Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026
Cytotoxic Efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy in Osteosarcoma Cells In Vitro
Published on: March 18, 2014
Stromal interactions as regulators of tumor growth and therapeutic response: A potential target for photodynamic
1Department of Physics, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts 02125, USA.
Abstract:
It has become increasingly widely recognized that the stroma plays several vital roles in tumor growth and development and that tumor-stroma interactions can in many cases account poor therapeutic response. Inspired by an emerging body of literature, we consider the potential role of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for targeting interactions with stromal fibroblasts and mechano-sensitive signaling with the extracellular matrix as a means to drive tumors toward a more therapeutically responsive state and synergize with other treatments. This concept is particularly relevant for cancer of the pancreas, which is characterized by tumors with a profoundly dense, rigid fibrous stroma. Here we introduce new in vitro systems to model interactions between pancreatic tumors and their mechanical microenvironment and restore signaling with stromal fibroblasts. Using one such model as a test bed it is shown here that PDT treatment is able to destroy fibroblasts in an in vitro 3D pancreatic tumor-fibroblast co-culture. These results and the literature suggest the further development of PDT as a potential modality for stromal depletion.
Insights
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) shows promise for targeting pancreatic cancer stroma. PDT effectively destroyed cancer-associated fibroblasts in a 3D model, suggesting potential for stromal depletion therapies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Photochemistry
Background:
- Tumor stroma significantly influences cancer progression and therapeutic resistance.
- Tumor-stroma interactions, particularly mechano-sensitive signaling, are critical in cancer development.
- Pancreatic cancer is characterized by a dense, fibrous stroma, often leading to poor treatment outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a strategy to target stromal fibroblasts and extracellular matrix interactions.
- To investigate PDT's potential to enhance therapeutic responsiveness in pancreatic cancer models.
- To develop and utilize in vitro systems modeling pancreatic tumor-mechanical microenvironment interactions.
Main Methods:
- Development of novel in vitro systems to model pancreatic tumor and stromal fibroblast interactions.
- Utilizing a 3D pancreatic tumor-fibroblast co-culture model to simulate the tumor microenvironment.
- Applying photodynamic therapy (PDT) to the co-culture model to assess its effect on fibroblasts.
Main Results:
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT) demonstrated efficacy in eliminating fibroblasts within a 3D pancreatic tumor-fibroblast co-culture.
- The study successfully modeled interactions between pancreatic tumors and their mechanical microenvironment.
- PDT treatment showed a direct impact on stromal components in the in vitro system.
Conclusions:
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT) shows potential as a modality for stromal depletion in pancreatic cancer.
- Targeting tumor-stroma interactions with PDT may sensitize tumors to other therapies.
- Further research into PDT for pancreatic cancer stromal modulation is warranted.
Related Concept Videos
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
01:27Tumor Immunotherapy
02:17The Tumor Microenvironment