates on in vitro thyroid models with RNA-Seq and ATAC-Seq

Introduction

Phthalates are a class of endocrine-disrupting chemicals that have been shown to negatively correlate with thyroid hormone serum levels in humans and to cause a state of hyperactivity in the thyroid. However, their mechanism of action is not well described at the molecular level.

Methods

We analyzed the response of mouse thyroid organoids to the exposure to a biologically relevant dose range of the phthalates bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-iso-decylphthalate (DIDP), di-iso-nonylphthalate (DINP), and di-n-octylphthalate (DnOP) for 24 h and simultaneously analyzed mRNA and miRNA expression via RNA sequencing. Using the expression data, we performed differential expression and gene set enrichment analysis. We also exposed the human thyroid follicular epithelial cell line Nthy-ori 3-1 to 1 µM of DEHP or DINP for 5 days and analyzed changes in chromatin accessibility via ATAC-Seq.

Results

Dose-series analysis showed how the expression of several genes increased or decreased at the highest dose tested. As expected with the low dosing scheme, the compounds induced a modest response on the transcriptome, as we identified changes in only mmu-miR-143-3p after DINP treatment and very few differentially expressed genes. No effect was observed on thyroid markers. Ing5, a component of histones H3 and H4 acetylation complexes, was consistently upregulated in three out of four conditions compared to control, and we observed a partial overlap among the genes differentially expressed by the treatments. Gene set enrichment analysis showed enrichment in the treatment samples of the fatty acid metabolism pathway and in the control of pathways related to the receptor signalling and extracellular matrix organization. ATAC-Seq analysis showed a general increase in accessibility compared to the control, however we did not identify significant changes in accessibility in the identified regions.

Discussion

With this work, we showed that despite having only a few differentially expressed genes, diverse analysis methods could be applied to retrieve relevant information on phthalates, showing the potential of in vitro thyroid-relevant systems for the analysis of endocrine disruptors.

Three Dimensional Models of Endocrine Organs and Target Tissues Regulated by the Endocrine System

Immortalized cell lines originating from tumors and cultured in monolayers in vitro display consistent behavior and response, and generate reproducible results across laboratories. However, for certain endpoints, these cell lines behave quite differently from the original solid tumors. Thereby, the homogeneity of immortalized cell lines and two-dimensionality of monolayer cultures deters from the development of new therapies and translatability of results to the more complex situation in vivo. Organoids originating from tissue biopsies and spheroids from cell lines mimic the heterogeneous and multidimensional characteristics of tumor cells in 3D structures in vitro. Thus, they have the advantage of recapitulating the more complex tissue architecture of solid tumors. In this review, we discuss recent efforts in basic and preclinical cancer research to establish methods to generate organoids/spheroids and living biobanks from endocrine tissues and target organs under endocrine control while striving to achieve solutions in personalized medicine.

Organoids: approaches and utility in cancer research

ABSTRACT

Organoids are three-dimensional cellular structures with self-organizing and self-differentiation capacities. They faithfully recapitulate structures and functions of in vivo organs as represented by functionality and microstructural definitions. Heterogeneity in in vitro disease modeling is one of the main reasons for anti-cancer therapy failures. Establishing a powerful model to represent tumor heterogeneity is crucial for elucidating tumor biology and developing effective therapeutic strategies. Tumor organoids can retain the original tumor heterogeneity and are commonly used to mimic the cancer microenvironment when co-cultured with fibroblasts and immune cells; therefore, considerable effort has been made recently to promote the use of this new technology from basic research to clinical studies in tumors. In combination with gene editing technology and microfluidic chip systems, engineered tumor organoids show promising abilities to recapitulate tumorigenesis and metastasis. In many studies, the responses of tumor organoids to various drugs have shown a positive correlation with patient responses. Owing to these consistent responses and personalized characteristics with patient data, tumor organoids show excellent potential for preclinical research. Here, we summarize the properties of different tumor models and review their current state and progress in tumor organoids. We further discuss the substantial challenges and prospects in the rapidly developing tumor organoid field.

The role of organoids in cancer research

Organoids are established through in vitro 3D culture, and they can mimic the structure and physiological functions of organs or tissues in vivo. Organoids have attracted much attention in recent years. They can provide a reliable technology platform for cancer research and treatment and are a valuable preclinical model for academic research and personalized medicine. A number of studies have confirmed that organoids have great application prospects in new drug development, drug screening, tumour mechanism research, and precision medicine. In this review, we mainly focus on recent advances in the application of organoids in cancer research. We also discussed the opportunities and challenges facing organoids, hoping to indicate directions for the development of organoids in the future.

Cancer organoid co-culture model system: Novel approach to guide precision medicine

Three-dimensional cancer organoids derived from self-organizing cancer stems are ex vivo miniatures of tumors that faithfully recapitulate their structure, distinctive cancer features, and genetic signatures. As novel tools, current cancer organoids have been well established and rapidly applied in drug testing, genome editing, and transplantation, with the ultimate aim of entering clinical practice for guiding personalized therapy. However, given that the lack of a tumor microenvironment, including immune cells and fibrous cells, is a major limitation of this emerging methodology, co-culture models inspire high hope for further application of this technology in cancer research. Co-culture of cancer organoids and immune cells or fibroblasts is available to investigate the tumor microenvironment, molecular interactions, and chimeric antigen receptor-engineered lymphocytes in cancer treatment. In light of the recent progress in cancer organoid co-culture models, it is only possible to recognize the advantages and drawbacks of this novel model to exploit its full potential. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in the application of cancer organoids and co-culture models and how they could be improved in the future to benefit cancer research, especially precision medicine.

Establishment of papillary thyroid cancer organoid lines from clinical specimens

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is a common malignancy of the endocrine system, and its morbidity and mortality are increasing year by year. Traditional two-dimensional culture of cell lines lacks tissue structure and is difficult to reflect the heterogeneity of tumors. The construction of mouse models is inefficient and time-consuming, which is difficult to be applied to individualized treatment on a large scale. Clinically relevant models that recapitulate the biology of their corresponding parental tumors are urgently needed. Based on clinical specimens of PTC, we have successfully established patient-derived organoids by exploring and optimizing the organoid culture system. These organoids have been cultured stably for more than 5 passages and successfully cryopreserved and retried. Histopathological and genome analysis revealed a high consistency of the histological architectures as well as mutational landscapes between the matched tumors and organoids. Here, we present a fully detailed method to derive PTC organoids from clinical specimens. Using this approach, we have developed PTC organoid lines from thyroid cancer samples with a success rate of 77.6% (38/49) until now.

Patient-derived parathyroid organoids as a tracer and drug-screening application model

Parathyroid diseases are characterized by dysregulation of calcium homeostasis and alterations in parathyroid hormone (PTH) excretion. The development of parathyroid-targeted treatment and imaging tracers could benefit from in vitro models. Therefore, we aim to establish a patient-derived parathyroid organoid model representing human parathyroid tissue. Hyperplastic parathyroid tissue was dispersed, and parathyroid organoids (PTOs) were cultured and characterized. PTO-derived cells exhibited self-renewal over several passages, indicative of the presence of putative stem cells. Immunofluorescence and RNA sequencing confirmed that PTOs phenocopy hyperplastic parathyroid tissue. Exposure of PTOs to increasing calcium concentrations and PTH-lowering drugs resulted in significantly reduced PTH excretion. PTOs showed specific binding of the imaging tracers ¹¹C-methionine and ^99mTc-sestamibi. These data show the functionality of PTOs resembling the parathyroid. This PTO model recapitulates the originating tissue on gene and protein expression and functionality, paving the way for future physiology studies and therapeutic target and tracer discovery.

Living biobank-based cancer organoids: prospects and challenges in cancer research

Biobanks bridge the gap between basic and translational research. Traditional cancer biobanks typically contain normal and tumor tissues, and matched blood. However, biospecimens in traditional biobanks are usually nonrenewable. In recent years, increased interest has focused on establishing living biobanks, including organoid biobanks, for the collection and storage of viable and functional tissues for long periods of time. The organoid model is based on a 3D in vitro cell culture system, is highly similar to primary tissues and organs in vivo, and can recapitulate the phenotypic and genetic characteristics of target organs. Publications on cancer organoids have recently increased, and many types of cancer organoids have been used for modeling cancer processes, as well as for drug discovery and screening. On the basis of the current research status, more exploration of cancer organoids through technical advancements is required to improve reproducibility and scalability. Moreover, given the natural characteristics of organoids, greater attention must be paid to ethical considerations. Here, we summarize recent advances in cancer organoid biobanking research, encompassing rectal, gastric, pancreatic, breast, and glioblastoma cancers. Living cancer biobanks that contain cancerous tissues and matched organoids with different genetic backgrounds, subtypes, and individualized characteristics will eventually contribute to the understanding of cancer and ultimately facilitate the development of innovative treatments.

Farm and Companion Animal Organoid Models in Translational Research: A Powerful Tool to Bridge the Gap Between Mice and Humans

Animal organoid models derived from farm and companion animals have great potential to contribute to human health as a One Health initiative, which recognize a close inter-relationship among humans, animals and their shared environment and adopt multi-and trans-disciplinary approaches to optimize health outcomes. With recent advances in organoid technology, studies on farm and companion animal organoids have gained more attention in various fields including veterinary medicine, translational medicine and biomedical research. Not only is this because three-dimensional organoids possess unique characteristics from traditional two-dimensional cell cultures including their self-organizing and self-renewing properties and high structural and functional similarities to the originating tissue, but also because relative to conventional genetically modified or artificially induced murine models, companion animal organoids can provide an excellent model for spontaneously occurring diseases which resemble human diseases. These features of companion animal organoids offer a paradigm-shifting approach in biomedical research and improve translatability of in vitro studies to subsequent in vivo studies with spontaneously diseased animals while reducing the use of conventional animal models prior to human clinical trials. Farm animal organoids also could play an important role in investigations of the pathophysiology of zoonotic and reproductive diseases by contributing to public health and improving agricultural production. Here, we discuss a brief history of organoids and the most recent updates on farm and companion animal organoids, followed by discussion on their potential in public health, food security, and comparative medicine as One Health initiatives. We highlight recent evolution in the culturing of organoids and their integration with organ-on-a-chip systems to overcome current limitations in in vitro studies. We envision multidisciplinary work integrating organoid culture and organ-on-a-chip technology can contribute to improving both human and animal health.

Thyroid Gland Organoids: Current models and insights for application in tissue engineering

The incidence of treatment of thyroid disease and consequential hypothyroidism has been increasing over the past few years. To maintain adequate thyroid hormone levels, these patients require daily supplementation with levothyroxine (L-T4) for the rest of their lives. However, a large part of these patients experiences difficulties due to the medication, which causes a decrease in their quality of life. Regenerative medicine through tissue engineering could provide a potential therapy by establishing tissue engineering models, such as those employing thyroid-derived organoids. The development of such treatment options may replace the need for additional hormonal replacement therapy. This review aims to highlight the current knowledge on thyroid regenerative medicine using organoids for tissue engineering, and to discuss insights into potential methods to optimize thyroid engineering culture systems. Finally, we will describe several challenges faced when utilising these models.

Patient-derived organoids as a model for tumor research

Cancer represents a leading cause of death, despite the rapid progress of cancer research, leading to urgent need for accurate preclinical model to further study of tumor mechanism and accelerate translational applications. Cancer cell lines cannot fully recapitulate tumors of different patients due to the lack of tumor complexity and specification, while the high technical difficulty, long time, and substantial cost of patient-derived xenograft model makes it unable to be used extensively for all types of tumors and large-scale drug screening. Patient-derived organoids can be established rapidly with a high success rate from many tumors, and precisely replicate the key histopathological, genetic, and phenotypic features, as well as therapeutic response of patient tumor. Therefore, they are extensively used in cancer basic research, biobanking, disease modeling and precision medicine. The combinations of cancer organoids with other advanced technologies, such as 3D bio-printing, organ-on-a-chip, and CRISPR-Cas9, contributes to the more complete replication of complex tumor microenvironment and tumorigenesis. In this review, we discuss the various methods of the establishment and the application of patient-derived organoids in diverse tumors as well as the limitations and future prospects of these models. Further advances of tumor organoids are expected to bridge the huge gap between bench and bedside and provide the unprecedented opportunities to advance cancer research.

Proteomics and Organoid Culture Reveal the Underlying Pathogenesis of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune disease, and its incidence continues to rise. Although scientists have studied this disease for many years and discovered the potential effects of various proteins in it, the specific pathogenesis is still not fully comprehended. To understand HT and translate this knowledge to clinical applications, we took the mass spectrometric analysis on thyroid tissue fine-needle puncture from HT patients and healthy people in an attempt to make a further understanding of the pathogenesis of HT. A total of 44 proteins with differential expression were identified in HT patients, and these proteins play vital roles in cell adhesion, cell metabolism, and thyroxine synthesis. Combining patient clinical trial sample information, we further compared the transient changes of gene expression regulation in HT and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) samples. More importantly, we developed patient-derived HT and PTC organoids as a promising new preclinical model to verify these potential markers. Our data revealed a marked characteristic of HT organoid in upregulating chemokines that include C-C motif chemokine ligand (CCL) 2 and CCL3, which play a key role in the pathogenesis of HT. Overall, our research has enriched everyone’s understanding of the pathogenesis of HT and provides a certain reference for the treatment of the disease.

Adult mouse and human organoids derived from thyroid follicular cells and modeling of Graves' hyperthyroidism

The thyroid is essential for maintaining systemic homeostasis by regulating thyroid hormone concentrations in the bloodstream. This study describes an organoid-based model system to study mouse and human thyroid biology. Moreover, the study explores the potential of human organoids for modeling autoimmune disease, the anti-TSH receptor (TSHR) antibody-driven Graves’ hyperthyroidism.

The thyroid maintains systemic homeostasis by regulating serum thyroid hormone concentrations. Here we report the establishment of three-dimensional (3D) organoids from adult thyroid tissue representing murine and human thyroid follicular cells (TFCs). The TFC organoids (TFCOs) harbor the complete machinery of hormone production as visualized by the presence of colloid in the lumen and by the presence of essential transporters and enzymes in the polarized epithelial cells that surround a central lumen. Both the established murine as human thyroid organoids express canonical thyroid markers PAX8 and NKX2.1, while the thyroid hormone precursor thyroglobulin is expressed at comparable levels to tissue. Single-cell RNA sequencing and transmission electron microscopy confirm that TFCOs phenocopy primary thyroid tissue. Thyroid hormones are readily detectable in conditioned medium of human TFCOs. We show clinically relevant responses (increased proliferation and hormone secretion) of human TFCOs toward a panel of Graves’ disease patient sera, demonstrating that organoids can model human autoimmune disease.

Research Progress, Challenges, and Breakthroughs of Organoids as Disease Models

Traditional cell lines and xenograft models have been widely recognized and used in research. As a new research model, organoids have made significant progress and development in the past 10 years. Compared with traditional models, organoids have more advantages and have been applied in cancer research, genetic diseases, infectious diseases, and regenerative medicine. This review presented the advantages and disadvantages of organoids in physiological development, pathological mechanism, drug screening, and organ transplantation. Further, this review summarized the current situation of vascularization, immune microenvironment, and hydrogel, which are the main influencing factors of organoids, and pointed out the future directions of development.

MicroRNA-Based Risk Score for Predicting Tumor Progression Following Radioactive Iodine Ablation in Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Patients: A Propensity-Score Matched Analysis

Simple Summary

The three-tiered American Thyroid Association (ATA) risk stratification helps clinicians tailor decisions regarding follow-up modalities and the need for postoperative radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation and radiotherapy. However, a significant number of well-differentiated thyroid cancers (DTC) progress after treatment. Current follow-up modalities have also been proposed to detect disease relapse and recurrence but have failed to be sufficiently sensitive or specific to detect, monitor, or determine progression. Therefore, we assessed the predictive accuracy of the microRNA-based risk score in DTC with and without postoperative RAI. We confirm the prognostic role of triad biomarkers (miR-2f04, miR-221, and miR-222) with higher sensitivity and specificity for predicting disease progression than the ATA risk score. Compared to indolent tumors, a higher risk score was found in progressive samples and was associated with shorter survival. Consequently, our prognostic microRNA signature and nomogram provide a clinically practical and reliable ancillary measure to determine the prognosis of DTC patients.

Abstract

To identify molecular markers that can accurately predict aggressive tumor behavior at the time of surgery, a propensity-matching score analysis of archived specimens yielded two similar datasets of DTC patients (with and without RAI). Bioinformatically selected microRNAs were quantified by qRT-PCR. The risk score was generated using Cox regression and assessed using ROC, C-statistic, and Brier-score. A predictive Bayesian nomogram was established. External validation was performed, and causal network analysis was generated. Within the eight-year follow-up period, progression was reported in 51.5% of cases; of these, 48.6% had the T1a/b stage. Analysis showed upregulation of miR-221-3p and miR-222-3p and downregulation of miR-204-5p in 68 paired cancer tissues (p < 0.001). These three miRNAs were not differentially expressed in RAI and non-RAI groups. The ATA risk score showed poor discriminative ability (AUC = 0.518, p = 0.80). In contrast, the microRNA-based risk score showed high accuracy in predicting tumor progression in the whole cohorts (median = 1.87 vs. 0.39, AUC = 0.944) and RAI group (2.23 vs. 0.37, AUC = 0.979) at the cutoff >0.86 (92.6% accuracy, 88.6% sensitivity, 97% specificity) in the whole cohorts (C-statistics = 0.943/Brier = 0.083) and RAI subgroup (C-statistic = 0.978/Brier = 0.049). The high-score group had a three-fold increased progression risk (hazard ratio = 2.71, 95%CI = 1.86–3.96, p < 0.001) and shorter survival times (17.3 vs. 70.79 months, p < 0.001). Our prognostic microRNA signature and nomogram showed excellent predictive accuracy for progression-free survival in DTC.

Efficacy of a Graphene Oxide/Chitosan Sponge for Removal of Radioactive Iodine-131 from Aqueous Solutions

Iodine-131 is increasingly used for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. The excretion of radioactive iodine is primarily through the urine. The safe disposal of radioactive waste is an important component of overall hospital waste management. This study investigated the feasibility of using graphene oxide/chitosan (GO/CS) sponges as an adsorbent for the removal of iodine-131 from aqueous solutions. The adsorption efficiency was investigated using iodine-131 radioisotopes to confirm the results in conjunction with stable isotopes. The results revealed that the synthetic structure consists of randomly connected GO sheets without overlapping layers. The equilibrium adsorption data fitted well with the Langmuir model. The separation factor (R_L) value was in the range of 0-1, confirming the favorable uptake of the iodide on the GO/CS sponge. The maximum adsorption capacity of iodine-131 by GO/CS sponges was 0.263 MBq/mg. The highest removal efficiency was 92.6% at pH 7.2 ± 0.2. Due to its attractive characteristics, including its low cost, the ease of obtaining it, and its eco-friendly properties, the developed GO/CS sponge could be used as an alternative adsorbent for removing radioiodine from wastewater.

Organoid Cultures Derived From Patients With Papillary Thyroid Cancer

CONTEXT

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) has been one of the most frequent endocrine malignancies around the world. Although most PTC patients have a favorable prognosis, a subgroup of patients die, especially when disease recurrence occurs. There is a pressing need for clinically relevant preclinical thyroid cancer models for personalized therapy because of the lack of in vitro models that faithfully represent the biology of the parental tumors.

OBJECTIVE

To understand thyroid cancer and translate this knowledge to clinical applications, patient-derived PTC organoids as a promising new preclinical model were established.

METHODS

Surgically resected PTC primary tissues were dissociated and processed for organoid derivation. Tumor organoids were subsequently subjected to histological characterization, DNA sequencing, drug screen, and cell proliferation assay, respectively.

RESULTS

We describe a 3-dimensional culture system for the long-term expansion of patient-derived PTC organoid lines. Notably, PTC organoids preserve the histopathological profiles and genomic heterogeneity of the originating tumors. Drug sensitivity assays of PTC organoids demonstrate patient-specific drug responses, and large correlations with the respective mutational profiles. Estradiol was shown to promote cell proliferation of PTC organoids in the presence of estrogen receptor α (ERα), regardless of the expression of ERβ and G protein-coupled ER.

CONCLUSION

These data suggest that these newly developed PTC-derived organoids may be an excellent preclinical model for studying clinical response to anticancer drugs in a personalized way, as well as provide a potential strategy to develop prevention and treatment options for thyroid cancer with ERα-specific antagonists.

Biomaterial-based platforms for cancer stem cell enrichment and study

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a relatively rare subpopulation of tumor cell with self-renewal and tumorigenesis capabilities. CSCs are associated with cancer recurrence, progression, and chemoradiotherapy resistance. Establishing a reliable platform for CSC enrichment and study is a prerequisite for understanding the characteristics of CSCs and discovering CSC-related therapeutic strategies. Certain strategies for CSC enrichment have been used in laboratory, particularly fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and mammosphere culture. However, these methods fail to recapitulate the in vivo chemical and physical conditions in tumors, thus potentially decreasing the malignancy of CSCs in culture and yielding unreliable research results. Accumulating research suggests the promise of a biomaterial-based three-dimensional (3D) strategy for CSC enrichment and study. This strategy has an advantage over conventional methods in simulating the tumor microenvironment, thus providing a more effective and predictive model for CSC laboratory research. In this review, we first briefly discuss the conventional methods for CSC enrichment and study. We then summarize the latest advances and challenges in biomaterial-based 3D CSC platforms. Design strategies for materials, morphology, and chemical and physical cues are highlighted to provide direction for the future construction of platforms for CSC enrichment and study.