Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 10, 2025
Generation of Prostate Cancer Cell Models of Resistance to the Anti-mitotic Agent Docetaxel
Published on: September 8, 2017
Measurement of the Drug Sensitivity of Single Prostate Cancer Cells
Fikri Abali1, Narges Baghi1, Lisanne Mout2
1Medical Cell Biophysics Group, MIRA Institute, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
The treatment of cancer faces a serious challenge as cancer cells within patients are heterogeneous and frequently resistant to therapeutic drugs. Here, we introduce a technology enabling the assessment of single cancer cells exposed to different drugs. PCa cells were individually sorted in self-seeding microwells, cultured for 24 h, and then exposed to several drugs to induce (R1881) or inhibit (Enzalutamide/Abiraterone) the secretion of a protein (PSA). Cell viability and PSA secretion of each individual prostate cell were monitored over a 3-day period. The PSA protein secreted by each cell was captured on a PVDF membrane through a pore in the bottom of each well. The basal PSA secretion was found to be 6.1 ± 4.5 and 3.7 ± 1.9 pg/cell/day for LNCaP and VCaP, respectively. After exposure to R1881, the PSA secretion increased by ~90% on average and was not altered for ~10% of the cells. PSA production decreased in the majority of cells after exposure to enzalutamide and abiraterone.
Insights
This study presents a new technology to test how individual cancer cells respond to different drugs. It monitors prostate cancer cell viability and protein secretion, revealing drug-specific cellular responses for better treatment strategies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biotechnology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Cancer cell heterogeneity and drug resistance pose significant treatment challenges.
- Assessing individual cancer cell responses to therapeutics is crucial for personalized medicine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and validate a novel technology for evaluating single prostate cancer cell responses to various drugs.
- To monitor cell viability and specific protein secretion (PSA) at the single-cell level.
Main Methods:
- Single prostate cancer (PCa) cells were sorted into self-seeding microwells.
- Cells were cultured and exposed to drugs like R1881 (to induce PSA secretion) and Enzalutamide/Abiraterone (to inhibit PSA secretion).
- Cell viability and Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) secretion were monitored over 3 days using a PVDF membrane capture system.
Main Results:
- Basal PSA secretion rates were established for LNCaP and VCaP cell lines (6.1 ± 4.5 and 3.7 ± 1.9 pg/cell/day, respectively).
- Exposure to R1881 increased PSA secretion by approximately 90% in most cells, with a subset showing no change.
- Enzalutamide and Abiraterone treatment led to decreased PSA production in the majority of prostate cancer cells.
Conclusions:
- The developed technology enables precise assessment of single cancer cell drug responses.
- This platform can differentiate heterogeneous cellular responses to cancer therapeutics.
- Findings provide insights into drug efficacy and resistance mechanisms in prostate cancer treatment.
