Cultured tumor model inspection for anticancer drugs using acoustic impedance microscope

Abstract

High-frequency ultrasonic microscope is useful to observe intracellular structure of cultured living cells. We have observed the dynamical change of intracellular actin filaments in several cells, and reported the difference of stabilities between cancer cells and ordinary cells. The dynamics of actin filaments are deeply related to cancer cell viability. In this study, we applied this acoustic microscopy to antitumor drug screening. One of the cultured brain cancer models was established with both normal glial cells and C6 glioma cells. Normal glial cells were labeled by endogenous fluorescent protein to be identified. Both cells were co-cultured on a 75 micrometer-thick polystyrene substrate. Acoustic pulse wave with 320 MHz was focused on the interface between the cell and the substrate, and sent through the substrate. Either classical anticancer drug, cytochalasin B, or novel clinical anticancer drug, temozolomide, was applied to the cultured cancer model, and observed their intracellular acoustic cha...