Bioprinted Multicomponent Hydrogel Co-culture Tumor-Immune Model for Assessing and Simulating Tumor-Infiltrated Lymphocyte Migration and Functional Activation.

The immune response against a tumor is characterized by the interplay among components of the immune system and neoplastic cells. Here, we bioprinted a model with two distinct regions containing gastric cancer patient-derived organoids (PDOs) and tumor-infiltrated lymphocytes (TILs). The initial cellular distribution allows for the longitudinal study of TIL migratory patterns concurrently with multiplexed cytokine analysis. The chemical properties of the bioink were designed to present physical barriers that immune T-cells must breech during infiltration and migration toward a tumor with the use of an alginate, gelatin, and basal membrane mix. TIL activity, degranulation, and regulation of proteolytic activity reveal insights into the time-dependent biochemical dynamics. Regulation of the sFas and sFas-ligand present on PDOs and TILs, respectively, and the perforin and granzyme longitudinal secretion confirms TIL activation when encountering PDO formations. TIL migratory profiles were used to create a deterministic reaction-advection diffusion model. The simulation provides insights that decouple passive from active cell migration mechanisms. The mechanisms used by TILs and other adoptive cell therapeutics as they infiltrate the tumor barrier are poorly understood. This study presents a pre-screening strategy for immune cells where motility and activation across ECM environments are crucial indicators of cellular fitness.

Constructing 3D In Vitro Models of Heterocellular Solid Tumors and Stromal Tissues Using Extrusion-Based Bioprinting.

Malignant tumor tissues exhibit inter- and intratumoral heterogeneities, aberrant development, dynamic stromal composition, diverse tissue phenotypes, and cell populations growing within localized mechanical stresses in hypoxic conditions. Experimental tumor models employing engineered systems that isolate and study these complex variables using in vitro techniques are under development as complementary methods to preclinical in vivo models. Here, advances in extrusion bioprinting as an enabling technology to recreate the three-dimensional tumor milieu and its complex heterogeneous characteristics are reviewed. Extrusion bioprinting allows for the deposition of multiple materials, or selected cell types and concentrations, into models based upon physiological features of the tumor. This affords the creation of complex samples with representative extracellular or stromal compositions that replicate the biology of patient tissue. Biomaterial engineering of printable materials that replicate specific features of the tumor microenvironment offer experimental reproducibility, throughput, and physiological relevance compared to animal models. In this review, we describe the potential of extrusion-based bioprinting to recreate the tumor microenvironment within in vitro models.

Soluble factors in malignant ascites promote the metastatic adhesion of gastric adenocarcinoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Adenocarcinoma of the proximal stomach is the fastest rising malignancy in North America. It is commonly associated with peritoneal accumulation of malignant ascites (MA), a fluid containing cancer and inflammatory cells and soluble proteins. Peritoneal metastasis (PM) is the most common site of gastric cancer (GC) progression after curative-intent surgery and is the leading cause of death among GC patients. METHODS/RESULTS: Using a panel of gastric adenocarcinoma cell lines (human: MKN 45, SNU-5; murine: NCC-S1M), we demonstrate that prior incubation of GC cells with MA results in a significant (> 1.7-fold) increase in the number of cells capable of adhering to human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMC) (p < 0.05). We then corroborate these findings using an ex vivo PM model and show that MA also significantly enhances the ability of GC cells to adhere to strips of human peritoneum (p < 0.05). Using a multiplex ELISA, we identify MIF and VEGF as consistently elevated across MA samples from GC patients (p < 0.05). We demonstrate that agents that block the effects of MIF or VEGF abrogate the ability of MA to stimulate the adhesion of GC cells to adhere to human peritoneum and promote both ex vivo and in vivo metastases. CONCLUSION: Agents targeting MIF or VEGF may be relevant to the treatment or prevention of PM in GC patients.

Inhibition of LPS-mediated TLR4 activation abrogates gastric adenocarcinoma-associated peritoneal metastasis.

Surgical resection, the cornerstone of curative intent treatment for gastric adenocarcinoma, is associated with a high rate of infection-related post-operative complications, leading to an increased incidence of metastasis to the peritoneum. However, the mechanisms underlying this process are poorly understood. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an antigen from Gram-negative bacteria, represents a potential mechanism via induction of local and systemic inflammation through activation of Toll-like receptor (TLR). Here, we use both a novel ex vivo model of peritoneal metastasis and in vivo animal models to assess gastric cancer cell adhesion to peritoneum both before and after inhibition of the TLR4 pathway. We demonstrate that activation of TLR4 by either LPS or Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli) significantly increases the adherence of gastric cancer cells to human peritoneal mesothelial cells, and that this increased adherence is abrogated by inhibition of the TLR4 signal cascade and downstream TAK1 and MEK1/2 pathways. We also demonstrate that the influence of LPS on adherence extends to peritoneal tissue and metastatic spread. Furthermore, we show that loss of TLR4 at the site of metastasis reduces tumor cell adhesion, implicating the TLR4 signaling cascade in potentiating metastatic adhesion and peritoneal spread. These results identify potential therapeutic targets for the clinical management of patients undergoing resection for gastric cancer.

Low-Dose Hsp90 Inhibitor Selectively Radiosensitizes HNSCC and Pancreatic Xenografts.

PURPOSE: Treatment approaches using Hsp90 inhibitors at their maximum tolerated doses (MTDs) have not produced selective tumor toxicity. Inhibition of Hsp90 activity causes degradation of client proteins including those involved in recognizing and repairing DNA lesions. We hypothesized that if DNA repair proteins were degraded by concentrations of an Hsp90 inhibitor below those required to cause nonspecific cytotoxicity, significant tumor-selective radiosensitization might be achieved. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Tandem mass tagged-mass spectrometry was performed to determine the effect of a subcytotoxic concentration of the Hsp90 inhibitor, AT13387 (onalespib), on global protein abundance. The effect of AT13387 on in vitro radiosensitization was assessed using a clonogenic assay. Pharmacokinetics profiling was performed in mice bearing xenografts. Finally, the effect of low-dose AT13387 on the radiosensitization of three tumor models was assessed. RESULTS: A subcytotoxic concentration of AT13387 reduced levels of DNA repair proteins, without affecting the majority of Hsp90 clients. The pharmacokinetics study using one-third of the MTD showed 40-fold higher levels of AT13387 in tumors compared with plasma. This low dose enhanced Hsp70 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), which is a biomarker of Hsp90 inhibition. Low dose monotherapy was ineffective, but when combined with radiotherapy, produced significant tumor growth inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that a significant therapeutic ratio can be achieved by a low dose of Hsp90 inhibitor in combination with radiotherapy. Hsp90 inhibition, even at a low dose, can be monitored by measuring Hsp70 expression in PBMCs in human studies.

Induction of Autophagic Cell Death in Apoptosis-resistant Pancreatic Cancer Cells using Benzo[α]phenoxazines Derivatives, 10-methyl-benzo[α]phenoxazine-5-one and benzo[α]phenoxazine-5-one.

BACKGROUND: Intrinsic resistance to apoptotic cell death due to co-occurrence of mutated KRAS and p53 is frequently reported in pancreatic cancer that renders them aggressive, highly proliferative and metastatic. In addition, these cancer types are less sensitive to apoptosis inducing drugs where promotion of autophagic cell death could be a viable option for treatment under such circumstances. OBJECTIVE: In this study we examined the potential of three intrinsically fluorescent benzo[α]phenoxazines or BPZs (R=Cl, CH3, H) to induce cytotoxic autophagy in chemo and apoptosis-resistant, KRAS and p53 mutated pancreatic cancer model cell line, MIAPaCa-2. METHODS: Cells were adapted at in vitro metabolically stressed condition (5% serum) to initiate intrinsic cell survival strategies within. Cell proliferation, colonogenicity, cellular uptake, retention, localization, cellular granularity and presence of both apoptosis and autophagy biomarkers were assessed in BPZ treated/untreated (solvent) cells to validate induction of concentration dependent cytotoxic autophagy and other consequences. RESULTS: For the first time, we report the ability of this class of compounds to accumulate within cells increasing its granularity, inducing death via autophagy. From different kinetics study, it was observed that the autophagic-cell death was dependent on the ligand type, duration of incubation or working concentrations. CONCLUSION: Among the three BPZ tested, both 3B (benzo[α]phenoxazine-5-one) and 2B (10-methyl-benzo[α] phenoxazine-5-one) induced pro-death autophagy in MIAPaCa-2 cells at an IC50 of 5 µM and 20 µM respectively. Such compounds would be of great interest to explore as novel cytotoxic autophagy inducing agents in apoptosisresistant cancer types.

Data on sulforaphane treatment mediated suppression of autoreactive, inflammatory M1 macrophages.

Any chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease (e.g. arthritis) associated pathogenesis directs uncontrolled accumulation of both soluble forms of collagens in the synovial fluids and M1 macrophages around inflamed tissues. Despite of few studies demonstrating efficiency of Sulforaphane (SFN) in suppressing arthritis associated collagen restricted T cells or fibroblasts, its effects on macrophage polarity and plasticity are less understood. Recently, we reported regulation of phenotypic and functional switching by SFN in induced and spontaneously differentiating human monocytes [1]. Here, flow cytometry, western blot and ELISA derived data demonstrated that SFN inhibited in vitro inflammatory responses developed by soluble human collagens (I-IV) induced auto-reactive M1 type monocyte/macrophage model.

Sulforaphane regulates phenotypic and functional switching of both induced and spontaneously differentiating human monocytes.

At the site of inflammation, switching default on polarization of monocyte differentiation into classically activated macrophages (M1 type) is one of the pathogenic outcomes in several inflammatory autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. In rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, a soluble collagen known as self-antigen is considered as a biomarker and acts as an important inflammatory mediator. In the present study, we investigated the effects of sulforaphane (SFN) on phenotypic changes and functional switching during in vitro induced and spontaneous differentiation of monocytes/macrophages, whose conditions were established with THP1 induced by PMA, and human peripheral blood monocytes, respectively. SFN at non-cytotoxic concentration (10µM) blocked soluble collagen induced inflammatory responses specific to M1 macrophages, COX-2, iNOS, surface CD14, CD197 expressions and production of IL12p70, suggesting that signals induced by SFN eventually shifted macrophage polarization to a direction specific to M2 macrophages (CD36high CD197extremely low). Results obtained with the induction of inflammatory conditions specific to M1 macrophages followed by SFN treatment showed that MAPKs were involved in the M1 to M2 phenotype switching. This immune-modulatory nature of SFN provides a clear indication for its ability to alleviate chronic inflammatory diseases by targeting monocytes/macrophages.

Hormetic Potential of Sulforaphane (SFN) in Switching Cells' Fate Towards Survival or Death.

Epidemiological evidences establish sulforaphane (SFN), a hormetic dietary isothiocyanate to be a promising chemopreventive, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agent. Beyond a concentration threshold SFN exerts pro-death activities (cell cycle arrest, epigenetic modifications and apoptosis) and below the threshold it either promotes prosurvival autophagy or remains latent. There is a significant lacuna in understanding the underpinning dynamic molecular networks that alternate the pharmacological responses with respect to the intracellular concentration and exposure time that renders SFN to be a characteristic hormetic molecule (display characteristic biphasic dose response curve). Unraveling this multi-targeted SFN triggered molecular interplay between apoptosis and pro-survival autophagy may have great therapeutic implications. From the available literature, here we present a review that illustrates the existence of a hormetic window and briefly discussed its role in the spectrum of activity of SFN in different pathological conditions (cancer and immune-mediated diseases). Further, we hypothesize a hormetic signaling event on how SFN triggers mutually exclusive molecular pathways such as cell survival or death signals depending on its pathophysiological environment, exposure time and in vitro working concentrations. By better understanding these altered events and underpinning mechanisms in different combinations such as concentrations and time a proper therapeutic can be designed.