Recapitulating Tumor Microenvironment Using AXTEX-4DTM for Accelerating Cancer Research and Drug Screening.

OBJECTIVE: The formation of three-dimensional spheroid tumor model using the scaffold-based platforms has been demonstrated over many years now. 3D tumor models are generated mainly in non-scalable culture systems, using synthetic and biological scaffolds. Many of these models fail to reflect the complex tumor microenvironment and do not allow long-term monitoring of tumor progression. This has resulted in inconsistent data in drug testing assays during preclinical and clinical studies. METHODS: To overcome these limitations, we have developed 3D tissueoids model by using novel AXTEX-4D platform. RESULTS: Cancer 3D tissueoids demonstrated the basic features of 3D cell culture with rapid attachment, proliferation, and longevity with contiguous cytoskeleton and hypoxic core. This study also demonstrated greater drug resistance in 3D-MCF-7 tissueoids in comparison to 2D monolayer cell culture. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, 3D-tissueoids are more responsive than 2D-cultured cells in simulating important tumor characteristics, anti-apoptotic features, and their resulting drug resistance.

Novel Variant Identified in the Enhancer Region of Host Transcription Factor, BRN3A, is a Significant Risk Factor for HPV-Induced Uterine Cervix Cancer.

Among the HPV-mediated cervical cancers, cellular factor BRN3A has gained considerable attention due to its role in promoting an anti-apoptotic cellular environment and in facilitating epitheliotropic transformations of the host. The majority of previous studies looked at BRN3A's molecular characteristics; however, the possibility of genetic variations in BRN3A's auto-regulatory region in relation to cervical cancer risk has been underestimated until now. In a retrospective study in the Eastern UP population, India, we detected genetic variations in the cis-regulatory proximal enhancer region located around 5.6 kb upstream of transcription start site of BRN3A. Our analysis of PCR and DNA sequencing confirmed this novel SNP (BRN3A g.60163379A>G) within the auto-regulatory region of BRN3A. As compared to control subjects, cancer cases exhibited a 1.32-fold higher allele frequency (χ2 = 6.315, p = 0.012). In homozygous (GG) but not in heterozygous conditions, odds ratio (OR) analysis suggests a significant association of cancer risk with the SNP (OR = 2.60, p ≤ 0.004). We further confirmed using the functional analysis that this SNP increased the luciferase gene activity in HPV-positive cervical cancer SiHa cells that were exposed to progesterone. As a result of the association of polymorphisms in a non-coding region of an oncogene with increased cancer risks, we are suggesting that this genetic variation in non-coding region can be used in prediction, diagnosis, or predicting the progression of the disease.

A spontaneous metastasis model reveals the significance of claudin-9 overexpression in lung cancer metastasis.

Metastasis causes most cancer related mortality but the mechanisms governing metastatic dissemination are poorly defined. Metastasis involves egression of cancer cells from the primary tumors, their survival in circulation and colonization at the secondary sites. Cancer cell egression from the primary tumor is the least defined process of metastasis as experimental metastasis models directly seed cancer cells in circulation, thus bypassing this crucial step. Here, we developed a spontaneous metastasis model that retains the egression step of metastasis. By repeated in vivo passaging of the poorly metastatic Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL) cells, we generated a cell line (p-3LL) that readily metastasizes to lungs and liver from subcutaneous (s.c.) tumors. Interestingly, when injected intravenously, 3LL and p-3LL cells showed a similar frequency of metastasis. This suggests enhanced egression of p-3LL cells may underlie the enhanced metastatic spread from primary tumors. Microarray analysis of 3LL and p-3LL cells as well as the primary tumors derived from these cells revealed altered expression of several genes including significant upregulation of a tight junction protein, claudin-9. Increased expression of claudin-9 was confirmed in both p-3LL cells and tumors derived from these cells. Knockdown of claudin-9 expression in p-3LL cells by si-RNA significantly reduced their motility, invasiveness in vitro and metastasis in vivo. Conversely, transient overexpression of claudin-9 in 3LL cells enhanced their motility. These results suggest an essential role for claudin-9 in promoting lung cancer metastasis.

Molecular analysis of oncogenicity of the transcription factor, BRN3A, in cervical cancer cells.

OBJECTIVE: The host cellular transcription factor, BRN3A, has been observed to play a vital role in cancer of the uterine cervix. BRN3A possesses multipartite functions, which include transcription of the genes of the high-risk HPVs and mediation of cellular changes in the host. In this study, we made an effort to decipher the regulation of BRN3A in cervical cancer cells by studying its interaction with different components of the cell. METHODS: In cervical cancer cells, the endogenous HIPK2 was induced through cisplatin treatment, and then, its subsequent effect on BRN3A was primarily investigated through co-immunostaining and western blotting as HIPK2 has been observed to act as a co-repressor of Brn3a. The physical interaction of the two proteins was analyzed through co-immunoprecipitation. We resorted to chromatin immunoprecipitation in order to testify the autoregulatory pathway of BRN3A in cervical cancer cells. Interaction of BRN3A with cellular components, p73 and active form of JNK, was also studied through co-immunostaining. RESULTS: We observed that BRN3A is independent of the regulative activity of HIPK2 and undergoes positive autoregulation in cervical cancer cells. Interestingly, during the study, it was revealed that BRN3A is unaffected by the treatment of cisplatin. Interaction of BRN3A with p73 and phosphorylated JNK in cervical cancer cells, observed in the present study, would help in understanding the molecular mechanism directed by BRN3A. CONCLUSIONS: BRN3A possesses anti-apoptotic property, and considering the above results, it may be regarded as the key component in promoting tumorigenic growth in the uterine cervical cells.