Microfluidic device models cancer cells and their environment
Microfluidic device models cancer cells and their environment lead image
How cancer cells interact with neighboring normal cells and tissues has a significant impact on the development and progression of disease. Biochemical and biomechanical factors — for instance, growth factors secreted by surrounding stromal cells and signal pathways induced by cell-cell interactions — have been linked to tumorigenesis and metastasis in previous studies. However, the exact mechanisms by which these factors affect the tumor remain poorly understood.
To better understand the complexity of cancer progression, researchers from Binghamton University have developed a three-dimensional culture microfluidic device that realistically models the interplay between tumor and normal endothelial cells. They report on their work in Biomicrofluidics.
The study focused on a cell behavior called endothelial to mesenchymal transformation (EndMT). The EndMT process generates cancer associated fibroblasts, a type of cell that promotes tumor growth and migration
The microfluidic device contained a hydrogel to mimic the extracellular matrix with normal endothelial cells grown on top. The researchers then performed a series of experiments to investigate how the surrounding microenvironment affects EndMT.
With breast cancer cell spheroids embedded within the extracellular matrix, the researchers saw high rates of EndMT and interaction between tumor and endothelial cells. They saw increased rates of cancer cell migration and proliferation when compared to a low-EndMT control conditions and saw more pathological cancer cell behavior in static conditions when compared with fluidic, highlighting the benefits of using microfluidic devices for modeling the cancer stromal environment.
In future work, the device could be used to assess how drugs might work against a particular type of cancer or to develop more effective treatment methodologies.
Source: “The role of shear stress and altered tissue properties on endothelial to mesenchymal transformation and tumor-endothelial cell interaction,” by Sara G. Mina, Pong-Yu (Peter) Huang, Bruce T. Murray, and Gretchen J. Mahler, Biomicrofluidics (2017). The article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4991738 .
