High-throughput organo-on-pillar (high-TOP) array system for three-dimensional ex vivo drug testing

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Cancer Research
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• Organoid culture is crucial for ex vivo drug testing in precision cancer therapy.
• Basement membrane components are vital for organoid structure and drug sensitivity tests.
• Current 3D culture drug screening methods face challenges in scalability and standardization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an automated, high-throughput platform for standardized 3D organoid drug screening.
• To overcome limitations of existing matrix-encapsulated tumor cell screening platforms.
• To enable ex vivo drug test-guided clinical response prediction for precision cancer therapy.

Main Methods:

• Manufactured an automated organospotter-integrated high-throughput organo-on-pillar (high-TOP) drug-screening platform.
• System is compatible with various extracellular matrices (BM extract, Matrigel, collagen, hydrogel).
• Platform allows for high-content analyses and easy exchange of bottom plates.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated robustness, consistency, and reproducibility in 3D drug sensitivity analyses using ovarian cancer cell lines.
• Showcased biological relevancy of the high-TOP platform.
• Provided proof-of-concept for clinical feasibility linking ex vivo tests to patient chemo-response.

Conclusions:

• The high-TOP platform offers an automated and standardized approach for ex vivo drug sensitivity testing.
• This technology can guide the selection of effective chemotherapy regimens for cancer patients.
• Facilitates precision cancer therapy through reliable drug response prediction.