Carboplatin response in preclinical models for ovarian cancer: comparison of 2D monolayers, spheroids, ex vivo tumors and in vivo models.
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ABSTRACT: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most lethal gynecological cancer. Among the key challenges in developing effective therapeutics is the poor translation of preclinical models used in the drug discovery pipeline. This leaves drug attrition rates and costs at an unacceptably high level. Previous work has highlighted the discrepancies in therapeutic response between current in vitro and in vivo models. To address this, we conducted a comparison study to differentiate the carboplatin chemotherapy response across four different model systems including 2D monolayers, 3D spheroids, 3D ex vivo tumors and mouse xenograft models. We used six previously characterized EOC cell lines of varying chemosensitivity and performed viability assays for each model. In vivo results from the mouse model correlated with 2D response in 3/6 cell lines while they correlated with 3D spheroids and the ex vivo model in 4/6 and 5/5 cell lines, respectively. Our results emphasize the variability in therapeutic response across models and demonstrate that the carboplatin response in EOC cell lines cultured in a 3D ex vivo model correlates best with the in vivo response. These results highlight a more feasible, reliable, and cost-effective preclinical model with the highest translational potential for drug screening and prediction studies in EOC.
Project description:Ascites or solid tumour samples from patients with ovarian cancer were collected and grown in culture as ex vivo models of purified tumour cells. RNA-seq was performed on these models to establish gene expression profiles, which allow identification of genes that are differentially expressed between patients with differing tumour intrinsic properties. These samples have been interrogated for the presence of a gene expression signature indicative of sensitivity to an inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG). These samples are processed in the same manner as previous studies: “E-MTAB-7223 - RNA-seq of human ex vivo ovarian cancer models with matched stromal cells” and “E-MTAB-10801 - RNA-seq of human ex vivo ovarian cancer models with matched stromal cells - part II” with no stromal counterparts included in this current sequencing batch.
Project description:High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma is characterised by TP53 mutation and extensive chromosome instability (CIN). Because our understanding of CIN mechanisms is based largely on analysing established cell lines, we developed a workflow for generating ex vivo cultures from patient biopsies to provide models that support interrogation of CIN mechanisms in cells not extensively cultured in vitro. Here, we describe a "living biobank" of ovarian cancer models with extensive replicative capacity, derived from both ascites and solid biopsies. Fifteen models are characterised by p53 profiling, exome sequencing and transcriptomics, and karyotyped using single-cell whole-genome sequencing. Time-lapse microscopy reveals catastrophic and highly heterogeneous mitoses, suggesting that analysis of established cell lines probably underestimates mitotic dysfunction in advanced human cancers. Drug profiling reveals cisplatin sensitivities consistent with patient responses, demonstrating that this workflow has potential to generate personalized avatars with advantages over current pre-clinical models and the potential to guide clinical decision making.
Project description:ObjectiveThe value of cell lines for pre-clinical work lies in choosing those with similar characteristics. Selection of cell lines is typically based on patient history, histological subtype at diagnosis, mutation patterns, or signaling pathways. Although recent studies established consensus regarding molecular characteristics of ovarian cancer cell lines, data on in vivo tumorigenicity remains only sporadically available, impeding translation of in vitro work to xenograft models.MethodsWe introduced 18 ovarian cancer cell lines into athymic nude mice through subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, and ovary intrabursal routes, and observed tumor development over 6weeks. We also profiled cell line gene expression and identified differentially expressed gene sets based on their ability to form tumors in the subcutaneous or intraperitoneal locations. Representative cell lines were further subjected to proteomic analyses.ResultsOvarian cancer cell lines showed variable ability to grow in mice when implanted subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, or intrabursal. While some cell lines grew well in both SC and IP locations, others showed a strong propensity to grow in one location only. Gene expression profiles suggested that cell lines showing preference for IP growth had gene expression patterns more similar to primary tumors.ConclusionsWe report the tumorigenicity of 17 human ovarian cancer cell lines and one mouse cell line in three distinct anatomical locations, and associated gene networks. Growth patterns and histopathology, linked to molecular characteristics, provide a valuable resource to the research community, and better guide the choice of cell lines for in vitro studies to translate efficiently into xenograft testing.
Project description:Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is the most aggressive thyroid cancer. Despite advances in tissue culture techniques, a robust model for ATC spheroid culture is yet to be developed. In this study, we created an efficient and cost-effective 3D tumor spheroids culture system from human ATC cells and existing cell lines that better mimic patient tumors and that can enhance our understanding of in vivo treatment response. We found that patient-derived ATC cells and cell lines can readily form spheroids in culture with a unique morphology, size, and cytoskeletal organization. We observed both cohesive (dense and solid structures) and discohesive (irregularly shaped structures) spheroids within the same culture condition across different cell lines. BRAFWT ATC spheroids grew in a cohesive pattern, while BRAFV600E-mutant ATC spheroids had a discohesive organization. In the patient-derived BRAFV600E-mutant ATC spheroids, we observed both growth patterns, but mostly the discohesive type. Histologically, ATC spheroids had a similar morphology to the patient's tumor through H&E staining and proliferation marker staining. Moreover, RNA sequencing analysis revealed that the gene expression profile of tumor cells derived from the spheroids closely matched parental patient tumor-derived cells in comparison to monolayer cultures. In addition, treatment response to combined BRAF and MEK inhibition in BRAFV600E-mutant ATC spheroids exhibited a similar sensitivity to the patient clinical response. Our study provides a robust and novel ex vivo spheroid model system that can be used in both established ATC cell lines and patient-derived tumor samples to better understand the biology of ATC and to test therapeutics.
Project description:The current objectives are to develop a 3D spheroid model that will allow us to better emulate placental invasion in vitro and to characterize the transcriptomic and functional outcomes.
Project description:The success rate of establishing human cancer cell lines is not satisfactory and the established cell lines often do not preserve the molecular and histological features of the original tissues. In this study, we developed a novel culture method which can support proliferation of almost all primary epithelial ovarian cancer cells, as well as primary normal human oviductal epithelial cells. Cancer cells from fresh or frozen specimens were enriched by the anti-EpCAM antibody-conjugated magnetic beads, plated on Matrigel-coated plate and cultivated under the optimized culture conditions. Seventeen newly established ovarian cancer cell lines, which included all four major histotypes of ovarian cancer, were confirmed to express histotype-specific markers in vitro. Some of the cell lines from all the four histotypes, except mucinous type, generated tumors in immune-deficient mice and the xenograft tumor tissues recapitulated the corresponding original tissues faithfully. Furthermore, with poorly tumorigenic cell lines including mucinous type, we developed a novel xenograft model which could reconstruct the original tissue architecture through forced expression of a set of oncogenes followed by its silencing. With combination of the novel culture method and cell-derived xenograft system, virtually every epithelial ovarian cancer can be reconstituted in mice in a timely fashion.
Project description:Ascites or solid tumour from patients with ovarian cancer was collected and grown in culture as ex vivo models. Each sample has a mixture of tumour and stromal cells which were separated into individual cultures. Therefore each patient has tumour and stromal cultures originating from the same tissue collection. RNA-seq was performed on these matched models to establish gene expression profiles which allow the assessment of the separation protocol and establish genes that are differentially expressed for use in future validation processes.
Project description:Ascites or solid tumour from patients with ovarian cancer was collected and grown in culture as ex vivo models. Each sample has a mixture of tumour and stromal cells which were separated into individual cultures. Therefore each patient has tumour and stromal cultures originating from the same tissue collection. Variant calling (exome-seq) analysis was performed on these matched models to establish tumour specific mutations. Stromal cells were used to rule out germline mutations.
Project description:Sprouting angiogenesis is the common response of live tissues to physiological and pathological angiogenic stimuli. Its accurate evaluation is of utmost importance for basic research and practical medicine and pharmacology and requires adequate experimental models. A variety of assays for angiogenesis were developed, none of them perfect. In vitro approaches are generally less physiologically relevant due to the omission of essential components regulating the process. However, only in vitro models can be entirely non-xenogeneic. The limitations of the in vitro angiogenesis assays can be partially overcome using 3D models mimicking tissue O2 and nutrient gradients, the influence of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and enabling cell-cell interactions. Here we present a review of the existing models of sprouting angiogenesis that are based on the use of endothelial cells (ECs) co-cultured with perivascular or other stromal cells. This approach provides an excellent in vitro platform for further decoding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of sprouting angiogenesis under conditions close to the in vivo conditions, as well as for preclinical drug testing and preclinical research in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.