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The Revolutionary Roads to Study Cell-Cell Interactions in 3D In Vitro Pancreatic Cancer Models
Donatella Delle Cave1, Riccardo Rizzo2, Bruno Sainz3,4
1Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "A. Buzzati-Traverso", National Research Council (CNR-IGB), Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy.
Abstract:
Pancreatic cancer, the fourth most common cancer worldwide, shows a highly unsuccessful therapeutic response. In the last 10 years, neither important advancements nor new therapeutic strategies have significantly impacted patient survival, highlighting the need to pursue new avenues for drug development discovery and design. Advanced cellular models, resembling as much as possible the original in vivo tumor environment, may be more successful in predicting the efficacy of future anti-cancer candidates in clinical trials. In this review, we discuss novel bioengineered platforms for anticancer drug discovery in pancreatic cancer, from traditional two-dimensional models to innovative three-dimensional ones.
Insights
New bioengineered platforms offer hope for pancreatic cancer drug discovery. These advanced models better mimic the tumor environment, improving the prediction of anti-cancer drug efficacy in clinical trials.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biotechnology
- Drug Discovery
Background:
- Pancreatic cancer is a leading cause of cancer death with poor therapeutic outcomes.
- Limited progress in treatment over the past decade necessitates novel drug development strategies.
- Current preclinical models often fail to accurately predict clinical efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review novel bioengineered platforms for anticancer drug discovery in pancreatic cancer.
- To highlight the transition from traditional 2D to advanced 3D models.
- To emphasize the importance of in vivo-like models for predicting therapeutic response.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on bioengineered platforms for pancreatic cancer research.
- Discussion of traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture models.
- Exploration of innovative three-dimensional (3D) cell culture and organoid models.
- Analysis of how these models mimic the tumor microenvironment.
Main Results:
- Bioengineered platforms, particularly 3D models, show promise in recapitulating the pancreatic tumor microenvironment.
- These advanced models offer improved prediction of drug efficacy compared to traditional 2D cultures.
- The development of sophisticated platforms is crucial for advancing pancreatic cancer drug discovery.
Conclusions:
- Advanced bioengineered models are essential for more effective pancreatic cancer drug discovery.
- Transitioning to 3D and other in vivo-mimicking systems is critical for future therapeutic development.
- Novel platforms can accelerate the identification of promising anti-cancer candidates for clinical trials.
