Increased thermoresistance developed during growth of small multicellular spheroids

Mammalian cells growing as multicell spheroids, an in vitro model of tumor microregions, have been shown previously to be more resistant than single cells from monolayer cultures to killing by ionizing radiation, hyperthermia, ultrasound, and chemotherapeutic drugs. Although the mechanisms by which cells in spheroids acquire these increased resistances are unknown, available evidence has indicated that intercellular contact mediates the process for ionizing radiation. This investigation was undertaken to evaluate the role of intercellular contact produced during growth of small spheroids on the sensitivity of EMT6/Ro mouse mammary tumor cells to moderate hyperthermia. Increased thermoresistance developed in small spheroids (approximately 70 micron diameter, 25 cells/spheroid), as measured by colony formation, after exposures to different temperatures in the range of 37 to 45 degrees C for periods less than or equal to 2 hr and at 42.5 degrees C for less than or equal to 8 hr. Experiments were performed to determine the relative contributions to this increased thermoresistance of 1) the extent of intercellular contact in spheroids of different cellular multiplicities, 2) differences in membrane damage influenced by trypsin heat treatment sequence, and 3) physiological changes associated with growth of cells as spheroids in suspension compared to monolayer culture. Treatment with trypsin prior to heating sensitized cells to killing by hyperthermia but did not account for the differential thermoresistance between cells from spheroids and monolayers. Spheroid multiplicity in the range of 1.16 to 76.2 cells/spheroid had no significant effect on cell survival after hyperthermia. However, cells grown in spinner suspension culture were more thermoresistant than cells from monolayer cultures and nearly as thermoresistant as cells in spheroids. From these data we conclude that the greater thermoresistance of EMT/Ro cells in spheroids is the result of cellular physiological changes associated with growth in suspension and is not mediated by intercellular contact.