Abstract
Nanotopography modulates cell characteristics and cell behavior. Nanotopological cues can be exploited to investigate the in-vivo modulation of cell characteristics by the cellular microenvironment. However, the studies explaining the modulation of tumor cell characteristics and identifying the transition step in cancer progressiveness are scarce. Here, we engineered nanochips comprising of Tantalum oxide nanodot arrays of 10, 50, 100 and 200 nm as artificial microenvironments to study the modulation of cancer cell behavior. Clinical samples of different types of Ovarian cancer at different stages were obtained, primary cultures were established and then seeded on different nanochips. Immunofluorescence (IF) was performed to compare the morphologies and cell characteristics. Indices corresponding to cell characteristics were defined. A statistical comparison of the cell characteristics in response to the nanochips was performed. The cells displayed differential growth parameters. Morphology, Viability, focal adhesions, microfilament bundles and cell area were modulated by the nanochips which can be used as a measure to study the cancer progressiveness. The ease of fabrication of nanochips ensures mass-production. The ability of the nanochips to act as artificial microenvironments and modulate cell behavior may lead to further prospects in the markerless monitoring of the progressiveness and ultimately, improving the prognosis of Ovarian cancer.
Highlights
Even though a plethora of studies have been done to study the regulation of normal cell behavior by nano-materials[1,5,23], none of the studies have aimed to address the challenge of monitoring the Ovarian cancer progressiveness by studying the control of cell characteristics in response to nanotopography
The present study is based on the hypothesis that Tantalum Oxide nanodot arrays of different sizes can act as artificial microenvironments to the Ovarian cancer cells, modulate the cellular characteristics and serve as a factor to induce a transition in cell characteristics to study the invasiveness of the cancer sample
Nanochips, comprising of Tantalum oxide Nanodot arrays, which served as artificial microenvironments for this study were fabricated by anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) processing on the aluminum-tantalum-coated wafer (Fig. 1a)
Summary
Based on the findings of our previous studies, it may be possible to utilize nanotopographies engineered from Tantalum oxide as a way to study the cancer progressiveness[23] It is, an immediate need for the scientific community to devise a platform which can be used to study and monitor the Ovarian cancer invasiveness as a measure of modulation of cell behavior and characteristics by nanomaterials. The present study is based on the hypothesis that Tantalum Oxide nanodot arrays of different sizes can act as artificial microenvironments to the Ovarian cancer cells, modulate the cellular characteristics and serve as a factor to induce a transition in cell characteristics to study the invasiveness of the cancer sample. These nanochips can be unified to serve as an ideal platform for studying cancer progression and improving Ovarian cancer prognosis
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