Device for Axon - Cancer cell Interaction Testing in 2D & 3D: DACIT.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Oncology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Peripheral innervation significantly impacts tumor progression and metastasis.
• Existing in vitro models face technical challenges in studying cancer cell-axon interactions.
• A need exists for advanced tools to investigate these complex biological relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel microfluidic device for studying axon-cancer cell interactions.
• To enable controlled in vitro analysis of tumor growth and metastasis influenced by peripheral nerves.
• To provide a versatile platform for various cancer cell biology assays.

Main Methods:

• Development of the microfluidic Device for Axon-Cancer cell Interaction Testing in 2D and 3D (DACIT).
• Separation of neuronal cell bodies from axons and cancer cells into distinct compartments.
• Utilizing PC-12 cell lines and primary embryonic/adult sensory neurons for neoaxonogenesis studies.
• Assessing tumor spheroid growth and 3D invasion within the DACIT device.
• Demonstrating assays for proliferation, invasion, and calcium activity (GCaMP6 imaging, invadopodia assay, 3D spheroid invasion).

Main Results:

• DACIT successfully compartmentalizes neurons and cancer cells, allowing independent or co-culture conditions.
• Primary neurons exhibit superior neurite growth compared to the PC-12 cell line.
• The device accommodates 3D tumor spheroid invasion due to its unique height profile.
• DACIT effectively supports various cancer cell biology assays, including imaging neuronal activity and invasion studies.

Conclusions:

• The DACIT device offers a robust and versatile platform for studying the intricate interactions between cancer cells and peripheral axons.
• This technology facilitates a deeper understanding of neuro-cancer biology in both 2D and 3D in vitro models.
• DACIT opens new avenues for investigating the role of innervation in cancer progression and metastasis.