A Novel Scaffold-Based Hybrid Multicellular Model for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma-Toward a Better Mimicry of the <i>in vivo</i> Tumor Microenvironment



Gupta, Priyanka, Perez-Mancera, Pedro A, Kocher, Hemant, Nisbet, Andrew, Schettino, Giuseppe and Velliou, Eirini G
(2020) A Novel Scaffold-Based Hybrid Multicellular Model for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma-Toward a Better Mimicry of the <i>in vivo</i> Tumor Microenvironment. FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, 8. 290-.

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Abstract

With a very low survival rate, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a deadly disease. This has been primarily attributed to (i) its late diagnosis and (ii) its high resistance to current treatment methods. The latter specifically requires the development of robust, realistic <i>in vitro</i> models of PDAC, capable of accurately mimicking the <i>in vivo</i> tumor niche. Advancements in the field of tissue engineering (TE) have helped the development of such models for PDAC. Herein, we report for the first time a novel hybrid, polyurethane (PU) scaffold-based, long-term, multicellular (tri-culture) model of pancreatic cancer involving cancer cells, endothelial cells, and stellate cells. Recognizing the importance of ECM proteins for optimal growth of different cell types, the model consists of two different zones/compartments: an inner tumor compartment consisting of cancer cells [fibronectin (FN)-coated] and a surrounding stromal compartment consisting of stellate and endothelial cells [collagen I (COL)-coated]. Our developed novel hybrid, tri-culture model supports the proliferation of all different cell types for 35 days (5 weeks), which is the longest reported timeframe <i>in vitro</i>. Furthermore, the hybrid model showed extensive COL production by the cells, mimicking desmoplasia, one of PDAC's hallmark features. Fibril alignment of the stellate cells was observed, which attested to their activated state. All three cell types expressed various cell-specific markers within the scaffolds, throughout the culture period and showed cellular migration between the two zones of the hybrid scaffold. Our novel model has great potential as a low-cost tool for <i>in vitro</i> studies of PDAC, as well as for treatment screening.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: pancreatic cancer, multicellular tumor model, 3D model, endothelial cells, pancreatic stellate cells, scaffold-assisted tumor model, polyurethane scaffold
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 11 Sep 2020 07:27
Last Modified: 10 Feb 2024 03:11
DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00290
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3100664