Cultivation Of Cancer Cells Research Articles

Apoptotic effect of 5-fluorouracil-doxorubicin combination on colorectal cancer cell monolayers and spheroids.

Drug combination studies help to improve new treatment approaches for colon cancer. Tumor spheroids (3D) are better models than traditional 2-dimensional cultures (2D) to evaluate cellular responses to chemotherapy drugs. The cultivation of cancer cells in 2D and 3D cultures affects the apoptotic process, which is a major factor influencing the response of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. In this study, the antiproliferative effects of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and doxorubicin (DOX) were investigated separately and in combination using 2D and 3D cell culture models on two different colon cancer cell lines, HT-29 (apoptosis-resistant cells) and Caco-2 2 (apoptosis-susceptible cells). The effect of the drugs on the proliferation of both colon cancer cells was determined by performing an MTT assay in 2D culture. The apoptotic effect of 5-FU and DOX, both as single agents and in combination, was assessed in 2D and 3D cultures through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. The expression of apoptotic genes, such as caspases, p53, Bax, and Bcl-2, was quantified. It was found that the mRNA expression of proapoptotic genes was significantly upregulated, whereas the mRNA expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 gene was significantly downregulated in both colon cancer models treated with 5-FU, DOX, and 5-FU + DOX. The results indicated that the 5-FU + DOX combination therapy induces apoptosis and renders 5-FU and DOX more effective at lower concentrations compared to their alone use. This study reveals promising results in reducing the potential side effects of treatment by enabling the use of lower drug doses.

Cultivation of cancer cells in malignant pleural effusion and their use in a vascular endothelial growth factor study

Cultivation of cancer cells in malignant pleural effusion and their use in a vascular endothelial growth factor study

Abstract TMEM-038: THE CULTIVATION AND PARTITIONING OF INVASIVE OVARIAN CANCER CELLS AFTER THEIR ISOLATION FROM WHOLE BLOOD

Abstract Ovarian cancer patients suffer from high rates of recurrence and mortality. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can serve as a minimally invasive tool to improve the clinical management of such cancer patients. Hence there is growing interest in the isolation, characterization and in vitro culture of CTCs. To this end, the porous membrane cell separators developed by MetaCell s.r.o. provide a simple solution. Ovarian cancer cell line models OVCAR3 and SKOV3 were studied by gene expression profiling and immunostaining for the expression of EPCAM, EGFR, HER2, MET and certain other novel therapeutic targets. Cultivation of the cancer cells after their spike recovery from either cell culture medium or from whole blood was explored using MetaCellTM separators. The cells growing on the separator membranes housed in multi-well culture plates was conveniently visualized with vital cell stains. The SKOV3 cells, but not the OVCAR3 cells, were found to migrate through the membrane pores and populate the well bottoms of the culture plates. This can be attributed to the more plastic and invasive nature of SKOV3 cells as characterized by high Vimentin and low EPCAM expression levels. This is akin to the profile exhibited by highly invasive cancer cells that have undergone epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and that are implicated in the metastatic spread of cancer in patients. Furthermore, the invasive cells growing on the culture plate well bottoms were found to still stain positively for the therapeutic targets of interest. This cultivation device thus offers the ability to selectively interrogate the more invasive sub-populations within the highly heterogeneous CTCs that are typically seen in cancer patients. After the isolation and cultivation of CTCs, if the partitioned invasive cells remain addressable for the therapeutic target under consideration, the patients are more likely to respond to that therapy for the arrest of metastatic disease. In this context, the MetaCellTM separators have the potential to serve as very effective adjunctive aids for the selection and monitoring of ovarian cancer patients for treatment with targeted therapies. Citation Format: Uday K. Veeramallu, M.S. THE CULTIVATION AND PARTITIONING OF INVASIVE OVARIAN CANCER CELLS AFTER THEIR ISOLATION FROM WHOLE BLOOD [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 11th Biennial Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium; Sep 12-13, 2016; Seattle, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2017;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr TMEM-038.

Enhancement of SOX-2 expression and ROS accumulation by culture of A172 glioblastoma cells under non-adherent culture conditions

More efficient isolation and identification of cancer stem cells (CSCs) would help in determining their fundamental roles in tumor biology. The classical tool for this purpose is anchorage-independent tumorsphere culture. We compared the effects of differently textured culture plates and serum deprivation on the acquisition of CSC properties of A172 glioblastoma cells. Cells were cultured on standard polystyrene-treated plates, ultra-low attachment, poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-coated plates, and 1% agar-coated plates with 10% serum or in serum-free glioblastoma sphere medium (GBM). Based on mitochondrial reductase activity and subG1 proportions, non-adherent conditions had a greater impact on A172 cell viability than serum deprivation. Among the stemness-related genes, SOX-2 expression was significantly upregulated by serum deprivation under non-adherent conditions, while several epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related genes were less dependent on serum. In addition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in A172 cells was significantly increased in GBM under non-adherent conditions. Despite the correlation between SOX-2 induction and ROS accumulation, treatment with the ROS scavenger N-acetyl-l-cysteine did not prevent SOX-2 expression, suggesting that ROS accumulation is not an essential requirement for induction of SOX-2. Our results suggested that cultivation of cancer cells under conditions of serum deprivation in an anchorage-independent manner may enrich SOX-2-expressing CSC-like cells in vitro.

Chronic Treatment with Resveratrol Induces Redox Stress- and Ataxia Telangiectasia-mutated (ATM)-dependent Senescence in p53-positive Cancer Cells

The induction of senescence, an irreversible growth arrest, in cancer cells is regarded as a mean to halt tumor progression. The phytoalexin resveratrol (RV) is known to possess a variety of cancer-preventive, -therapeutic, and -chemosensitizing properties. We report here that chronic treatment with RV in a subapoptotic concentration induces senescence-like growth arrest in tumor cells. In contrast to the widely accepted antioxidant property of RV, we demonstrate that one causative stimulus for senescence induction by chronic RV is an increased level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The ROS formed upon RV exposure include hydrogen peroxide and superoxide and originate largely from mitochondria. Consistently, co-incubation with the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine interfered with RV-mediated reactivation of the senescence program. Molecular mediators on the way from increased ROS levels to the observed growth arrest include p38 MAPK, p53, and p21. Moreover, we provide evidence that RV-initiated replication stress, apparent by activation of the ataxia telangiectasia-mutated kinase pathway, is associated with increased ROS levels and senescence induction. This is the first report linking cell cycle effects with a pro-oxidant and pro-senescent effect of RV in cancer cells.

RECENT ADVANCES IN CANCER RESEARCH*

EXPERIMENTAL cancer research is less than fifty years old, even younger than bacteriology ; a few of those who began it are still active. It started when the rewards of the close observational study of human cancer had become small. Then for the first time medical scientists paid attention to the fact that animals have tumours too-a fact known for some while. With the demonstration that these growths are true neoplasms (new growths) and the transfer of some of them from host to host, things got under way. At first hopes ran high that the cause of cancer would soon be found ; but then it became clear that the animal tumours maintained by transplantation carried the secret along with them. Nothing could be procured from the tumour cells which would cause other growths, and anything killing them, in even the most subtle way, brought the neoplastic process to an end. Furthermore, the transplanted tumours called forth no resistance of practical significance. The cultivation of cancer cells in vitro, though occupying many workers, contributed no deep-going enlightenment, and until 1915, when tumours were purposely induced by means of tar, workers were unable to get at the conditions determining the occurrence of neoplasms. Until then observations on the 'precancerous states' of man had been the sole reliance of the investigator, since the spontaneous growths of animals had progressed too far when first encountered to be informing. Now at last the conditions leading to cancer could be got at experimentally.