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Kukla DA, Belair DG, Stresser DM. Evaluation and Optimization of a Microcavity Plate-Based Human Hepatocyte Spheroid Model for Predicting Clearance of Slowly Metabolized Drug Candidates. Drug Metab Dispos 2024; 52:797-812. [PMID: 38777596 DOI: 10.1124/dmd.124.001653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
In vitro clearance assays are routinely conducted in drug discovery to predict in vivo clearance, but low metabolic turnover compounds are often difficult to evaluate. Hepatocyte spheroids can be cultured for days, achieving higher drug turnover, but have been hindered by limitations on cell number per well. Corning Elplasia microcavity 96-well microplates enable the culture of 79 hepatocyte spheroids per well. In this study, microcavity spheroid properties (size, hepatocyte function, longevity, culturing techniques) were assessed and optimized for clearance assays, which were then compared with microsomes, hepatocyte suspensions, two-dimensional-plated hepatocytes, and macrowell spheroids cultured as one per well. Higher enzyme activity coupled with greater hepatocyte concentrations in microcavity spheroids enabled measurable turnover of all 17 test compounds, unlike the other models that exhibited less drug turnover. Microcavity spheroids also predicted intrinsic clearance (CLint) and blood clearance (CLb) within threefold for 53% [9/17; average absolute fold error (AAFE), 3.9] and 82% (14/17; AAFE, 2.6) of compounds using a linear regression correction model, respectively. An alternate method incorporating mechanistic modeling that accounts for mass transport (permeability and diffusion) within spheroids demonstrated improved predictivity for CLint (12/17; AAFE, 4.0) and CLb (14/17; AAFE, 2.1) without the need for empirical scaling factors. The estimated fraction of drug metabolized by cytochrome P450 3A4 (fm,CYP3A4) using 3 μM itraconazole was within 25% of observed values for 6 of 8 compounds, with 5 of 8 compounds within 10%. In sum, spheroid cultures in microcavity plates permit the ability to test and predict clearance as well as fm,CYP3A4 of low metabolic turnover compounds and represent a valuable complement to conventional in vitro clearance assays. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Culturing multiple spheroids in ultralow attachment microcavities permits accurate quantitation of metabolically stable compounds in substrate depletion assays, overcoming limitations with singly cultured spheroids. In turn, this permits robust estimates of intrinsic clearance, which is improved with the consideration of mass transport within the spheroid. Incubations with 3 μM itraconazole enabled assessments of CYP3A4 involvement in hepatic clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Kukla
- Quantitative, Translational, and ADME Sciences, AbbVie Inc., North Chicago, Illinois
| | - David G Belair
- Quantitative, Translational, and ADME Sciences, AbbVie Inc., North Chicago, Illinois
| | - David M Stresser
- Quantitative, Translational, and ADME Sciences, AbbVie Inc., North Chicago, Illinois
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2
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Arnaldi P, Casarotto E, Relucenti M, Bellese G, Gagliani MC, Crippa V, Castagnola P, Cortese K. A NSC-34 cell line-derived spheroid model: Potential and challenges for in vitro evaluation of neurodegeneration. Microsc Res Tech 2024. [PMID: 38988205 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.24651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) spheroid models aim to bridge the gap between traditional two-dimensional (2D) cultures and the complex in vivo tissue environment. These models, created by self-clustering cells to mimic a 3D environment with surrounding extracellular framework, provide a valuable research tool. The NSC-34 cell line, generated by fusing mouse spinal cord motor neurons and neuroblastoma cells, is essential for studying neurodegenerative diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), where abnormal protein accumulation, such as TAR-DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43), occurs in affected nerve cells. However, NSC-34 behavior in a 3D context remains underexplored, and this study represents the first attempt to create a 3D model to determine its suitability for studying pathology. We generated NSC-34 spheroids using a nonadhesive hydrogel-based template and characterized them for 6 days. Light microscopy revealed that NSC-34 cells in 3D maintained high viability, a distinct round shape, and forming stable membrane connections. Scanning electron microscopy identified multiple tunnel-like structures, while ultrastructural analysis highlighted nuclear bending and mitochondria alterations. Using inducible GFP-TDP-43-expressing NSC-34 spheroids, we explored whether 3D structure affected TDP-43 expression, localization, and aggregation. Spheroids displayed nuclear GFP-TDP-43 expression, albeit at a reduced level compared with 2D cultures and generated both TDP-35 fragments and TDP-43 aggregates. This study sheds light on the distinctive behavior of NSC-34 in 3D culture, suggesting caution in the use of the 3D model for ALS or TDP-43 pathologies. Yet, it underscores the spheroids' potential for investigating fundamental cellular mechanisms, cell adaptation in a 3D context, future bioreactor applications, and drug penetration studies. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: 3D spheroid generation: NSC-34 spheroids, developed using a hydrogel-based template, showed high viability and distinct shapes for 6 days. Structural features: advanced microscopy identified tunnel-like structures and nuclear and mitochondrial changes in the spheroids. Protein dynamics: the study observed how 3D structures impact TDP-43 behavior, with altered expression but similar aggregation patterns to 2D cultures. Research implications: this study reveals the unique behavior of NSC-34 in 3D culture, suggests a careful approach to use this model for ALS or TDP-43 pathologies, and highlights its potential in cellular mechanism research and drug testing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Arnaldi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Cellular Electron Microscopy Lab, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Elena Casarotto
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences "Rodolfo Paoletti", Department of Excellence 2018-2027, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Michela Relucenti
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Grazia Bellese
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Cellular Electron Microscopy Lab, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Gagliani
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Cellular Electron Microscopy Lab, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Valeria Crippa
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences "Rodolfo Paoletti", Department of Excellence 2018-2027, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Katia Cortese
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Cellular Electron Microscopy Lab, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
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3
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Kazempour H, Teymouri F, Khatami M, Hosseini SN. Computational modelling of the therapeutic outputs of photodynamic therapy on spheroid-on-chip models. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY. B, BIOLOGY 2024; 258:112960. [PMID: 38991293 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2024.112960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a medical radio chemotherapeutic method that uses light, photosensitizing agents, and oxygen to produce cytotoxic compounds, which eliminate malignant cells. Recently, Microfluidic systems have been used to analyse photosensitizers (PSs) due to their potential to replicate in vivo environments. While prior studies have established a strong correlation between reacted singlet oxygen concentration and PDT-induced cellular death, the effects that the ambient fluid flow might have on the concentration of oxygen and PS have been disregarded in many, which limits the reliability of the results. Herein, we coupled the transport of oxygen and PS throughout the ambient medium and within the spheroidal multicellular aggregate to initially study the profiles of oxygen and PS concentration alongside PDT-induced cellular death throughout the spheroid before and after radiation. The attained results indicate that the PDT-induced cellular death initiates on the surface of the spheroids and subsequently spreads to the neighbouring regions, which is in great accordance with experimental results. Afterward, the effects that drug-light interval (DLI), fluence rate, PS composition, microchannel height, and inlet flow rate have on the therapeutic outcomes are studied. The findings show that adequate DLI is critical to ensure uniform distribution of PS throughout the medium, and a value of 5 h was found to be sufficient. The composition of PS is critical, as ALA-PpIX induces earlier cell death but accelerates oxygen consumption, especially in the outer layers, depriving the inner layers of oxygen necessary for PDT, which in turn disrupts and prolongs the exposure time compared to mTHPC and Photofrin. Despite the fluence rate directly influencing the singlet oxygen generation rate, increasing the fluence rate by 189 mW/cm2 would not significantly benefit us. Microwell height and inlet flow rate involve competing phenomena-increasing height or decreasing flow reduces oxygen supply and increases PS "washout" and its concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Kazempour
- Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Teymouri
- Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Khatami
- Research and Production Complex, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
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Scognamiglio F, Pizzolitto C, Romano M, Teti G, Zara S, Conz M, Donati I, Porrelli D, Falconi M, Marsich E. "A lactose-modified chitosan accelerates chondrogenic differentiation in mesenchymal stem cells spheroids". BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2024; 160:213849. [PMID: 38599041 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2024.213849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Spheroids derived from human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are of limited use for cartilage regeneration, as the viability of the cells progressively decreases during the period required for chondrogenic differentiation (21 days). In this work, spheroids based on hMSCs and a lactose-modified chitosan (CTL) were formed by seeding cells onto an air-dried coating of CTL. The polymer coating can inhibit cell adhesion and it is simultaneously incorporated into spheroid structure. CTL-spheroids were characterized from a morphological and biological perspective, and their properties were compared with those of spheroids obtained by seeding the cells onto a non-adherent surface (agar gel). Compared to the latter, smaller and more viable spheroids form in the presence of CTL as early as 4 days of culture. At this time point, analysis of stem cells differentiation in spheroids showed a remarkable increase in collagen type-2 (COL2A1) gene expression (~700-fold compared to day 0), whereas only a 2-fold increase was observed in the control spheroids at day 21. These results were confirmed by histological and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses, which showed that in CTL-spheroids an early deposition of collagen with a banding structure already occurred at day 7. Overall, these results support the use of CTL-spheroids as a novel system for cartilage regeneration, characterized by increased cell viability and differentiation capacity within a short time-frame. This will pave the way for approaches aimed at increasing the success rate of procedures and reducing the time required for tissue regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Scognamiglio
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
| | - C Pizzolitto
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Piazza dell'Ospitale 1, 34129 Trieste, Italy.
| | - M Romano
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Valerio 28, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
| | - G Teti
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
| | - S Zara
- Department of Pharmacy, University "G. d'Annunzio" Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
| | - M Conz
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
| | - I Donati
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
| | - D Porrelli
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Piazza dell'Ospitale 1, 34129 Trieste, Italy.
| | - M Falconi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
| | - E Marsich
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Piazza dell'Ospitale 1, 34129 Trieste, Italy.
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5
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Butch E, Prideaux M, Holland M, Phan JT, Trent C, Soon V, Hutchins G, Smith L. The 'bIUreactor': An Open-Source 3D Tissue Research Platform. Ann Biomed Eng 2024; 52:1678-1692. [PMID: 38532173 PMCID: PMC11082015 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-024-03481-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
We developed the open-source bIUreactor research platform for studying 3D structured tissues. The versatile and modular platform allows a researcher to generate 3D tissues, culture them with oxygenated perfusion, and provide cyclic loading, all in their own lab (in laboratorium) for an all in cost of $8,000 including 3D printer, printing resin, and electronics. We achieved this by applying a design philosophy that leverages 3D printing, open-source software and hardware, and practical techniques to produce the following: 1. perfusible 3D tissues, 2. a bioreactor chamber for tissue culture, 3. a module for applying cyclic compression, 4. a peristaltic pump for providing oxygenated perfusion to 3D tissues, 5. motor control units, and 6. open-source code for running the control units. By making it widely available for researchers to investigate 3D tissue models and easy for them to use, we intend for the bIUreactor to democratize 3D tissue research, therefore increasing the pace and scale of biomedical research discoveries using 3D tissue models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Butch
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Matthew Prideaux
- Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Mark Holland
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Justin-Thuy Phan
- Smith BioFab Lab, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Cole Trent
- Smith BioFab Lab, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Victor Soon
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Gary Hutchins
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Lester Smith
- Smith BioFab Lab, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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Yau JNN, Yempala T, Muthuramalingam RPK, Giustarini G, Teng G, Ang WH, Gibson D, Adriani G, Pastorin G. Fluorescence-Guided Spatial Drug Screening in 3D Colorectal Cancer Spheroids. Adv Healthc Mater 2024:e2400203. [PMID: 38774999 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202400203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
The limited recapitulation of critical cancer features in 2D cultures causes poor translatability of preclinical results from in vitro assays to in vivo tumor models. This contributes to slow drug development with a low success rate. 3D cultures better recapitulate the tumor microenvironment, enabling more accurate predictions when screening drug candidates and improving the development of chemotherapeutics. Platinum (Pt) (IV) compounds are promising prodrugs designed to reduce the severe systemic toxicity of widely used Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved Pt(II) drugs such as cisplatin. Here, this work presents spatiotemporal evaluations in 3D colorectal cancer (CRC) spheroids of mitochondria-targeting Pt(IV) complexes. CRC spheroids provide a greater pathophysiological recapitulation of in vivo tumors than 2D cultures by a marked upregulation of the ABCG2 chemoresistance marker expression. Furthermore, new 3D-staining protocols are introduced to evaluate the real-time decrease in mitochondria membrane potential (ΔΨ) in CRC spheroids, and a Pt-sensing dye to quantify the Pt mitochondrial accumulation. Finally, this work demonstrates a correlation between in vitro results and the efficacy of the compounds in vivo. Overall, the CRC spheroids represent a fast and cost-effective model to assess the behavior of Pt compounds in vitro and predict their translational potential in CRC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Ning Nicolette Yau
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117544, Singapore
- Integrative Sciences and Engineering Programme, NUS Graduate School, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119077, Singapore
| | - Thirumal Yempala
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117544, Singapore
| | - Ram Pravin Kumar Muthuramalingam
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117544, Singapore
| | - Giulio Giustarini
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
| | - Germaine Teng
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
| | - Wee Han Ang
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117544, Singapore
| | - Dan Gibson
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel
| | - Giulia Adriani
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineerin, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117578, Singapore
| | - Giorgia Pastorin
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117544, Singapore
- Integrative Sciences and Engineering Programme, NUS Graduate School, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119077, Singapore
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7
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Marozin S, Simon-Nobbe B, Huth A, Beyerer E, Weber L, Nüssler A, Lepperdinger G. Aggregation of human osteoblasts unlocks self-reliant differentiation and constitutes a microenvironment for 3D-co-cultivation with other bone marrow cells. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10345. [PMID: 38710795 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60986-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Skeletal bone function relies on both cells and cellular niches, which, when combined, provide guiding cues for the control of differentiation and remodeling processes. Here, we propose an in vitro 3D model based on human fetal osteoblasts, which eases the study of osteocyte commitment in vitro and thus provides a means to examine the influences of biomaterials, substances or cells on the regulation of these processes. Aggregates were formed from human fetal osteoblasts (hFOB1.19) and cultivated under proliferative, adipo- and osteoinductive conditions. When cultivated under osteoinductive conditions, the vitality of the aggregates was compromised, the expression levels of the mineralization-related gene DMP1 and the amount of calcification and matrix deposition were lower, and the growth of the spheroids stalled. However, within spheres under growth conditions without specific supplements, self-organization processes occur, which promote extracellular calcium deposition, and osteocyte-like cells develop. Long-term cultivated hFOB aggregates were free of necrotic areas. Moreover, hFOB aggregates cultivated under standard proliferative conditions supported the co-cultivation of human monocytes, microvascular endothelial cells and stromal cells. Overall, the model presented here comprises a self-organizing and easily accessible 3D osteoblast model for studying bone marrow formation and in vitro remodeling and thus provides a means to test druggable molecular pathways with the potential to promote life-long bone formation and remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Marozin
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University Salzburg, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Birgit Simon-Nobbe
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University Salzburg, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Astrid Huth
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University Salzburg, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Evelyn Beyerer
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University Salzburg, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Laurenz Weber
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University Salzburg, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Andreas Nüssler
- Siegfried Weller Institut (SWI) | BG Klinik Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Günter Lepperdinger
- Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, University Salzburg, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
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Xu FX, Sun R, Owens R, Hu K, Fu D. Assessing drug uptake and response differences in 2D and 3D cellular environments using stimulated Raman scattering microscopy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.22.590622. [PMID: 38712095 PMCID: PMC11071388 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.22.590622] [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
The architecture of cell culture-two-dimensional (2D) versus three-dimensional (3D)-significantly impacts various cellular factors, including cell-cell interactions, nutrient and oxygen gradients, metabolic activity, and gene expression profiles. This can result in different cellular responses during cancer drug treatment, with 3D-cultured cells often exhibiting higher resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. While various genetic and proteomic analyses have been employed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of this increased resistance, complementary techniques that provide experimental evidence of spatial molecular profiling data are limited. Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy has demonstrated its capability to measure both intracellular drug uptake and growth inhibition. In this work, we applied three-band SRS imaging to 2D and 3D cell cultures and provided a comparative analysis of drug uptake and response with the goal of understanding whether the difference in drug uptake explains the drug resistance in 3D culture compared to 2D. Our investigations revealed that despite similar intracellular drug levels in 2D and 3D A549 cells during lapatinib treatment, the growth of 3D spheroids is less impacted, supporting an enhanced drug tolerance in the 3D microenvironment. We further elucidated drug penetration patterns and the resulting heterogeneous cellular responses across different spheroid layers. Additionally, we investigated the role of the extracellular matrix in modulating drug delivery and cell response, and we discovered that limited drug penetration in 3D could also contribute to lower drug response. Our study provides valuable insights into the intricate mechanisms of increased drug resistance in 3D tumor models during cancer drug treatments.
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Chung H, Choi JK, Hong C, Lee Y, Hong KH, Oh SJ, Kim J, Song SC, Kim JW, Kim SH. A micro-fragmented collagen gel as a cell-assembling platform for critical limb ischemia repair. Bioact Mater 2024; 34:80-97. [PMID: 38143565 PMCID: PMC10733640 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2023.12.008] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is a devastating disease characterized by the progressive blockage of blood vessels. Although the paracrine effect of growth factors in stem cell therapy made it a promising angiogenic therapy for CLI, poor cell survival in the harsh ischemic microenvironment limited its efficacy. Thus, an imperative need exists for a stem-cell delivery method that enhances cell survival. Here, a collagen microgel (CMG) cell-delivery scaffold (40 × 20 μm) was fabricated via micro-fragmentation from collagen-hyaluronic acid polyionic complex to improve transplantation efficiency. Culturing human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) with CMG enabled integrin receptors to interact with CMG to form injectable 3-dimensional constructs (CMG-hASCs) with a microporous microarchitecture and enhanced mass transfer. CMG-hASCs exhibited higher cell survival (p < 0.0001) and angiogenic potential in tube formation and aortic ring angiogenesis assays than cell aggregates. Injection of CMG-hASCs intramuscularly into CLI mice increased blood perfusion and limb salvage ratios by 40 % and 60 %, respectively, compared to cell aggregate-treated mice. Further immunofluorescent analysis revealed that transplanted CMG-hASCs have greater muscle regenerative and angiogenic potential, with enhanced cell survival than cell aggregates (p < 0.05). Collectively, we propose CMG as a cell-assembling platform and CMG-hASCs as promising therapeutics to treat CLI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haeun Chung
- Center for Biomaterials, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Kyun Choi
- Center for Biomaterials, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Changgi Hong
- Department of Applied Bioengineering, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute for Convergence Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngseop Lee
- Department of Applied Bioengineering, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Hyun Hong
- Center for Biomaterials, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Ja Oh
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, 17104, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongmin Kim
- Department of Applied Bioengineering, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute for Convergence Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Chang Song
- Center for Biomaterials, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Wan Kim
- S.Biomedics Co., Ltd., Seoul, 04797, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Heon Kim
- Center for Biomaterials, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
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10
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Pinto CIG, Branco ADM, Bucar S, Fonseca A, Abrunhosa AJ, da Silva CL, Guerreiro JF, Mendes F. Evaluation of the theranostic potential of [ 64Cu]CuCl 2 in glioblastoma spheroids. EJNMMI Res 2024; 14:26. [PMID: 38453813 PMCID: PMC10920519 DOI: 10.1186/s13550-024-01084-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioblastoma is an extremely aggressive malignant tumor with a very poor prognosis. Due to the increased proliferation rate of glioblastoma, there is the development of hypoxic regions, characterized by an increased concentration of copper (Cu). Considering this, 64Cu has attracted attention as a possible theranostic radionuclide for glioblastoma. In particular, [64Cu]CuCl2 accumulates in glioblastoma, being considered a suitable agent for positron emission tomography. Here, we explore further the theranostic potential of [64Cu]CuCl2, by studying its therapeutic effects in advanced three-dimensional glioblastoma cellular models. First, we established spheroids from three glioblastoma (T98G, U373, and U87) and a non-tumoral astrocytic cell line. Then, we evaluated the therapeutic responses of spheroids to [64Cu]CuCl2 exposure by analyzing spheroids' growth, viability, and cells' proliferative capacity. Afterward, we studied possible mechanisms responsible for the therapeutic outcomes, including the uptake of 64Cu, the expression levels of a copper transporter (CTR1), the presence of a cancer stem cell population, and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). RESULTS Results revealed that [64Cu]CuCl2 is able to significantly reduce spheroids' growth and viability, while also affecting cells' proliferation capacity. The uptake of 64Cu, the presence of cancer stem-like cells and the production of ROS were in accordance with the therapeutic response. However, expression levels of CTR1 were not in agreement with uptake levels, revealing that other mechanisms could be involved in the uptake of 64Cu. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results further support [64Cu]CuCl2 potential as a theranostic agent for glioblastoma, unveiling potential mechanisms that could be involved in the therapeutic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina I G Pinto
- C2TN - Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - André D M Branco
- Department of Bioengineering, iBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sara Bucar
- Department of Bioengineering, iBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Alexandra Fonseca
- CIBIT/ICNAS Instituto de Ciências Nucleares Aplicadas à Saúde, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- ICNAS PHARMA, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Antero J Abrunhosa
- CIBIT/ICNAS Instituto de Ciências Nucleares Aplicadas à Saúde, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- ICNAS PHARMA, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Cláudia L da Silva
- Department of Bioengineering, iBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana F Guerreiro
- C2TN - Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- CIISA - Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa and Laboratório Associado Para Ciência Animal e Veterinária (AL4AnimalS), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Filipa Mendes
- C2TN - Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
- DECN - Departamento de Engenharia e Ciências Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
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11
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Gutiérrez-Chamorro L, Felip E, Castellà E, Quiroga V, Ezeonwumelu IJ, Angelats L, Esteve A, Perez-Roca L, Martínez-Cardús A, Fernandez PL, Ferrando-Díez A, Pous A, Bergamino M, Cirauqui B, Romeo M, Teruel I, Mesia R, Clotet B, Riveira-Muñoz E, Margelí M, Ballana E. SAMHD1 expression is a surrogate marker of immune infiltration and determines prognosis after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in early breast cancer. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2024; 47:189-208. [PMID: 37667113 PMCID: PMC10899429 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-023-00862-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The lack of validated surrogate biomarkers is still an unmet clinical need in the management of early breast cancer cases that do not achieve complete pathological response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Here, we describe and validate the use of SAMHD1 expression as a prognostic biomarker in residual disease in vivo and in vitro. METHODS SAMHD1 expression was evaluated in a clinical cohort of early breast cancer patients with stage II-III treated with NACT. Heterotypic 3D cultures including tumor and immune cells were used to investigate the molecular mechanisms responsible of SAMHD1 depletion through whole transcriptomic profiling, immune infiltration capacity and subsequent delineation of dysregulated immune signaling pathways. RESULTS SAMHD1 expression was associated to increased risk of recurrence and higher Ki67 levels in post-NACT tumor biopsies of breast cancer patients with residual disease. Survival analysis showed that SAMHD1-expressing tumors presented shorter time-to-progression and overall survival than SAMHD1 negative cases, suggesting that SAMHD1 expression is a relevant prognostic factor in breast cancer. Whole-transcriptomic profiling of SAMHD1-depleted tumors identified downregulation of IL-12 signaling pathway as the molecular mechanism determining breast cancer prognosis. The reduced interleukin signaling upon SAMHD1 depletion induced changes in immune cell infiltration capacity in 3D heterotypic in vitro culture models, confirming the role of the SAMHD1 as a regulator of breast cancer prognosis through the induction of changes in immune response and tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSION SAMHD1 expression is a novel prognostic biomarker in early breast cancer that impacts immune-mediated signaling and differentially regulates inflammatory intra-tumoral response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Gutiérrez-Chamorro
- AIDS Research Institute-IrsiCaixa and Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Eudald Felip
- AIDS Research Institute-IrsiCaixa and Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institut of Oncology (ICO)-Badalona, B-ARGO (Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology) and IGTP (Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Eva Castellà
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, IGTP (Health Research Institute Germans Trias I Pujol), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Vanessa Quiroga
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institut of Oncology (ICO)-Badalona, B-ARGO (Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology) and IGTP (Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Ifeanyi Jude Ezeonwumelu
- AIDS Research Institute-IrsiCaixa and Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Laura Angelats
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institut of Oncology (ICO)-Badalona, B-ARGO (Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology) and IGTP (Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Anna Esteve
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institut of Oncology (ICO)-Badalona, B-ARGO (Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology) and IGTP (Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Laia Perez-Roca
- Banc de Tumors, Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Anna Martínez-Cardús
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institut of Oncology (ICO)-Badalona, B-ARGO (Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology) and IGTP (Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Pedro Luis Fernandez
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, IGTP (Health Research Institute Germans Trias I Pujol), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Angelica Ferrando-Díez
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institut of Oncology (ICO)-Badalona, B-ARGO (Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology) and IGTP (Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Anna Pous
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institut of Oncology (ICO)-Badalona, B-ARGO (Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology) and IGTP (Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Milana Bergamino
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institut of Oncology (ICO)-Badalona, B-ARGO (Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology) and IGTP (Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Beatriz Cirauqui
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institut of Oncology (ICO)-Badalona, B-ARGO (Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology) and IGTP (Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Marga Romeo
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institut of Oncology (ICO)-Badalona, B-ARGO (Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology) and IGTP (Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Iris Teruel
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institut of Oncology (ICO)-Badalona, B-ARGO (Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology) and IGTP (Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Ricard Mesia
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institut of Oncology (ICO)-Badalona, B-ARGO (Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology) and IGTP (Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Bonaventura Clotet
- AIDS Research Institute-IrsiCaixa and Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Eva Riveira-Muñoz
- AIDS Research Institute-IrsiCaixa and Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain
| | - Mireia Margelí
- Medical Oncology Department, Catalan Institut of Oncology (ICO)-Badalona, B-ARGO (Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology) and IGTP (Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain.
| | - Ester Ballana
- AIDS Research Institute-IrsiCaixa and Health Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916, Badalona, Spain.
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12
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Mansouri M, Lamichhane A, Das D, Aucejo F, Tavana H, Leipzig ND. Comparison of Engineered Liver 3D Models and the Role of Oxygenation for Patient-Derived Tumor Cells and Immortalized Cell Lines Cocultured with Tumor Stroma in the Detection of Hepatotoxins. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2024; 8:e2300386. [PMID: 37845003 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202300386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
In metabolically active tumors, responses of cells to drugs are heavily influenced by oxygen availability via the surrounding vasculature alongside the extracellular matrix signaling. The objective of this study is to investigate hepatotoxicity by replicating critical features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This includes replicating 3D structures, metabolic activities, and tumor-specific markers. The internal environment of spheroids comprised of cancerous human patient-derived hepatocytes using microparticles is modulated to enhance the oxygenation state and recreate cell-extracellular matrix interactions. Furthermore, the role of hepatic stellate cells in maintaining hepatocyte survival and function is explored and hepatocytes from two cellular sources (immortalized and patient-derived) to create four formulations with and without microparticles are utilized. To investigate drug-induced changes in metabolism and apoptosis in liver cells, coculture spheroids with and without microparticles are exposed to three hepatotoxic drugs. The use of microparticles increases levels of apoptotic markers in both liver models under drug treatments. This coincides with reduced levels of anti-apoptotic proteins and increased levels of pro-apoptotic proteins. Moreover, cells from different origins undergo apoptosis through distinct apoptotic pathways in response to identical drugs. This 3D microphysiological system offers a viable tool for liver cancer research to investigate mechanisms of apoptosis under different microenvironmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Mansouri
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
| | - Astha Lamichhane
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
| | - Dola Das
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Federico Aucejo
- Lerner College of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Hossein Tavana
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
| | - Nic D Leipzig
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325, USA
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13
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van Rijt A, Stefanek E, Valente K. Preclinical Testing Techniques: Paving the Way for New Oncology Screening Approaches. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4466. [PMID: 37760435 PMCID: PMC10526899 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15184466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Prior to clinical trials, preclinical testing of oncology drug candidates is performed by evaluating drug candidates with in vitro and in vivo platforms. For in vivo testing, animal models are used to evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of drug candidates. However, animal models often display poor translational results as many drugs that pass preclinical testing fail when tested with humans, with oncology drugs exhibiting especially poor acceptance rates. The FDA Modernization Act 2.0 promotes alternative preclinical testing techniques, presenting the opportunity to use higher complexity in vitro models as an alternative to in vivo testing, including three-dimensional (3D) cell culture models. Three-dimensional tissue cultures address many of the shortcomings of 2D cultures by more closely replicating the tumour microenvironment through a combination of physiologically relevant drug diffusion, paracrine signalling, cellular phenotype, and vascularization that can better mimic native human tissue. This review will discuss the common forms of 3D cell culture, including cell spheroids, organoids, organs-on-a-chip, and 3D bioprinted tissues. Their advantages and limitations will be presented, aiming to discuss the use of these 3D models to accurately represent human tissue and as an alternative to animal testing. The use of 3D culture platforms for preclinical drug development is expected to accelerate as these platforms continue to improve in complexity, reliability, and translational predictivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia van Rijt
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada;
| | - Evan Stefanek
- VoxCell BioInnovation Inc., Victoria, BC V8T 5L2, Canada;
| | - Karolina Valente
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada;
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14
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Vakhshiteh F, Bagheri Z, Soleimani M, Ahvaraki A, Pournemat P, Alavi SE, Madjd Z. Heterotypic tumor spheroids: a platform for nanomedicine evaluation. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:249. [PMID: 37533100 PMCID: PMC10398970 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-02021-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Nanomedicine has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach, but its translation to the clinic has been hindered by the lack of cellular models to anticipate how tumor cells will respond to therapy. Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture models are thought to more accurately recapitulate key features of primary tumors than two-dimensional (2D) cultures. Heterotypic 3D tumor spheroids, composed of multiple cell types, have become more popular than homotypic spheroids, which consist of a single cell type, as a superior model for mimicking in vivo tumor heterogeneity and physiology. The stromal interactions demonstrated in heterotypic 3D tumor spheroids can affect various aspects, including response to therapy, cancer progression, nanomedicine penetration, and drug resistance. Accordingly, to design more effective anticancer nanomedicinal therapeutics, not only tumor cells but also stromal cells (e.g., fibroblasts and immune cells) should be considered to create a more physiologically relevant in vivo microenvironment. This review aims to demonstrate current knowledge of heterotypic 3D tumor spheroids in cancer research, to illustrate current advances in utilizing these tumor models as a novel and versatile platform for in vitro evaluation of nanomedicine-based therapeutics in cancer research, and to discuss challenges, guidelines, and future directions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faezeh Vakhshiteh
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Zeinab Bagheri
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran.
| | - Marziye Soleimani
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran
| | - Akram Ahvaraki
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran
| | - Parisa Pournemat
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, 1983969411, Iran
| | - Seyed Ebrahim Alavi
- Faculty of Medicine, Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Zahra Madjd
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
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15
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Ncube KN, Jurgens T, Steenkamp V, Cromarty AD, van den Bout I, Cordier W. Comparative Evaluation of the Cytotoxicity of Doxorubicin in BT-20 Triple-Negative Breast Carcinoma Monolayer and Spheroid Cultures. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11051484. [PMID: 37239157 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11051484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional cell culture models are increasingly adopted as preferred pre-clinical drug testing platforms, as they circumvent limitations associated with traditional monolayer cell cultures. However, many of these models are not fully characterized. This study aimed to characterize a BT-20 triple-negative breast carcinoma spheroid model and assess its susceptibility to doxorubicin in comparison to a monolayer model. Spheroids were developed using the liquid overlay method. Phenotypic attributes were analyzed by characterizing changes in size, gross morphology, protein content, metabolic activity, hypoxic status, and cell-cell junctions. The cytotoxic range of doxorubicin in monolayers was determined using the sulforhodamine B assay, and the comparative effect of toxic and sub-toxic concentrations was assessed in both spheroids and monolayers. Similar to the in vivo microenvironment, spheroids had a heterogeneous spatial cytoarchitecture, inherent hypoxia and strong adherens junctions. Doxorubicin induced dose-dependent cytotoxicity in monolayers (IC25: 130 nM, IC50: 320 nM and IC75: 1580 nM); however, these concentrations did not alter the spheroid size or acid phosphatase activity. Only concentrations ≥6 µM had any effect on spheroid integrity. In comparison to monolayers, the BT-20 spheroid model has decreased sensitivity to doxorubicin and could serve as a better model for susceptibility testing in triple-negative breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith N Ncube
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0007, South Africa
| | - Tamarin Jurgens
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0007, South Africa
| | - Vanessa Steenkamp
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0007, South Africa
| | - Allan D Cromarty
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0007, South Africa
| | - Iman van den Bout
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0007, South Africa
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Department of Immunology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0007, South Africa
| | - Werner Cordier
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0007, South Africa
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16
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Takagi M, Yamada M, Utoh R, Seki M. A multiscale, vertical-flow perfusion system with integrated porous microchambers for upgrading multicellular spheroid culture. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:2257-2267. [PMID: 37038847 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00168g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Spheroid formation assisted by microengineered chambers is a versatile approach for morphology-controlled three-dimensional (3D) cell cultivation with physiological relevance to human tissues. However, the limitation in diffusion-based oxygen/nutrient transport has been a critical issue for the densely packed cells in spheroids, preventing maximization of cellular functions and thus limiting their biomedical applications. Here, we have developed a multiscale microfluidic system for the perfusion culture of spheroids, in which porous microchambers, connected with microfluidic channels, were engineered. A newly developed process of centrifugation-assisted replica molding and salt-leaching enabled the formation of single micrometer-sized pores on the chamber surface and in the substrate. The porous configuration generates a vertical flow to directly supply the medium to the spheroids, while avoiding the formation of stagnant flow regions. We created seamlessly integrated, all PDMS/silicone-based microfluidic devices with an array of microchambers. Spheroids of human liver cells (HepG2 cells) were formed and cultured under vertical-flow perfusion, and the proliferation ability and liver cell-specific functions were compared with those of cells cultured in non-porous chambers with a horizontal flow. The presented system realizes both size-controlled formation of spheroids and direct medium supply, making it suitable as a precision cell culture platform for drug development, disease modelling, and regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai Takagi
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8522, Japan.
| | - Masumi Yamada
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8522, Japan.
| | - Rie Utoh
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8522, Japan.
| | - Minoru Seki
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8522, Japan.
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17
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Im G, Kim Y, Lee TI, Bhang SH. Subaqueous free-standing 3D cell culture system for ultrafast cell compaction, mechano-inductive immune control, and improving therapeutic angiogenesis. Bioeng Transl Med 2023; 8:e10438. [PMID: 36925707 PMCID: PMC10013761 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Conventional 3D cell culture methods require a comprehensive complement in labor-intensive and time-consuming processes along with in vivo circumstantial mimicking. Here, we describe a subaqueous free-standing 3D cell culture (FS) device that can induce the omnidirectional environment and generate ultrafast human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) that efficiently aggregate with compaction using acoustic pressure. The cell culture conditions were optimized using the FS device and identified the underlying molecular mechanisms. Unique phenomena in cell aggregation have led to extraordinary cellular behavior that can upregulate cell compaction, mechanosensitive immune control, and therapeutic angiogenesis. Therefore, we designated the resulting cell aggregates as "pressuroid." Notably, external acoustic stimulation produced by the FS device affected the pressuroids. Furthermore, the pressuroids exhibited upregulation in mechanosensitive genes and proteins, PIEZO1/2. CyclinD1 and PCNA, which are strongly associated with cell adhesion and proliferation, were elevated by PIEZO1/2. In addition, we found that pressuroids significantly increase angiogenic paracrine factor secretion, promote cell adhesion molecule expression, and enhance M2 immune modulation of Thp1 cells. Altogether, we have concluded that our pressuroid would suggest a more effective therapy method for future cell therapy than the conventional one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwang‐Bum Im
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan UniversitySuwonRepublic of Korea
- Present address:
Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Yu‐Jin Kim
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan UniversitySuwonRepublic of Korea
| | - Tae Il Lee
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringGachon UniversitySeongnamRepublic of Korea
| | - Suk Ho Bhang
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan UniversitySuwonRepublic of Korea
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18
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Ju FN, Kim CH, Lee KH, Kim CD, Lim J, Lee T, Park CG, Kim TH. Gold nanostructure-integrated conductive microwell arrays for uniform cancer spheroid formation and electrochemical drug screening. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 222:115003. [PMID: 36525711 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.115003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cancer spheroids, which mimic distinct cell-to-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions of solid tumors in vitro, have emerged as a promising tumor model for drug screening. However, owing to the unique characteristics of spheroids composed of three-dimensionally densely-packed cells, the precise characterizations of cell viability and function with conventional colorimetric assays are challenging. Herein, we report gold nanostructure-integrated conductive microwell arrays (GONIMA) that enable both highly efficient uniform cancer spheroid formation and precise electrochemical detection of cell viability. A nanostructured gold on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate facilitated the initial cell aggregation and further 3D cell growth, while the non-cytophilic polymer microwell arrays restricted the size and shape of the spheroids. As a result, approximately 150 human glioblastoma spheroids were formed on a chip area of 1.13 cm2 with an average diameter of 224 μm and a size variation of only 5% (±11.36 μm). The high uniformity of cancer spheroids contributed to the stability of electrical signals measuring cell viability. Using the fabricated GONIMA, the effects of a representative chemotherapeutic agent, hydroxyurea, on the glioblastoma spheroids were precisely monitored under conditions of varying drug concentrations (0-0.3 mg/mL) and incubation times (24-48 h). Therefore, we conclude that the newly developed platform is highly useful for rapid and precise in vitro drug screening, as well as for the pharmacokinetic analyses of specific drugs using 3D cellular cancer models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu Nan Ju
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Cheol-Hwi Kim
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang-Ho Lee
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Dae Kim
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaesung Lim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, SKKU Institute for Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, Gyeonggi, 16419, Republic of Korea; Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, SKKU Institute for Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, Gyeonggi, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Taek Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul, 01897, Republic of Korea
| | - Chun Gwon Park
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, SKKU Institute for Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, Gyeonggi, 16419, Republic of Korea; Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, SKKU Institute for Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, Gyeonggi, 16419, Republic of Korea.
| | - Tae-Hyung Kim
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea. https://bestlaboratory.wixsite.com/best
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Besanjideh M, Shamloo A, Hannani SK. Evaluating the reliability of tumour spheroid-on-chip models for replicating intratumoural drug delivery: considering the role of microfluidic parameters. J Drug Target 2023; 31:179-193. [PMID: 36036226 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2022.2119478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Several tumour spheroid-on-chip models have already been proposed in the literature to conduct high throughput drug screening assays. The microfluidic configurations in these models generally depend on the strategies adopted for spheroid formation and entrapment. However, it is not clear how successful they are to mimic in vivo transport mechanisms. In this study, drug transport in different tumour spheroid-on-chip models is numerically investigated under static and dynamic conditions using porous media theory. Moreover, the treatment of a solid tumour at the initial stage of development is modelled using bolus injection and continuous infusion methods. Then, the results of tumour spheroid-on-chip, including drug concentration, cell viability, as well as pressure and fluid shear stress distributions, are compared with those of the solid tumour, assuming identical transport properties in all models. Finally, a new configuration of the microfluidic device along with the optimal drug concentrations is proposed, which can well imitate a given in vivo situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Besanjideh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.,Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Institute, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Shamloo
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Institute, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
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20
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Edamana S, Login FH, Riishede A, Dam VS, Tramm T, Nejsum LN. The cell polarity protein Scribble is downregulated by the water channel aquaporin-5 in breast cancer cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2023; 324:C307-C319. [PMID: 36468842 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00311.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Breast carcinomas originate from cells in the terminal duct-lobular unit. Carcinomas are associated with increased cell proliferation and migration, altered cellular adhesion, as well as loss of epithelial polarity. In breast cancer, aberrant and high levels of aquaporin-5 (AQP5) are associated with increased metastasis, poor prognosis, and cancer recurrence. AQP5 increases the proliferation and migration of cancer cells, and ectopic expression of AQP5 in normal epithelial cells reduces cell-cell adhesion and increases cell detachment and dissemination from migrating cell sheets, the latter via AQP5-mediated activation of the Ras pathway. Here, we investigated if AQP5 also affects cellular polarity by examining the relationship between the essential polarity protein Scribble and AQP5. In tissue samples from invasive lobular and ductal carcinomas, the majority of cells with high AQP5 expression displayed low Scribble levels, indicating an inverse relationship. Probing for interactions via a Glutathione S-transferase pull-down experiment revealed that AQP5 and Scribble interacted. Moreover, overexpression of AQP5 in the breast cancer cell line MCF7 reduced both size and circularity of three-dimensional (3-D) spheroids and induced cell detachment and dissemination from migrating cell sheets. In addition, Scribble levels were reduced. An AQP5 mutant cell line, which cannot activate Ras (AQP5S156A) signaling, displayed unchanged spheroid size and circularity and an intermediate level of Scribble, indicating that the effect of AQP5 on Scribble is, at least in part, dependent on AQP5-mediated activation of Ras. Thus, our results suggest that high AQP5 expression negatively regulates the essential polarity protein Scribble and thus, can affect cellular polarity in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarannya Edamana
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Frédéric H Login
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Andreas Riishede
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Vibeke S Dam
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Trine Tramm
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Pathology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Lene N Nejsum
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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21
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Isik M, Okesola BO, Eylem CC, Kocak E, Nemutlu E, Emregul E, D'Este M, Derkus B. Tuning the Cell-Adhesive Properties of Two-Component Hybrid Hydrogels to Modulate Cancer Cell Behavior, Metastasis, and Death Pathways. Biomacromolecules 2022; 23:4254-4267. [PMID: 36136959 PMCID: PMC9554906 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
![]()
This work presents a polysaccharide
and protein-based
two-component
hybrid hydrogel integrating the cell-adhesive gelatin-tyramine (G-Tyr)
and nonadhesive hyaluronic acid-tyramine (HA-Tyr) through enzyme-mediated
oxidative coupling reaction. The resulting HA-Tyr/G-Tyr hydrogel reflects
the precise chemical and mechanical features of the cancer extracellular
matrix and is able to tune cancer cell adhesion upon switching the
component ratio. The cells form quasi-spheroids on HA-Tyr rich hydrogels,
while they tend to form an invasive monolayer culture on G-Tyr rich
hydrogels. The metastatic genotype of colorectal adenocarcinoma cells
(HT-29) increases on G-Tyr rich hydrogels which is driven by the material’s
adhesive property, and additionally confirmed by the suppressed gene
expressions of apoptosis and autophagy. On the other hand, HA-Tyr
rich hydrogels lead the cells to necrotic death via oxidative stress
in quasi-spheroids. This work demonstrates the ideality of HA-Tyr/G-Tyr
to modulate cancer cell adhesion, which also has potential in preventing
primary metastasis after onco-surgery, biomaterials-based cancer research,
and drug testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melis Isik
- Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Advanced Materials (INTRAM), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ankara University, Ankara 06560, Turkey
| | - Babatunde O Okesola
- Department of Eye and Vision Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L7 8TX, U.K.,School of Life Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K
| | - Cemil Can Eylem
- Analytical Chemistry Division, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06230, Turkey
| | - Engin Kocak
- Division of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Gulhane Pharmacy, Health Science University, Ankara 06018, Turkey
| | - Emirhan Nemutlu
- Analytical Chemistry Division, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06230, Turkey.,Bioanalytic and Omics Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06230, Turkey
| | - Emel Emregul
- Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Advanced Materials (INTRAM), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ankara University, Ankara 06560, Turkey
| | - Matteo D'Este
- AO Research Institute Davos, Clavadelerstrasse 8, Davos Platz 7270, Switzerland
| | - Burak Derkus
- Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Advanced Materials (INTRAM), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ankara University, Ankara 06560, Turkey.,Stem Cell Research Lab, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ankara University, Ankara 06560, Turkey
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22
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Liu K, Liu R, Wang D, Pan R, Chen HY, Jiang D. Spatial Analysis of Reactive Oxygen Species in a 3D Cell Model Using a Sensitive Nanocavity Electrode. Anal Chem 2022; 94:13287-13292. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c03444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kang Liu
- The State Key Lab of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210093, China
| | - Rujia Liu
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing100190, China
| | - Dengchao Wang
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing100190, China
| | - Rongrong Pan
- The State Key Lab of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210093, China
| | - Hong-Yuan Chen
- The State Key Lab of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210093, China
| | - Dechen Jiang
- The State Key Lab of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210093, China
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23
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Hoyle H, Stenger C, Przyborski S. Design considerations of benchtop fluid flow bioreactors for bio-engineered tissue equivalents in vitro. BIOMATERIALS AND BIOSYSTEMS 2022; 8:100063. [PMID: 36824373 PMCID: PMC9934498 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbiosy.2022.100063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the major aims of bio-engineering tissue equivalents in vitro is to create physiologically relevant culture conditions to accurately recreate the cellular microenvironment. This often includes incorporation of factors such as the extracellular matrix, co-culture of multiple cell types and three-dimensional culture techniques. These advanced techniques can recapitulate some of the properties of tissue in vivo, however fluid flow is a key aspect that is often absent. Fluid flow can be introduced into cell and tissue culture using bioreactors, which are becoming increasingly common as we seek to produce increasingly accurate tissue models. Bespoke technology is continuously being developed to tailor systems for specific applications and to allow compatibility with a range of culture techniques. For effective perfusion of a tissue culture many parameters can be controlled, ranging from impacts of the fluid flow such as increased shear stress and mass transport, to potentially unwanted side effects such as temperature fluctuations. A thorough understanding of these properties and their implications on the culture model can aid with a more accurate interpretation of results. Improved and more complete characterisation of bioreactor properties will also lead to greater accuracy when reporting culture conditions in protocols, aiding experimental reproducibility, and allowing more precise comparison of results between different systems. In this review we provide an analysis of the different factors involved in the development of benchtop flow bioreactors and their potential biological impacts across a range of applications.
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Key Words
- 3D, three-dimensional
- ABS, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
- ALI, air-liquid interface
- Bioreactors
- CFD, computational fluid dynamics
- Cell culture
- ECM, extracellular matrix
- FDM, fused deposition modelling
- Fluid flow
- PC, polycarbonate
- PET, polyethylene terephthalate
- PLA, polylactic acid
- PTFE, polytetrafluoroethylene
- SLA, stereolithography
- Tissue engineering
- UL, unstirred layer
- UV, ultraviolet light
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Affiliation(s)
- H.W. Hoyle
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - C.M.L. Stenger
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - S.A. Przyborski
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK,NETPark Incubator, Reprocell Europe Ltd., Thomas Wright Way, Sedgefield TS21 3FD, UK,Corresponding author at: Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK.
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24
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Henrique RBL, Lima RRM, Monteiro CAP, Oliveira WF, Pereira G, Cabral Filho PE, Fontes A. Advances in the study of spheroids as versatile models to evaluate biological interactions of inorganic nanoparticles. Life Sci 2022; 302:120657. [PMID: 35609631 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Spheroids are in vitro three-dimensional multicellular microstructures able to mimic the biological microenvironment, including the complexity of tumor architecture. Therefore, results closer to those expected for in vivo organisms can be reached using spheroids compared to the cell culture monolayer model. Inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) have also been playing relevant roles in the comprehension of biological processes. Moreover, they have been probed as novel diagnostic and therapeutical nanosystems. In this context, in this review, we present applications, published in the last five years, which show that spheroids can be versatile models to study and evaluate biological interactions involving inorganic NPs. Applications of spheroids associated with (i) basic studies to assess the penetration profile of nanostructures, (ii) the evaluation of NP toxicity, and (iii) NP-based therapeutical approaches are described. Fundamentals of spheroids and their formation methods are also included. We hope that this review can be a reference and guide future investigations related to this interesting three-dimensional biological model, favoring advances to Nanobiotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaella B L Henrique
- Departamento de Biofísica e Radiobiologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Rennan R M Lima
- Departamento de Biofísica e Radiobiologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Camila A P Monteiro
- Departamento de Biofísica e Radiobiologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Weslley F Oliveira
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Goreti Pereira
- Departamento de Química Fundamental, Centro de Ciências Exatas e da Natureza, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Paulo E Cabral Filho
- Departamento de Biofísica e Radiobiologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | - Adriana Fontes
- Departamento de Biofísica e Radiobiologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
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25
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Sokolova V, Ebel JF, Kollenda S, Klein K, Kruse B, Veltkamp C, Lange CM, Westendorf AM, Epple M. Uptake of Functional Ultrasmall Gold Nanoparticles in 3D Gut Cell Models. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2201167. [PMID: 35712760 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202201167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasmall gold nanoparticles (2 nm) easily penetrate the membranes of intestinal murine epithelial cells (MODE-K) and colorectal cancer cells (CT-26). They are also taken up by 3D spheroids (400 µm) of these cell types and primary gut organoids (500 µm). In contrast, dissolved dyes are not taken up by any of these cells or 3D structures. The distribution of fluorescent ultrasmall gold nanoparticles inside cells, spheroids, and gut organoids is examined by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Nanoparticles conjugated with the cytostatic drug doxorubicin and a fluorescent dye exhibit significantly greater cytotoxicity toward CT-26 tumor spheroids than equally concentrated dissolved doxorubicin, probably because they enter the interior of a spheroid much more easily than dissolved doxorubicin. Comprehensive analyses show that the cellular uptake of ultrasmall gold nanoparticles occurs by different endocytosis pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktoriya Sokolova
- Inorganic Chemistry and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CENIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstrasse 5-7, 45117, Essen, Germany
| | - Jana-Fabienne Ebel
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, Essen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kollenda
- Inorganic Chemistry and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CENIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstrasse 5-7, 45117, Essen, Germany
| | - Kai Klein
- Inorganic Chemistry and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CENIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstrasse 5-7, 45117, Essen, Germany
| | - Benedikt Kruse
- Inorganic Chemistry and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CENIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstrasse 5-7, 45117, Essen, Germany
| | - Claudia Veltkamp
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Transplantation Medicine, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, Essen, Germany
| | - Christian M Lange
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Transplantation Medicine, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, Essen, Germany
| | - Astrid M Westendorf
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, Essen, Germany
| | - Matthias Epple
- Inorganic Chemistry and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CENIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstrasse 5-7, 45117, Essen, Germany
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26
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Park S, Avera AD, Kim Y. BIOMANUFACTURING OF GLIOBLASTOMA ORGANOIDS EXHIBITING HIERARCHICAL AND SPATIALLY ORGANIZED TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT VIA TRANSDIFFERENTIATION. Biotechnol Bioeng 2022; 119:3252-3274. [DOI: 10.1002/bit.28191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Seungjo Park
- Department of Chemical and Biological EngineeringThe University of AlabamaTuscaloosaAlabama
| | - Alexandra D. Avera
- Department of Chemical and Biological EngineeringThe University of AlabamaTuscaloosaAlabama
| | - Yonghyun Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biological EngineeringThe University of AlabamaTuscaloosaAlabama
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27
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Substance GP-2250 as a New Therapeutic Agent for Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma—A 3-D In Vitro Study. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23137293. [PMID: 35806313 PMCID: PMC9267014 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23137293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare tumor entity. Although cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy have increased overall survival, its prognosis remains poor. Established chemotherapeutics include mitomycin C (MMC) and cisplatin (CP), both characterized by severe side effects. GP-2250 is a novel antineoplastic agent, currently under clinical investigation. This in vitro study aims to investigate effects of GP-2250 including combinations with CP and MMC on malignant mesothelioma. JL-1 and MSTO-211H mesothelioma cell lines were treated with increasing doses of GP-2250, CP, MMC and combination therapies of GP-2250 + CP/MMC. Microscopic effects were documented, and a flow-cytometric apoptosis/necrosis assay was performed. Synergistic and antagonistic effects were analyzed by computing the combination index by Chou-Talalay. GP-2250 showed an antiadhesive effect on JL-1 and MSTO-211H spheroids. It had a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect on both monolayer and spheroid cultured cells, inducing apoptosis and necrosis. Combination treatments of GP-2250 with MMC and CP led to significant reductions of the effective doses of CP/MMC. Synergistic and additive effects were observed. GP-2250 showed promising antineoplastic effects on malignant mesothelioma cells in vitro especially in combination with CP/MMC. This forms the basis for further in vivo and clinical investigations in order to broaden treatment options.
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28
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A new insight into a thermoplastic microfluidic device aimed at improvement of oxygenation process and avoidance of shear stress during cell culture. Biomed Microdevices 2022; 24:15. [PMID: 35277762 PMCID: PMC8917112 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-022-00615-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Keeping the oxygen concentration at the desired physiological limits is a challenging task in cellular microfluidic devices. A good knowledge of affecting parameters would be helpful to control the oxygen delivery to cells. This study aims to provide a fundamental understanding of oxygenation process within a hydrogel-based microfluidic device considering simultaneous mass transfer, medium flow, and cellular consumption. For this purpose, the role of geometrical and hydrodynamic properties was numerically investigated. The results are in good agreement with both numerical and experimental data in the literature. The obtained results reveal that increasing the microchannel height delays the oxygen depletion in the absence of media flow. We also observed that increasing the medium flow rate increases the oxygen concentration in the device; however, it leads to high maximum shear stress. A novel pulsatile medium flow injection pattern is introduced to reduce detrimental effect of the applied shear stress on the cells.
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29
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Decarli MC, de Castro MV, Nogueira JA, Nagahara MHT, Westin CB, de Oliveira ALR, Silva JVL, Moroni L, Mota C, Moraes ÂM. Development of a device useful to reproducibly produce large quantities of viable and uniform stem cell spheroids with controlled diameters. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2022; 135:112685. [DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2022.112685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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30
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Yahyazadeh Shourabi A, Salajeghe R, Barisam M, Kashaninejad N. A Proof-of-Concept Study Using Numerical Simulations of an Acoustic Spheroid-on-a-Chip Platform for Improving 3D Cell Culture. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 21:5529. [PMID: 34450968 PMCID: PMC8402086 DOI: 10.3390/s21165529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Microfluidic lab-on-chip devices are widely being developed for chemical and biological studies. One of the most commonly used types of these chips is perfusion microwells for culturing multicellular spheroids. The main challenge in such systems is the formation of substantial necrotic and quiescent zones within the cultured spheroids. Herein, we propose a novel acoustofluidic integrated platform to tackle this bottleneck problem. It will be shown numerically that such an approach is a potential candidate to be implemented to enhance cell viability and shrinks necrotic and quiescent zones without the need to increase the flow rate, leading to a significant reduction in costly reagents' consumption in conventional spheroid-on-a-chip platforms. Proof-of-concept, designing procedures and numerical simulation are discussed in detail. Additionally, the effects of acoustic and hydrodynamic parameters on the cultured cells are investigated. The results show that by increasing acoustic boundary displacement amplitude (d0), the spheroid's proliferating zone enlarges greatly. Moreover, it is shown that by implementing d0 = 0.5 nm, the required flow rate to maintain the necrotic zone below 13% will be decreased 12 times compared to non-acoustic chips.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arash Yahyazadeh Shourabi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 11155, Iran; (A.Y.S.); (R.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Roozbeh Salajeghe
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 11155, Iran; (A.Y.S.); (R.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Maryam Barisam
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 11155, Iran; (A.Y.S.); (R.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Navid Kashaninejad
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
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31
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Lim J, Choi H, Ahn J, Jeon NL. 3D High‐Content Culturing and Drug Screening Platform to Study Vascularized Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Hypoxic Condition. ADVANCED NANOBIOMED RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/anbr.202100078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jungeun Lim
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Seoul National University Seoul 08826 South Korea
| | - Hyeri Choi
- Interdisciplinary Program in Bioengineering Seoul National University Seoul 08826 South Korea
| | - Jungho Ahn
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Seoul National University Seoul 08826 South Korea
| | - Noo Li Jeon
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Seoul National University Seoul 08826 South Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Bioengineering Seoul National University Seoul 08826 South Korea
- Institute of Advanced Machinery and Design Seoul National University Seoul 08826 South Korea
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32
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Ortega C, Corredor D, Santillán M, Ger W, Noceda J, Pais-Chanfrau J, Trujillo L. Lab on a Chip: Bioreactors miniaturization for rapid optimization of biomedical processes and its impact on SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis. BIONATURA 2021. [DOI: 10.21931/rb/2021.06.03.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Lab on a Chip (LoC) as part of Microbioreactors (MBRs) constitute an emergent technology to carry out micro-bioprocesses based on microfluidics research. In this review, the usefulness of LoCs is exposed since its inception, demonstrating that it is a multidisciplinary research field, gathering different science branches to develop this technology. As a result, a beneficial point of advancement is reached, producing useful consumables for humanity. Some of the described LoCs throughout this work are also used to detect infectious diseases caused by bacteria or viruses, allowing accelerated studies on emerging or high-impact diseases, such as COVID-19. Here are also displayed with an updated panorama, different strategies to improve the use, applications in the biomedical field, and spread of these devices aimed at their availability to solve social problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- C.P. Ortega
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida y la Agricultura, Laboratorio Multidisciplinario, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas – ESPE, Sangolquí, Ecuador
| | - D.A Corredor
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida y la Agricultura, Laboratorio Multidisciplinario, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas – ESPE, Sangolquí, Ecuador
| | - M.E Santillán
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida y la Agricultura, Laboratorio Multidisciplinario, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas – ESPE, Sangolquí, Ecuador
| | - W.S Ger
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida y la Agricultura, Laboratorio Multidisciplinario, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas – ESPE, Sangolquí, Ecuador
| | - J.M Noceda
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida y la Agricultura, Laboratorio Multidisciplinario, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas – ESPE, Sangolquí, Ecuador Grupo de Investigación de Biotecnología Industrial y Bioproductos Centro de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología – CENCINAT, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, Sangolquí, Ecuador
| | - J.M Pais-Chanfrau
- Grupo de Investigación de Biotecnología Industrial y Bioproductos Centro de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología – CENCINAT, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, Sangolquí, Ecuador FICAYA, Universidad Técnica del Norte (UTN), Ibarra, Imbabura, Ecuador
| | - L.E Trujillo
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida y la Agricultura, Laboratorio Multidisciplinario, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas – ESPE, Sangolquí, Ecuador. Grupo de Investigación de Biotecnología Industrial y Bioproductos Centro de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología – CENCINAT, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, Sangolquí, Ecuador
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An integrated framework for quantifying immune-tumour interactions in a 3D co-culture model. Commun Biol 2021; 4:781. [PMID: 34168276 PMCID: PMC8225809 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02296-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Investigational in vitro models that reflect the complexity of the interaction between the immune system and tumours are limited and difficult to establish. Herein, we present a platform to study the tumour-immune interaction using a co-culture between cancer spheroids and activated immune cells. An algorithm was developed for analysis of confocal images of the co-culture to evaluate the following quantitatively; immune cell infiltration, spheroid roundness and spheroid growth. As a proof of concept, the effect of the glucocorticoid stress hormone, cortisol was tested on 66CL4 co-culture model. Results were comparable to 66CL4 syngeneic in vivo mouse model undergoing psychological stress. Furthermore, administration of glucocorticoid receptor antagonists demonstrated the use of this model to determine the effect of treatments on the immune-tumour interplay. In conclusion, we provide a method of quantifying the interaction between the immune system and cancer, which can become a screening tool in immunotherapy design.
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Paterson K, Zanivan S, Glasspool R, Coffelt SB, Zagnoni M. Microfluidic technologies for immunotherapy studies on solid tumours. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:2306-2329. [PMID: 34085677 PMCID: PMC8204114 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc01305f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy is a powerful and targeted cancer treatment that exploits the body's immune system to attack and eliminate cancerous cells. This form of therapy presents the possibility of long-term control and prevention of recurrence due to the memory capabilities of the immune system. Various immunotherapies are successful in treating haematological malignancies and have dramatically improved outcomes in melanoma. However, tackling other solid tumours is more challenging, mostly because of the immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment (TME). Current in vitro models based on traditional 2D cell monolayers and animal models, such as patient-derived xenografts, have limitations in their ability to mimic the complexity of the human TME. As a result, they have inadequate translational value and can be poorly predictive of clinical outcome. Thus, there is a need for robust in vitro preclinical tools that more faithfully recapitulate human solid tumours to test novel immunotherapies. Microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip technologies offer opportunities, especially when performing mechanistic studies, to understand the role of the TME in immunotherapy, and to expand the experimental throughput when using patient-derived tissue through its miniaturization capabilities. This review first introduces the basic concepts of immunotherapy, presents the current preclinical approaches used in immuno-oncology for solid tumours and then discusses the underlying challenges. We provide a rationale for using microfluidic-based approaches, highlighting the most recent microfluidic technologies and methodologies that have been used for studying cancer-immune cell interactions and testing the efficacy of immunotherapies in solid tumours. Ultimately, we discuss achievements and limitations of the technology, commenting on potential directions for incorporating microfluidic technologies in future immunotherapy studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Paterson
- Centre for Microsystems and Photonics, EEE Department, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
| | - S Zanivan
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK and Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - R Glasspool
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK and Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow, UK
| | - S B Coffelt
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK and Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - M Zagnoni
- Centre for Microsystems and Photonics, EEE Department, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
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Badea MA, Balas M, Dinischiotu A. Biological properties and development of hypoxia in a breast cancer 3D model generated by hanging drop technique. Cell Biochem Biophys 2021; 80:63-73. [PMID: 33904026 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-021-00982-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Hanging drop represents a simple approach designed for the generation of 3D models that have potential to be used for the study of solid tumors characteristics. The aim of the study was to develop and characterize the breast cancer 3D cellular models obtained through hanging drop technique using MDA-MB-231 cells. The biological characteristics such as: morphology, cellular viability, proliferation capacity and hypoxia, were monitored for a six-day time period. The morphological evaluation indicated that the 3D models presented the aspect of compact (seeding density of 2500 and 5000 cells/drop) and loose (seeding density of 8000 cells/drop) aggregates, with a decrease in diameter and an increase of their circularity. The cellular viability and proliferation capacity decreased in time and the level of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) increased in a time-dependent manner, suggesting the presence of necrotic cells that were dispersed in the cellular aggregates. The occurrence of hypoxia process was suggested by the up-regulation of Hsp70 protein expression and increased level of nitric oxide (NO). Moreover, the up-regulation of HIF-1α and poli-ubiquitinated Nrf2 protein expressions and decreased level of reduced glutathione (GSH) indicated the presence of an acute hypoxic environment in MDA-MB-231 3D aggregates. In conclusion, the MDA-MB-231 3D models generated through hanging drop are compact and loose aggregates characterized by an acute hypoxic condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madalina Andreea Badea
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91-95 Splaiul Independentei, Bucharest, R-050095, Romania
| | - Mihaela Balas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91-95 Splaiul Independentei, Bucharest, R-050095, Romania.
| | - Anca Dinischiotu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91-95 Splaiul Independentei, Bucharest, R-050095, Romania
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Decarli MC, do Amaral RLF, Dos Santos DP, Tofani LB, Katayama E, Rezende RA, Silva JVLD, Swiech K, Suazo CAT, Mota C, Moroni L, Moraes ÂM. Cell spheroids as a versatile research platform: formation mechanisms, high throughput production, characterization and applications. Biofabrication 2021; 13. [PMID: 33592595 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/abe6f2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Three-dimensional cell culture has tremendous advantages to closely mimic the in vivo architecture and microenvironment of healthy tissue and organs, as well as of solid tumors. Spheroids are currently the most attractive 3D model to produce uniform reproducible cell structures as well as a potential basis for engineering large tissues and complex organs. In this review we discuss, from an engineering perspective, processes to obtain uniform 3D cell spheroids, comparing dynamic and static cultures and considering aspects such as mass transfer and shear stress. In addition, computational and mathematical modelling of complex cell spheroid systems are discussed. The non-cell-adhesive hydrogel-based method and dynamic cell culture in bioreactors are focused in detail and the myriad of developed spheroid characterization techniques is presented. The main bottlenecks and weaknesses are discussed, especially regarding the analysis of morphological parameters, cell quantification and viability, gene expression profiles, metabolic behavior and high-content analysis. Finally, a vast set of applications of spheroids as tools for in vitro study model systems is examined, including drug screening, tissue formation, pathologies development, tissue engineering and biofabrication, 3D bioprinting and microfluidics, together with their use in high-throughput platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monize Caiado Decarli
- School of Chemical Engineering/Department of Engineering of Materials and of Bioprocesses, University of Campinas, Av. Albert Einstein, 500 - Bloco A - Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Campinas, SP, 13083-852, BRAZIL
| | - Robson Luis Ferraz do Amaral
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto/Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Avenida do Café, no number, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14040-903, BRAZIL
| | - Diogo Peres Dos Santos
- Departament of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luiz (SP-310), km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, BRAZIL
| | - Larissa Bueno Tofani
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto/Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Avenida do Café, no number, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14040-903, BRAZIL
| | - Eric Katayama
- Departament of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luiz (SP-310), km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, BRAZIL
| | - Rodrigo Alvarenga Rezende
- Centro de Tecnologia da Informacao Renato Archer, Rod. Dom Pedro I (SP-65), km 143,6 - Amarais, Campinas, SP, 13069-901, BRAZIL
| | - Jorge Vicente Lopes da Silva
- Centro de Tecnologia da Informacao Renato Archer, Rod. Dom Pedro I (SP-65), km 143,6 - Amarais, Campinas, SP, 13069-901, BRAZIL
| | - Kamilla Swiech
- University of Sao Paulo, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto/Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ribeirao Preto, SP, 14040-903, BRAZIL
| | - Cláudio Alberto Torres Suazo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luiz (SP-310), km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, BRAZIL
| | - Carlos Mota
- Department of Complex Tissue Regeneration (CTR), University of Maastricht , Universiteitssingel, 40, office 3.541A, Maastricht, 6229 ER, NETHERLANDS
| | - Lorenzo Moroni
- Complex Tissue Regeneration, Maastricht University, Universiteitsingel, 40, Maastricht, 6229ER, NETHERLANDS
| | - Ângela Maria Moraes
- School of Chemical Engineering/Department of Engineering of Materials and of Bioprocesses, University of Campinas, Av. Albert Einstein, 500 - Bloco A - Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Campinas, SP, 13083-852, BRAZIL
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Schmitz C, Potekhina E, Belousov VV, Lavrentieva A. Hypoxia Onset in Mesenchymal Stem Cell Spheroids: Monitoring With Hypoxia Reporter Cells. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:611837. [PMID: 33614611 PMCID: PMC7892969 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.611837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The therapeutic and differentiation potential of human mesenchymal stems cells (hMSCs) makes these cells a promising candidate for cellular therapies and tissue engineering. On the path of a successful medical application of hMSC, the cultivation of cells in a three-dimensional (3D) environment was a landmark for the transition from simple two-dimensional (2D) testing platforms to complex systems that mimic physiological in vivo conditions and can improve hMSC curative potential as well as survival after implantation. A 3D arrangement of cells can be mediated by scaffold materials where cells get entrapped in pores, or by the fabrication of spheroids, scaffold-free self-organized cell aggregates that express their own extracellular matrix. Independently from the cultivation method, cells expanded in 3D experience an inhomogeneous microenvironment. Many gradients in nutrient supply, oxygen supply, and waste disposal from one hand mimic in vivo microenvironment, but also put every cell in the 3D construct in a different context. Since oxygen concentration in spheroids is compromised in a size-dependent manner, it is crucial to have a closer insight on the thresholds of hypoxic response in such systems. In this work, we want to improve our understanding of oxygen availability and consequensing hypoxia onset in hMSC spheroids. Therefore, we utilized human adipose tissue-derived MSCs (hAD-MSCs) modified with a genetical sensor construct to reveal (I) the influence of spheroid production methods and (II) hMSCs cell number per spheroid to detect the onset of hypoxia in aggregates. We could demonstrate that not only higher cell numbers of MSCs, but also spheroid formation method plays a critical role in onset of hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Schmitz
- Institute of Technical Chemistry, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University Hannover, Hanover, Germany
| | - Ekaterina Potekhina
- Department of Metabolism and Redox Biology, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vsevolod V Belousov
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia.,Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies, Federal Biomedical Agency, Moscow, Russia
| | - Antonina Lavrentieva
- Institute of Technical Chemistry, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University Hannover, Hanover, Germany
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Arora D, Bhunia BK, Janani G, Mandal BB. Bioactive three-dimensional silk composite in vitro tumoroid model for high throughput screening of anticancer drugs. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 589:438-452. [PMID: 33485251 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Modeling three-dimensional (3D) in vitro culture systems recapitulating spatiotemporal characteristics of native tumor-mass has shown tremendous potential as a pre-clinical tool for drug screening. However, their applications in clinical settings are still limited due to inappropriate recapitulation of tumor topography, culture instability, and poor durability of niche support. EXPERIMENTS Here, we have fabricated a bio-active silk composite scaffold assimilating tunable silk from Bombyx mori and - arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) rich silk from Antheraea assama to provide a better 3D-matrix for breast (MCF 7) and liver (HepG2) tumoroids. Cellular mechanisms underlying physiological adaptations in 3D constructs and subsequent drug responses were compared with conventional monolayer and multicellular spheroid culture. FINDINGS Silk composite matrix assists prolonged growth and high metabolic activity (Cytochrome P450 reductase) in breast and liver 3D-tumoroids. Enhanced stemness expression (Cell surface adhesion receptor; CD44, Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1) and epithelial-mesenchymal-transition markers (E-cadherin, Vimentin) at transcript and protein levels demonstrate that bio-active matrix-assisted 3D environment augmenting metastatic potential in tumoroids. Together, enhanced secretion of Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ), anchorage-independency, and colony-forming potential of cells in the 3D-tumoroids further corroborates the aggressive behavior of cells. Moreover, the multilayered 3D-tumoroids exhibit decreased sensitivity to some known anticancer drugs (Doxorubicin and Paclitaxel). In conclusion, the bio-active silk composite matrix offers an advantage in developing robust and sustainable 3D tumoroids for a high-throughput drug screening platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepika Arora
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Bibhas K Bhunia
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - G Janani
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Biman B Mandal
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India; Centre for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India.
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Advanced 3D Cell Culture Techniques in Micro-Bioreactors, Part II: Systems and Applications. Processes (Basel) 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/pr9010021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In this second part of our systematic review on the research area of 3D cell culture in micro-bioreactors we give a detailed description of the published work with regard to the existing micro-bioreactor types and their applications, and highlight important results gathered with the respective systems. As an interesting detail, we found that micro-bioreactors have already been used in SARS-CoV research prior to the SARS-CoV2 pandemic. As our literature research revealed a variety of 3D cell culture configurations in the examined bioreactor systems, we defined in review part one “complexity levels” by means of the corresponding 3D cell culture techniques applied in the systems. The definition of the complexity is thereby based on the knowledge that the spatial distribution of cell-extracellular matrix interactions and the spatial distribution of homologous and heterologous cell–cell contacts play an important role in modulating cell functions. Because at least one of these parameters can be assigned to the 3D cell culture techniques discussed in the present review, we structured the studies according to the complexity levels applied in the MBR systems.
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Kim SJ, Kim EM, Yamamoto M, Park H, Shin H. Engineering Multi-Cellular Spheroids for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. Adv Healthc Mater 2020; 9:e2000608. [PMID: 32734719 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202000608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Multi-cellular spheroids are formed as a 3D structure with dense cell-cell/cell-extracellular matrix interactions, and thus, have been widely utilized as implantable therapeutics and various ex vivo tissue models in tissue engineering. In principle, spheroid culture methods maximize cell-cell cohesion and induce spontaneous cellular assembly while minimizing cellular interactions with substrates by using physical forces such as gravitational or centrifugal forces, protein-repellant biomaterials, and micro-structured surfaces. In addition, biofunctional materials including magnetic nanoparticles, polymer microspheres, and nanofiber particles are combined with cells to harvest composite spheroids, to accelerate spheroid formation, to increase the mechanical properties and viability of spheroids, and to direct differentiation of stem cells into desirable cell types. Biocompatible hydrogels are developed to produce microgels for the fabrication of size-controlled spheroids with high efficiency. Recently, spheroids have been further engineered to fabricate structurally and functionally reliable in vitro artificial 3D tissues of the desired shape with enhanced specific biological functions. This paper reviews the overall characteristics of spheroids and general/advanced spheroid culture techniques. Significant roles of functional biomaterials in advanced spheroid engineering with emphasis on the use of spheroids in the reconstruction of artificial 3D tissue for tissue engineering are also thoroughly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se-Jeong Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimri-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
- BK21 Plus Future Biopharmaceutical Human Resources Training and Research Team, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimri-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Mi Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimri-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
- BK21 Plus Future Biopharmaceutical Human Resources Training and Research Team, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimri-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Masaya Yamamoto
- Department of Materials Processing, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-02 Aramaki-aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan
- Biomedical Engineering for Diagnosis and Treatment, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-02 Aramaki-aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan
| | - Hansoo Park
- School of Integrative Engineering, College of Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Heungsoo Shin
- Department of Bioengineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimri-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
- BK21 Plus Future Biopharmaceutical Human Resources Training and Research Team, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimri-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Nano Science & Technology (INST), Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimri-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
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Paek SC, Min SK, Park JB. Effects of platelet-derived growth factor-BB on cellular morphology and cellular viability of stem cell spheroids composed of bone-marrow-derived stem cells. Biomed Rep 2020; 13:59. [PMID: 33123373 PMCID: PMC7583700 DOI: 10.3892/br.2020.1366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) is a potent mitogenic, angiogenic and chemoattractant, and is one of the most abundant growth factors in platelet-derived products. The goal of the present study was to examine the effects of PDGF-BB on cellular morphology and cellular viability using 3D stem cell cultures. On day 1, spheroids formed well in silicon-elastomer-based concave microwells. The addition of 10 or 100 ng/ml PDGF-BB did not affect the morphology of the cell spheroids. During longer periods of incubation, the cell spheroids maintained their shape without noticeable alterations. The majority of cells in the spheroids exhibited green fluorescence when analyzed using a live/dead assay, indicative of live cells. On day 1, the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay values for PDGF-BB at 0, 10 and 100 ng/ml were 0.241±0.003, 0.227±0.001 and 0.241±0.004, respectively; on day 3, the CCK-8 assay values for PDGF-BB were 0.233±0.005, 0.278±0.001 and 0.194±0.003, respectively; and on day 7, they were 0.248±0.014, 0.293±0.031 and 0.346±0.034, respectively. The 100 ng/ml group showed significantly higher values compared with the control group on day 7. Together, the results of the present study showed that the addition of 10 and 100 ng/ml PDGF-BB increased cellular viability, suggesting that PDGF-BB may be usable in cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soung-Chu Paek
- Department of Dental Implantology, Graduate School of Clinical Dental Science, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Sae Kyung Min
- Department of Periodontics, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun-Beom Park
- Department of Dental Implantology, Graduate School of Clinical Dental Science, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea.,Department of Periodontics, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
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Essaouiba A, Okitsu T, Jellali R, Shinohara M, Danoy M, Tauran Y, Legallais C, Sakai Y, Leclerc E. Microwell-based pancreas-on-chip model enhances genes expression and functionality of rat islets of Langerhans. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2020; 514:110892. [PMID: 32531418 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.110892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Organ-on-chip technology is a promising tool for investigating physiological in vitro responses in drug screening development, and in advanced disease models. Within this framework, we investigated the behavior of rat islets of Langerhans in an organ-on-chip model. The islets were trapped by sedimentation in a biochip with a microstructure based on microwells, and perfused for 5 days of culture. The live/dead assay confirmed the high viability of the islets in the biochip cultures. The microfluidic culture leads to upregulation of mRNA levels of important pancreatic islet genes: Ins1, App, Insr, Gcgr, Reg3a and Neurod. Furthermore, insulin and glucagon secretion were higher in the biochips compared to the Petri conditions after 5 days of culture. We also confirmed glucose-induced insulin secretion in biochips via high and low glucose stimulations leading to high/low insulin secretion. The high responsiveness of the pancreatic islets to glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) stimulation in the biochips was reflected by the upregulation of mRNA levels of Gcgr, Reg3a, Neurog3, Ins1, Ins2, Stt and Glp-1r and by increased insulin secretion. The results obtained highlighted the functionality of the islets in the biochips and illustrated the potential of our pancreas-on-chip model for future pancreatic disease modeling and anti-diabetic drugs screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amal Essaouiba
- Université de technologie de Compiègne, CNRS, Biomechanics and Bioengineering, Centre de recherche Royallieu, CS 60319, 60203, Compiègne Cedex, France; CNRS UMI 2820, Laboratory for Integrated Micro Mechatronic Systems, Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8505, Japan
| | - Teru Okitsu
- Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8505, Japan
| | - Rachid Jellali
- Université de technologie de Compiègne, CNRS, Biomechanics and Bioengineering, Centre de recherche Royallieu, CS 60319, 60203, Compiègne Cedex, France.
| | - Marie Shinohara
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Mathieu Danoy
- CNRS UMI 2820, Laboratory for Integrated Micro Mechatronic Systems, Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8505, Japan
| | - Yannick Tauran
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Laboratoire des Multimatériaux et Interfaces, UMR CNRS 5615, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Cécile Legallais
- Université de technologie de Compiègne, CNRS, Biomechanics and Bioengineering, Centre de recherche Royallieu, CS 60319, 60203, Compiègne Cedex, France
| | - Yasuyuki Sakai
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Eric Leclerc
- Université de technologie de Compiègne, CNRS, Biomechanics and Bioengineering, Centre de recherche Royallieu, CS 60319, 60203, Compiègne Cedex, France; CNRS UMI 2820, Laboratory for Integrated Micro Mechatronic Systems, Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8505, Japan.
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RhoA and Rac1 in Liver Cancer Cells: Induction of Overexpression Using Mechanical Stimulation. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11080729. [PMID: 32731493 PMCID: PMC7463892 DOI: 10.3390/mi11080729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Liver cancer, especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is an aggressive disease with an extremely high mortality rate. Unfortunately, no promising markers are currently available for the early diagnosis of this disease. Thus, a reliable biomarker reflecting the early behaviour of the tumour will be valuable for diagnosis and treatment. The Ras homologous (Rho) GTPases, which belong to the small guanosine triphosphate (GTP) binding proteins, have been reported to play an important role in mediating liver cancer based on their important function in cytoskeletal reorganisation. These proteins can be either oncogenic or tumour suppressors. They are also associated with the acquirement of malignant features by cancer cells. The overexpression of RhoA and Rac1, members of the Rho GTPases, have been linked with carcinogenesis and the progression of different types of cancer. In the quest of elucidating the role of mechanical stimulation in the mechanobiology of liver cancer cells, this paper evaluates the effect of stretching on the expression levels of RhoA and Rac1 in different types of liver cancers. It is shown that that stretching liver cancer cells significantly increases the expression levels of RhoA and Rac1 in HCC and cholangiocarcinoma cell lines. We hypothesise that this relatively simple and sensitive method could be helpful for screening biological features and provide suitable treatment guidance for liver cancer patients.
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Yaghoobi M, Saidi MS, Ghadami S, Kashaninejad N. An Interface-Particle Interaction Approach for Evaluation of the Co-Encapsulation Efficiency of Cells in a Flow-Focusing Droplet Generator. SENSORS 2020; 20:s20133774. [PMID: 32635674 PMCID: PMC7374427 DOI: 10.3390/s20133774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Droplet-based microfluidics offers significant advantages, such as high throughput and scalability, making platforms based on this technology ideal candidates for point-of-care (POC) testing and clinical diagnosis. However, the efficiency of co-encapsulation in droplets is suboptimal, limiting the applicability of such platforms for the biosensing applications. The homogeneity of the bioanalytes in the droplets is an unsolved problem. While there is extensive literature on the experimental setups and active methods used to increase the efficiency of such platforms, passive techniques have received less attention, and their fundamentals have not been fully explored. Here, we develop a novel passive technique for investigating cell encapsulation using the finite element method (FEM). The level set method was used to track the interfaces of forming droplets. The effects of walls and the droplet interfaces on relatively large cells were calculated to track them more accurately during encapsulation. The static surface tension force was used to account for the effects of the interfaces on cells. The results revealed that the pairing efficiency is highly sensitive to the standard deviation (SD) of the distance between the cells in the entrance channel. The pairing efficiency prediction error of our model differed by less than 5% from previous experiments. The proposed model can be used to evaluate the performance of droplet-based microfluidic devices to ensure higher precision for co-encapsulation of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Yaghoobi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Azadi St., Tehran 11155, Iran;
| | - Mohammad Said Saidi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Azadi St., Tehran 11155, Iran;
- Correspondence: (M.S.S.); (N.K.)
| | - Sepehr Ghadami
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, N2L 3G, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada;
| | - Navid Kashaninejad
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Brisbane QLD 4111, Australia
- Correspondence: (M.S.S.); (N.K.)
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Engineering Micropatterned Surfaces for Controlling the Evaporation Process of Sessile Droplets. TECHNOLOGIES 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/technologies8020029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Controlling the evaporation process of a droplet is of the utmost importance for a number of technologies. Also, along with the advances of microfabrication, micropatterned surfaces have emerged as an important technology platform to tune the wettability and other surface properties of various fundamental and applied applications. Among the geometrical parameters of these micropatterns, it is of great interest to investigate whether the arrangement of the patterns would affect the evaporation process of a sessile liquid droplet. To address this question, we fabricated four microhole arrays with different arrangements, quantified by the parameter of “eccentricity”. The results suggested that, compared to smooth substrates, the evaporation mode was not only affected by engineering the microhole arrays, but also by the eccentricity of these micropatterns. The values of contact angle hysteresis (CAH) were used to quantify and test this hypothesis. The CAH could partially explain the different evaporation modes observed on the microhole arrays with zero and non-zero values of eccentricity. That is, on microhole arrays with zero eccentricity, CAH of water droplets was comparatively low (less than 20 ° ). Consistently, during the evaporation, around 60% of the life span of the droplet was in the mixed evaporation mode. Increasing the eccentricity of the microhole arrays increases the values of CAH to above 20 ° . Unlike the increasing trend of CAH, the evaporation modes of sessile droplets on the microhole array with non-zero values of eccentricity were almost similar. Over 75% of the life span of droplets on these surfaces was in constant contact line (CCL) mode. Our findings play a significant role in any technology platform containing micropatterned surfaces, where controlling the evaporation mode is desirable.
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Leedale J, Colley HE, Gaskell H, Williams DP, Bearon RN, Chadwick AE, Murdoch C, Webb SD. In silico-guided optimisation of oxygen gradients in hepatic spheroids. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.comtox.2019.100093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Three-Dimensional Modeling of Avascular Tumor Growth in Both Static and Dynamic Culture Platforms. MICROMACHINES 2019; 10:mi10090580. [PMID: 31480431 PMCID: PMC6780963 DOI: 10.3390/mi10090580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic cell culture platforms are ideal candidates for modeling the native tumor microenvironment because they can precisely reconstruct in vivo cellular behavior. Moreover, mathematical modeling of tumor growth can pave the way toward description and prediction of growth pattern as well as improving cancer treatment. In this study, a modified mathematical model based on concentration distribution is applied to tumor growth in both conventional static culture and dynamic microfluidic cell culture systems. Apoptosis and necrosis mechanisms are considered as the main inhibitory factors in the model, while tumor growth rate and nutrient consumption rate are modified in both quiescent and proliferative zones. We show that such modification can better predict the experimental results of tumor growth reported in the literature. Using numerical simulations, the effects of the concentrations of the nutrients as well as the initial tumor radius on the tumor growth are investigated and discussed. Furthermore, tumor growth is simulated by taking into account the dynamic perfusion into the proposed model. Subsequently, tumor growth kinetics in a three-dimensional (3D) microfluidic device containing a U-shaped barrier is numerically studied. For this case, the effect of the flow rate of culture medium on tumor growth is investigated as well. Finally, to evaluate the impact of the trap geometry on the tumor growth, a comparison is made between the tumor growth kinetics in two frequently used traps in microfluidic cell culture systems, i.e., the U-shaped barrier and microwell structures. The proposed model can provide insight into better predicting the growth and development of avascular tumor in both static and dynamic cell culture platforms.
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