Evaluating natural killer cell cytotoxicity against solid tumors using a microfluidic model

Immunotherapies against solid tumors face additional challenges compared with hematological cancers. In solid tumors, immune cells and antibodies need to extravasate from vasculature, find the tumor, and migrate through a dense mass of cells. These multiple steps pose significant obstacles for solid tumor immunotherapy and their study has remained difficult using classic in vitro models based on Petri dishes. In this work, a microfluidic model has been developed to study natural killer cell response. The model includes a 3D breast cancer spheroid in a 3D extracellular matrix, and two flanking lumens lined with endothelial cells, replicating key structures and components during the immune response. Natural Killer cells and antibodies targeting the tumor cells were either embedded in the matrix or perfused through the lateral blood vessels. Antibodies that were perfused through the lateral lumens extravasated out of the blood vessels and rapidly diffused through the matrix. However, tumor cell-cell junctions hindered antibody penetration within the spheroid. On the other hand, natural killer cells were able to detect the presence of the tumor spheroid several hundreds of microns away and penetrate the spheroid faster than the antibodies. Once inside the spheroid, natural killer cells were able to destroy tumor cells at the spheroid periphery and, importantly, also at the innermost layers. Finally, the combination of antibody-cytokine conjugates and natural killer cells led to an enhanced cytotoxicity located mostly at the spheroid periphery. Overall, these results demonstrate the utility of the model for informing immunotherapy of solid tumors.